Barriers to Improvement

eagle670
Posts: 0
Joined: Sun Mar 08, 2009 3:45 pm
Status: Offline

Thu Oct 29, 2009 12:10 pm

When I first picked the guitar back up last summer, I was like a kid in a candy store. Trying to learn too many things at one time. Finger picking styles, theory, strumming patterns, tabs, Chord/melodies, ect.. you name it I was trying to learn it. Then once that period was over, I finally settled into a more relaxed state of mind. Now I work and focus on one area and only one area of guitar at a time. Right now I am learning a new tune, which has a competely new finger picking pattern. I spend probably 15 minutes on that, then 15 minutes on some theory and then the last 30 minutes I have fun playing all the stuff that I have learned over the last year. I won't go on to anything else until I have that new tune down.
What I have found over the last year is that once you hit that so called "wall", you have to take a break. Leave the guitar alone for a few days, when you come back you will be surprised at how well your focus is. At least that is how it works for me.

Kevin


mmmbldo
Posts: 0
Joined: Mon Mar 23, 2009 1:29 pm
Status: Offline

Thu Oct 29, 2009 12:44 pm

BigBear wrote:

I agree but is there a point where you have to admit that you just don't possess the necessary skills to accomplish the task or play the song? Is there a point it becomes self-defeating? I think these questions are at the core of adult learning and especially music learning.

I'm not ready to admit this yet but can you bite off more than you can chew? :unsure:[/quote]

Bear,

I'm sure we all do have limitations although some appear not to. It has been said before, though, that we should try to make a song our own. I think that the times we bite off more than we can chew is when we fail to take this approach and think we will fail, if we don't play a song the same way as those with seemingly unlimited talent. For example, a person with arthritis or a hand injury who can't play rapid notes might seek to make a song his own by trying to express it as musically as possible with an economy of notes. If he does this, he can succeed and make a good contribution.


BigBear
Posts: 0
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 11:02 am
Status: Offline

Thu Oct 29, 2009 1:06 pm

mmmbldo wrote:

Bear,

I'm sure we all do have limitations although some appear not to. It has been said before, though, that we should try to make a song our own. I think that the times we bite off more than we can chew is when we fail to take this approach and think we will fail, if we don't play a song the same way as those with seemingly unlimited talent. For example, a person with arthritis or a hand injury who can't play rapid notes might seek to make a song his own by trying to express it as musically as possible with an economy of notes. If he does this, he can succeed and make a good contribution.

Excellent point! Like I mentioned I am working on Windy and Warm and I used Doc Watson for some inspiration. He plays the song with two fingers and he's blind! Talk about making a song your own! I have no right complain about my challenges!! :cheer:


__m__
Posts: 0
Joined: Sun Oct 25, 2009 12:28 pm
Status: Offline

Thu Oct 29, 2009 1:11 pm

mmmbldo wrote:
I agree but is there a point where you have to admit that you just don't possess the necessary skills to accomplish the task or play the song? Is there a point it becomes self-defeating?

I think this is what I convince myself of. Whether or not it is true doesn't really matter if I'm becoming self-destructive.


User avatar
neverfoundthetime
Posts: 48
Joined: Sat Aug 01, 2009 2:14 pm
Status: Offline

Thu Oct 29, 2009 1:16 pm

_M_ keeping your thoughts positive and optimistic is key. We all have those same thoughts... somewhere back there's a post about Clapton leaving the room beacuse SRV was freaking him out by "channeling" the music. He was trying to protect his self-opinion. Now if Clapton can have doubts, why can't we. Just make sure you have your doubts but they don't have you! Yes you can! That's a powerful saying and it's Bear's favourite! I will now run for cover....


BigBear
Posts: 0
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 11:02 am
Status: Offline

Thu Oct 29, 2009 1:44 pm

neverfoundthetime wrote:
_M_ keeping your thoughts positive and optimistic is key. We all have those same thoughts... somewhere back there's a post about Clapton leaving the room beacuse SRV was freaking him out by "channeling" the music. He was trying to protect his self-opinion. Now if Clapton can have doubts, why can't we. Just make sure you have your doubts but they don't have you! Yes you can! That's a powerful saying and it's Bear's favourite! I will now run for cover....

