THE BLUE STONES
The Blue Stones (courtesy of the artist)
Excited to share my latest interview with Tarek Jafar of The Blue Stones.
We were able to have a special conversation about learning music and how that can affect the way you create music. Tarek picked up the guitar and taught himself how to play, From his favorite riffs to learning some of the classics, it was obvious that he worked hard to get the sound that he wanted out of his instrument.
I was curious to find out if there were difficult musical challenges to overcome because of his DIY approach. To this day, there are still many musicians that choose to learn music in a traditional way. That is to say, take lessons and attend music school. This is a topic that’s being raised in many circles; “is it better for musicians to be formally trained, or self-taught?”
To the average person, there is no answer. It all depends on your individual journey and the type of music you want to play. For Tarek, it’s clear that he wanted to play what he liked and through those early experiences discovered a sound that he wanted to create. He said the following:
“I believe that the way I learned to piece together music and play the guitar blends itself into the individuality of music that we created
- Tarek Jafar
Every conversation I have is important because it helps clarify what drives our creative minds. While I would argue that most people would take the formal training route if given the option, there are still many musicians who can’t afford to do so. I think Tarek is a great example of what can be achieved when you decide that nothing will stop you from learning what you want. And while he did manage to get more training later on, he’s learned to embrace both the “rawness” of being self-taught, and the knowledge that comes with formal training.
It’s clear to me that The Blue Stones are on an amazing path full of success and can't wait to see how their career develops in the near future.
Listen to full interview in the web player above.
Check out their latest single: SHAKING OFF THE RUST
“a song that very much serves as a mission statement for their renewed sense of confidence and newfound identity.”
- Spotify