Keith Whalen - Instagram Licks #4 (June 18th - September 2nd)

[@KayvanAbbasi]

So many gems 💎 here! So beautiful! Thank you so much for posting! ♥️

[@chongli8409]

Have you heard of Anton Oparin? Your technical prowess reminds me of him. Like, your superhuman synchronisation and cleanness.

[@KeithWhalen11]

The one and only Rick Graham sent me a video link saying: "prepare yourself." It was Anton playing Paganini's 16th Caprice. His right hand is from another dimension. I think the picking he does throughout Bach's Chromatic Fantasy is among the best playing I've seen in ages, which also reminded me that I had seen him many years ago crushing these pieces and some Gilbert stuff at NAMM. Very, very few people can delve into that realm with such authority and I hope he continues to play from the violin repertoire, just to keep us all in check!

[@chongli8409]

@@KeithWhalen11 yeah, we all play in his terrifying shadow haha.

[@Returnality]

Amazing as always! Always a treat to hear from you. Maybe I should get an Instagram just to hear from you more!

[@KeithWhalen11]

Thank you! Getting an Instagram account helped me play more often because my attention span is perfect for 15 second stories haha.

[@KeithWhalen11]

@Noshirm good to see you mate! What have you been listening to?

[@KeithWhalen11]

@Noshirm skateboarding has been great this summer but fall is coming in quick.

[@RandyBakkelund]

So aggressive sounding and clean AF!

[@aucs5656]

Siiiiiiick!!!

[@thanosfisherman]

Do you hold the pick with the middle and thumb? What is your index finger doing then?

[@KeithWhalen11]

My index adds extra grip and does some angling too but it is more flexible than the middle, where most of the squeeze happens.

[@CharlieShaughnessy]

JAYzus

[@aldoiron1715]

Are you as good at skateboarding as you are at guitar?

[@KeithWhalen11]

That's a hard thing to assess but skateboarding is more in my DNA, while music is something I understand more superficially. I tried to study it but was denied entry to music school. If I had to do one before an audience it would be skateboard, no question.

[@Guitarsloth]

@@KeithWhalen11 wait, why were you denied? Currently as you stand you are better than most I’ve seen get accepted into Berkeley, and to top that off you are obviously educated in music

[@KeithWhalen11]

@@Guitarsloth I failed my audition, which was a shame because it killed my enthusiasm for a career in music. I didn't know I needed to be a master of solfege and theory just to step in the door. Worst part is this college was of a lower caliber than say McGill or Concordia, so I counted myself out of those, too.

[@Guitarsloth]

@@KeithWhalen11 that’s absolute bs man, I’ve seen tons of dudes audition to better schools and get accepted with little theory knowledge. I’m sure you could have made it big if you decided to stick with it, but regardless it’s your life man. Just glad that your hand on better and you can still do the things you love

[@KeithWhalen11]

@@Guitarsloth thanks dude. In any case, there's nothing stopping me from pursuing my own creative endeavors and I'm happy to be able to say I'm entirely self-taught.

[@fcubic]

Ridiculous Keith!

[@KeithWhalen11]

Happy to hear from you, Floyd! Thank you.

[@GuitarJawn]

Stop posting so much on instagram and holding out on us.

[@KeithWhalen11]

I need a huge button that posts to all websites and also lets my parents know I'm alive.