Hey everyone, so today I got into this rabbit hole about Carlos Santana, you know, the guitar guy. I started out just wanting to learn a few of his songs, but ended up spending the whole day digging into his music and career.
First, I pulled out my old guitar and tried playing “Oye Como Va“. That song’s got such a cool, laid-back vibe, you know? I fumbled through the chords at first, but after a few tries, I started to get the hang of it. It’s not perfect, but I can kind of feel the rhythm now.
Then I went down this whole path of listening to Santana’s albums. I started with Abraxas, because everyone says that’s his best one. Man, “Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen” is just something else. The way the guitar and the organ play off each other, it’s like they’re having a conversation. I spent a good hour just trying to copy that iconic guitar solo, but I have to be honest, I’m no way near close to be good.
After that, I jumped to his later stuff, like “Maria Maria” and “Smooth“. Those songs are so catchy, you can’t help but move. I found myself just grooving in my chair, trying to imagine what it must have been like to see him play those songs live. I played these two songs on my guitar and feel like it’s much easier to play than the songs in the album Abraxas.
I also read up a bit on Santana’s career. Turns out he’s won a ton of awards, like, a bunch of Grammys. And he’s been making music for over fifty years! That’s crazy, right? His early stuff with rock, salsa, and jazz, that’s what really got him famous, especially that song “Evil Ways”. He mixed all these different styles together, and it just worked.
So, yeah, that was my day. From struggling with “Oye Como Va” to getting lost in the smooth sounds of “Maria Maria“, it was a pretty good day. I definitely have a new appreciation for Santana’s music now. It’s not just about the guitar, it’s about the whole vibe, the mix of sounds, and how it all comes together. I am thinking to keep practicing his songs and hopefully one day I can play just like him. That’s my new goal now.
