Really, how hard is it?

Hello fellow guitarists, today something is going to my head. Iv been playing for 1 and a half year, i know it's not much. But i most certainly used time on the guitar, i think 4 hours a day as iv mentioned before.

If you look at some of the great players in the world, when they started playing... How did they start? How did they practice? I really can't even imagine a player like Slash or any other top player in the beginning when they picked up the guitar. What did they do to hit that level of playing, i know experience has to do a lot with it.

Im just so afraid that my improvement as a player will stop sometime, ofcourse you have periods of downcurves on your playing. But i fear that it will stop even though that seems most unlikely?

And i just fear that my practice routines are not strict enough, but i don't find the inspiration to make them if they are not (how do i get to know if they are?). Espeacially on the technical part, using metronome if i for example want to get faster at a lick or something. And practicing triads and those kinda things. How do i find the inspiration to ''Want'' to do that?

Last thing: ''Really, how hard is it to get ''wicked'' at playing guitar'' Some people only use 1 hour of practice a day, and seems to get really good at the end. Will that mean that im gonna be some kind of a ''super player'' someday when i spend so much time on it every day. (If i practice the right way ofcourse, which i want you guys to tell me how to do)

Sorry if the Thread is lame, but im getting more emotionel about playing. I really want it to GO! somewhere.

Sorry to hear about your frustrations/concerns. I'm just now going into my 8th week of learning and am already getting frustrated that I can't switch chords fast enough to play songs and my fingers still hurt. I've been practicing as much as I can, which is usually one to two hours a day at minimum... sometimes longer. I hope your discouragement isn't an indication that the entire journey, which I know is lifelong, is always this discouraging.

Hey Caponi, How ya doing.. do you have rest breaks in your practice sessions.? If not, you may want to put in a few breaks.. Try a few physical execises and some deep breathing exercises..
I do what I call doorway exercises.. holding a door jam with my finger tips. Leaning foward as far as I can stand. and then lean back as far as I can..
foward and back with the sides. and then a few foward leans holding the top of the jam.. The breathing part I do 3 each inhaling and exhaling through my mouth and then 3 through my nose.. inhale and exhale as deeply as possible..
Keep on working hard, and good luck
Compart

I know what you mean: I am often very unstructured when I practive too. I worry that it will prevent me from improving but I get VERY bored practicing the same thing over and over. I need a break sometimes.

I am enjoying the this website as there is variety: my lessons cover rock but on here I can do country/metal/songs etc.

I really struggle with theory: I try and try to study it but it feels like catching smoke. My instructor goes on and on and it literally goes in one ear out the other. I try reading the stuff and it makes little to no sense to me: the lessons I read all lack the structure and detail that I need.

This is not normal for me: I study and learn very easily but there is some block when it comes to this guitar theory. This to me is frusturating as it limits me a lot when wanting to improvise or play my own stuff.

Who knows maybe I can find some one who can help me with this or I can come to terms with the lack thereof!

I sometimes get so frusturated I cnnot even listen to a good guitarist like Slash without feeling even worse!

ummm to be frank its sounds like "fear" is your problem, this is suppose to be fun, unless of course you front a large band and your income depends on it. An instructor told me and i believe it, If your thinking... your stinkin, the more you get frustrated with the lack of what you cant do, you fudge up what you can do. 4 hrs a day??? sheesh I'm lucky to get in a hr, you know burn out can be just as bad for you, i mean anything I am doing more than a hour is work to me and it aint fun no more. no one should be trying to be some other player, instead of being themselves. You aint going to be Slash or Page in a year, two or three, but you can develop your own style. That's the reason there are so many instructors on this site, they are all different, with different styles, if not they would only need one. Put the guitar down, go to a happy place and come back to it, you will want to come back, it works ....believe me

Why do you fear? There is no reason to. If for some reason you feel you're getting a mental block, then take week break. I've taken as much as a month. Come back and creativitiy just starts flowing.

Right on Rick..
I've done the same thing though i'm no where near a guitar player..
I have taken a week off and come back.. Start refreshing my fingers and say, "where did that come from"..
Any practice is all up and down.. just like life..

I take breaks when a day or especially weekends get busy and there's just no time. I'm generally more "inspired" after a break. Maybe you should force yourself to take a few days or even a week off if you are getting so frustrating. Sounds like you haven't and it might be just what you need, so you can hear yourself with a fresh ear. ...My 2 cents. :)

The problem is just that i go to a school where we now have 120 rock concerts on schedule within the next year, we actually play nearly every day. :confused: It's not that im a bad player, im the lead guitarist there. I just want to get better and better and better you know?

But i think i will do as you say good folks, ill just cut down on the practice when im at home. :)

Thanks alot

Originally Posted by: caponi14The problem is just that i go to a school where we now have 120 rock concerts on schedule within the next year, we actually play nearly every day. :confused: It's not that im a bad player, im the lead guitarist there. I just want to get better and better and better you know?

