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More practice or quit?


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Posted

So I've only been playing for a few years I think I suck. I think there are alot of people I'm better than, but also tons I'm worse than. I don't even know what to practice to get better. The music I'm most interested in is more idie rock/folk, more innovative than traditional/mainstream...but I just feel stuck like I'll never progress. I haven't really gotten better at anything other than sight reading and rhythm in the past 2 years.

 

So is it pointless? Should I just give up until I find some sort of direction, or should I just keep wasting my time practicing things that don't seem to be helping me.

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Posted

MBD, say a little bit more about what you've been practicing - what are you spending your time on? Then I think I'll have some thoughts to share with you.

Jeff

Posted

Originally posted by Jeff AMM

MBD, say a little bit more about what you've been practicing - what are you spending your time on? Then I think I'll have some thoughts to share with you.


Jeff

 

 

Right. Usually struggles in progress are due to what you are focused on when practicing.

 

For me, when I feel like I've hit a wall, it's usually because I've been practicing one or a couple things too much, gotten very good at them, but neglected other aspects of playing and those aspects are holding me back.

 

Sometimes finding a new thing to work on, or an old thing that you haven't touched in a while (arpeggios, rhythms, chord voicings, memorizing songs, writting songs, etc) can be very invigorating.

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Posted

Don't sweat it too much, it always happens, happened to me today in fact.

I as at my lesson playing over a tune and just stopped cause I was sick of my own playing, it was sounding and feeling routine. As me teacher told me "you have to get sick of your own bull{censored} in order to move on". Makes sense to me, have to try a different approach and different angle.

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Posted

Well my problem I think is that I don't like the guitar...I wanted to play bass (upright bass or cello, but I would settle for a bass guitar), but when I was younger santa brought me a guitar even though I asked for a bass...and I just never got a bass. So I should probably just make the transition since most of the things I practice for fun are bass (or other string instrument) techniques.

I actually play cello bass lines on my guitar more than actual guitar style. Plus my syle (when I play for fun, not for work) is more improved and just whatever I hear in my head comes out, or I'll cover songs in my own style...but I play everything in a non-guitar style. So idk, I'll look up some practice sites and stuff, and I'll always keep my acoustic guitar whenever I feel like strummin.

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Posted

Originally posted by Jeff AMM

MBD, say a little bit more about what you've been practicing - what are you spending your time on? Then I think I'll have some thoughts to share with you.


Jeff

 

 

Been practicing 3 octive scales, rhythm (w/ metronome), finger style, ear training, standard notation, random songs, tapping (even though that doesn't work too well since my guitar sucks and isn't very responsive to any legato techniques unless I slam down/left hand pizz to pull off)...then trying play along with cds I like, but usually with that I just end up playing along with the cello/bass, or just coming up with something more in the syle of bass, not really guitar technique.

Posted

Originally posted by MurderbyDeath



Been practicing 3 octive scales, rhythm (w/ metronome), finger style, ear training, standard notation, random songs, tapping (even though that doesn't work too well since my guitar sucks and isn't very responsive to any legato techniques unless I slam down/left hand pizz to pull off)...then trying play along with cds I like, but usually with that I just end up playing along with the cello/bass, or just coming up with something more in the syle of bass, not really guitar technique.

 

 

I play bass (electric and upright) as well as guitar, but the guitar still has a certain charm for me that bass alone doesn't have.

 

You might be interested in a few players who combine the bass and guitar into one instrument, either physically with an extra-stringed guitar, or just by the way they play:

 

 

Charlie Hunter (the bass and guitar are both him):

 

 

Tuck Andress:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bfz_xhkTmro

 

Martin Taylor:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aa1zp6u1Sok

 

John Pizzarelli:

 

Joe Pass:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Bv06qoEE4s

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Posted

MBD,

You're working on a bunch of fundamental skills, which is great, but can also become tiresome. Consider putting your energy now into learning to play a favorite song - playing it note for note just like the recording, and playing it well enough that you can play it at full speed. I think this will get you out of your rut and give you confidence to go further without comparing yourself to others. Let me know if you need some tips on how to practice this.

Jeff

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Posted

Originally posted by MurderbyDeath

So I've only been playing for a few years I think I suck. I think there are alot of people I'm better than, but also tons I'm worse than. I don't even know what to practice to get better. The music I'm most interested in is more idie rock/folk, more innovative than traditional/mainstream...but I just feel stuck like I'll never progress. I haven't really gotten better at anything other than sight reading and rhythm in the past 2 years.


So is it pointless? Should I just give up until I find some sort of direction, or should I just keep wasting my time practicing things that don't seem to be helping me.

 

 

learn tunes.

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Posted

Originally posted by Jeff AMM

MBD,


You're working on a bunch of fundamental skills, which is great, but can also become tiresome. Consider putting your energy now into learning to play a favorite song - playing it note for note just like the recording, and playing it well enough that you can play it at full speed. I think this will get you out of your rut and give you confidence to go further without comparing yourself to others. Let me know if you need some tips on how to practice this.


Jeff

 

 

No see, that's the problem...my ear isn't good enough to transcribe a song note for note, its more improving it off of the basic melody. Most of the music I listen to is indie so there is no sheet music avaliable, and there are almost no tabs. I guess I should start listening to some mainstream, or atleast start liking more classic rock.

 

Plus it doesn't help that every musician I idolize doesn't play guitar. Eh, but you are right, I definetly need to play some more songs.

