Did you get better in 2006?

Martinussen · January 3rd, 2007, 12:57 PM

I always have the intention of becoming a better musician.

However, too many times I find myself playing stuff I could do in my sleep, and the harder and more challenging parts are being pushed aside. It seems like I'm having a problem getting out of my "comfort zone".

I hope that 2007 will be a great guitar year, and I will live up to my intentions.

How about you? Did you get better in 2006?

TG · January 3rd, 2007, 01:03 PM

I think so. I feel I play abit differently than I did a year ago and I hope 'better' describes it.

TJNY · January 3rd, 2007, 01:04 PM

Yes, I did. Not by leaps and bounds, but bit by bit. It's harder when you older!!!

photoweborama · January 3rd, 2007, 01:11 PM

Yes. I entered that Guitarmageddon competition and I hit a new plateau of speed and accuracy in my playing. I can shred now..

On the down side, for a long time, I could not slow down. Every solo was blinding fast. I've finally come close to reaching a happy medium between the two, but I still find myself favoring shredder speeds..

GoldieLocks · January 3rd, 2007, 01:32 PM

I joined a Country/Southern rock band this year. So I've been drowning myself in country playing. Sure is fun. A whole new world of licks. I'm also developing my country slide guitar. Almost everythings in the Major scale.

I feel like a new player after 23 years of blues Rock. Can't even listen to it anymore. (except some Gary Moore perhaps). Although I still brought all my blues/rock knowledge with me - just really stretchin' out.

I'm still tryin' to learn jazz though.

zombywoof · January 3rd, 2007, 01:40 PM

Yup but only cuz I returned to where I started decades ago - playing the music of Son House, Charley Patton and Barbecue Bob on acoustic. Sometimes ya gotta look backwards to move ahead.

Telenator · January 3rd, 2007, 01:43 PM

Definitely hit a new plateau this year. My rock chops have improved a lot while my blues/swing chops took a good slide. Just haven't had the opportunity to play that stuff and unfortunately, rock is about the worst thing I can do to myself right now.

But in a whole other arena, I have gigged and subbed alot this past year and have continued to increase my knowledge and ability to play well with others. Just as important as learning to play the instrument is, learning to become a good player. That includes honing my listening skills, dynamics, song catalog and learning more theory. It's been a great year and next year will continue to get better!

Telehackster · January 3rd, 2007, 01:49 PM

Absolutely, but I was able to play a lot more last year than I've done in a long time. For a long time I felt as though I was just trying to get back to the way I played; now I think I've made some advances. I hope to keep the trend going.

sidneystreet · January 3rd, 2007, 01:54 PM

Without a doubt. Not only did I learn new tunes, but I really cleaned up my technique on some of the old ones that I had let fall into sloppiness.

brillocaster · January 3rd, 2007, 01:55 PM

Seeing as how I started playing in March of 2006, I had nowhere to go but up!

I think I have done very well thanks to a good teacher, this board, and a buttload of trial and error.

In 2007 I have set a goal to play out. A friend gave me his bands set list and said "Pick three and sit in with us. If you suck we'll just kick the plug out of your amp. No worries." I've no delusions about becoming a pro, but playing for a crowd (and with hope, remaining plugged in) will go a long way toward validating all the work I've put in.

J-man · January 3rd, 2007, 02:05 PM

Definatly. I'm still nowhere near as good as I want to be, but I'm slowly improving.

Rocker AK · January 3rd, 2007, 04:28 PM

Absolutely....I've really been working hard on precision. Now, I'm discovering new swing/blues progressions and trying to "un"learn some of my bad habits. I've learned the hard way that it's easier if you get it right the first time.

Here's something to think about...a quote from Steve Vai....
"What you perceive yourself to be is what you will ultimately become."

That's a handy piece of motivational advice guaranteed to keep you moving forward.

Allan

Stefan · January 3rd, 2007, 04:45 PM

Yes, I really think I did.

I unlocked a lot of "closed doors" and found new interesting paths across the fretboard! I learnt A LOT this yea....uhm... LAST year I mean!

chickenpicker · January 3rd, 2007, 05:27 PM

No.

