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VonBonfire
Well-known member
That's it to a T. The problem is knowing what to focus on and what to discard to make the most of your time. Sometimes instructors are just gonna demand you push through it all. Knowing all of that stuff will make you a well rounded player but for me I didn't want to be well rounded I just wanted to play the blues. My childhood instructor was kinda annoyed with me cause I just wanted to steal all his blues licks and move on.That works fine for blues or jazz or tan pants music, but that method is not going to work for most of the music people wanna make on RT
People have to focus on different aspects of it to accomplish what they want to accomplish musically, and everyone assumes that their way is the best or only way because it's all they know
SpiderWars
Well-known member
And remember some of our favorite players 'technically' didn't know this stuff. Yet in some ways they did. Everybody has a different method.
I've thought for a while now that those jazz cats...they know too much. They've gone over the cliff and have so much knowledge that their music is unlistenable. Their resolutions are so obscure nobody else feels resolved by that weird substitution chord.
I've thought for a while now that those jazz cats...they know too much. They've gone over the cliff and have so much knowledge that their music is unlistenable. Their resolutions are so obscure nobody else feels resolved by that weird substitution chord.
DanTravis62
Moderator
That's it to a T. The problem is knowing what to focus on and what to discard to make the most of your time. Sometimes instructors are just gonna demand you push through it all. Knowing all of that stuff will make you a well rounded player but for me I didn't want to be well rounded I just wanted to play the blues. My childhood instructor was kinda annoyed with me cause I just wanted to steal all his blues licks and move on.
My mentor taught me that you gotta target the knowledge that you need to make the music you want to make, whatever and however it is
For some people that's just gonna be stealing all their licks LOL
I think the "learn everything" people are stunting their own growth TBH, you gotta figure out what is right for you and then pick a fucking lane
I couldn't tell you how many theory monsters I know that are awful at writing music
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VonBonfire
Well-known member
I get the sense that we all are truly only limited by our imagination because 12 tones plus rhythms is pretty well infinite. The beauty of jazz is it's tendency to push you outside the box but yes, a lot of it is music for musicians in a rehearsal space more than stuff I would try to entertain others with.
Your mentor gave good advice. Theory is no substitute for feeling at the end of the day. Theory and fretboard exercises should be a vehicle to help you access what you hear in your head or from another player. There is way too much stuff to know to bite it all off and come out the other end with something cogent, at least, for the majority of most guitar players. Seems like there are two types of players; those with a singular, but rather narrow, style and those who are jack of all trade types but aren't very recognizable. I think we've def moved into an era of youtube lesson-players where there has become a distinct lack of specialization from both instructors and students. It's like a lib arts degree for guitar and so there are a lot of formulaic, sound alike players. An ocean of same-same.
DanTravis62
Moderator
Well, he better, he's a semi famous metal player LOL
The youtuber thing has created an entire generation of "blah" players. All the young kids in my local scene think of me as a monster player, but most of that is playing my own style, and being used to playing live - it's not being a technically monster player as far as chops and knowledge. It's leaning into the art I want to create.
I don't know where guitar players lost this and it became a clandestine, lost art, but it used to be common knowledge that you needed to pick a lane and then drop it into gear and accelerate. Take some pieces of influences that you love and go.
Standing around learning every "technically correct" thing makes you into a robot, and makes it way less fun
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VonBonfire
Well-known member
I call it the Marty Music syndrome, lol. Not that Marty is bad, it's just bad when a legion of players sound like they took lessons from him.
I think the loss of live music venues and i-phone crap has created a generation who has no interest in, and less outlet for gigs. As your thread the other day "remember when bands sounded like this" or some similar title, featuring an insanely tight Helloween. If you aren't doing it live, you aren't doing it, period. That is the proving ground.
Of all the people I know from back in the day that took lessons from the same guy, none of them gig that I am aware of. MAYBE one guy. And the "star" student teaches jazz at a university and hung up his gig life fifteen years ago. I'm sure the benefits and pay are good but it also seems safe.....and boring. JMHO.
DanTravis62
Moderator
I call it the Marty Music syndrome, lol. Not that Marty is bad, it's just bad when a legion of players sound like they took lessons from him.
I think the loss of live music venues and i-phone crap has created a generation who has no interest in, and less outlet for gigs. As your thread the other day "remember when bands sounded like this" or some similar title, featuring an insanely tight Helloween. If you aren't doing it live, you aren't doing it, period. That is the proving ground.
