In the sidelines, there will always be people who talk.

There are classically trained guitar players who critique legends like Eric Clapton for the curl of his fingers, or Tommy Emmanuel for the way his thumb wraps around the neck (a real classical guitar no-no).

But Eric and Tommy don’t read from the textbooks. They create music in the way they see fit. They work the instrument in a way that suits their genre and style.

Strictly adhering to doctrine is a great way to make boring art.

Trying different methods and then settling on the way that works best for you in what you’re trying to express — that’s how a chapter of creativity gets marked with your name.