Practice, An appreciation for what it really is. Options

[Ben Higgins]

In fact, a woman once came up to Fritz Kreisler after one of his concerts and said to him, “I’d give my life to play as beautifully as you do.” To which Kreisler replied, “I did.”

What an excellent response

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[Todd Simpson]

I will frame it in my mind for certain! Thanks Todd!

I'm honored! I think I might put it above my metronome and amp too. Knowing other folks are inspired is always inspiring to me. So if you guys put this up, know that other players are woodshedding it just like you are, some where else on our little planet.

What an excellent response

Well said

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[Todd Simpson]

I just saw this reply and you are SOOOOO RIGHT! It's not really a lottery system where some folks are just born and BAM instant Guitar God! It really does take up years and years of one's like to get good at anything. Making something hard look easy takes thousands of hours of practice. So anyone can do it if they are willing!

Todd

Well it's true. I get annoyed when people imply that you're kind of lucky to have the ability and it was something they always wanted but didn't get.. we've all got choices

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[Todd Simpson]

I just saw this reply and you are SOOOOO RIGHT! It's not really a lottery system where some folks are just born and BAM instant Guitar God! It really does take up years and years of one's like to get good at anything. Making something hard look easy takes thousands of hours of practice. So anyone can do it if they are willing!

Todd

Well it's true. I get annoyed when people imply that you're kind of lucky to have the ability and it was something they always wanted but didn't get.. we've all got choices

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[rokchik]

As long as you won't make a goal out of playing the guitar as a God, you might have a good chance to get there without knowing it The pressure we put on ourselves is the worst thing that we can do to our subconscious mind. 'I have to be the best there is!' It is NOT a sport or an Olympic discipline.

Once again, I will use the metaphor of the foreign language: Are you a great poet/ writer if you can speak/ write lightning fast?

It has taken me a very long time to realize this

I was always one, in sports any ways, that picked things up very quick and was usually pretty good at what I played (not to be conceited or anything) If I wasn't good right away I didn't continue the sport.

When I first picked up the guitar, I was in my late 20's... almost 30 .... and quickly realized that I wasn't good. It was going to take time and a lot of practice. I had a tough time at first, a really tough time. I wanted to be playing songs, not learning scales or theory. I was learning on my own as no one I knew at the time played and was very frustrated and put the guitar down quite a few times before I realized this wasn't a race. I found GMC and my whole mind set changed. I started setting small goals for myself and before I knew it I was playing my first song.

I've had many, many, many, ups and downs in my guitar playing, and I expect many many many more, but I've stuck with it. I might not be where I could have been now after 6 yrs or so of playing as have had spurts of no playing at all. But I am happy with the ability I have now and I know if I keep practicing I'll keep getting better. I have a few small goals in mind and I'm working to get them completed. I'm not in a band, I play for myself cause I enjoy playing. I know, now, I'm not going to be a rock god... well at least not for a few more years anyways

rok

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[Cosmin Lupu]

It has taken me a very long time to realize this

I was always one, in sports any ways, that picked things up very quick and was usually pretty good at what I played (not to be conceited or anything) If I wasn't good right away I didn't continue the sport.

When I first picked up the guitar, I was in my late 20's... almost 30 .... and quickly realized that I wasn't good. It was going to take time and a lot of practice. I had a tough time at first, a really tough time. I wanted to be playing songs, not learning scales or theory. I was learning on my own as no one I knew at the time played and was very frustrated and put the guitar down quite a few times before I realized this wasn't a race. I found GMC and my whole mind set changed. I started setting small goals for myself and before I knew it I was playing my first song.

I've had many, many, many, ups and downs in my guitar playing, and I expect many many many more, but I've stuck with it. I might not be where I could have been now after 6 yrs or so of playing as have had spurts of no playing at all. But I am happy with the ability I have now and I know if I keep practicing I'll keep getting better. I have a few small goals in mind and I'm working to get them completed. I'm not in a band, I play for myself cause I enjoy playing. I know, now, I'm not going to be a rock god... well at least not for a few more years anyways

rok

Hey Rok! Nice story and good mindset there I for one, gave up the thought of being a guitar god, just for the simple fact that I started appreciating music writing and arranging more than JUST PLAYING THE GUITAR The guitar is a small part in a great ensemble. As the great Miyamoto Musashi said:

“You should not have any special fondness for a particular weapon, or anything else, for that matter. Too much is the same as not enough. Without imitating anyone else, you should have as much weaponry as suits you.”

...and yet, his mastery with the sword was unmatched

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[PosterBoy]

I think my biggest problem when it comes to practice, was that being someone fairly musical (singing since year dot) I picked up the basics pretty quickly, I was singing and playing songs like Blowing in the wind in front of my school aged 10 (I had nothing on some of those Korean kids though) and apart from my finger style stuff and learning more chords, I stayed at that level for many years, I was happy enough being able to accompany myself. When it came to electric guitar and lead guitar, it didn't come quickly and so I thought I wasn't able to do it (bring in the truck full of excuses and reasons) or I didn't know the secret rather than realising I'd found where natural ability ended and hard work began.