I still play the same stuff I've played for the last 25 years.

Must get out more...

Mr. Sparkle · January 3rd, 2007, 06:11 PM

yeah. I spent a lot of time learning the whole fretboard, including scales, chords, and voicings. Didn't play out as much as I'd have liked to. 2007, baby.

ibobunot · January 3rd, 2007, 06:26 PM

No, I'll be 54 jan. 7th and nothin' is getting any better.

WallyArms · January 3rd, 2007, 07:01 PM

No. I made progress for the previous 6 years and lost a lot of it in the past year due to very little (time to) practice, no playing with others, etc...

red57strat · January 3rd, 2007, 10:24 PM

Yes!

For the past 6 months or so I've been jamming with some guys for the first time in almost 10 years.

I went into to a lot better than I was 10 years ago and have gotten a lot better since we started.

Pete Galati · January 4th, 2007, 12:12 AM

I lost way too much playing time last year, and I think I got worse.

If I could combine what I could do 30 years ago, with what I know now, I'd be a decent player.

Pete

Val-tone · January 4th, 2007, 12:16 AM

Yeah, I guess I did... I made the new year's resolution back in 2005 that I would play every day. Even if I just went plunk, plunk, plunk, every note on every fret up and down the fingerboard, or just played chords. And I've stuck with that pretty well.

The thing with this past year though, I've been taking this one guitar apart, a Squier Cyclone, and messed around with different pickups and what-not. Although I learned a lot, I feel I've spent too much time in tone-quest land and not enough time in practice land. So my goal this year is to learn more songs and stuff. Oh, and if I can get in a band that would be an added benifit.

E.D. Patton · January 4th, 2007, 12:22 AM

Yup. Playing in an Irish band was a great for me to "get out of the box".

Learning those jigs, reels, and hornpipes (trad Irish forms) really got me out of a rut. They're unlike anything else I'd played, so i couldn't fall back on the tried and true. It was sink or swim and I did a little of both.

Bonneville Bruce · January 4th, 2007, 12:43 AM

Yeah, I got better, but it has been a long, slow steady climb. I started five years ago at the age of 50 and I don't have the dexterity that I used to.

It is fun for me, and I jam with friends every chance I get, and hold jams at my house at least twice a month. My partner in crime and I are working on reccording our second album, and we are partners in a tiny recording business. We are in the midst of finishing two commercial albums for local artists. I continue to dabble at writing rock songs on the guitar. I also plunk around on bass, lap steel, 12-string, acoustic guitar and the drums (I was a drummer in my former life). Tomorrrow I'm going with my wife to audition for an acccordian band! She plays the acccordian, and I'm offering my services as a guitarist and bass player. Kinda kilty, in a Scotttish way.

These activities keep me in the game and provide abundant learning opportunities. I still do not practice a tenth of what I should, I lazy. I also have a day job that has a way of getting into my guitar time with a full week and some night meetings.

But, yeah, I got a little better and love playing the electric six-string Spanish-style guitar invented by Leo Fender.

Bonneville Bruce
Currently favoring his '69 Tele Thinline MIM in the spectacularly subtle Surf Green.

'caster oil · January 4th, 2007, 12:49 AM

I think so... I hope so...

MulliganChebichev · January 4th, 2007, 01:14 AM

Yes, got some mid level chord construction down.
Made a bunch of tunes.
Etc. Hopefully I get better

Spidercaster · January 4th, 2007, 01:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J-man

Definatly. I'm still nowhere near as good as I want to be, but I'm slowly improving.

+1

FrankB · January 4th, 2007, 10:45 AM

I learned better right hand technique

kvgros · January 4th, 2007, 11:09 AM

Unfortunately after years of playing out 2-4 times a month, I last played live Aug 20, 2005...after which the dance cover band I was in went into "look for a new singer" mode and never came out. So my 2006 was spent woodshedding, trying out over 40 singers (2-4 most weekends), and watching everying drift their seperate ways. All the other members ended up in other bands that are very active but me (even the singer we let go). So I was the odd duck out that never hooked up with anyone in the end.

