Playing Journal

[Stecks]

A few years back, I was facing some extremely difficult challenges in life unlike any I had previously experienced.  A few of you that have gotten to know me since I joined up about a year or so ago know the story.  And I feel a great, pure and humble sense of gratitude for that.  One of the strategies I used to help me through that time was to start keeping a journal.  I've always been very into language and writing, as they, like music and guitar, are kind of a refuge or safety area in my life because its where I feel comfortable and can be completely myself.  Both served as two small, yet ultimately huge things that I could control during very uncertain times.

I also started keeping a journal/diary of my playing.  And I think that has actually been the greatest tool/resource for continuous improvement.

A few things I've been writing lately...   mostly what I need to work on.  I like to know where my weak parts are (hard to keep track of since there are so many!)

1.  Blaming my left hand when the problem is with my right

2.  Not recording enough

3.  Jamming instead of practicing.  Jamming is fun as hell, but I have found, for me anyway, that practice determines the scope of my jamming.  I won't get better at either if I haven't put the hours in practicing.  Practice isn't that fun, but a little goes a long long way for when I do jam.  The limits in my jamming is how much practice I put in.

4.  Trying to sound too much like someone else (we can guess who...)

5.  Beating myself up, negative thoughts

Anyone else keep a journal about this type of stuff?

[Happyorange27]

Good stuff man.  Recording yourself is great.  Usually reveals the weaknesses, especial recording when you played with other people.  I get self conscience about how I sound in a band if I start to screw up or step on someones toes.  The worst was back in the day when i had a digital all in one pedal fx box and kept switching to different settings that were not organic at all.  You learn alot this way.

[Heady Jam Fan]

Thanks for sharing Stecks! Once again, down to earth and humble - a reminder that there is a lot more than gear.

I definitely agree with the 'jamming' instead of practicing! I think, just as much as jamming, tweaking instead of practicing is a problem for me. Gotta get rid of the pedalboard for really practicing, or break out the acoustic.

I remember when I was a teen with lots of free time over summer spending hours every day really really focusing on minute nuances in my playing (I was pretty high too admittedly - adds to the zen factor). Its really like Happy said - recording is so helpful because when your only focused on listening rather than also playing, those nuances are very obvious.

I would have a few chord progressions I was working on that way and once I got them where I wanted them, I would work on finding a way to bridge each and every one of them together. That really helped turning a simple set of chords, or a 'jam,' into a song. Sometimes it was as simple as changing a chord or two to transition from one set of chords to the next, other times it took a whole new chord progression to bridge the gap (particularly with odd key changes). However, this really helped me avoid taking the easy way out of song writing; just going to a simple relative major/minor for a quick turn around.

[Stecks]

Good stuff man.  Recording yourself is great.  Usually reveals the weaknesses, especial recording when you played with other people.  I get self conscience about how I sound in a band if I start to screw up or step on someones toes.  The worst was back in the day when i had a digital all in one pedal fx box and kept switching to different settings that were not organic at all.  You learn alot this way.

Yeah, I have absolutely had similar experiences.  My problem I suppose is not knowing enough about recording.  Maybe you can show me sometime.

[Stecks]

Thanks for sharing Stecks! Once again, down to earth and humble - a reminder that there is a lot more than gear.

I definitely agree with the 'jamming' instead of practicing! I think, just as much as jamming, tweaking instead of practicing is a problem for me. Gotta get rid of the pedalboard for really practicing, or break out the acoustic.

I remember when I was a teen with lots of free time over summer spending hours every day really really focusing on minute nuances in my playing (I was pretty high too admittedly - adds to the zen factor). Its really like Happy said - recording is so helpful because when your only focused on listening rather than also playing, those nuances are very obvious.

I would have a few chord progressions I was working on that way and once I got them where I wanted them, I would work on finding a way to bridge each and every one of them together. That really helped turning a simple set of chords, or a 'jam,' into a song. Sometimes it was as simple as changing a chord or two to transition from one set of chords to the next, other times it took a whole new chord progression to bridge the gap (particularly with odd key changes). However, this really helped me avoid taking the easy way out of song writing; just going to a simple relative major/minor for a quick turn around.

I learned on an acoustic.  I didn't even have an electric for most of that time - I really only switched over to an electric as my main guitar after I had been playing for about 6 years.  I think it was extremely beneficial.  Similarly, when I am practicing, or learning something new, etc, I always play clean.  Effects mask flaws (or accentuate/magnify them, I suppose it can be looked at either way). 

Perhaps my reluctance to record is the cringe factor.  I am extremely self conscious about my playing.  But yeah... I know... there's only way to get over that

[Happyorange27]

Dude you HAVE to record yourself on occasion.  I've listened to my self screw up so many times and recordings last forever.  It's ok to make mistakes because you learn from them.  I would even just record through your phone or something if you have to.  Work on that Whipple boy.