(Guitar Workshop With Anton Rodriguez and Bert Ong)
Good musicians can travel for miles while playing the music they know. But great musicians pick up whatever they can along the way, and build their foundations on whatever it is they find. Being a guitarist isn’t just about riffs and licks, although they are important if you want to improve. These days, teenagers often pick up the guitar to either serenade a girl or to become the next big thing; the modern-day Hendrix, the contemporary Clapton, or the Jimmy Page prodigy minus the bad-ass accent. But the thing is, it’s not just about who can shred the most nor is it about who knows the sicker scales. Rhythm, melody, timing; sharpen these and your guitar can become a dangerous weapon of mass Rock-struction. Anton Rodriguez, from 2142, and Bert Ong did a phenomenal job in getting this point across.
The entire event went off without a hitch. They started by demonstrating basic improvisation, and continued on to explain that a guitar and amplifier isn’t something you choose with your head, but with your heart. And just like a wand (Harry Potter reference) it must also choose you back. Forgive me for the cheesiness and the
inappropriate Harry Potter interjection, but there really is no better way to say it.
They then continued on to explain the FUNdamentals of guitar and performing. They also shared some secrets about how to experiment with the scales and how to warm up your hands with fingering (no, not in that context) exercises. In a nutshell, they talked about the basics of guitar coupled with some lighthearted humor and a few awkward exchanges of knock-knock jokes. They wrapped the entire thing up with a Q&A session and finally, a jam session to officially conclude the workshop.
It’s workshops like this that really showcase how much ((aMp)) values both music and how it can tie people together. Like I said, it couldn’t have gone any better, and the credit goes to Anton Rodriguez and Bert Ong. May the Rock gods smile favorably upon you both, good sirs.
the Ateneo Musicians' Pool
