Thanks so much for having me my friend. Great to meet and get to know you. Look forward to hanging again. Thank you everyone as well for the kind words.
The only player at NAMM 2024 that I was so glad to have my picture with! And I have so many great pix with Superstar players at NAMM over 22 years and Josh was a humble fan friend. So special for me. Thanks, Josh from a guitar playin fan of yours, you inspire and you rock. Troy
Whenever I see Josh has done an interview I feel compelled to mention his early influence on me because he and his pals always left such an impression the way they would sync up and play together. I imagine it to be the way some would get to see a young Clapton just jam with other guitar players who inspired him. For someone just starting to play it is invaluable because that level of improvisation becomes a familiar landmark if you will. It feels like home. And it's amazing that the first time I heard him he was a world class talent and today is still getting better as I notice things in his playing that I had not heard before. He's a student of the game to say the least.
thanks so much for this @joshSmithGuitar !!! you kick my ass with your guitar, beautiful mindset too, very inspiring for all of us ;) god bless you !!!
Yeah the moneys good when it's good...The story goes like this....Chet told Steve Warner.."You're Fired"!...Steve did a great job by playing like you know Josh...Leave Joe because you don't have to play second fiddle! So go and play because you deserve it!....Love your playing Josh...keep it up!
The dude is the most underated guitarist of the last 10 years, i saw him with bonamassa but it was clear he was there to support joe, still a killer player
Guitar is competition Josh smith shouldn’t worry about having great night blowing Joe bonamassa. Joe bonamassa has good nights. A good night is when you wished you played christmas carols, piercing the ears screaming Melodie’s ( once upon time in west) Shawn lane. Uli jon Roth ‘Hiroshima’ earth shattering meteorite bombardment. The world anthem ‘Mahogany Rush’ sustain thick tone
Man, I'm out of breath. You made my day. What a relief among all those "pedal sellers" on YT. I love Josh's 'old school' approach and mentality toward music and being the best you can be. Thanks Josh and thanks Tyler. For me this is one of the highlights of your channel.
I know this is technically just another interview, but for some reason this came across as an epic, engaging video. I could almost watch it twice. Wow, that guy is a guitar God! 🤘🤘
Josh has been my favorite guitar player for a long time. I'm a tele guy and never thought I'd buy an Ibanez but I bought a FLATV1 and absolutely love it.
Josh Smith is a great communicator! Talented, humble, hardworking and with a great understanding of subtlety and nuance with regard to his playing. Thank you.
Loved this interview! Finding the one thing that makes you happy and putting everything into it is the goal of life. When you find that thing has changed, remember it's really you that changed. Why, and how helps redirect energy back to that happy place.
I’ve been playing guitar for about a year now and Josh has been one of the biggest inspirations for me, I love blues and blues everything and he’s an absolute underground master❤❤❤😊
My buddy & myself saw Josh & Joe last night at Red Rocks! It was epic :) When Joe introduced him he called him the best guitarist on the stage. High praise that rings so true! Love Josh!!
What he is saying is so true…I’m not a pro, just work a regular job…but I’m psychology tortured by the chops I know are melting away during the weekdays.
Videos like this make me wish that RUclips had a “love” button ❤️. Such a wonderfully thoughtful and well spoken person Josh is. Been a fan for years. And, beautifully interviewed by you. (You played some smoking riffs too). Thanks for sharing this - I needed this tonight. 🙏
I first heard Josh way back in the day! This guy is sick! It blew my mind listening to Josh playing a blues set and in a heartbeat, flips it on its head with some "wrong" notes that fit so perfectly! You just cannot get bored listing to Josh and there is always something that makes you go "WOW!"
thanks so much for this @joshSmithGuitar !!! you kick my ass with your guitar, beautiful mindset too, very inspiring for all of us ;) god bless you !!!
Great Video! I've watched Josh play for many years and been very impressed with his playing and after this interview I'm equally impressed by the person he is.
the jam at 16 minutes is a great example of someone listening, finding his spot in the groove, and not over playing. And that guy is Tyler, and you smashed out a perfect part to complement the song. Josh is the kind of guy who'll talk to anyone on a level plain, he has nothing that makes you feel he's unapproachable. Josh is the type of talent i admire the most because of his attitude. One of my favourite interviews, as it was so real and interesting. I will admit, as an Ozzie, i don't know much about Josh, but now i want to know more.
amazing info. I played drums for many years and experienced the same feelings Josh articulated such as not feeling like I played well that night or my drums sounded like crap some nights. Im very glad to hear Im not alone in having those experiences.. great guitarist...great interview. thanks guys!!
