What motivates you to improve?

michelew
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Thu Mar 17, 2016 8:38 pm

There are a couple of interesting points in the thread entitled "leaving TG". I'm not going to get into the main issues of the thread. But, I found Jason's comment that he's less motivated (or maybe differently motivated) without a teacher helping to push him along to improve an interesting and thought provoking one.

So I'm wondering what keeps you motivated?

For me at the moment it's:

- the TG camp - knowing I'll need to play in front on people in real time
- a sweet friend - who's helping me to get over my performance nerves - insisting I play for her :) :kiss:
- my song-writing partnership with David - though he's doing most of the guitar-specific work
- TG challenges
- new TG lessons and playthroughs; though I know I generally start these and then get distracted by the next shiny thing. I'm not finishing many to the level when I can record them or play them for people at the moment.

I'm mostly trying to rejuvenate songs I've learned before at the moment.

So what's working for you? Uploading videos? A teacher that you get one-on-one instruction from? People you play with or for? Your own passion? Something else?

I'd love to hear what works for you.

Cheers.

Michele


dekotaj
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Thu Mar 17, 2016 10:08 pm

michelew wrote:
[quote]There are a couple of interesting points in the thread entitled "leaving TG". I'm not going to get into the main issues of the thread. But, I found Jason's comment that he's less motivated (or maybe differently motivated) without a teacher helping to push him along to improve.

So I'm wondering what keeps you motivated?


I to have been looking at the thread "leaving TG". I think Jason's last paragraph said it all. I will leave it there.

As far as motivation. I've been sooo burnt out the last year are so I almost put up all my guitars. I told Lisa if I didn't find a way to get out of my funk by the end of the year I was going to hang up playing for awhile. But I have been working on some strumming work. I'll see if that will help???

Have a blast at the camp.
Kev

I see the thread we are talking about has been moving on. So this is the statement of Jason's I was talking about.

To each his own... We don't all take to the same type of teaching methods. What works for some, may not work for others, and that is perfectly acceptable. It's life. I think the cost of TG compared to it's worth is probably different for each of us. We all have to make that determination on our own, and decide accordingly.

J


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Music Junkie
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Thu Mar 17, 2016 10:18 pm

Shel:

The IGC is typically my biggest motivator each year! Fear of performing in front of others can motivate a person to practice and improve like few other things. :)

I battle with focus most times. My typical path goes something like this:

1 - Hear a song that I really like
2 - Sit down and try to figure the chords out
3 - Create a chord/lyrics sheet (you will see my jumble of books in August)
4 - Play along with youtube to get comfortable with the song
5 - Forget all about it, and move on to the next song to cross my radar

I just don't TRULY learn a song, and commit it to memory. A huge shortcoming of mine.

I am so amazed when I get to play with Jeff each year. He can play well over 200 songs by memory (and that is being very conservative). It is so fun to sit an watch him just jump from one song to the next without skipping a beat. I have not quite figured out how to put it all together yet. I want to get motivated to get better at that. Sometimes I think I need a deadline and some pressure. :P


heyjoe
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Fri Mar 18, 2016 7:48 am

Hi Michelle

First of all I wanted to say, what a great question you ask of us all. "What motivates you to improve?", I hope this question gets a lot of answers. It may help those who are out of sorts to help them get back playing too, as we all have times when we stop playing.

With that in mind, I have a lot motivating me at the moment. In the run up to Christmas 2015 I decided that when family asked me what I wanted for presents I would ask for funds towards music related purchases. My birthday is 3 weeks after Christmas, so I did the same there too. All my family know how much I enjoy playing guitars and making music, so they know cash towards music presents make me very happy.

So after Christmas and birthday, I was able to buy a Focusrite Scarlett Solo Audio Interface, as my previous one was dying a slow and not silent death, and a MIDI Keyboard. I have the Audio Interface up and running, and it sounds fantastic. It took a bit of tweaking to get it working correctly but its running as clear as a bell with minimal latency. The MIDI keyboard is up and running too, its a steep learning curve but a lot of fun.

Buying both of these got me motivated to get back into playing guitar more, I'm now back playing pretty much every day, back learning Tommy Emmanuel Boom Chick Style stuff-its very slow going but fun. I'm starting out on theory too, its a huge challenge for me as I know nothing, but everything I remember helps my playing.

Having the Audio Interface and the MIDI Keyboard made me realise that I didn't really know that much about how to use the DAW I have, which is Reaper. So that had to change, and has changed, I've learned so much in such a short amount of time, and realised that Reaper is as easy or as hard as you want it to be. Mine is now customised to the way I work, with templates and actions, so its so much easier to use.

So what motivates me, setting challenges-whether I complete them or not is immaterial, its the knowledge I gain in trying that's the main thing, improving my skill set and having fun while doing it, enjoying playing the guitar and knowing when to put it down so my head can process all the new knowledge.

After all that, I gotta go play now, thanks :)
Joe


michelew
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Fri Mar 18, 2016 8:31 am

Thanks for sharing guys. I find it interesting to hear what you're all up to and how our experiences compare.

