not going to watch anymore posted videos....

[BrianC]

I am on various forums on the net and within FB. Whenever I click on a video there is always a player with mad skills killing it. I am starting to feel overwhelmed by my suckitude.

I get it that I am a hack and rightly so as I loath practicing what I am supposed to but come on. Everybody from 6 - 96 CAN PLAY!

I then have to ask why are they playing alone in their room if they are so good? Why are they not posting videos of them playing that song with a band on stage??

My only solace is I am a better playing than I thought I would be when I was young. I am in a working band, not only living the dream but getting paid to do it. My parents who are gone would never have imagined this!

 

[RickP]

I am on various forums on the net and within FB. Whenever I click on a video there is always a player with mad skills killing it. I am starting to feel overwhelmed by my suckitude.

I get it that I am a hack and rightly so as I loath practicing what I am supposed to but come on. Everybody from 6 - 96 CAN PLAY!

I then have to ask why are they playing alone in their room if they are so good? Why are they not posting videos of them playing that song with a band on stage??

My only solace is I am a better playing than I thought I would be when I was young. I am in a working band, not only living the dream but getting paid to do it. My parents who are gone would never have imagined this!

There's always someone better. I try to consider it inspiration to get better myself. But look on the bright side... as long as I'm around, there is always someone worse!

 

[21Hemispheres12]

I feel like I’m cursed with my taste of music as a guitar player. I mainly listen to extremely technical progressive metal so I basically always feel like I’m a terrible player compared to some of these amazing guys.

What really blew my mind was showing these amazing solos to my wife, who isn’t a musician, and she didn’t like them at all! I was going on about their technique and speed and she could care a less, she much prefers bands like Weezer and My Chemical Romance.

I realized that I’m in the minority of what I like and I’m comparing myself to guys that are literally at the very top of their field, like Jason Richardson. Obviously I will never be as good as them but I’m still practicing my sweep picking and technique and I’ve gotten better because of it. I let players that are better than me inspire me to improve myself, even if I still get nowhere close to them, and in the back of my mind I get comfort in knowing the majority of people aren’t comparing me to the most prolific shredders because they don’t know who they even are anyways.

 

[bodia]

I feel like I’m cursed with my taste of music as a guitar player. I mainly listen to extremely technical progressive metal so I basically always feel like I’m a terrible player compared to some of these amazing guys.

What really blew my mind was showing these amazing solos to my wife, who isn’t a musician, and she didn’t like them at all! I was going on about their technique and speed and she could care a less, she much prefers bands like Weezer and My Chemical Romance.

I realized that I’m in the minority of what I like and I’m comparing myself to guys that are literally at the very top of their field, like Jason Richardson. Obviously I will never be as good as them but I’m still practicing my sweep picking and technique and I’ve gotten better because of it. I let players that are better than me inspire me to improve myself, even if I still get nowhere close to them, and in the back of my mind I get comfort in knowing the majority of people aren’t comparing me to the most prolific shredders because they don’t know who they even are anyways.

Dude, we could be brothers, and our wives sound like twins. I either get the mega eye roll, or she turns on the Beatles channel.

Brian, I get where you're coming from. I'm in a deeper spot of suckitude, so you're not all bad! Kidding. You're living the dream, so give yourself some credit!

 

[alantig]

There's a video that explains all this and gives you great coping skills...but, you know, your vow...

 

[pgj]

I feel the same way. I'm on this forum as well as the Strat forum (and FB pages of both). My FB feed is full of people absolutely shredding...and I'm over here working on basic strumming and scales (only been playing less than a year). It's both inspiring and totally demoralizing at the same time watching random, regular people play with such mastery and professionalism. I just have to keep the mentality that it's not a competition. The goal is not to be better than anyone else...just be better than you were yesterday.

 

[Mark Ray]

I am on various forums on the net and within FB. Whenever I click on a video there is always a player with mad skills killing it. I am starting to feel overwhelmed by my suckitude.

I get it that I am a hack and rightly so as I loath practicing what I am supposed to but come on. Everybody from 6 - 96 CAN PLAY!

I then have to ask why are they playing alone in their room if they are so good? Why are they not posting videos of them playing that song with a band on stage??

My only solace is I am a better playing than I thought I would be when I was young. I am in a working band, not only living the dream but getting paid to do it. My parents who are gone would never have imagined this!

BrianC, you answered the main part of your question yourself. There are literally millions who can play, but for a ton of reasons they can't/won't/don't do so with others. Getting and keeping a working band together takes a lot of skills not related to the technical aspects of playing. I for one would rather stay in a working group and play in front of people, for money, than sit in my room playing to a screen. The bottom line is that so many folks lack the talent to "play well with others."

 

[pgj]

BrianC, you answered the main part of your question yourself. There are literally millions who can play, but for a ton of reasons they can't/won't/don't do so with others. Getting and keeping a working band together takes a lot of skills not related to the technical aspects of playing. I for one would rather stay in a working group and play in front of people, for money, than sit in my room playing to a screen. The bottom line is that so many folks lack the talent to "play well with others."

And stage fright. I was a pretty good trumpet and bass player back in HS and college. There is a huge difference between being great in your bedroom by yourself and being great up in front of a group of people.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

I’m comfortable with my ability, but my creativity could always be expanded... and I feel that’s what counts the most.

 

[jxe]

guitar players have been dismissed from great bands for being ‘too technical’.

that said, you could be a little faster.

 

[AP515]

I don't care about any of it.

