Music is made from only 3 elements: Rhythm, Sonority, and Silence.  For the most part musicians are great at the first 2 elements, but the third is almost… well silent in the vocabulary of a musician, especially a guitarist. Most tend to overplay or try to get in as many cool licks as possible in a given song.  In my experience in the Crash band, I see something different.

I have the privilege of playing with some of the best musicians in the country at Crash.  One in particular is Daniel Ortega, a phenomenal guitarist. Danny and I come from two different worlds of guitar playing. He plays the beautiful soaring lead sounds and those great creamy rhythms and tones reminiscent of U2 and Radiohead. On the other hand, I play much more forte and precise, dynamic solos and heavier, driving rhthyms inspired from the great classic guitarists such as David Gilmore of Pink Floyd and Jazz legend Pat Metheny. Not to say that if Danny and I so desired, we could play the same way, the truth is we don’t want to; it is not a part of our guitarist DNA.

Because this great musical relationship exists at Crash, Danny and I are constantly creating space for one another. Submitting certain guitar parts for the sake of great musical balance. Sometimes Danny will play a smooth overdrive part and I will take a higher, shimmery part with a lot of sparkle and delay, or sometimes I will play a mean, low fuzz part and Danny will play a high compressed ebow part, each way, it equally attributes to the overall band’s musical expression and is equally cool in the process.

However, sometimes it is necessary for one of us to not play a thing. Sometimes there is simply too much going on for us both to play. And depending on what part is necessary, that could mean either of us, at any point, may not play a portion or all of a particular song. Danny and I have a mutual respect for each other personally and musically, so this decision (made on the fly usually) is fair so both of us aren’t sitting out too long.

On a deeper level, there is something that the silence creates. We forget that the silence is still a MAIN part of the band, or the project, or the fellowship, or the business, or the relationship. Sometimes it is necessary to understand that two equally great forces usually needed to play in compliment, that one sometimes should be singled out and silenced of  its own accord in order for the overall goal to be accomplished. The idea that talents and gifts of two people or entities are most powerful in mutual submission.

Rhythm, Sonority, Silence. I think life, as in music, are the same.