sgman Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 I'm really erked off right now. I try to play something different but I always end up coming back to the same ol' thing I always seem to do and it's giving me the runs (so to speak) I hate hearing the same ol' things from guitarists in their solo's etc, and here I am doing the same thing myself. I get lessons from a friend of mine and although he's an awesome guitarist in his own right, I just don't feel like I've made any real progress under his tutoring. For eg, the other day I go in their and for about 15 mins he's just showing me how marvelous Michael Schenker is on his laptop and how a lot of people believe he plays a lot like him. Well although I'm happy for him etc, it just erks me that he's not focusing on my needs as a guitar player. I desperately want to break away from doing the same thing all the time and as hard as I try to do this, I just end up playing the same old licks etc. I don't really want to get another guitar teacher, since he is such a good friend and a really good guy. I don't know what to do. It's really frustrating. Anybody else have this problem and if so, do you have any ideas on how to solve it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WahKeen Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 The good news is that even the greatest guitarists do the same thing. A prof told me (not in music, but I believe it applies in other things in life), that under stress or when "performing" one seems to go to what they know best. All the greatest players do this (Malmsteen, SRV, BB King, etc...). It's called their "sound" and it's a good thing when people know who you are just by listening to your playing. That's not entirely a bad thing. However, the more you learn, the more can incorporate a wider variety of "go to" things you can do. I desperately want to break away from doing the same thing all the time and as hard as I try to do this, I just end up playing the same old licks etc. On the "wasting" time with your "friend/teacher", I would be honest with him and tell him what you've expressed here (your quote). I'd tell him about your frustration with "sounding the same", and see what he says. And that you really invested in learning the most you can learn from him. Express your frustration with yourself and what your needs are, and hopefuly he will respond by getting on the ball. If that doesn't work, you can be very direct, and say you appreciate him and that you really want to spend your lessons totally on your learning, although there is always some room to "jack around", realistically. But if it's bugging you this much, it's yours to bring it up. If all fails, do get another teacher. You deserve that. Friends may not always make the best teachers because they're not "all business". Kno' what I mean? I hope you get your needs met, brother man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saturn Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 Learning from friends can be great. But when taking formal lessons it's better IMO to have a more profession relationship. You pay them, they teach you. Sure you want someone you "like" and can have a pleasant teacher/student relationship with. That's different though from taking lessons from someone you hang out with socially. Again just my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artie Owl Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 Lessons are great, I'm taking a bit of a break for the summer after two years straight, but I can't recommend them enough. Also, I've said this before, but if you're stuck try this. 1.) Get someone to draw you a line on a peice of paper, it can be any kind of crazy line or loop or whatever, though I've found putting it on it's side so you get like a line graph effect works best. 2.) look at the line, and try to play what it looks like, the jumps, jaggy parts, long smooth parts, whatever. 3.) flip it around, put it upside down and try it lots of different ways. 4.) if you have someone to jam with draw two lines and each play one, switch it up etc. I'm willing to bet you won't be going back to the same thing by trying this exercise. Some people find it's helpful to put a basic beat along with this exercise to keep it from leaning to far towards acid jazz. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyhair Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 I'm really erked off right now. I try to play something different but I always end up coming back to the same ol' thing I always seem to do and it's giving me the runs (so to speak) I hate hearing the same ol' things from guitarists in their solo's etc' date=' and here I am doing the same thing myself. It's really frustrating. Anybody else have this problem and if so, do you have any ideas on how to solve it?[/quote'] It happens to me countless number of times. I got rid of the person who I hired a few years back because he wasn't teaching me anything and especially the kind of music I wanted to know. So....... venture out on your own and discover songs from the root of the kind of music you love. The best resource you have that I didn't when growing up, the internet! I love classic Rock and Blues, especially Blues, but I don't want to sound like SRV and Kenny Wayne Sheppard even though I love their music. I hear it all the time and it's too easy to resort back to what I already know which doesn't compare to them. A lot of good famous musicians research and listen to their elders play. Some of it is pretty corny and the rest has a lot of good stuff. Listen, learn and pick apart the things that make you click. Mimic others to help you learn and then give your own version and style to it. Instead of playing one song after another in random succession that you already know, start developing a library of riffs and techniques and play them over and over. You will find that most will fit into what you already know somewhere and change the whole perspective. Play some of the songs you discover that are older than the hills. I have downloaded a huge library of these things from both Youtube and Vanderbilly via Firefox. They have an add on called video down loader. With it you can download videos from Youtube and most any video you come across and its all free! There are countless musicians who slow things down for you and teach step by step how they learned and their only payment is the thanks you give in response. For any musician that is pure gold! This takes some time to develop and it is not like playing through one song after another for the sake of playing. It's time to start walking on your own and using your own mind! Don't be afraid of the dark, slow down, venture out on your own, discover the past, develop the present, and create the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GIANTRobOT420 Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 What helps me is listening to music from different parts of the world. It gives you a new prespective of music making. I also suggest a book called Zen Guitar. Its not an instructional deal-e. Its help you find you path. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 SGman... Put down the SG, pick up a H'bird and start playing bluegrass and "Carter Family" type stuff. Or... a classical EA and start fingerpickin'. No electric pickin' for six months and... voila. OTOH... I'm still playing "Banks of the Ohio" the same two ways I did in 1965. <grin> m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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