Of all the people I know from back in the day that took lessons from the same guy, none of them gig that I am aware of. MAYBE one guy. And the "star" student teaches jazz at a university and hung up his gig life fifteen years ago. I'm sure the benefits and pay are good but it also seems safe.....and boring. JMHO.
It's so terrible that I know exactly what you're talking about with "Marty Music syndrome"
Especially with cover gigs, every time I hear someone who is "technically correct" but bland and boring as hell, I immediately think "I know where he learned how to play."
I'm really lucky in that my teacher/mentor was a real player in a band, who has his own style and voice, and not some humorless jazz dickweed with elbow patches trying to get me to "expand my horizons" into shit that I could care less about integrating into my own music.
I try to keep the flame alive by being very picky about who I take on as students, and try to teach them the same things tbh
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VonBonfire
Well-known member
My teacher was in a real band and gigged every weekend. Knew hundreds of songs, rock, country, and some blues. Like a high quality bar band. They could smoke radar love tho, lol. Loved his GT amp and Wolfgang guitar. Now he's faculty at the local university wearing elbow patches and teaching jazz guitar.It's so terrible that I know exactly what you're talking about with "Marty Music syndrome"
Especially with cover gigs, every time I hear someone who is "technically correct" but bland and boring as hell, I immediately think "I know where he learned how to play."
I'm really lucky in that my teacher/mentor was a real player in a band, who has his own style and voice, and not some humorless jazz dickweed with elbow patches trying to get me to "expand my horizons" into shit that I could care less about integrating into my own music.
I try to keep the flame alive by being very picky about who I take on as students, and try to teach them the same things tbh
He IS a really good player and a good instructor, very enthusiastic minus him being seemingly disappointed when I wasn't that interested in playing diminshed and whole tone scales over an an A7 chord for 30 minutes.
DanTravis62
Moderator
My teacher was in a real band and gigged every weekend. Knew hundreds of songs, rock, country, and some blues. Like a high quality bar band. They could smoke radar love tho, lol. Loved his GT amp and Wolfgang guitar. Now he's faculty at the local university wearing elbow patches and teaching jazz guitar.
He IS a really good player and a good instructor, very enthusiastic minus him being seemingly disappointed when I wasn't that interested in playing diminshed and whole tone scales over an an A7 chord for 30 minutes.
I respect jazz player's chops, but if spending time on TGP has taught me anything, it's that most jazz players have no fucking musicality and are almost proud of the fact that they know everything about theory and nothing about connecting with other human beings. It's like they don't know how to touch people with art.
I don't know if it's beaten out of them by their instructors or it's just a side effect of the genre, but I have literally never met a jazz player IRL who could actually write a hook or earworm. Like of any kind. A melody that doesn't suck, a riff, a vocal hook, ANYTHING.
I've encountered a couple of them online, but then again it was literally like 1 or 2 of them out of the thousands of jazz cats. And even then it was only other jazz cats who could appreciate the "hook."
"Look he did a dipsy-doo poopy-shew substitution in the turnaround, A M A Z I N G "
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Philosophy prof
Member
This is absolutely correct. The best guitar teachers I’ve studied with all recommended this as well. Plus, pentatonic is relatively easy and critical for creating melodies
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VonBonfire
Well-known member
I don't think there is much left in the way of pure jazz guitarists anymore. Even most of the guys I'll see on the reggie at my local blues jams are doing rock or country gigs to pay the bills. Consider there is only one actual "blues only" club left in TX over in Houston. Look at the rosters of who's on blues or jazz festival gigs. It's pretty revolting to me.
My instructor was actually a pretty monster player but not a jazz guitarist first and foremost. Most of his jazz work is solo guitar for restaurants, weddings, etc. Not sure if he is still gigging with his group these days. He had some of the local premium gigs tied up and had the same band guys for like 40 years. but he def still does the solo gigs and teaches. He must be in his early 70's these days.
bhuard75
Techdeath’s Resident Asshole Student
Ive been taking lessons with TecDeth for almost a year now. Its worth the investment if your honest about wanting to get good at playing guitar. It requires you to practice. If your not practicing then youre not going to get better.
alund
Well-known member
This. I went to GIT in 90… i didn’t do shit and I still sucked when I came out. I will say I had fun in LA during the end of the glam years. Fast forward; I have been with techy two step also for over a year. Way more serious about it and he is quite cevantes like about music. Had make up lesson today. Super shreddy day. All arps.
J_Rocket
Member
Don't open. CAGED inside? lol
Techdeth
RESIDENT ROCK PROFESSOR
lol ya lol