Are we kidding ourselves?

BRBbrb
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Sun Sep 20, 2009 3:50 pm

As I mentioned in another thread; my son's friend is a fantastic musician. He is self-taught, plays by ear, tunes by ear & doesn't even know theory; but just blew me away. You just know someone like that is born to play. Makes me wonder what's the point? I have to copy, pause, rewind - just to play 1 song remotely decent. It makes me feel, as the kids say today, like a poser!


jayswett
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Sun Sep 20, 2009 3:59 pm

I share your frustration as I, too, take forever and a day to learn a new song. I guess I would say that the point in persevering despite a lack of natural talent is 1) it gets easier with each new song and 2) it's simply so enjoyable once you "get it". That's my 2 cents, anyway.


willem
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Sun Sep 20, 2009 4:01 pm

BRBbrb wrote:
As I mentioned in another thread; my son's friend is a fantastic musician. He is self-taught, plays by ear, tunes by ear & doesn't even know theory; but just blew me away. You just know someone like that is born to play. Makes me wonder what's the point? I have to copy, pause, rewind - just to play 1 song remotely decent. It makes me feel, as the kids say today, like a poser!
when you all day and day's are busy with the music or something there is a develop in yourself and you gonna be self-thaugt... on one day your ear that G chord playing...or other...


BRBbrb
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Sun Sep 20, 2009 4:16 pm

jayswett wrote:
I share your frustration as I, too, take forever and a day to learn a new song. I guess I would say that the point in persevering despite a lack of natural talent is 1) it gets easier with each new song and 2) it's simply so enjoyable once you "get it". That's my 2 cents, anyway.
I agree, it is a sense of accomplishment & fun so I'll keep plugging away!


BigBear
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Sun Sep 20, 2009 4:18 pm

I think you have to keep your eye on the doughnut and not on the hole!!! How many people can play just that one song you worked so hard to learn? 1-2% of the population? You can do something that many people only dream of being able to do.

You son's friends may have the gift of intuitve musical ability. It just comes to them without any particular training or effort. Music just makes sense to those lucky enough to have the gift.

So I ask you the question, do those with "The Gift" enjoy music more or less than those of us who have to work our butts off just to play one lousy song? I don't know about you but when I beat out some new TARGET song that I'd always wanted to learn and never could I get a feeling of joy and satisfaction that's pretty tough to beat!

Keep on practicing! It's all worth it!! Cheers! :cheer:


wrench
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Sun Sep 20, 2009 4:19 pm

Barb,

We're only kidding ourselves if we think we're going to become session musicians and performing artists in our golden years. If we pick out some realistic goals for ourselves and achieve them, then this is a huge success, and we have all the reason in the world to he happy about it. This will only be a failure if you set a goal that's unrealistic.

I set my goals rather low because I am a life-long overachiever, and I was determined to have some fun doing this, even though I knew I probably wouldn't be very good. I didn't do this with the expectation of excellence. I did this with the expectation that I will play as good as I can and no better. I have achieved my goal - I suck at guitar! If you don't believe me, watch my video. But how can anyone say the fun level at TG doesn't measure up? The TG Community is a bonus I never imagined, and it inspires to try as best I can and to keep going.

There's some serious talent here at TG, and I know I'm not much of it. But it's a great feeling when I am able to help someone I can, or even to encourage and respect those way beyond my level.

I'm not kidding myself. I suck at guitar, but I'm learning, I'm getting better, and I'm having the most fun of my life doing it.

wrench


BRBbrb
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Sun Sep 20, 2009 4:25 pm

@wrench; glad to hear other's perspective! I was feeling pretty accomplished until I got a dose of reality last night. Just feeling sorry for myself I guess. It is fun here on TG for sure :)


BRBbrb
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Sun Sep 20, 2009 4:30 pm

BigBear wrote:
I think you have to keep your eye on the doughnut and not on the hole!!! How many people can play just that one song you worked so hard to learn? 1-2% of the population? You can do something that many people only dream of being able to do.

You son's friends may have the gift of intuitve musical ability. It just comes to them without any particular training or effort. Music just makes sense to those lucky enough to have the gift.

So I ask you the question, do those with "The Gift" enjoy music more or less than those of us who have to work our butts off just to play one lousy song? I don't know about you but when I beat out some new TARGET song that I'd always wanted to learn and never could I get a feeling of joy and satisfaction that's pretty tough to beat!

Keep on practicing! It's all worth it!! Cheers! :cheer:
Bear; that is a good point - do they enjoy it more? Probably not!


BRBbrb
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Sun Sep 20, 2009 4:39 pm

willem wrote:
BRBbrb wrote:
As I mentioned in another thread; my son's friend is a fantastic musician. He is self-taught, plays by ear, tunes by ear & doesn't even know theory; but just blew me away. You just know someone like that is born to play. Makes me wonder what's the point? I have to copy, pause, rewind - just to play 1 song remotely decent. It makes me feel, as the kids say today, like a poser!
when you all day and day's are busy with the music or something there is a develop in yourself and you gonna be self-thaugt... on one day your ear that G chord playing...or other...
Willem; you are saying that with time we can all be self-taught?


tovo
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Sun Sep 20, 2009 4:39 pm

Barb,

Firstly I think you deserve credit for expressing a thought that most people have at some point regardless of the skill they are trying to grasp. I also think that BigBear and some others summed it up all really well but hey...I wanted to throw in my thoughts as well!

Will I ever play as well as Clapton....I wouldn't think so! Do I play better than the bloke down the road who has always wanted to play but never committed to the process?? Absolutely. I am "winning" because I am doing. But it's not about "beating" anyone or being better than anyone. It's about enjoying and every time I get something right because I put the work in to get it right I get a tremendous sense of satisfaction. After all, the person who has the natural talent to pick things up really easily (perhaps) doesn't appreciate the resultant skill as much as we "mere mortals" do.

Despite frustrations I very much doubt you will give up so onward and upward! :cheer:


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