BACKROADS • MAY 2022
FR E E W H E EL I N’ BRIAN RATHJEN
GOOD SOIL I recently read a piece by guitar guru Jonathon Boyd who asked… “Do you know why pros are able to learn so quickly and make playing guitar look so easy?” When I ask most players this question, they assume it has something to do with “natural talent”. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. Just read any of their stories and you’ll see that professional and upcoming musicians are constantly in an environment around other musicians — almost forcing them to grow. Whether that’s getting tips from better players backstage, hearing the secrets of an old pro at a club, or even being shown exactly what to do during a jam session. Just like a plant in the right soil…A player in this type of environment can grow so fast that his guitar-playing skills shoot through the roof. Where it looks, to outsiders, as if it happened by magic, then they all call it ‘natural talent’.” As a guitar player and a motorcycle rider who is constantly trying to get a bit better, these words made me stop and think. Do both of my guilty pleasures and passions work the same way? It did not take me long to conclude they do. There is a great quote about practicing and maintaining skill in musicianship. It has been attributed to either Jascha or Isaac Stern - both in-
Page 3 credible violinists - as well as trumpeter Louie “Sachmo” Armstrong. It goes something like this… If I don’t practice one day, I know it; in a week, my wife knows it; and in a month of days, the audience knows it. A little historic sidenote on all three of these amazing musicians – they all grew up in Jewish households - yes, even Louie Armstrong. The pedigree of these actual words is not as important as what they say. We all need to practice - all the time - to stay sharp. It’s easy to pick up a guitar on any day and string a few songs together. I do this every day. But, riding a bike daily can be iffy, especially if you have four seasons to deal with. When any musician begins, they will probably warm up a bit - and sometimes get into the groove better on some days than others. I know I certainly do. The same goes with riding. When anyone starts a ride both they and their motorcycle need to get warm, get up to speed, and hopefully a happy groove. MotoGP races always have a warm-up lap – so should we. In January we had a warm and balmy day of about 40 degrees – the roads were clear and I started my Kawasaki, but by the time I had gotten all my gear on the cooling fan had already gone on. The bike was warm, but I was not, nor were my tires. And, although I felt like I could pick up this ride where I left the last one off, my brain and about 20 Reg and Gigi Pridmore’s (a set from each year I have studied under them) leaned over my shoulder and reminded me my tires were cold – very cold. Continued on page 6