On the plus side I gotta meet some great new musicians, gotta see some good shows, and got some great new equipment (including a new Amer Delux Tele and HrdDlx). But I can say that any sheer improvement came from buckling down and focusing on getting better (since my band situations where so loose and impromptu due to being tryouts). After 15 years of playing it's a constant challenge to improve.

My 2007 resolution is to improve my country/swing playing and find me (or start me) a *gasp* newer/dancier country band around here.

-kev

January 3rd, 2007, 12:57 PM	#1 (permalink)
Martinussen Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Denmark Age: 40 Posts: 402	Did you get better in 2006? I always have the intention of becoming a better musician. However, too many times I find myself playing stuff I could do in my sleep, and the harder and more challenging parts are being pushed aside. It seems like I'm having a problem getting out of my "comfort zone". I hope that 2007 will be a great guitar year, and I will live up to my intentions. How about you? Did you get better in 2006?

January 3rd, 2007, 01:11 PM	#4 (permalink)
photoweborama Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Sacramento, CA Age: 50 Posts: 1,560 15 Photos	Yes. I entered that Guitarmageddon competition and I hit a new plateau of speed and accuracy in my playing. I can shred now.. On the down side, for a long time, I could not slow down. Every solo was blinding fast. I've finally come close to reaching a happy medium between the two, but I still find myself favoring shredder speeds.. __________________ Best guitar photos on the net! photoweborama.com!

January 3rd, 2007, 01:32 PM	#5 (permalink)
GoldieLocks Tele-Holic Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Abbotsford B.C. Posts: 837	did I get better? I joined a Country/Southern rock band this year. So I've been drowning myself in country playing. Sure is fun. A whole new world of licks. I'm also developing my country slide guitar. Almost everythings in the Major scale. I feel like a new player after 23 years of blues Rock. Can't even listen to it anymore. (except some Gary Moore perhaps). Although I still brought all my blues/rock knowledge with me - just really stretchin' out. I'm still tryin' to learn jazz though. __________________ "How little I know inspires me tremendously! I'm a huge fan of other people's playing." Bonnie Raitt

January 3rd, 2007, 01:40 PM	#6 (permalink)
zombywoof Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Back in the Heartland Posts: 2,924 17 Photos	Yup but only cuz I returned to where I started decades ago - playing the music of Son House, Charley Patton and Barbecue Bob on acoustic. Sometimes ya gotta look backwards to move ahead. __________________ "I don't play a lot of fancy guitar. I don't want to play it. The kind of guitar I want to play is mean, mean licks." John Lee Hooker

January 3rd, 2007, 01:43 PM	#7 (permalink)
Telenator Friend of Leo's Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Connecticut Posts: 4,947	Definitely hit a new plateau this year. My rock chops have improved a lot while my blues/swing chops took a good slide. Just haven't had the opportunity to play that stuff and unfortunately, rock is about the worst thing I can do to myself right now. But in a whole other arena, I have gigged and subbed alot this past year and have continued to increase my knowledge and ability to play well with others. Just as important as learning to play the instrument is, learning to become a good player. That includes honing my listening skills, dynamics, song catalog and learning more theory. It's been a great year and next year will continue to get better! __________________ Dogs have the right idea!

January 3rd, 2007, 01:03 PM	#2 (permalink)
TG Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Beside a bog in the west of Ireland Age: 47 Posts: 4,733 7 Photos	I think so. I feel I play abit differently than I did a year ago and I hope 'better' describes it.

January 3rd, 2007, 01:04 PM	#3 (permalink)
TJNY Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Orange County, NY Posts: 1,199	Yes, I did. Not by leaps and bounds, but bit by bit. It's harder when you older!!!

January 3rd, 2007, 01:49 PM	#8 (permalink)
Telehackster Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Texas, USA Age: 43 Posts: 1,066	Absolutely, but I was able to play a lot more last year than I've done in a long time. For a long time I felt as though I was just trying to get back to the way I played; now I think I've made some advances. I hope to keep the trend going.

