Guitar Therapy, please

[dave111]

Hey guys... this is going to be a long post, but I haven't started one for a while :D

A few problems im having at the moment-

1. Pulloffs:
I just cant get them smooth! They feel so awkward, hurt my fingers, and are so... rough. I dont think it has to do alot with practice, i've been playing them since i just started guitar... maybe it does.... anyway do you guys have to apply much pressure with pulloffs? And are you hammer ons and pulloffs even speedwise. My hammer ons are miles above my pulloffs

2. Random Note Playing:
When i just pick up the guitar and play around, speedily, I hit alot of dud notes. I dont know if its because i am playing to far above my speed limit, or it has to do with coordination... are there any other coordination (r/h and l/h) exercises you guys use?

3. My future:
Being a young-gun at 14, i have along road ahead of me. Ideally, i really want to go to a music school, ideally MI Hollywood. My main problem is;
- Convincing my parents; Do I want to do this early, as in the year or so, or wait a bit. I have a feeling im gonna have some trouble- My family is all pretty intelligent, my dads a doctor, i get good grades at school without much effort etc. I know they dont think being a musician is a proper and secure job- how can I convince them this IS what i want to do. I highly doubt i'm gonna change my mind about what i want to do with my future, incase you were going to say that :confused:


Any answers to these questions are greatly appreciated and rewarded with a virtual cheeseburger ;)

Dave

P.S Sorry about the long post :(

[wiechfreak]

1)for pulloffs say you're doing a 5 pull off 3. Make sure the 3 is fretted hard enough so that when you release the 5 it wil lsound. Other than that id say just practice them. And actually my pull offs are a bit faster than my hammerons but they should probly be about the same

2)I'd say yes you're probably going too fast as I used to haeve this problem for improvisiing myself and i had to slow it down.

3)Why don't u tell them what u just told us? Just sit them down and tel lthem it's wahat you love to do and want to do for the rest of your life and I'm SURE they'll talk it out with you and consider it

Hope I helped :cool:

[Malcolm]

The best way to win your parents over is to learn everything you can about your guitar and music. When they see that you really love music and are good at it to boot, they will start coming around.

But, your Dad - mine was a MD also - will want you to have a degree you can fall back on. That means a BS with a teaching certificate at least. Keep him happy and every once in a while talk about how you will use music to feed your family. He may even spring for the MS if he can see progress and a future.

[Carvinite]

Man as far as playing pull-offs, just practice them, Take and do trills just sit there, while you eat, Do trills, while you read, do trills, while you watch tv, Do trills, That will help your hammer-ons & pull offs ALOT!

And about your parents, I have repeadatley told my dad I want to do music for the rest of my life, and he just said that I was on my own then, So that's that with my parents, there is no talking about it anymore, next year I will finish high-school and go to work and start saving for berklee (I think thats how it's spelt).

I hope your situation with your dad goes better than mine did, My mom is pretty supportive, but my dad is one though cookie to crack!

Later,

-Ryan

[Caffeinated Cat]

To convince your parents you're serious about music as a career, just let them see you practicing for hours a night, every night. Tell them about your latest musical achievements, etc.

Of course, it might not work anyway. My parents couldn't even conceive of music as a career.

But, if worse comes to worse, you could always major in whatever your parents insist you major in and minor in music performance. Or double major.

[redmunk]

I think I was fairly lucky. I got good grade at school and my teachers frowned upon my taking guitar at degree level, especially as i alredy had a grade 7 in classical flute and wasn't even grade 5 equvilant in guitar. But it was my parents who never minded what i did and could see I was commited to music. I think what i'm saying is that you can be good at academic things but it doesn't necessarily mean that's the way to go. I think you've got the right idea already. What interests you is important, not what you're good at.

redmunk

[sugarbee]

Can't help with the technical playing questions, but as far as music as a career goes, if you really want it just be prepared to stick by it even if you have to do it all alone. Maybe all your parents need is to see how badly you want it to warm up to the idea. Also, let them see you play,in your element, like at a show or something. Once they see other people's reaction (as long as it's positive, heh heh) they might come to realise that this is more than a pipe dream for you, and be more supportive. If you really want it, deal with your parent's support of lack thereof as a seperate issue, they may come around on their own with time. That's the way it happened for me.

