Reality Check!

[ernie1966]

Well I just had one of the best nights playing guitar...must have played for almost 2 hours straight...no pressure, just soulful, simplistic chops, expanding a few riff ideas, getting lost in the licks...Ahh, I really missed playing like this
Again thanks to everyone for letting me lean on!

Very nice, indeed Mr. RAZ!

 

[CudBucket]

I'm feeling all a yall. For me, comes down to this:

Have fun playing and owning guitars. And make sure you enjoy the high when on occasion, you impress yourself.


Dave

 

[mbgreene]

Well I just had one of the best nights playing guitar...must have played for almost 2 hours straight...no pressure, just soulful, simplistic chops,

Way to go Frodo

You know, as I drifted off to sleep, I could have sworn I heard some Foghat way off in the distance.....

 

[Raz]

Way to go Frodo

You know, as I drifted off to sleep, I could have sworn I heard some Foghat way off in the distance.....

Well if you awoke in a nightmarish cold sweat than it could have been me

 

[Polaris]

Don't give yourself a headache

I get the old 'why am I even trying' thing from time to time. But to be honest, I kind of feel like I shouldn't be bending over backwards to be the best player or whatever - I think it was stated in an earlier post; there's always a faster gun.
I'm not going to be venturing into the whole Dream Theater.Morse territory because they've already done it...and it sounds a whole lot better than what I could achieve!

To all the budding 'Petruccis' and 'Morses' out there: Don't give yourself a headache trying to get to that 'perfect' standard - like Dimebag (RIP) once said:
"I've seen a lot of guitar players, and it was always the ones who new less about the modes and scales who played from the heart."
I'm going to go home and play some Dream Theater, then after about ten minutes I'll go and strum on the acoustic and (hopefully) write a new song - this is all fun and games!

It's really refreshing to see this kind of post on a forum...

 

[kbaim]

keep in mind the world is really filled with great guitar players of all styles.

Wonder how many composers from a couple hundred years back wanted to give up 'cause of that Mozart a'hole.

 

[CudBucket]

Yeah, let's stop discussing this because it makes me realize I own gear that I don't deserve.

 

[jimmyp]

Yeah, let's stop discussing this because it makes me realize I own gear that I don't deserve.

I don't think of it that way - some people spend all their money on stuff that will be worth nothing in 10 years - at least by INVESTING in quality musical gear, you could theoretically get your money back (but we won't cos we love our guitars) or make money, and you get the pleasure of owning some cool stuff. That's what I tell my girlfriend when she asks why I need more than one

 

[ernie1966]

I don't think of it that way - some people spend all their money on stuff that will be worth nothing in 10 years - at least by INVESTING in quality musical gear, you could theoretically get your money back (but we won't cos we love our guitars) or make money, and you get the pleasure of owning some cool stuff. That's what I tell my girlfriend when she asks why I need more than one

That's what I say to myself everytime I order up another JP model!

 

[blackspy]

I used to have a tendancy to buy stuff (gear) all the time. I eventually realized, I always wanted more gear when I was feeling down on my playing. It was a distraction from the fact that I didn't practice or play enough to get to the level of ability I wanted. I started unplugging, and practicing that way, quietly, on my old cheapie 80's Kramer guitar. Focusing on practice, instead of my shred hero's latest tune that I wanted to learn. I improved by leaps and bounds, without new gear, and came up with alot of original stuff. Practice and persistance will get you far more satisifaction in the end, then buying 2 dozen MM guitars, and 7 thousand dollar amps, while emulating your favorite guitarist.

My 2 cents.

 

[jimmyp]

I used to have a tendancy to buy stuff (gear) all the time. I eventually realized, I always wanted more gear when I was feeling down on my playing. It was a distraction from the fact that I didn't practice or play enough to get to the level of ability I wanted. I started unpugging, and practicing that way, quietly, on my old cheapie 80's Kramer guitar. Focusing on practice, instead of my shred hero's latest tune that I wanted to learn. I improved by leaps and bounds, without new gear, and came up with alot of original stuff. Practice and persistance will get you far more satisifaction in the end, then buying 2 dozen MM guitars, and 7 thousand dollar amps, while emulating your favorite guitarist.

