How come the more I learn...

[Khem1cal]

The more I find I have yet to learn

 

The more I progress the less talented I feel.

[mosiddiqi]

This is a good thing.

[Virgman]

Find a style you really like and specialize.

[jonPhillips]

Sell all your guitars and take up knitting.

[Virgman]

Sell all your guitars and take up knitting.

Quit now before it's too late.

[Khem1cal]

Find a style you really like and specialize.

That's what I do, but metal gets boring after a while IMHO, I wanna try some different stuff to get more inspiration.

BTW I'm already a master at knitting

[gennation]

While I'm a lifelong proponent of learning, I also realize I learn by DOING more than JUST learning.

 

It's going to sound strange but...at some point you'll need to try spending your time on playing. At this point the learning will follow as it needs to.

[Jeff1979]

While I'm a lifelong proponent of learning, I also realize I learn by DOING more than JUST learning. It's going to sound strange but...at some point you'll need to try spending your time on playing. At this point the learning will follow as it needs to.

 

 

This

 

Join a band or get together with some peeps if you havnt alrerady...

[Khem1cal]

While I'm a lifelong proponent of learning, I also realize I learn by DOING more than JUST learning. It's going to sound strange but...at some point you'll need to try spending your time on playing. At this point the learning will follow as it needs to.

I practice at least 5hrs a day(usually closer to 7-8hrs) I learn and do

[gennation]

I practice at least 5hrs a day(usually closer to 7-8hrs) I learn and do

Well, start playing then. Seriously, get out and play. There's a big difference between playing and practicing. To understand it you need to do it.

If you're practicing that much in a day, you should be ready for a gig I would think. Go find one. Then you'll learn some music you not have learned other wise, and you'd learn to play along with others, how to make tight intros/ending/transitions/solo/etc, and you'll learn to USE what you know today, on the spot.

That stuff you can't just 'learn' you have to 'do'.

[Khem1cal]

ahhh I gotcha now, i've played live with my old band a few years ago, trying to get a decent demo made now, before I try to book anything though. I do have plans to play in a few months if things work out..I need to find a drummer & guitarist first, so I can do the vocals without being stuck with triple duty. I'll probably still have to do synth work too, so trying to do 3-4 things at a time just ain't going to work and most keyboardist I find only want to play jazz or mellower styles. That doesn't bother me though but trying to sing, play guitar, and play synth...forget about it

[jeremy_green]

It really is a mindset thing. We all to some level go through that feeling. For me the thing is focusing on making music not running scales etc. If you always just keep working towards the next song, the next jam, writing your own stuff - all of these things you CAN be successful at.

 

The issue only comes around when ego interferes. WHO exactly are you comparing yourself to?? More importantly WHY are you doing that?

 

All the worrying wont change the player you are. So have fun man!! THAT is why we all do it ultimately (other than initially to pick up chicks that is!)

 

You are on the path

[Khem1cal]

Well, I want to compare at least in some way to my idols. I am not trying to copy their style, but their success & proficiency...heck i'd take being less proficient but have an oz of their success

[Stan31]

How come the more I learn... The more I find I have yet to learn

Imagine the "what you know" as a circle. Inside of it is everything you know. The boundary of it is what you KNOW you don't know yet. What's outside of it is everything you don't even know you don't know

As you learn more stuff - your circle grows, and with that grows the circle's boundary... You find out about MORE stuff you don't know yet...

And that is completely normal and applies to ALL areas of learning.

Metal - it's not my chosen style to either play or listen to, but I am aware that it's one of the most challenging (if not THE most) styles of guitar to get real good at. Best of luck there. Do explore other guitar and music styles, listen for interesting riffs and steal them ruthlessly :lol:

Yes stole... I mean "borrowed" the opening riff for their "Heart of the sunrise" from King Crimson's "21st century schizoid man" opening riff... Both song are worth checking out if you are not familiar with them, by the way.

