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Posts: 2120
Location: Chicago | What is the MOST important lesson or insight (or one of...) regarding playing the guitar that you ever got? In person, the pages of GP, online, in a vision from on high (or just "high")?
I'll never forget when I was about 13 I unconsciously was picking everything with down-strokes. I read a column on "circular picking" in GP that blew my mind (Vishnu-era JM). Essentially had to start from scratch and sucked (again) for a good year! |
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Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | Matt Smith "de-Mystifying Modes" in Amelia . . . |
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January 2006
Posts: 2120
Location: Chicago | Wow. That jogs my Cozmik lesson #2 memory: Emily Remler's lesson on "are you tired of old A minor leads?" She then revealed the secrets of the "melodic minor": It's easy, she explained. You take any major scale and flatten the third. Then learn the fingering and play MODES of that monster (So if you're working with C major, you have an Eb instead of a regular E natch. Then you check out how that row of notes sounds when played from F to F and B to B). She was right when she said "sounds like Heaven!" |
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Posts: 665
Location: Tychy, Poland | "don't sit on guitar!"
My father, when i was 5. |
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January 2006
Posts: 2120
Location: Chicago | So why did you disobey? :) |
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Posts: 2985
Location: Sydney, Australia | "Never close the case without doing up the latches"
Experience |
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May 2005
Posts: 486
Location: North Carolina | Never had formal lessons. But the most important tip I ever got was from observation, when an acoustic guitarist/singer (folksinger for lack of a better term) did "I Get a Kick Out of You" by Cole Porter.
Huh? You mean I DON'T have to do songs that sound like they're a hundred years old? I started to learn and adapt any and everything I heard, with more challenging vocal and guitar parts, making me a more skilled singer and player.
It was the best lesson I ever learned. |
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March 2002
Posts: 15682
Location: SoCal | "Don't waste your money buying a lot of guitars" --
my father.
"Listen to what's being played around you and try to find your own spot." I don't know who told me that, but that and "you don't have to fill every hole in the music" were two of the best things ever told to me... |
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January 2006
Posts: 2120
Location: Chicago | "Listen to what's being played around you... you don't have to fill every hole in the music"
That's fantastic. Miles Davis was famous for laying similar ideas on his players (usually in 1.5 words and a grunt [or a blow upside the head]). |
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September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Like a complicated beef stew simmering on the stove, bits and pieces from the Amelia-Matt clinic are boiling up to the surface.
For instance... last night I remembered Matt's advise to do a little "chair dancing" to help me sound less like I'm playing at a 5th grade recital.
Matt Smith "de-Mystifying Modes" in Amelia Matt showed how the modes attach to eachother up an down the fretboard. When diagramed out that way it shows that there are only a small percentage of notes that won't fit. You are much more apt to hit a note that fits just by dumb luck.
For me, rather than "de-Mystifying the Modes" I've come away with a "Screw The Modes" frame of mind. I'm not going to be intimidated by all those fancy greek names anymore!! Like Matt said, "You're always just one fret away from the right note". Perhaps it's not the intended result of the lesson but from what I've experimented with it seems to work for me. No doubt I'll have to delve into more theory someday but I need something to get me over the hump. The old way was not working. I'm going to try to let my ear control where my fingers go rather than some dots diagrammed on 6 lines.
Hopefully I'll have something to show for it at the next clinic. |
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Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | "SING along with wht you're playing" - Matt |
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Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Less is more
Make the notes mean something |
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Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Don't be 'that guy'.
...like I could... :rolleyes: |
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March 2005
Posts: 12761
Location: Boise, Idaho | Never had a lesson. You can tell if you see me play.
The biggest advance I had in guitar playing was when my daughter showed me what tabs were and how I could download them off the computer. |
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June 2006
Posts: 7307
Location: South of most, North of few | "You can only play one at a time"
My wife. |
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November 2005
Posts: 4833
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | "Music is the space in between the notes"
My inspirational music teacher Johnnie Johnson(not the terrorist, or the disciplinarian, or the drug addict-rocker) who had us face the wall. He then played a note and had us all grab that note, without playing, and turn around. Karl & I both had the same place on the neck as him, without looking.
The body knows what to do, get out of the way. |
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Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | sometime when I was a teenager I read somewhere that you were only one fret away from a good note and that changed my life.
along with
when I was in college I read a woody guthrie bio at one point he said "if there were 75 guitar pickers in a room playing the same tune you need to come in listen and figure out the 76th part" |
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December 2001
Posts: 7247
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | There have been a couple...
Playing...
1. It's supposed to be fun, that's why the call it "PLAYING" music.
Technique...
