Bit of a Guitar Player rant

[Artie Owl]

Well, I do own a guitar, and I do play things on it.

 

But here's the thing;

 

For the last few months at leassons I've been focusing on scales, majors and minors and learning general theory. I am still burning the cycle of fourths into my head, and I feel more confident on the fretboard.

 

But lately, I've had zero interest in learning to play songs by other artists. I don't know if it's because I can't, or I'm not as interested in playing other's music as I am in playing my own and getting my own style, or what.

 

Does anyone else on here prefer to play your own stuff, even if it is just basic chords and scales or do you pride yourself in your ability to make your sound sound like other accomplished players?

 

Am I wrong for not wanting to learn the tabs of other artists more closely, or the ability to play through whole familliar songs?

 

Anyone?

[Tim Plains]

I'm the same. Learn whatever you want to learn. I try not to play the music I listen to.

[EVOL!]

 

Am I wrong for not wanting to learn the tabs of other artists more closely' date=' or the ability to play through whole familliar songs?

[/quote']

 

Depends on what you want to do. Do you want to jam out covers with your friends or play three hour sets at the local watering hole? Learn the songs. Do you want to stretch out and get creative with your own material? Start working on your own stuff.

 

Me? When I play by myself it is 50% my stuff and 50% what ever song(s) I am into . Lately it has been a lot of The Band and Overkill by Men at Work and I do play the song from start to finish. I usually wait to work on my own stuff with my drummer since we jam out twice a week.

 

No matter what you do, I highly recommend getting into the habit of playing the songs all the way through.

[RichCI]

I learn cover songs only when I have to. I used to really enjoy jamming along to recordings by other bands but I guess I just lost interest in it. When I'm not playing with my band (mostly original songs and a few covers) and I'm at home, I'm either trying to write The Great New Riff or just noodling around. Although, I sometimes play riffs or parts of songs by other people, but no longer along with a CD.

[Artie Owl]

No matter what you do' date=' I highly recommend getting into the habit of playing the songs all the way through.[/quote']

 

I agree with that point, often I'll be playing a part of, or lick from a song, and my fiancie will ask if I know the rest, which, I don't.

 

I don't plan on having a band and touring at this point. Someday I'd like to record a record of some kind to leave my little mark on history. Most of my lessons focus more on the "feel" of an artists style than the specifics of a song though. I guess it could be argued that learning to play the song will give you that feel naturally.

[jimmiJAMM]

Nearly all the greats were inspired by other players. Keith Richards was inspired by chuck Berry, for instance. Most blues players inspired by Sun House or Robert Johnson. I think it's helpful to study various styles and then eventually develop your own. As for jamming, I've always had fun playing covers and originals tunes. Nothing wrong with that.

 

Ultimately, it really depends on what you're after. If your goal is to become an original recording artist then get to work but if you're just having fun playing famous tunes that's way cool too. I think the important thing is that you're fulfilling some inner need for the creative process and passionate about whatever you play.

 

Feed your soul and your *** will follow.

[ShredAstaire]

*Shrug* I've never really been into learning others songs....and i know it has hurt my playing but i just get way more satisfaction and joy out of writing a song and playing it rather than playing an existing song written by someone else.

 

Some people only play covers....like many people have said...play what is the most fun for ya!

[G McBride]

Looks like Friday comes early to the forum. I hope all of you guys that are writing and playing only your own compositions are writing good songs. We seem to have lost our artists and entertainers that wrote good music. I play a lot of covers from the 60s to current, country to rock. You learn a lot by playing others music and learning their licks.

[ShredAstaire]

I suppose it depends if people are writing music for themselves or for others though right? You say you learn a lot playing others music, and I agree, but i believe you can learn just as much from writing your own music through trial and error....to me, its more fun that way.

[duane v]

I do enjoy writing, but I also enjoy learning other artists songs and hacking them up[biggrin].... I do not like theory when it comes to guitar.... I've had enough of that with piano, trumpet and voice lessons.

