G2E Ep 004 Michael Hedges

INTRO: THE INHERENT HEALTH RISKS OF PLAYING GUITAR

A couple common themes have emerged with the four guitarists we’ve covered so far. First of all: being a world-renowned guitarist is, without question, bad for your health. Another lesson we can take away from Joe, Paco, and Frank is that good music rarely occurs in a vacuum. What is often considered innovation is usually an artful synthesis of musical influences. Michael Hedges’ 1981 Windham Hill release Breakfast in the Field was a landmark guitar recording full of percussive effects, open tunings, and right hand legato techniques. There’s a third thread that ties all these artists together, and it’s probably my favorite feature of their work. That is that the guitar was a vehicle that served their compositional ideas rather than the other way around.

Recordings:

Matthew Cochran, “Cicadas at the Equinox” from Vapor Trail from a Paper Plane

Michael Hedges, “Layover” from Breakfast In The Field

Commercial Break: Season Sponsor, Strings By Mail

Music Bed: Steve Reich, “Fast” from Electric Counterpoint, Pat Metheny, guitarist

PART TWO: SOME ESSENTIAL HEDGES GUITAR TECHNIQUES (AND WHY HE EMPLOYED THEM)

This section of the conversation gets a bit technical. Non-guitarists, bear with me for a few minutes, or feel free to skip ahead to Part Three, where I discuss Hedges early musical influences. For my money, it doesn’t get any more quintessentially Hedges than the title track from Aerial Boundaries. If you’re interested in replicating Hedges’ legato effects, or maybe you got lost in the explanation, fear not! Here’s a talented guy named Mark Whidden who’s made a video of himself playing “Aerial Boundaries” with both hands prominently displayed:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyLXPKgfjVo

Oh, and I should mention that “Aerial Boundaries”, like all Hedges compositions, uses a Scordatura, or a non-standard tuning. This particular one is, from low to high, C2, C3, D3, G3, A3, D4. If you’d like to know more about Hedges’ tunings, I’d recommend visiting www.stropes.com

Michael Hedges is often referred to as a “fingerstyle” guitarist, but he’s also great with a pick. We listen to two tracks that feature Hedges with a pick.

Recordings

Michael Hedges, “Aerial Boundaries” from Aerial Boundaries 

Michael Hedges, “Fusion of Five Elements” from Scorched

Michael Hedges, “Ritual Dance” from Taproot

PART THREE: HEDGES BIO AND EARLY MUSICAL INFLUENCES

We explore Hedges’ early life in Enid, OK, his studies at Peabody, and his first records with Windham Hill.

Recordings:

Arnold Schoenberg, “The Moonfleck” from Pierrot Lunaire, Christine Schäfer, sop., Pierre Boulez, cond.  

Steve Reich and Musicians, “Pulse” from Music for 18 Musicians

Music bed: Michael Hedges, “Baal T ‘Shuvah” from Beyond Boundaries

Michael Hedges, “Eleven Small Roaches” from Breakfast in the Field

Commercial Break: Peghead Nation

Music Bed: Punch Brothers, “Flippen” from Who’s Feeling Young Now?

PART FOUR: THE JONI EFFECT

Michael Hedges often cited Joni Mitchell as major influence. He understood the genius of Joni’s songwriting of course, but he also appreciated her unique, inventive, and criminally underrated approach to the guitar.

Recordings:

Joni Mitchell, “Otis and Marlena” from Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter

Michael Hedges, “Woman of the World” from Watching My Life Go By

Joni Mitchell, “God Must Be A Boogie Man” from Mingus

Michael Hedges, “After the Gold Rush” (Neil Young cover) from Aerial Boundaries

PART FIVE: THE HEDGES’ LEGACY

Some closing thoughts about originality and Hedges’ lasting legacy

Recording:

Michael Hedges, “Chava’s Song” from Taproot