• zguitar
  • Don't call me Sir
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  • From: Mentone, Ca
  • Registered: 2009-01-10
  • Posts: 1,367

Topic: Good days vs. bad

Hello fellow strummers!!!

I'm a newbie of less than a year, so I know that most days I play are going to be on the not so good end of the scale. But I have very few good days. I mean days where I come away thinking I played well. I try to play 30 to 60 mins a day. By playing, I really mean practicing the 10 or so songs I'm learning. Most days are OK, lots of mistakes, just another session I was able to make it thru. Some days are just bad, very discouraging and makes me think that I should hang it up. Just wanted to know from those who have been playing longer than me what your % of good to bad is.

Good = 5%
Ok = 70%
Bad = 25%
Just a rough guesstimation

Keep rockin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Keep Rockin!!!!!!!!!!!
  • From: Wales
  • Registered: 2009-01-09
  • Posts: 220

Re: Good days vs. bad

Keep your chin up, I had the same feelings until I realised that as I progressed I was learning harder songs so I never really felt that I had really a nailed a song.  Since I realised this I have regulalry gone back to the first few songs I ever learned (knocking on Heavens Door, Let it Be etc) and had a bash at those, then you realise how muh you have progressed.
Crevs.

Epiphone EJ200  -  Epiphone SG400  -  Fender Strat Blacktop.
Blackstar HT 40 Club  -  Vox VT30 - Behringer ACX ultracoustic 1000

crevs.1972's Website

  • From: Laredo, Texas
  • Registered: 2009-01-24
  • Posts: 38

Re: Good days vs. bad

Hello Z,
     The learning curve is not a straight line for most of us. When you are learning a song, you may play it a hundred times or more, and feel you are getting nowhere. Then suddenly, seemingly out of the blue you are playing it like you've played it all your life. If you like playing guitar, never give up. If you like the songs you are learning never give up. And if you have questions or are discouraged turn to your fellow chordians. We are here for you!

But, here's the secret about the guitar: It's defiant. It will never let you conquer it. The more that you get involved with it, the more you realize how little you know.
                 Les Paul  March 2007

skydivr103's Website

  • From: Almancil, Algarve, Portugal
  • Registered: 2006-09-02
  • Posts: 6,198

Re: Good days vs. bad

Hi Z,

When I learn a new song or I teach my students a new song I do just that. One song. Trying to learn 10 songs at once is, in my opinion, a recipe for disaster. Concentrate on one song and bottom that before trying another one. Start with easy songs first and choose more difficult ones as your playing and the number of chords you know improve.


Roger

"Do, or do not; there is no try"

Roger Guppy's Website

  • Zurf
  • Zurf
  • Blunt but well meaning moderator
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  • From: Virginia, USA
  • Registered: 2007-06-27
  • Posts: 7,522

Re: Good days vs. bad

If you're working on 10 songs and have been playing less than a year, then I'd say that you are doing GREAT not OK.  Keep at it and you'll see the numbers slide from the OK category to Good. 

- Zurf

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
When in doubt ... hats. - B.G. Dude
  • From: Georgia
  • Registered: 2007-07-09
  • Posts: 381

Re: Good days vs. bad

Hey Z I have also felt the same as you with my practice appreciation. I was told by someone with alot more experience that if you try to play a song the exact same as the original you will never be satisfied. I say try the original but add some of yourself into it  and change it up and you will be alot happier with your progress. It works for me and i have found my  personal sound now instead of copying others.

  • tandm3
  • Senior Member
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  • From: Florida Panhandle
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 421

Re: Good days vs. bad

I had my epiphany in 1985 when a friend of mine showed me some of the filler stuff he played on his version of Buffalo Springfields "For What its Worth".  Its mostly a two chord E and A sort of thing but he played 12th, 7th and  5th fret harmonics between chords and also did some fingering runs in the pentatonic scale (i didn't know what that was at the time).  These little tricks really made this song sound great to me.  I asked him to show me exactly what he was doing and his explanation was "Well you do this and that and this and that and your done".  It took me weeks of practicing hard to sort of duplicate that "sound" but the light came on when I did.  I had inadvertantly discovered the blues scale and harmonics.  24 years later, I'm still learning it. and still loving it.  Now to answer you Zguitar,  I don't like to get hung up in percentages of good and bad.  The practice is part of the journey.  The more practice, the more journey.  Don't constantly repeat your repertoire.  Learn something new and unfamiliar.  Try to play the melodies inside of your chords.   They are in there.  Open them up.  Skydivr103 is right - "Suddenly, out the the blue, you're playing it."

Now available in 5G !

8 Reply by zguitar (edited by zguitar 2009-05-27 02:31:47)

  • zguitar
  • Don't call me Sir
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  • From: Mentone, Ca
  • Registered: 2009-01-10
  • Posts: 1,367

Re: Good days vs. bad

Thanks to all for the encouragement!!!!

Of the 10 songs I'm learning I can't play any of them all the way thru without mistakes. That's what gets me. I still plonk my D chord quite a bit which blows my mind! Nothing comes out consistent. One day a song sounds good, the next day I'm learning it for the first time again.

I have to have variety cuz it would drive me insane if I worked on only 1. I didnt't just start out with 10, I've gradually added ones I thought were easier than what I had. All my songs are really ez. Total I'm only playing 6 or 8 different chords. So I'm getting lots and lots of repetition.

So I sit down with my 10 pages and start with the first 1. Which is Stand By Me by the way. This is the 1st song I learned and still play it every practice session. I play that at least 2 times thru. If it sounds good I move on, if it sounds bad I'll struggle maybe 2 more time thru. So on for the other 9 songs.

I don't try to copy the original. I find one that I think sounds good and looks ez to play and use it to learn off of. Youtube is an amazing educational tool for me as is Chordie.

As for making a song my own, I can't play a whole song thru so I'm not at a level where I can puposely make something sound different. I know it takes practice practice practice. At this point I don't care about progressing, I just want to be consistent.


Keep Rockin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!~

Keep Rockin!!!!!!!!!!!
  • From: Alabama Gulf Coast
  • Registered: 2008-06-24
  • Posts: 1,819

Re: Good days vs. bad

zguitar,
As long as you detect progress, press on.
I learn two new songs at a time. When I get bored with one, I hammer away at the second.
You want to put together a list of cool tunes. Go for a wide variety that you think will interest an audience as well as yourself.

We pronounce it "Guf Coast".
Ya'll wanna go down to the Guf?

tubatooter1940's Website

  • From: Texas
  • Registered: 2007-07-31
  • Posts: 950

Re: Good days vs. bad

dfoskey wrote:

Hey Z I have also felt the same as you with my practice appreciation. I was told by someone with alot more experience that if you try to play a song the exact same as the original you will never be satisfied. I say try the original but add some of yourself into it  and change it up and you will be alot happier with your progress. It works for me and i have found my  personal sound now instead of copying others.

I'll second that! I've learned that myself in my five years of playing. Learn the tabs (or music or whatever you use), but don't be afraid to do what comes natural for you. For example I'm always hammering on all over the place, especially at chord changes, to a fault at times then I think 'now that just sounds ridiculous you've got to make yourself stop'. But always be you, you can have a song be recognizable and still tweak it to fit your style/skill level.
And I still have days where I play horrible, and days when I feel like I play very well. One thing to bear in mind is there's no such thing as wasted practice. Any time you play you're growing and learning, even if you don't think so. And one day you'll realize you're very descent and wonder how it happened, but it was all that monotnous strumming your three little chords, then stumbling through your scales, then botching your first tabs that actually built you up to the level you're on. Not to mention your building your callouses every time you play.

All You Need is Love smile

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