• Musical motivation?
    48 replies, posted
What do you do to convince yourself to keep practicing? I'm just flat-out terrible and haven't seen any improvement over the past couple days on my acoustic guitar.
Suppose the only thing that can convince you to keep with it is the thought that if you keep going you will continue to improve, a few days playing guitar won't make you a rock god or even mildly good, a few weeks however of good practice will see you master the basics and start playing a few tunes, then it just keeps on giving, practice may not make perfect but it sure makes you good at playing guitar/piano/kazoo. Keep with it and you will be glad.
I just don't even know if it's worth it is the thing, so many people know how to play the guitar so well me being able to play one song on it would never make a difference.
The thing that keeps me motivated to play is that, even though I'm shit now, all the guitar gods started of just as bad as me. And with practise, I could get to the standard of my musical heroes, and, one day, be as highly regarded as them That is my motivation.
[QUOTE=Pink Spy;24121478]I just don't even know if it's worth it is the thing, so many people know how to play the guitar so well me being able to play one song on it would never make a difference.[/QUOTE] Give up then. Really, it doesn't sound like you want to play, so go with what you want. Also if you really think you're going to see an improvement over a few days you're telling yourself lies.
I've kind of lost the will to practice to get better at playing guitar for now, instead I've replaced it with writing music. Granted, I've been basically practising for 9 years so I'm a pretty decent player, but for now I'm bored with trying to just be as good as X guitar god and instead I find it much more satisfying to write my own music. Eventually in turn this will force me to start practicing again as my music writing gets more complex.
[QUOTE=Pink Spy;24121080]past couple days.[/QUOTE] Well there's your problem
Alright I'll be honest I just started today, I'm really having trouble getting started with it though just because I cant get a feel for making the guitar make noise, when I pluck the string or strum or anything its almost completely silent. That and I never strum the stings I want to its always a few off. And advice? Also how many chords am I going to have to remember? I can't find a good tutorial on the very very basics.
[QUOTE=Pink Spy;24124080]Alright I'll be honest I just started today, I'm really having trouble getting started with it though just because I cant get a feel for making the guitar make noise, when I pluck the string or strum or anything its almost completely silent.[/QUOTE] Oh man, I forgot those days. If I can say one thing it's this: It's going to be a bitch to play until your calluses come in. This may be a bit extreme, but I used to burn my finger pads with a lighter. The skin would alway come back thicker.
Alright I'll refrain from self-bodily-harm to be able to play this thing, I guess I'm not that motivated.
[QUOTE=Pink Spy;24124172]Alright I'll refrain from self-bodily-harm to be able to play this thing, I guess I'm not that motivated.[/QUOTE] I guess you don't exercise then either?
No i exercise, I need to keep in shape for Lacrosse, I would like to be able to play music though but I'm having a tough time getting motivated to practice.
Your face is a lacrosse! But, seriously. Stick with what you truly love bro/sis.
Well I'm going for it, wish me luck FP [editline]03:23AM[/editline] Any tutorial recommendations?
Don't play guitar then. That probably sounds rude but if you feel you aren't going to enjoy playing music then I don't know why you would force yourself to do it.
[QUOTE=Pink Spy;24124323]Any tutorial recommendations?[/QUOTE] [url=http://guitar.about.com/library/weekly/aa071200e.htm]Just learn chords.[/url] It might take you a while to get good finger strength, but it's worth it in the end.
Saw this a while ago. [url]http://audio.tutsplus.com/articles/general/10-essential-principles-for-learning-guitar/[/url] Good shit.
are you actually making the string touch the fretboard?
Just got a lesson from my GF whos been playing for a year now, I can play the first couple notes of Freebird :D
[QUOTE=Pink Spy;24121080]What do you do to convince yourself to keep practicing? I'm just flat-out terrible and haven't seen any improvement over the past couple days on my acoustic guitar.[/QUOTE] That eventually things will get better if I keep trying I'm in the same boat as you bro, you're not alone I'll hate myself forever if I give us, and I'll never start again once I give in [editline]08:12PM[/editline] oh and dude, practise in 1/2 hour blocks It will be so much better [editline]08:12PM[/editline] half an hour if that wasn't clear
my first year of bass i fucking sucked dick. in a year i was like someone who had 3 months of practice. i found metallica and it motivated me to keep practicing so i became awesome. find a band that you love and they will motivate you.
[QUOTE=Pink Spy;24124172]Alright I'll refrain from self-bodily-harm to be able to play this thing, I guess I'm not that motivated.[/QUOTE] Well then you lack the desire to play, you'll learn one song and be that douche bag who plays guitar to get chicks. Have fun ruining the guitar reputation just a little more.
Alright well I'm learning chords, can play a G and a C chord alright without looking at the guitar. Fingers really feeling the burn though and I could burn myself with a lighter, tried but hurt too much, I'm sticking to 10 minutes of play 5 minutes of ice. I'm really enjoying it though.
[QUOTE=TheGuru;24123114]I've kind of lost the will to practice to get better at playing guitar for now, instead I've replaced it with writing music. Granted, I've been basically practising for 9 years so I'm a pretty decent player, but for now I'm bored with trying to just be as good as X guitar god and instead I find it much more satisfying to write my own music. Eventually in turn this will force me to start practicing again as my music writing gets more complex.[/QUOTE] Good choice, writing takes a lot more to get amazing at than playing does in my opinion.
[QUOTE=Pink Spy;24138142]Alright well I'm learning chords, can play a G and a C chord alright without looking at the guitar. Fingers really feeling the burn though and I could burn myself with a lighter, tried but hurt too much, I'm sticking to 10 minutes of play 5 minutes of ice. I'm really enjoying it though.[/QUOTE] Okay the lighter bit is rather extreme. It's going to hurt for the first couple of weeks or so. The skin on the end of your fingertips must harden (or, preferably, callous) before you get used to the feeling. The strings ARE essentially steel wire, after all. If you really need to ice yourself after playing for 10 minutes you're probably positioning yourself very, very wrong. I don't remember it being nearly that painful.
[QUOTE=Pink Spy;24138142]Alright well I'm learning chords, can play a G and a C chord alright without looking at the guitar. Fingers really feeling the burn though and I could burn myself with a lighter, tried but hurt too much, I'm sticking to 10 minutes of play 5 minutes of ice. I'm really enjoying it though.[/QUOTE] Play for longer, stress your fingers and force them to toughen fast. Also use a steak for your hand, really help.
[QUOTE=Pink Spy;24138142]Alright well I'm learning chords, can play a G and a C chord alright without looking at the guitar. Fingers really feeling the burn though and I could burn myself with a lighter, tried but hurt too much, I'm sticking to 10 minutes of play 5 minutes of ice. I'm really enjoying it though.[/QUOTE] There's definitely something wrong if you have to use ice on your fingers. When I first started playing it wasn't nearly that painful, at the most I only had a slight burn that lingered into the next day.
I don't see what I'm doing wrong then, if anything, maybe my skin is just really thin right there on my fingers
Guitar is annoying, piano is much more satisfying (and it doesn't hurt). If you're that discouraged with guitar already then try another instrument. [editline]07:24PM[/editline] Unless you bought one already.
play both [editline]04:28PM[/editline] it's very fun
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