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July 2004
Posts: 812
Location: Hicksville, NY | I never considered myself to be a good player either. To add insult to injury, I was very inconsistent with my playing when I was younger. Years later, I regret to say that I'm paying the price, considering that my fingers aren't as quick as they used to. These days, even playing simple non-barre chords, leads to numerous skips and slips, and the occassional awful sounding strums.
Despite that, I learned to compensate my shortcomings. These days, I just accompany myself when I sing whether it be strumming, fingerpicking or vice versa. Once I start playing a song, I make it an effort to complete it in its entirety as opposed to playing a little bit of this and that, and I found out that I can entertain others (besides myself) better that way. I agree with moody, and to directly quote him, "it's not how many notes you know or can play. It's what you can do with the three chords you know. It's about heart, and it's about enjoying the music."
I couldn't say it any better than that ... just my .02 cents. :) |
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Joined:
September 2005
Posts: 107
Location: South Jersey | Originally posted by Stephen P:
I get depressed just watching the kids at Guitar Center. I know how you feel, and I'M a kid. They can play their Metallica solos, but ask them to do an equally impressive solo in the key of aflat, and they'll look at you wild-eyed.
They have the speed, but not the musical know-how.
That's what bugs me about guitarists today.
jim |
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Joined:
July 2005
Posts: 69
Location: Massachusetts | Listened to a kid at GC the other day playing "The wind Cries Mary" and "Spanish Castle mAgic" and sort of noodling in a Hendrixian way... 12 yrs old! I asked him for his autograph. Figured I'd have to pay for it in a few years... might have saved a buck or two.
I'm with you Gospel Guy. Wish I had done more but fairly impressed with how far I got.
;-) |
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Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 400
Location: North Texas | There are tons of players who can do bits and pieces of songs with great proficiency, but that does not count. You've got to be able to start and finish a number, no matter what your level might be. |
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Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 2150
Location: Orlando, FL | Better guitarist is a relative idea. Is Joe Satriani "better" than BB King? Some people would say "Hell yes" others would say "are you out of your f@*kin mind?" Who plays more notes? Who has more soul?
I'll let people like Hal Jordan worry about who has the best chops. I figure that like many other things in life there are always people who are better than me and people who are worse than me. So why worry, I just try to be unique!
When I see somebody really good it inspires me to be better. |
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Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | I don't believe that I suck, but neither do I believe that I'm as good as I could be. The one question I hate is "So, how long you been playing?". I really don't want to say, "Oh, about 35, 36 years.", because I should be a lot better than I am by now. Unfortunately I haven't excercised the disipline I should have to improve my playing. I should do something about that. Really. Right after my nap... |
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Joined:
September 2005
Posts: 107
Location: South Jersey | Originally posted by Designzilla:
Better guitarist is a relative idea. Only when you are comparing other guitarists ;) You can compare your own playing now, and where it was a year ago, and ask with some objectivity, "Am I better?" I try to do that, though it ain't easy with 4 kids! |
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Joined:
September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Like Waskel, I've owned a guitar for about 35 years and would like to be further along than I am.
Which reminds me of a joke.....
It's late and Al is looking for a place to eat. He spots a greasey spoon up ahead that says, "Open 24 Hours!!!". Well, Al walks up to the glass door only to find that it's locked. He bangs on the door when he see's a cook behind the counter. The cook comes to the door and Al points to the "24 Hour" sign. The cook shouts through the glass, "Yeah...24 hours....but not in a row!". |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12750
Location: Boise, Idaho | I'm just like you guys. Played about 35 years, but not in a row. Actually have only played about 5 years in a row and have had more time off than time on. Almost 10 months in a row now for the first time in about 25 years. That makes almost no sense. OK, I don't practice enough. |
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Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 400
Location: North Texas | If we spent as much time on the strings as we do the keyboard we might all be experts. I did not start playing until I was a "grownup" so I've never expected to be very good, however, I can play better now than I ever expected to. More importantly, I'm still enthusiastic about the process, and look forward to more improvement. |
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Joined:
August 2002
Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | If we spent as much time on the strings as we do the keyboard we might all be experts. Well, I still can't type for sh*t either. |
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Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 33
Location: vienna, west virginia | i wanted to be the best guitarist in the world when i was 13.... then when i turned 15 i figured i probably ought to just be the best guitarist i can be and have fun playing... and i promised myself that when it stops being fun or when i become satisfied with the way i play, it will be time to do something other than play music... (i'll be 49 this year and i still have a blast on stage and a lifetime to go to get half the way to where i should be) |
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Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 33
Location: vienna, west virginia | and waskel? next time someone asks "how long ya been playin'", ask them " ummmm what time is it now?" |
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Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | 4:30 am.
