About This Piece
Wu Wei — named after the Taoist concept of effortless action — is one of Pierre Bensusan's most celebrated compositions. Recorded live at The Silk Mill Recording Studio, the performance captures his uncanny ability to make DADGAD tuning sound like a complete orchestral palette.
The piece perfectly embodies its title: complex ideas expressed with apparent effortlessness, the technique invisible in service of the music.
Technical Overview
Bensusan is the undisputed master of DADGAD tuning, and Wu Wei is one of his finest demonstrations of what the tuning can do:
- DADGAD (D-A-D-G-A-D): The open strings create a Dsus4 chord, giving the music a modal, open quality fundamentally different from standard tuning
- Right-hand independence: Bensusan maintains bass, rhythm, and melody simultaneously with extraordinary control
- Natural harmonics: Appear at key structural moments, adding bell-like clarity
Learning Path
This is an advanced piece requiring deep familiarity with DADGAD tuning. Before attempting Wu Wei, spend time exploring the tuning's chord shapes and scales. The technical demands are high, but the musical rewards are exceptional.