Are you intimidated?

[Music Junkie]

NKenny wrote:

I don't get intimidated by watching some who play and sing well. I may get frustrated when I see others do things that I cant seem to accomplish. But I have learned you can't compare yourself to others. No matter how bad you think you are there will always be people not as good. No matter how good you think you are there will always be people better. If you do you will never be happy with what you can do. I learn and play to entertain myself, I know I will never be on stage entertaining others. I think most of us want to post a video where we have done the best that we think we can. I enjoy all levels of playing on the videos, I learn from some that are good and some that are struggling like myself. If I ever figure out how to record and post I will someday attempt to play and post a video.

One last word, if any of us got intimidated by watching others, we would never pick up the guitar after we watched Neil play. I think he is one of the best, most knowledgeable guitarist there is.

Great post Tony
Kenny

Kenny: Great choice of words sir. Excellent points and I could not agree more.... B) B)

J

[thereshopeyet]

Thanks

[tovo]

I really want to say thank you to all who have responded. I can't recall getting more thoughtful responses to a thread and I've certainly enjoyed reading them.

[thereshopeyet]

Thanks

[schm040]

Yes I am. No doubt about it.

I am fortunate though, I have to do a lot of public speaking and posting is a lot like that.

The more you do it, you actually enjoy it.

Of course, I was a member for 20 months before I posted, so the first one is always the hardest.

I say go for it, as someone already said, there will always be someone better than you, so get over it.

Matt

[skaladar]

This is an interesting question indeed. I joined TG about 6 months ago after deciding to pick up the guitar again after some 25 years of pursuing a career. Since then I've been able to play at least an hour a day and I spend as much time as I can viewing the abundance of content available here ... yet this is my first post in the forums! In that time I've added had a ball learning about a dozen new songs not to mention quite a bit of theory. I wish I had more time to absorb more that goes on here. However, before I get too off topic I suppose I should steer my way back to addressing the question. That was my intent after all.

In a way I do feel intimidated but I too don't know if that is really the right word. When I start a new song I plop myself down in front of a camcorder as soon as I can get thru it, more often than not without vocals, to record it. I use this as tool to mark my progress as well as to study my technique. As I become more proficient I repeat recording the same song(s) and it never fails to amaze me how much I learn about where I need to focus my attention to improve one thing or another. 25 years ago all I could do was make an audio tape. The difference between just hearing and being able to see and hear what I am working on is like the difference between night and day.

Perhaps it's my background as an engineer, which tends to make me a bit of a perfectionist, that has kept me from posting any videos. I have watched, and learned a lot from, many student reviews so I know that both Neil and the TG community would be nothing less than supportive, encouraging and helpful regardless of how well or how poorly I'm doing. I'm not shy about playing for friends or family. Gawd knows I'm happy when people just recognize a popular song (one that they would know) as that being what I am actually playing. So why don't I upload what I am working on? Am I intimidated or is it because I know that with a little more time, effort and practice I will do that much better? I honestly don’t know. On the other hand, in reviewing my sparse profile, I noticed there were over 80,000 members listed. No matter how you look at it that makes for a very small percentage of people here who have the inclination or the ways and means to post their work. Wow, imagine if everyone posted a video? I’d never get out from behind the monitor. Either way I know I'm not in the minority.

It’s probably a good thing that I read this thread. It alone is encouraging and it will motivate me finish transposing “Mr. Bojangles” into the key of D and to nail the cross picking in “From the Beginning” and so on. Good, now I’ve set a goal for myself. Since I can’t find a good reason in my head NOT to post a video, I’ll have to do it.

Let me just get a little better at ... hehe

Ken

[sbutler]

Tony,

I just so happens that after the last LIVE TG thing a couple of weeks ago, I pulled out the old video camera that hasn't seen the light of day for at least 4 years. The battery's are at least 6 and 7 years old, and because of Neils challenge on that wonderful Alaskan Saturday morning, I decided that I would give it a go.

Honestly I haven't read every thread above word for word, so I don't know if this has been touched or If I'm touching it myself. Wait, that didn't sound right.

Anyway, I really haven't been compelled to post a video of myself. Not something I've ever felt the need to do for any reason, other than the obvious one of allowing my instructor to witness what he's created.

So with that, I (or Santa Claus) bought my wife a machine for Christmas that will take old family videos and turn them into DVDs. I figured, why not charge those old batteries, put the vid cam on a tripod and have a go at it.

So today, I set it all up, got the lighting just right, ( I could probably use a makeup tech as well), and I started picking. Only to find that the freshly charged battery's only lasted about 15 seconds and were dead. So much for my plan.

But I ain't a quitter, and will keep trying until I get something to work. So for now, I really haven't been intimidated even though I have joked in the past about having the guts. Maybe I'll go get a new battery to burn a video that I can copy to a disc and then send it on its way.


Scott

[tovo]

skaladar wrote:

It’s probably a good thing that I read this thread. It alone is encouraging and it will motivate me finish transposing “Mr. Bojangles” into the key of D and to nail the cross picking in “From the Beginning” and so on. Good, now I’ve set a goal for myself. Since I can’t find a good reason in my head NOT to post a video, I’ll have to do it.

Ken

Ken if you post a video I will personally be thrilled. Looking forward to it. Mr Bojangles is a great tune, I think it's only been done once, by Webostick...where IS he by the way?

Looking forward to your video as well Scott.

[lueders]

Tony, you don't need me to tell you I am sure. But a lot of good came out of this thread. I think it has actually got folks thinking about it & served to encourage more folks to post...and that can't be a bad thing. Kudos Green-Man!
Cori

[heyjoe]

Great thread Tony.

I'm not intimidated by anyones playing on here, inspired, a little jealous, certainly, but intimidated, no.
The only person who has ever made me feeel like giving up was Tommy Emmanuel after a gig, he is so good, and I was so frustrated at the time, because my playing wasnt progressing, people like Tommy, and Neil have such outraegous ability it can make you feel inferior- however, I prefer to see it as inspiring, theres no doubt both have spent a huge amount of time and effort working to play like they do, it makes me want to do the same.

Being able to put a video of yourself playing guitar on TG is one of the very best features of this site. Not only does the poster receive positive constructive comments- which lets be honest- are a moral booster for everyone, but it helps bring the TG community togethereven more.

Joe