 

The guitar has always been a form of escape from the boxed in classical disciplines, even though most forms of music derived from classical... I have never taken a guitar lesson, and never will.

[ChanMan]

I pretty much suck at OP's stuff, unless I do them my own way.

 

I've always been a writer as well as performer, it seems.

 

[Artie Owl]

I do enjoy writing' date=' but I also enjoy learning other artists songs and hacking them up[biggrin'].... I do not like theory when it comes to guitar.... I've had enough of that with piano, trumpet and voice lessons.

 

The guitar has always been a form of escape from the boxed in classical disciplines, even though most forms of music derived from classical... I have never taken a guitar lesson, and never will.

 

Duane! I did trumpet for 7 years, Concert Band style. I loved playing the freestyle Jazz stuff that an old hippie showed us. They tried to teach me theory then but it didn't stick so I'm trying again at lessons. I have noticed though that just by going to lessons, it has encouraged me to pick up the guitar and play when I normally might have slacked off.

 

Often I think about digging the old girl out and trying to get my chops back, although I could never hit that high G then, let alone now.

[FirstMeasure]

It depends on the song. For example, "Rock and Roll Fantasy" has a very definite lead that must be there or you lose the song. "Wild Thing" is asking for your own lead, not imitated. Lots of people make the mistake of learning Hendrix or SRV note for note, even though they don't play thier own stuff note for note.

 

I guess what I'm saying is some songs are written to be played as is, some are written around Improv. The two should be approached accordingly.

 

Now, for the Bigger Point. The one that's almost a Pet Peeve of mine.

 

Don't Limit Yourself!! "I Only Play My Own Stuff", "I Only Learn Songs Note For Note", "I Don't care about Theory", "I'm a Strict Classical Theory Guy"....In my book, these are all limitations.

 

I've had zero interest in learning to play songs by other artists.?

So often, this type of thing is a Cop Out! Forcing yourself to do what you don't want to do is a good exercise. You should make yourself lean a few popular leads and Whole Songs. Nothing screams "Wannabe" louder than only knowing parts of songs and having a handful of Half-assed "Originals". Learning Full Covers will help you understand Song Structure, Arranging, and Phrasing and help your own writing in ways you can't imagine.

 

I can't emphasize enough how important it is to Give and Take in music. Take what those who come before you have to give, and Give back what you have of yourself to give.

[Silenced Fred]

I prefer to play my own stuff, and have had lots of less interest in learning others works. However, I am now learning some more "standards" and making my own arrangements of them. I prefer to just jam with friends, playing whatever, or taking a song and jamming off of that, but changing it completely, ie at a concert, I started playing "Beverly Hills" by Weezer, I busted out the song solo, then my friend starting doing his own solo. It was pretty cool. I like stuff like that

[Artie Owl]

FirstMeasure; you forgot the "But lately" before my comment on having zero interest in covers and tabs. I have in the past and I probably will again.

 

I agree that it's important to learn whole songs, but when I only have 45 minute lessons we tend to focus on parts or runs rather than whole songs, it's not enough time; but I get where you're coming from.

 

Though I wouldn't call myself a "wannabe" quite yet.

[FirstMeasure]

I didn't mean to come off so Pointed. I was just pointing out some Bad Habits that Many, Many guitar players I grew up with fell into. Almost all of them have given up and sold their stuff.

 

Sounds like it may be time to for you to go it alone for a while. If your teacher is just showing you parts of songs, but not how to find the rest of the songs, he may not be what you need right now. You need to get together with some other more experienced players and Jam. Nothing cuts teeth like Jamming with a seasoned player.

[DAS44]

Usually I take the most pleasure in improvisation, and learning choice parts of songs that I love. I only know three songs fully through, but I know parts of hundreds. It's just how I function.

 

I incorporate the parts of said incomplete songs into my improvisation and it works for me. I may break out in a random full song once in a while but other than that, its mainly just me d*cking around.

[Artie Owl]

I don't quite think it's my guitar teachers fault though, I think what happened is he wanted to do things that I had interest in and my interests in music were a little scattered. I am taking a bit of a break from lessons for parts of the summer, because a fresh brain will absorb more anyway.

