volante5767
Strummer
Posts: 39
My main instrument is: Godin
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Post by volante5767 on Oct 2, 2021 7:57:16 GMT
I'm an intermediate Nylon string only Guitarist, I had around 2.5 years Classical tuition and was highly motivated, I still am and love playing more than ever. I learned to read music but these days am "guilty" of using TAB as a lazy way to learn pieces, I also use video for timing and chord shapes etc. It seems to suit these days, however, I do still like referring to sheet music for other finer details within a piece, repeats, slurs, etc just to keep my hand in so to speak. I initially studied Carcassi's works in four keys. I then stopped my lessons and was happy with were I was [ My Teacher also agreed] and felt I could progress in other directions such as folk and Pop ballads that I liked. My latest pieces are, The Godfather arrangement, Adagio and The Love Story Film theme. As beautiful as these pieces are, I know they are all challenging and am always willing to put in months of work to "nail them". However, over the last year or so I've been getting "bored"? and not completely them fully before yearning to play the next project. I guess I lose patience in the end after not progressing to a finish, even after ex amount of months of hard work and commitment, this certainly isn't intentional and I do try to complete them all, I have completed many others in the past and this situation was not a problem before. I'm still very motivated and love to play more than ever, every day. Where am I going wrong??? Just so frustrated with this situation.
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Post by Cams on Oct 2, 2021 8:49:46 GMT
Maybe having a teacher to hold you accountable would help, or working towards a performance? I've been using project management software to help me work towards my goals. My current goal is to complete Frederick Noad's Solo Guitar Playing Vol. 1, so I have projects for each chapter and block out practice time each day. I'm also recording video of my playing the exercises and posting it onto YouTube as an accountability feature. So far it's working!
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douglas
Strummer
Three chords and the truth.
Posts: 47
My main instrument is: ... the next one.
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Post by douglas on Oct 2, 2021 12:06:50 GMT
From my personal experience I'd suggest putting the sheet music, tabs etc to one side for a while. Years ago I studied classical for several years (at London Guitar Studio) and I got bored with the somewhat limited (or samey) repertoire, along with my limited abilities to play some of it. Then I discovered flamenco and that engaged me more, but it was still pretty much copying what I was taught. For all of that I didn't realise how little I was actually learning - I mean you can copy it (maybe beautifully) without even starting to understand it musically. If you were to now approach the instrument from a completely different angle then in time the two fields of knowledge and experience would come together to a much bigger understanding. What I mean is start with chords, and the scales within them. Develop chord progressions - circle of fifths, modes etc. Use your already developed fingerstyle to find melodies in those progressions, complimented by bass lines. You have a tasty toolbox to dip into: arpeggios, tremelo etc. Just create your own music, not whole pieces even but sequences that please you - along the way, what you discover will inform and improve your classical etc playing, but I suspect you won't really want to go back to copying from sheet - and even at its very best, that's what it is. All this IMveryHO of course. You have to enjoy it because it is wonderful.
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ocarolan
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CURMUDGEONLY OLD GIT (leader - to join, just ask!)
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Post by ocarolan on Oct 2, 2021 12:58:29 GMT
Excellent advice so far.
Try working out your own arrangement of eg a song that is very familiar to you. Listen to lots of versions of it, particuarly non-guitar versions, and then have a bash at it yourself. It helps if you can decide on a suitable chord sequence for your version - play around until you get something you like, not necessarily a copy of any of the versions you studied, but maybe nicking nice bits from several versions.
The melody should come easily from these chords but put it in such a key that the melody notes are preferably on the top strings. You may need to try a few times to get this comfortably placed so you can add a bass part with your thumb - this can be very simple at first, especially if you have in mind the particualr chordal harmony you may wish to use, but can be added to with runs etc as you progress. Then add some notes in the middle to flesh out the arrangement - usually ones that fall easily under the fingers. It helps if you can keep the basic chords fingered as much as possible, and add/subtract fingers to get the notes you want. At this point you may decide to start again in a different key in order to access more easily some of the notes you want!
Sounds a bit "random" I know, but it does work and may help you think along different lines and begin to develop independence from the written page.
Good luck.
Keith
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Post by borborygmus on Oct 2, 2021 14:03:48 GMT
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Post by sweyne1 on Oct 2, 2021 15:08:21 GMT
Any one of you looking to buy Fred's book can save themselves some money by buying my copy for £500 if they want. Always ready to help John
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juliant
C.O.G.
Posts: 331
My main instrument is: Lowden L23
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Post by juliant on Oct 3, 2021 12:05:05 GMT
I can identify with this, even though I'm not a classical player and very definitely don't play from sheet music. I find that two things work for me: one is getting a new project to give me a new view on music (currently learning old-time banjo) and the other is playing out or with other people; getting a teacher falls in that category as well, I suppose.
And I know it's all IMHO and YMMV, but I vastly prefer tab to notation. I can sight read - rather rusty now, but the legacy of ten years of piano tuition as a child lives on - but prefer not to. I like tab mainly because of the stuff I play, but also because I like to get a general idea of what something sounds like and where my fingers ought to go, and then make my own version.
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Post by vikingblues on Oct 4, 2021 21:44:12 GMT
Sometimes, for me, that loss of enthusiasm and will to keep going can be countered by shifting musical focus into other styles and genres. I took classical lessons for a few years, and eventually the spark died. Quite possibly due to my hitting a ceiling of abilities. I took a break from it and went a totally different direction - blues and a concentration on improvising. The freedom I felt in doing that was liberating! Then my exploration extended to the various church modes and different genres and creating and improvising music in those. Usually I would work at these with backing tracks. Most recently it was acoustic guitar on its own using open and altered tunings and trying to create tunes, or semi improvising based on existing pieces, or indeed fully improvising with the solo instrument. Again trying to use the different church modes within the altered tunings. This has proved to be such a wide field of possibilities I'm still working at it 9 years later. Good luck with finding your own personal way out of your current frustration! Mark
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Akquarius
Cheerfully Optimistic
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Post by Akquarius on Oct 5, 2021 18:57:07 GMT
i guess the biggest problem we as musicians have to face is that we expect ourselves to be motivated musicians 24/7/52/decades. Congrats, if you can live up to this goal, but don't be frustrated if you can't. In my thirties I took a 10 year break from playing any instrument at all. After that I dove into anything that would allow me to make music. Right now I listen more than play, I pick up my instruments when I feel like it. Admittedly, I don't make any progress, but I enjoy playing when I play.
This may sound a bit confused. Of course, I can only speak for my humble self, but I think music should be savoured, not forced.
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Post by papadon on Jun 25, 2022 20:20:36 GMT
After reading your post I know that I am not and never will be at the level of you're technical expertise. But having said that (and I'm only guessing) but perhaps your boredom is coming from your focus on detail and perfection. I to study theory and work at my fretboard skills but the greatest joy I get is when I simply crack open a beer, kick back, play what I know and let the emotions take over. It's not all about work. Sometimes you just have to let go, reward yourself and skylark a bit.
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