INTRO: THE INHERENT HEALTH RISKS OF PLAYING GUITAR
A couple common themes have emerged with the four guitarists we’ve covered so far. First of all: being a world-renowned guitarist is, without question, bad for your health. Another lesson we can take away from Joe, Paco, and Frank is that good music rarely occurs in a vacuum. What is often considered innovation is usually an artful synthesis of musical influences. Michael Hedges’ 1981 Windham Hill release Breakfast in the Field was a landmark guitar recording full of percussive effects, open tunings, and right hand legato techniques. There’s a third thread that ties all these artists together, and it’s probably my favorite feature of their work. That is that the guitar was a vehicle that served their compositional ideas rather than the other way around.
Recordings:
Matthew Cochran, “Cicadas at the Equinox” from Vapor Trail from a Paper Plane
Michael Hedges, “Layover” from Breakfast In The Field
Commercial Break: Season Sponsor, Strings By Mail
Music Bed: Steve Reich, “Fast” from Electric Counterpoint, Pat Metheny, guitarist
PART TWO: SOME ESSENTIAL HEDGES GUITAR TECHNIQUES (AND WHY HE EMPLOYED THEM)
This section of the conversation gets a bit technical. Non-guitarists, bear with me for a few minutes, or feel free to skip ahead to Part Three, where I discuss Hedges early musical influences. For my money, it doesn’t get any more quintessentially Hedges than the title track from Aerial Boundaries. If you’re interested in replicating Hedges’ legato effects, or maybe you got lost in the explanation, fear not! Here’s a talented guy named Mark Whidden who’s made a video of himself playing “Aerial Boundaries” with both hands prominently displayed:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Oh, and I should mention that “Aerial Boundaries”, like all Hedges compositions, uses a Scordatura, or a non-standard tuning. This particular one is, from low to high, C2, C3, D3, G3, A3, D4. If you’d like to know more about Hedges’ tunings, I’d recommend visiting www.stropes.com
Michael Hedges is often referred to as a “fingerstyle” guitarist, but he’s also great with a pick. We listen to two tracks that feature Hedges with a pick.
Recordings
Michael Hedges, “Aerial Boundaries” from Aerial Boundaries
Michael Hedges, “Fusion of Five Elements” from Scorched
Michael Hedges, “Ritual Dance” from Taproot
PART THREE: HEDGES BIO AND EARLY MUSICAL INFLUENCES
We explore Hedges’ early life in Enid, OK, his studies at Peabody, and his first records with Windham Hill.
Recordings:
Arnold Schoenberg, “The Moonfleck” from Pierrot Lunaire, Christine Schäfer, sop., Pierre Boulez, cond.
Steve Reich and Musicians, “Pulse” from Music for 18 Musicians
Music bed: Michael Hedges, “Baal T ‘Shuvah” from Beyond Boundaries
Michael Hedges, “Eleven Small Roaches” from Breakfast in the Field
Commercial Break: Peghead Nation
Music Bed: Punch Brothers, “Flippen” from Who’s Feeling Young Now?
PART FOUR: THE JONI EFFECT
Michael Hedges often cited Joni Mitchell as major influence. He understood the genius of Joni’s songwriting of course, but he also appreciated her unique, inventive, and criminally underrated approach to the guitar.
Recordings:
Joni Mitchell, “Otis and Marlena” from Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter
Michael Hedges, “Woman of the World” from Watching My Life Go By
Joni Mitchell, “God Must Be A Boogie Man” from Mingus
Michael Hedges, “After the Gold Rush” (Neil Young cover) from Aerial Boundaries
PART FIVE: THE HEDGES’ LEGACY
Some closing thoughts about originality and Hedges’ lasting legacy
Recording:
Michael Hedges, “Chava’s Song” from Taproot
