The ‘Blues Hammer’ Syndrome

Studying musical cultures from around the world (or even from our own backyard) is a voyage of discovery. It activates our curiosity and challenges our notion of what defines music. We become more receptive to new ways of hearing and, in turn, we respond by setting out to learn this new music. Most of the time, we do this by imitating our idols. This could be, for example, learning a guitar solo note-by-note. Unfortunately, this approach can also quickly lead to a very bad and common habit; one that I like to call the “Blues Hammer Syndrome.” The syndrome leads to a lack of authenticity, hinders your musical development, and demonstrates a lack of respect for musical heritage.

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