Arts & Entertainment, Music

Bonus: Wisdom to Live By

Lesson time 12:09 min

Throughout his life and career, Carlos has accrued a trove of wisdom. He shares his unique outlook on why music matters, and the importance of helping others.

Students give MasterClass an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars

Topics include: Carry Yourself With Integrity • Know Where You're Going • Rescue People From Themselves • Be of Service • Intangible Wisdom • What Matters Is the Next Note • Be a Masterpiece

Carlos Santana

Teaches the Art and Soul of Guitar

Carlos Santana teaches you how he creates a distinct, soulful guitar sound that moves the hearts of audiences.

Preview

Why are you playing? Are you playing to get a house or get a car or be famous? Or are you playing to change the conditions of this planet? I mean, it's not good or bad. I mean, it really, you know, energy is just energy. A person will probably feel infinitely better when you're getting ready to leave this body, knowing that you played music that really, really helped heal and elevate consciousness, because you can't take the Rolls Royce on the other side. You can't take this to the other side. But you can take people's hearts with you. And they will gladly go with you. [MUSIC PLAYING] There's a code of carrying yourself. I learned this from my dad. He would come in with me in to this place, and people were in the process of telling like a dirty joke or something, you know. And as soon as they saw my father, they wouldn't they wouldn't finish the joke. They were just like, "Oh, Jose, how are you doing?" And it was like, I said, whoa, my dad commands respect without asking for it. Like, "Oh, go ahead." "No, it's not important. That joke wasn't important. Hey, it's great to see you." Then they'll say, "What will you like to play today?" And I was like, wow, my dad is really something else. He commands respect without even asking for it. How? It's how you carry yourself that you command that respect, that integrity. Carry yourself with integrity, no matter what instrument you play or what you do or how you do it. That's going to make you really, really rich with abundance. It can make other people believe that you are a king of kings and you're like the epitome of elegance and grace. Again, you can be butt naked and still have to have the elegance and the flair. So it's not necessarily clothes. It's how you carry yourself. That's important for a real musician to do, that you take the time to check yourself out. Your presence alone should motivate people to try harder to be better. And that's what this is about, I think. [MUSIC PLAYING] For me, I always wanted to do is-- [PLAYING GUITAR] I always wanted to be-- I guess because I'm a violin player from the beginning, I always wanted to play the melody. The chords are beautiful, but get to the-- oh, this is a rule for all musicians. What are you trying-- where are you going? What are you trying to say? And then get the hell out of there and give it to the next person. But first it's like, where are you going? OK, where am I going? I'm going straight to the heart. And what are you trying to say? What I'm trying to say is that everybody has light and everybody's brilliant. And if I play it like that, with that kind of trajectory, the listeners is going to get more than "Black Magic Woman" or "Oye Como Va" or "Maria, Maria." They're going to get something inside those notes that makes them go from a caterpillar to a butterfly. [MUSIC PLAYING] It's got to go through you. That's the best music. And it's important that you don't cower yourself at the right momen...

About the Instructor

With 10 Grammys and almost 50 years on stage, Carlos Santana teaches you how to play guitar in his spiritual style. Learn how he weaves emotion, artistic expression, and musical genres from across the world to create a sound that transcends classifications and connects with audiences. Join Carlos in his studio as he breaks down his process note by note—so you can discover the soul of your sound.

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Carlos Santana

Carlos Santana teaches you how he creates a distinct, soulful guitar sound that moves the hearts of audiences.

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