Michael+W.

As you research your selected guitarist, you will need to note some specific information from his or her life and career. Include the following in your final writing: Details for your written assignment: ,
 * Introduction
 * Biography
 * Discography
 * Legacy
 * Conclusion

Pat Metheny

Write your essay here! : As you enter information, the area will expand. Make sure to check the required details of the assignment. ---The guitarist I researched is Pat Metheny. Pat Metheny had a very unique way of playing guitar. Pat Metheny's playing style is American-Jazz fusion. American-Jazz fusion is that he plays more jazz-like. This means that he plays fast paced and keeps playing different rhythms instead of repeating the same thing over and over again. One unique technique that Pat Metheny mastered is being able t smoothly switch from one style to another without making the song sound weird. ---Pat Metheny was born on August 12, 1954. Pat Metheny played both french horn and trumpet before at the age of fourteen he took on guitar. He was able to teach himself to play guitar in just 2 1/2 weeks. Once he learned how to fully play guitar he would start playing in Kansas City nightclubs at the age of 14. He would sometimes play up to 6 or 7 gigs a week. Pat Metheny was highly influenced by Wes Montgomery. Sometimes he was even criticized of playing and sounding to much like his idol. Pat Metheny graduated highschool and then went on to go the University of Miami. He however soon left to go to Berklee college of music. He collaborated with Gary Burton there for two years and then went on in life to release his own album by himself. ---One album that Pat Metheny released throughout his life is "Bright Size Life" in 1975. This was an important album for him and a milestone. This was his first album ever he released by himself without collaborating with others. Another album he released was "Watercolors" in 1977. This was Metheny's second album he released. He recorded both "Bright Size Life" and "Watercolors" in the studio in a matter of days. He also released "Watercolors" with Lyle Mays who was a keyboardist. One influence on my guitarists life was Wes Montgomery. As I said earlier he influenced him so much people accused him of being to much like his idol. The types of music that influenced Pat Metheny was that of Miles Davis, Ornette Coleman and the Beatles. Pat Metheny has influenced the whole world of music. He has changed the way music can be played like how he switches from one style to another in the same song. He has left many legacies including his unique style of playing guitar. He has changed the musical world because he has created a way for two different music worlds (different styles) to combine and listen to the same music. He also influenced the music world because since he is able to jump from genre to genre he is able to have endless oppurtunities for improvisation. ---One of the most interesting facts I learned about Pat Metheny is how many styles he has embarked on learning and playing guitar. Another fact that I found very interesting about Pat Metheny is that he has won a total of nine grammys throughout his career. Lastly the most interesting story I learned about Pat Metheny is that at the age of 14 through 18 he was able to play at Kansas City nightclubs. Also one thing that surprised me was that he was able to play 6 gigs a week while he still went to highschool.

Works Cited Sources : Include the source information for all of the articles or #|web sites that were used to complete your project. Source information is found at the end of each article in iCONN.They should also be listed in alphabetical order by the first word of the source citation. //sample:// "Carol Kaye." //Contemporary Musicians//. Vol. 22. Detroit: Gale, 1998. //Gale Biography In Context//. Web. 8 Jan. 2012. "Selected Websites on Carol Kaye's Life and Works." //Gale Biography in Context//. Detroit: Gale, 2008. //Gale Biography In Context//. Web. 8 Jan. 2012.

Your Source List:

"Metheny, Pat." Current Biography (Bio Ref Bank) (1996): Biography Reference Bank (H.W. Wilson). Web. 27 Oct. 2013.

Guitarist Research Notes Table
//cells will expand as you enter your findings// || This means that he doesn't play slow and repeat the same rhythm over and over. It means that he plays fast and plays different notes and rhythms throughout the piece. || What do you like about his/her style? || He is still playing his own style. No one has yet to take on a style similar to Pat Metheny that i know of. I like his style of music because it is very unique. I like how he is able to switch from style to style and the song still "works". I also like it because it is never repeating the same thing over and over he keeps on making up new rhythms. ||
 * ** Information Feature ** ||= **Your Findings**
 * The guitar style I am researching is: || American Jazz Fusion ||
 * The artist I am researching is: || Pat Metheny ||
 * This guitarist lived from __to__ || August 12 1954 and is still living ||
 * Define and describe the guitar style you are researching. || He is a jazz guitarist and is usually known to mix a lot of different styles of music.
 * What kind of musical training did the guitarist have? || He taught himself to play in just 2 1/2 weeks at the age of 14. ||
 * What types of music influenced this artist? || He was influenced by jazz to rock to country music. He enjoyed listening to Miles Davis and The Beatles ||
 * Name some musicians who influenced the guitarist you are researching. || Wes Montgomery, Miles Davis, Ornette Coleman ||
 * Has this guitarist played more than one style? If so, what other styles? || He has played many including rock, traditional jazz and country. Sometimes he even combined all three together. ||
 * What type of guitar does this musician play? || acoustic, 12 string guitar ||
 * What are some interesting facts about your guitarist’s childhood? || He was able to teach himself to play guitar in just 2 1/2 weeks. He learned how to play the french horn and the trumpet before 14 years old. ||
 * What did this guitarist do before he became famous? || Pat Metheny went to the University of Miami and then soon left. He then was asked to go to a two-year stint teaching at Berklee college of music.He then joined Gary Burton's quintet of jazz guitarists. He then collaborated there for two years and then he came out with his own album. ||
 * List two interesting facts about the guitarist’s life. || He started playing in Kansas City nightclubs at 14 years old and played up to 6 gigs a week. Throughout his career he won a total of nine grammys ||
 * List two albums or songs your artist released, the dates they were released and why they are important. || He released "Bright Size Life" in 1975. This was important because it was the first time he release by himself and not with others. Another album was "Watercolors" in 1977. This is important because he recorded this album live in the studio in a matter of days and he did it with Lyle Mays the keyboardist. ||
 * Who is playing this style of music today?
 * What legacy has this guitarist left to the world of music? || He hasn't died yet but he has already left many legacies like his unique style of playing and switching from different styles in one song. ||