10 years and still terrible

[Ian]

Hi. I've been trying to learn the guitar for almost 10 years on and off. If it wasn't for rocksmith i proberly would've given up because it has at least tought me some things.
Anyone else in the same boat? I struggle still with indivial notes being picked out in moving chords. (appegios) and solos. Bass on the other hand isn't as bad. Maybe the 2 less strings? I dunno. Just frustrated because i'm stuck and i pratice all the time.
Guess i came here to vent LOL!!

Thanks guys

[CostlySpider]

No worries, I havent played near as long, maybe 2 years now. Dont get me wrong I am alot better then when I started, but yeah I am not as good as I hoped to be by now.

My guitar instuctor, had me do the intfo for sweet child of mine, was like I don't care if you learn the whole song, but I want you to do this but the intro is kind of a good little exersice.

But he moved the intro up two frets, so I started on 10th, instead of 12th. I was like ok, seems easy enough. It took me like 3 weeks to get it mistake free almost every time.

Not by hitting the wrong note, I mean if it was on rocksmith I would of been 100% every time, but some of the notes did not sound clear when I was doing it.

I mean I would have so many muted notes, I would sit and do it over and over, swear over and over.

I am like come on this should not be that hard, I should of had this mastered in like an hour, but man it was just jard to get clear notes every time, I would get it perfect a couple of times, and then the next time it would just sound awful. It was by far one of the most frustrating things I have ever done.

Ive had a few drills he gave me to, I mean they sound like drills, so at first, I was like bah, I dont want to do that. I want to learn that song that I gave you when you asked me what song I want to learn.

Anyways now when I do some of his drills, and I get it right, man had some one watching me play they were like big deal you did a drill, but since nobody I know plays guitar, so they dont realize how hard it was. So now I offer to hand over my guitar and say ok here you do it.

[rcole_sooner]

Practice does not make perfect.

Perfect practice makes perfect.

I know, I have 30+ years of non-perfect guitar practice.

I r bad. But I have a lot of fun!

LOL!

[Buck]

Originally posted by Ian:

Bass on the other hand isn't as bad. Maybe the 2 less strings?

Don't even.

[mikedavies]

I think it is often a case of managing expectations.

Firstly remebr most music we listen to of any standard is probably played by professionals. Secondly professionals were probably playing in their teen years or earlier when our minds are most receptive to learn. Thirdly music is probably a perfecft fit for their prefared learning style. Fourthly as a job their livelihood depends on it so that brings motivation and pressure to practice.

So ask the question is that me, and if not then maybe we shouldn't expect to be at that standard. We can always aspire to be something but a pragmatic head is also needed as does cutting ourself a bit of slack.

Fifthly because I manage my expectations I probably have a lot more scope to have a lot of fun from my music than many professional who are a dam sight better than me.

[SiegeFrog]

Originally posted by rcole_sooner:

Practice does not make perfect.

Perfect practice makes perfect.

Practice makes permanent.

Don't practice mistakes. Don't play something faster than you can play it cleanly and correctly. Otherwise, you're just perfecting how to play it poorly. Hard to unlearn.

[Boris the Animal]

Definately perfect practice as mentioned already. If you're not using that metronome, start. It's you're best friend. Since you've been playing for a while, don't set your expectations too high and get yourself frustrated. You may end up not playing which is the worst thing you can do. As in my rocksmith review, the best advice given to me about playing guitar is that "If playing guitar was easy, all the pawn shops in town wouldn't be filled with guitars."

Just pick a couple of songs that you really enjoy. Get every nuance of them down, so lots of practice on them. Think of each song you learn as another to add to your aresnal of songs you can play. Feel free to branch out and make your own songs as well, if you have the time.

If you really want to learn to play, start playing with anyone you can find, especially if they are better than you. When I first started to learn guitar, I jumped into playing with a band. I actually learned more in the band from the constant desire to be ready to perform as well as healthy competition, and learning from my peers.

Anyway, hope this advice helps and remember that what you learn, you pretty much have it down for life and get to enjoy it forever. Best of luck.

