Have To Get Something Off My Chest
Jam10
Posts: 654
I got a really cool phone call on saturday afternoon from a bass player in a portuguese rock n roll band who wanted me to try out for their band. Totaly different than the standard portuguese polkas. What it is........is kind of like a mixture of Pearl Jam, Zeppelin, Metallica, Van Halen, AC/DC influences but with portuguese lyrics. Awesome songs with really cool riffs. These guys write all their own material and if they do a portuguese cover they make it their own by doing it rock n roll style if you know what I mean. So to make a long story short, they have one guitar player who sings, plays all the riffs, solos and rhythm so they want another guitar player to help him out and allow him to do his thing while the other guitar player (hopefully me) fills in and helps out.
So I went to their rehersal yesterday and I never heard any of these songs in my life considering their all originals, and they were really cool guys and very helpful, they told me the chords and they told me to just play along. They all know I have only been playing for 2 years and I thought I was doing great considering I was keeping up and I knew exactly where I was on the fretboard but obviously not knowing these songs I made a few mistakes here and there and I had to watch the main guitar player to find my spot. So I asked the lead singer/guitar player if I could take their CD to my instructor so I could get all my parts down quicker and he said something along the lines of, not exact words but something like.........no I dont want you taking that to your instructor, how long have you been taking lessons? I told him 2 years. He said.......you should stop throwing your money away and come over here and I'll teach you. I would expect you to be in a different catergory after playing for 2 years and taking lessons. I thought I was doing great and fitting in well. That kind of offended me but I didn't let him know. I think he might have been a little stressed out because they had a gig coming up in 2 weeks which he felt they needed more practice so I probably should not have even been there until after their gig. My instructor is unbelievable and I have learned a lot in a short time. He went to Musicians Institute in Los Angeles and took the GIT program there and has been teaching since 1990 and is the most reputable instructor around here. All my friends and everyone else who has heard me play say that I am doing amazing for only playing for 2 years and I have a family, a house and a full time job so it's not like I'm a young teenager playing 7 - 8 hours a day. I play between 1 - 2 hours a day and I think I'm doing great but after hearing this guy say that to me it kind of dissapointed me. I know everyone has different opinions and your always going to run into people like that but I just wanted to get this off my chest and see what you guys think. At the end of the rehersal I asked him what he thought of how I did and he said........you did well, I think it's just a matter of you learning our songs and it's not something that will happen right away, it will take time. He said after their gig in 2 weeks I could go over his place and he can teach me all their material and all my parts, plus he gave me one of their CD's which was cool, so I don't know how to read him. I guess I'll just wait it out and see if they call me back and in the mean time listen to their CD and try my best to learn their material and really impress them the next time I meet up with them. I really like their music, their riffs and the guys so I do hope this works out. They are a lot more organized and committed and play better music than the band I am in now so this is something that I am looking for. I just think that I might not be comfortable around the singer/guitar player after that comment especailly after thinking I was doing great.
In your opinions.......what level as a guitar player should the average person be who takes lessons after about 2 years. I know everyone is different but if you guys can remember when you were playing after 2 years how well of a player were you guys.
Thanks guys for taking the time to read this and offering your thoughts!
I just had to get this off my chest and maybe some of you guys have had situations like this where you think your doing great and someone knocks you right down and it brings you down. Its like everything else in life....you cant impress everyone. I just take my music and guitar playing seriously and I want to be the best player I can possibly be.
Thanks again!
