Improving Without Practising ?, Don't Kid Yourself |
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Jul 29 2014, 10:51 AM
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Doing Everything Else to Get Better at Guitar... Except Playing Guitar.
This is something I see a lot. The hunt for specific exercises or tricks that will somehow connect all the dots and do all the hard work that we know we have to do, but can't quite believe that it's down to us to do. In fact this subject got me so mad recently that I even made a whole video about it ! Why do you think we do this ? My view is that it's a lot to do with trust. We don't quite trust the fact that by just doing more of something, we'll get better at it. We don't trust our own intuition or discipline to get the job done so we constantly search for a voice of authority that says "Do this. This exercise right here !" Also, I think we, as humans, like to know that we're following a specific set of instructions. A routine or practise regimen. That in itself is fine, as long as we stick to it. But all too often people lose heart because they've tried something for a few days and they haven't seen any results so they think "This doesn't work" and then they're off looking for the next thing to replace that which didn't work.  This process can go on for weeks, months and in many cases years. They've spent so long circling around looking for answers and exercises that they've neglected to do the one thing that would have helped them progress. Pick up the guitar and just do it ! There are people who've played guitar longer than I have and yet they still struggle with the basics of timing, bending, vibrato, basic theory knowledge. That's because they've lost heart or are they feel that they've got too many things to start with that they don't even make that start. If we have the opportunity of asking the advice / help of someobdy who's far ahead of us in any given field then we should ask. But please, when you've received said advice, take it ! At least work on it. So many people keep asking questions, hungry for more licks to practise. But what I really see is something different to what they're seeing. I'm seeing people asking for licks so they can be distracted. Distracted from the truth. And the truth that they want to avoid is that they just need to do more. More practise. More time. More effort. There's a great simple phrase. If you want more, you've got to give more. Yet all the shiny toys (new exercises) distract from this and reinforce their bad habits of punching above their weight and never really cutting the crap and nailing the right stuff. So, your finger strength is weak and you can't use your pinky, you say ? Don't even think about reaching for that Finger Strengthener 2000, pick up your guitar and use your fingers the way they're meant to be used ! The same goes for everything else. Just do it. Don't talk about it. Don't talk about the best way of doing it. Don't look at endless videos of other people doing it. Don't think about it. Don't ask about it. Chances are that you've already done enough of those things. Don't keep kidding yourself you're doing research. You're not. You're procrastinating. Stop distracting yourself. Pick the guitar up. The answers are always there. Always. |
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Jul 29 2014, 01:00 PM
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QUOTE (Ben Higgins @ Jul 29 2014, 09:51 AM)  Doing Everything Else to Get Better at Guitar... Except Playing Guitar. This is something I see a lot. The hunt for specific exercises or tricks that will somehow connect all the dots and do all the hard work that we know we have to do, but can't quite believe that it's down to us to do. In fact this subject got me so mad recently that I even made a whole video about it ! Why do you think we do this ? My view is that it's a lot to do with trust. We don't quite trust the fact that by just doing more of something, we'll get better at it. We don't trust our own intuition or discipline to get the job done so we constantly search for a voice of authority that says "Do this. This exercise right here !" Also, I think we, as humans, like to know that we're following a specific set of instructions. A routine or practise regimen. That in itself is fine, as long as we stick to it. But all too often people lose heart because they've tried something for a few days and they haven't seen any results so they think "This doesn't work" and then they're off looking for the next thing to replace that which didn't work. This process can go on for weeks, months and in many cases years. They've spent so long circling around looking for answers and exercises that they've neglected to do the one thing that would have helped them progress. Pick up the guitar and just do it ! There are people who've played guitar longer than I have and yet they still struggle with the basics of timing, bending, vibrato, basic theory knowledge. That's because they've lost heart or are they feel that they've got too many things to start with that they don't even make that start. If we have the opportunity of asking the advice / help of someobdy who's far ahead of us in any given field then we should ask. But please, when you've received said advice, take it ! At least work on it. So many people keep asking questions, hungry for more licks to practise. But what I really see is something different to what they're seeing. I'm seeing people asking for licks so they can be distracted. Distracted from the truth. And the truth that they