Good advice, Pipe, I feel better already. :D |
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Joined:
November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | yeah, that bladder starts going when you get to your age, Wask. |
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Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Naw, Jeff, my bladder's fine. Just takes me longer than it used to to wake up enough to drive the 45 miles to work.
Speaking of which, time to get in the hot tub... |
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Joined:
November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | I have to change the water in mine in the next few days. I don't use it much in the summer, but come fall...nothing better than sitting under the stars warming the huevoes while being tenderized to the consistancy of Kobe beef. |
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Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | I use mine year round, mostly in the morning before "the drive". Yeah, and it was beautiful this morning, clear sky full of stars and a crescent moon, about 34 degrees air temp, 104 in the water, and a mug of fresh strong coffee. Really gets the circulation going and wakes me up. A great way to start your day. |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 1421
Location: Orange County, California | I can't believe you guys let this sit this long without a coment about "Wabbit Stew" :rolleyes:
:mad: You're all fired!! :mad: |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13984
Location: Upper Left USA | :confused:
But the sign said "duck season"!
:confused: |
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Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Yeah, I was kinda waitin for that... |
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Joined:
January 2004
Posts: 338
Location: SE Michigan | A couple of thoughts; first of all I am glad to see someone besides myself appreciates a Ford Ranger, I thought I was the only one.
2nd, like many of you I should be a much better guitar player than I am considering the 30 or so years that I have been playing. But I also have been a full-time Engineer and done many other things during that 30 years (raise a family, travel, education,) and I humbly submit that I probably make a better living than the majority of professional musicians.
Many times I have seen musicians that are so good I could just weep, often they have been playing for a fraction of the time that I have played. But usually they are born with a special talent. That's right folks, I maintain that when it comes to those special gifted people we all envy, the fact is they were born with it (and most of us were geneticly short changed).
So now I look it at like this; do people quit playing golf because they cant play like Tiger Woods? There are thousands of softball leagues full of middle aged hacks having a great time, are they pros? Hell NO. So music should be viewed the same way. I can still have a lot of fun even with my limited abilities. |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12750
Location: Boise, Idaho | I wouldn't trade my life for anything either, Brian, even though I sarcastically complain about it all the time. But I disagree with you on the gift or talent theory. Most good musicians I have seen and a lot of not so good are only where they are because of hard work and giving up a lot of other things. Even a few "child prodigy" musicians I have known spent hours each day practicing. I used to think perfect pitch was a gift, but the people I have known with the gift also spent hours growing up on a piano. There are some people who are tone deaf or have other physical impediments to being good musicians, but most can be good if they really spend the time at it. |
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Joined:
January 2004
Posts: 338
Location: SE Michigan | Mark in Boise, I have to disagree, but let me clarify my point: Being a great musician absolutly will take dedication and lots of practice, no dispute there. However, those very gifted musicians are also born with some special DNA that gives them true talent. This is escecially true of singing, you can practice your ass off and you are still limitied to the voice you were born with.
There have been many times where I have come accross guitar players and vocalists that are just freakin fantastic, and when I talk to them I often find they have only been playing for five or ten years, often less. And I have also encountered others who could practice every day for twenty years and still be terrible. And of-course there are many shades of grey between these extremes.
So in my opinion, to really be a mainstream successful pro musician, you need a natural talent coupled with practice and dedication, and in this age of music videos, being great looking seems to help even more than the talent. |
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Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 2150
Location: Orlando, FL | Some people have a natural gift, talent or aptitude for music for art or whatever. It doesn't mean a person with limited natural talent can't be as good as the person "born with the gift", it just means that person will have to work their ass off to acheive what would be easier for the natural.
In my field I have met many people way more gifted and talented than me, I do pretty good because I'm willing to outwork most of 'em. :) |
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That's it, I quit