[jeremy_green]

Well, I want to compare at least in some way to my idols. I am not trying to copy their style, but their success & proficiency...heck i'd take being less proficient but have an oz of their success

Why compare? It is pretty irrelevant. Not being an ass really.

You have to ask: How did they become successful?

By creating their own music. The only area you have sole ownership of. There is only so much success to be had playing other people's stuff and of course the original is going to sound better than you - they are THEIR LINES. People listening will only EVER compare it to the original.

Quick story - Of ALL the players I went to high school there was one guy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brendan_Canning) who always played his own stuff. While we were off playing Iron Maiden covers etc this dude was playing his own stuff. He was strange to jam with because he didn't know really anything. He became more successful than any of us despite the fact that several were technically better players.

Ultimately if you are looking for success it lies in ONLY one real area - creating something new. If I could go back and do it all over again I would follow Brendan's lead. Whether you have heard of him or not he has a LARGE following here.

Remember music is art. Creativity is the currency - not RPM's or theory or parroting. Despite acknowledging this as a fact MOST players (myself included) spend 95% of their time working on other peoples music... likely why 95% of us never make it past playing other people's music.

Do your own - then there will be NO comparisons dude.

[1001gear]

Sell all your guitars and take up knitting.

If you have to sell knitting, Google "bridges" in your area.
I think your view just gets clearer - unattended details instead of progress.

[meganutt7]

Why compare? It is pretty irrelevant. Not being an ass really. You have to ask: How did they become successful? By creating their own music. The only area you have sole ownership of. There is only so much success to be had playing other people's stuff and of course the original is going to sound better than you - they are THEIR LINES. People listening will only EVER compare it to the original. Quick story - Of ALL the players I went to high school there was one guy ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brendan_Canning ) who always played his own stuff. While we were off playing Iron Maiden covers etc this dude was playing his own stuff. He was strange to jam with because he didn't know really anything. He became more successful than any of us despite the fact that several were technically better players. Ultimately if you are looking for success it lies in ONLY one real area - creating something new. If I could go back and do it all over again I would follow Brendan's lead. Whether you have heard of him or not he has a LARGE following here. Remember music is art. Creativity is the currency - not RPM's or theory or parroting. Despite acknowledging this as a fact MOST players (myself included) spend 95% of their time working on other peoples music... likely why 95% of us never make it past playing other people's music. Do your own - then there will be NO comparisons dude.

 

 

I do agree with Jeremy with respect to this, especially if you're wanting the SUCCESS more than the technical accomplishment.

 

I have a lot of friends who aspire to be famous. None of them are. I also have a lot of friends that want to play what they want to play and are unconcerned with the opinions of others about their style, technique or whatever... They are infinitely more successful.

 

I have a friend named Rachel Goodrich, for instance. Rachel has, over the past couple of years, really taken off and gotten pretty big in a few circles. She has had her songs in crayola commercials, on the show Weeds, etc. and has been touring with some big names at nice venues.

 

you should check out her myspace page and hear some of her music... She is like a corss between the Grateful Dead, Joni Mitchell, Billy Holiday, Johnny Cash and CocoRosie or something.... She was always into that amalgamation of styles that she made up and continues to make music out of that framework. ALSO, she TIRELESSLY plays out and promotes herself shamelessly.

 

You can easily get as good as your heros on a technical level. That is easy. Practice... But to become successful on a professional level in music (to the point of STARDOM of ANY level) you do need to follow your instincts as to what YOU want to contribute musically to "society"... It's a long journey and sometimes you make it, sometimes you don't... sometmies it takes no time, others it takes years or decades.... The fun is in the journey....

 

Enjoy it.

[espec10001]

Music is the mathematics of sound. You'll never reach a point where you say "this is it." Music is like chemistry in a way; but instead of combining chemicals we use sounds. Mixing sounds and instruments in just the right amount in relation to each other to create something magical.

