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GMC Forum _ CHILL OUT _ :(
Posted by: beebo Sep 15 2008, 11:53 PM
Ok so me and my friend were battling on gutiar and he's been playing about 2 or 3 more years than me but we're the same age...just apart by a couple months.
well anyway... my question is:
Is it normal to feel like u just wanna quit 
because u lost a guitar battle ( or at least u think u lost it) ???
my friend said we were the same but i cant speed pick as fast as he can but i can tap better and sweep a lil better.
what should i do?
p.s. my friend had better stuff and he was romanian! all i had was a distortion pedal and a 15 watt amp the size of ur head. *fender 2 w/ horrible cables*
oh and does anyone have some kind of instructional vid. or where can i buy a Paul gilbert vid.?
i wanna learn a few stuff from him...not really lessons but just some of his techniques! 
thnx!
Posted by: Bogdan Radovic Sep 16 2008, 12:02 AM
Oh man 
Its not normal to feel like quitting because you lost a "guitar battle".What is a guitar battle anyway ? Something like in Guitar Hero video game ? Don't feel sad, you said that you were close (he was better in some techniques and worse in others) and he is playing 2-3 years longer than you! That only means that you are progressing at much faster pace than he is and that soon you will catch up with him and be better! Trust me time for buying new gear will come , that really doesn't matter at all and everyone can do it (you don't even have to know how to play)...Music is one of the most beautiful things on world , don't challenge your love for it because of such small things! 
Posted by: Ramiro Delforte Sep 16 2008, 12:04 AM
Cheer up! Is not a big deal. Take thas kind of experience to encourage you to practice more so the next time you'll be better. 
Posted by: Ajmurrell Sep 16 2008, 12:11 AM
It's really not a good idea to worry about how good other people are compared to you. The fact of the matter is that its more than likely there will always be someone better than you, if you think about playing guitar in that way. The most important thing is that YOU enjoy playing, and you enjoy progressing. It's not about showing off technical skill and being better than someone else. All famous guitarists are famous, not just for their technical skills but there use of that skill in a melodic way and learning to work techniques into a good sound that compliments the music they help to create.
Also if you think about it, what defines a better guitarist? Is Kurt Hammet a better guitarist than David Gilmore because he plays faster? Or is David Gilmore a better guitarist because he plays with more feel?
It's all a matter of personal preference. In my opinion there's no one guitarist that's better than another. Music is about communication in my books, and using your instrument to your own enjoyment. Some guitarists communicate better to you personally, and they should be part of your influence.
I think some of the instructors on this site would agree that even they have things areas they could improve on. It's all in the fun of the instrument, how boring would it be if you could no longer progress and improve?
Stick with it, the main thing is you enjoy it mate
Plus, just to add, although there's always going to be someone "better" than you... There's also going to be a lot of people who haven't got the skills you have, and they'll be thinking "He's better than me..."
But yes, hopefully some of this will make sense. Hope it helps a bit!!
Posted by: Muris Varajic Sep 16 2008, 12:19 AM
At some point that might be good thing,that you lost!
Now you have even more material to work on!
Ohh,and NEVER quit.
Posted by: sigma7 Sep 16 2008, 12:42 AM
ya i felt like crap when i f'ed up a performence so i went and started to practice 10 times the day. Just use this experience as fuel and motivation to become better.
p/s/ its really no biggie
Posted by: Gus Sep 16 2008, 01:02 AM
Man. Don't feel said about that. Simply people improve in different rates and different things. And he has been playing 2-3 more years than you. It does make a difference.
But anyway, guitar is not about guitar battles. It's about expressing your soul through music. It's about having fun. You are the first one to listen to yourself playing. Even before you do it. You listen to it in your heart.
If David Gilmour went in guitar battles with some unknown guitarists I would say he would "lose" to many of them in the opinion of many people, because some people are only looking at speed and impressive techniques. But man, listen to comfortably numb, or Shine On You Crazy Diamond, or many other songs. It is so expressive! It is so beautiful! If guitar battles were about sounding nice, there are a few men around the world who would compete with David Gilmour.
Posted by: Andrew Cockburn Sep 16 2008, 01:18 AM
The only competition is to be the best guitarist that YOU can be - the rest doesn't matter! If you can be better than you are and you aren't trying, that's something to work on - if you are the best you can be at this time and place that's something to be happy about (but back to practice as normal in the morning - don;t ever think it's over, you can always improve!)
Posted by: Emir Hot Sep 16 2008, 02:01 AM
Heheh I thought the only place where people care who is better is in Bosnia
I left them there 4 years ago and every time I go for a holiday they play worse and worse - and still talking bull who is better player except Muris of course
That's crazy. Play your guitar and enjoy playing, that's the whole point. Muris traveled 1500 miles from Bosnia to London and lost Guitar Idol competition. We happily had a beer straight after the competition.
It's all rock and roll man. Turn your volume to 11 and rock.