want to avoid is that they just need to do more. More practise. More time. More effort. There's a great simple phrase. If you want more, you've got to give more. Yet all the shiny toys (new exercises) distract from this and reinforce their bad habits of punching above their weight and never really cutting the crap and nailing the right stuff. So, your finger strength is weak and you can't use your pinky, you say ? Don't even think about reaching for that Finger Strengthener 2000, pick up your guitar and use your fingers the way they're meant to be used ! The same goes for everything else. Just do it. Don't talk about it. Don't talk about the best way of doing it. Don't look at endless videos of other people doing it. Don't think about it. Don't ask about it. Chances are that you've already done enough of those things. Don't keep kidding yourself you're doing research. You're not. You're procrastinating. Stop distracting yourself. Pick the guitar up. The answers are always there. Always. I absolutely agree with you, mate! There's so much bullshit out there that people think they should learn because some idiots told them they should! NO, you don't have to waste your time with the grip master, you don't have to practice the spider for hours every day, you dont have to learn jazz chords if you hate the style or sound of it, etc. etc. The answer to all of this is as simple as it coud be: ONLY PRACTICE WHAT YOU LIKE BUT PRACTICE WITH PASSION! Speaking for myself, i dont remember any day i played or practiced something that i really didn't like! Of course i tried out some things that i might found be interesting at the beginning and later on(when i dived in deeper) realised that's something that didn't touched me so much. But my main focus is always on something that i relly like and i could use in a muscial situation(live, studio etc.). This is really important point too: if you want to make a living as a (session)musician and making money with it, no one is gonna hire you because you are a great sweep picker or fast as hell! Defintely not! You'll get the job if you have a great timing/groove, are versatile, good understanding about harmony, a feel for music etc, etc,, I remember one student who came to me and told me he wanted to develop more since he played for about 15 years. After hearing his mostly pentatonic soloing with typical blues phrases but played without a good timing, inaccurate bending/vibrato by only using three pentatonic boxes, i told him on which things he should work to improve his playing. His first answer was: yeah, i know but i dont have time to work on that!? I told him then it's impossible to teach him!  to make the story short: Rembember, there's no shortcut in learning an instrument! If it was there would be 1.000.000.000 Steve Vais, satrianis etc. On the other side: it makes so much fun(Yes, IT SHOULD) to practice, so why we should shorten that? Learning or practicining is all about discovering, passion, life, heart and so much more... All these things don't need a shortcut! So only be patient with yourself! :-) This post has been edited by Guido Bungenstock: Jul 29 2014, 01:06 PM |
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Jul 29 2014, 03:41 PM
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+1000!
People tend to ask the question until they've received the answer they like ... in every aspect of life. This post has been edited by klasaine: Jul 29 2014, 03:42 PM -------------------- - Ken Lasaine
https://soundcloud.com/klasaine2/foolin-the-clouds https://soundcloud.com/klasaine2/surfin-at-the-country-hop Soundcloud assorted ... https://soundcloud.com/klasaine3 New record ... http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/kenlasaine Solo Guitar ... https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXZh...5iIdO2tpgtj25Ke Stuff I'm on ... https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXZh...b-dhb-4B0KgRY-d |
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Jul 29 2014, 05:04 PM
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Ben, you've summed me up 100%, I feel a bit of a prick to be honest. I've explained all to you via a Facebook message and you advised me to join. GMC so here I am. Currently on holiday but when I return on Saturday I want to be treated by all tutors as though I have just started and know nothing, if something comes up that I already know it will still probably need work so it shouldn't matter, I don't mind covering old ground . I need the smallest chunks to work on. I even found having to learn all pentatonic shapes in one go in Mr Cockburn's first steps series a bit too much. I think one shape put into practice and mastered would suit me. What you reckon? Above all I think a well structured practise routine is paramount. I tend to pick up the guitar and noodle along doing the same old stuff without moving forward.
Cheers Phil -------------------- SEE MY GMC CERTIFICATE  “Success is not obtained overnight. It comes in instalments; you get a little bit today, a little bit tomorrow until the whole package is given out. The day you procrastinate, you lose that day's success.” Israelmore Ayivor |
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Jul 29 2014, 11:07 PM
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I would definitely ask you what your goals and tastes were and get you doing stuff that was enjoyable and conducive to your tastes in music. I wouldn't give you a load of theory if all you want to do first of all is learn how to rock ! So I would advise keeping the enjoyment factor in there.
