Inspiration vs. Intimidation - Advice for Newbies

[PowerTube]

I just wanted to pass this along to anyone here who is a new (or almost new) player. There was a time, many years ago, when I would be intimidated by hearing or seeing a guitarist who was better then me. It just ate me up and I thought I would never get anywhere near that league. Over the years, a strange thing happened. Instead of being depressed after seeing someone who could blow me away, I became inspired. Now when I hear someone like Yngwie or Michael Angelo, etc... it inspires me to pick up a guitar and play.

So the moral is.... hang in there. The more you stick with it, the better you'll get and I bet you'll be amazed at where you are in a few years. Don't me intimidated by a better guitarist than yourself. Just remember that he got there through pretty much the same road you're travelling.

[MBreinin]

Re: Inspiration vs. Intimidation - Advice for Newbies

I hear you man. In my early days I was so intimidated by other players, I could not even play in front of guys that were trying and being paid to teach me. I would just freeze up. I knew I could play, but I couldn't do it in front of people. I would feel like a real pud sitting there with an expensive guitar in my hands, and not being able to let it flow. I always had the impression that these guys thought I had too much disposable income, and not enough talent.

I don't have that concern anymore, but I still don't really like playing in a music store with some dude hovering over you and evaluating silently every lick you play. That is the only reason I like Guitar Center. They will leave you the fuck alone..you just grab a guitar, go into a sound room and play.

But, I think that intimidation factor was what drove me to be a bedroom player, instead of playing in a band.

Either way, I have no regrets. Still love to play, and always will. 95% self taught too. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Mike

[jjw]

Re: Inspiration vs. Intimidation - Advice for Newbies

There are always going to be better players out there mate-i learnt along time ago to feel inspired when ever i hear them.Normaly it will motivate me into picking up a guitar straight away and playing.There are so many big name guitarists out there that we will never be able to hang with them musicaly but there are lots of amazing small time players on the net-in local bands-ect.These musicians are the ones who inspire me the most and are great goals to set your sights on musicaly

[GodOfRhythm]

Re: Inspiration vs. Intimidation - Advice for Newb

Mike you summed it up PERFECTLY for me!

I can only play in front of a buddy of mine! And that's because all he can play is three-chorders and he does it on an original Les Paul Deluxe which his father got for him a couple of years ago (when he could play even less). [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[Newc]

Re: Inspiration vs. Intimidation - Advice for Newb

I learned long ago that there's always gonna be someone better than me out there, and you know what? I also realized that I can also play better than some people, so I'm in the same group of people that someone would point at and say "I'll be able to do that one day".

That inspires me more than hearing someone better than me - hearing someone compliment my playing lets me know I haven't just been wanking all these years, but that I've actually learned something.

I once had a "local hero" compliment me on my tone - while I was playing through a Vantage Flying V copy with those "MK" pickups that no one seems to know who made them but finds them in every cheapass 80's import, and a Crate ministack (you remember those things?)
Before then, I hadn't been able to figure out what people meant by a player's "tone" - I thought it was in regard to the EQ settings [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]
But then, at that moment, I realized what people meant by "tone", and someone who knew about such things commented favorably on mine - something I had not intentioinally tried to develop, but just seemed to "appear" after all those years of practice.

There's some things you can pursue, and some things you just have to let come to you.

[Ace]

Re: Inspiration vs. Intimidation - Advice for Newb

After I saw the first G3 tour I didn't pick up a guitar for a month. All I could think was "I'll never be able to do that". I was probably right. The key is you've got to find your own style and voice. Like Newc said, even though I still can't do what Vai and them did, I can do what a lot of other people can't. After every show someone comes up and compliments me on my guitar playing. Five years ago I never saw that happening. Funny things happen when you stick with playing an instrument.

[MBreinin]

Re: Inspiration vs. Intimidation - Advice for Newb

Well, now that I am older and don't give a crap, the intimidation has gone away quite a bit. I can play in front of just about anyone...although I would probably be a wee bit nervous playing in front of a true pro, like Vai or someone like that. I find inspiration whenever I see or hear really good playing...it makes me want to play.

It's funny, but I have also been on the other side of the coin. I have had guys, usually young ones, check me out in guitar stores and ask me questions like how long have I played, how do you do that lick...or that bend or whatever. That is a nice validation that the years you spent were worth something!! I also think that when these young guys learning now see someone who can bend and who has an aggressive vibrato, it is something they are just not used to hearing or seeing.

Rock on!

