The Key To Being The Best Player You Can Be Options

[Todd Simpson]

It's pretty simple. It boils down to math. This guy breaks it down. He's really talking about public speaking but uses the same math that it take to get good at anything. He mentions what musicians do when they practice. Sound awful. It's true. Musicians often try things they can't play, things they are not sure about. It's part of it. How muchc you practice every day is a big part of as you are really fighting the clock to get to the magical 10,000 hour mark.

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[Kristofer Dahl]

I was going to object to 10,000 being the magic formula - but this video is nuanced and I agree with it!

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[Phil66]

Very interesting, thanks for sharing Todd

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[Todd Simpson]

It's a pretty well trodden idea at this point, but it's still relevant imho. Pertains to just about anything one wants to get really good at. That's what I've always liked about guitar. You can't fake it, buy it, be born a brilliant player, you gotta earn it. Step by step. You gotta put in the practice. You can come from any background, high or low, you still got put in the time.

Todd

I was going to object to 10,000 being the magic formula - but this video is nuanced and I agree with it!

Good news is anyone is only 10k hours away from being darn good at anything they want!

Very interesting, thanks for sharing Todd

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[Kristofer Dahl]

Good news is anyone is only 10k hours away from being darn good at anything they want!

Yes - that is the takeaway!

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[Phil66]

And that's not 10k tuning up in your practise room, 10k reading about it or 10k noodling, those things all have their place but the 10k is 10k of focused hands on practise.

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[Adam]

I agree with that! In martial arts we too have this saying that you learn a certain move or technique after 10 000 reps. At first I didn't understand it but now it makes perfect sense to me. Whatever you want to do, you need to take time and show it some love. There are those vids on YT with 100 days challenge for attempt to learn sweep picking and most of the people don't make much progress at the end. I mean of course you'll make some progress but without paying attention and doing it for the sake of clocking that 10k hours of practice it won't do much good. You can actually reinforce bad habits if your practice routine is half-a**ed.

I did more or less 100 days of Todd's Bootcamp and I see the difference but it's a checkpoint rather than goal. It only made me realize how much more there is to it.

I mean, look at Steve Vai or Jason Becker or YJM. They all devoted their free time to playing guitar and I dare say it's what made the difference. The only threats I can think of are: making long-term goals instead of short-term goals, because that makes it appear more distant or even unachievable, and getting bored of the practice, keeping it uninteresting. Other than that it's just a matter of regularity and having a strong resolve.

And that's not 10k tuning up in your practise room, 10k reading about it or 10k noodling, those things all have their place but the 10k is 10k of focused hands on practise.

Someone quoted Mr Vai, more or less like this.

Why am I not getting better?
Vai: Did you spend time reading about equipment/techniques/biographies?
> yes.
Vai: Did you spend time watching all my lessons and live shows?
> yes.
Vai: So that's why.

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This post has been edited by Adam: Jun 5 2019, 05:25 PM

[Phil66]

Someone quoted Mr Vai, more or less like this.

Why am I not getting better?
Vai: Did you spend time reading about equipment/techniques/biographies?
> yes.
Vai: Did you spend time watching all my lessons and live shows?
> yes.
Vai: So that's why.

I think for many, myself included in the past, that is a naive attempt in vain at finding "the secret", "the shortcut", that "little bit of information that is the key", to be able to play great in the shortest time. I don't do it any more but I am guilty of it in the past

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[Todd Simpson]

Yup!! Fingers on the guitar actually playing. Of course, reading and learning theory is CRITICAL!!!! But it does NOT count toward your 10k. What's more, spending too much time drooling over expensive gear is a WASTE OF YOUR TIME. Gear won't make you play better or practice more. It might make you want to practice a bit at first, but that wears off. My guitars are decades old. I learned long ago that new gear is a placebo. It's nice, but leaning in to it is what it's about

And that's not 10k tuning up in your practise room, 10k reading about it or 10k noodling, those things all have their place but the 10k is 10k of focused hands on practise.

BINGO!!!!!!! It's onlyl natural to want to get "as good as possible, as fast as possible" so new students often ask "What's the BEST way to practice? What's the BEST thing to practice?". Only after some years of experience does one realize there is no such thing as BEST. It's a journey, a process. Learning how you learn is part of the process. It can't be "sped up", it can't be cheated, there are no short cuts. It's about taking in everything you can, spening time finding what works for you, and NOT QUITTING. More than anything that is the real trick. Just NOT QUITTING. Persistence is the key. Keep playing, keep finding ways to make it fun, you will get there
Todd

I think for many, myself included in the past, that is a naive attempt in vain at finding "the secret", "the shortcut", that "little bit of information that is the key", to be able to play great in the shortest time. I don't do it any more but I am guilty of it in the past

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[Phil66]

Is the old GMC thing, "There are no shortcuts, there is no destination, enjoy the journey" I've kinda modified it a bit but that is the essence of GMC

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[Adam]

Is the old GMC thing, "There are no shortcuts, there is no destination, enjoy the journey" I've kinda modified it a bit but that is the essence of GMC

My professor at uni has a similar quote:

"To strive
To seek
To find
And not to yield

These two quotes apply to more than guitar or linguistics. Life in general is about the journey, not destination. Pilecki (from the Auschwitz thread, Inmate 4859 by Sabaton) said something similar.