Josh, thank you so much for sharing! We all get stuck in a rot every now and then, and hearing you, one of the greatest, open up about where you are at the moment is truly inspiring. It brings us mortals hope
You dont school Tommy Emmanuel, as good as Josh is and ive met him and seen him live, Tommy is on a different planet. Ive also seen Tommy in my home town a good few years ago.
About 18 months ago I had the privilege of attending a guitar breaks course with Josh. There is nothing more terrifying than being in a room with just Josh and him saying “now play”! It was an amazing experience. 🤘🏻👍🎸
hi guys i am 74 still playing, still love it, i think the key is play to the song, do not think, be guided by your emotions. when you truly connect with the music the notes flow from your amp with out effort. your in the zone.
This was so great. Love the baseball talk at the beginning…I’m a die hard Orioles fan living in New England, and like Josh, I inherited the obsession from my dad. I too try to watch every game. Should be an amazing post season this year! One of my absolute favorite guitar players…such a humble and genuine dude.
Tyler, it looked like you were having a blast soling with Josh, Great interview, I've seen Josh with Joe B a few times, great show to see anytime anywhere.
My gawd josh is good. His lines are so full of energy, surprise and deep musicality…and the f#$&ing chops, moe, the chops! i wish hed kept his channel going but im glad hes out there doing his thing on stages. That “old dude playing stevie too” story is great…he talks about that a lot. Seminal moment.
Josh is just such an amazing player and a really warm and genuinely nice person. Saw him play at The Baked Potato in Studio City. He’s also a music historian. Tell you what to do to get back that spontaneity… when you’re home in LA, play the Baked Potato! YOU ARE MISSED!!!
There's no doubt in my mind that Josh is capable of holding his own in any genre, and he excells at most of them. Definitely in my top 5 guitarist. He's also taught me so much about modern blues and about improvising in general. Copying his licks and solos has opened up the fretboard for me in ways I'd never imagined before. Between Josh and Guthrie Trapp, my playing has gone from playing noodling solos to structured ear catching chord tone solos and the use of "outside playing " with the ability to bring it back in the pocket both rhythmically, harmonically. I owe so much to those guys.
He said everything I've ever wanted to say about being a lifelong guitarist while dealing with fellow musicians that never wanted to be better than they were currently. It's not always about technical things more than it's about feeling the moments. Serve the song instead of serving your ego.
I followed Josh on KTBA mediterraneum, at NAMM in january and finally I bought the book from fundamental changes. Can state I'm a fan, from Italy by the way. Thank you Josh
Saw Josh in Edinburgh, Scotland a few years ago. He's a phenomenal player! Me and my buddies had a great night! Everyone commented that the guitar seemed like an extension of him. There's none better! Seems like the sort of guy I'd want to grab a beer with.
The "Tyler as Josh's therapist" segment was really interesting. If I ever get to see Joe Bon, and Josh is still playing for him, it'll be Josh I'm watching. But I'd 100% rather go to see the Josh Smith World Tour!
I truly can't imagine being josh Smith and feeling like your skills are slightly not where you want them to be. I feel like I play and play and barely progress. RUclips is humbling there are just so many players with off the charts skills
Those last 5 minutes of SRV adulation and conversation are so relevant... great examples of SRV growth and maturation are on (likely) his least selling release, "Family Values". Along with his brother, Jimmy, they explore multiple variations on the blues cannon, jazz, country, R&B, from Texas to Chicago to Kansas City to West Coast styles... a wonderfully realized project! A little extra tip for the archivists out there... SRV's performances on the delectable Bennie Wallace lp "Twilight Time" are gems, as is the entire release, highly recommended!! ✌️
I feel lucky to have seen Josh at the baked potato a few times and at the Hollywood bowl with Joe B. What an amazing talent, and the first guitarist to make me want to be a musician, not just a guitar player.
Josh Smith is just such a wholesome member of the guitar community. He gets it and is a genuinely nice dude! Oh and of course his playing is some of the best anyone has ever seen.
Tyler I’m traveling with family to Gatlinburg until next Friday and if you happen to be in the area while I search for random guitar stores that would be awesome. Just manifesting some crazy stuff 🙌
I think the first thing is a guitar that sound awesome un plugged then the amp pedals are the sauce but most important is the hands and pick and technic so hours of practice will always make things better but playing with others is much more beneficial . Love your show.