So I went to their rehersal yesterday and I never heard any of these songs in my life considering their all originals, and they were really cool guys and very helpful, they told me the chords and they told me to just play along. They all know I have only been playing for 2 years and I thought I was doing great considering I was keeping up and I knew exactly where I was on the fretboard but obviously not knowing these songs I made a few mistakes here and there and I had to watch the main guitar player to find my spot. So I asked the lead singer/guitar player if I could take their CD to my instructor so I could get all my parts down quicker and he said something along the lines of, not exact words but something like.........no I dont want you taking that to your instructor, how long have you been taking lessons? I told him 2 years. He said.......you should stop throwing your money away and come over here and I'll teach you. I would expect you to be in a different catergory after playing for 2 years and taking lessons. I thought I was doing great and fitting in well. That kind of offended me but I didn't let him know. I think he might have been a little stressed out because they had a gig coming up in 2 weeks which he felt they needed more practice so I probably should not have even been there until after their gig. My instructor is unbelievable and I have learned a lot in a short time. He went to Musicians Institute in Los Angeles and took the GIT program there and has been teaching since 1990 and is the most reputable instructor around here. All my friends and everyone else who has heard me play say that I am doing amazing for only playing for 2 years and I have a family, a house and a full time job so it's not like I'm a young teenager playing 7 - 8 hours a day. I play between 1 - 2 hours a day and I think I'm doing great but after hearing this guy say that to me it kind of dissapointed me. I know everyone has different opinions and your always going to run into people like that but I just wanted to get this off my chest and see what you guys think. At the end of the rehersal I asked him what he thought of how I did and he said........you did well, I think it's just a matter of you learning our songs and it's not something that will happen right away, it will take time. He said after their gig in 2 weeks I could go over his place and he can teach me all their material and all my parts, plus he gave me one of their CD's which was cool, so I don't know how to read him. I guess I'll just wait it out and see if they call me back and in the mean time listen to their CD and try my best to learn their material and really impress them the next time I meet up with them. I really like their music, their riffs and the guys so I do hope this works out. They are a lot more organized and committed and play better music than the band I am in now so this is something that I am looking for. I just think that I might not be comfortable around the singer/guitar player after that comment especailly after thinking I was doing great.
In your opinions.......what level as a guitar player should the average person be who takes lessons after about 2 years. I know everyone is different but if you guys can remember when you were playing after 2 years how well of a player were you guys.
Thanks guys for taking the time to read this and offering your thoughts!
I just had to get this off my chest and maybe some of you guys have had situations like this where you think your doing great and someone knocks you right down and it brings you down. Its like everything else in life....you cant impress everyone. I just take my music and guitar playing seriously and I want to be the best player I can possibly be.
Thanks again!
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments
Back to your question... I wasn't playing anywhere near decent until about grade 7, so three years.
Like you said, it all boils down to how much you practice. Most of us, like you, who can only manage an 1-2 hours of practice time will not be at the same level as a person who can play for 7-8 hours a day. I take lessons because I'm a monkey see, monkey do player. If you show me what to do, I pick it up way faster than if I was to just look up the tabs on the internet.
I don't think I would sweat it to much though. Just take the time to learn their songs and go back and kick their ass with your playing.
Just think of it this way, if you've had 1 half an hour lesson per week for 2 years that only adds up to 52 hours of lesson time, where is if play with these guys 4 times a week for 3 hours each time you'll pass that lesson time in 6 weeks.
It's all relative.
They don't want a show boater, or someone to steal the wind out of the other guys sails, just support. If they take on a well seasoned player, he/she will want some spotlight and it will cause issues.
Don't read too much into what the dude said. Interpretations are often wrong. Sounds to me like he was saying if you need help, he'll take you under his wing and save you some dough.
Peace
Yeah, Jammin with friends, I can do for hours a day. I just can't practice for more than about 2 hours a day. I'd rather go out thank you very much!
second, any time i have gotten negative criticism, it lights a fire under my ass and makes me more determined than ever to get better
when i had been playing about 3 years, i met up with a guy who wanted to start a pearl jam cover band....he was amazing...after the practice, he basically said "don't call me, i'll call you"
that insult is what made me start taking lessons instead of just learning on my own
"negative motivation" - like in the army.....you have a drill instructor yelling insults in your face while you do push ups.....its meant to motivate you!
you don't have a drill instructor saying "wow, you are sooooo strong. great job, big boy!"
that's how i look at it
JEFF HARDY AND JEFF AMENT USED TO LOOK THE SAME
"Pearl Jam always eases my mind and fires me up at the same time.”-Jeff Hardy
7/9/06 LA 1
7/10/06 LA 2
10/21/06 Bridge 1
I honestly think lessons hold people back.
JEFF HARDY AND JEFF AMENT USED TO LOOK THE SAME
"Pearl Jam always eases my mind and fires me up at the same time.”-Jeff Hardy
What i learnt was, teh band is auditioning a new guitarist, and a teh smae tiem a guitarist is auditioning a new band.
Will you work out for them, and will they work out for you. It's not a one-way street.
So, basic ground rules...............what sings will you be playing ??
If tehy can't give you a song list , or in the case of originals, a chart and a recording, so you can prepare, tehn don't go.
If I send out a list of songs, and the guy does not bother to learn anything, I'm not interested in going any further.