2. If your guitar is in tune, and intonated properly yet ONE (or more) chords seem to be "out of tune"... stop putting a death grip on the neck and relax... This one came about because as my fingers got stronger, I was pressing harder on some strings without realizing it and actually pulling the notes sharp. Un-noticed when I was the only guitar, but a bear to trace when there were two guitars playing the same chord and we were both "in tune."
On Wisdom...
2. A corollary to always insuring the latches are latched when the case is closed... Never leave an empty case open, especially if there is a pet within the same zip code. |
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July 2005
Posts: 3411
Location: GA USA | Richard P, you stole mine. I was teaching guitar class last Saturday, and stopped to tell them that if I caught any of them putting their guitar in the case without closing at least one latch, it was an automatic F for the course. |
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Posts: 4833
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Then where is the cat supposed to listen from?
The CHEAP seats!?!
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March 2008
Posts: 2683
Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | I used to think my music was serious and important. Then one day, I think I was playing "Over the Rainbow", and there's one part where my fingers go "WHEE!!!!". Suddenly I realized that THAT is why I play. Not because it's important, but for the "Whee!" Once I lightened up, I found myself playing better, and I also stopped offending my friends with "That's not right, it should be A minor" and the like.
And about theory...it's like you've been watching black and white TV all your life, then suddenly someone turns on the color. Theory makes everything richer and more beautiful, and once you open your mind, it's not that difficult. |
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Posts: 2711
Location: Vernon CT | I think the best advise for me was when I was told to "play thru your mistakes". I used to just stop and go back to "fix" what I screwed up.
I'm getting much better at just playing thru and it is amazing how when I'm done with the song and I bring up that I made "3 mistakes", I'm asked "You made a Mistake??" Most of the time no one hears them. |
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December 2006
Posts: 6996
Location: Jet City | When I bought my first electric (Preacher), I decided I should probably take a few lessons. They lasted all of a couple of weeks, but the main thing I learned was how to properly hold a guitar (fret hand) and that on an electric, you didn't need to push down so hard to fret a note. |
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Posts: 3969
| Originally posted by BT717:
I think the best advise for me was when I was told to "play thru your mistakes". I used to just stop and go back to "fix" what I screwed up.
I'm getting much better at just playing thru and it is amazing how when I'm done with the song and I bring up that I made "3 mistakes", I'm asked "You made a Mistake??" Most of the time no one hears them. The flip side of that - when you're performing, as opposed to just practicing by yourself, yes it's true that you just soldier on and pretend like there was no mistake. Concentrating on it just causes more f-ups and leads to a train wreck.
One of the most important things my current instructor emphasizes, and it's supported by a lot of research into learning theory, is that when you're learning a new piece/phrase/passage/lick you need to play it slowly enough (to a metronome) that you don't make any mistakes. If you do flub, stop immediately, slow down the tempo, and play it again without a mistake. Once you can play the particular passage through several times without an error then increase the tempo.
The idea (again supported by extensive research) is that early in the learning process (short-term memory) if you allow a mistake your brain considers that mistake acceptable, and you're likely to keep making that same mistake each time you play that particular passage, until the mistake itself becomes hard-wired into long-term memory.
Of course all that goes out the window if you're improvising! |
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December 2004
Posts: 2150
Location: Orlando, FL | This is a great thread! A few revelations for me at different points in my life:
It's more important to have a little soul than a bunch of chops.
You are always one note away from the right note, but you are two notes away from a bunch of ones that still suck.
I am never going play like Tommy Emmanuel, Steve Morse, BB King or Django Reinhardt and thats OK. I still love to play.
Playing guitar with others is not a competition, it's supposed to be fun.
There are always people who play better than you and worse than you. You can learn from both types.
If you jump around and look really cool while you play, a small percentage of people won't notice you suck. |
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March 2005
Posts: 12761
Location: Boise, Idaho | "You can never have enough guitars."--Beal |
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Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Indeed...
very interesting
please... keep it up. |
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Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | Don't be "That Guy". |
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Posts: 1017
Location: Budd Lake, NJ | First lesson: don't leave Gertrude out and uncased to go answer a phone call if your husband and son are wrestling in the same room.
Second lesson: don't overplay a Guild dreadnaught that desperately needs the strings lowered and the neck adjusted.
Third lesson: don't compare yourself to someone else and get discouraged; there will always be people who play better than you do.