I love to watch and hear him play. I think he’s rather unique because he uses a Tele style almost exclusively. Rock on Josh. Wish I could play 1/10 the way you can!
Great interview. Gonna check out his stuff. EDIT : Turns out I listened to one of his albums a long time ago and added it to my library. Gonna check out his others, thanks Tyler!
Yeah the moneys good when it's good...The story goes like this....Chet told Steve Warner.."You're Fired"!...Steve did a great job by playing like you know Josh...Leave Joe because you don't have to play second fiddle! So go and play because you deserve it!....Love your playing Josh...keep it up!
Josh navigates so many styles with such taste and fluidity, it’s actually kind of ridiculous. He’s just awesome. Now I need to find an infinity stone so I can stop time and practice for roughly 500 years to keep up…..
Great interview with some really cool playing from both of you. When you guys were talking about theory, you know, it's valuable tools in your toolbox but you _ain't_ gonna put the toolbox in your front seat like it was your girlfriend, I really resonated with that. I think about it like, "Ok, which came first, music theory or musicians improvising and creating the language of music?" The answer is always, _"Music_ came first, obviously. Then somewhere along the path other people studied what musicians did and slowly came up with a set of rules that helped other musicians understand music." Not knocking theory at all, just saying that if you regress everything back to point of origin, there was music (and improvisation) _before_ theory. I dunno, that always helps me put it in perspective.
Well instruments were created to work a certain way. It wasn't like "here's a guitar, but no-one knows what is supposed to be done". What basically amounts to theory had to be there from the start cuz it kind of dictates how the instrument works.
Thanks so much for having me my friend. Great to meet and get to know you. Look forward to hanging again. Thank you everyone as well for the kind words.
@joshsmithguitar you kill it on the guitar bro. Well done!!!
The only player at NAMM 2024 that I was so glad to have my picture with! And I have so many great pix with Superstar players at NAMM over 22 years and Josh was a humble fan friend. So special for me. Thanks, Josh from a guitar playin fan of yours, you inspire and you rock. Troy
Whenever I see Josh has done an interview I feel compelled to mention his early influence on me because he and his pals always left such an impression the way they would sync up and play together. I imagine it to be the way some would get to see a young Clapton just jam with other guitar players who inspired him. For someone just starting to play it is invaluable because that level of improvisation becomes a familiar landmark if you will. It feels like home. And it's amazing that the first time I heard him he was a world class talent and today is still getting better as I notice things in his playing that I had not heard before. He's a student of the game to say the least.
thanks so much for this @joshSmithGuitar !!! you kick my ass with your guitar, beautiful mindset too, very inspiring for all of us ;) god bless you !!!
Yeah the moneys good when it's good...The story goes like this....Chet told Steve Warner.."You're Fired"!...Steve did a great job by playing like you know Josh...Leave Joe because you don't have to play second fiddle! So go and play because you deserve it!....Love your playing Josh...keep it up!
The dude is the most underated guitarist of the last 10 years, i saw him with bonamassa but it was clear he was there to support joe, still a killer player
Also saw him with JB ...cool dude and a good player😊
Same here if I could touch that I'd be happy.
Guitar is competition Josh smith shouldn’t worry about having great night blowing Joe bonamassa. Joe bonamassa has good nights. A good night is when you wished you played christmas carols, piercing the ears screaming Melodie’s ( once upon time in west) Shawn lane. Uli jon Roth ‘Hiroshima’ earth shattering meteorite bombardment. The world anthem ‘Mahogany Rush’ sustain thick tone
Man, I'm out of breath. You made my day. What a relief among all those "pedal sellers" on YT.
I love Josh's 'old school' approach and mentality toward music and being the best you can be.
Thanks Josh and thanks Tyler. For me this is one of the highlights of your channel.
I know this is technically just another interview, but for some reason this came across as an epic, engaging video. I could almost watch it twice. Wow, that guy is a guitar God! 🤘🤘
Josh has been my favorite guitar player for a long time. I'm a tele guy and never thought I'd buy an Ibanez but I bought a FLATV1 and absolutely love it.
literally same
Same here as well
This makes me so happy and proud. Thank you guys for the support!!!
