Playing guitar

[Michael Vogel]

Someone mentioned the Plateau. 
Ah yes, I wandered around that Plateau many times. The only way I ever found my way off it was with a teacher. Someone more skilled than me who could look at and listen to my playing and provide the feedback necessary for objective evaluation of my skill.
That feedback was the first step in getting directions off the Plateau and get to a different but improved level of playing. 
Over the years I’ve had numerous teachers and each only for a short time. Each time however they would provide a kick start that would keep me going for years at a time till I arrived at the inevitable Plateau. 
These days unfortunately I’m on the last plateau, the body no longer as capable for a  move to another Plateau. Nonetheless,  its comfortable here and that drive for improvement has been replaced with a contentment with maintaining where I am now. On the Plateau. 
 

[Mr. Torture]

20 hours ago, fitzroy said:

I used to teach guitar and (easily) the most frustrating thing I experienced with my students was exactly this attitude.

“I’ve been practicing hard for weeks/months/years now, and I feel I’m nowhere nearer to be able to play like you / How many hours/weeks/months do I need to practice to play that particular song the way you do? /I know I’ve made significant progress, but it all seems so little compared to others”

To me, this is getting it all wrong. Music is supposed to make you happy, it’s not a damn chore. If you can’t find the joy in playing the guitar (or any other instrument, for that matter), whatever your level and your audience, you need a full reset and a new approach. Or a different hobby. Life is too short to be chasing rankings, unless your explicit goal in playing the guitar is to win silly shredding competitions.

Completely understand what you are saying. Maybe I just don't have the type of brain needed to sit and practice the same scale run or arpeggio 17 hours a day like a lot of these kids do. I'm not trying to win any contests, but being able to do those things certainly opens more doors, even if it's a cover band. 

Over the past few years I have lost a lot of interest, mainly because my generation of over the top music is long gone and guitar rock in general is dying, most people today prefer to go out for a hamburger and be home by 8:30. Perhaps it is time to move on, or at least not watch You Tube anymore. I seem to get more enjoyment watching Dr. Who reruns lately.

[fitzroy]

57 minutes ago, Mr. Torture said:

Completely understand what you are saying. Maybe I just don't have the type of brain needed to sit and practice the same scale run or arpeggio 17 hours a day like a lot of these kids do. I'm not trying to win any contests, but being able to do those things certainly opens more doors, even if it's a cover band. 

Over the past few years I have lost a lot of interest, mainly because my generation of over the top music is long gone and guitar rock in general is dying, most people today prefer to go out for a hamburger and be home by 8:30. Perhaps it is time to move on, or at least not watch You Tube anymore. I seem to get more enjoyment watching Dr. Who reruns lately.

Try to figure out what, if anything, brings you real joy in having a guitar, if you take everything else out of the picture (how good you really are, how good others are, what's trendy, what's not, youtube, you get the idea). Maybe it's playing/learning certain tunes. Maybe it's home recording. Maybe it's owning a nice guitar and just staring at it. Maybe it's rediscovering old friendships or building new ones with others who play. Whatever it is, that's what you should do. And if you can't come up with anything, yeah, don't waste your time and don't stress over it, it's not worth it, just move on. 

[RobertWS]

19 hours ago, craigb said:

 

 but the repetition required to make it a muscle memory can be reduced with modeling (using NLP) and proper visualization. 

 

 

My muscles have Alzheimer's disease.

When I was playing (l lot) I practiced to maintain a skill level, both dexterity and mental focus (and finger callouses).

Edited July 23, 2020 by RobertWS

[Notes_Norton]

Guitar is my 7th instrument, my newest. It's very challenging on on hand, and rewarding on another.

The thing to remember is:

1. There will always be people who play better than you
2. There will always be people who play worse than you

The thing to do is practice to get better and have fun playing at your current level.

They call it PLAYing music for a reason.

Don't worry about the people who are better than you, just strive to keep climbing the curve. Don't feel bad for or smug about the people who are worse than you. Instead hope they are having fun at their level.

Insights and incites by Notes

PS I find it harder to read music on the guitar, but way easier to transpose something. Every instrument gives you challenges, but it also gives you gifts.

[Bapu]

Zappa said it best

"Shut and play yer Guitar"

[craigb]

4 hours ago, Bapu said:

Zappa said it best

"Shut and play yer Guitar"

True, but he also said "You can't always write a chord ugly enough to say what you want to say, so sometimes you have to rely on a giraffe filled with whipped cream."

So, there is that to consider as well...

