[Hantra]

All:

I have been playing for only 5-6 years.  During those years, I pretty much taught myself on the web, and played tabs of songs I like.  It wasn't until a couple years ago that I decided to take lessons.  I met this guy who is recommended by Flatpicking magazine as the premier instructor on the East coast.  So I signed up, and waited 6 months for a spot.  

I learned at a startling rate once I started lessons with this guy.  In 2 years, I got many many times better than I was when I started the lessons.  

A few months ago, I got to this point where I was at a crossroads.  Several weeks went by where it was obvious that if I was going to get any better at flatpicking, then I was going to have to make a huge step forward in my dedication to it, and practice more hours every day.  I struggled with it for a while, and finally I decided that I just didn't want to give what it took to get better at flatpicking, and I stopped taking my lessons.  

Right now, I have pretty much decided that it would be nice to be better at guitar, but that I am not willing to give what it takes to guitar.  So, I feel that I am "good enough" for now.  I play for myself, and no one else, so I am not looking to get better for a band, or for anyone else.  I suppose when I decide I want to get better, I will continue lesons, but for now, I am satisfied.  

Have nay of you reached that point?  Is that a bad thing?  I just don't want something that I started for fun, to become a pain in the @ss.  You know?  

B

[nathanm]

I kinda look at it in one of two ways; you can take lots of lessons, practice your ass off for years, become an extremely skilled player and then get a Shrapnel record deal and make albums which people will ultimately describe with the term "wanking" OR you could stay relatively unskilled and self-taught but still have good music in your mind which people might enjoy for years to come.  I know that's really simplistic, but it seems to be true.  

As far as guitar goes, I think there's such a thing as becoming "too" good.  It's like your fingers are now able to move so masterfully you kinda lose the feel and passion a simple melody can achieve.  You can get so wrapped up in the theory that the end result is cold and clinical.  I have a few CDs like this from guitarists who are incredibly skilled, who can play amazing stuff, but the songs are boring to anyone except other amazingly skilled guitarists.

I helped introduce my younger counsin to playing guitar at an early age.  He really got into it, started taking lessons and he became extremely good.  He blew my doors off, basically!  A whole Ben Kenobi\Darth Vader guitar thing there.  However, last time I heard him play he did nothing but cover tunes.  He is a really skilled player, but as far as I know he's never written any songs of his own.  To me this is a real bummer.  It seems like a waste of talent to just mimick the work of others, regardless of how good it is. I on the other hand have written many of my own tunes, even though they lack technical finesse.  I think somewhere inbetween the two camps lies the answer.  Like maybe if I took a few lessons, improved my skills and then said "that's good enough" then maybe the songs would improve without becoming overly technical and boring.

Ya need 50% punk rocker attitude and 50% classical musician!

[Hantra]

You can get so wrapped up in the theory that the end result is cold and clinical. I have a few CDs like this from guitarists who are incredibly skilled, who can play amazing stuff, but the songs are boring to anyone except other amazingly skilled guitarists.

Heh. . . I know exactly what you mean man.  Tony Rice is a guy who is incredibly skilled and talented, but still keeps the emotion, and musicality.  My teacher wouldn't even teach me any Tony Rice b/c he told me that if you want to play like TR, then play for 8 hours a day for the next 30 years, and you'll get there. .   Eric Clapton to me is another guy who has amazing talent, and technical ability that just adds to the emotion of his stuff.  

I can't listen to guys like Paco who just play fast to play fast. . .

B

[DTH]

I have played the guitar on and off for more than 10 years, but never considered taking lessons until recently. I have written a bunch of songs, worked in a band, but never really got very good. I am currently taking lessons from a local musician who is mostly interested in teaching me theory. To me it seems like what I am learning(if I learn it well enough) will be the tools that will make me a better songwriter.

[brucegel]

There is a lovely book still in print;that talks about this topic called ZEN GUITAR by PHILLIP TOSHIO SUDO.He quotes musicians at the begining of each chapter...here are a few."My own thing is in my head.I hear sounds and if I don't get them together nobody will."Jimi Hedrix. "I like to play with people who can play simple and are not threatened by other musicians thinking they can't play.And that eliminates 99 percent of the musicians." Neil Young.And finally... "When I play from my mind I get in trouble".Stevie Ray Vaughan.As hackneyed as it may sound if you work on improving who you are as a person and your relationship to the world then whatever your chosen vessel is will fill up.

[Merle]

I play every day. I believe if you continue to play on a regular basis, you will continue to improve. On the other hand, a really good teacher is great to have. Too bad there are so few out there. There are a million good guitar players but not very many really good teachers. Out of half a dozen people I've paid to teach me, only one, in my opinion, was a really great teacher. {he moved away from my area} I've had everything from the guy I just mentioned to people who, as far as I could tell, just wanted me to pay them money so they could show me what a great player they were! I currently do not have a teacher but continue to practice hard. There are a lot of resources on the net. By the way, throw away the pick and learn to play fingerstyle!

[Hantra]

On the other hand, a really good teacher is great to have. Too bad there are so few out there.

I hear ya Merle.  I agree with that totally. . .

[lonewolfny42]

What I've learned from the guitar   ....that no matter how good a player you are , there's always someone who is better ! Enjoy what you have accomplished !