January 3rd, 2007, 01:54 PM	#9 (permalink)
sidneystreet Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 1,240	Without a doubt. Not only did I learn new tunes, but I really cleaned up my technique on some of the old ones that I had let fall into sloppiness.

January 3rd, 2007, 01:55 PM	#10 (permalink)
brillocaster Tele-Holic Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 753	Seeing as how I started playing in March of 2006, I had nowhere to go but up! I think I have done very well thanks to a good teacher, this board, and a buttload of trial and error. In 2007 I have set a goal to play out. A friend gave me his bands set list and said "Pick three and sit in with us. If you suck we'll just kick the plug out of your amp. No worries." I've no delusions about becoming a pro, but playing for a crowd (and with hope, remaining plugged in) will go a long way toward validating all the work I've put in.

January 3rd, 2007, 02:05 PM	#11 (permalink)
J-man Moderator Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: North Wales/Scarborough Age: 20 Posts: 6,374 9 Photos	Definatly. I'm still nowhere near as good as I want to be, but I'm slowly improving. __________________ Write a wise saying and your name will live forever. - Unknown "The large print giveth and the small print taketh away." - Tom Waits

January 3rd, 2007, 04:28 PM	#12 (permalink)
Rocker AK Tele-Holic Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Virginia Age: 42 Posts: 963	Absolutely....I've really been working hard on precision. Now, I'm discovering new swing/blues progressions and trying to "un"learn some of my bad habits. I've learned the hard way that it's easier if you get it right the first time. Here's something to think about...a quote from Steve Vai.... "What you perceive yourself to be is what you will ultimately become." That's a handy piece of motivational advice guaranteed to keep you moving forward. Allan

January 3rd, 2007, 04:45 PM	#13 (permalink)
Stefan Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Sweden Age: 29 Posts: 1,826 37 Photos	Yes, I really think I did. I unlocked a lot of "closed doors" and found new interesting paths across the fretboard! I learnt A LOT this yea....uhm... LAST year I mean! __________________ 1981 Capri Orange Fender Telecaster 1976 Fender Stratocaster 2007 Martin Backpacker 2005 Martin HD-28

January 3rd, 2007, 05:27 PM	#14 (permalink)
chickenpicker Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: UK Posts: 3,060 14 Photos	No. I still play the same stuff I've played for the last 25 years. Must get out more...

January 3rd, 2007, 06:11 PM	#15 (permalink)
Mr. Sparkle Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Carlsbad, CA Age: 41 Posts: 1,313 4 Photos	yeah. I spent a lot of time learning the whole fretboard, including scales, chords, and voicings. Didn't play out as much as I'd have liked to. 2007, baby.

January 3rd, 2007, 06:26 PM	#16 (permalink)
ibobunot Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Dullsville Posts: 3,456	No, I'll be 54 jan. 7th and nothin' is getting any better.

January 3rd, 2007, 07:01 PM	#17 (permalink)
WallyArms Tele-Holic Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: TN Posts: 963	No. I made progress for the previous 6 years and lost a lot of it in the past year due to very little (time to) practice, no playing with others, etc... __________________ Save The Hymnals!

January 3rd, 2007, 10:24 PM	#18 (permalink)
red57strat Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 1,313	Yes! For the past 6 months or so I've been jamming with some guys for the first time in almost 10 years. I went into to a lot better than I was 10 years ago and have gotten a lot better since we started. __________________ Don

January 4th, 2007, 12:12 AM	#19 (permalink)
Pete Galati R.I.P. Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 8,104 2 Photos	I lost way too much playing time last year, and I think I got worse. If I could combine what I could do 30 years ago, with what I know now, I'd be a decent player. Pete

