The past couple of months I have learned 6 Mississippi John Hurt songs, and Dust Broom all which I got the courage to sing finally, I have been enjoying myself. I had about 4 good months of guitar peace, now I feel unhappy about my eletric playing. It's like every 4 months or so I have to go through some kind of guitar crisis, maybe because I don't have a teacher. I am thinking about forgetting about the songs I started learning with like House of Rising Son, Wild World, Dust in the Wind, etc. to focus on the songs I can sing and stricly blues gutiar songs. Now that I started singing it doesn't feel the same to just play to backing tracks, etc. with no words. It does help that I have spent a lot of money on electric guitar gear.
I think I would more happy playing and singing 30 blues songs very well, than playing 60 songs sloppy. But I read were Leadbelly had 400 songs in his repertoire! Would forgetting my old songs be a waste of practice time from the past? Any advice would be helpful!
"Failure is the key to success" Lee Wen; Champ vs Champ
It's like a nice meal. You have the "main dish" and then all the little side dishes. No, you don't have to eat all the side dishes but, it does help fill your appetite.
'Dont know why you cant do both. You'll most likely bounce back and forth between the two in your lifetime. I went through the same thing with the Eric Clapton unplugged album.
At this time I would like to tell you that NO MATTER WHAT...IT IS WITH GOD. HE IS GRACIOUS AND MERCIFUL. HIS WAY IS IN LOVE, THROUGH WHICH WE ALL ARE. IT IS TRULY -- A LOVE SUPREME --. John Coltrane
It does [not] help that I have spent a lot of money on electric guitar gear.
I think that's fine, especially if you look at the album cover --- Albert King and SRV.
Stevie is playing his favorite Strat most likely into a Marshall, and Albert has a flying V. Both are electric guitars.
My point is: Don't sell your good stuff just yet.
I think I would more happy playing and singing 30 blues songs very well, than playing 60 songs sloppy. But I read were Leadbelly had 400 songs in his repertoire! Would forgetting my old songs be a waste of practice time from the past? Any advice would be helpful!
You are exploring your musical tastes, and are into emotional songs that move you. Blues can run very deep in some people. For instance, Picasso had a "Blue Period", and so can you.
You'll probably revisit those 60 songs at some point and find that you can play them much better when you've really improved.
We build upon the past and it adds color to our lives.
1 watt of pure tube tone - the Living Room Amp!
http://www.naturdoctor.com/Chapters/Amps/LivingRoomAmp.html
Paper-in-oil caps rule!
Just put your electric gear aside, don't sell it just ignore it for a while. Big fat chances that after a few months you'll get the electric-blues-bug and you'll find many things you learned accoustically translate very well to electric guitar. Diversity is the spice of life and stuff like that.
I think that forgetting a song is a lot harder than you think too. You might not be able to whip out every song that you've ever learned on the spot, but once you get a song under your fingers once, it'll come back pretty dang quick when you look at it again, even years later. Muscle memory is cool like that. So I guess my advice would be to play what gets you going right now, playing gets boring and becomes a chore otherwise, which is the last thing you want happening. But no one says that you can only ever play one style or set of songs, so don't burn any bridges as long as you don't need to :smile:
-Jason
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To those about to rock, we salute you!
http://www.soundclick.com/jasonwittenbach
I play acoustic for long periods then I get a gig and play electric then I gt a gig and play all slide.
then it starts all over again.
I think it's great.
Im learning new styles, new songs, getting lots of practice, getting better at playing
and things stay fresh.
so go for it.
