The Guitarists' Accountability Thread

[Atom Smasher]

Great! I'll be looking to hear from you. Let us know if it was hard or easy, and whatever else you notice. Perhaps you will find a difficult passage to work on and work through it.

To all of us (nothing to do with you, 5string): I think it's very important to approach practice with a PLAN in mind. It's one thing to sit down and just wheedle around aimlessly. It's another to sit down with a tangible goal in mind, even if that goal is as simple as playing through X number of songs.

Remember, practice doesn't make perfect. Practice makes habits.

 

[Atom Smasher]

I met my goal of one hour yesterday.

I worked on a few Beatles tunes I'm getting down for my off-the-cuff repertoire (Here Comes the Sun and Long and Winding Road). I played through some scales, and worked on some acoustic slide.

 

[5string]

OK Atom

Didnt practice Sat morning, but did Sat night after I got home. A little frustrated as I was missing some strings while pickin'. Speed was coming back but my fingers were starting to hurt so I stopped. Anyway, got in an hour.

I was gonna practice on Sunday but got into a book on my Kindle and couldnt put it down. Was reading Rise To Rebellion by Jeff Shaara. It's a story of the Sons Of Liberty and the American Revolution. Extremely good for those who like history. Love that stuff.

Will make the effort again tonight.

 

[joverby]

I've been practicing(Wasn't keeping track but a litlte longer than an hour).

I went to see my old band Saturday night at a bar they were playing at. The bar owner really liked them an asked them to do another small set, like 6 songs. The guitarist(who's getting fired) didn't want to do it. Was just being a party pooper(why he was getting fired, in a nutshell).

I told him to get out there and do it. He told me to. Everyone in the band was on board and asked if I wanted to. So I did, played 6 songs w/ em. Had a blast.

The band leader was worried about firing the (old)guitarist. But after we were done, he told my buddy (who's in the band) that he wasn't worried about changing now.

Practiced a ton Sunday. Going to keep hitting it hard(have band practice Friday) Want to be ready and impress those guys, and get out there and do some more shows ASAP.

 

[Atom Smasher]

OK Atom

Didnt practice Sat morning, but did Sat night after I got home. A little frustrated as I was missing some strings while pickin'. Speed was coming back but my fingers were starting to hurt so I stopped. Anyway, got in an hour.

I was gonna practice on Sunday but got into a book on my Kindle and couldnt put it down. Was reading Rise To Rebellion by Jeff Shaara. It's a story of the Sons Of Liberty and the American Revolution. Extremely good for those who like history. Love that stuff.

Will make the effort again tonight.

Excellent! Way to go.

You just reminded me that I recently bought a book about appreciating the joy of practicing a craft. I don't remember if it's on my Kindle or if it's hard copy, but I'll findit. I had totally forgotten that until your post. I hate to tell people I owe you one, but I owe you one.

Keep up the good work and don't overwhelm.

 

[Atom Smasher]

That's the way to do it, joverboy!

There's nothing as motivating as working to impress other musicians, our peers. That's a type of motivation that can't be generated alone. I was recently discussing in another thread about this phenomenon with the Beatles.

You don't have to love the Beatles in order to get the application. When they were together, John and Paul were in fierce competition with each other, and they wrote to impress each other. Once that dynamic changed, their music as single artists couldn't hold a candle to what they did when together.

I have noticed this in my own life. When in a band, I know that deep down I'm looking for my peers to say, "Wow, Atom Smasher, that was good".

Keep up the great work.

 

[Atom Smasher]

Well, I had my ups and downs this week. I practiced on Thursday, missed Friday, a little on Saturday, and worked on my stage show on Sunday. I was working on movement on stage, pressuring zones, and determining why to move where on any given song.

All in all not bad, but I will do better.

 

[joverby]

I met my goal of one hour yesterday.

I worked on a few Beatles tunes I'm getting down for my off-the-cuff repertoire (Here Comes the Sun and Long and Winding Road). I played through some scales, and worked on some acoustic slide.

