What surprises you about your own playing??????

[puppyonacid]

K......i was wondering about that after seeing this:


[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_Dz5DSXS_o"]YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.[/nomedia]


That's me by the way. And it's not pearl redburst, its actually mystic dream. I was actually inspired to do this after seeing Tristans Vids on here. I like his GO FOR IT feel so i thought i'd have a go. Then it got me thinking, you know how you hear your own voice in your head, and it's totally different to how it sounds when you hear your self on a video or an audio device. Well, i find that in my playing as well. When i play i feel very different about the way it sounds than i do when i hear it played back.

I think I overplayed on that vid and I do lack any real sense of melody. I then over compensate by just trying to play fast to cover that fact up. There are a couple of moments i like when i know I tried to switch my brain off and let my fingers wander. There are also moments when i told myself what run to go for before I played it and it didn't always come off. My Brain and my fingers seldom tend to agree , but.........I was surprised that my playing didn't seem quite as sloppy as it "feels" like it is when i play. It took me a few seconds to figure out the key as well , and I still wasn't entirely convinced towards the end .

So what surprises you about your own playing when you hear yourself? Are you as good as you feel you are? Are you better? Do you get depressed? It gets me down sometimes. But then again, I can also surprise myself

 

[Scarifi3d]

I thought your playing was quite good, you had some very nice licks in there! As you stated a couple things with melody and key but still good! For me, when I hear myself on a video or even a recording I constantly think about how better my phrasing, vibrato, and many other things could have been. Also, I too have that where I'll record me just improvising and swear that I'm doing pretty sloppy but it plays back sounding pretty good. I nitpick alot of my playing as I like everything to sound how I want it to in my head, but usually doesn't come out anyway near what I intended. I've only been playing seriously for a short time but alot of my peers and family have said they've been amazed which is pretty good coming from a semi-musical family. Sometimes I do get a little discouraged but in the end that just pushes me to keep practicing and keep at it.

 

[brentrocks]

after seeing that it makes me think that i suck! and need to practice more!!!

that was great dude!

 

[jaxadam]

See, I think I'm good, but I really suck...

I hear something, and I'm like "Yeah, I can play that..." but when I try, I can't even come close.

 

[Lucidology]

I've spent a lot of time in the studio as a hired soloist and overall guitarist on different folks CDs... It seems, these days, that at least once a week I'm laying down solos in different styles for different producers/studios and clients up and down the coast ...

When asked if I'd like to hear a solo played back... I usually ask the client if they like it .. because chances are, I'm not going to like it... but if they do, then it saves them time and money... and everybody is happy

I'm my own worst critic and cringe easily at my own playing ... I've learned through experience that being any kind of perfectionist can really work against you when playing as a hired gun in the studio..

So, consequently, I've developed a reputation as being a one or two takes type of studio musician ... But actually in truth, this is because I selfishly don't want to hear myself played back ...

If the client likes it, then fine... let's move on to the next tune because I definitely don't need to hear it played back ....

 

[NorM]

That was cool and an excellent showing of what a JP guitar can do. Then when I read your critique I thought to myself you are right on the money. After all who should know better than you. The "Almost Melody" that happened and then exploded for just a second and came back to earth made me smile. Your right on target. I love the sound of EBMM guitars and seeing what people do with them.

Well Done Sir!​

 

[wolfbone07]

For me, the most surprising thing is that when I listen back the perspective is so different. It's often hard to judge in the moment of playing how well something will hold up. As a listener I hear things that I didn't hear in the moment. I hear mistakes (of course), but I also hear a few moments of something special. I guess that's what keeps me playing. I make a CDs worth of recordings of my own playing and then listen to it while driving around in the car. You cringe at the parts where you lose it, but you start to look forward to the good parts. My 2 cents . . .

 

[philiprst]

Very nice playing . Your vibrato and string bends are really good. I also like your tone a lot.

 

[edensdad]

We are our own worst critics, but my experience is that I improve a little each time I hear or see a recording of myself. I get a chance to step back without a guitar in hand an look at my playing from the perspective of a listener.

I've also written most of my songs that way - get a good riff or melody, record it, then expand on it later. It sounds insane, but I used to listen to CDs of myself when I drove. Not in a meglomanic way, but in a "How can I make this better?" kind of way.

What surprises me most about my playing is the music I've created that seemed to come out of nowhere and it's hard to believe I created it. What's even cooler is when friends and family know the music and hum the melody.

>^..^<

 

[ripley]

nice video.

I generally don't listen to anything I've recorded until a bit later and it always surprises me how much I forgot about what I played. It makes it easier to critique and use as a refrence for later work.

 

[SteveB]

Here's a solo that I just recorded a few nights ago. I may leave it 'as-is', or I might re-record it and inject a few linear runs here & there. Knowing me, I'll probably leave it alone. I tend to be a slow hand.

Pardon the tone, the guitar needs some EQ'ing in the mix. I went to record with my Digitech RP-2000 only to find that it somehow got broken. So I had to pinch hit by recording direct from my JP6 going into a Roland micro-cube.

Sorry it's on the long-ish side.. the entire song is an 8-minute "rock ballad" for lack of a better term. I just chopped out the solo for this MP3.

FYI, I played all the instruments on this, and recorded the whole thing in my basement using my Fostex VF-16. This is not a final mix.

