What motivates you to improve?

michelew
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Fri Mar 18, 2016 7:40 pm

Willem,

Yes, camp will be awesome. I'll meet the awesome Ness, a real live guitar guru and a wonderful bunch of TG friends (including those I haven't gotten to know yet).

You've got great advice there from Daryl. Making a video for just the two of you will help you to both see and hear how you sound together. It's a great teaching tool as you know. But as you also know videoing sucks. It's understandable that he has concerns about appearing on video. Be sweet to him and give him time to get used to the idea. Even if you never let anyone else see the video, it would be a good keepsake to look back on.


Dean,

Yes, I hear you about the challenging aspects of new projects. You've got a fantastic ability to follow through and keep learning until you've got it down. Great dedication.

Your point about having someone motivate you to improve each week is I guess the point of this thread. If people don't have a teacher that they have regular appointments with, how do they maintain their motivation? I definitely struggle with that one. And I'm pretty lax at learning all the other things I need to get down to be the musician I'd like to be. I'm sure a personal teacher can help you work out what you need in those areas.

M


TGNesh
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Sat Mar 19, 2016 8:58 am

:blush: :blush: :cheer: I'll get back here Shel, to respond as well. Buttuh.....gosh, you must be my biggest and most supportive fan for sure! :blush: :kiss: And the feeling is mutual, meeting you for real this summer, that's just SO awesome!! :cheer:

michelew wrote:
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.


TGNesh
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Sat Mar 19, 2016 3:44 pm

What motivates me to improve...

I'm actually more into improving as a teacher rather than a player, so a big part is my students. Having them attend their lessons every week motivates me to get better and better at it. Also witnessing their accomplishments motivates me, since it's so rewarding, especially when they do exáctly what i tell them to do :P and to see that it actually wórks! That's motivational for sure! :cheer:

Almost needless to say, but teaching here at TG motivates me as well, I of course want to keep improving on camera too. Especially since the responses on my lessons remain very positive and supportive, so I feel i really add to the site. I find myself constantly playing and/or working out songs, so I get better at that too, which is again motivating.

All in all, even though I'm playing a lot (also for fun or for performances), I'm focussed on how to teach what I play and I'm focussed on how to make it sound the way I want it. I'm focussed on making songs work on one single acoustic guitar. I'm focussed on working out arrangements for that. That motivates me to tackle new songs of which i though before, that it wouldn't work or that I didn't know how to approach it. Now I keep looking for ways to make it work. According to some lessons that I've done and to the responses, I take it that I'm indeed improving. I like the challenge too, so that motivates me to improve as well.

Not sure if i've answered your question, but this is what i'm up to/working on obviously. B) :)

Ness


michelew
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Sun Mar 20, 2016 1:29 am

You absolutely did answer my question Nessa. thanks. And I have to say all the things that motivate you are fantastic for all of us students.

BTW - something else I love about your teaching is the way you bring your piano, drums and bass playing experience and teaching skills into play too. Like recently... I think it might have been your lesson on The Rose, you explained broken chords I think it might have been by explaining how you would do it in the piano. I find that gives me another perspective, but it's also information I can use when I try to play the piano or when I'm thinking about an accompaniment regardless of the instrument. Similarly, sometimes you explain important things about the rhythm aspects of a song you're teaching by explaining the role of the drummer and how we can achieve that as a solo guitarist. I find the fact that you've got different experience from Neil gives you a different perspective and really complements the range of things he's also offering us. In short you're a good team.

Oh and... I ABSOLUTELY want to get into learning drumming some day too. Now.... Who's fault is THAT!!??? :) :) :)

OK I'm off to play something. :)


michelew
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Sun Mar 20, 2016 2:54 am

OK add another motivation to the list...

- hearing a song that you really like on the radio, the TV or here on the forum that you started learning but never managed to play properly.

It's always a good reminder to go back and try again to see if you've progressed in ways that will help this time around.


My specific motivator this time was hearing Pearl Jam's Just Breathe on the Tele. Gosh it's a beautiful song. I got it to a reasonable point once but never managed to nail it or get it up to speed because I was using a fingering that didn't quite work for me. Ness showed me a different version when I was at the point when I had sort of lost heart. It of course helped, but I'd been playing it for too long the other way and my brain was having trouble switching ...

