9 years of wasted time?

[donf]

In a rut with my guitar situation. I told my wife I wanted to dump all my guitars (14) and just keep an acoustic around the house. I'm disappointed in all the time I've put into the guitar (9 yrs) and still I feel I have a level of a player of 3 years. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

I don't know if its the way I practice, or what. I use the metronome all the time, but can't seem to accomplish the goal I set, for example, a solo. I've had several instructors over the past 7 years, and all of them were good. I played with a band the last 2 years, but told them in January, I didn't want to do it no more. I did play last weekend with them, but only because my replacement couldn't make it.

I also just told my instructor that May is my last month. He's a very good player, both technically and theory wise. He's blind, but a dynamite player. More like a Joe Pass type player though and the only thing I didn't like was the fact that he can't see me , and correct me if I'm doing something wrong technique wise. (eg-right hand position).

I've tried the Principles of Correct Guitar Practice, the Stetina books and I've been patient. Slowly I've been getting discouraged, enough to make me quit my band, end my lessons and it's looking like eventually stop wasting any more time learning.

I really love it and I practice every day and I have for the last nine years, but sitting in my chair last night looking back over the last nine years, I'm no where, where I should be after nine years. Hold on, I think I need a Xanax.

Ok, I've been searching for the next rung to climb and I've had suggestions from other people, like finding an instructor who plays music that I like, but its been a long time and I'm tired. I'm kind of lost right now, or in a rut and not sure I want to pursue this anymore , or at least devote all the time that I have devoted to it.

I know I've read from some of you guys here, like Tommy who stopped playing altogether. Could my reasons be the same as yours?

[GodOfRhythm]

Re: 9 years of wasted time?

[ QUOTE ]
I also just told my instructor that May is my last month. He's a very good player, both technically and theory wise. He's blind, but a dynamite player. More like a Joe Pass type player though and the only thing I didn't like was the fact that he can't see me , and correct me if I'm doing something wrong technique wise. (eg-right hand position).

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually, I wouldn't see that as a bad thing at all!

He doesn't have to see your hands! If what he hears is good, your hands don't matter!

I'm stuck in a rut as well, my playing is not evolving anymore, and I can't seem to reach the level I want. But I recently just said 'fuck it all, I'm playing for the fun of it', and that helped, things are coming more easily now!

[neilli]

Re: 9 years of wasted time?

Sorry ot hear that - sounds bad, but you should try not to get too disheartened (comparing yourself to people who are worse than you can be quite theraputic!)

Advancement in playing is so subjective - I've owned a guitar for nearly 20 years, and being playing 'seriously' for 16 or so, and I don't feel at all accomplished compared to some people who've played for half as long. I can play most of what I want, but my heart has never been into 5 hours of shredding practise and because of that, I accepted ages ago that I was unlikely to ever reach those technical levels.

However, ultimately, I still enjoy it, and I guess when it stops being fun, then I'll look at quiting.

[donf]

Re: 9 years of wasted time?

[ QUOTE ]
I'm stuck in a rut as well, my playing is not evolving anymore, and I can't seem to reach the level I want. But I recently just said 'fuck it all, I'm playing for the fun of it', and that helped, things are coming more easily now!

[/ QUOTE ]

I know that was always one of my downfalls, the fact that I'm too intense, but over the years, I'm sure everyone gets into ruts, sometimes lasting for weeks, but something seems to stir the interest again after a while.

My funk is a little different now. It's a total evaluation of the last nine years, not just a weekly or monthly rut.

[diablomozart]

Re: 9 years of wasted time?

i fell into a bad rut years ago...i sold all but my acoustic and played acoustic for a year and a half...it may be the best decision i ever made as it cleaned up my technique considerably...not saying it's what you should do...but it helped me...just try to look for a different viewpoint...d.m.

[donf]

Re: 9 years of wasted time?

[ QUOTE ]
I can play most of what I want, but my heart has never been into 5 hours of shredding practise and because of that, I accepted ages ago that I was unlikely to ever reach those technical levels.

[/ QUOTE ]

One of those big disappointment is the fact that I've always been the type of person, if I wanted something, I go out and get, and get good at it. It's my nature, I've always been above average coordinated. I always excelled at sports or, like I said, anything that I am interested in, but I can't get this guitar thing, so I'm banging my head against a wall, trying to understand why.

It doesn't help when I see someone like John Frusiante come out in a drug induced coma and rip a great solo off. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

[donf]

Re: 9 years of wasted time?

[ QUOTE ]
i sold all but my acoustic and played acoustic for a year and a half...it may be the best decision i ever made as it cleaned up my technique considerably.

[/ QUOTE ]

I assume you meant electric's, but its exactly how I feel. Just keep an acoustic around the house in case, but I don't know if I want to come home every night and play for a hour or more, anymore.

[Shawn Lutz]

Re: 9 years of wasted time?

I don't believe in instructors once you have the fundamentals of technique and music down unless you are taking classical lessons. The drive to improve needs to come from YOU not someone else. There are too many tools available today such as books, videos and tab that you don't need a teacher to learn or improve.