Josh Smith is a great communicator! Talented, humble, hardworking and with a great understanding of subtlety and nuance with regard to his playing. Thank you.
Josh Smith is the pinnacle of improvisational guitar players. I’m glad you got to spend some time with him.
Absolutely
This is a great interview man!! Very engaging, with a lot of nuggets of advice from Josh for any player at any level.
Loved this interview! Finding the one thing that makes you happy and putting everything into it is the goal of life. When you find that thing has changed, remember it's really you that changed. Why, and how helps redirect energy back to that happy place.
I’ve been playing guitar for about a year now and Josh has been one of the biggest inspirations for me, I love blues and blues everything and he’s an absolute underground master❤❤❤😊
My buddy & myself saw Josh & Joe last night at Red Rocks! It was epic :) When Joe introduced him he called him the best guitarist on the stage. High praise that rings so true! Love Josh!!
What he is saying is so true…I’m not a pro, just work a regular job…but I’m psychology tortured by the chops I know are melting away during the weekdays.
Josh is a Master Guitar Player that deserves every accolade that can be used about him. I love it when Kurt Fletcher and Josh play together!
Videos like this make me wish that RUclips had a “love” button ❤️. Such a wonderfully thoughtful and well spoken person Josh is. Been a fan for years. And, beautifully interviewed by you. (You played some smoking riffs too). Thanks for sharing this - I needed this tonight. 🙏
What a great interview! I couldn't turn away. Thanks for allowing him to speak and get on a roll. Those are the most exciting moments!😊
Thanks for this episode. I am really enjoying it.
Thanks for interview Josh..He was very inspiring
I first heard Josh way back in the day! This guy is sick! It blew my mind listening to Josh playing a blues set and in a heartbeat, flips it on its head with some "wrong" notes that fit so perfectly! You just cannot get bored listing to Josh and there is always something that makes you go "WOW!"
thanks so much for this @joshSmithGuitar !!! you kick my ass with your guitar, beautiful mindset too, very inspiring for all of us ;) god bless you !!!
Terrific interview! Super enjoyed Josh's many insights and philosophies. 13-58 oh lord! Fantastic.
Thanks for these videos. I know it takes a lot of time and effort. Much appreciated @Music Is Win
Really really glad you had Josh on the show. One of my favorites.
I love hearing Josh talk guitar, and play obviously. Great job with the interview too.
This was such a meaningful interview. Josh is a very sincere person and it shows in his music
Great Video! I've watched Josh play for many years and been very impressed with his playing and after this interview I'm equally impressed by the person he is.
This was great. Channel has hit another gear lately and is getting better and better. Keep up the great work
the jam at 16 minutes is a great example of someone listening, finding his spot in the groove, and not over playing. And that guy is Tyler, and you smashed out a perfect part to complement the song. Josh is the kind of guy who'll talk to anyone on a level plain, he has nothing that makes you feel he's unapproachable. Josh is the type of talent i admire the most because of his attitude. One of my favourite interviews, as it was so real and interesting. I will admit, as an Ozzie, i don't know much about Josh, but now i want to know more.
What a great interview!
Honestly, this is one of my most favorite interviews you have done! I'll probably watch it several times
amazing info. I played drums for many years and experienced the same feelings Josh articulated such as not feeling like I played well that night or my drums sounded like crap some nights. Im very glad to hear Im not alone in having those experiences.. great guitarist...great interview. thanks guys!!
Every musician has felt this way..
thanks for doing these interwievs. really helps me discover more artists
Thank you both for this inspirational video. Really interesting and motivational - not to mention the great licks and playing.
Been a huge fan of Josh for more than 15 years. He is not just a great great artist and guitarlayer, he is a great guy.
Really great conversation. Thanks dudes! 🍻
Josh, thank you so much for sharing! We all get stuck in a rot every now and then, and hearing you, one of the greatest, open up about where you are at the moment is truly inspiring. It brings us mortals hope
There's a clip of Josh jamming with Joe Bonamassa and Tommy Emmanuel on some Blues cruise and he schooled everyone
Literally have watched this 20 times
You dont school Tommy Emmanuel, as good as Josh is and ive met him and seen him live, Tommy is on a different planet. Ive also seen Tommy in my home town a good few years ago.
Facts
Tommy got schooled by joscho stephan.. there's a new school of players n teachers now.
@@alexandrarodriguez2293 Fair comment
Love his honesty. Great & inspiring player.