Mike

[GodOfRhythm]

Re: Inspiration vs. Intimidation - Advice for Newb

Now Mike. Don't go generalizing! I'm a 'youngster' compared to ye old geezers (), but I know what a godlike vibrato is when I hear it. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] (I can't pull it off myself though, not by a long shot)

[Endrik]

Re: Inspiration vs. Intimidation - Advice for Newb

I developed wide vibrato when I started playing guitar, that guitar was about 30 years old USSR made acoustic wich had the highest action I've ever seen. Some youngsters know right away what is important and what is not [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

[MBreinin]

Re: Inspiration vs. Intimidation - Advice for Newb

Well, not all young guys!!! [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] I just mean these kids that were raised on songs that either don't have guitar solos, or the PM and sweep crowd.

The first guys that I tried to emulate were mostly blues based players, like Dave Gimour and Stevie Ray. Lots of expressive bends, big vibrato and TONE. So, that is what my foundation is. My vibrato is pretty decent. I ain't Stevie Ray...but I can shake a string!! [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Mike

[Soap]

Re: Inspiration vs. Intimidation - Advice for Newb

I never was it least as far as I can remember, intimidated just mostly inspired. Anything I heard and caused my ears to perk up I wanted to learn to play it. Whether, by a professional artist, player, band and etc. Some things, depending on the skill level I was at that particular time, I learned and some I didn't. I chose the harder more difficult stuff because it challenged me, and by doing so, I broke down those limiting restraints many refer to periodically.

I was never really envious or a jealous player of someone else who was better than me. As I said, mostly inspired.
I always thought, if he or she can play something than I can too. Even though some things may not come as quickly for me with some tunes as it would with some others. Still, if they could do it I could too.

I took lessons for a brief time of less than a year. I mostly learned by playing with friends who had and shared the same interest. Guitars and girls. We would get together and play kiss songs. We gradguated from kiss to van halen. Once you learned to play the van halen stuff, the other tunes from other bands ( Iron Maiden, JP, Sabbath, Ozzy and etc) came much easier to learn. We all learned to play from one another. We eventually formed bands and gigged together for years.

[Reverend Timmy]

Re: Inspiration vs. Intimidation - Advice for Newb

I've seen a bunch of guys that have made me want to sell all my stuff and say the hell with it.But then I have had people say that "Damn man,you can play the hell outta that thing!".So it becomes subjective to you,the guitar player.I realized I was'nt going to be the next guitar god,butI knew that I had enough fire and inspiration to at least try and excel,plus please myself.I am finally happy at the place I am at,because the music that I play satisfies me,and I still am excited about learning something new...............

[Newc]

Re: Inspiration vs. Intimidation - Advice for Newb

Whenever you feel intimidated by a more proficient player, remember this:

Years ago (early-mid 90s) there was a Guitar World interview with David Gilmour. Pink Floyd were one of the biggest tour draws that year for the disc that had Learning To Fly and whatnot, plus they had just released the Distant Sound Of Thunder live package. You couldn't turn on MTV without seeing the video for Comfortably Numb live or Learning To Fly or whatever the other single was from that album.

So David Gilmour's warming up backstage for this huge show that a bunch of "big names" are doing (some sort of benfit thing like Live Aid was) and the interviewer is just droning on and on about how Gilmour's ripping up the guitar through a practice amp, practically giving the guy orgasms.
There's people coming and going and saying "Hi" and all that and the guy notes that he never misses a lick even with all the commotion.

Gary Moore pops his head in the door and tells Gilmour something (Good Luck, I think it was) and suddenly David Gilmour starts dropping notes like it was his first day! He marches over to the door and yells into the hallway "GET GARY MOORE OUT OF THIS BUILDING!" and slams the door, then confesses to the interviewer that he is scared shitless of Moore's playing, and wishes he could play like that.

If I can find that issue, I'll scan the article.

[Twisteramps]

Re: Inspiration vs. Intimidation - Advice for Newb

When you find someone better than you, use it as a learning experience. One of the quickest ways to get better is to find someone that can play or do something you can't and trying to copy it. One of two things will happen:

1) you'll be able to duplicate it, and as time goes by, add your own thing to what you learned. My band plays covers, and with few exceptions, I do enough of the song so that they know I can do the guitarist's style, but enough of ME that I have an identity.

2) you won't be able to duplicate it, but may find some little bit or piece that you can use. I've come up with some uniquely 'me' things from failed attempts at learning other guitarist's licks.

Pete

[MBreinin]

Re: Inspiration vs. Intimidation - Advice for Newb

I love the Gimour story...that is classic. Especially since they are such different, but amazing, players. Two guys that nail emotion and style to the bone.

Mike