Edit: duh.. the point of the post. What surprises me about my own playing is that I never seem to use 'fast' licks, even though I have a little capability in that area. (I'm no shredder, though.) I guess simple melody just appeals to me more? When I listen to all of my stuff, I never push the limits of my technique.

 

[Jay]

I'm my own worst critic and cringe easily at my own playing ... I've learned through experience that being any kind of perfectionist can really work against you when playing as a hired gun in the studio..

I'm not a studio musician, except in my own studio. But it was very enlightening to see this. Alas, I suffer from the It's-Gotta-Be-Perfect syndrome when it comes to my solos. They are a labor of love, and rarely are first takes. I don't compose any of my solos. It's pretty much a matter of hitting record, trying something out, making an intolerable goof, screaming out an obscenity that clips the recording, and back to step 1 until I either get a goosebump flush for something that's really cool or I don't make any mistakes with what I was going for. The former happens more with my own compositions. The latter happens more when I'm a guitar slut and pimp my strings out for a collaboration.

I actually thrive on listening to my music -- it gives me ideas on improving the production or knowing I have to redo a track or two. Being as I have a real job, and the guitar/music thing is really just a hobby for me, I'm just stoked the technology today makes it so a closet musician like me can actually record a song -- "playing with yourself" for the past 20 some odd years was getting mighty boring. I don't have the setup to record myself visually. I think I'd see things very differently as you mentioned.

Puppy, I thought some of the licks you had were really cool, and we guitar geeks love to watch fancy fingering. The backtrack would have been hard for me to let loose on, so kudos to you in that regard. I tend to favor more of a sing-songy solo voice, and try to do that myself, so your comments on melody seem accurate. But I hope you keep at it. Maybe, as a suggestion, your next video will actually show your face. Tristan's vids are cool because you see his expression with certain notes, and can relate a lot more to the music than if you just see torso and fingers. Just an opinion, though. I could be wrong.

Thanks for sharing the video, man. It takes some huevos to put your soul out there for the world to see.

Jay

 

[Jay]

What surprises me about my own playing is that I never seem to use 'fast' licks, even though I have a little capability in that area. (I'm no shredder, though.) I guess simple melody just appeals to me more? When I listen to all of my stuff, I never push the limits of my technique.

Really tasty, soulful solo, Steve! Once you've fiddled with the mix, it's going to really shine. I had just posted on this thread about really liking sing-songy solos, and bam!, here was one waiting for me. I see nothing wrong with the length, but then again, my latest composition is an 11 minute instrumental!!

 

[candid_x]

Steve, very tasty and musical, imo. I agree that a better amp would do your playing justice. Only thing I'd like to hear is, if the solo developed over the course of it; but as you've said, this is just a small clip from a large take, so perhaps you did develop it over the entire distance of the piece.

As long as we're baring our naked butts, here's a short piece I did not long ago. I know, I know, can we say Pentatonic? But what I wanted to do here was gradually develop on a theme each time around the loop. I played straight though, the only overdub was the rhythm part toward the end – I was just noodling a rhythm and didn’t even know they were recording it. Sometimes little accidents are the funnest parts!

(takes a few seconds to load the page) http://www.yijing.nl/candid/index.html

 

[candid_x]

It's pretty much a matter of hitting record, trying something out, making an intolerable goof, screaming out an obscenity that clips the recording, and back to step 1 until I either get a goosebump flush for something that's really cool or I don't make any mistakes with what I was going for.
Jay

LOL!

 

[Jonny Dubai]

Nice 1 mate. You sound like you have some Eric Johnson in you.


Jonny

 

[puppyonacid]

Hey all......off to band practise in a few. OUr Bassist is making us do Colorado Bulldog (Mr Big). Damn Him!!!

Thanks for all your comments on the topic.

SteveB, tasty solo man!!!

Keep it going though folks. I'm finding this all very interesting and enlightening. We can all learn a thing or two from each other right? And I'm certainly taking this all on board.

Catch ya later folks

RAWK ON!!!!!!!!

 

[dwf1004]

Thread Question: What surprises you about your own playing?

Darrell's Answer: That, sometimes, it's actually tolerable by others.

 

[SteveB]

Thanks for the comments, guys!

I appreciate and agree with the suggestions/observations offered. In the context of the larger song, you'd hear the solo draw some parallels to the main vocal line. But it could still benefit from a little development, and the tone will be better when I can get my Digi back up and running. (Or I drag the Fostex and an SM57 over to my drummers house and mic my Triple X half stack. Hmm maybe I'll do that tonight!)

Candid_x, I heard your piece and it was great! You've got tone to the bone and the chops to match. You definitely made a groove on that track.

Jay, I checked out some of the Fractal Garden tunes and they are very nice! I like the blend of electronica and metal: cool, and very easy to listen to. ("Epic" is awesome!) Better still is a band that never has to meet in person! I kid! (Unless said band had NorM as a member.)

 

[puppyonacid]

Nice 1 mate. You sound like you have some Eric Johnson in you.


Jonny

Wow really?! Him, along with Brian May, Nuno and Jp are really the biggest influences on my playing. Course, I listen to lots of others as well. I'm really into finger style acoustic as well so I love the likes of Woody Mann.

But thanks, that's a hooj compliment. Put a smile on ma face