Guitar journey ups and downs

amyjhill · October 2023

Hey,

So I’m a little over a year of learning the guitar. I’ve had a bit of a dip, I did the foolish thing of looking 1 year guitar progress up on YouTube l. Fast forward to me trying to nail Eric Clapton and feeling like I’ve hit a brick wall. Anyone else have ups and downs? I guess it’s all part of the learning process

Cheers

Offset · October 2023

Hi Amy. Nothing unusual in little dips - mine have been ongoing for 48 years if that makes you feel better :-)

It is indeed all part of the learning process - you'll get the momentum back.

ScreamingDave · October 2023

I’m not trying to be flippant, but expecting to nail Clapton after a year seems pretty ambitious. He’s one of those players who makes it look easy, but it clearly isn’t.

All I’d say is never give up.

I remember being frustrated because I couldn’t nail barré chords. Now I can’t imagine how I ever couldn’t do it. I can’t even force myself to play them as badly as I used to.

greejn · October 2023

Are you having lessons? Even 2 or 3 can make a huge difference...

LionAquaLooper · October 2023

All part of the learning process. As long as you're still enjoying it, you'll keep playing. As long as you keep playing, you'll keep progressing.

Philly_Q · October 2023

I learned most of what I know (which isn't very much at all) in the first.... five or six years. Then I plateaued for about 30 years. The last five years or so, I feel like I've started going downhill.... in a year or two I'll be worse than I was when I started.

But I don't think that's typical. There are lots of people here who'll be able to tell you something positive. And (so I'm told) there are far more useful learning tools nowadays than there used to be.

ScreamingDave · October 2023

Also, try to join/form a band. There’s nothing like playing with other musicians for improving your playing

Sassafras · October 2023

I've learnt more from just chatting and jamming with other guitarists than actually playing in bands.

scrumhalf · October 2023

Learning the guitar isn't linear. Sometimes you can plod along for a while and then suddenly something happens and your playing moves up a notch.

amyjhill · October 2023

Thanks everyone, it just felt as if I was hitting my head against a brick wall. It was Tears In Heaven and I just can’t seem to get the intro. I’m using Fender Play and YouTube stuff like Justin guitar. I’m considering getting some lessons booked in at some point

munckee · October 2023

I can’t play Clapton and I’ve been playing since 1994.

HarrySeven · October 2023

munckee said:

I can’t play Clapton and I’ve been playing since 1994.

Thankfully, I’ve never tried!

rlw · October 2023

Lessons. You get constructive criticism and praise rather than beating yourself up.

EC has been playing since he was about 12 so he's had a fair bit of practice......

fastonebaz · October 2023

I found I plateaued a lot. I'd discover a new technique chord or scale and my progress would go up until I mastered that then wld plateau for ages . Just play as much as you can to get the motor coordination in your fingers, hands and arms to become automatic. Noodling on the sofa in front of the TV is even helpful to develop that fine control strumming or picking.

For me it became meditation. I played to silence the voices in my head and instead only heard music. Guess that's what kept me practicing all those hours. 30 yrs on its the same effect today.

GoFish · October 2023

ScreamingDave said:

I’m not trying to be flippant, but expecting to nail Clapton after a year seems pretty ambitious. He’s one of those players who makes it look easy, but it clearly isn’t.

All I’d say is never give up.

I remember being frustrated because I couldn’t nail barré chords. Now I can’t imagine how I ever couldn’t do it. I can’t even force myself to play them as badly as I used to.

I find new and exciting ways to play them badly - It sometimes feels like a golfer's swing, subject to continual finessing and news ways to screw up the bleedin obvious

DefaultM · October 2023

I thought I was amazing at guitar first year of music college, then 1 day this guy with Aspergers just turned up and came in to the practice room (yes really, he wasn’t even a student) and asked to play with us. He said he was thinking of joining next year and was clearly harmless so I let him borrow my guitar and he proceeded to melt the frets off it.

Eventually the tutor came in and said who the fuck are you? And told him to get lost. When he gave my guitar back I felt like I’d been cuckolded or something.

I got home and I was so excited to play cos my brain knew exactly what he’d been doing, but when I tried my fingers couldn’t do it. Everything was different in my head, I suddenly felt shit. I took my cable out and whipped it across the top of my guitar in frustration and put a dent in it.

When I saw the dent I thought what a pathetic bastard I am, and started practicing like mad. He did join and I was just as good as him by then, but someone even better had joined. This time I just found it exciting and got better again.

By the time YouTube really took off I realised there’s always going to be someone better than you. I decided I was good enough and it was more important to write my own stuff and have my own style. I doubt I could play some of the stuff I used to now, but I’m not bothered cos I just enjoy playing.

