Learning stuff v Buying gear.

What's Hot
FuengiFuengi Frets: 2849
Getting stuck down the Am Natural Scale noodling rabbit hole for lord knows how long, I grabbed a random old copy of Guitarist off the shelf and looked for some new licks / riffs to learn.

First page I came across was a review for two Andrew White acoustic guitars... 

An hour of internet searching later I decided I possibly don't need one.  :s

Back to Am Natural noodling!  
1reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom

Comments

  • neilgneilg Frets: 94
    I sometimes think I'm the complete opposite of most people on this forum, I could probably count the number of guitar related things I've bought this year on one hand if I exclude consumables like strings and picks.

    I never look at the classified section of the forum and tend to find review videos on youtube boring and would rather watch something theory or technique related.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • FuengiFuengi Frets: 2849
    neilg said:
    I sometimes think I'm the complete opposite of most people on this forum, I could probably count the number of guitar related things I've bought this year on one hand if I exclude consumables like strings and picks.

    I never look at the classified section of the forum and tend to find review videos on youtube boring and would rather watch something theory or technique related.
    I like theory a lot, but sometimes I get too hung up on it. 

    I'm terrible at learning riffs and songs, I just can't be bothered to learn anything through and end up back with the theory.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • neilg said:
    I sometimes think I'm the complete opposite of most people on this forum, I could probably count the number of guitar related things I've bought this year on one hand if I exclude consumables like strings and picks.

    I never look at the classified section of the forum and tend to find review videos on youtube boring and would rather watch something theory or technique related.
    I had a friend who was like that, never been interested in gear, only playing. I was very envious. That said, he was a decent but not incredible player so whatever he was doing with the time he freed up, it probably wasn't practising.

    Fuengi said:
    I like theory a lot, but sometimes I get too hung up on it. 

    I'm terrible at learning riffs and songs, I just can't be bothered to learn anything through and end up back with the theory.
    I think it's really hard to really get to grips with theory without a solid base of playing knowledge to refer to. Lots of people get confused reading about the Dorian mode if they can't relate it to music they know. But when I tell people "Think about when you're in A minor, but you add in a 7th fret B string or 4th fret D string (F#). That's A Dorian," they'll generally get it. If they already know some licks and riffs that work that way, it's much easier to see how it can be applied and then used in other contexts. 
    My YouTube channel, Half Speed Solos: classic guitar solos demonstrated at half speed with scrolling tab and no waffle.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Fuengi said:
    neilg said:
    I sometimes think I'm the complete opposite of most people on this forum, I could probably count the number of guitar related things I've bought this year on one hand if I exclude consumables like strings and picks.

    I never look at the classified section of the forum and tend to find review videos on youtube boring and would rather watch something theory or technique related.
    I like theory a lot, but sometimes I get too hung up on it. 

    I'm terrible at learning riffs and songs, I just can't be bothered to learn anything through and end up back with the theory.
    Do you play with others? Sadly these days I don't. However for the first 10 years of playing I played regularly with other guitarists and occasionally in bands. It was in this period that I made the most progress as a guitarist. During the same period I was also playing violin in orchestras and this was the best 'ear training' ever. It helped me so much with guitar (I never took guitar lessons in that time but the piano and violin lessons that I was taking undoubtedly helped enormously with my progress as a guitarist).

    if you feel like you're stuck in a rut just play regularly with other musicians - whether guitarists or not. It's the best way. Learn songs and build your repertoire. In the 90s I learned plenty of Satch licks without knowing (or giving a fk about) modal theory.

    theory is useful but only later in my opinion. In the classical grade exams formal theory exams are only required to progress beyond grade 5, by which point the musician has already developed a solid, basic repertoire and imbibed plenty of theory without even realising it.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Paul7926Paul7926 Frets: 227
    I have a rule.  If I can pick up the guitar then any free time is spent with it.  If I can't (at work, on the bus, house full of people watching TV) then I either try and figure out some theory stuff or I'm on forums and searching for guitars/gear.

    I don't feel so bad about the time lost on the web if it's done at times when I'm not wasting time with the guitar.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • octatonicoctatonic Frets: 33725
    Fuengi said:
    Getting stuck down the Am Natural Scale noodling rabbit hole for lord knows how long, I grabbed a random old copy of Guitarist off the shelf and looked for some new licks / riffs to learn.

    First page I came across was a review for two Andrew White acoustic guitars... 

    An hour of internet searching later I decided I possibly don't need one.  :s

    Back to Am Natural noodling!  
    Now try Eb, then Db.
    Those that stay in Am progress slower than those who do not.
    1reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 2reaction image Wisdom
  • FuengiFuengi Frets: 2849
    Fuengi said:
    neilg said:
    I sometimes think I'm the complete opposite of most people on this forum, I could probably count the number of guitar related things I've bought this year on one hand if I exclude consumables like strings and picks.

    I never look at the classified section of the forum and tend to find review videos on youtube boring and would rather watch something theory or technique related.
    I like theory a lot, but sometimes I get too hung up on it. 

    I'm terrible at learning riffs and songs, I just can't be bothered to learn anything through and end up back with the theory.
    Do you play with others? Sadly these days I don't. However for the first 10 years of playing I played regularly with other guitarists and occasionally in bands. It was in this period that I made the most progress as a guitarist. During the same period I was also playing violin in orchestras and this was the best 'ear training' ever. It helped me so much with guitar (I never took guitar lessons in that time but the piano and violin lessons that I was taking undoubtedly helped enormously with my progress as a guitarist).

    if you feel like you're stuck in a rut just play regularly with other musicians - whether guitarists or not. It's the best way. Learn songs and build your repertoire. In the 90s I learned plenty of Satch licks without knowing (or giving a fk about) modal theory.

    theory is useful but only later in my opinion. In the classical grade exams formal theory exams are only required to progress beyond grade 5, by which point the musician has already developed a solid, basic repertoire and imbibed plenty of theory without even realising it.
    My 15 year old son and I have started playing together, he plays keys, guitar and ukulele, and I play ukulele so it's fun, and yes it's very helpful for both of us. 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • They only thing is I am a subscriber to Andertons UK youtube channel and watched countless of their videos. Other stuff is rewievs of older stuff I got like my Mesa Boogie rig and stuff related. 

    Still GAS is not really there for more than a decade and for guitars and rig I am in a honymoon kind of status. Nothing else matters. 

    So I learn a lot and its fun when it feels so right that its all enjoyment. 
    Computer Shop UK Your PC Needs In One Place: https://computershopuk.com/
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
Sign In or Register to comment.