Three Principles of Guitar Craft — Insights from Robert Fripp
Discovering a discipline, contacting the unconditioned world, and finding freedom in the midst of chaos
I remain fascinated by the teachings of Robert Fripp — and skeptical. My reactions to these ideas range from inspiration to confusion. Perhaps there is something profoundly practical and life-changing to be found in all his writing about the Guitar Circle. If so, I am determined to drill down through the lofty abstractions and find it.
In this post and the next one, I’ll attempt to distill the Guitar Circle teachings to their essence. I have no idea what will happen, so just join me for the ride.
First comes the key principles. Three in particular resonate with me. I’ll introduce each one with a quotation from Robert.
Discipline
It is absurd to think practising our instrument is separate from the rest of our life. If we change our practice, we change our lives. Practice is not just what we do with our hands, nor just how we do what we do with our hands. Practice is how we are. How we hold our pick is how we organise our life.
Playing music is a discipline for mastering the guitar and mastering ourselves. These two forms of mastery involve the same principles and practices — e.g., focused attention, relaxation, silence, posture, breathing, intention, ethical behavior, collaboration, and contribution.
Living well and playing are both matters of craft — daily practices that can be done with the guitar and away from the guitar. One small act of quality in either area reverberates throughout our entire life. Just as we tune our guitar, we tune ourselves.
The Unconditioned World
The first aim of any discipline is to create a bridge between the subtle and the material. The creation of this “bridge” then enables the subtle to connect directly with the material world.
We live in the worlds of the sacred and the profane — the subtle world and the material world, the invisible and the invisible, the world without conditions and the world bound by conditions.
In the world of conditions, events unfold over time and in certain places. We are subject to fate — the limitations imposed by external circumstances and accident. We behave unconsciously and habitually, without intention and with constant and unnecessary tension.
In the unconditioned world, events are instantaneous. All potentials are present here before they manifest at any time and in any place in the conditioned world.
Practice connects us to the unconditioned. Through practicing, we leave the world of clock time and enter the extended present moment. Music (with a capital M) is one aspect of the unconditioned world. When we’re able to contact it, the piece plays itself, with no effort on our part. We become the instrument, the vehicle, the channel. Music happens through us, not by us.
Freedom
The challenge is to be present in the maelstrom and the nonsense; respond to its demands where necessary; and not react to its pressures. The word for this is freedom, but not a freedom outside the bustle; it is holding a still point within the bustle. Outside: nonsense. Inside: purpose, poise, grace. Outside, the bustle continues. Inside, the bustle has no purchase.
Through discipline we discover a center in the midst of chaos. Instead of trying to silence all the noise outside us, we find silence within. Instead of reacting unconsciously to the events, we pause for a moment of attention and then respond intentionally.
Our practice frees us from demands about how other people are supposed to behave and how events are supposed to unfold. We gain freedom from opinions, from likes and dislikes.
Through our craft we learn to communicate through music, beyond words and across cultures. The act of making music becomes a vehicle for joy, hope, and love.