Chris- I don't think any of us would have ever picked up a guitar if we didn't fully believe "Yes, you can!". It's only after you've played for awhile and don't quite sound like Jimmy, Eric, Stevie or Neil that the seeds of doubt start creeping in! LOL! Good players make it look so easy, to me one of the definitions of a "good Player", but the reality of any musical instrument is quite different.

With this thread I wanted to explore the psychology factors that prevent us from achieving our goals. There have been some really good, thoughtful comments so far. I hope they can continue. :cheer:


User avatar
neverfoundthetime
Posts: 48
Joined: Sat Aug 01, 2009 2:14 pm
Status: Offline

Thu Oct 29, 2009 2:05 pm

Great thread Rick! Yes our minds are far more the limiting factor than out fingers, arms or lack of know how. Fingers get better with practice, know-how can be acquired. The mind set needed to progress has to be brought to the game or the horse will stop at the first hurdle. Realising that there will ALWAYS be the NEXT HURDLE is a great mental step forward. Learning how to clear the hurdles is the real game going on no matter what you're trying to achieve. Clear the hurdle and you have an open space ahead of you for a way..... but the next hurdle is surely waiting. get used to it and you'll start taking the hurdles in your stride. And don't be afraid of falling on your face. The comic Mack Dryden said, "Falling on your face is still a step forward". That is powerful thinking. What you think is what you get (that's my moto)! But I have to remind myself of that very thing EVERY single day.

Hey this is my post 777, nice number! ;-)


tovo
Posts: 0
Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2009 4:35 pm
Status: Offline

Thu Oct 29, 2009 2:08 pm

Another good thread Bear.

I have always found it helps to periodically reflect on the things you can do now that you couldn't do previously. Rather than be dragged down by negative thoughts about the things you can't do on a guitar (How does it help to think "gee I'm not as good as Clapton"??) you should acknowledge your own improvement I think, perhaps thinking "wow, 3 months ago I struggled with playing an F Barre Chord, now I have it down" OK you still can't play Classical Gas (I know some can) but you ARE improving and will continue to do so with persistence. Nothing in this world takes the place of persistence. I just think stay positive. Focus on what you can do. Focus on the songs you have learned to play well and commit to taking the time needed to learn new ones. Negative thoughts and self-pity will kill progress without a doubt. If you think "I can't" guess what? You won't.

You might not be improving as quickly as you would like, I think we all feel that. But you ARE improving and achieving. If you give up, you achieve nothing.

I just mean to reinforce that persistence and positive attitude is all important, I don't mean to preach, that's Andy's job! :)


haoli25
Posts: 0
Joined: Thu Mar 12, 2009 7:06 am
Status: Offline

Thu Oct 29, 2009 2:18 pm

The biggest "Barrier To Improvement" is not between the strings and frets, it is between our own ears. We can increase our dexterity with practice and repetition, but we have to maintain focus and concentrate on what we are trying to attain. I truly believe that any of us can play anything we put our mind to, BUT, we have to put our mind to it first so our fingers will have something to follow.

The greatest lesson I have learned from the TARGET program is that you are never so 'advanced' that you don't need to go back and practice (and sometimes re-learn) the very basics. I have had more fun with those than I have with Classical Gas or The Sage.

Be patient with yourself too. Don't measure a mile with a micrometer. I think we can all remember a time when just playing a simple C chord was damn near impossible.



Bill Image


AndyT
Posts: 0
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 2:06 am
Status: Offline

Thu Oct 29, 2009 2:19 pm

A great example of biting off more than you can chew is trying to learn Classical Gas when all you know is a D chord. Neil's job is to build our skill set and if we follow his program (programme for Chas) then we should get to where it is we think we want to be. And likely quicker than jumping on every song that we love as soon as it gets posted.

But, there is also the fun factor in it. If you're not having fun, then you won't play. So do your practice on the stuff you should be on then have fun with stuff you're not really ready for.


Post Reply Previous topicNext topic