Kev - I'm so sorry you're in a funk. I know I've been there myself quite a few times, especially when I feel like I'm not progressing, or in fact I'm going backwards and I wonder why I'm bothering. Different things always bring me back to playing something. It would be a true shame if you didn't play for a while. I personally always enjoy listening to your uploads. I admire your abilities. You've definitely inspired me to learn new things; including Croce songs. I hope the strumming gives you some new energy and drive. If you feel like sharing, I'd love to hear what you're up to.

And yeh, Jason is a wise man.

Jason - that cycle sounds pretty familiar to me. :) but you do more work than I do to work sings out for yourself. I'm really looking forward to meeting you in person old man and I'm dead sure I'll be in awe of Jeff's playing too. I can commit songs to memory, but it seems that the memory banks throw it out again if I don't keep going back and learning it, or reinforcing the learning. I'm really crap at that it seems. Now Lynn definitely has the right idea there.

Joe - it's great to hear from you. You'll love the midi keyboard it's lots of fun, especially when combined with sound patches that can emulate a bunch of other instruments. I'd love to hear what you do with it. I also enjoy learning new skills, I guess that's why I've started learning a few different instruments. I'm not proficient at anything, but learning enough to be able to make some cool sounds is a heap of fun. I know nothing about Reaper but it sounds like an adventure. Enjoy the journey, that's where lots of the fun is to be had.

Thanks guys.

Shel


willem
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Fri Mar 18, 2016 5:37 pm

What motivates me to improve,, well look at Bill his latest busking thread.

long may he run,, :laugh: :laugh: B)

Willem


dtaylor
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Fri Mar 18, 2016 5:55 pm

My motivation is purely to be able to do something I can't yet. That usually just means a song I want to learn, and they tend to be at the more difficult end of the spectrum, chord solo type instrumentals these days.
I've long wanted to learn theory, but the one downside to online learning is that I could never find the motivation to learn it the way I would if I had an appointment each week and was expected to have progressed with it in some specific way, e.g. learning certain scales by rote. It always seems like 'work' and I play the guitar to escape that!

I never lack the motivation to pick up the guitar and play, like some people have said; for me there's an endless list of new things to learn and different ways to enjoy the instrument so I never get bored.


michelew
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Fri Mar 18, 2016 6:00 pm

Willem,

Yep Bill has brilliant skills. I definitely envy his playing. There are many people on this site who've motivated me to improve over the years.

I have to say Vanessa has been a huge inspiration to me since she arrived on the scene here on TG. Her guitar skills are awesome, her singing, her ability to play so many instruments so well, all round performance skills and the way her playing touches everyone who hears it.

She's the reason why I've started learning so many instruments too.

And then there's her ability to accompany people, whatever's needed; to work out how to play something... Well the list goes on. I guess that's why she's a teacher here now. I think it would take me a few life times to get that good, to be such an all-rounded muso.

My hero.


willem
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Fri Mar 18, 2016 6:57 pm

michelew wrote:
Willem,

Yep Bill has brilliant skills. I definitely envy his playing. There are many people on this site who've motivated me to improve over the years.

I have to say Vanessa has been a huge inspiration to me since she arrived on the scene here on TG. Her guitar skills are awesome, her singing, her ability to play so many instruments so well, all round performance skills and the way her playing touches everyone who hears it.

She's the reason why I've started learning so many instruments too.

And then there's her ability to accompany people, whatever's needed; to work out how to play something... Well the list goes on. I guess that's why she's a teacher here now. I think it would take me a few life times to get that good, to be such an all-rounded muso.

My hero.
and you're going to meet her life,, I must say I work also a lot to accompany a singer and must learn whole songs, it is a lot of fun, it is a pity he don't want to make a video, mmm yet

B) :P


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daryl
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Fri Mar 18, 2016 7:07 pm

willem wrote:
michelew wrote:
Willem,

Yep Bill has brilliant skills. I definitely envy his playing. There are many people on this site who've motivated me to improve over the years.

I have to say Vanessa has been a huge inspiration to me since she arrived on the scene here on TG. Her guitar skills are awesome, her singing, her ability to play so many instruments so well, all round performance skills and the way her playing touches everyone who hears it.

She's the reason why I've started learning so many instruments too.

And then there's her ability to accompany people, whatever's needed; to work out how to play something... Well the list goes on. I guess that's why she's a teacher here now. I think it would take me a few life times to get that good, to be such an all-rounded muso.

My hero.
and you're going to meet her life,, I must say I work also a lot to accompany a singer and must learn whole songs, it is a lot of fun, it is a pity he don't want to make a video, mmm yet

B) :P
Willem, Just tell him that YOU need to make a video for your own review. You need to see/hear how your playing works with his vocals. Tell him that you won't video record him but that you will record his vocals and if he wants, he can watch/listen to the video to hear how HE sounds against your guitar playing. Eventually, you may be able to also video record HIM so he can watch himself. The video would ONLY be for the two of you (at least initially) so that you BOTH can improve your performance. Give it a try.


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