Guitarist`s apprentice

As the last drum beat faded away, the rehearsal was over, and the band members started leaving the assembly hall of their college.

“Well, gentlemen! I think we all were on fire today!” said the vocalist while turning off the camera on his phone, and shortly after that heard a few positive comments from the bandmates.

“Something’s wrong, Justin? You look kind of puzzled and don’t say much.”

“It’s all fine. I just think I could play the second solo better, more technically, you know?”

“Sure, you could bring some nasty arpeggios with string skipping and crazy tapping, but I think you’re already doing well, with the right feel and such. You’re good at expressing yourself on your guitar. Mr. Atkins teaches you well. You know what? Life should be approached easier, and music is no exception. No need to complicate things with no clear purpose.”

“What a wise thought… from a bassist!” They both grinned a little.

“Come on, Justin! Don’t be such a cynic! Phil’s right. We all know you’re a big fan of that ’80s guitar hero. He was sick, to say the least, true, but you don’t have to become the 2nd version of him, just be yourself and that’s it!” The drummer remarked.

“You guys sound so funny right now,” the vocalist murmured. “We’ve got some more important things to do. Like the party tonight, eh?”

*************************************************************************************************************

After college, Justin went to his guitar teacher, Mr. Atkins. He was an elderly man, rather slender type, with long gray hair, possessing the sense of tranquility like a monk.

“You seem to be quite unfocused right now,” he noticed.

“I’m tired of all those exercises. I still don’t play as fast and cool as a real shredder. You only teach me to play slow, like if I’m Silk Foiled band member, so I don’t get any speed. I want some really fast licks.”

“Hm, let me guess. The real shredder is someone like Jason Rose, right?”

“Well, yeah! He was a real guitar hero! Every note he played sounded special. His passages were so impeccable, so furious, and fast, of course. A pity we lost such a legend in a helicopter crash…”

“Yes, sometimes I forget you’re obsessed with speed. Why? Want to make some record, like the fastest guitar player in the world? Or it could make you more popular in your college, or have more views on the internet. What’s your goal, eventually?”

“You’re saying so because you can’t play like him. Wish he was alive, would have taken lessons from him only!”

“You mean something like this?” Endless arpeggios started flowing so easily and seemingly effortlessly, as Mr. Atkins was playing his guitar. The musicality perfectly crossed with fast yet clean string plucking.

“But… How’s that possible?! Only one guitarist played like this… It cannot be! No one survived then! I’ve seen all the chronicles of that day. The helicopter with 3 passengers crashed right into the penthouse…”

“True, but they didn`t find the bodies.”

“I must reconsider a thing or two!”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you made it this far, check out the 3D video version of the story!

https://youtu.be/kZZ-HkV-2zU