I always end up feeling crappy when I haven't played in a while and then try to play again. It's like I have to re-teach myself how to double-pick. Since I work all the time, I don't get as many opportunities to practice, and when I do have time, I'm usually napping. That in itself is pretty depressing, actually.

I'm learning bass and piano right now. It is helping some due to the fact it makes you think about notes in the chord. Teaching my self to play I should say. I can't shell out for lessons as I would like to.

I never had this problem until recently because I never tried to be good at guitar. Now I'm actually applying myself and it's both really uplifting and, yes, depressing. I'm really not a great guitarist, but I can tell that my skills have improved ever since I started to give a crap. That's reassuring and an ego booster, but yeah I'm still nowhere near as good as I want to be (hey Ivan, want to trade hands with me?). A major part of that is that I have basically zero formal music background, and I really don't know what I'm doing or, in particular, why I'm doing it. That can be fixed, so I've been trying to learn, and I'm desperate to be taught.
I'm sometimes really self conscious about my abilities because, somehow, all of my closest friends ended up being musical prodigies (one of whom is currently a jazz major at Oberlin) and I'm totally left in the dust. But as Danny said (he's right, again) it doesn't help to feel that way. I cycle through big time musical depression and frustration pretty often, but it always passes, and I eventually make headway which makes it all worth it. Just last night I was trying to break new ground and come up with something new on my electric. It sucked. I was furious. I couldn't play a single enjoyable melody or note or anything. I tried to resort to playing already established songs I've been working on and I was in such a bad mood they sucked just as bad. But then this morning I picked up the acoustic and went back to them, and felt really good about everything all over again. That keeps me going.

wooza
Just last night I was trying to break new ground and come up with something new on my electric. It sucked. I was furious. I couldn't play a single enjoyable melody or note or anything. I tried to resort to playing already established songs I've been working on and I was in such a bad mood they sucked just as bad. But then this morning I picked up the acoustic and went back to them, and felt really good about everything all over again. That keeps me going.

Ben, this situation is not unique to newbies. It happens to all of us. The listener only hears what has made it through the gauntlet of creativity. Realizing that this is the natural process of things is liberating.

Danny Snyder

"With great reverb comes great responsibility" - Uncle Leo

Playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta

Formerly a guitarist in The TomorrowMen and Meshugga Beach Party

Latest surf project - Now That's What I Call SURF

Jake...
I have the depressing monemts. Usually after someone on this forum like you post's a demo. I'm quite a bit older than most here though and I don't play in a band. I do however give guitar lessons. I have a half high school and half self made musical education. I can play almost anything I pick up, but my love is the guitar. But I am only so so at it and I don't feel like anything great. That is
Until my wife comes into my music room with a big smile on her face and says. Honey, you are so good! Why don't you start a band or something. I am of course shocked because I don't think I sound very good.
One thing I have learned in life though. Noone gets good, without a LOT of Effort. You are young and you have a lifetime to improve. So do it. One step at a time.

I believe many of us don't truly hear what we sound like to someone else. We just know that we don't think we sound as good as someone we admire. Therefore we get depressed. Hang tough, you already are truly a good player. What's left is the gravy.

Joel

JakeDobner
But seriously, I've been thinking about selling one of my amps. And then buying a Deluxe or Super Reverb... vintage.

Jake for starters why get another amp, you just got your bassman up and going, you have a showman with a 15", a vibroverb, dude stick to 1 amp, an amp you'll be using for rehearsals and live performance, I mean if you want to dial your sound in stick to 1 amp for both situations, your freaking young early 20s you have so many years ahead of you to stress about where your at musicaly, as for me I will never stop learning I am always hungry always checking out what guitar players or musicans are doing pick up a few pointers or tricks @ shows ect... and remember have fun with music and blessed to be where your at!! you can play a guitar be thankful for that man that you can play.

-Kyle

Beyond The Surf YouTube channel
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Kyle, I do stick to the one amp for practice and gigs. I just really like amps.

I'm always in awe of musicians who play their instruments as fluent as a second language. When a hear a great guitarist, I do get a bit discouraged over my level of playing. So when I jammin' with a good lead player - I'm more than happy to play the rythmn parts.

And then I practice...

CUTBACK

Maybe it's just me, Badash, but when I visualize the elements of a chord I see a piano keyboard. Now, I've been playing guitar for 25 years and had 2 years of piano as a teenager. But for working on harmonies and picking out notes in complex chords, a keyboard is more straightforward. It's not necessary, but it gives the musician a wider perspective, imho.

Danny Snyder

"With great reverb comes great responsibility" - Uncle Leo

Playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta

Formerly a guitarist in The TomorrowMen and Meshugga Beach Party

Latest surf project - Now That's What I Call SURF

DannySnyder

diceophonic
your freaking young early 20s you have so many years ahead of you to stress about where your at musicaly,

Kyle, I respectfully disagree. It only gets harder the older you get. Life has a way of piling shit on top of you. The best time to develop your musical chops is at an early age. Make the effort now Jake, it'll pay dividends the rest of your life.

Danny, with all do respect. It sounds like your throwing in the towel?
things might not be jivin' with you, but don't stomp your foot down and say start at an early age end of story, everyone at any age can do it no matter where your at in life or what bullshit life throws at you it shouldn't get in the way of living and learning and doing something about it and taking those challenges up.

You and I and the rest of the musicians in the wrold remember thier roots of starting and what it was like to up pick and learn an instrument and naturally we want to give up because of the frustrations of "I can't spread my fingers, I can't press down on a chord, my fingers hurt, I have blisters" everything A to Z we went through, man I almost gave up when I started age 7 I just couldn't hack it man but I kept going and going it's "the drive" that gets you through it's not about how smart or music runs the in the family it's "the drive" and then passion takes over, know one is to young or to old to learn and pick up a trade of any kind, look at the adult folks that want to do something with thier lifes in going to school in thier 40s or older, going to school to learn a trade or to get into a different career to better thier life, and sure life can dump and dump shit on top of you but you digg your self out and get back up.

As Les Paul said a few year ago in his 80s "Qoute I will never stop learning I am always hungry to learn"

and with that said it has stuck with me even if I get to the age of Dick Dale man I will always be learning and have the hunger to learn weather it's in life or musical.

Your never to young or to old to acomplish anything you take up in life
look at surfing mom, she's 47 sure she wished she started at an early age but it has nothing to do with brain cells or a young fresh mind, she has the drive and took it up, my father in law just took up banjo and he's 70 and man he can play there's no age limit or dead lines to start something our minds don't have limits, The old saying goes the soul is willing but the flesh won't, by pass that and your good to go

For those that see a hotter musician out there don't have it bring you down it should give you more juice to turn it up a notch to learn more and to get better.

"Drive and passion"

-Kyle

Beyond The Surf YouTube channel
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