--Karen |
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April 2006
Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | 1)
Do Not give up
2)
Notice Pain , re -think, do something about it
3)
Do Not give up
Vic |
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Posts: 3736
Location: Sunshine State, Australia | Originally posted by g8r:
The idea (again supported by extensive research) is that early in the learning process (short-term memory) if you allow a mistake your brain considers that mistake acceptable, and you're likely to keep making that same mistake each time you play that particular passage, until the mistake itself becomes hard-wired into long-term memory. Oh dear! :( That doesn't bode well for me.
Originally posted by cliff:
Don't be "That Guy". What guy?? :confused:
Originally posted by Designzilla:
If you jump around and look really cool while you play, a small percentage of people won't notice you suck. :D |
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November 2002
Posts: 3666
Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire | "You're better off, practicing 30 minutes-a-day, than 3 hours, on a Sunday."
"Practice effect"- increase frequency, less duration, and have a purpose for the practice.
I tend to "practice", by myself. I "play" with others. I assume we all suck, just at different times (hopefully). |
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March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | ". . It's Not Your Fault . . "
- something Beal told me QUITE often on the GolfCourse at Amelia |
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October 2006
Posts: 5576
Location: big island | Originally posted by seesquare:
I tend to "practice", by myself. I "play" with others. which is probably better than playing with yourself and practicing by others.
and in this context, i'm not even gonna touch the sentence you wrote after that one. :D |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Originally posted by cliff:
". . It's Not Your Fault . . "
- something Beal told me QUITE often on the GolfCourse at Amelia They just put the hole at the wrong end of the fairway, right? ;) |
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Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | . . .so, . . you HEARD about THAT one, eh?? . . . |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Yeah, you told me... the reason I thought it was funny was because I could really relate to it...
On one of the holes Bob, Tim, Stephen and I teed off. Stephen got a good hit. We stopped at the other balls, and mine, Bob and Tim's were in nearly a perfect line across the fairway, almost the exact distance from the tee. We were speculating on how cool that was, and the chances of it happening when Stephen told us to look at it from the downrange side. We were not only perfectly lined up, but we were all lined up about 5 yards past the womens tee... |
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November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Most important Lesson?
The time someone forget to latch the case on Les Thompson's custom Olsen and I watched as it fell face first onto the firehouse floor.
The Horror. |
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October 2005
Posts: 5332
Location: Bluffton, SC | Ouch. That's a lesson.
Mine? Don't (as a 17 year old hack), touch Paul's '65 Tele. The fat lip will hurt for days and the other guys will do nothing but say "...Yeah, tol' you so. He's crazy 'bout that guitar. By the way, you went down like a ton of bricks, man. Good choice." |
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October 2006
Posts: 5576
Location: big island | tommy emmanuel said, "hey, your audience is rooting for you. they want you to do good. they're on your side usually. relax."
i can't understand why that concept was so hard for me to accept. but it does help to relieve the stress of live performances. |
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November 2005
Posts: 4833
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | "Put your hand right here."
Oh wait, you said guitar! |
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November 2006
Posts: 2241
Location: Simpsonville, SC | I was on a day trip with lanaki last year, scouting a place for the first Southern Jam.
Just being with a professional player made me adjust my goals to what they they should be.....enjoy your ability for what it is...and appreciate others for what they have achieved.
Thanks Randy, I know that you may not realize it, but it was the best lesson that I have ever had. Mahalo friend!!!! |
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April 2006
Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Professionals give lessons ..??.. |
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March 2007
Posts: 843
Location: CA | Billy Gibbons secret to ZZ Top's success:
"Never add a fourth chord."
That kinda opened my eyes a bit. Lesson-wise, I had about 5 of them when I was maybe 10 years old. Been all grope and feel since then. Which of course is why I still play like a 10-year-old. |
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February 2008
Posts: 747
| Not guitar related but when I was 5 or 6 years old someone gave me a harmonica; I was walking down our street in Belfast Northern Ireland making god awful noises on the thing when suddenly the notes came together into what might be described as music; a switch went off in my head and I thought 'so that's how it works' - I remember running home to tell my parents but they were not impressed; shortly thereafter we moved to Canada..lol |
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Posts: 3
Location: Erie, PA, USA | I remember when I first started to play and learned how to tune the guitar (by ear). It's sometimes more about listening and not so much about playing. |
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August 2003
Posts: 2246
Location: Yucaipa, California | When I first realized that most of the first position chords were "movable" chords and that a "D" chord moved up 2 frets = "E", etc.!.... so simple, yet what a breakthrough! |
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October 2005
Posts: 4081
Location: Utah | If it has been played, it is not impossible to play! Some things will always be beyond my ability for sure, but there are many songs which initially sound "impossible", yet someone has already played it, so it is possible that I can play it.
In other words, it's not as hard as it may seem at first. |
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Your MOST important guitar lesson (?)