Bummed out

[FrozenInTime]

Not beer related although bout to take a break. Been watching youtube videos about some of these youngsters playing guitars... I have been trying to make sense out of mine for 5-6 years. I can squeak out a tune on a good day, then I watch one of these videos. Wow, there are some extremely talented young players out there. Makes me want to throw my amp/axe in the fireplace and never try again. I need a beer or 10.






Yea, time for a few beers and enjoying watching others play. Mines going up in flames as my arthritic fingers just said, to hell with you and those strings... LOL

[Beer-lord]

Man do I know what you mean. I can play but even playing since I was 9, I just have a very short comfort zone. I know what my talent level is and can live with it and am grateful for the small amount of talent I have but also understand that no amount of playing or practice is going to move me to a higher level. I can accept that. Hey, don't forget, 'Slow Hand' Clapton couldn't do what some of these kids can do and he was awesome.
If you really want to mess your head up, try learning the mandolin and banjo. Switching from one of those back to guitars messes with my head!

[RandyG]

Hey Froze, I'm with you. I had very little to no luck with stringed instruments. Plunked around with $50 guitar as a kid,and later in life a bunch of us got together for Bluegrass parties once a month.Then I plunked on a cheap Mandolin.Here is the stickler.I play left handed.Never had the Mandy re-strung for lefty play,so when we got rockin,mine sounded like playing an old pumpkin.Needless to say,I finally sold it.Now,lots of years older,with arthur-itis in the old digits,I need all my strength to operate the "ChurchKey" to open my homebrew bottles. Cheers.

[docpd]

I feel your pain. I have been playing for 40 years and consider myself a competent player, but some folks are just born to play guitar. I truly believe that their brains are wired differently. The instrument seems to be an extension of their body. Don't let that stop you from playing. I know I will never play like Larry Carlton, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, or any of these young guns. I still enjoy very much making music myself. Along with brewing, playing keeps me sane.

[Beer-lord]

I feel your pain. I have been playing for 40 years and consider myself a competent player, but some folks are just born to play guitar. I truly believe that their brains are wired differently. The instrument seems to be an extension of their body. Don't let that stop you from playing. I know I will never play like Larry Carlton, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, or any of these young guns. I still enjoy very much making music myself. Along with brewing, playing keeps me sane.

I swear, I've said exactly this many, many, many times and truly believe. Look at Hendrix, Brian May, and many others and see how it takes no effort at all to play as easy as picking their nose. Not me, while there was a time when I was young and in a band for 19 years where it was easier, it never came without effort and I only survived because I played many hours every day. Once or twice a week now won't cut it for anything but good ole fun and that's just fine for me.

[FrozenInTime]

Sat and played around for a while today. Instead of holding axe normally (?), I laid it across my lap and messed around with some notes/cords. It's possible but talk about unlearning what little I know and relearning in that way.... wow. Glad I was sip'n on the shine, I actually had fun albeit probably scared all the critters off the place.... LOL Strum on!

[Whamolagan]

I tried with the damn guitar for decades, picked up a banjo about 6 years ago, it came so natural. I don't even remember the last time I picked up the ole 6 string. I think it is because I have small hands. Would love to get my hands on a mandolin.

[jimjohson]

Set your sight lower, damn few people actually have the talent to play professionally. All I ever wanted was: when at the end of the party and the 'Tar comes out, I can take my turn. Talent you're born with, no amount of practice will substitute. It's hard to play, takes about 6 months just to become lousy at it. Years to get good at it.

[docpd]

In my opinion, the guitar is an easy instrument to learn to play badly, not too difficult to learn to play passably, and a challenge to play well. It can be a lifetime project to master it. I have not gotten anywhere near mastery/, but play well enough to enjoy myself and entertain my friends.

[Whamolagan]

My favorite time to play is after everyone has gone to bed and I get to relax and be amazed that i can actually make some tunes. It helps me sleep at night.

Does anyone know what a scud missile and a banjo have in common?

By the time you hear it, it is too late

[Beer-lord]

I've taught myself to play a little bit mandolin and an even smaller amount of banjo. I'm not a banjo fan and really don't pick and only know about 12 chords. It's loud, doesn't always want to stay in tune and sometimes sounds like scratching a chalk board (for those who still know that a chalk board is).

[Whamolagan]

I very rarely use picks when playing the banjo due to the noise. I am on my 3rd banjo, dropped the coin and got a Deering. My last 2 banjos were crap, but I enjoyed playing (not so much tuning constantly). The deering rarely goes out of tune, and it is made in the great ole USA. While I am on my working vacation in Houston, I am not going to have a tv, so I picked up a couple lesson books. I need to work on going down the fretboard more. Not to mention the wife is getting tired of the same 5 songs.

[mashani]

String things scare me. I am more of a keyboard, Taurus pedal, rb338, sequencer, etc kind of guy.

But you need one of those for your band right LOL.

[Whamolagan]

We need a hop pedal , oh wait we already got one of those

[FrozenInTime]

We need a hop pedal , oh wait we already got one of those

I don't have any pedals on mine, but I do love the way a VOX C15 makes my.... noise... sound much better.