Dave Matthews

Not every guitarist wants to be original. Many people grow up just wanting to sound like their heroes. When John Mayer first hit the scene he sounded very much like SRV, as did Jonny Lang. There are plenty of guys imitating Dave Matthews nowadays, and certainly there are more than a few Holdsworth devotees. I don’t think there is anything inherently wrong with that at all. If that’s what inspires you to play and you like how you sound, more power to you! I just might be very content to sound just like Metheny, Martino, or McGill.

But for those of us who would like to add their own personality and flavor to our playing, becoming a true original and finding our own musical voice seems to be a very daunting challenge.

This is just my personal theory, but I think becoming an original player has more to do with doing something different naturally more so than purposely racking one’s brain to try and set themselves apart from the pack. Someone stumbled upon an idea or way of learning because they didn’t know any better and before you know it they have found their own voice.

So you might be thinking, “Well, that didn’t happen to me, so does that mean I’ll never be original?” Certainly not. But, I think those of us (and yes, I’m including myself) that didn’t have the luxury of stumbling upon something great and just went the traditional guitar-learning route, will have to think outside the box a bit more.

Take Risks

In its simplest form, being truly original is all about taking risks. It’s also about having the conviction to press ahead and stay the course while everyone else is trying to keep you down. You have to run as fast as you can towards the big prize – being able to play the music you hear going on in your head. That is the only true manifestation of your talent. This, of course, requires a certain facility with the guitar, so obviously you’re going to have to practice, but that should go without saying.

Start With One Thing

Many original artists really only do one or two things very well. The Edge has his delay pedal. Tom Morello has his wah-wah and turntable sounds. Don’t feel like you have to go out and completely start from the beginning. Latch onto one thing and milk the crap out of it. Mutate it. Dissect it. Explore it in every conceivable way. Get every last drop out of it, make it a part of your style, and then move on. If you just scratch the surface and never really dig in then it’s more about luck than determination and hard work.

Fail, and Fail Again. Then Fail Some More.

If you’re afraid of failing, you should probably give up playing guitar altogether, let alone try to find your own voice. The measure of success lies in how quickly you stand right back up after every failure. The messier and dirtier you get from each failure, the faster you need to get back on your feet and move forward. I’m inclined to believe that the people who succeed the greatest are the ones that have first failed the worst.

Just Be Original

If you love playing completely out of tune and think that’s the “thing” that makes you truly original, then by all means keep doing it. Everyone else might hate it, but they certainly can’t say you aren’t original, right? More realistically, however, you’ll probably work out a few things on the guitar that, coupled with the way you currently play, will present a unique and interesting twist that many have not heard before. Don’t be confused; being original doesn’t mean you have to be completely, 100% different than everyone else. Eddie Van Halen wasn’t so off the chart that people couldn’t identify with his playing or learn his songs, but he had enough tricks in his bag that were distinctly his own that he became a true, original icon of guitar.

Have Confidence…

Make people notice what you’re doing. If you are afraid to stand out and be original, you won’t. If you hesitate because you think people won’t like what you’re doing, then you’re not finding your own voice – you’re finding everyone else’s. You need to be able to put yourself out there and be unashamedly bold about doing what you do. In many cases, your confidence will win people over more so than the actual part of your playing that is unique to you.