DefaultM · October 2023

Actually literally last night I saw a video of someone’s 7 month progress and thought what the fuck? Playing something I’d have to practice to be able to play now after 20 years haha. There’s no point in getting bothered about this stuff, maybe that person has only been playing guitar 7 months but played another stringed instrument a decade.

greejn · October 2023

Two things ( used to teach this tune) - it's too ambitious for how long you've been playing, also there are two guitar parts as Andy Fairweather Low is also on it. At least that's what I remember...

amyjhill · October 2023

Thank you everyone! I’ve just had an off day with it but it’s seeing it outside of my perspective, hope that makes sense. I’m going to leave EC Tears In Heaven for the time being and try further down the road! Big thanks again

Philly_Q · October 2023

DefaultM said:

Actually literally last night I saw a video of someone’s 7 month progress and thought what the fuck? Playing something I’d have to practice to be able to play now after 20 years haha. There’s no point in getting bothered about this stuff, maybe that person has only been playing guitar 7 months but played another stringed instrument a decade.

Or maybe they put all their effort for 7 months into learning just that one tune!

blobb · October 2023

Don't force it. If you hit a wall, stop, listen to music rather than trying to play it. It's the same thing. The more you do the better you get at it. When you've had enough of listening for a while pick up your guitar. Repeat.

Eventually, you will be able to do both at the same time.

Sassafras · October 2023

In the words of Homer Simpson:
"There's a million people better than you, why bother trying?".

ScreamingDave · October 2023

Sassafras said:

In the words of Homer Simpson:
"There's a million people better than you, why bother trying?".

Or, his other famous quote, “If something is difficult, it’s probably not worth doing anyway “

CaseOfAce · October 2023

amyjhill said:

Thank you everyone! I’ve just had an off day with it but it’s seeing it outside of my perspective, hope that makes sense. I’m going to leave EC Tears In Heaven for the time being and try further down the road! Big thanks again

If i'm stuck on a song I learn a different part of it. Hence if you can't quite nail the intro to Tears - just concentrate on the verse section or the middle 8 and get those right and come back to the intro.

You run the risk otherwise of burning out on the intro, getting bored of it and walking away not having completed the song. Years later someone asks you to play something on guitar - you start the intro to Tears and get as far as the first verse and ...stop!

Tears is fingerpicked (thumb and 3 fingers?) and there's a bit of thumb over the neck action going on as well as some barring. Quite advanced for a beginner.

imalrightjack · October 2023

I have periods of absolute dedication and learning and fallow periods where I hardly bother. I have aches and pains that make me back off and rest. I feel creative at times and that sometimes means a focus on writing, rather than practicing. I buy and sell gear too much, which is inspiring and frustrating. Honestly, try and be mindful of it being something you do right now and enjoy the moment - however good you are. It's just for fun, for most of us, isn't it. Don't let a hobby feel like a job.

CampbellH · October 2023

Enjoy what you have achieved and don't worry about some random guessitmate of where you 'should be'.
Everyone learns different in absolutely everything, If we didn't, we would all be the same.

amyjhill · October 2023

Again thanks everyone. I’ve been working on The National Start A War and Greenday Wake Me Up When September Ends and it’s gone loads better.

fendergibson · October 2023

For a really decent song to get stuck into acoustically, I’d recommend Blackbird. It’s not easy, not mega difficult either but it has a lot to offer in terms of left/right hand dexterity and harmony. Get that under your belt and you will accomplish loads imho

fastonebaz · October 2023

Blackbird by Alterbridge is a great tune but fairly advanced I'd say. I do enjoy playing it though myself.

hollywoodrox · October 2023

DefaultM said:

I thought I was amazing at guitar first year of music college, then 1 day this guy with Aspergers just turned up and came in to the practice room (yes really, he wasn’t even a student) and asked to play with us. He said he was thinking of joining next year and was clearly harmless so I let him borrow my guitar and he proceeded to melt the frets off it.
Eventually the tutor came in and said who the fuck are you? And told him to get lost. When he gave my guitar back I felt like I’d been cuckolded or something.

I got home and I was so excited to play cos my brain knew exactly what he’d been doing, but when I tried my fingers couldn’t do it. Everything was different in my head, I suddenly felt shit. I took my cable out and whipped it across the top of my guitar in frustration and put a dent in it.
When I saw the dent I thought what a pathetic bastard I am, and started practicing like mad. He did join and I was just as good as him by then, but someone even better had joined. This time I just found it exciting and got better again.

By the time YouTube really took off I realised there’s always going to be someone better than you. I decided I was good enough and it was more important to write my own stuff and have my own style. I doubt I could play some of the stuff I used to now, but I’m not bothered cos I just enjoy playing.

Thanks for sharing man, that’s a cool story

hollywoodrox · October 2023

amyjhill said:

Thank you everyone! I’ve just had an off day with it but it’s seeing it outside of my perspective, hope that makes sense. I’m going to leave EC Tears In Heaven for the time being and try further down the road! Big thanks again

Hey you could still have a peck at bits of it each time you play a measure at a time ,slowly & have it as a long term goal while learning an easier piece or two to give you some quicker gratification and build a repertoire . Perhaps a certain part of tears in heaven is tripping you up or more parts
you could turn each small bit into a daily exercise to warm up before working on something with a faster return . I’m sure if you list some players you like people on here can give you examples of songs that are a bit quicker to get under your fingers so that you have a party piece you can pull out of your hat when you tell people you play guitar

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Guitar journey ups and downs

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