Nice man, keep it up. Everyday. I started learning Here Comes The Sun with a buddy a couple weeks ago. Fun song.

Regarding your latest comment, thanks! It is the best way for me to stay motivated personally. Especially after that last show, just gets you pumped. They have a really nice big stage w/ a very nice light system w/ fog and everything. It was my 3rd show I've played at. Did a local Riverfest but was on a small stage.

I can't wait to start to do this for my job. That's ultimately my goal.

Edit: Your newest update needs a comment. You're staying pretty consistant. Need to stay on it a little more man! Maybe force yourself into half an hour on the days you don't want to?

What do you mean by pressurizing zones on the stage? I really need to work on my stage movement too. I just go w/ the flow and jam out. Was really easy when I was drunk lol. Had some cougars on me and everything.

 

[Atom Smasher]

Thanks for the encouragment and the gentle kick in the pants. That's exactly what we need here. Good advice about a half hour on rough days. I'll try to step up my consistency.

The stage can be divided into 5 zones. Picture a lone musician standing in the center of the stage. The audience is split into 5 imaginary sections, like pieces of a pie emanating out from him. You have the center zone, and then two on the left and two on the right. They are equally divided size-wise.

As a solo artist, I have to be aware of and pay attention to each zone. I can walk to the different zones and apply pressure to that zone with a combination of walking forward toward them and playing more intensely. Conversely I can release pressure by backing off. Within a single zone I can play to the people on the right of that zone or the left (when at the edge of the stage).

This creates a "felt" dynamic of pressure and release in each audience member. It is similar to "push-pull" in our community here.

If you're in a band, be aware of the 5 zones but also map out the one or two zones that you're primarily working. Pay attention to them, apply pressure and release. It takes your show to a whole new level.

In my opinion the audience is there for emotional "moments", more so than for technically good music. Every move I make should be for a reason. Everything I do on stage can be leveraged for a purpose (for a certan effect on the audience). Taking a drink of water from a bottle on-stage should be "played" just like your instrument. How you walk or run from one place to the next should be done with purpose...played just like you play your instrument.

People don't realize that all the mga-bands are acutely aware of this, either thorough study or by instinct. Everything matters.

For me, the idea is to create certain rehearsed parameters in practice and then to allow for spontanaity within those parameters. That way, a bad show is "good" (to the audience) and a good show is "great".

 

[joverby]

Nice man, I like it! I think I this pretty naturally but can only help now that I'm concious it can only be better. The other night I would walk up close to the edge and get low to play closer to them and stuff. Had a pretty good crowd infront of us jammin out.

Then I would walk over to the other guitar player and jam out with him for a sec, or my bassist buddy.

I like thinking about everything, even the water. I understand the need for putting on the show and rocking out. How can the people there enjoy it if the people playing it look like they arent? The one dude who just got fired was infamous for that, he was a gutiar playing statue.

The singer told me at an older show and after this last one that I needed to work on some timing with my moves. I think for certain endings or something so everyone is synched up. I think I improved a lot from my last one to this show though.

 

[5string]

Excellent! Way to go.

You just reminded me that I recently bought a book about appreciating the joy of practicing a craft. I don't remember if it's on my Kindle or if it's hard copy, but I'll findit. I had totally forgotten that until your post. I hate to tell people I owe you one, but I owe you one.

Keep up the good work and don't overwhelm.

I know this is a "guitar" thread but I have a question about the Kindle. I have been finding free books on it and have been downloading them. Why not right? Is there any way to find a list of the free books available on whispernet? Just pm me if you know.

 

[snowdog]

I learned the most when I was playing with people who were just really good at jam sessions. Jam sessions are awesome because it's improvisation and different every time. I love it more than anything.

And of course playing in a band in general will help tons, because you're forced to listen better to what others do.

Excellent! Way to go.

