April is International Guitar Month, meaning musicians from around the world are celebrating the most popular instrument in rock music. We spoke to three local musicians about their love for the instrument: Ray Whitton (Humboldt), Trevor Ross (Humboldt), and Brett Hrynewich (Melfort). Whitton has been playing for nine years, Ross for about 35, and Hrynewich for 30.
How did you get started playing guitar?
Ray: I was looking for a new hobby.
Brett: My family is very musical. As a little kid I knew I would be playing an instrument, it was just a matter of which one I would play. Being young, I just thought that playing an instrument was something everyone did. My father (a fairly astute accordian player and a competent bass player) always had a band and I was fascinated by them playing together. I remember my mom asking me at some point if I had picked an instrument to play. I hadn’t yet given lots of thought to it but at that moment I just said I would play the guitar, as it was the one instrument nobody in my family played. Before I knew it I had a beginner electric guitar, a little amp, and I was signed up for lessons.
Trevor: My dad and uncle played in bands and music was a big part of my growing up.
What made you want to play guitar, as opposed to another instrument?
Ray: I thought it would be easy. I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Brett: My decision to play the guitar was somewhat of a gut reaction. I’ve always loved rock music since I can remember listening to music. The electric guitar is crucial to this genre. It typically opens up and closes the song with a catchy riff or melody – not to mention providing the catchy hooks, fills and rhythms that can often be found throughout the song. It’s such a strong component in songs that people will often find themselves humming, singing or just making noises to the guitar parts while singing along. I wanted to be the guy that could make those sounds.
Trevor: Because my dad played, a guitar was always lying around. I also took piano lessons when I was younger, but I gravitated more towards guitar.
What do you like about it?
Ray: I love the freedom. There are a thousand songs I could learn.
Brett: I have numerous reasons to love the guitar. In my opinion, its greatest attribute is that you can never finish learning how to play it. It’s not something that you can complete and be done with. Mastering a song, passage, or technique provides a great sense of personal accomplishment. If you play in a band, playing the guitar then becomes a team effort and becomes part of your social life, which adds another dynamic to playing it. It’s impossible to get bored the guitar.
Trevor: I love to play live shows and feel the energy from an audience, but it can also be very soothing and therapeutic to sit by yourself and play. I like that it’s something you can travel with, take to the lake, sit around a campfire etc. Music draws people together and some of my favorite moments are spending time with family and friends.
What are some frustrating things about playing guitar?
Ray: I will never be half as good as I want to be.
Brett: The most frustrating part is knowing that you can’t possibly learn it all. Besides that, when you are learning something on the guitar, some things come more naturally than others. In a lot of cases, you will be trying to learn something that your fingers and mind just can’t agree on. Overcoming what your mind wants your fingers to do and doing what actually needs to be done is probably the most frustrating guitar experience for me. However, once you overcome it and learn what you set out to learn, it’s extremely rewarding.
Trevor: It’s a tough instrument to learn and takes quite a bit of dedication. When you first start, your fingertips are going to blister and get sore, and you need to practice to develop strength, dexterity and muscle memory. You also need to develop your ear and have a good foundation in music theory.
If you were trying to convince someone to play the guitar, what would you say?
Ray: You’re never without a friend. It’s a companion and in some places a best friend.
Brett: Besides being the coolest instrument on the stage, I would tell the person that it is a very dynamic instrument to play. You can get what you want out of playing the guitar. Whether you strive to be Jimi Hendrix Part II or just use it to start up a sing-a-long at a campfire, it’s up to you. It can be found in pretty much every genre of modern day music. So, no matter what flavour your music is, it will always be relevant and there will always be something you’d love to learn on it.
Trevor: It’s something you will take with you throughout your life; a constant companion. Whether you decide to join a band or perform live doesn’t really matter. It’s very rewarding to challenge yourself and learn an instrument. Guitars tend to be more portable than, say a piano or a drum kit.
Who is your favourite guitarist and why?
Ray: My favorite player is anyone who plays with passion. It’s acceptable to make mistakes, but unforgivable to just play.
Brett: This is a tricky question. I have multiple favourites for a variety of reasons. Although not the world’s greatest technical player, I really like Randy Bachman’s playing style and admire his versatility. He’s known as a rocker (and he’s a great one) but he is also a really great jazz and blues player, influenced by other exceptionally great players, like Les Paul and Lenny Breau.
Trevor: I have so many favourites, from Marty Stuart to Stevie Ray Vaughan; Don Rich to Alex Lifeson. BB King can squeeze more emotion from a single note than anyone. I like players who are not only technically proficient, but who can convey the story, the intent, and the emotion in the piece they are playing.
What is your favourite song that features a guitar and why?
Ray: I love anything on an acoustic guitar. There’s something very warm and comforting about it, from campfires to theatres.
Brett: A tough question to answer! For sheer technical guitar brilliance, I love listening to pretty much any song by The Hellecasters, a guitar virtuoso super group. Guitar gods aside, I love the catchy riff, melody and tone of “Tall Trees” by Matt Mays and El Torpedo. It doesn’t have to be complicated to sound great. I also can’t forget “Wipeout” by The Ventures – one of the first songs I learned on the guitar that helped get me hooked on the instrument.
Trevor: Monte Montgomery does an acoustic version of “Little Wing” that blows me away, and David Gilmore’s solo in “Comfortably Numb” gives me goosebumps every time I hear it. “La Villa Stangiato” by the band Rush would have to be near the top of the list.
So there you have it: guitar players, get rocking this month. Don’t play guitar? Maybe it’s time to learn.
