Sigmund Floyd
Silver Supporting Member
- Messages
- 2,522
I've been taking lessons pretty steady for about 6 years, with this latest teacher approaching 1 1/2, 2 years. It's definitely working, getting slowly better. We do some basic sight reading, mainly to work on basic techniques, learn parts of songs, scales, etc.
It's 1/2 hour to get there, 1/2 hour back and 50 bucks for an hour. I've felt pressure lately, almost dread toward the weekly lesson. Never quite prepared enough, I feel myself fading. I like playing but the time and cost and pressure is interfering. I never have really wanted to learn how to read music, too hard! But he claims that's ok, still lessons to learn from it, no doubt. I have fear that if I stop I'll fade out on playing guitar or regress or whatever. The lessons do keep me in it, whatever "it" is.
I've also started a group class where we strum songs and I enjoy that more, lol. I might go play and jam with some folks this Sat. I've done that a few times but never anything steady. I have fear around that because I just don't have memorized songs list in my head. I do have a knack for soloing in a free form style (my teacher has said this) and play rhythm ok. I think he makes a valid point that tons of guitarists can play a nice lead, but not so many KNOW the songs and parts, the guitar technology as he calls it.
Sometimes I feel like worse after a lesson but usually better. I've wondered if my teacher is just too damn good, it's left me feeling quite small at times. I'm approaching 50 and have made great progress in 6 or 7 years, with a family. Although as a struggling fine artist, I think lately the having to practice guitar and get to the lesson, thinking so much about guitar etc has gotten in my way of other things that need to be done.
Sorry for the venting and rambling but I'm open to hearing if anyone can relate to this, what you might suggest. A part of me thinks that the sacrifice in time and money, if I push through- will pay off. What I learn with the lessons will get me to a deeper musical place. But I feel like I'm at a wall.
It's 1/2 hour to get there, 1/2 hour back and 50 bucks for an hour. I've felt pressure lately, almost dread toward the weekly lesson. Never quite prepared enough, I feel myself fading. I like playing but the time and cost and pressure is interfering. I never have really wanted to learn how to read music, too hard! But he claims that's ok, still lessons to learn from it, no doubt. I have fear that if I stop I'll fade out on playing guitar or regress or whatever. The lessons do keep me in it, whatever "it" is.
I've also started a group class where we strum songs and I enjoy that more, lol. I might go play and jam with some folks this Sat. I've done that a few times but never anything steady. I have fear around that because I just don't have memorized songs list in my head. I do have a knack for soloing in a free form style (my teacher has said this) and play rhythm ok. I think he makes a valid point that tons of guitarists can play a nice lead, but not so many KNOW the songs and parts, the guitar technology as he calls it.
Sometimes I feel like worse after a lesson but usually better. I've wondered if my teacher is just too damn good, it's left me feeling quite small at times. I'm approaching 50 and have made great progress in 6 or 7 years, with a family. Although as a struggling fine artist, I think lately the having to practice guitar and get to the lesson, thinking so much about guitar etc has gotten in my way of other things that need to be done.
Sorry for the venting and rambling but I'm open to hearing if anyone can relate to this, what you might suggest. A part of me thinks that the sacrifice in time and money, if I push through- will pay off. What I learn with the lessons will get me to a deeper musical place. But I feel like I'm at a wall.