Make no mistake, money and fame are good and all if that's what you deem success in music; but to evoke emotion or thought in someone; to move them in some way by the combination of sounds that you have created, this is what I call success.

Because music really is a form of magic: what else can get people to join together? What else can cause people to move without inhibition? What else can cause us to feel or do?

As you progress in your musical journey, you start to find rhythm in all life; that there is an underlying pattern and regularity in so many more things than you ever imagined. There is no limit to how potent your art can be!

Aim for the unattainable!

[Khem1cal]

Thanks to you all for taking the time to reply.

Jeremy: i'll have to check out your buddies work as well, he actually reminds me of myself. I know a limited amount of covers, but for the most part I just write my own music. Although when I was younger I used to get a lot of because I didn't know a lot of covers lol know I think maybe I've been on the right track this whole time. Not that i'll stop trying to learn new stuff by any means but that is reassuring.

meganutt7: I'll also have to check out your friends work as well, and yeah I do want to bring something to world and hopefully tour my ass off for the next 10-20 years whether I ever "make it" or not. I don't care so much about major labels, MTV, etc as I do just wanting to tour the world and hopefully making people happy, well more like angry and ready to mosh but still lol

I just never been good with solos, tho to be honest i've always enjoyed rhythm more, so I never really put effort to do it, so it's something i'm trying to learn now, but when I listen to kerry king, dimebag, etc I just want to quit guitar lol, not literally but it's like damn i'm just not on that level at all and then there's guys even more monstrous than that!

I guess I just need to focus on doing what I do, and hopefully people can dig it and have a fun with it the same way I get joy out of it.

[Khem1cal]

Music is the mathematics of sound. You'll never reach a point where you say "this is it." Music is like chemistry in a way; but instead of combining chemicals we use sounds. Mixing sounds and instruments in just the right amount in relation to each other to create something magical. Make no mistake, money and fame are good and all if that's what you deem success in music; but to evoke emotion or thought in someone; to move them in some way by the combination of sounds that you have created, this is what I call success. Because music really is a form of magic: what else can get people to join together? What else can cause people to move without inhibition? What else can cause us to feel or do? As you progress in your musical journey, you start to find rhythm in all life; that there is an underlying pattern and regularity in so many more things than you ever imagined. There is no limit to how potent your art can be! Aim for the unattainable!

That's a very good observation, and kinda goes with my name too

[jeremy_green]

Just to be clear bro. I am not saying at all DON'T keep working on getting other peoples stuff. Just don't beat yourself up when you are not Kerry King. Kurt Cobain's solos sucked ass - OR DID THEY? They completely suited the song so just because you aren't shredding your ass off doesn't mean you can't provide musically interesting solos.

 

Of course keep pushing yourself to new boundaries. But just know that there is truly no end. I feel just as far away from it now as I did 20 years ago... the sky just moves s'all I am saying. Accept this and help it inspire you to greater things. Greater ORIGINAL things hopefully!

 

Good luck

[Alex_DeLarge]

Just like Socrates said. When you are getting more and more deep into any kind of knowledge this happens:

 

"As for me, all I know is that I know nothing"

[PGAPIT]

Just like Socrates said. When you are getting more and more deep into any kind of knowledge this happens: "As for me, all I know is that I know nothing"

 

 

Yes, but Socrates was also fairly resolute in his method of inquiry. You must continue to grasp at straws in some fashion--even if it is to find out that there are no straws at all.

 

Learning usually requires some perspective, but I think the true test of wisdom comes when you question how that perspective was constructed. In music, learn as much as you can, but be constantly questioning where things come from...This is how you can turn scales into intervals, then into arpeggios and chords, then back into new scales, then etc.., etc...

[Virgman]

You can go pretty far with just an E note.

[JonR]

Just like Socrates said. When you are getting more and more deep into any kind of knowledge this happens: "As for me, all I know is that I know nothing"

Did he follow that with "I want my lawyer."