Members Ernest Buckley Posted October 19, 2008 Author Members Share Posted October 19, 2008 How long must one practice to sound like SRV? Thats just "God given" talent. Not saying the guy didn`t practice but he started on 3rd base. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members chevybusa Posted October 19, 2008 Members Share Posted October 19, 2008 Hi everyone. The OP makes a good point. I actually started on guitar when I was 12. Because I grew up with metal (that's what got me into guitar) I was a shredder (well, tried to be, anyways!) I played for a good 8 years or so before I switched to keys (At first I got into keys just to supplement my guitar compostions, but once I really got into it I never looked back, haven't touched a guitar in 8 years!!! Anyway my problem with guitar was that I practiced a good 2 hours a day, sometimes, more, just about every day. I got to the point where non-musicians thought I was really good, but most decent guitarists could see I was just that, decent. By the time I gave it up I had a pretty decent knowledge of theory and some decent technique, phrasing, and note choice, but my problem was that I simply could not get my right hand straight, and could not pick cleanly to save my life. I spent hundreds of hours trying to learn sweep picking and never could. My fret hand could do just about anything you could throw at it, but as I said I just could not pick it right or fast enough. It sucked! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BlueStrat Posted October 19, 2008 Members Share Posted October 19, 2008 Hahaha. Actually, I'm fairly satisfied with certain aspects of my playing. Other abilities I'm still working on. There's a certain place where you can be satisfied with what you can do, but still reach for more. It's not really for me to decide, but from a detached point of view I feel like there's some good stuff in what I play. +1 The thing is, though, the better I get, the more I realize there is to learn. Increased knowledge brings with it increased awareness of the infinite possibilities, and as time goes by, the realization that I will never ever come even remotely close to getting there. The more I learn, the farther away I seem to get. Which is what makes it interesting, I suppose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Belva Posted October 19, 2008 Members Share Posted October 19, 2008 I've been playing off & on for 40 years and "the older I get the better I was". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members blue2blue Posted October 20, 2008 Members Share Posted October 20, 2008 I credit not learning to play barre chords when I 'should' have for my lifelong love of and fascination with various complex chords formed by two-to-four finger chords with open strings, which are, I think one of the delights of the guitar -- but can also be a trap if that's all you learn... that said I've seen some pretty amazing and entertaining players who didn't seem to be in any hurry to escape that particular trap. With re pentatonic scales... I have to say that I might have gained a little more grip on some things more quickly had I -- after learning my proper 7 tone scales -- investigated why some folks think pentatonic scales are all you need for blues and rock soloing. Now, mind you, I think that is a horrible and crippling trap that I've seen far too many players stuck in -- but I spent a lot of time poking around inside of 'full' scales (and looking at enharmonic/chromatic/accidental/whatever you want to call it notes that seemed to often suggest themselves)... I think if I'd looked at the pentatonic stucture as something important inside the full scale, I would have made quicker progress. As it is, though, I tend to play by ear/feel. The last thing on my mind is, "Gee, I think a flat seven would sound good here." Instead, when I'm playing a single note run I just let one note buy the next... And, if I can't hear it, these days, I don't just play something in the key to fill space. I leave it open. The listener has to have room to breath, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Hard Truth Posted October 20, 2008 Members Share Posted October 20, 2008 After more than 30 years of playing, I am actually just starting to feel proud of my playing and I'm getting more compliments. I am very undisciplined about practicing, but I play with other people every week. Playing with other people is way more fun and more beneficial than practicing by yourself. I recommend finding other people who will commit to playing every week as the best way to make progress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bbach Posted October 21, 2008 Members Share Posted October 21, 2008 Today, my concept of "good" is MUCH further away than it was when I started. Well that's exactly what happens to me. The more I improve the more I see how much more there is to improve on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members flatfinger Posted October 21, 2008 Members Share Posted October 21, 2008 I play well , but there's a virtual chinesse army ( that's allot !! ) of great players in so.Cal so I'm Taking up the Keys to diversify, and, concentrating on songwriting. I'm amazed that given the trends of Lots of green day type 3 chord wonders( thats rock for ya ! I know ) that are anti-leads , that anyone bothers to much . The last audition I was on , I was specifically told that they did'nt want anyone to play............ "That {censored}"....... ( Leads)!!!! That trend frustrates the hell out of me as I can play lots of great blue-rock solos note for note. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Rudolf von Hagenwil Posted October 21, 2008 Members Share Posted October 21, 2008 Nothing like 6 strings to keep one humble. Been playing since I was 13 and honestly cannot say I`ve improved all that much. WOW! I bow low. Only a hand full of people are born with the talent of such high consistency. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MichaelSaulnier Posted October 21, 2008 Members Share Posted October 21, 2008 I still have a crude tape of myself as a beginner learning to strum the few cowboy chords I knew at the time. I was proud of myself then for sticking with it to that point, as little came "naturally" to me, and the physical act of moving my fingers from one position to another was a brow tightening effort. Occasionally I pull this out and listen, and it reminds me I'm on a journey... one that I hope continues through my entire life. I know too much about the players I truly admire to consider myself a great guitarist... but I do consider myself a guitarist. I also note, that many of my favorite players have favorite players of their own... who they respect and consider "better" than themselves. I often smile when at the end of a local gig, someone approaches me and comments positively on my playing. I admit I get a little more jazzed when it's another guitarist, perhaps incorrectly believing they "know better" than non-players... But I'm happy if I like what I play... happier yet if someone else likes it... and not very upset if someone doesn't. M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.