Edit (Also, ten years of playing guitar doesn't mean a lot. Some people are taught the correct things in an order that works for them and have begun to be advanced players by 6 or 7 years. I've known guitarists that have played over 20 years, but didn't keep practicing and know very little. How well you can play is 50% relative and 50% the ears of the audience. So don't feel bad at all.)

[Boris the Animal]

I thought this video might make a lot more sense out of what we were saying above. Hope this helps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6ZrPxStPAw

[abricru]

I'm starting to think I just have no musical talent. Or else I'm stupid.

[Boris the Animal]

Originally posted by abricru:

I'm starting to think I just have no musical talent. Or else I'm stupid.

Abricru, that's a myth. If we were talking songwriting, there's some relevance but even that can be developed. Anything in life that anyone is good at has taken time for them to learn both from their own experience and downfalls as well as those they mentored or learned from.

When it comes to anyone successful, you'll find that one thing that typically have in common is the lack of making excuses for whatever they have dedicated themselves to do. Guitar is just like that, but if you want to play like Angus Young, or Jerry Cantrell, or whoever, it will take serious dedication.

Eddie Van Halen was in an interview once and the interviewer kept saying how he's a virtuoso. After a while you could tell it irritated Eddie, since he finally said, "Look, it's not like we don't have to practice daily and work our a$$es off to get here. I didn't just pick up the guitar and do what I do. It took a lot of hard work and still is."

Anyway, that's not to rag on you in any way. You ask any musician and we've all felt that way at times. During my first four years of playing, there were many many times I wanted to tear my hair out from frustration. When it feels like that, take a break, even if it's a week or two. You won't want to often take breaks that long, but it does give your hands time to recuperate since you are working out the muscles in your hand for strength, speed, dexterity, and so on. Your brain has to synch up to the challenges and your hands have to get in synch with your brain and with each other. There are no shortcuts and it does take years, but keep challenging yourself and I promise you'll get better and better.

Also, from those breaks, you'll often come back and find whatever you were practicing to be a fair bit easier to play now. That's again from the muscle memory and your hands development.

A lot of people make excuses that they are too old or too young, or too busy or whatever. If it's something you really want to do, then do it. Even 15 mins every day is still progress and after a few years, you will see that hard work pay off. Just keep telling yourself that you will do it eventually and don't get too frustrated from your progress or lack thereof.

Best of luck.

[RADICTIONRJ]

It's ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ hard; WARM UP!, manage your expectations (don't expect everyday to be a great day!), make a schedule, push yourself past what's comfortable, and stay healthy.

Steve Vai's 30 Hour Workout and Rock Discipline by John Petrucci have some great warm up exercises

[johnmc]

Over 2 years and I am having fun, but can't play anything. I did just recently switch to practicing on an acoustic so I can make sure the notes sound good. But, this is even slower going ;-)

[Ian]

Originally posted by Buck:

Originally posted by Ian:

Bass on the other hand isn't as bad. Maybe the 2 less strings?

Don't even.

Yes I'm not stupid enough to think that bass is easier overall. I mean there are so many impossible songs on bass too. Just saying i get closer to the 95% with bass songs than I do with 6 string

[d.mcarthur302]

Ive been playing guitar for about three years now using this and justin guitar and ive found when i get a few weeks where i can practice consistenty i improve considerably but when due to work and family commitments i have a few weeks away from it i regress back a stage or two but hey ive no expectations !! I do this for my own enjoyment (and to annoy the wife:-))

[Firebox /̵͇̿̿/'̿'̿ ̿]

Its all about repitions.

My guitar teacher used to tell me to sit with my guitar whenever watching TV and just go through the motions, mainly up and down scales. The more my hands are on that guitar, the better.

Next time you come to play, it is more like walking, as in a natural motor skill.
You don't think about walking, distance between steps, speed, heel first or ball of foot.
You only know where you want to go.

[ianj001]

Keep it fun and don't judge yourself too harshly. You will stay with it much longer if it's fun to do. I can't remember another "learning" thing that I have done where I have had so much fun doing it.