Are you as good as you are gonna get?

Drew_TNBD

I play music so I don't kill myself

koneguitarist

Drew_fx;331369" said:

I play music so I don't kill myself

Well that's a thread killer !

richardhomer

Drew_fx;331369" said:

I play music so I don't kill myself

Assuming this was not just a throw-away line, I kind of get it.

When I was younger (and acutely shy and generally somewhat troubled) I had an absolute compulsion to play. I played a lot and made a lot of progress in a very short period of time. I could happily play in front of 500 strangers but would be wracked with nervousness just talking to one of them.

It might sound corny but the guitar definitely was my 'voice' for a period.

As a more rounded individual (sadly not just emotionally) - I am not as driven to express myself. Hence the drive to improve my facility on the instrument has dwindled....

monquixote

Danny1969 said:

No, I'm just stating there are horn players who aren't that great at doing both I spose. I  think the standard of session drummers, guitarist and bass players we get in the studio is higher than the standard of horn player. Maybe because you have to be that much better in a more competitive area I spose

I think that's my experience as well. 

I used to get really intimidated by horn players because they were proper musicians, but of the ones I've played with they tend to either be sight readers who struggle with improvisation and playing anything they don't have written, or feel players who can solo, but tend to be quite sloppy in terms of timing and getting them to play the same thing twice. 

The ones that are the whole package have been few and far between whereas the pro drummers I've played with have all been jaw droppingly amazing.

I've never played with any pro guitarists so I have no idea what they are like as a bunch.

koneguitarist

Some interesting comments coming up during this thread, partly illustrating how insecure us musicians can be in real life, yet get us on stage and a persona takes over that turns us into rock gods(in our own minds).

I certainly suffered from shyness when younger, yet had no problem doing a chuck berry walk across the stage whilst solo'ing. But hand me the mic and I would go to. Pieces, yet after years in he Navy then having my own guitar shop, I now do a radio show 

Gru

I hope I have a long way to go yet as I've only been playing for about 12-18 months and that has been with work and family taking priority. The amount of times I have said to myself that I will pick the guitar up tonight, only for something to get in the way.

That being said from not being able to play a chord cleanly when I started, there is definite progression, my strumming has taken a step forward recently (no plectrum) and I actually find that an improvement in one area helps others. Some chords that I really struggled with all of a sudden become part of my arsenal.

The thing for me is it's a release from life (work mainly), where as the golf course used to be my sanctuary, with less time to get out, guitar has taken over. I will certainly be interested to see where I am in 20 years time.

Sorry for waffling on a bit.

Barney

I dont think so because im always learning and working on things ..the only thing that will affect me really I think is my fingers stiffening up with age ...but I still practice regular so I hope they dont

mudslide73

I peaked about 10 years ago for lead playing (I was fitting in about 18 hrs a week practice plus gigging and rehearsing.

I'm happier now though because I'm in better bands and I'm not so obsessed with the solos.. I used to think "I'm only in this band because I can play fast".

Georgie

Drew_fx;314578" said:

I'm fucking amazing.

And modest! Lol

Georgie

I have only been playing for 18months and since having a regular get together with a drummer and bass has helped my playing no end. Plus having regular lessons 'makes' you practice due to you not wanting to turn up the following week saying 'i haven't done anything since I last saw you'!!! awkward!!!! :-S

fretmeister

Georgie said:

I have only been playing for 18months and since having a regular get together with a drummer and bass has helped my playing no end. Plus having regular lessons 'makes' you practice due to you not wanting to turn up the following week saying 'i haven't done anything since I last saw you'!!! awkward!!!! :-S

I know that feeling.

I'm playing in a music trust orchestra with my daughter. If she's practised and I haven't they do like to make an example of the adults!!

Fortunately after 25 years of playing I can usually blag it. Although I have been caught out when the manuscript is a bad copy without titles etc:

 "But Sir, I thought my improvised version was better than this stuff on the page".....

 "That would be Mozart"

"oh"

Georgie

But surely even Mozart can be open to interpretation else surely everyone would be listening to him still?? - Sir!!! Lol ;;)

Phil_aka_Pip

I'm going to audition tonight with a bunch of ageing jazzers who want to play some pop stuff. I asked the chap yesterday: "If most of you have a jazz background, do you think it likely that some jazz influence will rub off on me?". He replied: "Oh, doubtless!"

I'm comfortable with the classical/rock/blues infuences that I have, but I would like to think I could learn something from these guys, and that learning to do different things will improve me as a guitarist and as a musician.

willrejones

I hope not as I'm shite

PolarityMan

fretmeister said:

Georgie said:

I have only been playing for 18months and since having a regular get together with a drummer and bass has helped my playing no end. Plus having regular lessons 'makes' you practice due to you not wanting to turn up the following week saying 'i haven't done anything since I last saw you'!!! awkward!!!! :-S

I know that feeling.

I'm playing in a music trust orchestra with my daughter. If she's practised and I haven't they do like to make an example of the adults!!

Fortunately after 25 years of playing I can usually blag it. Although I have been caught out when the manuscript is a bad copy without titles etc:

 "But Sir, I thought my improvised version was better than this stuff on the page".....

 "That would be Mozart"

"oh"

After his first album he was just rehashing...your version probably *was* better. Also would it have killed him to use some fx pedals here and there?

Lew

I fill all musical short comings with volume!

Jalapeno

Not practicing enough, so accuracy has suffered as has my ear.  Also falling back on the same few boxes/licks when playing jazz - sure sign I need to pull my finger out.

Need to play more, definitely - or a massive deGas will be in order.

Cirrus

Am I as good as I'm ever gonna get? No. I'm much better than that.

Nunogilberto

I think it's time I probably refocussed myself in terms of playing - first and foremost, I've always enjoyed playing and still do, but the thing I've always done is mainly learn riffs/passages from songs and collect gear. So, in the last 15 years or so, I've had some great guitars, I can play a varied bunch of songs and I can noodle away with pentatonics all day long.

If I was to ask myself where I wanted to go with my playing, it would probably be nothing more than to join a rock covers band and gig once in a while. I'm happy with the gear I have these days, but I need to focus my playing in such a way that I can bring it up to a decent standard.

frankus

I think anyone answering the OP's question with no - can be categorised as having a "growth mindset" - is getting there that big a deal? Won't it be dull if you do get there? Will you really have got there?