Everyone goes through ruts or peaks and valleys in their lives, not just on guitar. Usually the ruts come when the instrument doesn't seem fun anymore. Try to forget about practice in general terms and learn or do something fun. That can be improvising, playing with cover songs or learning a song that you always wanted to learn. You just need to either play through the rut or put it down for a week or so, don't however sell everything.

I'd start by learning something simple, like a cool song by a band that you like, that can spark you outta the rut.

Also you don't need to be the next generic super shredder in order to enjoy the instrument. Whatever level that you are on can be enjoyable. One note can make the hair on the back of your neck stand up.

[Boxcar Willie 84]

Re: 9 years of wasted time?

Why don't you start focusing on writing songs and finding your style instead of playing other people's stuff? I used to be like you in a sense-I'd want to learn a cool solo or something but just didn't have the patience to get thru all of it. Then I started writing songs when I was in my old band, most of them came about when I was in high school, laying around my parents' house on a Sunday afternoon with an acoustic guitar. Then I went thru another phase of trying to get "better" but now a few years later, I can't play hardly any songs by anyone else, I only know like 4 scales and my playing isn't good by any technical sense, but every time I pick up a guitar and play it makes me happy. Remember that on the most basic level it's supposed to be fun and on the highest level it can be one of the greatest (if not THE greatest) form of communication that there ever was. Focus on that instead of how many scales you can play or how many notes per second you can nail or which Steve Vai solo you're going to learn next.

[kmanick]

Re: 9 years of wasted time?

Take a break. I stopped playing for 20 years and now I am
playing like crazy, but I'm really bummed that I missed all of that time not playing.
Take a week or 2 off and think about what areas you want to
progress in. (Shred, Jazz theory, feel, classical?) don't just flounder aimlessly. Step away for a little bit and
think about what is dissapointing in your playing and focus on it (with a different teacher)
You need fresh blood that's all, you're in a funk,
everyone gets into them, walk a way for a while and just forget about it for a bit. then when you do come back to it,
you'll be fresh and ready to go. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[donf]

Re: 9 years of wasted time?

[ QUOTE ]
I don't believe in instructors once you have the fundamentals of technique and music down unless you are taking classical lessons. The drive to improve needs to come from YOU not someone else. There are too many tools available today such as books, videos and tab that you don't need a teacher to learn or improve.

Everyone goes through ruts or peaks and valleys in their lives, not just on guitar. Usually the ruts come when the instrument doesn't seem fun anymore. Try to forget about practice in general terms and learn or do something fun. That can be improvising, playing with cover songs or learning a song that you always wanted to learn. You just need to either play through the rut or put it down for a week or so, don't however sell everything.

I'd start by learning something simple, like a cool song by a band that you like, that can spark you outta the rut.

Also you don't need to be the next generic super shredder in order to enjoy the instrument. Whatever level that you are on can be enjoyable. One note can make the hair on the back of your neck stand up.

[/ QUOTE ]

Shawn, I do recognize this and tried doing that. Right now I picked a radio song that I liked, Los Lonely Boy's 'Heaven" and just tried tinkering with that. Most of the song came easily, except for the part in the third solo where he comes down the scale fast right before the chorus.
This is just an example of some of the frustration. The song is 92 BPM, I'll start where I'm comfortable at, say 52 BPM, then work my way up, but theres a point I cant get past, why, I don't know. But whatever it is, I've been stuck, say at 82 BPM for 2 months.

I understand what youre saying, but it doesn't seem like the regular weekly or monthly rut, it feels like a throw your hands up and give up feeling. It's something I don't do, but how much longer? A review of self accomplishment over the last nine years makes me ask myself if its worth the time devoted.

[markD]

Re: 9 years of wasted time?

dude, i've played for 20 years and peaked out on my pentatonic minor scales!!! i can't shred - and i don't want to. i am like CC Deville!!!!! i do one thing and i do it well. then and again i was never good at learning other people's songs so i started writing my own. still to this day i can't play 1 cover song all the way through...a riff here and there, but that's it. as far as learning someone else's solo, i can't do it. don't feel bad. take a short break and evaluate what you want to be able to do.

[horns666]

Re: 9 years of wasted time?

hmmm...dude, I never took a lesson or instruction in my life..

and I am having a blast shredding on my guitar after all these years..

your trying to hard....

shut up and play yer geetar... [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[pagemalicious]

Re: 9 years of wasted time?

I was in a rut very recently, for about 2 or 3 months. I hardly played guitar, i didn't improve on technique, i lost interest in guitar lessons at college and i was feeling depressed. Now in the last week or so, i've been in high spirits with my playing. I've bought myself Michael Angelos Speed Kills, which is great as it's helping me with new techniques, i'm listening to alot more styles of music and i've realised that i may not be as quick and great like some of the guitarists i admire, but that doesn't bother me, i'm having fun and taking my time with things.

So my advice is to look at things from a wider perspective, things aren't always as bad as they seem.

[donf]

Re: 9 years of wasted time?

[ QUOTE ]
Why don't you start focusing on writing songs and finding your style instead of playing other people's stuff?

[/ QUOTE ]

Most of my learning or practicing is focused around technique, scales, studying theory. I know it can get boring, but I also allow space for learning other songs, improvising or just tinkering around. I've never tried writing because I'm more focused on learning this damn instrument. Could be an avenue, but right now, do I want to continue is my question to myself.