Robben Ford Discussion

[Buffaloe]

Weill, sorta. I sat six feet from him as he gave a presentaion to the National Guitar Workshop group in New Orleans. When I entered the auditorium he was going over some songs with the bass player and drummer that teach at the workshop. I don't know their names, but they are players for sure. Robben also asked for another guitar player to back him, and Matt Smith, my instructor in my program was selected. During the times they played, Robben was very generous in asking for solos from all of the players involved in the session, and played backing rythmn's only Robben could play.

The two hour event started with Robben speaking about his start in music, and his wish that everyone would seek out good music in all genres. He talked of how he started playing saxophone, but moved to guitar at an early age having heard Mike Bloomfield and Eric Clapton in the Mayall and early Cream days. After speaking for about 15 minutes, he asked the players to come up. They did some simple chord progression songs to start out, and then finished the first set with "Moonchild Blues". Robben had handed out charts for this, and the staff from NGW handled it like the pros they are.

He then did another thirty minute or so of question and answer where he went into music theory in the simplest of methods, and took numerous questions that ranged from using diminished scales to how his brothers and family had caused him to take his musical path.

One question I asked, which the answer didn't surprise me, was how he had approached the outing with Greg Allman and friends, and how he dealt with the Dickey Betts parts that are so much of what Allman has done over the years. The answer? He didn't have to deal with those guitar parts because he had never heard them. He had a deal with Greg that he would play his parts as he felt them. If you've heard the recordings of Robben with Greg, you know that's what he did.

The players were called back up for a last session which went on for another 30 minutes or so, and then Robben sat down for a final comment or two.

I have had the pleasure of being in two of Robben's Master Classes in Ojai, and now had the wonderful experience of sitting six feet from him as he played. Everytime he has been as real as real can be. He is a shy man from what I can tell, but loves to share with his admirers what he does, and is a very giving artist that only wants those interested in playing to better themselves, and if he can help them do so, he will.

I have studied his music and stolen much from him to improve my vocabulary. I think he would approve, just as he took from Bloomfield, Clapton, and others, but he has developed his own unique signature having learned from these others.

Today he played his Les Paul through a Vibrolux. Straight in. No peddles, no Dumble, no nothing to influence the tone, but it came out pure Robben anyway. He played more today with his fingers than with a pick, which clearly gives him much more expressive ability, and he played hard. There might have been thirty of us in the audience, but he was giving it like there was 30,000. His phrasing and touch are his gift to us who listen. It is a gift. You can't learn to do it the way he does. If you did it would only be replication. When he does it, it's art. His emotion while playing is palpable.

It was a very, very good afternoon.
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Ham Fisted Bloozer

[Aeolian]

You know, of all the clinics and music store appearances I've been to, that's probably the most important lesson he's given. To immerse himself in the music and give it his all, regardless of how bright the lights are, or how many people are sitting there.
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There are no such things as wrong notes, there's only the look on your face.
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