 

Also, my guitar teacher has plenty of experience, albums etc, it's not his qualifications I'm worried about, it's mine

[FirstMeasure]

I don't quite think it's my guitar teachers fault though' date=' I think what happened is he wanted to do things that I had interest in and my interests in music were a little scattered. I am taking a bit of a break from lessons for parts of the summer, because a fresh brain will absorb more anyway.

 

Also, my guitar teacher has plenty of experience, albums etc, it's not his qualifications I'm worried about, it's mine :- [/quote']

Nothing against your Teacher or his experience, there's just a time when the student gets all he can from the teacher. It sounds like your taking the step from Beginner to Intermediate, and Intermediate means you need to start using what you've learned. And that means Jamming with musicians who can School you.

 

This goes for all young players, not just your situation. You gotta get your *** kicked by some good players. Your teacher will always handle you with care, you need someone who wont. Like a Football Coach, they don't let you play part of the game.

 

The most rewarding moments in my life as a player have come when I was completely outside of my comfort zone. I can't stress that enough.

[deepblue]

I just play whatever comes into my head. Sometimes you stumble onto something

very cool! Im basic, just pentatonic stuff. Im ok with that.

[charlie brown]

I do both, 'cause I enjoy both. What I get frustrated with, is someone that says if you can't play a song, exactly like

the record, you shouldn't bother, or "your a bunch of losers!" LOL! I've seen, most ALL my "guitar heros" over the

years, some...several times, each. They have NEVER played their "leads" like the records. Sometimes, they're close...

other times, they're not even on the same page, but in the right key (smile)....BUT, they're always Great solos, from

their hearts, and "of the moment," without trying to play another "moment," over and over. That's the way I've always played, and will continue to do so. If other's don't like it, so be it...that's fine. With all there is available, nowadays, to learn things "note for note," you'd think there would be a lot of "record exact" players. But, I haven't found that to be the case, either. And, in the small number of cases, where I did encounter a "note for note," it wasn't all that interesting, as the original "feeling" was lost...and it just seemed "forced," or sterile. But, maybe that's just my feeling...who knows? ;>)

 

CB

[jimmiJAMM]

Excellent point, CB. It's it's not coming from the heart & soul of it's creator, even if it's exactly note for note, it sounds somewhat synthetic. An interpretation but not the real thing. There's a certain emotion one imbues into his music that cannot be truly replicated by another. Sort of a mojo fingerprint, if you will.

[the guitar butcher]

same my dads a d!ck and says you need to learn the clash and play a concert. And i just say ill play my own stuff at a concert

[GIANTRobOT420]

The best solos ever writen werent on scales man.

[milod]

Okay, a rant from the "old guy."

 

In the olden days <grin> people could play the same songs in their own style and few folks complained it was a "cover" as if that were a dirty word.

 

Sheesh. Glen Miller or Artie Shaw were not "cover bands," but the played lotsa stuff other bands did. Jazz players do it all the time. Rock players seem to have been quite successful playing the same piece with their own interpretation at least through the 70s. Country and blues players have always done the same. I've got a bluegrass, a jazz and an Ian Tyson version of whatever you call Dylan's "if tomorrow wasn't such an endless highway" and they're the same tune with different realities exposed by the different musical styles.

 

When I'm playing for me alone, I do what I wanna do. Tonight it might be a bit Bach of followed by a bit of blues... Maybe messing with a piece I wrote, but probably not.

 

When I've been playing for money in a band, 95 percent of personal practice was smoothing edges of my part of new stuff done in the group, as part of the group. When playing for money or a benefit as a solo, it's been to polish up stuff for a specific sort of audience expectation. For fun this past month or so (too busy with work for anything personal the last two weeks) I've been messing with Fly Me to the Moon and Mood Indigo to get some variations that don't sound like elevator music repeats.

 

I never really cared for "let's see how close to the _____ band we can sound with their latest hit." I've done it when I hadda for money, but... if I like the song I've usually wanted to make it mine...

 

m