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Overwhelmed?

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(@rmorash)
Estimable Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 108
 

When I first started out playing guitar we used to have jam sessions at parties. However, one particular session, a guitarist came along and was so good that it intimidated me such that I put my guitar away. Later on at the party, he came up to me and asked me why I had stopped playing. When I explained that I didn't think I was good enough to play with him, he replied "I've never met a player yet that I didn't learn something from. It doesn't matter how good or bad someone is you can still learn something from them". That happened decades ago and it's a lesson I never forgot.


   
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(@yournightmare)
Estimable Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 108
 

I have no clue what you guys are talking about. I play for myself. I play because it's my escape. I play because it's a challenge. I play because it's fun. I play because there's always something else to learn. I play because it's a good time-waster. I play because it beats watching TV. I play because it gives me something to look forward to doing. I play because I like learning about the guitar and music. I play because it gives a positive, productive outlet for my emotions. One thing I don't play for is to compare myself to other players. If I play with someone who plays much worse than me (in my case, that means someone picking up the guitar for the very first time, lol), I have fun teaching them. If I play with someone much better than me, I have fun learning from them.

Oh, you can play circles around me? Awesome, teach me something.


   
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(@ignar-hillstrom)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 5349
 

I've only once intentionally humiliated a guitarist, and ironically the dude was in a sense much better then I was. It was at a party and I saw him taking cheap shots at someone who just started and it kinda annoyed me. Now he was a shredder and I can't shred to safe my life, but luckily I'm pretty good with words ("feeling [...] soul [...] heart over speed [....] popular artistX vs shredder Y [...] etc etc) and it doesn't take too much to make people think you're god if you can play a decent bend with a vibrato. It was great fun to see him play the exact same arpeggios over and over again, just a bit faster each time. :lol: For the rest everyone who thinks music is a competition is a waste of DNA.


   
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(@blueline)
Noble Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 1704
 

I love asking those kinds of people about their take on songs like...The Sky is Crying (SRV) or a Creedence song. They usually look at you and go ..."Huh?" No feeling in their playing and no understanding in what they are playing

Teamwork- A few harmless flakes working together can unleash an avalanche of destruction.


   
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(@scrybe)
Famed Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 2241
 

adding to Kevin72790's post............Jeff Beck also felt inadequate after listening to Jimi and to this day openly states in interviews that he's lucky to be in the position he is, having a successful music career when there are better guitarists than him in every town. And Jeff Beck is the kind of guy who gets respect from shredders like Vai et al, as well as more muso's-muso's like Stevie Wonder, Clapton, etc.

having worked in music stores myself, I can honestly say there's at least a 70% chance that all the music these kids know is what they played while you were there. and regurgitating a riff/solo well isn't the same as being able to sight read well, improvise well, compose well, create a unique tone or style, etc, etc.

I can play pretty much every Hendrix tune released, note for note, if I want to - but when I play Hendrix I usually improvise a lot instead. and for all the compliments I;ve had for being able to perform someone else's guitar pieces, the compliments I remember are the ones where someone thought a little riff/chord progression/whatever I'd written myself was good, and mycompositions aren't nearly as difficult as Hendrix. :wink:

there's more to music than mere repetition.

Ra Er Ga.

Ninjazz have SuperChops.

http://www.blipfoto.com/Scrybe


   
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(@corbind)
Noble Member
Joined: 22 years ago
Posts: 1735
 

When I go to the music store often I get a feeling I should quit playing. These kids are ripping out music on bass or guitar that awes me. To combat this, I just don't go to the music stores much! :o

"Nothing...can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts."


   
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(@viper)
Eminent Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 38
 

Reminds me of the time I was in guitar center one day. I was sitting around, playing a nice looking ibanez. I see this beautiful '57 custom LP. Love at first site. A 40 year old guy comes up and takes it down. "Oh, must be some guy playing for a long while. At least it's going to a good home". He gives it to some kid about 8 years old with a FENDER shirt on who played better than me. And then he takes it to the register and leaves the store with it. Needless to say I was jealous.
But don't let that kind of stuff get you down. Like everyone else said, there's always gonna be people better than you. And maybe it'll give you the motivation to become better.

Ibanez RG3EXFM1


   
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