Guitar Zero 2.0

[jdd707]

Several weeks ago someone posted a note about the book Guitar Zero by Gary Marcus. I can't find the OP so apologies to the poster. At the time, I had just ordered the book and have now finished reading it and found it interesting enough to discuss here. I thought I would post issues for discussion here until we tire of it. All comments are welcome, especially from those of you who have read thebook.

 

The Amazon link is http://www.amazon.co...30876157&sr=1-1. So read the description if interested.

 

My review:

 

All music teachers should read this. Casual guitar players will probably find it boring in that most print is dedicated to the scientific literature concerning the topic under discussion at the time. The guy is a developmental psychologist after all. Serious guitar players should read this book in spite of the fact it can get to be slow reading at times. A professional psychologist who is also serious guitar players should carry it around with them. As a memior of a budding player, it's only mildly interesting except for his trip to a guitar camp for pre-teens.

 

First topic:

 

At the time of the OP, J45 Nick asked me to post what were the author's key(s) to becoming a better player. Marcus gets right to it. He says there are two things:

 

1) Put your hands on the guitar and practice/play. He says a total of 10,000 hours (not a typo) are required to become an excellent (but not professional) player.

 

2) Practice, each time, something that advances one's ability. Never allow ones self to get complacent on one plateau.

 

Number two is something with which I agree, being complacent by nature and having been stuck on one plateau during the decades of the 80s and 90s.

 

Number one is a little more difficult but I can buy it understanding that he is talking about normal people, not prodigies. Doing the math: if one plays/practices (appropriately) 2 hours a day, starting at age 14, then that player would reach the goal of excellent at age 28. Heck, I'm still trying to get to good, let alone excellent.

 

THOUGHTS on the author's answer to Nick's question.

 

 

[zombywoof]

I heard this guy on NPR or something once. He is about as far as you are going to get from some old guy playing some blues tune recorded before you were born, then looking at you and yelling "now" meaning he wanted you to try and play it. Sorry but while it may be great for others, I guess I am just too old school to get into this scienfitifc formula guitar speak stuff.

[Lilac Lion]

Funny, I just picked up this book where I work and came home to look at the forum and read this post. Can you sing Synchronicity?