Arts & Entertainment, Music
Introduction
Lesson time 06:34 min
Meet your new instructor: Grammy Award-winning guitarist Carlos Santana. In your first lesson, Carlos points to music’s higher purpose, and asks you to decide what role you want to play in making it real.
Students give MasterClass an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars
Topics include: Carlos Santana's MasterClass
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.
Get Up To 50% OffPreview
Would you welcome please Santana? [MUSIC - SANTANA] CARLOS SANTANA (VOICEOVER): It's not only about the guitar. It's what you're feeling and thinking when you hit that chord. What are you putting inside the note that gives you an immediate connection to people's hearts? That's the purpose of music, period. [GUITAR MUSIC PLAYING] - I'm Carlos Santana. This is my MasterClass. [GUITAR MUSIC PLAYING] I remember, 20 years ago, my mentor, Mr. Herbie Hancock-- we were talking about this and that, and, somehow, he said, you know, I want to ask you a question. Because you have a certain way of explaining things that is-- like, for example, when people ask me, you know, what kind of piano did you use, and what kind of voicing and chords? And he says, but they forgot to ask me, what was I feeling and thinking when I hit that chord and you're really good at expressing that. I said, yeah. You have to share with people what goes inside the note, you know? What are you putting inside the note that makes it explosive? [IMITATES EXPLOSION] [MUSIC - SANTANA] There's three kinds of purpose in music. One is to tame the beast. And then there's entertainment. And then there's music to uplift this planet into a whole other dimension of existence. Like Coltrane and Mahalia Jackson, their notes have an out-of-this-world realm that makes humans not rationalize stupid excuses. I can tell you, the musicians in the song, they are more than just a song. It's a gateway to "unfollowment" or illumination. And illumination shouldn't scare you. Illumination is a word for total wonderment, like being in Disneyland and you're seven years old and everything's paid for. All the rides are free, you know? Music will transport you into a place beyond fear, beyond guilt, shame, beyond good and bad, right or wrong, black, white, or gray. Wonderment is what you're supposed to play as a real musician. You choose, because it's the planet of free will. You choose what kind of role you want to play in music. [MUSIC - SANTANA, "SOUL SACRIFICE"] This is "Soul Sacrifice." The bass is-- [PLAYING BASSLINE] The guitar is-- [PLAYING GUITAR] The main thing is-- [PLAYING GUITAR] Drums! [PLAYING GUITAR] Drums. [PLAYING GUITAR] So once you get in it, it's almost like a gathering tribal music that-- I didn't know just how powerful it was until we actually played it in Woodstock. And everybody became like this. [IMITATES WHOOSHING] One. If it was 550,000, it became one. And that person in front of us was going, yes, finally! You know, something that we can-- there's something about primal music, especially like "Soul Sacrifice" or "Jingo," that makes people remember that they-- we all belong to the same-- not tribe or nation or patriotic. It ain't about that. We all belong to the same galactic oneness, you know? And that's the kind of music that I like to play-- music that that helps people...
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.
Featured MasterClass Instructor
Carlos Santana
Carlos Santana teaches you how he creates a distinct, soulful guitar sound that moves the hearts of audiences.
Explore the Class