[Wibbles]

On 7/23/2020 at 2:40 PM, Notes_Norton said:

PS I find it harder to read music on the guitar,

That's why it's normally printed on paper.

[Bapu]

9 hours ago, craigb said:

True, but he also said "You can't always write a chord ugly enough to say what you want to say, so sometimes you have to rely on a giraffe filled with whipped cream."

So, there is that to consider as well...

I thought that was the unspoken rule we all followed.

[craigb]

2 hours ago, Bapu said:

I thought that was the unspoken rule we all followed.

Hey, what can I say?  I'm a rebel.  I like to speak the unspoken stuff and answer hypothetical questions too! ?

[Pragi]

I ve found a joky video on youtube about 5 Reasons Why Guitar Shredding SUCKS!

I recommend to  take it  serious:?

 

Edited July 30, 2020 by Pragi

[Notes_Norton]

I couldn't get the UTube to play. Wants to buffer endlessly. My ISP or whatever has occasional problems like that. :(

But that won't stop me from voicing my opinion (for whatever that's worth).

There are two facets to music, the technical and artistic.

Both shredders on the guitar and jazz bebop players on keyboard, string, and wind instruments have accomplished the technical. Without the artistic, they are just a lot of empty notes IMHO.

Then there is the rare soul who can take a lot of notes, add dynamics, negative space, melody and a lot of expressive nuances and make great music out of rapid-fire notes. That makes the music a joy.

Whether you play slow or fast, what matters is whether it is empty notes or expressive music.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it :D

Notes

[craigb]

1 hour ago, Notes_Norton said:

I couldn't get the UTube to play. Wants to buffer endlessly. My ISP or whatever has occasional problems like that.

?

[Pragi]

17 hours ago, Notes_Norton said:

Whether you play slow or fast, what matters is whether it is empty notes or expressive music.

As always, you nailed it.

There is nothing wrong in playing fast.

For me it´s an adventure to play as slow as possible at present , so that I have the

time to explore different rythm, stopps, breaks aso.

For me there is also some "magic " in playing slow, the more I am   playing slow, more  I can play (excact) fast.

I don´t  know if you can understand my reduced way to express this.

All the best .

Pragi

 

 

Edited July 31, 2020 by Pragi

[Notes_Norton]

Sometimes playing slowly is more challenging than playing fast. There are so many things to consider for each note, dynamics, vibrato, intonation (or intentional pitch deviations), ornaments, phrasing, articulation, and so on.

Often I listen to singers to get expression on my sax or wind synth because it sustains with breath. One example of slow and expressive is this one:

 or on sax the great Stan Getz:

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 31, 2020 by Notes_Norton

[craigb]

Two words:  David Gilmour.

[Notes_Norton]

15 hours ago, craigb said:

Two words:  David Gilmour.

Definitely!

[Bapu]

On 7/21/2020 at 9:15 AM, bayoubill said:

One the day I'm going to record something don't touch a guitar before I hit the record button

I find that way I get a lot of open string sound that I have to edit out of the track later.

I always hold the neck of the guitar while I hit the record button. Stay Safe Bill.

[craigb]

Hmm...  Just thought of this, but I'm betting someone's already done it.

There should be a way to hook a foot-switch up to toggle record, no?  I'm thinking of those little, round foot-switches that we use to change channels on an amp, but one that connects to your computer using MIDI.

Hey, what about using an FCB1010?  Hmm...

[Grem]

On 7/23/2020 at 6:03 AM, Mr. Torture said:

Maybe I just don't have the type of brain needed to sit and practice the same scale run or arpeggio 17 hours a day

That's why every teacher I have ever listened to always says, "Make practice enjoyable, interesting. Otherwise you won't keep doing it."

Seen Steve Via play at a small venue here is Baton Rouge. Man.. that dude can flat out play what ever he wants. So effortlessly. John Petrucci is a great player too. Seen him several times and witness what he can do. To say his music is without emotion is overlooking the obvious, (to me anyway).  Both of these guys practice, a lot! I have taken lessons from both through magazine articles. And have learned a lot from both. From Joe Satriani also. Great teacher btw. But not a really big fan of his stuff.

I remember playing out a lot and practicing all the time just to keep up with the other bands. And I still wasn't near as good as many of the players down here in New Orleans and on Bourbon Street. But many times, many times, people I didn't even know came up to me during a break or after a show and told me how good I was and that they enjoyed it. That made it all worth it. So I kept trying to be the best I could be.

And that's where I am today. Still trying to be the best I can be. And I'm still not the fastest, or most technical, or most emotional guitarist, compared to others. But I don't play for them, I play for those who will enjoy it. And one of those people is me!