KVR Audio

foosnark · Post by **foosnark** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 8:37 pm

Also find a good teacher, they will probably show you the things you're doing wrong that you didn't even realize. And then it'll be hard as hell to unlearn your bad habits and you'll resent them for making you start from scratch.

Works for me

blaster78 · Post by **blaster78** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 8:40 pm

foosnark wrote:Also find a good teacher

i second that, theres always someone better than you, and theres always a million people different than you, you can learn from them too.

and don't put it down too long..... i used to be able to play nice tenor/alto sax (grade 7)

now i'm shit.

10+ years without an instrument will do that to you.

steve.

Amberience · Post by **Amberience** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 8:43 pm

At the moment I'm considering just throwing in the towel with everything and slashing my own f**king throat. f**k parents, f**k sisters, f**k relatives, f**k girlfriends, f**k teachers, f**k strangers.. f**k them all!

blaster78 · Post by **blaster78** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 8:45 pm

never as bad as it seems mate, not long split up with a gf i lived with (hence no kvr since feb) the important thing is (to quote mark/mystahr) "see the positives". use the energy you feel in anger/hate/upset to do summat useful.

works for me.

steve.

vurt · Post by **vurt** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 8:45 pm

Andrew Vernon wrote:Guitar was what I had in mind. I dunno, I just find myself tinkering and not actually doing a lot of recording. Y'know what I mean? Like... I'll come up with a riff or whatever... but then it'll go nowhere.

if thats the case its easier to solve than you think.
dont sit down to actually do anything more than tinker as always but record as much as you can,if you come up with a riff cool at least you have it sampled for later

whip these samples up in some reaktor toys fiddle around get inspired add more live licks

most important tho is to make sure you do record,plus as has already been said try something new,be it playing style or even instrument for a bit

plus teachers if you can afford one are indeed invaluable if you find one that works for you.

Barf · Post by **Barf** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 9:27 pm

Andrew Vernon wrote:At the moment I'm considering just throwing in the towel with everything and slashing my own f**k throat. f**k parents, f**k sisters, f**k relatives, f**k girlfriends, f**k teachers, f**k strangers.. f**k them all!

...f**k my bankmanager, f**k rent, f**k pc, f**k internet, f**k sony, f**k moby, f**k vacation...AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!

but I LOVE KVR !!!!

SuitcaseOfLizards · Post by **SuitcaseOfLizards** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 10:07 pm

I have to vote "yeah!" on picking up a new instrument that's radically different.. I went from guitar to keys, and I find when I play guitar now I think a little differently. Changing HOW you work can also help.. I was heavily into software synths, then switched to hardware and the change has helped me stretch a bit further on keys.

I almost sold off my Motif ES Rack in frustration last week, but drank enough that I stopped myself (lol). If you get too frustrated, step back and take a short vacation!

Oh, and f**k f**king!

Klemperer · Post by **Klemperer** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 10:15 pm

Know this feeling. A teacher might be a well idea, but I couldn't afford one, so made 4 months nothing besides annoyed looking at my bl**** guitar and trying some 15 minutes, frustrated. Then in a lousy wet hot night some weeks ago I played with EnergyXt recording on and on and on and some 16th take after many EXTREMELY frustrating ones worked perfect

Sure, not much of a help, but in my case playing some other instrument at those times (surely not 4 months for everyone...) was great. I rather think what you describe happens every few months, latest years. You reach a new level, think GREAT!!!, after some days you think "okay", then "f*** why every time THIS niveau"?
A pianist once said (Weissenberg the name) you should play a piece you EXTREMELY like in a time you can rather master it instantly. Then recording it in the first weeks and never touch it again. Maybe what he meant was a bit of the same of the thing that hurts you now even if it's not much to do with it. He had recorded some pieces more than 1 time and EVERY time was frustrated with later approaches.

Funkybot · Post by **Funkybot** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 10:20 pm

I almost sold off my Motif ES Rack in frustration last week, but drank enough that I stopped myself (lol).

Ha! Usually it's alcohol that has me thinking about selling gear, "If I didn't buy that Rhodes I could drink more" or "I don't really use that much anymore, I should sell it and go out drinking." Yet at the same time if I didn't drink I'd own a lot more gear. The grass is never green.

Meffy · Post by **Meffy** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 10:41 pm

Andrew, when it seems like nothing's working for you -- maybe it's a hint to try something different for a while. If you've reached a plateau at guitar playing, try taking up the blues harp or get a pair of bongos or maybe a tin whistle. Maybe even something non-musical, like painting or motorcycle customizing or sailing.

Taking on a different challenge can help to open up new neural pathways, bring new rewards, keep you fresh. And there's sometimes a welcome side benefit: after you've been at it a while you just might find that some concepts or practices begin to diffuse across... give you ideas that you can apply to whatever instrument you laid down for a while. At the very least you can come back to guitar (or whatever) with fresh perspectives, look it in the eye -- erm, in the soundhole or pickups? -- and push your way past what had looked like a dead end.

Don't let frustration hurt your spirit. It's good at that. Music is one of the best weapons against frustration; even as it can frustrate you in one area, it beckons with other instruments and practices.

butter · Post by **butter** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 10:59 pm

blaster78 wrote:never as bad as it seems mate, not long split up with a gf i lived with (hence no kvr since feb) the important thing is (to quote mark/mystahr) "see the positives". use the energy you feel in anger/hate/upset to do summat useful.

works for me.

steve.

I hear that. After my ex broke up with me I've been able to infuse an incredible amount of emotion into my music that I never thought was possible before.

tee boy · Post by **tee boy** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 1:14 am

There are really two ways to improve:

1. Develop further technically
2. Develop as an artist

First decide which you want to do.

If you want to develop technique, then you need to devise a system of physical exercises. Once a suitable system has been selected, practice for a constructive period of time daily (while not fatiguing the muscles enough to stall progress).

If you want to develop as an artist, then thats a little more complicated. A good start is to research and learn - find the artists who inspire you and study their music hard. Try to allow this to inspire you in new ways, and significant development will be probable.

Hope this helps, its a little vague I admit!

Amberience · Post by **Amberience** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 8:03 am

Wow.. had a Ginsberg moment yesterday (f**k everything!) ..hmmm.. Good suggestions all round really. I might try and change instrument a bit. Bongo's sound cool!

Klemperer · Post by **Klemperer** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 8:30 am

Andrew Vernon wrote:Bongo's sound cool!

Yeah, great idea of meffy! Should try this next time too :.

Hink · Post by **Hink** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 1:17 pm

Klemperer wrote:
Andrew Vernon wrote:Bongo's sound cool!
Yeah, great idea of meffy! Should try this next time too :.

Bongo's is cool...

http://www.bongonews.com/layout1.php?event=1927

how do you get better at an instrument?