The big "Hey-I'm-getting-pretty-good" thread

[Blazer]

Bench pressing pays off, that's one thing I guess we all know. Hard work and practice does lead to results and let's all talk about the moments where you went "Whoa! Did I really just played that?"

For the last year, my band has been a trio: a leadsinger, a drummer and me on guitar, and in that line up we practiced and wrote songs making me work out ways to sound full and making sure that the thing didn't collapse when doing a solo. Playing like that sure made me play very tightly and improved my groove. But since last week we finally got us a bassplayer and I finally could stretch out and play a solo without the fear of the foundation collapsing. And I played solos in a way that I didn't know I had in me. Today I decided to flex my muscles a bit and put the metal section of my MP3 list on auto play and began to play along with it and I found myself breezing through Pantera, Megadeth, Kings X and Living Colour songs (which I know by heart) also just flowed from my fingers.

I would never call myself a virtuoso, nor am I a shredder but I'm improving. I'm actually getting good at playing guitar, who would've thought?

[slayer32390]

Just tonight I had a moment like this! I've been working on Beyond Abilities by Warmen and i was playing it pretty ok at around 85-90% of full speed and I never thought i would be able to do that before. Its definately a good feeling to have.

[nhspike]

Having about 150 guitar students in the past, and bunch of friends that I work with, I can tell you this much...
Playing guitar is a lot like playing golf.
I remember the first time I took a golf lesson.
I the guy said to me, "Hey, really, when you think about it... you pretty much have to hit 10,000 golf balls before you even have a style, or something you can work on. Even if you are doing it wrong, at least there is something there we can work with... you know, tweak."
I liked that.

Playing guitar, well, you seem to hit certain levels that you just can't seem to get past, then... one day... you're over it.

Then, on to the next one.



It's a journey, not a destination.

Even the best are reaching.

It's the effort, the effort invested in one's own playing... that's what takes us up another level.

Keep it up.

[delt]

I perpetually feel like i need "just a bit more practice" to be "good enough" .... probably a perfectionist thing. It's kind of like having a stick tied to your back that hangs a bait in front of you, so you keep chasing it

[TheAmazingBlob]

I've been feeling like that recently; I finally sat down and learned the intro to "Seven" by Symphony X, which is extremely difficult. I've been wanting to learn it forever but I just could never get it, so I made myself sit down and practice it for like 3 hours a day for a couple days. I still can't play it full speed (140 bpm / 163), but I'm getting pretty good at it. Who'dve thought I could play something hard?

I perpetually feel like i need "just a bit more practice" to be "good enough" .... probably a perfectionist thing. It's kind of like having a stick tied to your back that hangs a bait in front of you, so you keep chasing it

Haha, very true

[sonicsamurai]

i always need more practice and don't generally feel good i about my playing, even tho i know i can wipe the floor with most guitarists where i come from, i just know i could be better, and i know i can learn so much more about the science of music to help me do that

[Robert Burns]

Im pretty satisfied with my playing..at 53 i dont have a choice! (Playing
for 34 years)
Im most happy with my "ear" now.. i can figure out anything, and
people tell me they think its exactly like the album! Sure thats cloning..
but at least it proves my ear is well trained.

[madcap]

I cant play any song all the way through, but i can make a tastier lick on the spot then a lot of people.

[horns666]

Cheers to all!!!

I still suck much..balls!!!

[GryphonGuitar]

It was like that for me when I started putting up videos on YouTube... I was mortified of how it would sound, and all the scaldings I would receive... Until I realized when I listened to the videos, and actually SAW myself play, that it all flowed pretty well and sounded pretty damned together! You're so aware of Your 'darkest secret' flaws when You play, sometimes You forget all the stuff You actually know.

I love the feeling when You can finally play that 'coveted' solo at the desired 130 bpm, and not break a panic sweat anymore...

[NextInLine]

I perpetually feel like i need "just a bit more practice" to be "good enough" .... probably a perfectionist thing. It's kind of like having a stick tied to your back that hangs a bait in front of you, so you keep chasing it

I think it's something "getting better" brings. I mean you don't only improve your playing but you also improve your understanding of "good guitar playing" as well as your ear and that makes you think you still need to practice and get better. I think there should be (there is ) a limit on that one but I'm pretty sure most of the players we call "perfect" think they should get better.

And there are this kind of people who already have a great understanding of guitar playing. One of my bands' drummer can distinguish good & bad guitar playing and spot mistakes better than me

[NextInLine]

Sorry for the multiple post.

Until I realized when I listened to the videos, and actually SAW myself play, that it all flowed pretty well and sounded pretty damned together! You're so aware of Your 'darkest secret' flaws when You play, sometimes You forget all the stuff You actually know.

Agreed! Sometimes you learn a cool trick and then by the time passes it becomes "standard" to your playing. You don't get impressed by that trick anymore, you don't even realize it on other guitar players' playing but when you record a video or something that suddenly becomes visible

And I think getting better on guitar is METAL

[Evilution]

I'm with Horns666, sucking balls
I always feel that maybe I would get better at playing if I picked the guitar up once in a while and played it instead of having it sit next to me. Oh the pains of growing up and having no time to play guitar because you have to do "grown up things" (that's not sex by the way).
I spend a lot of time looking at sweet guitars thinking "if I owned that guitar I would definitely play it every day", I have said that for the past 5 guitars and none have really done it.
Ideally I need a guitar that is comfortable and easy to play while sitting down (so not my RR or Kelly), something with a 24 3/4" scale as I find it easier to play.
Something with 6 strings (so that's the 7 string Les Paul out the window).
Something that isn't strat shaped (that's the JSX-94 out the window too).

Maybe my next guitar should be functional and cheap instead of amazing to look at.