Posted by: Lian Gerbino Sep 16 2008, 02:54 AM
forget it and carrie on, music is not a competition or sport game! music is art.
Posted by: audiopaal Sep 16 2008, 06:49 AM
Well I've known Trond Vold for ages, and if that bothered me I'd quit a looooooooooong time ago
Don't take it too seriously, and develop your own style and just practice
I've got a long way to go before I'm as good as Trond (I might not ever be) but I don't really care..
I make better songs than him anyway 
Posted by: RIP Dime Sep 16 2008, 07:50 AM
Guitar battle? Really? 
Since when was guitar a competitive sport? I thought it was about making and playing awesome music. I guess if your goal in your guitar journey is to be able to out-shred anyone on the planet, then you just gotta keep practicing. I'm not trying to put you down, but I just don't understand the train of thought in your post.
It is just like Lian said, music is an art form, it's your creativity, not your technical skill that matters. I guess ever since Gutiar Hero and guitarists showing off on Youtube people have put on this unofficial pissing contest of who can play the fastest, most complicated guitar lines in the world, and now with Dean's shredder search and a host of other competitions it seems that people with money are actually acknowledging it as a sport. I can understand the appeal I guess, and I guess shredding as a competitive sport would have the integrity of any other sport, it's just...I don't know where I'm going with this.
I guess it's just because I learned to play guitar because I loved the music, I wanted to be able express myself creatively, and this feels like the total opposite of that. I guess that's why it bothers me.
Posted by: mattacuk Sep 16 2008, 08:25 AM
I have to agree with these guys, the moment you realise there will always be someone better ,and just start playing for pure enjoyment you will see the most improvment !!
Finding fun music to play is key to motivation with your instrament, if you feel like giving up your not having fun I would recommened building up your picking technique with some fun picking etudes, the classical based ones like Marcus
s Etude #2 and Emir Hot's latest etude are really great examples of this
Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Sep 16 2008, 06:57 PM
It is good to sometimes feel outplayed, you get a nice motivation boost. So don't worry, and just practice, practice, practice
Posted by: Jesse Sep 16 2008, 07:12 PM
Now you have even more material to work on!
Ohh,and NEVER quit.
Yup. I'd be like hahaaha you won this time.... and then practice your fingers off and MAKE HIS FACE MELT!!!
Posted by: Canis Sep 16 2008, 07:38 PM
Indeed! For me it would be a good thing to loose, so I could get motivation to kick his ass after some serious training!
Posted by: Shadow21 Sep 16 2008, 07:42 PM
Youtube is full up with Paul Gilbert Lessons =O
Dude, never quit playing guitar because you lost a battle, that should make you want to learn more and more, to get better and beat him.
So, you know what to do, practice practice practice and practice all you can, and never give up!
Posted by: Guitarman700 Sep 16 2008, 10:16 PM
Since when was guitar a competitive sport? I thought it was about making and playing awesome music. I guess if your goal in your guitar journey is to be able to out-shred anyone on the planet, then you just gotta keep practicing. I'm not trying to put you down, but I just don't understand the train of thought in your post.
It is just like Lian said, music is an art form, it's your creativity, not your technical skill that matters. I guess ever since Gutiar Hero and guitarists showing off on Youtube people have put on this unofficial pissing contest of who can play the fastest, most complicated guitar lines in the world, and now with Dean's shredder search and a host of other competitions it seems that people with money are actually acknowledging it as a sport. I can understand the appeal I guess, and I guess shredding as a competitive sport would have the integrity of any other sport, it's just...I don't know where I'm going with this.
I guess it's just because I learned to play guitar because I loved the music, I wanted to be able express myself creatively, and this feels like the total opposite of that. I guess that's why it bothers me.
that pretty much sums up how i feel. play for your own creative release, not anyone's opinion of you.
Posted by: beebo Sep 16 2008, 11:29 PM
WOW THANKS GUYS ALL THESE MOTIVATIONS BOOSTER IN ONE DAY!!!!
yeah i understand and i hope god himself forgives me for being 2 competitive.
but anyway i understand what yall are saying and I WILL PRACTICE!!! YEAH!!!! 
(that face was a pumped mad face )
Posted by: Guitarist16 Sep 16 2008, 11:44 PM
i get what your saying. My friend is a true shredder and sometimes we will solo off the same riff. I always know he's better but i just try to learn what techniques he is using. I think you should find these "battles' as more of a learning experience and less of a competition. By the way if you need some lessons on better speed picking these two really helped me out: Ultra Tremolo Picking Exercise and Pentatonic Rock Licks Part I.
and Shredding Exercises - Developing Speed
Posted by: Canis Sep 17 2008, 01:46 PM
yeah i understand and i hope god himself forgives me for being 2 competitive.
but anyway i understand what yall are saying and I WILL PRACTICE!!! YEAH!!!!
(that face was a pumped mad face )That's the spirit!! Now go unleash your potential!
Posted by: beebo Sep 21 2008, 04:36 PM
YEAH!!!! >;D
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