Oh man Josh is such an amazing guitar player and such a nice dude it should be illegal hahaha love him, thanks for the video 🤘🤘🤘🤘
About 18 months ago I had the privilege of attending a guitar breaks course with Josh. There is nothing more terrifying than being in a room with just Josh and him saying “now play”! It was an amazing experience. 🤘🏻👍🎸
hi guys i am 74 still playing, still love it, i think the key is play to the song, do not think, be guided by your emotions. when you truly connect with the music the notes flow from your amp with out effort. your in the zone.
This was so great. Love the baseball talk at the beginning…I’m a die hard Orioles fan living in New England, and like Josh, I inherited the obsession from my dad. I too try to watch every game. Should be an amazing post season this year!
One of my absolute favorite guitar players…such a humble and genuine dude.
He's such a nice guy and great guitar player that he deserves an intervention with that Yankee obsession. GO O's!!!
I’ll be there this Sunday too I’m soo excited!!!
Excellent video. Keep ‘em’ coming.
Tyler, it looked like you were having a blast soling with Josh, Great interview, I've seen Josh with Joe B a few times, great show to see anytime anywhere.
My gawd josh is good. His lines are so full of energy, surprise and deep musicality…and the f#$&ing chops, moe, the chops! i wish hed kept his channel going but im glad hes out there doing his thing on stages.
That “old dude playing stevie too” story is great…he talks about that a lot. Seminal moment.
So happy to see you had the Genius that is Josh Smith👏🙏💙💪🤝
Wow, what a great video! I wish they would have talked about his pedalboard.
Amazing episode and insight into Josh's mindset....awesome. 🔥
Josh is just such an amazing player and a really warm and genuinely nice person. Saw him play at The Baked Potato in Studio City. He’s also a music historian. Tell you what to do to get back that spontaneity… when you’re home in LA, play the Baked Potato! YOU ARE MISSED!!!
There's no doubt in my mind that Josh is capable of holding his own in any genre, and he excells at most of them. Definitely in my top 5 guitarist. He's also taught me so much about modern blues and about improvising in general. Copying his licks and solos has opened up the fretboard for me in ways I'd never imagined before. Between Josh and Guthrie Trapp, my playing has gone from playing noodling solos to structured ear catching chord tone solos and the use of "outside playing " with the ability to bring it back in the pocket both rhythmically, harmonically. I owe so much to those guys.
He said everything I've ever wanted to say about being a lifelong guitarist while dealing with fellow musicians that never wanted to be better than they were currently.
It's not always about technical things more than it's about feeling the moments.
Serve the song instead of serving your ego.
I saw Josh play with Joe at Red Rocks 2 days ago...he's killing it! So is Joe, and the whole damn band! Such a great show!
This video was horrible... Horribly short! Minimum acceptable would've been 2 hours. Can't get enough of hearing Josh. Thanks for bringing him on.
I followed Josh on KTBA mediterraneum, at NAMM in january and finally I bought the book from fundamental changes. Can state I'm a fan, from Italy by the way. Thank you Josh
I am loving this!!
My favorite by far. The man is a legend!
Saw Josh in Edinburgh, Scotland a few years ago. He's a phenomenal player! Me and my buddies had a great night! Everyone commented that the guitar seemed like an extension of him. There's none better! Seems like the sort of guy I'd want to grab a beer with.
Great interview …Josh is such a nice honest guy….a pleasure to listen to
Josh is an insanely good guitarist. His depth of technical knowledge and his ability is just massive.
Dang, this was great. I think I met Josh around 2010/11 via Joe Morgan. This guy is very next level helpful and inspiring. Thanks for this video.
The "Tyler as Josh's therapist" segment was really interesting. If I ever get to see Joe Bon, and Josh is still playing for him, it'll be Josh I'm watching. But I'd 100% rather go to see the Josh Smith World Tour!
I truly can't imagine being josh Smith and feeling like your skills are slightly not where you want them to be. I feel like I play and play and barely progress. RUclips is humbling there are just so many players with off the charts skills
Remember seeing Josh in Guildford felt like he was bouncing the notes off my head. So great.
It’s all about file cabinet licks, and tool box. In the front seat, one in the garage, also on table, with parts in kitchen sink
I like sports and guitar. It's not often people can talk both. I enjoyed this a lot....
What an excellent conversation!
Theres a video of Josh jamming with Bruce Forman a minor blues, that tune is one of my favorite things to listen ever!
