MetalicaMan's "quitting post"

And Vic..what do you mean five days without stimulants you have to be using the stimulants to even be considered a rock'n roller...

Keith Richards is BEYOND stimulants! :shock: :shock: :shock:

Chris (Cnev)

You have really made me think about something. And it is a time for total honesty.

Do I think I am a good player?

Yeah, I do. When I am really on, I will play guitar against anybody.

But here is the catch, and it is a big one. I play like myself. I have had a chance to play with some very good players, some who have toured and recorded. But I do not let that bother me for one second.

But..... I control the game. I once read an article by a writer about a man who at that time was known to be the world's greatest gambler (can't remember his name, it was many years ago). Anyway, the writer of this magazine article was a champion dominos player. He heard that this gambler could beat people at their own game. So, he challanged this gambler to a dominoes match. And unbelieveably, the gambler beat the writer every game.

The writer could not believe this gambler beat him, but he did. He asked the gambler if he had played dominoes before, he had played, but just a little, and never in competition. So, he asked how the gambler beat him. The gambler said, I MADE YOU PLAY MY WAY.

During the match the gambler did many funny things. He asked the writer how many dots were on all the dominoes. The writer had never thought of this. Instead of concentrating on the game, he was distracted trying to count the dots. He thought the gambler was counting and this gave him some great advantage he had never thought of. The gambler asked lots of stupid questions. He would ask the writer if he made a certain move, would it be stupid. If the writer said yes, the gambler would make the move anyway. This threw the writer too. He was so confused and disoriented by the gambler that he lost 5 matches for $100 each.

That is a true story I read many years ago. But I learned something valuable from that. One secret to winning is to control and play a game your way.

How does this relate to guitar?

Well, If I had to play against Eddie Van Halen, I sure ain't gonna do tapping, cause he's gonna burn me alive. If I had to play against Yngwie, I am not going to try to play arpeggios up and down the neck.

Now honestly, these guys will totally burn me no matter what I do. But, I tell ya, I am going to play like me. I know what I can do and it's pretty good. I am going to ignore what they do. I am not going to play their game, I am going to play my game. Now, no way I could beat either of these guys, but I bet I could hold my own and earn a little respect.

Maybe everybody has been watching American Idol this year. I have. One night one singer will be great, the next week they sound terrible. And the judges will tell them over and over that the singer got away from what they do best. And this is exactly what I am saying.

Develop your own style, play like yourself. Then put that out there. You are not going to out-play Randy Rhodes trying to copy his solos. No, you have to play a solo that Randy cannot play.

So, learn licks from all the great players. And then put them together to make your own style. Put your style out there so people want to copy it. And of course they can't.

NOW, do I think I am a lousy player? YES. I will never be as good as I want to be. I could be better in a thousand ways. But that is good. That gives me a reason to practice and keep on playing every day.

Finally, guitar is really not about competition, although it is difficult to get around it. We all measure ourselves against other players at times. Nevertheless, I love all good music and look at playing with great players as a chance to learn and be inspired. Hey, there is room for all of us to play guitar. I hope everyone can become a great guitar player.

Sorry to run off on a rabbit trail, but you must have confidence in your own abilities.

Now honestly, these guys will totally burn me no matter what I do. But, I tell ya, I am going to play like me. I know what I can do and it's pretty good. I am going to ignore what they do. I am not going to play their game, I am going to play my game. Now, no way I could beat either of these guys, but I bet I could hold my own and earn a little respect.

NOW, do I think I am a lousy player? YES. I will never be as good as I want to be. I could be better in a thousand ways. But that is good. That gives me a reason to practice and keep on playing every day.

Finally, guitar is really not about competition, although it is difficult to get around it. We all measure ourselves against other players at times. Nevertheless, I love all good music and look at playing with great players as a chance to learn and be inspired. Hey, there is room for all of us to play guitar. I hope everyone can become a great guitar player.
Everything you said (^) is exactly what I mean in my signature (V "My goal")!

I don't care about you or anyone else when it comes down to “ability”. I care about my abilities. I care about how hard I work for those abilities and how hard I plan on working on them and progressing them further for the future! And not so I can say, "Haha, betcha can't do THAT", it's so I can say, "wow, never though I'd be able to do that!"

Step by step..... inch by inch..... slowly we turn......... only to face another brick in the wall! (Yeah, I improv'ed the end of a Stooge's bit and threw in a Floyd reference!) :)

Human nature is predetermined to the fact that we as humans accept and engage in challenges. - Me
Think about it. :wink:

Mike

I am with wes inman on the thinking develope a style of your own. If you find someone to show you things though thats great

Wes,

You'll always be a guitar god to me...if I had some where to play I'd love to hook up with you again even just to watch you play.

I understand where your coming from. I don't think anyone ever feels they are good enough. There's always someone or something that you want to do better. But I think that's true in anything you do.

You just have to enjoy the journey where ever it takes you.

And I promise I'm gonna come check you guys out one of these days. You should try some clubs toward my neck of the woods or in Hartford.

I tell myself after a session: Yeah, that kinda sucked, but not as much as yesterday. :lol:

Jason