What was the best thing you did for your musical experience?

11top said:
I bought a 45rpm record in the 6th grade. It was game-on.
Click to expand...
Actually I have rethought this. Buying that 45rpm was probably #2.

Even earlier, I remember my mother always played showtime musical records in our house while she did her household chores. I can remember singing along to those as a tyke. You shoulda heard this 6 year-old belting out “Oklahoma!” while accompanying Gordon MacRae! Fuggin’ rockstar in the making right there buddy.

 
Last edited:
dmatthews said:
Yup, that's gotta work.
Click to expand...
Yup. I also learned to cultivate better habits than just being a couch potato at home. If practice is the order of the day, I don't just noodle, I try to listen for important phrases that delineate the key elements of the song. And that may be the thing. Learning how to play well without "blowing smoke" at folks. Ear training has helped me move from stepping up, plugging in, and hearing the guitar feedback, to playing without extra dirt unless it were required. A separate thing was learning how to play cleaner notes, without the extra dirt.

While it's fine to cultivate better habits, bagging on folks who can't play cleanly, I've stepped away from.
 
I took up guitar pretty late in life, about age 38 or so. I'd strummed a few chords back in college but never took it seriously. I got an electric guitar and an amp in my late 30s and decided I wanted to see where I could go with it. There's something to be said for getting a little older - you find more focus and purpose for an interest.

What helped me a lot when I started out:

- Playing rhythm guitar against a backing track and/ or drum track. That helped me develop good time as well as endurance (it's a five-minute song? Well, you're going to play on time for five full minutes, no matter how tired or sore your hands get.)

- Playing rhythm also helps you see the chord progression and the structure of the song - here's the verse, here's the bridge, here's the chorus. Very helpful for when you start writing your own songs. You also learn to appreciate the talent of the stars who went beyond 3-chord folk or blues. ("Little Wing" is one of the most peculiar songs ever written.)

- Playing with other people who are better than you, in a semi-structured jam session. You get to hear how you sound playing with others, bass and live drums.

- Playing in a band. Showtime! Got those chord progressions memorized? We'll find out, won't we? I was asked to join a classic-rock covers band with guys who had been playing for decades. Shaped up my playing, and got me over the initial bouts of stage fright. (When I led off the opening lick of "Sunshine of Your Love," that great vibrato was my hands shaking.)

- Recording yourself. The tape doesn't lie. It shows you when your bends are flat, your rhythm time is shaky, and your solos are boring. Being honest about listening to yourself will make you get better fast.

-+K+-
 
dmatthews said:
Yes, playing with others was the key for me too.
One thing I still suck at is improv. I find it hard to follow things that just magically start. If there's a repeatable structure I can find it, but if it's any kind of random I tend to just sit down and watch/listen.
Click to expand...
If I’m playing around with someone, particularly new, I always start by establishing a form. Once they get that feel, I feel it’s ok to move around and let the construct expand.

I’d like to suggest that if it feels random, just relax. Don’t feel the need to put in too many notes. Just look for a place you can fit in something. Then find another spot. Think of what BB King does with 1-3 notes here or there. I distinctly remember having this conversation with a jazz pianist/composer with a few CDs under his belt. He would write stuff he couldn’t even play, but we did ok together. With one of his pieces it went something like this:

Me: for a while it was all I could do to find a place to play an E
Him: E is the best key
Me: eventually I started to just go with it and stopped for a bar or two when I got lost with where you were going
Him: fair. I didn’t know where I was going all the time either. I liked how it went though

I might have played with him a dozen times. We never played a piece twice. He played with things I was working on - really well. I poked at things he was working on - almost mediocre.

But my point is: look for your spot and give it a shot. You’ll get more in sooner every time you try it.
 
docteurseb said:
It's sadly true. If I look back I haven't picked up a guitar to play for more than a year because no song has inspired me to learn/practice since.
I'm finding more enjoyment making guitars, parts, and acquiring a few of those wall hangers we call Private Stock than improving my playing (or playing at all).
Click to expand...
Well you know what?
That's all OK.
I took one helluva long hiatus from playing.
Do the things that make/keep you happy, that's what's important mate!
 
I'll happily say that I've questioned some bad decisions not only myself have made (others too) in the distant past but still wonder if I'm not making good decisions without some directed guidance. It may be certain principles I adhere to, but you can't go wrong with these. Applying them is the tricky part for each situation, and most times, I really don't know what I'm doing except following someone else's lead. Perhaps I chalk not up to still being a good listener who can summarize lengthy spoken context if needs be, but not comment until necessary.