I've just picked it up again and I think I might manage it this time if I slooooooow it down and do "exactly" what she suggested. :) ;) :) impatient? Who me? :) I resemble that!

We'll see. :)


fjeanmur
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Sun Mar 20, 2016 5:11 am

Hey Michele,

I'll go along with Dean with a lot of points. I only briefly had a teacher when I was a kid, so I never got too far back then. So just having two great ones 24/7 motivates me. I am just greatful that I am getting a second crack at this instrument so I never have a problem picking the guitar up.

Finally being able to "get" something motivates me. I gravitate to the instrumentals and many times my fingers just won't go the way I need them to. So I put that piece away, go on to something else and then maybe six months or a year go by and I go back into it and I see I can play what I couldn't before. That motivates me.

I believe knowing that I'll be at the IGC is motivating me to brush up some things that I haven't looked at for a while and to finally meeting everyone.

Also what goes on on the Forum motivates me, whether it's video uploads, interesting questions or just the support I get here. The answers I got to my "essential songs" question got me to try "Ripple." God, that chord soloing had me really frustrated for the first week, but now I'm off and running and I want to do more. Also I won't forget when Vanessa did a video segment just for me when I was having trouble with a measure from "Rosa May." She got my finger moving right away.

So, great question Michele. I love reading all the answers. Cheers.


michelew
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Tue Mar 22, 2016 2:27 am

Thanks for sharing your experience Jean.

I always enjoy reading your posts. And enthusiasm is contagious. :) :) :).

Where's my giuitar? :) actually I'm sitting in the bus right now traveling home, but your posts makes me want to play something to be sure. :)

M


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auntlynnie
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Tue Mar 22, 2016 9:35 am

As you often do, Michele, you ask a thought provoking question.

Here's my list, in no particular order:
1. Seeing/hearing someone play a song that I like, that I think is too hard for me, or one that I struggled with, or given up on. Somehow seeing someone else play it makes it seem more possible.
2. Playing a different guitar. Each guitar seems to take me in a different musical direction, so I tend to seek out and learn new songs, and/or play a song differently, or sometimes better.
3. Playing music with others. Sadly, this doesn't happen very often, but IGC and a few other events provide the opportunity.
4. Hearing a new song that I really like and immediately wanting to learn it, so going to see live music/concerts.
5. Watching some of the FOTW lessons and seeing someone work through a difficult song, or difficult phrase, and successfully working it out.

Lynn


TGNesh
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Sun Mar 27, 2016 3:36 pm

I am totally innocent, haha! :whistle: :P

But you're right, the drums is múch fun to play. I wish we would have one at camp, then I could teach you, or anyone else who would like to, the basics, which should get you going.

I'm glad that bringing in my abilities of playing several instruments add to your perspective of things. :) I do believe lots of aspects are closely related. For example, I always feel like I'm drumming when I'm playing the piano :laugh: . Also, once you get the hang of one instrument, it's easier to learn another one, since there is a lot that you can carry over.

Anyway, it's great that you get a lot out of both Neil's and my lessons. I hope many TG-ers do.

Alright, off to .....play or work out or practice or....which instrument??! :laugh: :laugh: B)

Ness

michelew wrote:
You absolutely did answer my question Nessa. thanks. And I have to say all the things that motivate you are fantastic for all of us students.

BTW - something else I love about your teaching is the way you bring your piano, drums and bass playing experience and teaching skills into play too. Like recently... I think it might have been your lesson on The Rose, you explained broken chords I think it might have been by explaining how you would do it in the piano. I find that gives me another perspective, but it's also information I can use when I try to play the piano or when I'm thinking about an accompaniment regardless of the instrument. Similarly, sometimes you explain important things about the rhythm aspects of a song you're teaching by explaining the role of the drummer and how we can achieve that as a solo guitarist. I find the fact that you've got different experience from Neil gives you a different perspective and really complements the range of things he's also offering us. In short you're a good team.

Oh and... I ABSOLUTELY want to get into learning drumming some day too. Now.... Who's fault is THAT!!??? :) :) :)

OK I'm off to play something. :)


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