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Musicality


SW

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Are you satisfied with your playing skills or do you always think that everybody else are doing better? Sometimes, I suffer from some kind of bad musical self-esteem and think that I don't have the right qualities. Is it so, that some people have "it" and som people don't?
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Is it so, that some people have "it" and som people don't?
absolutely not

skill at playing any instrument takes patience.

 

check out this site/book

Guitar Principles

I think the author of the book and the site explains problems like you and many others have. I've subscibed to the free newsletter you can get in your e-mail and that alone gives me so much motivation just reading those

(I dont work with "Guitar Principles")

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I think it is kinda common. I spent the late 80's in college learning while my friends were playing in clubs doing essentially the prog/metal/not-quite-hair-band thing, and I was rather insecure that I just didn't play like that. I only had a tiny amp and the only effect I was using was amp distortion and reverb playing blues trying to figure out jazz. As for figuring out jazz, that has been the quest of my adult life as I bounce from rock band to folk band to rock band to jam band to singer-songwriter and so on. It took a very expensive teacher to one day say to me "you can do this, what makes you think you can't do this".

 

Don't confuse what everyone else can do on the guitar with what you can't do-- it is more like "don't do", and don't assume that the things you hear to play are less hip then anyone elses.

 

Just work on your skills: ear training, fret board "mechanics", proper technic, reading, theory, and learning songs. Get your allotted practice in everyday, and don't push it to the end of the day but do it early so you can play "extra" at night.

 

Set goals around what you can't do well, what you want to do better and what you're not able to do but want to. Jam periodically, but if you feel that jamming isn't pushing you forward then woodshed a bit but get back to jamming.

check out some comedy I've done:

http://louhasspoken.tumblr.com/

My Unitarian Jihad Name: Brother Broadsword of Enlightened Compassion.

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Some people have more talent than others. Some people are more talented at some aspects of music and less talented at others. Some people have superior rhythmic feel and then a poor ear for pitch. And so on and so on.

 

What do you do when you recognize your limitations? Try to make them your strengths.

 

Also, learn from others, but develop your own idiosyncrasies.

For example, you could spend a lifetime mastering the legacy of John Coltrane, but then you wouldn't be offering anything new.

 

In the arts, what little originality you have to offer, no matter how humble it is, is better than a lifetime of trying to acquire the skills of someone else.

 

Having "it" is mostly about being yourself.

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Every one has their own "Musical Shortcomings" there is no one person that can play it all (and play it all well). The other guys that posted already hit it. Its all practice and patience. The only other thing I would add is this, listen to every thing. Jazz, Funk, Country, top 40, local bands, even Gangster Rap. I cant stress enough how much of an effect the music you listen to has on the music you make.

One other thing to bear in mind...

Alot of what you are hearing in other players you, envy, admire,or emulate is sacrifice. Your listening people that didn't "go to parties" they "played" them.

So those calluses are supposed to be there; right?
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It jsut takes time to develop your musicality, same as it takes time to develop your raw technique.

 

Some guys have a lot of technique, but don't know when to show it and when to cool it. :D

 

My opinion of a more developed player is someone who can tackle the hard parts, but knows when to ease up and keep their part from overwhelming the larger statement of the overall piece.

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I feel that way until I remember no one can play like me! I can ply what others play, it still sound like me playing. The embarrassment I suffer is cause I am baring my self in front of people when I play.

 

Another thing to think about, play what you can't play. Not just in practice, in front of people. Some people respect the courage, and those that don't, don't worry about.

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Originally posted by shniggens:

Originally posted by alcohol_:

Having "it" is mostly about being yourself.

I like this.
That's the crux of the matter, isnt' it?

 

That being said, I can't play for shit compared to some others but that doesn't stop me.

 

Our Joint

 

"When you come slam bang up against trouble, it never looks half as bad if you face up to it." The Duke...

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I know I've got something, but who knows if it is "it".

 

I love listening to other people play, but I seldom worry about whether they are better than me or not, because, contrary to the lessons that most high school band programs teach, music is not about competition.

 

Just my opinion, of course.

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Originally posted by alcohol_:

In the arts, what little originality you have to offer, no matter how humble it is, is better than a lifetime of trying to acquire the skills of someone else.

 

Having "it" is mostly about being yourself.

that is a lovely and profound statement :thu:

 

just be yourself, don't over-analyze, don't give a shit what anyone else thinks. the music industry is the worst place to look for validation.

 

IMO the best players are never "satisfied" with their skills, but rather keep striving for something else, something new.

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What is it? I don't know about ya'll, but just about everyone that I know of that was at the top of thier game was fanatically obsessed with it.

 

No one ever got to be a great "talent" at anything without a lot of hard work.

I really don't know what to put here.
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