I can watch 15 year old kids playing better than I ever will. I don't feel bad about it at all. I am really happy for them. I look at where I came from and how far along my path I've come and I wouldn't trade places. Sure, I could be farther along and I could compete with them for a spot in that rat race, but then I wouldn't be me, and I like who I am.

 

[Tony M.]

There's always someone better. I try to consider it inspiration to get better myself. But look on the bright side... as long as I'm around, there is always someone worse!

I'm gonna jump right on this bandwagon.

I have zero ego about my guitar playing.
I can never play the parts I hear in my head.
I'm sloppy and can't play 10,000 "gnat notes" in 2 bars.
I don't have a lot of notes so I try to make each one count.

That being said,
I have been in working bands non stop since 1963.
I have actually done a lot of cool "guitar stuff" in my "career"
(I use the word career in jest. I see myself as a casual player.)

One day I was watching some video and this guy rips into a solo.
Mrs. M. walks in and sees me all enraptured and spellbound.
She asks what's going on and I say "I wish I could play like that."
She looks at me like I have 3 heads and says,
"You can. I hear it all the time."

There's this guy I grew up with who shall remain unnamed.
One of the best guitar players ever. Fast, Clean, knows his stuff.
Every band he has ever been in has failed because of his ego.
One day I was telling a friend how good this guy was and he asked
"Who would you rather be in a band with, him or you?"
Point taken.

I'm not in any way trying to toot my own horn here.
What I'm saying is that most of us are our own worst critics.
It's about the fun, not how dazzling a guitar player you are.
My playing will never dazzle anybody, but I enjoy myself.
Some of you make a living with your guitars and music.
True success is being able to make ends meet by doing
something you enjoy, not making 6 figures at a job you hate.

To those of you/us who are discouraged by your guitar skills I say this:
If you were completely satisfied, you would have nothing to aspire to.
Keep at it. Keep pushing. It'll get better. You'll get better.

"I'm only a bedroom player..."
Does your playing bring you joy?
Lose the "only" my friend.

 

[Tony M.]

I don't care about any of it.

I can watch 15 year old kids playing better than I ever will. I don't feel bad about it at all. I am really happy for them. I look at where I came from and how far along my path I've come and I wouldn't trade places. Sure, I could be farther along and I could compete with them for a spot in that rat race, but then I wouldn't be me, and I like who I am.

This!

 

[veinbuster]

And stage fright. I was a pretty good trumpet and bass player back in HS and college. There is a huge difference between being great in your bedroom by yourself and being great up in front of a group of people.

This is an interesting observation.

Some people work the other way though and really only come alive with an audience. Suddenly there is a reason to kick it up a notch and be all that you can be.

 

[mookyshoots]

Completely agree. For me, being a teen in the 80s was a blessing and a curse. We had some of the most amazing players ever but that also set the bar so high that a hobby player like myself was never going to play like that.

 

[shinksma]

I don't consider myself a great guitar player. I can't play 32nd notes precisely, endlessly, and sweep picking is dark magic to me. My finger picking is sometimes pretty good, mostly I sound like I fumbling for a pick and accidentally hitting the strings.

I do consider myself "good enough for what I am trying to create", as far as my own writing is concerned.

My bandmates think I am a great guitar player. I don't really believe them, but I guess I bring something unique, so I will take the compliment and run.

Once I am in the groove I think I can create a pretty good lead break that feels right for the song. But I am neither Eddie Van Halen nor David Gilmour - though I suppose I lend myself to a Gilmourish sound, with Neil Young technique.

Practicing alone helps technique, but playing with others helps the feel, the tone, the soul of your playing. I remember decades ago (yikes!) playing with co-workers, jamming in a basement, and getting totally lost in what we were doing. To an outsider it might have sounded like we were drunk two-year-olds with no parental supervision, but we had fun. And I'm always trying to re-create that feeling of utterly melting into the music. And sometimes we get there now, with my current band, and we probably sound a lot better to an outsider too.

So just keep playing - as long as you enjoy it, don't try to measure yourself against others - as mentioned, there will always be someone better. A useful goal, if you feel you still have "room for improvement", is just try to be better than you were last week.

 

[DISTORT6]

I’m comfortable with my ability, but my creativity could always be expanded... and I feel that’s what counts the most.

YES! This totally.
Nobody will ever play something that you create better than you.
I compete with myself.

 

[dmatthews]

I am on various forums on the net and within FB. Whenever I click on a video there is always a player with mad skills killing it. I am starting to feel overwhelmed by my suckitude.

I get it that I am a hack and rightly so as I loath practicing what I am supposed to but come on. Everybody from 6 - 96 CAN PLAY!

I then have to ask why are they playing alone in their room if they are so good? Why are they not posting videos of them playing that song with a band on stage??

My only solace is I am a better playing than I thought I would be when I was young. I am in a working band, not only living the dream but getting paid to do it. My parents who are gone would never have imagined this!

Same here... all I can say is I enjoy being able to play in front of an audience, and I'm grateful for positive reactions.
It's all good.

 

[Mirroredas]

BrianC, is there something about your playing that you consider your strong point and enjoy more than the rest? You should try to expand on that. It's nice to say that you should try to iron out your weaknesses, but life isn't long enough to work out all of them (although some techniques are unavoidable).

Also, taking a few lessons with someone you admire, once in a while, at all levels, is always inspiring. Talking with a great musician and picking his brains is almost as good as watching them play.

 

[Iceman101]

Imo this sums it all up:

Clapton wanted the album title to be "World’s Greatest Guitar Player (There's One in Every Crowd)"