Deva greeted me – he’s the one who told me about this weekly event – he is the drummer of the home band. They all are great musicians. While the band performed I was busy taking photograph. Yeah, still with my old FinePix 9500 – Fuji Camera I did “point and shoot” technique . Is that a technique?

For now I concentrate on balance and composition only when shooting.  So feel free to throw “hot chilly” critics on these shots.

Long time ago, I was on the stage and playing my guitar in front of thousands of people. Everyone loved me. Everyone knows I am the best guitar player in the world. I play with eight fingers or sometimes ten. I even use my toes to shred my guitar. Oyeaahhhh I rocked the world!

Sorry, I just made it up – not even funny.

But here is a real story about guitar hero – no! not that game – I mean a real guitarist. Like guitar player Yuri Mahatma , this guy is an Indonesian too – a Balinese to be exact. His name is I Wayan Balawan.

Okay, guitar players and beginners,  Balawan is a busy musician but he still able and kind enough to spare his time to answer questions I sent him via email. What an awsome guy.

Who is I Wayan Balawan?

Simply, google his name. Story about Balawan (that’s what people call him) is everywhere. Even a wiki about him. You can also read a complete info at his website and of course on youtube.

Balawan is one of guitar players who is a specialist of touch-tapping-style like Stanley Jordan. Maybe the only guitarist with such guitar-playing technique in Indonesia.

When did you start to play guitar?
Balawan: Started when I was 8 years old (kelas 4 Sekolah Dasar – Year 4 of elementary school) by playing Indonesian children song and ABBA and Evergreen songs at that time like belladona, rivers of babylon etc.

Tell me about your guitar formal study..
Balawan: I was taught by my oldest sister in the early age and also from her school friends that came over to our house everyday, then I learned by watching rock concert video and also went to Kuta sometimes to watch bands.

After finished high school I studied music at Australian Institute of Music in Sydney.  I got my certificate of music after a year, and AIM (Australian Institute of Music) offered a part of scholarship, so I continued to study and got a diploma.

What do you call your music?
Balawan:Mixture of ethnic, technique and skillful entertainment. Complex category, hey?

Any guitarists you admire, and why?
Balawan: John Mc Laughin, Shawn Lane, Allan Holdsworth. John for his spiritual goal in music by combining jazz and Indian rhythm. Shawn lane and Allan Holdsworth for their technical and musical are incredible. Honestly I don’t admire any blues guitarists. It doesn’t kick in my heart.

Let’s talk about your gear. What guitar do you use, effects, amplifier and why?
Balawan: I use Stephallen guitars made in East Java. They’re amazing guitars and world-class instruments made by local. I use old trusted stomp box by Boss and Digitech – I hate digital effect! I use VOX amplifier and Laney combo, because I am a simple man.

The way you play your guitar looks so complicated. I believe many guitar players or “wannabe’s” wants to play the technique (*cough – including me) but quit after couple of attempts. What do you think?
The way i do it, put it this way. Practising = Eating (you must eat everyday, don’t you ?) and always happy doing it, no pressure at all…

How do you define “a good guitar player” ?
Balawan: Good guitar player is a guitarist that is able to accompany singer just with one guitar and also can “speak” just with a few notes. But I also admire any technically fast guitarist because I know they have been doing their homework properly.

Okay, this is for beginner what advice would you give in terms of guitar practice?
Balawan: It’s better to practise 1 hour everyday than 8 hours once a week

Do you teach ? If yes, do you teach your guitar technique or normal guitar playing?
Balawan: To play my style you need an extra dedication and hard work, you can imagine practising scale with your left hand using pick for 2 hours, and you must practise the same thing with just your right hand for another 2 hours.

Yes, I teach guitar sometimes but most it for clinics and masterclass only. At the moment  I don’t really have time to teach one person at a time. And I teach whatever they want to know, shred, solo acoustic, electric, tapping or song to crack on their girlfriends,  it’s okay too..

Any last words for beginners?
Balawan: Everybody started playing by copying other guitarist, – so you do that – but after that you must try to find your own style, be unique and original then you on to something!

Whoah! Thanks Balawan.  So what do you think?

Years back in Bali I had a band called Kayane.  It was me as a lead vocalist with guitar and Ami Rosady , Eko Sumarsono on Bass (Ami and Eko are now member of Animo Band), Edy Siswanto on drum (now with Saharadja Band) and Yuri Mahatma on guitar (now with BIAO band).

Kayane was a great formation for me in the process of maturing my musicianship. Anyway, I am not going to tell you further about Kayane (maybe  I’ll blog about it next time) but I want to introduce you to “down-to-earth” guitar player Yuri Mahatma.

Two days ago I sent an email to him if he would be interested to share his words about guitar and music on my blog. He agreed. So I sent him ten questions and he answered below:

When did you started to play guitar?
Yuri: I started when I was 13 years old. It was my sister’s guitar

Why guitar? Not drum or other instruments?
Yuri: Well, In my country it is relatively the cheapest instrument you can get, and it is very common to take when you hang out with your friends, sitting on a fence, getting high..you know.

Did you have formal guitar education?
Yuri: Well, not really formal but I took some private class from Martijn Van Iterson in Holland, he was one of the most respected guitar player in Europe, until today I guess.

I know you play jazz. Why Jazz?
Yuri: I don’t really care about the music genre. I love all kind of music as long it has space for me to improvise, if it means Jazz then, Jazz it is.

What was the artist or guitar player that has the biggest influence on you as a musician?
Yuri: My sister – Dian Pratiwi. She already was  a jazz singer when I just started. I was pretty much influenced, especially in classic jazz. And of course by the great guitarists from the good old days, Jim Hall, Joe Pass, to name a few.

Let’s talk about your gear. What guitar do you use and why?
Yuri: I use Gibson ES 135. It’s cheap compare to other series of Gibson, and it has good response to sound effect, yet still gives you the warmth of  ” f ” hole hollow tone.

What guitar would you suggest to buy for beginners and why?
Yuri: Buy a Fender Strat, it is very nice guitar, besides you still can sell it with good price in case you quit.

Do you teach ?
Yuri: Yes, I give lessons at Farabi Music school in Bali, and also some private lessons at home.

What would you advise for those who are  interested in learning jazz guitar?
Yuri: Open your mind. Jazz is not WHAT, but HOW. You should try all possibilities with it.

Any last words you want to say for beginners?
Yuri: Take your time. Do not equip yourselves with too much sound effects as the greatest tone comes from your fingers..and be honest to yourselves, find the reason why you want to be a musician at the first place. Music is a lifetime learning.

Here is Yuri’s performance with his band BIAO

So what do you think? Please share your thought or retweet it. Thank you.