Josh is awesome!! Great interview and video Tyler!
Incredible musician. Saw him once in London and it's one of the best shows I had the chance to enjoy!
Those last 5 minutes of SRV adulation and conversation are so relevant... great examples of SRV growth and maturation are on (likely) his least selling release, "Family Values". Along with his brother, Jimmy, they explore multiple variations on the blues cannon, jazz, country, R&B, from Texas to Chicago to Kansas City to West Coast styles... a wonderfully realized project!
A little extra tip for the archivists out there... SRV's performances on the delectable Bennie Wallace lp "Twilight Time" are gems, as is the entire release, highly recommended!! ✌️
Love to watch him with Kirk Fletcher. True artists having fun with their craft and with each other.
I feel lucky to have seen Josh at the baked potato a few times and at the Hollywood bowl with Joe B. What an amazing talent, and the first guitarist to make me want to be a musician, not just a guitar player.
Josh Smith is from anouther planet! The best out there right now!!
That words at @16.30 touched me really deep. Now I don't feel that bad, neither alone for being in the same situation!
Josh Smith Rocks!!! hell of a player
yeah!!
Josh Smith is an amazing musician. Not just a guitarist. A real master. A real professional.
Dude I love josh's vibe and content man dude is a beast
Josh with Martin Miller is killer!!
Love Josh. Great, nice dude. Freakin monster player. A highlight, amongst Joe and Eric included.
there's so many monster players out there its hard to call anyone "the best", they're all amazing in their own special ways
Josh Smith is just such a wholesome member of the guitar community. He gets it and is a genuinely nice dude! Oh and of course his playing is some of the best anyone has ever seen.
Tyler I’m traveling with family to Gatlinburg until next Friday and if you happen to be in the area while I search for random guitar stores that would be awesome. Just manifesting some crazy stuff 🙌
I think the first thing is a guitar that sound awesome un plugged then the amp pedals are the sauce but most important is the hands and pick and technic so hours of practice will always make things better but playing with others is much more beneficial . Love your show.
I love to watch and hear him play. I think he’s rather unique because he uses a Tele style almost exclusively. Rock on Josh. Wish I could play 1/10 the way you can!
Great interview Tyler!
Josh is an astonishingly great player. Indeed doesn't nearly get the credit he deserves.
Yes!!!
Thurman Munson!!!! NYC/NJ!!!
Exit 13A baby!!!
Also , guitars!! Who-Ooo!
As Bonamassa’s Side man he’s a killer guitarist! Live he was ripping it!
Thanks for this it's great to hear both of you talk about this stuff ;0)
What truely great guitar player and guy josh is cheers mate for the video.
Great interview. Gonna check out his stuff.
EDIT : Turns out I listened to one of his albums a long time ago and added it to my library. Gonna check out his others, thanks Tyler!
Great to see Josh!
Yeah the moneys good when it's good...The story goes like this....Chet told Steve Warner.."You're Fired"!...Steve did a great job by playing like you know Josh...Leave Joe because you don't have to play second fiddle! So go and play because you deserve it!....Love your playing Josh...keep it up!
Couple of cool dudes right there. Love this channel.
So happy to see Josh is a lifelong Yankees fan as my Dad is from the Bronx and maybe we convert Tyler to the winning pinstripes lol
One of my favorite guitarist ever!!!
Josh navigates so many styles with such taste and fluidity, it’s actually kind of ridiculous. He’s just awesome. Now I need to find an infinity stone so I can stop time and practice for roughly 500 years to keep up…..
updated guitar video plzz!!!!!!
Oh yeah, Sox fan!!
Great interview with some really cool playing from both of you.
When you guys were talking about theory, you know, it's valuable tools in your toolbox but you _ain't_ gonna put the toolbox in your front seat like it was your girlfriend, I really resonated with that. I think about it like, "Ok, which came first, music theory or musicians improvising and creating the language of music?"
The answer is always, _"Music_ came first, obviously. Then somewhere along the path other people studied what musicians did and slowly came up with a set of rules that helped other musicians understand music." Not knocking theory at all, just saying that if you regress everything back to point of origin, there was music (and improvisation) _before_ theory. I dunno, that always helps me put it in perspective.
Well instruments were created to work a certain way. It wasn't like "here's a guitar, but no-one knows what is supposed to be done". What basically amounts to theory had to be there from the start cuz it kind of dictates how the instrument works.