Report on my class tonight

[TonyT]

I suck. It appears I'm going backwards.

 

[dane]

Tony,
What’s going on?

 

[TonyT]

I'm playing like I'm wearing oven mitts. Songs are harder and I'm not practicing enough. And when I do, I'm too content with mediocrity. Crappy practice means crappy play. I've developed a bad habit of playing along with records. It's fun, but usually too fast, and I'm developing some bad habits as a result. I need to just make sure I'm doing it right and let it come. Thanks for asking, Dane. Once I wrote this down, it seems much less depressing

 

[dane]

Tony,
It sounds to me like you’re on the right track with your self evaluation. Congratulations! Being able to see for yourself where you’re going wrong is 80% of making it right. Two last thoughts I want to give you though, ok? First, when your self evaluating look for your weaknesses AND your strengths as well. It can help you get through the ruff days…like today. Second, practice in earnest, and play for fun. There’s nothing wrong with playing to recorded music…but only for fun. When you play a song by yourself, you put your own spin on the piece, your own style, making it your own. I hope this helps.

 

[Graham]

Keep in mind too Tony that many players, I mean me, go in cycles of good progress then periods where I get very frustrated. What I do is put the guitar down for a few days and let my fingers rest. When I do pick it back up it feels somewhat easier as the muscle memory seems to have had time to catch up with what I've been trying to do. Some folks like to play through those times so I'd say try what you think might work for you and don't worry, your making strides forward and not going back!

Although if you are going back you may want to put all of your gear up for sale at substantially reduced prices, I mean they don't sound like they could, right? :wink: :twisted:

 

[dreadnut]

Ya know, Tony, there are times when I'm convinced I should just do something different (usually happens after watching a youtube video of some 12-year-old who can play circles around me).

So don't listen to Graham, just give your stuff to me, I live closer than Graham Boy. nothing like moral support from the old Guildsters, eh?

Anyway, we all have those days. Put the guitar in the case, and next time you pull it out (your guitar, that is ) you'll have a fresh perspective on things.

Just curious, what kind of lessons are you taking? Does it involve reading music or tablature? I can't do either of those things, and I would get frustrated in a big hurry if I had to try. I just keep playing the damn thing, eventually it sounds ok...

 

[RussD]

Sounds like there are two options:
1) Send your guitars back to Texas (just north of Scratch's place this time)
2) Get out the metronome and play v..e...r...y slowly, putting every finger in the right place and speeding up slowly until those fingers learn good habits.

I strongly prefer the first, but could understand you trying the second!
Don't give up - the reward is worth practicing properly!

 

[taabru45]

Tony. you're doing everything right. Believe it or not. I found that you go to a plateau, and stay there for a while, no matter what you do, then all of a sudden you progress to another plateau, and seems like you're stuck there for a while. Are you a better player now than you were before you began playing? aha! So there you are I've been playing since I was 18, now 64. am I still learning? You bet! Don't be too hard on yourself, and don't compare yourself to others. You'll go nuts! But enjoy the delight you'll find in little discoveries. What key is that song in? Maybe identify a run, that you recognize, and the key its in, maybe play around with that boogie beat. Or listen to it. This is a journey, not a destination, and there are already those who respect and enjoy your efforts. So be glad you have the fingers to make the chords, and the frustration, and accomplishment that comes along with that. Give your self credit for already making the largest part of the journey. From not being able to play anything to playing something is a jump of infinity, the rest is just improvement. so you suck, and I suck, and if we get together, we can suck together, then maybe suck a little less. Enjoy the journey my friend, When I was younger we all were all eyes and ears to 'steal' whatever we could from those players we encountered. Its all fair game, If you don't have a metronome, get one, it will help with the rhythm thing. Be as gentle and encouraging with yourself as you would be with some one else. Give your self some credit, even when others don't. Its so much easier to criticize than do. I read the other day that young kids laugh about 400 times a day...adults laugh about 16 times a day....I think there is a lesson about happiness there somewhere. Take care. I admire you for jumping in to learning something new....keeps you young you know.... Steffan

 

[Scratch]

Tony. Stop the critical thing dude and take to heart what these good folks are advising. You're making progress and you don't know it. Being critical of yourself is a good thing, it forces you to seek higher levels, but to get down on yourself is not good. As Graham says, you reach plateaus and work through them. Kinda like a diet or something.