Well I've always wanted to be able to play Surfin With The Alien; Scuttle Buttin, Couldn't Stand The Weather, For The Love Of God, Always With You AWM but I know that's light years away, for now I'd love to pick up the guitar at a friends house and play a few chords with some lead lines that have rhythm that they can tap their feet to and clap along to even though they don't know it because I'm just jammin. I hope you understand what I'm trying to say after a night on the devil's juice  Cheers Phil This post has been edited by Phil66: Jul 29 2014, 11:25 PM -------------------- SEE MY GMC CERTIFICATE “Success is not obtained overnight. It comes in instalments; you get a little bit today, a little bit tomorrow until the whole package is given out. The day you procrastinate, you lose that day's success.” Israelmore Ayivor |
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Jul 29 2014, 11:32 PM
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QUOTE (Phil66 @ Jul 29 2014, 11:07 PM) I would definitely ask you what your goals and tastes were and get you doing stuff that was enjoyable and conducive to your tastes in music. I wouldn't give you a load of theory if all you want to do first of all is learn how to rock ! So I would advise keeping the enjoyment factor in there. Well I've always wanted to be able to play Surfin With The Alien; Scuttle Buttin, Couldn't Stand The Weather, For The Love Of God, Always With You AWM but I know that's light years away, for now I'd love to pick up the guitar at a friends house and play a few chords with some lead lines that have rhythm that they can tap their feet to and clap along to even though they don't know it because I'm just jammin. I hope you understand what I'm trying to say after a night on the devil's juice Cheers Phil -------------------- SEE MY GMC CERTIFICATE “Success is not obtained overnight. It comes in instalments; you get a little bit today, a little bit tomorrow until the whole package is given out. The day you procrastinate, you lose that day's success.” Israelmore Ayivor |
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Jul 30 2014, 01:30 PM
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This is what I'm liking about Todd's bootcamp. It truly is about nailing the basic movements, making the tension free and efficient. If you can't do the basic things, it's only going to get worse when you add in more complexities!
If I had worked this out when I was a teenager, I wouldn't have so much guitar instructional material gathering dust, that was bought with such excitement that it would be the book/dvd etc that would change my playing by just reading it. -------------------- My SoundCloud
Gear Tyler Burning Water 2K Burny RLG90 with BK Emeralds Fender US Tele with BK Piledrivers Epiphone 335 with Suhr Thornbuckers PRS SE Custom 24-08 Ax8 Fessenden SD10 PSG Quilter TT15 |
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Jul 30 2014, 02:13 PM
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This thread is very inspiring Ben. I can't agree more with your words about practice and I also think that Guido added that phrase that is also fundamental.
This is a never ending journey guys so nothing makes sense if we don't enjoy the journey as itself. I've been practicing and making music for more than 20 years and I'm still learning new things every day, there is a lot to learn and practice yet, but what's even cooler, there is a lot of music inside of me ready to get out. That's what keeps this journey amazing for me: music. QUOTE (Phil66 @ Jul 29 2014, 07:07 PM) I would definitely ask you what your goals and tastes were and get you doing stuff that was enjoyable and conducive to your tastes in music. I wouldn't give you a load of theory if all you want to do first of all is learn how to rock ! So I would advise keeping the enjoyment factor in there. Well I've always wanted to be able to play Surfin With The Alien; Scuttle Buttin, Couldn't Stand The Weather, For The Love Of God, Always With You AWM but I know that's light years away, for now I'd love to pick up the guitar at a friends house and play a few chords with some lead lines that have rhythm that they can tap their feet to and clap along to even though they don't know it because I'm just jammin. I hope you understand what I'm trying to say after a night on the devil's juice Cheers Phil Hi Phil! You have everything to achieve those goals: energy, passion, wise thinking, GMC mentoring program. Let me know if you need some help designing your guitar routines. Remember that a diary practice is much more effective if you know which things you'll work each day so writing down on a notepad the guitar plan for each week is a good idea. -------------------- My lessons
Do you need a Guitar Plan? Join Gab's Army Check my band:Cirse Check my soundcloud:Soundcloud Please subscribe to my:Youtube Channel |
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