January 4th, 2007, 12:16 AM	#20 (permalink)
Val-tone Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Milwaukee, WI Age: 43 Posts: 621 5 Photos	Yeah, I guess I did... I made the new year's resolution back in 2005 that I would play every day. Even if I just went plunk, plunk, plunk, every note on every fret up and down the fingerboard, or just played chords. And I've stuck with that pretty well. The thing with this past year though, I've been taking this one guitar apart, a Squier Cyclone, and messed around with different pickups and what-not. Although I learned a lot, I feel I've spent too much time in tone-quest land and not enough time in practice land. So my goal this year is to learn more songs and stuff. Oh, and if I can get in a band that would be an added benifit. __________________ "This is a song that sometimes takes a building in a manner which our forefathers were very used to. Did you hear that? It's right, isn't it? That feeling that's left everybody, the cosmic energy! Everybody goes yeah! Bash!" - R. Plant

January 4th, 2007, 12:22 AM	#21 (permalink)
E.D. Patton Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 942	Yup. Playing in an Irish band was a great for me to "get out of the box". Learning those jigs, reels, and hornpipes (trad Irish forms) really got me out of a rut. They're unlike anything else I'd played, so i couldn't fall back on the tried and true. It was sink or swim and I did a little of both.

January 4th, 2007, 12:43 AM	#22 (permalink)
Bonneville Bruce Tele-Holic Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Caldwell, Idaho Posts: 580	Yeah, I got better, but it has been a long, slow steady climb. I started five years ago at the age of 50 and I don't have the dexterity that I used to. It is fun for me, and I jam with friends every chance I get, and hold jams at my house at least twice a month. My partner in crime and I are working on reccording our second album, and we are partners in a tiny recording business. We are in the midst of finishing two commercial albums for local artists. I continue to dabble at writing rock songs on the guitar. I also plunk around on bass, lap steel, 12-string, acoustic guitar and the drums (I was a drummer in my former life). Tomorrrow I'm going with my wife to audition for an acccordian band! She plays the acccordian, and I'm offering my services as a guitarist and bass player. Kinda kilty, in a Scotttish way. These activities keep me in the game and provide abundant learning opportunities. I still do not practice a tenth of what I should, I lazy. I also have a day job that has a way of getting into my guitar time with a full week and some night meetings. But, yeah, I got a little better and love playing the electric six-string Spanish-style guitar invented by Leo Fender. Bonneville Bruce Currently favoring his '69 Tele Thinline MIM in the spectacularly subtle Surf Green. __________________ "Let us issue, 'Live Music is Better' bumper stickers."

January 4th, 2007, 12:49 AM	#23 (permalink)
'caster oil Tele-Holic Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 692 1 Photos	I think so... I hope so... __________________ "Capo on the fourth fret." Keef

January 4th, 2007, 01:14 AM	#24 (permalink)
MulliganChebichev Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Eugene, Oregon Age: 18 Posts: 1,796 11 Photos	Yes, got some mid level chord construction down. Made a bunch of tunes. Etc. Hopefully I get better

January 4th, 2007, 10:45 AM	#26 (permalink)
FrankB Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Havertown, PA. U.S.A. Posts: 749	I learned better right hand technique __________________ http://www.myspace.com/frankbrigandi http://www.myspace.com/rotosonic If less is more, then I am going to give it my all, and do nothing.

January 4th, 2007, 11:09 AM	#27 (permalink)
kvgros TDPRI Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: St. Louis Posts: 13	Unfortunately after years of playing out 2-4 times a month, I last played live Aug 20, 2005...after which the dance cover band I was in went into "look for a new singer" mode and never came out. So my 2006 was spent woodshedding, trying out over 40 singers (2-4 most weekends), and watching everying drift their seperate ways. All the other members ended up in other bands that are very active but me (even the singer we let go). So I was the odd duck out that never hooked up with anyone in the end. On the plus side I gotta meet some great new musicians, gotta see some good shows, and got some great new equipment (including a new Amer Delux Tele and HrdDlx). But I can say that any sheer improvement came from buckling down and focusing on getting better (since my band situations where so loose and impromptu due to being tryouts). After 15 years of playing it's a constant challenge to improve. My 2007 resolution is to improve my country/swing playing and find me (or start me) a gasp newer/dancier country band around here. -kev