My 2 cents.

That's fair, but I rarely play more than when I have a new guitar or piece of gear - it inspires me to pick it up more and put the time in discovering new tones and what the gear is capable of. I really should just recycle my gear after a while, but I tend to fall in love with my guitars and it becomes difficult to part with them. I'm actually just about to put a deposit on a new axe this afternoon- maybe therapy would help...

 

[blackspy]

That's fair, but I rarely play more than when I have a new guitar or piece of gear - it inspires me to pick it up more and put the time in discovering new tones and what the gear is capable of. I really should just recycle my gear after a while, but I tend to fall in love with my guitars and it becomes difficult to part with them. I'm actually just about to put a deposit on a new axe this afternoon- maybe therapy would help...

Just to be clear, my post above was not about anyone's GAS problem Not at all, I love gear as much as the next guy. I'm just saying when I'd hit my little plateau's (spelling?) and get down on myself that's what I did.

 

[SteveB]

Blackspy,

Yeah, I can understand what you're saying. If you're longing to sound different, the quickest fix is to buy some gear. The longer path would be to learn & practice completely new things.

I never suffered from G.A.S. until I started hanging around this forum. You boys are a bad influence! [Especially ernie1966 with his room full of Petrucci's!]

 

[kbaim]

I never suffered from G.A.S. until I started hanging around this forum. You boys are a bad influence! [Especially ernie1966 with his room full of Petrucci's!]

I sometimes think Ernie1966 is privately hoping something happens to John so the value of his pet collection goes through the roof.

Tell me I'm wrong Ernie. Please.

 

[ernie1966]

I sometimes think Ernie1966 is privately hoping something happens to John so the value of his pet collection goes through the roof.

Tell me I'm wrong Ernie. Please.

Hey, don't even kid about that!!!!

Actually I've been planted in this forum under deep cover by Big Poppa. He sends me guitars, I snap pics and post 'em, drive you guys into a buying frenzy, and BP laughs all the way to the bank. C'mon, think about it, do you think my real name is as goofy as ernie?

 

[PeteDuBaldo]

Hey, don't even kid about that!!!!

Actually I've been planted in this forum under deep cover by Big Poppa. He sends me guitars, I snap pics and post 'em, drive you guys into a buying frenzy, and BP laughs all the way to the bank. C'mon, think about it, do you think my real name is as goofy as ernie?

I'm in on it too. All those pics on my site are just instruments sent to me by EB to fuel the fire, some get posted as "sold" some get posted as inventory, then they get sent back to EB

 

[Raz]

Well just to update, with all the pressure off, since realizing I can't fill certain sized shoes, I must say I have been enjoying playing a heck of a lot more lately...I've even incorporated my sevens into the formula (I thought I would get rid of them, but it's nice to have that xtra range for blues jamming). It's much easier and more fun to express myself within my capabilties. Guitar has always been a form of escape for me, and trying to learn and perfect it, took away from the journey...I would rather stumble onto something during a flight of passion filled blues riffs, then sit infront of my PC learning scales, playing along side a metronome.

 

[fogman]

You know what Raz;
David Gilmour once said that he had to be very creative in his writing/playing because he couldn't play fast at all. I would say he made out all right!?

Besides, you can't be that bad if you're going to be signed by EB in the next 20-30 years!

 

[Raz]

You know what Raz;
David Gilmour once said that he had to be very creative in his writing/playing because he couldn't play fast at all. I would say he made out all right!?

Besides, you can't be that bad if you're going to be signed by EB in the next 20-30 years!

Like I said before, I got time to learn a scale or two by then

 

[fsmith]

You know what Raz;
David Gilmour once said that he had to be very creative in his writing/playing because he couldn't play fast at all. I would say he made out all right!?

Besides, you can't be that bad if you're going to be signed by EB in the next 20-30 years!

Yeah, I think so. I had Gilmour's DVD playing while getting things ready for a party this weekend. Man that guy has so much mojo it's scary. I could sit and watch him play forever. I don't know that I've heard anyone who can create as much emotion in so few notes as he can. Great stuff.

fred