Well, I have to admit to keeping a spreadsheet with lists of songs and rating systems on how well I do them, remember them, etc. :oops: :oops:
Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin
the thing is, playing the guitar is as physical as it is mental. you might always know the square root of 4 is 2(or negative 2), and you might always be able to remember the shape of a d chord, but can you always do a 100 meter sprint within a half second of your best time? i seriously doubt it. but that's what you're asking your hands to do when you learn all these songs and fingerings and expect yourself to perform them consistently and flawlessly.
the thing is, playing the guitar is as physical as it is mental. you might always know the square root of 4 is 2(or negative 2), and you might always be able to remember the shape of a d chord, but can you always do a 100 meter sprint within a half second of your best time? i seriously doubt it. but that's what you're asking your hands to do when you learn all these songs and fingerings and expect yourself to perform them consistently and flawlessly.
Jason, GOOD POINT! I think we all forget that!
TheREDD, if it makes you feel any better. I played Sunday at a jam with a friend of mine. Sometimes we'll play local bars ( I just get up and play about 12 songs with him – he does all the singing).
This time, I was playing in front of my former teacher, a very good bluegrass band, 2 other EXPERIENCED musician's. About 11 people altogether and for the second time ever I got nervous to the point where my hands were shaking and it was almost IMPOSSIBLE to fret the chords. Fortunately, I got past that and did a decent jobs on the last 3 songs.
My point is, I've been playing over 4 years now and I don't know what I'm doing? I'm not really that good. I don't know why this guy let's me play with him? I still can't play a “D†chord without BARRing it?
AND, I think (NO, I know!) I was trying to impress them. I have to get past this… and just play!
There is no other option, I'll have to do better next time.
Bob Jessie
clide,
I've probably been playing a year or so longer than you and probably feel the same way about my playing but I have never played in front of total strangers...well I have but they were watching our practice which was in my basement so that isn't the same, but I did one time have that overwhelming feeling of fright so much that my hands were shaking and I could barely hold the guitar. The feeling finally siubsided but it was very strange and scary...because I couldn't imagine what I would have done if we were playing some where in public and it happened.
"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!
D chord:
Index finger (1st finger) on 3rd (G) string at second fret = A
Middle finger (2nd finger) on 1st (high E) string at second fret = F# = Gb
Ring finger (3rd finger) on 2nd (B) string at third fret = D
Correct me if I'm wrong
Right, and A is slide that ring finger back one fret and move the other two to the strings above it. I found this to be one of the easiest changes (except for how to fit all those fingers in that small space).
When I get done with this, Ill pick up my guitar . . . and the odds are 50/50 if I can play it right tonight. Thats what really gets to me, is the inconsistency.
This used to be a big peeve of mine, the seeming inconsistency of what would happen when I picked up the guitar. I'm a logical person, and in my usual studies (computers, electronics) I either know something or I don't.
After a year or so of learning guitar, I came to accept this as the normal state of affairs, and instead of looking at it like I'm either "succeeding today" or "failing today", I look at it in terms of Always, Sometimes, and Never:
- There are some things I can ALWAYS do consistently. If you ask me to pick up the guitar and play an E minor, that will always work. Even if I'm half awake and using someone else's guitar.
- There are other things I can SOMETIMES do. If you ask me to do a clean chord change from D to B minor, it will work maybe half of the time. If I'm "in the zone" I can do it over and over, and other days I can't do it at all.
- And there are a million things I can NEVER do, like play "Cliffs of Dover" flawlessly.
The biggest sense of accomplishment I get is when I can move something from Never to Sometimes, or from Sometimes to Always. The more I practice the more things move into the Always column. The things that move to Always are usually things I'm bored of, since I've moved onto a new item from the Never column, but as long as I'm adding to the Always list I'm happy.
P. S. I have some form of (undiagnosed) ADHD, and I have to agree that short practice sessions are better. I practice the same song or the same technique for 4 solid hours sometimes, and in retrospect I always find that the first half hour was productive, and the last 3 and a half were just a long exercise in frustration and sore fingers...
I have been playing for 11 months. inconsistency is one thing I struggle with too. Some nights I can pull it off, all my fingers land on the right strings, and it's just a great feeling. But some other nights your fingers just won't listen. But as I practice more, things are getting better. Some times I forced myself to take a step back, like not play a day, or move on to some new stuffs. And couple days later, going back to the old stuff, and all of a sudden, it got easier. Playing guitar is as much physical as mental. If you worry too much, your fingers will tie up and end up playing worst...