Mediocrity? I live with mediocrity! According to Paul Simon:

Tonight I'll (play) my songs again, I'll play the game & pretend
All my songs come back to me in shades of mediocrity
Like emptiness & harmony I need (LTG) to comfort me...

Homeward Bound...

You da man and we know it...

 

[Graham]

As Graham says, you reach plateaus and work through them. Kinda like a diet or something.

You da man and we know it...

 

[cjd-player]

So don't listen to Graham

Wise advice from Master Dreadnut.

 

[TonyT]

Thanks everyone. Pity party now over. A couple of thoughts...

1. The metronome is a great idea.

2. My guitar's are staying put.

3. See #2.

4. For Dread - our music is simply a lyric sheet with the chords written in in the appropriate (hopefully) place. Progression is mostly songs with a little harder chords and more and faster chord changes. Current songs are Beatles' "I'm Looking Through You" and Dylans' "Don't Thing Twice". Also, a few fingerpicking songs, most notably The Kings' " I Can't Help Falling In Love With You".

5. See #3.

 

[Graham]

Thanks everyone. Pity party now over. A couple of thoughts...

Pity parties are never over!

 

[taabru45]

Tony. If you want to make a small wise digital investment...get Guitar Shed. This is a great program, that integrates with your playlist, speed up, or slow down songs.. a bunch of tunings, metronome, lots of very cool features. www.guitarshed.com
Its not unusual for people to speed up their playing during a song. Now I have fun playing songs quite slowly too...Steffan

 

[West R Lee]

Tony,

I've been in a rut for 40 years.....but I'll never give it up. Seems to me like it comes in spurts. I get real stagnant, then something new comes along (rare in my case). But I'll always enjoy it. Stay at it.

West

 

[JerryR]

Like West said.....

Tony - I even get days when I mess up simple chords repeatedly in public and get very depressed - but that just makes me practise real hard the next day

I'm always trying to improve and learn new techniques - i know a lot of players who are good at what they do - but they play everything the same way. If I do a set of songs I'll try and do ones that require a different style of playing in succession.

My playing still sucks. I firmly intend to get to a recording studio one day and get down enough songs for 3 CDs. I've mentioned this before on LTG - I've already chosen the titles which I hope folks will believe have a deep 60s style mystical significance In order, they'll be:

ISIS
ISISS
ISIES

My own private joke will be I know what those titles mean:

I'm sorry it's $h*t
I'm sorry it's still $h*t
I'm sorry it's even $h*ttier

:roll: :mrgreen:

 

[Guildmark]

Dang. I just finished practicing. Now I have to go put in another hour to feel worthy.
About the only reason I have any recordings is because I use them to identify areas that need practice. There is always something to improve. Get used to it.

And as far as mediocrity goes, I am the King of mediocrity!

Okay, maybe the prince.

 

[West R Lee]

Dang. I just finished practicing. Now I have to go put in another hour to feel worthy.
About the only reason I have any recordings is because I use them to identify areas that need practice. There is always something to improve. Get used to it.

And as far as mediocrity goes, I am the King of mediocrity!

Okay, maybe the prince.

Ah, if I could only become so mediocre!

West

 

[taabru45]

When I was younger I used to be apathetic.....now I just don't care. March on. :I think indifference is coming up next.
You see, Tony....can you figure out the guitar lesson in the above?
Play around with finding 3 positions to play the same chord, Near the bottom, position 1, Part way up the neck, position 2, and 12 frets above position 1 (using your index finger as a nut....yes the dreaded 'bar chord'.... Steffan

 

[TonyT]

It finally sunk in today that I've been playing so sloppily because I couldn't feel the strings because of my calluses. A little girly pink emory board made a bunch o' difference.