Most folks would equate that to being able to roll with the punches, but not expend any needless energy doing so. Like writing a letter. How much physical energy does one spend writing a letter while others we view on TV are beating each other up?

Hmm. I've done the math. Energy spent writing a letter: 1000 spider pushups. Energy spent beating each other up: The net atmospheric temperature of the planet Venus.

Yup. I try to make good decisions, but, you know, not everyone can do this. Writing music has never been my strong suit, but then again, I'm not competing for things like world dominance, either.
 
Going cold turkey from a classically trained, sheet music only player on “the most improvisational instrument” to guitar, playing only by ear. Jumping into a band a year later forced the ‘sink or swim’ syndrome and I decided to swim. Playing with and to your peers is humbling when you barely know your instrument! But then the gigs came and each one, like they say, is equivalent to 10 practices. Ten gigs in a month in high school made me comfortable in what little I knew, I knew well, and started focusing on tone ( no one thought of stage presence!). I was 15.

Chasing tone continues to this day, though I’m wise/old enough to know I’ve achieved 95% of my goal. It’s been a really good run.
 
Oh, and I've been thinking about this since the thread started but haven't answered because I'm really not decided on a single "best thing."
 
docteurseb said:
It's sadly true. If I look back I haven't picked up a guitar to play for more than a year because no song has inspired me to learn/practice since.
I'm finding more enjoyment making guitars, parts, and acquiring a few of those wall hangers we call Private Stock than improving my playing (or playing at all).
Click to expand...
Sadly, mostly me too.
 
It might sound crazy, morbid, or idiotic and its nothing I personally did but here it goes.
I started playing guitar at age 14. While at work at age 17 I had an accident training a new kid on a bailing machine and had my left index finger cut almost the whole way through right at the top knuckle. Instantly I though I'd never play again. Playing was my life and my solitude. They were able to sew my finger back on and thank god it took so I do still have a full index finger. I forced myself to start playing without the use of my left index finger, playing power chords using my middle and pinky. It was kind of a blessing in disguise because before than I hardly ever incorporated my pinky in my playing. Its been 30 plus years since this happened and to this day I hardly use my index finger, bar chords are especially tricky because when a string hits that scar just right it feels like a razor going into my index finger but I am grateful that I can still play.
 
DreamTheaterRules said:
Did you? How long, and why?

I took one years ago but it was forced on me. I would NEVER have chosen to stop playing, ever.
Click to expand...
Seems like marriage and having a kid got the better of me. In hindsight I could/should have kept at it, but at that point I hadn't been in a band and had reduced myself to an acoustic.
I have admonished myself on numerous occasions for letting it slide.
But we're all good now!:)
 
Coral Sky Music said:
It might sound crazy, morbid, or idiotic and its nothing I personally did but here it goes.
I started playing guitar at age 14. While at work at age 17 I had an accident training a new kid on a bailing machine and had my left index finger cut almost the whole way through right at the top knuckle. Instantly I though I'd never play again. Playing was my life and my solitude. They were able to sew my finger back on and thank god it took so I do still have a full index finger. I forced myself to start playing without the use of my left index finger, playing power chords using my middle and pinky. It was kind of a blessing in disguise because before than I hardly ever incorporated my pinky in my playing. Its been 30 plus years since this happened and to this day I hardly use my index finger, bar chords are especially tricky because when a string hits that scar just right it feels like a razor going into my index finger but I am grateful that I can still play.
Click to expand...
Man you got lucky mate! Glad you are still playing!
 
dmatthews said:
Seems like marriage and having a kid got the better of me. In hindsight I could/should have kept at it, but at that point I hadn't been in a band and had reduced myself to an acoustic.
I have admonished myself on numerous occasions for letting it slide.
But we're all good now!:)
Click to expand...
So how long was the break?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Blutone
What was the thinking behind the Starla design?
2
Replies
25
Views
1K
dogrocketp
dogrocketp
László
The Chase For 'The Best'
4 5 6
Replies
115
Views
3K
dmatthews
dmatthews
E
The low threshold to entry for guitar
3 4 5
Replies
96
Views
2K
Lola
Lola
IRG
Disappointed with NGD, time for another SE?
2
Replies
31
Views
719
IRG
IRG
László
My Granddaughter Landed Another Big Musical Theater Role.
2
Replies
21
Views
688
helmi
H
Back
Top