“Musicians should be thinking more about feel, dynamics and emotion”: Lenny Kravitz gives his view on Instagram shredders who are “all about speed”
“BB King could take one string, one note, one finger and knock over a fucking mountain, right?”
Image: Michael Kovac / Getty
Modern guitarists are increasingly feeling the need for speed due to the boom in social media shredders, but Lenny Kravitz thinks players who put pace first are missing out on feeling and emotion.
“To feel good and to groove is a gift unto itself” according to Kravitz, who just released his latest record, Blue Electric Light. The album showcases influences of classic 1980s rock, funk and soul.
Speaking to Guitarist for its new print issue, Kravitz says he thinks all kinds of genres and approaches to playing are “out there”, but says, “You do see the trends on Instagram with musicians where it’s all about speed, you know? There’s a lot of that, right?”
He adds, “James Brown used to say, ‘Talking loud but saying nothing,’ so you can play a million notes and have absolutely no sense of feel, rhythm or intensity. And then BB King could take one string, one note, one finger and knock over a fucking mountain, right? So I think musicians should be thinking more about feel, dynamics and emotion, if you’re thinking about anything at all.
“I remember growing up in high school, and the one who could shred the fastest was the most impressive, but they weren’t concerned with the rhythm part per se. So it could be one chord, a funk jam or whether you’re playing like Bob Marley and the Wailers, and your job is that. Or it could be like if you’re playing James Brown, and your job is to go in and do what that music requires and not move. That’s your job.”
He concludes, “These guys who can play a million notes, 99 per cent of the time could not do those things deemed ‘simple’ because those things are not simple.”
Blue Electric Light is available to stream and buy now. View all upcoming tour dates for Lenny Kravitz.