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Posted

MBD, I would separate the problems here - you want to get better at guitar, and you want to learn indie rock stuff. Transcribing is hard for many of us. I meant to learn something note for note that's already been transcribed. Check this link for some note for note transcibed music - I don't know if any of these are to your taste (Maroon 5, Rage Against the Machine, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Alice in Chains, Korn, Smashing Pumpkins, System of a Down) but it would be great for you to get the recording, use the note for note transcription and learn to play every nuance of one of the tracks. You'll want to use something like Slow Gold or Slow Blast to slow down (way down) the recording so you can learn it at quarter speed at first, or however fast you need to go. Just work two measures at a time - learn to play the first two measures up to speed, then add the next one and so on. This is probably different than how you've been practicing, but I think you'll find that focusing on learning one tune that you can really wail on will improve your chops and your confidence. And after you've done this on a few tunes, you'll find that transcribing isn't so intimidating.

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Posted

Originally posted by MurderbyDeath

I haven't really gotten better at anything other than sight reading and rhythm in the past 2 years.

 

 

So, you've actually made some serious progress in very important areas. Why quit?

 

The tips are as follows:

Play with others, especially those who are better than you.

Learn tunes, any tune you can think of.

Play along with records, transcribe if you want to but just play along and getting into the groove is great too.

Play for others, perform. This will force you to focus much more than anything else. If you can't find a stage to do this go to a street corner and busk. View it as practice time while getting some money.

Get a teacher who can see what you're doing.

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Posted
Originally posted by MurderbyDeath

Well my problem I think is that I don't like the guitar...I wanted to play bass (upright bass or cello, but I would settle for a bass guitar), but when I was younger santa brought me a guitar even though I asked for a bass...and I just never got a bass.



This is a big problem. Iwas originaly going to say the quiting is not an option. But after reading the above statment....man you have got to have passion, burning passion for the guitar or you will never make it. Think about it or switch to the bass.:cool:

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Posted
Originally posted by GTM



This is a big problem. Iwas originaly going to say the quiting is not an option. But after reading the above statment....man you have got to have passion, burning passion for the guitar or you will never make it. Think about it or switch to the bass.
:cool:



Really.

Do you ever play for the fun of it?

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Posted

Originally posted by MurderbyDeath



Been practicing 3 octive scales, rhythm (w/ metronome), finger style, ear training, standard notation, random songs, tapping (even though that doesn't work too well since my guitar sucks and isn't very responsive to any legato techniques unless I slam down/left hand pizz to pull off)...then trying play along with cds I like, but usually with that I just end up playing along with the cello/bass, or just coming up with something more in the syle of bass, not really guitar technique.

 

 

You could always sink money into your tone chain; compressor, good OD/Distortion, Digital ambience....

Sounds like you just need a little motivation to focus your energy and do some quality practice. Failing that, by all means switch to bass! Instrument switching restrictions wont be implemented until

2035. Plenty of time to learn both.

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Posted
Originally posted by bongfodder


Really.

Do you ever play for the fun of it?



Bong,
Fun is the reward for practicing hard. Depending of course on what level player you are and what your expectations are. I've been playing for over 30 years non-stop. I gig, write, record, still practice every night several hours, and have started building my own guitars (I have 14), etc. Do you think I love the guitar?????? OH, and yes, I even play for the fun of it.

The original poster sounds like he isn't enjoying playing the guitar. He's also lacking big time on inspiration. He's not asking about playing for fun. If it was just a fun thing, hell yes, put the guitar down, don't touch it for weeks, then pick it up an bang out a few chords until you get bored, then put it away again.

Those of us who know about the kind of passion that drives you to learn, improve, seek and play really well know what I'm talking about. Those who don't wind up here asking about how to get out of a rut. I 've always fell that if you have to ask that's part of your problem. Sorry if I've offended anyone.

:wave:

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Posted
Originally posted by GTM



Bong,

Fun is the reward for practicing hard. Depending of course on what level player you are and what your expectations are. I've been playing for over 30 years non-stop. I gig, write, record, still practice every night several hours, and have started building my own guitars (I have 14), etc. Do you think I love the guitar?????? OH, and yes, I even play for the fun of it.


The original poster sounds like he isn't enjoying playing the guitar. He's also lacking big time on inspiration. He's not asking about playing for fun. If it was just a fun thing, hell yes, put the guitar down, don't touch it for weeks, then pick it up an bang out a few chords until you get bored, then put it away again.


Those of us who know about the kind of passion that drives you to learn, improve, seek and play really well know what I'm talking about. Those who don't wind up here asking about how to get out of a rut. I 've always fell that if you have to ask that's part of your problem. Sorry if I've offended anyone.


:wave:



Gee...I don't think I could have imbued that post(my previous) with more misunderstanding if I'd tried.
I was agreeing with your post that I quoted and asking MurderbyDeath(odd moniker for a folk player)if he ever plays for fun.My bad sorry.

Call it fun,enjoyment whatever you want,I've never found a word to define the state of letting your soul flow through your hands.

I have fun playing cycle b5,b3 minor scales so I'm strange like that.

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Posted

it's not pointless if you enjoy it ... 99 percent of the people who pickup guitar are never going to be famous for playing guitar ... if that is your goal and you suck after a few years, you probably want to find something else you can be famous at

if you enjoy playing guitar and are interested first and foremost in enjoying making music, expressing yourself musically, and hacking out some tunes you like, then you should never give it up ...

some people are never gonna be great, or very good even ... that's just how it is ...

it all depends on what you want to get out of it

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