How hard is it to play Guitar?

[30pinsimms]

it's easy.

[vurt]

waitin for my man and venus in furs

lol

this video is not available.

[Bombadil]

Everything is 'easy' when you know how to do it.
When I think back, I felt like I was an adventurer everytime I got a guitar in my hand. It was fun. It was frustrating, because I had no other models to watch who were a level or more above me. But above all, it was fun. Having lightbulb moments with various facets of playing. It was fun. And it was my escape and my security blanket. Still is. I feel nekkid widdout muh gee-tar in muh hainds….

[vurt]

truth be told, it's a lot harder than it used to be
i used to have strong hands and fingers, wrists that didn't ache.
i used to have a working left hand, all fingers doing what my head wanted, now im lucky if index and middle finger both work.
i used to be able to hold a pick for as long as needed (or anything one might hold) now i drop everything all the bloody time.

just have to adjust my style a bit, go slower than clapton ever dreamed of, odd notes, sparse
... ambient guitar

[McLilith]

truth be told, it's a lot harder than it used to be
i used to have strong hands and fingers, wrists that didn't ache.
i used to have a working left hand, all fingers doing what my head wanted, now im lucky if index and middle finger both work.
i used to be able to hold a pick for as long as needed (or anything one might hold) now i drop everything all the bloody time.

just have to adjust my style a bit, go slower than clapton ever dreamed of, odd notes, sparse
... ambient guitar

Faster and more complicated do not equal "better", and there's absolutely nothing wrong with ambient guitar!

Instead of Clapton, my personal guitar playing style is more like Hendrix. I can do that "douse your guitar in lighter fluid and set it on fire" technique with ease!

Now, if only I could do all those other Hendrix things...

[vurt]

truth be told, it's a lot harder than it used to be
i used to have strong hands and fingers, wrists that didn't ache.
i used to have a working left hand, all fingers doing what my head wanted, now im lucky if index and middle finger both work.
i used to be able to hold a pick for as long as needed (or anything one might hold) now i drop everything all the bloody time.

just have to adjust my style a bit, go slower than clapton ever dreamed of, odd notes, sparse
... ambient guitar

Faster and more complicated do not equal "better", and there's absolutely nothing wrong with ambient guitar!

indeed! and while i was complaining about the pain and stuff (im allowed, its f**king shit ) the point was, despite all that, and not being the best player even when i did have working hands, i still cant put it down.
and i still enjoy the time i spend with my guitars.

[vurt]

oh, and i only used clapton because he is known as slowhand, but i have no interest in him.
some good riffs many years ago, but then went a bit soft rock

[donkey tugger]

crapton.jpg

[Bombadil]

If you like the blues, check out his 'From The Cradle' album. I listened to that an SRV's 'The Sky is Crying' album back to back, and Clapton smoked SRV, imo.

[GreyLion]

I'm hoping it's all variable for each person. For instance, I've put in tens of thousands of hours, since age 15, but Clapton played better at 22 than I do at 72.

I think at least part of the issue is that, every time I think I've gotten past sucking in some area of playing, the horizon expands shortly thereafter, and I realize that, nope, I still suck.

Still not done yet, though.

[tapper mike]

and there's absolutely nothing wrong with ambient guitar!

wash your mouth with soap.

[tapper mike]

I'm hoping it's all variable for each person. For instance, I've put in tens of thousands of hours, since age 15, but Clapton played better at 22 than I do at 72.

I think at least part of the issue is that, every time I think I've gotten past sucking in some area of playing, the horizon expands shortly thereafter, and I realize that, nope, I still suck.

Still not done yet, though.

Clapton just plays Clapton, all day everyday. He also would work out one lick for a week or more trying to perfect it. If you are not in a tribute band you have to play more than one artist/style. When I was in a cover band playing out three nights a week with the same setlist for years everything I did before went out the window. It was all very focused and I felt a lose for my jazz and other stylings. A major problem with guitarists (myself included) is that we think we should be able to play everything all the time.

Two pearls of wisdom I've passed on a very similar Play it like you mean it. Don't think of yourself as a musician, think of yourself as an actor playing a role. In other words don't just go through the motions. Make and emotional commitment to your performance.

I don't get to bring my guitar to work but I do bring a blue tooth speaker. When I'm doing something like prep or washing dishes I sing. It's always karaoke in the kitchen.

Practice as if you are performing Don't just perform perform for someone have a mental image of someone you trust and want to impress. Think of yourself as an actor in a musical. Play it like you mean it. These things will help you to shut off the internal dialog about mental stuttering over technique. And finally if you are failing horribly you are playing too fast. Slow it down to a painstakingly slow beat so you can get through the passage. Remember that it's harder to lose a bad habit than it is to learn the correct habit the first time. Harder not impossible.

[McLilith]

and there's absolutely nothing wrong with ambient guitar!

wash your mouth with soap.

You're communicating with someone who happens to be viewing this video at this moment.

[muzikbingo]

Do you view guitar, and music in general, as a calling, or as a passing interest? If it's a calling, you'll keep at it and learn it. That's what I did.

Like others said here though, it takes a lot of practice, and things click into place over time.

If you want to accelerate the process, hire a teacher for a bit. Also ask yourself what songs you'd love to learn playing, and go out and learn it. The best way to learn the guitar is learning to play songs you like on it.

It's been over 20 years since I started playing, and I still have so much more to learn. I personally wish I could just play all day - but that's just me.

[Bombadil]

I wish I had someone to play with.