Learn the piece, spoil the magic?

[Spivonious]

Wow, I inspired a thread, I'm flattered

With the exception of a few songs, learning Metallica has caused me to not listen to them as often as I once did. I now try to seek out difficult guitar bands, which has led me to prog and "technical" metal like Into Eternity, Nevermore, etc.

It definitely changes what I'm listening for. Instead of "wow that's a cool groove" it's "that's cool but anyone could play it".

The same thing happened after I got my music degree. I just can't listen to classical music without analyzing it. Enjoyment for enjoyment's sake has disappeared.

[atilla]

I can't say playing the guitar has ruined anything for me. I still love listening. I occassionally have to remind myself that just because something is simple doesn't mean it's easy. The hard part isn't playing it...it's writing it. And it doesn't have to be super-complicated to sound great.

[tanpsi]

I would say to people who have lost the emotion after you learn the songs:

Don't despair! you can get the excitement back, I still enjoy playing along with Back in Black (the whole album) for example even though I learned all the songs a long long time ago.

Maybe when you learn the songs to the point where you are not thinking about them so much, you start getting the magic back. Maybe that's why people say they can still get excited with the less difficult songs, there's less thinking involved.

[atomic charvel guy]

I never really spent a whole lot f time learning other bands tunes. I used to have some nights where I'd come up with a whole album while my friends would watch and they'd all freak out like will you remember it in the morning? If my head was in the perfect buzz groove, ideas would just drip out of me like a half keg with the tap left on. It was always fun when you're told that you have catchy tunes and then you have new ones the next night all over again. I miss it a lot. Been a long while for the most part.

[Endrik]

man, If I wouldn't enjoy music for enjoyement sake.. I would never listen to music... I don't really care how easy or complex the tune is... if it's good.. then it's good... if it sucks... then it sucks... I pretty much instantly know how to play some tune when I hear it because of my good pitch... but that doesn't matter to me at all... besides simple tunes wich sound great are more brilliant anyway than the hard ones... I just want to feel the groove and the hooks and the mood... it has to "move" you emotionally and go to your heart... music is not for the brain IMO

[atomic charvel guy]

I really am annoyed by the word "shred", it sounds so silly to me sometimes. Do you shred? Are you a shredder? Can you shred?-lol Are we playing music or are we clearing out some trees in peoples backyards? I don't know, maybe because i'm 129 years old, or maybe it's just my opinion which really means nothing in the end. i could care less-lol
I'm gonna shred this weekend-lol, I may never get a blowjob again if I say that, but I'm not coming down on the the millions of players who are absolutely fantastic, but i'd rather be a great songwriter than just do karate all day up and down the fretboard. After a while it gets to the point if I hear another arpeggio in the song i'm gonna start swinging. Wow, I woke up a little grumpy today huh-lol, and it's at the crack of 3:30 p.m. as well, i'm tanking all weekend, yee haaa!!!!!!!

[Endrik]

you are right fruitbat, the right question to ask is "do you give head"

[atomic charvel guy]

lol, i got my sergio prevente designer knee pads for the working man on right now-lol, Did you come up with any new ideas to the invasion from the last IM i sent over. I'm definitely making enemies with my bag on the shred word, not cuz i want to. Hey, you could be Ted Shred on the Visa-lol

[skorb]

nope, with great songs, learning them makes me feel like I'm in on the secret and I like that feeling.

[NEWYEARKID]

I'm currently working on a Shawn Lane tune "Esperanto" and no I don't lose the enjoyment I get as a listener if anything the more I learn about music the more I appreciate it. If I enjoy hearing a piece of music I'll enjoy learning and playing it.
I have things I've been working on for years like Shawn Lane, Al Di Meola, Steve Morse and Allan Holdsworth. I've learned stuff that by the time I could play it-I was no longer into that kind of music like the whole/shrapnel neo classical thing.
I go back every few months and listen to Greg Howe or Michael Lee Firkins or Marty Friedman and am always inspired by their originality in note choices.
When you've been playing twenty years-its like being Elizabeth
Taylors 14th husband-you know exactly what to do you just wonder how to keep it exciting.

[shredmonster]

For me it spoils it. But I don't do covers anymore anyway.

[Mario8672]

Yea, I used to have that happen all the time. I'd just be playing the riff/solo 24/7 for a while. :P

[nhspike]

I go back and forth with this idea. And have for years.
"Over listening", learn a song and it's ruined... and just the exact opposite.
They can get to be like video games... what fun is it to fly through all the levels once you know it? Well it depends on the song.
Sometimes, the best thing I can do is not play the guitar for a while.
That might be a day, and then again, it's been 3 or 4 months as well.
When I do pick up and play, it's because I want to, and that's mostly when inspiration and fun happen again, and I'm recharged.
As a bonus, if I was at a certain "plateau" that I just couldn't practice my way around (getting frustrated on top of it) I'm usually over it once I step back and regain some creative gas in my tank.

Thanks for the insightful thoughts all!

[Cygnus X1]

I still play Starcraft. And play along to British Steel. Go figure.

[nhspike]

Let's not for get what you play best Cyg...
Frisbee!!!!!
Here ya go... go get it boy! ---------------------0O0Oo.... oops... bad throw... sorry.
LOL