I have just learnt this. So, you went, and you did OK. I've been hard at practice and I'm kinda gig-ready, but was NOT until I was actually in a band and had to get up to "match-fitness", if you like.
Regarding lessons, I have met people who have been held back by the purist approach their teacher was taking, neglecting the essential elelments of learning some songs and stuff for fun, and not getting bent out of shape over learning a solo from tab etc. I know one guy this was happeneing to, and he was happy, but he was getting me to teach him stuff his teacher would not. That pissed me off, so I stopped. His teacher was a purist, who was not letting him use a pick, though he had been having lessons for 2 years. I think that is a bit unusual. Another 2 years on, I don't think he has made much progress, and I think that is because the teacher was not really listenuib
I think it is generally daft to say that lessons hold people back.
So, waffling a bit, but if you can go to an audition cold on original material and pick stuff up as you go, you are doing OK. I think the dude was making the common mistake of thinking cos you can't play what he plays, that you can't play. His problem, not yours.
I do not hold with put-down methods of motivation, though, they suck too. Music should always be aboput pleasure, fun, healing and recreation, not pissing contests and put-downs.
well when i said that, i didn't mean i'd stay in the band with the person putting me down....i meant i'd be like "fuck them, i'll practice and do my own thing...i'll show them!!!"...not that i'd take the abuse from band members and keep coming back for more
basically any band i've ever been in has been different configurations of my closest friends, so i've never really dealt with a prick....and the few times i did try out for other bands with someone putting down what i played, well, it never lasted long...i was outta there!
Slash/McCready.... :eek:
I've had a guitar since I was 21.. now 29 ... i've had many big big gaps between playing... i'd still rate myself as shit... It's about understanding what you're playing as well as playing.... people who are dumb as dog shit might take 10 years to pick up something someone else can in two years.... it's all relative... It does depend who you are... we're all different.
He taught me that no one ever was just born awesome at guitar. We all have to work hard to become the players we strive to be. All i ever wanted to do was play guitar. I picked it up very quickly. Not because i'm awesome or anything like that, just because i had a good teacher who was dedicated to me, and i had the time to practice, and i truly loved it.
I always read your other posts and i think you have come ahead so well. You've only been playing for a couple of years and i gather you are older and have a family and other responsibilites, so i guess guitar has has to come second in lots of ways. Don't compare yourself to other people. Everyone is unique and learns at different paces.
I'd say 2 years of playing and achieving what you already have, is a damn fine effort and you should be proud. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. I enjoy your posts a lot. You have such passion and fire inside you to learn all you can about every aspect of playing and gear. That's so awesome. Kudos to you.
Believe in you.
WOW thank you so much Pj_Gurl! That is so nice of you to say that about me. You always have so many positive things to say and you have helped me out a tonne. I can't thank you enough for everything.
Yeh I'm a little older. I'm 28 and I started playing when I was 26. Pretty much a year after I got married and when I was done all my firefighter exams at work I decided to go ahead and fulfill my dream to learn how to play guitar.
I honestly think that I have come along way in the last 2 years. Maybe it is an advantage that I started when I was an adult because I know how much work and determination it takes to be good at anything in life including guitar. I worked my ass off to become a firefighter 5 and a half years ago and I use the same attitude and work ethic for my guitar playing. Ofcourse my family always comes first but I try to fit in at least an hour of solid practice in a day and as you know I ask a lot of questions so I can learn as much as I possibly can. There are a lot of very informative people here and I have learned lot's from everyone here as well as from my great instructor.
It's a good feeling to know that you enjoy reading my posts and thank you for all your support and help! (:
I look forward to reading more of your posts and your replys. I always know you have something good to and positive to say! (:
You've come along SO much more than you may think. I agree with PJ_gurl...I think most the usual members on here can agree with me
JEFF HARDY AND JEFF AMENT USED TO LOOK THE SAME
"Pearl Jam always eases my mind and fires me up at the same time.”-Jeff Hardy
I wasn't even THINKING about the questions you're asking 2 years into my playing!
Are you a Firefighter now or did you just finish school and are now applying? If you ever need any tips, help or advice on any of the exams or courses to take and anything to do with the job I will help you the best that I can. You can send me PM's if you like and I'll try my best to help you out. You have helped me out every chance you get so I would like to return the favour.
Thanks for everything. Good luck with all your exams and always work towards your dreams.
If you want to be in the band he is probably the best one to learn from. Lessons are a great tool but they can also be a tremendous crutch if you are looking to create original music.