You just reminded me that I recently bought a book about appreciating the joy of practicing a craft. I don't remember if it's on my Kindle or if it's hard copy, but I'll findit. I had totally forgotten that until your post. I hate to tell people I owe you one, but I owe you one.

Keep up the good work and don't overwhelm.

Is it "Mastery: The Keys to Success and Long-Term Fulfillment" by George Leonard? That is an excellent book with a lot of valuable info.

I know this is a "guitar" thread but I have a question about the Kindle. I have been finding free books on it and have been downloading them. Why not right? Is there any way to find a list of the free books available on whispernet? Just pm me if you know.

Google books has hundreds of thousands public domain books available for free. There's also 'other' ways to get ebooks. Problem is, a lot of them are in the .epub format. You can convert them with a free program called Caliber. Works really great.

 

[horaholic]

Everyone here should check these two sites out:

http://www.all-guitar-chords.com/

ANY scale, ANY chord, shown on the fretboard, reversible. Basically, everything you could ever need for guitar playing. I wish i had this site twenty years ago.

Combine that with the scales, and chop techniques on this site http://www.myguitarsolo.com/scales.htm and you'll kick ass. Do it with a metronome.

 

[5string]

My update.

Practiced last night for about 45 min. Fiddle tunes on the banjo mostly. Had emailed a guy on craigslist who is looking for a banjo player for a bluegrass band. He responded with interest. Replied this AM. He wants to set up a time to do some pickin'.

Just what I need.

 

[Atom Smasher]

Everyone here should check these two sites out:

http://www.all-guitar-chords.com/

ANY scale, ANY chord, shown on the fretboard, reversible. Basically, everything you could ever need for guitar playing. I wish i had this site twenty years ago.

Combine that with the scales, and chop techniques on this site http://www.myguitarsolo.com/scales.htm and you'll kick ass. Do it with a metronome.

Very helpful links. I especially like the guitarsolo site. The other looks great too by I have a similar app installed in my Android phone. Thanks for the info!

 

[Atom Smasher]

My update.

Practiced last night for about 45 min. Fiddle tunes on the banjo mostly. Had emailed a guy on craigslist who is looking for a banjo player for a bluegrass band. He responded with interest. Replied this AM. He wants to set up a time to do some pickin'.

Just what I need.

Excellent. Sounds like you're getting back in the game. Way to keep up the practice!

 

[Atom Smasher]

My Update

Full hour on monday. Missed Tuesday due to working from 8 a.m. to the wee hours of this morning.

This is wednesday and I'll be sure to do my hour today.

 

[joverby]

Had band practice Thursday and Friday, was supposed to have it early Saturday for our show. But the other guitarist slept in WAY late. Woke his ass up before the show at least.

Then the show came, IDK but I had really bad anxiety, never happened to me before on stage.(Been on 3 times, last time I was really drunk though) I ended up doing a completely wrong part for our 2nd or 3rd song. Recovered right after but I just couldn't believe I did it.

Then it was just a vicious cycle. Because of that mess up I was stressed out even more. I made it through the show but felt like crap about it.

Something in my defense though, I couldn't hear myself in the monitor just the other guitar player.

It was def anxiety hitting me IDK. Def need to do something about it next time. Luckily the people running it still said we got a lot of compliments and everything and got invited back. But I gotta let go when I get up there.

 

[5string]

I suck. Only practiced Friday night.

Good news is that there is a band looking for a banjo picker. I'll be playing with them Wednesday night this week. We'll see if we "click".

Will definately put in some time tonight.

 

[Atom Smasher]

No, sir... WE suck!

I did my hour two days out of the last three. I haven't reached the bar that I've set for myself yet, but I'm doing much better and will continue to work on it.

Had a request from a VERY hot babe at church for lessons. Hmmm... what should I do?

Preparing to help her will help me to get down to it and accomplish my one hour per day. That's the great thing about having a defined task and being accountable to others.

Congratulations on the upcoming meeting, 5string. Let us know how it works out. I hope the chemistry is good.