I've been playing Guitar for years and my head is full up of useless information about it. Useless information to most I suppose, but could be helpful to someone like me who always had a head full of questions like:
How does a Jazz guitarist improvise and what does he think about?
How hard is classical guitar?
Do I need to learn to read music?
How will learn all the chords?
Is there a quick way to get good?
etc.etc.etc.
All these questions and more I have found answers to over the last 35 years and now it's time I dumped all guitar knowlege out of my head and made room for new stuff.
I love playing classical guitar these days, it's very theraputic. But I am at heart an improviser and Jazz is always there for me to explore with. When I pick up an electric guitar, I invariably start improvising and making up progressions and excersises and jazz runs and chord shapes, whatever really as long as I feel like it is a great idea run with.
I know that over many years doing this I have forgotten more things that I can remember. This is quite frustrating so I decided ( a year ago) to start recording some of my sessions and put them up on my youtube channel - most are private but some for public. What I find now I look back at them - even just from a few months ago, I can barely remember what I did and what I was thinking at the time, so my next task is to write them all down too.
My improv videos on youtube help me document what I come up with, in case I completely forget in the twighlight, some years ahead. At least, I find it helps me move on more easily to new chapters of thinking and new concepts once I have a video document.
I think the most important lesson I have learned is how to practise and enjoy it.
After all, if you can't learn to enjoy practising, it's all a bit pointless.
How does a Jazz guitarist improvise and what does he think about?
How hard is classical guitar?
Do I need to learn to read music?
How will learn all the chords?
Is there a quick way to get good?
etc.etc.etc.
All these questions and more I have found answers to over the last 35 years and now it's time I dumped all guitar knowlege out of my head and made room for new stuff.
I love playing classical guitar these days, it's very theraputic. But I am at heart an improviser and Jazz is always there for me to explore with. When I pick up an electric guitar, I invariably start improvising and making up progressions and excersises and jazz runs and chord shapes, whatever really as long as I feel like it is a great idea run with.
I know that over many years doing this I have forgotten more things that I can remember. This is quite frustrating so I decided ( a year ago) to start recording some of my sessions and put them up on my youtube channel - most are private but some for public. What I find now I look back at them - even just from a few months ago, I can barely remember what I did and what I was thinking at the time, so my next task is to write them all down too.
My improv videos on youtube help me document what I come up with, in case I completely forget in the twighlight, some years ahead. At least, I find it helps me move on more easily to new chapters of thinking and new concepts once I have a video document.
I think the most important lesson I have learned is how to practise and enjoy it.
After all, if you can't learn to enjoy practising, it's all a bit pointless.
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