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[Ben Higgins]

Really the only things that separate any of us are the decisions we take

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[Gitarrero]

Some truly inspiring posts and thoughts can be found in this thread!

As for me, I remember when I tried getting serious at the guitar I would actually sit down and practice AP and legato etudes for like 20 or 30 minutes. But I quickly became bored with it and started jamming along to my favourite tunes again.
I have talked to Cosmin about this during our skype lesson...I seriously don't have any goals regarding my guitar playing other than writing cool and catchy songs, and you all know I'm more of a punk rock guy. So I don't see the point in becoming a shredder (for me, that is!)
As for practice, I really had to think about what I do that I would call practice. Lately I've been playing along to our collabs backing tracks a lot, always coming up with new ideas. I try to implement different techniques into my solos, but really focus on strong melodies. This is most fun for me, so I can do this for hours.
I wasn't sure if I really became better over these last years at GMC until I (surprisingly for me) became most improving rec student and I checked my older stuff. Now I know, I have become better. Without pushing things, just by playing what I like...and trying new stuff I picked up from the video chats here and there.
Now, where am I going with this post?
Bottom line would be: just play what feels right for you, try to add a new thing once in a while and you will become better eventually.

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This post has been edited by Gitarrero: Oct 16 2012, 09:51 AM

[Ben Higgins]

Some truly inspiring posts and thoughts can be found in this thread!

As for me, I remember when I tried getting serious at the guitar I would actually sit down and practice AP and legato etudes for like 20 or 30 minutes. But I quickly became bored with it and started jamming along to my favourite tunes again.
I have talked to Cosmin about this during our skype lesson...I seriously don't have any goals regarding my guitar playing other than writing cool and catchy songs, and you all know I'm more of a punk rock guy. So I don't see the point in becoming a shredder (for me, that is!)
As for practice, I really had to think about what I do that I would call practice. Lately I've been playing along to our collabs backing tracks a lot, always coming up with new ideas. I try to implement different techniques into my solos, but really focus on strong melodies. This is most fun for me, so I can do this for hours.
I wasn't sure if I really became better over these last years at GMC until I (surprisingly for me) became most improving rec student and I checked my older stuff. Now I know, I have become better. Without pushing things, just by playing what I like...and trying new stuff I picked up from the video chats here and there.
Now, where am I going with this post?
Bottom line would be: just play what feels right for you, try to add a new thing once in a while and you will become better eventually.

Totally !

It's quite hard to look at yourself honestly and say 'I don't really need to be learning that if it's not really what I want'. But if you can do that you unburden yourself of excess that you don't need.

It's your personal journey in this life so it's only got to really matter to you in the end

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[snackajacks]

Awesome Topic, well gmc keeps getting me back here even when I don't have a lot of time on
my hands, I guess I am just trying to have fun with guitar and see how it gets.

Damn, I have missed you guys.

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[Gitarrero]

Good to see you Marc!

How about the Steel Panther show in Cologne?

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[Cosmin Lupu]

Marc! Hey man! Welcome back

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[PosterBoy]

Really the only things that separate any of us are the decisions we take

Indeed

The tattoo I have says 'Choose your own fate' in Irish. We can bitch and moan all we like about where we are in life, but it is the choices and decisions we made that got us here!

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[snackajacks]

Good to see you Marc!

How about the Steel Panther show in Cologne?

I don't know yet, I want to go really bad, but it is a saturday and I quit my job for
my education so I am low on money. Especially because I am going to see muse in Stockholm
in December. I will try to look into it because its really close and I still have traintickets to Koln and
there is a nice musicstore

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[PosterBoy]

Steel Panther would be more fun than Muse!!!!

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[Gitarrero]

Steel Panther would be more fun than Muse!!!!

For sure!

There don't seem to be any tickets available online anymore though

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[snackajacks]

oh darn, maybe we then can go to the musicstore in Koln in the near future , www.musicstore.com
and they have a huge saturn in Koln with a looooot of cd's. maybe some other gmc'ers are interested as well

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[Gitarrero]

oh darn, maybe we then can go to the musicstore in Koln in the near future , www.musicstore.com
and they have a huge saturn in Koln with a looooot of cd's. maybe some other gmc'ers are interested as well

I'll keep checking for tickets.

I'll be home in Münster for 2 weeks around Christmas until the first week of january. I'm pretty sure we can find an opportunity to meet up then

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[rokchik]

Hey Rok! Nice story and good mindset there I for one, gave up the thought of being a guitar god, just for the simple fact that I started appreciating music writing and arranging more than JUST PLAYING THE GUITAR The guitar is a small part in a great ensemble. As the great Miyamoto Musashi said:

“You should not have any special fondness for a particular weapon, or anything else, for that matter. Too much is the same as not enough. Without imitating anyone else, you should have as much weaponry as suits you.”

...and yet, his mastery with the sword was unmatched

LoL!! I actually don't have any aspirations to be a guitar god either

I have a few songs I want to learn and a few techniques for me that is enough right now. Maybe down the road I may wish to do more musically, but until then I'm happy with the small goals I have set out for myself. Once I reach those ill sent some more I'm sure but again ill be taking baby steps

rok

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