"Starałem się tak żyć, abym w godzinie śmierci mógł się raczej cieszyć, niż lękać".
Which translates to "I've been trying to live in such a way that in my final hour I could welcome death with joy, not with fear".

About the gear, I must agree and disagree. It doesn't make you play better but I just love tinkering or even getting a pre-made unit and I'm a collector type. Unique collectibles or in-game achievements are a must-have for me as long as it's within my reach and for a reasonable price. I know others are perfectly fine with one unit to model them all and I understand that too For me it just takes away all the fun.

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This post has been edited by Adam: Jun 6 2019, 04:06 PM

[Todd Simpson]

Bingo!!! That's the wisdom of the ages boiled down to a few lines. Embrace the journey

Is the old GMC thing, "There are no shortcuts, there is no destination, enjoy the journey" I've kinda modified it a bit but that is the essence of GMC

Don't get me wrong I LOVE GEAR!!!!! I am a GEAR NUT. I just love gear. I am perpetually getting new guitars for example. I have just gotten 2 more recently (a BC Rich Mockingbird and a Gus G200) and I just got an AMPERO fx unit. I'm always trying out new gear cause I love playing with gear! So I'm with you there.

My only point was that some folks seem to think that if they had one pricey guitar/amp/etc. that it would somehow magically improve their playing and make them want to practice non stop from then onward. This is not the case from my experience.

So I am all for being a tinkering gear nut!! It's just important to realize that gear doesn't make one a better player, practice makes one a better player.

My professor at uni has a similar quote:


These two quotes apply to more than guitar or linguistics. Life in general is about the journey, not destination. Pilecki (from the Auschwitz thread, Inmate 4859 by Sabaton) said something similar.


About the gear, I must agree and disagree. It doesn't make you play better but I just love tinkering or even getting a pre-made unit and I'm a collector type. Unique collectibles or in-game achievements are a must-have for me as long as it's within my reach and for a reasonable price. I know others are perfectly fine with one unit to model them all and I understand that too For me it just takes away all the fun.

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This post has been edited by Todd Simpson: Jun 6 2019, 10:52 PM

[Adam]

Bingo!!! That's the wisdom of the ages boiled down to a few lines. Embrace the journey



Don't get me wrong I LOVE GEAR!!!!! I am a GEAR NUT. I just love gear. I am perpetually getting new guitars for example. I have just gotten 2 more recently (a BC Rich Mockingbird and a Gus G200) and I just got an AMPERO fx unit. I'm always trying out new gear cause I love playing with gear! So I'm with you there.

My only point was that some folks seem to think that if they had one pricey guitar/amp/etc. that it would somehow magically improve their playing and make them want to practice non stop from then onward. This is not the case from my experience.

So I am all for being a tinkering gear nut!! It's just important to realize that gear doesn't make one a better player, practice makes one a better player.

I see.

But if I think about it gear can make a difference. Swapping stock pickups for actives at an early stage could discourage people by just making all the screw-ups more audible. Tube amps' dynamics can probably make a difference too, vs solid state amps. The only bad things are modulation effects which mask the mistakes nearly perfectly.

For me, it took 2 distortion boxes but I bought these because I was seeking "my own" tone. One was super cheap, I disassembled it and analyzed thoroughly and the other (DS-1) got modded into Keeley specs. I love the DS-1 until this day!

But interestingly, my brother opened my eyes to the amp's on-board distortion. He got more lucky because his is really quiet for a bedroom amp. Mine was super hissy and noisy until I packed the cavity with copper shielding and put in noiseless pickups. Now this is more than enough if I'm too lazy to plug in the boxes But my point is, the bedroom amps have all you'd need to start your journey until you start seeking your tone. Especially those modern amps, there's larger variety in both shops and used market than it was 10 years ago when I started.

At some point, I'm hoping to have my own house with no neighbors that would complain on the Mesa head I'm planning to get then

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[Todd Simpson]

Agreed. Of course gear can make a difference We are on the same page. It just can't make you a better player. It just can't. Only you can make you a better player. All the gear in the world can't do it for ya.


Sure, gear has an impact on your sound. Getting a new bit of kit, can make you want to play more for at least a while til the shine wears off the penny, having really bad gear can be discouraging. Etc. Etc. Etc. What I'm trying to get across is that no matter what gear one has or does not have, it all comes down to the player. I've seen guys with an AXE FX and Custom made guitar who sound terrible, and I"ve seen players with crap gear make it sound amazing. Most tone really does come from the fingers. The good news is, even with terrible gear, if one puts in the time, one can be a great player, even with really crappy gear.

I see.

