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The cure for GAS


johnchop

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Go watch someone who can play. That'll do it.

 

I saw Phil Davis back Rachelle Ferrell last Friday night. Man, that whole band smoked like you wouldn't believe.

 

He had a Triton Pro, ES6 or 7 (can't recall exactly), and played lead lines primarily on an SY77.

 

I wanted for nothing more after that... just more practice time.

 

-John

I make software noises.
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Maybe because of my mental state, there are quite a few times seeing an exemplary player just makes me want to quit. I mean, seriously quit and sell everything. I've been pulled back from the brink a few times.

 

What motivates me to move forward is a good lesson - a great player showing me a little bit of a window into how to get better, and then some sort of practice method or concept to work on that leads to more practice time.

 

Maybe it's because I never learned as a kid how to really practice, so I'm playing catch up now. that's just me.

 

Different strokes is all I'm saying.

..
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What motivates me to move forward is a good lesson - a great player showing me a little bit of a window into how to get better

 

+1

 

Unfortunately, there aren't many great keyboard players in this neck of the woods. Plenty of decent guitarists though.

 

:rolleyes:

When an eel hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's a Moray.
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Yeah, that experience shocks you back into realizing it's not a tools issue.

 

I'm not kidding myself: I know I'm nowhere near skilled enough to play at the level such a gig would require, but that doesn't mean I don't have things to say, musically, given what I can do. However, I don't need to play to eat, so I can play for my own satisfaction.

 

Sort of diverging from the thread here, but I, too, wasn't given much insight into how to practice from my early teachers. I got the somewhat standard lecture: "do" Hanon + scales, practice hands separately, practice slowly. It was ALL about "what" and "how" and none of the "why". That kind of "mechanical" instruction--necessary at some level, of course--wasn't particularly inspiring. Fortunately, there were resources like Keyboard magazine to put me touch with a broader understanding of this crazy obsession we all have.

 

 

 

-John

I make software noises.
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Maybe because of my mental state, there are quite a few times seeing an exemplary player just makes me want to quit. I mean, seriously quit and sell everything. I've been pulled back from the brink a few times.

 

What motivates me to move forward is a good lesson - a great player showing me a little bit of a window into how to get better, and then some sort of practice method or concept to work on that leads to more practice time.

 

Maybe it's because I never learned as a kid how to really practice, so I'm playing catch up now. that's just me.

 

Different strokes is all I'm saying.

 

Ya - I often go back and forth between inspiration and frustration and just wanting to quit when I see a really talented player. But then again, there will always be somebody better than you out there. The key thing for me is improving on my skills over time and becoming a better player given my level of talent and available practice time. I do like when I learn new licks or techniques or ways of playing something. Then it also never hurts to have someone come up from the audience after a gig and say they enjoyed my playing. That is always appreciated and keeps me going in the right direction!

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Methinks some of you could use some Effortless Mastery: Liberating the Master Musician Within.

 

 

(Don't get me wrong, I'm still working on it! So is Mr. Werner. We all do.)

"I'm so crazy, I don't know this is impossible! Hoo hoo!" - Daffy Duck

 

"The good news is that once you start piano you never have to worry about getting laid again. More time to practice!" - MOI

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I'm sure I have, but I'm also sure I first heard of it here from others. What's great is when I start beating myself up about something (like how I suck!) I'll do one of his mediations and come out of it.

 

"Be kind to yourself!"

"I'm so crazy, I don't know this is impossible! Hoo hoo!" - Daffy Duck

 

"The good news is that once you start piano you never have to worry about getting laid again. More time to practice!" - MOI

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This book has been sitting on my shelf, unread, for years. I'm starting it tonight!

Korg Kronos 61 (2); Kurzweil PC4, Roland Fantom-06, Casio PX-350M; 2015 Macbook Pro and 2012 Mac Mini (Logic Pro X and Mainstage), GigPerformer 4.

 

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I saw ELP in an 1800 seat opera house on their first North American tour.

 

Made me want to quit!

 

But he had all those toys...

 

4 leslies. Giant Moog. Ribbon controller.

 

Many years later, I have 3 leslies, have built a giant modular synth, and still have my Moog ribbon controller (although the ribbon broke long ago).

 

Still can't hold Keith's jockstrap tho'.

Moe

---

 

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This book has been sitting on my shelf, unread, for years. I'm starting it tonight!
Do it.

"I'm so crazy, I don't know this is impossible! Hoo hoo!" - Daffy Duck

 

"The good news is that once you start piano you never have to worry about getting laid again. More time to practice!" - MOI

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which is why sometimes I prefer my original project to cover bands. Because I often am trying to copy the playing style of several different world class pro keyboard players and I hear all the nuances of what they are playing and I just can't quite copy it. It's frustrating sometimes. But then I just have to relax and have fun and enjoy playing what I can.
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True dat, marino and Tim. Hearing Art you-can't-imi-Tatum makes you want to practice really hard or quit playing entirely, usually both!
Instrumentation is meaningless - a song either stands on its own merit, or it requires bells and whistles to cover its lack of adequacy, much less quality. - kanker
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