‘Playing Guitar Is Meditation to Me, and to My Listeners’

Armed with his guitar, Jubing Kristianto has had the opportunity to travel the world to show off his amazing skills plying the fretboard. More akin to dancing, his finger dexterity and precision plucking make him sound more like an ensemble than a solo act.

Today, the folk guitarist tells us about how he wrote his ode to Jakarta, “Kelap-Kelip,” and how he has enjoyed working with other celebrated artists such as Didik Nini Thowok and W.S. Rendra.

Jubing will also be discussing his musical inspiration at Saturday’s TEDx Jakarta event.

Jubing, how did you get into guitar?

I got hooked on the simplicity of the six strings when my parents first introduced the musical instrument to me. It’s affordable, portable and easy to learn. I started to take it seriously when I attend classical guitar lessons at a music school in Semarang, my hometown, in the seventh grade. That was when I found out that a guitar isn’t just for musical accompaniment, but can actually be played solo.

You are often referred to as a finger-style guitarist. What does that mean?

It’s a technical term that means plucking the guitar strings instead of strumming them with a pick, which is more common. That’s just the way I’ve always played my acoustic guitar.

Do any of your songs take inspiration from Jakarta?

The song called ‘ Kelap-Kelip ’ (‘Flickering’). You know, I travel often because I have shows in many countries. So every time my plane takes off from the runway at Soekarno-Hatta airport at night, and I’m sitting by the window, I always stare down at the city’s lights. I know it must be very noisy down there, but inside the cabin I feel peace and calm. I see those lights as like fireflies.

Do you enjoy collaborating with other artists?

It’s marvelous. I liked the spontaneity when I was asked to perform with a painter, Susilowati Natakoesoemah. I played the tunes while she drew something based on the feelings she had toward the music. I’ve also worked with dancers, like Didik Nini Thowok, and poets, like W.S. Rendra. That shows the flexibility of this musical instrument in creating beautiful synergy with other kinds of art elements.

Are there any messages you try to deliver to listeners through your music?

I just hope that anyone who listens to my music will feel happy or relieved, or simply that my music touches that person’s heart. Playing guitar is like meditation to me and I hope my music, too, will be meditation for my listeners.

You’ve also made some firsts with the Indonesian Museum of Records (MURI). What is it like to have your achievements recognized like that?

So proud, indeed [smiles]. I’m so thankful for the appreciation. When I wrote my Gitarpedia — which is considered the first Indonesian guitar encyclopedia — I never had any intention to put myself on the list at MURI. What I did was based on me wanting to share what I have with others in my own country. That’s the same reason why I wanted to share my guitar arrangements and compositions for free on the Internet.

Of the many awards you have received, which was the best?

There are two, actually. First, when I finally became champion at the Yamaha National Guitar Competition in 1987. I had joined several competitions in the past, but only ever came runner-up. With that achievement I finally proved to myself that I’m good at playing guitar. The second was when my first album, ‘Becak Fantasy,’ was chosen as best album by Rolling Stone Indonesia magazine in 2008. That was like recognition from the people that my music can bring together listeners from all circles, as Rolling Stone is a general music magazine.

Explain to us the relationship between your criminology degree and guitar playing?

[Laughs] The reason I enrolled in the University of Indonesia’s criminology major was because my parents asked me to get a bachelor’s degree instead just being a musician. And I knew my musical career would have more chance to develop in Jakarta rather in Semarang, so, to get them to let me move to Jakarta, I applied to Indonesia’s No. 1 university. And I chose that major because I thought it would give me a better chance to get in, since not many people wanted to enrol in criminology at that time [smiles]. But the social science knowledge does help me in terms of behavior, to face the audience, clients and the media after I become quite well-known as a musician.

You were once a journalist. Why did you stop?

Yeah, that was in the early ’90s. I used to write crime-related articles to support my living expenses here in Jakarta. I stopped writing because I wanted to take music seriously as a full-time career.

You’re talking at TEDx Jakarta on Saturday. Can you tell us about what you might say?

Actually, I’m a bit surprised to be invited to talk at such a big event arranged by TED, which is a huge nonprofit organization. It’s an honor for me. With the 15 minutes they’ve given me on stage, I’ll play a guitar solo, of course, and talk about how awesome it is just knowing how to play a guitar properly. I want to share with people my research on how great the guitar actually is.


Jubing Kristianto was talking to Nariswari Dita Yudianti.

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