But i think i will do as you say good folks, ill just cut down on the practice when im at home. :)

Thanks alot

Try it just once: Take 2 days off and not touch the guitar. Just see how you feel when you pick it up again. And let us know! :)

So I read through a few of these posts and I wanted to chime in with some thoughts. Keeping practicing inspiring is a constant battle but there are ways. First of all, it's not just about sitting in your room playing with the metronome. Look at all of the players mentioned and find common threads. One, they play in bands. Are you getting out and playing with people? This is a huge way to improve. Remember that this is about music not chops. Think in terms of building your vocabulary. Technique and theory are means to be able to say what you want to say. As a side note about theory, on paper and with guitar it can be confusing. Be patient! As you practically apply the concepts they will make more sense. Back to the previous topic. Don't forget to be creative! Write music! Slash's technique and practice brought him to a place to write the riffs that you remember but it's the riffs you remember. Remember that. Another way I get inspired is by listening. That's where it all began right? You hear something you love, you figure it out then not only have you learned how to make you instrument sound a particular way but inadvertently you have developed a new technique. Finally, there is no time limit on getting better. You never cap out unless you give up. One of the greatest things about music is that it is infinite and timeless. You can spend 12 hours a day practicing, and I have , and there will always be more to learn. That's what makes us musicians.

Lawrence Katz

Caponi:

Sounds like you want to be one of the Beatles in a year or two. Practicing four hours a day is demanding too much of yourself. It is amazing you haven't already burnt out. The advice of others to take a break of days or even weeks sounds good to me and I haven't even started taking lessons yet. I have had a nice guitar in the house for years and have not yet found the courage to begin seriously with lessons. I am 67 am "fear" that I won't learn it fast enough to become good before I die. I am in good health and not planning on dying any time soon. Please send me some of whatever it is that you have that compels you to practice hours each day and maybe some of it will rub off on me.

Good luck.

ToMarsh

I practice for hours each day sometimes 8-10 hours but it's because I love music so much. I'm not very good and have recently decided to get serious about it. Having said that though I have a job that takes me to some very remote locations and am separated from it sometimes for weeks even months

It's that time I'm able to use the Internet to work on things like theory. When I return home I can't wait to get my big clumsy fingers back on the guitar and I have a renewed passion for practice.

All I can say is.... However you do it... Don't loose your passion for the music.

Quality is more important than quantity my friend. Challenge yourself to learn one new thing a day. Make sure that you are totally absorbing the concepts, techinques, etc... and not just memorizing. Really get inside it.

You need specific goals too. Just saying, "I want to get wicked" ain't gonna cut it. Pick very specific things you want to learn or do and work on them until you can play them easily. Then raise the bar for yourself... what's the next thing you want to do after that? And yes...there will be a next thing. There will ALWAYS be a next thing...more to learn, more ways to improve. That's one of the coolest things about playing music.

Hint: Start playing with other musicians who can kick your ass. You'll be surprised how quickly you will improve.

LL

Thats alot of information :rolleyes:

But i believe in you people. And iv been stupid thinking that I will be good in like 2 years.

And i do play with people at my school, every day... (It's only my teacher who can kick my ass though, and i actually like the thought of that)

nomatter where my playing will end up in the years to follow, i will say this: Thank you all! If it have not been for you guys/girls, i seriously think i would have quit the guitar in the beginning. I be thankful for that forever!

I will message on here in a while and tell you how it goes :)

Thanks!

Here are some my tips for staying on track musically and some motives that I live by. These seem to help me; perhaps they can help you.

1. Stay a Fan First
- No matter what stage you are at, you must always remember why you started. If you lose your pure passion for listening to music and keeping up on your favorite players/bands; than honestly where can motivation come from? Scott Henderson is famous for saying "without input, there is no output." Always stay a fan and no matter frustrated you become, you will never lose sight of how much you simply "love to play."

2. Have Patience
- We have discussed this before. It takes time; plain and simple. You do have the odd virtuoso that comes out of the womb playing Mozart and GNR; but most of us work hard, and have patience. Don't overdo it as some things simply take time to register in your brain and within your muscle movement. You will get there, believe me.

3. Confidence is Key
- Without confidence in your playing, people will see right through you and hear that lack of confidence. You hear all these bands with very simple guitar playing and some guys that can barely play rocking stadiums. It is the confidence and passion in what they do that drives them, and ultimately results in some shade of success. Be confident in what you do, and people will listen.

4. After School Special
- Going to music school was my main motivation for moving to LA. It also changed my life and prepared me to have a career in music. However; it was in music school that I felt the most frustrated. You are progressing every day, and you simply won't see the results until after you are done and out there PLAYING WITH OTHERS, MAKING MUSIC. I still take lessons. I asked my teacher after music school, how long did it take before you felt you had shed your "music schoolness" and stopped over analyzing your playing. His answer; "about 10 years." Just know you are not alone in your struggles.

5. It Never Ends
- Like Lawrence said; you can practice all day and still find something you need to work on. That is the beauty of it. If you could sit down with any of your favorite guitar players, I can bet you anything all of them will tell you they still aren't where they want to be, and need some serious practice. I am also certain some of them could learn a thing or two from you.

6. Be You
- My last point; it is important to find an identity. You will find throughout your musical life time that you will be inspired to take on many things. However, through time those things were surface by which define you. Find those things and make the most of them. To have a musical identity strengthens your confidence, and allows to grow into the player you want to become.

Take these as words of motivation. We all have been there, and many ways still are. Stay focused and know you WILL be where you want to be.

Being good at something is hard.

They stay 10,000 hours of practice is a good place to start.

But it's worth it.
I don't really know yet, but it seems like it is :)