When you think of Jimi Hendrix’s Fender Stratocaster, Jimmy Paige’s Gibson Les Paul, or John Bonham’s Ludwig drums, what comes to your mind?  For me, I think of pure, raw talent.  All of these individuals made their instruments extensions of themselves; they made them a part of who they were – and that was very, very evident when they played.

Since I was kid, and still to this day, I’ve always had a strong love of music.  And, also, right along with that, I’ve always wished I could play an instrument.  But even if I wanted to learn an instrument, and started tomorrow, I don’t think it would be possible to replicate what Paige, Hendrix, or Bonham could do with their instruments of choice.  When they played it was awe-inspiring; they made it hard to see where the human ended and the instrument began.  The instrument became a part of them, and through it they conveyed emotion and feeling that was second to none.

While I realize that I will never be able to play the guitar like Paige, and will never be able to play the drums like Bonham, I do have a few things that I consider an extension of myself:  my gun, and especially my bow.

The closest I will ever come to the blending of instrument and human – the kind of blending that happened on a Led Zeppelin stage – happens when I draw my bow.  At that moment in time tool (instrument) and human become one.  And while the bow isn’t physically attached to me, like the guitar wasn’t attached to Paige, it definitely feels as though it is.  At full draw I feel as though the bow is a part of me and that the arrow is an extensive of myself; that I project my emotions, feelings, discipline, heart, and soul through it.  Much the same as Paige and Bonham projected their soul through a mean guitar riff and a solid drum groove.

When they played it was a release – a way to relieve stress while experiencing joy.  And, for me, the bow provides the same benefits.  I can come to full draw and feel the pressures of life disperse.  At that moment all that matters is me, the bow – the extension of myself – and the target downrange.

Shooting the bow doesn’t affect as large an audience as Paige’s guitar did – and still does.  And it surely will not produce as much sound as a Bonham’s bass drum.  But it does provide an outlet for those of us who prefer a different means of expressing ourselves with a mystical and timeless instrument…………..even if it’s only for a single audience.

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