In the past I have been very vocal about many things; in particular, advising that people should not write music to their own performance ability. I caution against this because it places creativity in a limited space, it doesn’t challenge the composer/performer to grow, and it boarders the high probability of regurgitation of common predictable themes.
That being said (in all irony), I will be talking about taking influence from different blues fingerstyles of guitar playing to inspire part writing for compositional purposes. While this will limit the compositional ability as to what can be done using the physical limitations of the described guitar style, I do encourage people who are reading this to “think outside the box” and experiment to how these style can transverse over into new creative applications.
Today, I will be talking about the “utility thumb” playing of blues music that is predominantly found in the Delta area of the United States.
Utility thumb means that the bass note, provided by the thumb hitting the lowest note of the harmony on the guitar, is done on occasion. It is approximately needed at least once a measure, and usually hits on an offbeat. So, it is very reserved and only played when needed.
In this tip, imagine yourself playing in that style and understand what is physically possible as well as typically normal. Mentally practice this, and then write/play/annotate/record it.
Remember, always be creative above everything else. While keeping to rules and limitation can help focus on certain aspects on your composition, never go for less than what you are capable of.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read! Feel free to comment, share, and subscribe for more daily tips below! Till next time.
Daily Music Writing Tips - Blog by Bryan M. Waring 