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

I'm jiggy to hear a top three (or more):D

We'll I'd rather first meet you all at an Experience! But after that, it gets tricky. Due to delusions of grandeur and inflated sense of self worth on my part, there are lots of guys here that I would like to consider friends, and I like well enough to want to meet, who probably don't feel the same way about me. So I'd be afraid to put anybody on the spot. :) But I'm really a pretty nice guy, in person. I promise! :p:p:p
 
Best thing I ever did was stop gigging. I started at 13 and played out until I was 45. I've always been a songwriter, but I limited my arrangements to what could be reproduced by a 4 piece band. I always took that approach so the songs would still sound full and complete live.

Once I stopped writing for live performances I could freely embellish my compositions to be as dynamic and layered as I wanted.

Second best thing was working on other people's music. Doing the studio guitarist thing has enabled me to think musically outside of my comfort zone. My style really developed. I mean, I'm still a rock guitarist and that's what I'm hired to add to songs - a rock element. My tones have changed too. My abilty to work in different keys has improved as well.

I miss playing live, but if I were to start up a band at this point it'd have to have at least 7 members to cover the parts. Six if the keyboardist is good enough to play multiple one handed parts on a variety of synths.

I am having a lot more fun, that’s for sure!!
 
We'll I'd rather first meet you all at an Experience! But after that, it gets tricky. Due to delusions of grandeur and inflated sense of self worth on my part, there are lots of guys here that I would like to consider friends, and I like well enough to want to meet, who probably don't feel the same way about me. So I'd be afraid to put anybody on the spot. :) But I'm really a pretty nice guy, in person. I promise! :p:p:p
I'm 100% sure we'd get along fine!

Besides, my inflated sense of self-worth has taken a huge hit, so I'm now almost tolerable!

"Les, you're the only one who thinks you're almost tolerable. The rest of us can't stand you."

"I can hardly blame ya."
 
This thread was really good reading, thank you all.

For me, probably taking a little break was the single most transformative thing. I’d got into a rut and wasn’t enjoying it. When I got back into it the ability was there pretty quickly, but my vocabulary wasn’t there at all, so I had to kind of learn stuff all over again. This helped me break out of old habits (the ones that got me into the rut in the first place). In honesty my vocabulary still isn’t what it once was, but my technique is better and I approach playing differently.

Would I recommend this method? Heck no! It’s too risky.

I noticed that a few of you build guitars, as do I. Sometimes this takes over from playing. It’s a balancing act though, and each time one is finished I get a kick out of playing it, so that’s a positive thing.
 
Probably dumb to say here but it's true - buying my 1st PRS (CU24) did more for me and got me over the hump I'd been flailing at for decades.

I couldn't agree with this more. My first prs was a se CU24. That night when I got home I couldn't put it down and everything just seemed easier than any guitar before that. Maybe not easier but without a doubt more fluid and comfortable than I'd been in the decade prior. I even called the guy the next day and thanked him.
 
I couldn't agree with this more. My first prs was a se CU24. That night when I got home I couldn't put it down and everything just seemed easier than any guitar before that. Maybe not easier but without a doubt more fluid and comfortable than I'd been in the decade prior. I even called the guy the next day and thanked him.
Without a doubt, same bro!
 
My Best Thing was taking up guitar.




Maybe I better fill in that picture a little...



My parents started me out on music at an early age with piano lessons. I found out about this one Saturday when my father bundled me into a UHaul, drove us up to Spokane, bought a piano, and hauled it home. That's when I found out I was going to learn to play it. That started in 3rd or 4th grade IIRC. Did the piano thing for many years, then started playing woodwind instruments in early elementary school. I guess the bug bit hard, because by high school I was playing 2nd alto sax in the jazz band, an instrument I won't mention in concert band, and drum major of the marching band. The highlight of my musical career (so far) is performing in front of a stadium filled with 60,000 Seattle Seahawks fans. Sadly I didn't have a guitar in my hands, but I was at the head of a marching band, so that wasn't half bad...

Midway through high school I picked up my little-brother's cast-off classical guitar. Back in Black was a brand new album right then, and compared to stuff like 2112 and Van Halen, I figured I had a chance of figuring out AC/DC songs. But here was the thing -- I couldn't play an instrument up to that point without sheet music in front of me. So the deal with playing guitar was that I was going to learn to play it without just being some kind of human typewriter. And I succeeded, and it was incredibly liberating! To this day I still don't really read standard musical notation and know where the notes are. I mean I could do it if I had a gun to my head, but I'm not fluent at it. But my musical adventures probably would have died at the end of high school if I hadn't gotten bit by the guitar bug.

Man, life woulda been different! And not near as good.
 
So far, it has been playing with someone who has a very poor sense of timing. It taught me the importance of good timing, enough to motivate me to ask for a metronome for Christmas. That has improved my own (quite poor) sense of timing.

When I play by myself I think I'm getting the hang of it. But everytime I play with someone else I suddenly feel inept. Based on the other stories here I think I need to join a band in order to figure things out.
 
Wake up from a dream when I was 20 knowing I had buy another guitar and "get started". I went and bought an electric guitar that morning. I'd had a guitar when I was 15 but traded it for weed.

Within 2 years I'd been asked to join a band (even though I was, imho, terrible) after they saw me solo at an open stage. Been cranking it ever since! I'm 54 with 40 originals and a YouTube channel now and cannot imagine stopping ever!

Good thread topic, great stories guys!
 
I think I need to join a band in order to figure things out.
Just don’t join a bluegrass band, whatever you do! Those guys just throw an extra beat in, whenever they want. I’m a prog guy and I’m constantly going “hey, what did you just do?” One guy I play with is FAMOUS for doing it when he’s singing, and that means we all better be ready for it and adjust immediately because everyone listening follows the vocals.
 
Joining a band early on with some guys 7-10 years my senior and miles beyond me in playing capability, repertoire, and technique at first seemed like I bit off much more than I could chew. The other guitarist was a beast of a player but he was adamant about making me play my parts… he wouldn’t play all the hard stuff. I struggled, but advanced by leaps and bounds during those years. Since then, I welcome opportunities to be the worst musician in a group and run to catch up. It’s the best kind of uncomfortable.
 
Joining a band early on with some guys 7-10 years my senior and miles beyond me in playing capability, repertoire, and technique at first seemed like I bit off much more than I could chew. The other guitarist was a beast of a player but he was adamant about making me play my parts… he wouldn’t play all the hard stuff. I struggled, but advanced by leaps and bounds during those years. Since then, I welcome opportunities to be the worst musician in a group and run to catch up. It’s the best kind of uncomfortable.
About 40 years ago, I was reading about training on bicycles (used to ride centuries and raced a little - never won). An article stated that for your training routine, to always ride with those better than you. If you do not, you will not be challenged!! You will be the leader with others trying to keep up and you will learn nothing!!! I have applied that philosophy to many aspects of my life in the past 40 years!!!! Maybe that is why I am on this forum ;~))
 
Learning how to use a looper pedal. I didn't realize how lousy my rhythm chops were until I stated listening to myself over and over while practicing solos. Bass playing also improved. (I use a duel track looper).
 
Learning how to use a looper pedal. I didn't realize how lousy my rhythm chops were until I stated listening to myself over and over while practicing solos. Bass playing also improved. (I use a duel track looper).
I've never committed to a looper. There's one built into the Kemper and I should use it!
 
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