But if I think about it gear can make a difference. Swapping stock pickups for actives at an early stage could discourage people by just making all the screw-ups more audible. Tube amps' dynamics can probably make a difference too, vs solid state amps. The only bad things are modulation effects which mask the mistakes nearly perfectly.

For me, it took 2 distortion boxes but I bought these because I was seeking "my own" tone. One was super cheap, I disassembled it and analyzed thoroughly and the other (DS-1) got modded into Keeley specs. I love the DS-1 until this day!

But interestingly, my brother opened my eyes to the amp's on-board distortion. He got more lucky because his is really quiet for a bedroom amp. Mine was super hissy and noisy until I packed the cavity with copper shielding and put in noiseless pickups. Now this is more than enough if I'm too lazy to plug in the boxes But my point is, the bedroom amps have all you'd need to start your journey until you start seeking your tone. Especially those modern amps, there's larger variety in both shops and used market than it was 10 years ago when I started.

At some point, I'm hoping to have my own house with no neighbors that would complain on the Mesa head I'm planning to get then

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This post has been edited by Todd Simpson: Jun 7 2019, 04:29 AM

[Phil66]

There's nothing more disappointing that getting that new Satriani endorsed pedal only to discover you still can't play Surfin' With The Alien been there, done that, not quite that extreme but you get what I mean?

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[Adam]

There's nothing more disappointing that getting that new Satriani endorsed pedal only to discover you still can't play Surfin' With The Alien been there, done that, not quite that extreme but you get what I mean?

Hehe, I totally get it. But getting a Wah pedal will make you sound like Kirk Hammett Getting two will transform you into Kirk's clone. I there's a double-bass for drums, double-wah should be a thing too

Agreed. Of course gear can make a difference We are on the same page. It just can't make you a better player. It just can't. Only you can make you a better player. All the gear in the world can't do it for ya.


Sure, gear has an impact on your sound. Getting a new bit of kit, can make you want to play more for at least a while til the shine wears off the penny, having really bad gear can be discouraging. Etc. Etc. Etc. What I'm trying to get across is that no matter what gear one has or does not have, it all comes down to the player. I've seen guys with an AXE FX and Custom made guitar who sound terrible, and I"ve seen players with crap gear make it sound amazing. Most tone really does come from the fingers. The good news is, even with terrible gear, if one puts in the time, one can be a great player, even with really crappy gear.

I totally agree! Some bands have studio technicians that cover up every mistake for the album and they end up pretending to perform with the playback recording live because they can't do it properly. The real measurement for me of how big and great the band is how they perform live. And you know the band is fantastic if their live shows sound better than studio albums! For example Sabaton or Scorpions.

A great player can bring out the soul of the worst equipment in the world and make it sound okay at least. I believe starting with a properly set up but hard to master gear can teach the player a lot (just like learning to drive with a car with no ABS, manual transmission and no power steering!). After gaining experience with that, you learn all the essentials and are ready to move on to a better gear will allow further progress. Accepting ones flaws is the first and most important step towards any improvement.

Talking about playback shows, here's how Iron Maiden does it:

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This post has been edited by Adam: Jun 7 2019, 01:28 PM

[Todd Simpson]

Well Said! It's really sad imho how much technology is leaned on these days in place of actual ability, even by professionals. Auto tune is just part of the landscape these days. Whats worse, drum triggers/midi are shockingly common in nearly all modern metal. Also, the process known as "comping" is a standard tool in every producers tool kit. Comping is basically taking several takes of a given track, say the guitar track, and picking the bits that were played well and chopping them together to make one guitar track that sounds well played. it's what folks do when they can't actually play a given track. they just do a billion takes and comp it together. Even something like the little CLICK you hear when bands are recording with pro tools. It's a crutch imho. The beat is being laid down by the drummer. That's what musicians should lock to, not something as synthetic as a click track. Call me old fashioned, but I'm impressed by bands that can actually play the music they write without the need for technical crutches holding them up. To this day I never record to a click. I listen to the drum track and bass track. Otherwise, it yanks a lot of the feel/vibe out of it. When a track has zero push pull/give take, it's not Rock, it's techno.

Hehe, I totally get it. But getting a Wah pedal will make you sound like Kirk Hammett Getting two will transform you into Kirk's clone. I there's a double-bass for drums, double-wah should be a thing too


I totally agree! Some bands have studio technicians that cover up every mistake for the album and they end up pretending to perform with the playback recording live because they can't do it properly. The real measurement for me of how big and great the band is how they perform live. And you know the band is fantastic if their live shows sound better than studio albums! For example Sabaton or Scorpions.

A great player can bring out the soul of the worst equipment in the world and make it sound okay at least. I believe starting with a properly set up but hard to master gear can teach the player a lot (just like learning to drive with a car with no ABS, manual transmission and no power steering!). After gaining experience with that, you learn all the essentials and are ready to move on to a better gear will allow further progress. Accepting ones flaws is the first and most important step towards any improvement.

Talking about playback shows, here's how Iron Maiden does it:

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