Maestro Chuy Hernandez, long time Mariachi Sol de Mexico guitarist, talked to us about the experiences and knowledge that he picked up throughout his successful mariachi career. From how his first performances went, to what separates a good mariachi from a great mariachi. Here is some of what Maestro Chuy Hernandez had to share with us.
MAESTRO, HOW DID YOUR FIRST EVER MARIACHI GIGS GO?
Very nerve-wracking. Because although I could play, I mean I could play a son which is basically three chords that you could hear right away. On the other hand, boleros are a whole different thing or polkas, it was all a whole different thing. So the first night out was very difficult for my brother Jose and myself. And although he was a really, really great trumpet player, when you don’t have repertoire, it is like anything else. You have to put in the time every day and learn more songs. Learn more songs until you start seeing a pattern. So the first night wasn’t all that great for me but it was exciting because I knew I had to step it up. Nevertheless, I still didn’t think I was going to do it for a living. I was doing it on the weekends to save money for a house. I had just gotten married and I was living at my dad’s. My dad goes, “If you’re here, save money and then buy your house okay.” So you know, I was working the weekends but the more I did it, the more I realized, “I think I think I gotta give this a try.” I had already completed graduate school from Loyola Marymount and I did very well but nevertheless, I had to give music a try because it was in my heart.
WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM YOUR TIME IN MARIACHI LOS GALLEROS AND MARIACHI LOS CAMPEROS?
Well, one thing we knew right away is that Nati’s outlook towards mariachi was totally different from my brother. My brother was always, “play with heart,” nice arrangements, and to try to play well technically. Nati was more, “people see you dress well, people don’t know about music.” That was his general idea. People don’t know if you’re doing this or just playing that. They don’t know. Just give them loud music, songs that they wanna hear, and dress well and you got the audience. They varied very drastic looks.
However when you combine the two, 1) dress well. People look at you before they hear you. And then 2) if you offer really good music and technically you pay correct, then you satisfy your audience. You satisfy yourself musically and at the end of the day, you’re elevating the way people look at mariachi.
WHAT SEPARATES A GOOD MARIACHI FROM A GREAT MARIACHI?
Well, synchronization of course. And I don’t mean robotic synchronization. For example, when you go to Texas now you see it’s very robotic. I personally don’t like to see that.
And then you check to see how tight it is. And that means the melodic with the harmonic part of it. How tight are they? Are they really playing together? Are they adding condiments or are they just playing notes? It’s like when you hear a singer. You might say, “Well, what a great voice but you know what? It really doesn’t move me.” The interpretation. So at the end of the day, interpretation has a lot to do with it. Not only for a singer but as violin players, as rhythm players. I told you, there’s a certain sense that you have to feel when you’re playing. Sones. So we look for that. Not only execution, but interpretation.
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