Hope this helps!

[theguitarist]

Being a young-gun at 14, i have along road ahead of me.



Yes,that is a young age and you stop thinking about future jobs and stuff.Enjoy man.Enjoy your guitar playing and learning.Don't turn to profession.As you said you have a long road ahead of you,so stop thinking about your future profeesional as long as your parents are paying your expenses ;) .You can think about that at 18.
You have lots of time to think about what you are going to be.So keep learning guitar,keep studing and keep enjoying.IMO leave the discussion for sometime say about 2 and a half years. :)

[Maarten]

Hi Dave,
I know a lot of people will tell you to just follow your heart, do what you love and persue a music carreer. Let me assure you that most people (who are really good) playing music as a full time job often have a very hard time earning enough money. In my country (netherlands) I know some 'first call' musicians that not only play in at least 5 bands but also all teach at a conservatory or something similar. They make good money with it, but when you are not one of the 2 best players in your region it will already be a lot harder.
I am currently studying jazz guitar at a conservatory and am so relieved that I chose to study teaching music (for schools) first. I like teaching a lot, and I like it even better that I'm not dependant solely on playing to make money, some teaching jobs pay a lot better anyway.
By not being dependant on getting gigs the gigs I do play are a lot more fun, because 1. I don't play a gig everyday, and 2. I don't have to play bad gigs just for the money.
If you are a fast learner I'd strongly advise you to find something else you also like, and major in it. Music education will still excist when you've got your degree, so you could always go to Berklee or something like it anyway, you just have to be patient. And if you find a good teacher you can still progress a lot while you are studying something else.
I just want to say there's a lot of other stuff that's fun too (maybe not as much fun as playing guitar, but fun anyway) and with a little patience and a good option for other jobs you'll probably be able to enjoy playing guitar a lot more.

[fortymile]

depending on what kind of music career you want, its actually not that hard to go through a degree program on the 'light' side--not overloading yourself that is--and also having a full-time, serious band. it can be a pretty fun experience to be in college with a college band. school is not just studying--it can be major partying and a cool social experience, depending on where you go, and so it's a good time and place to really work hard at music and start putting it out there, and if you work hard by the time you're out, you're 21. which is still so young. its an even better idea if you can find something besides music you want to study. i wouldnt trade those early freshman and sophomore years--even when i didnt know what my major was--for anything. i had so much fun. i wish i had worked more diligently on theory, though, because it really would have helped my songwriting. i never truly tackled theory till i was out of undergrad school, but only because i assumed it was beyond me, judging form the horrible books i'd encountered up till then. anyway, the college approach i found just fine for an aspiring songwriter. you're talking about MI, though, which probably means you're interested in learning a lot of theory and becoming a guitar god of sorts. if that's the case, i can understand your hesitation about school, since becoming a master requires a lot of work and school probably looks like it's in the way.

two cents from a stranger: basically, if you feel pressured to go to school it can be a weird, not totally-good experience. unless you can find a reason to go for yourself. which you might be able to find if you give it some thought--school's just ultimately another way to do things, if you remain focused on your goals. until that time comes, dont fret. try to learn smarter, not harder. develop the belief that you can learn the course material of MI before you even reach age 18...do it on your own, obviating the need to go at all! work now, and think at decision-time.

i'd not say anything directly to your parents now, since they may assume you're too young to know what you want at all. i recall sensing this at age 14 and just keeping ambitions sort of secret. (which oddly impelled me work on them more). but don't keep it totally secret. my folks believed in college bigtime too, and i ended up going because i felt i had to. like i said, no regrets, but, at some point you gotta introduce the idea to them that your plans are your plans. best thing now might be for them to see you really working at guitar (lessons, practice, etc) so that they can see how much you're into it and how serious you are about it. then when you do "decide" they'll think "well, i saw that coming." also, isn't MI a pretty short affair? maybe you could go before college, during that traditional 'year off.' maybe you can trick them, lol.

[Carvinite]

Maarten,

I dont see the reason in not doing what you love first, If I do go off and get a degree in somthing else, I know I wont go back and get my degree in music, just because I wont have the time or money to do so.

And as for playing **** gig's, there cant be a **** gig as long as your making money and doing what you love. I mean, I wouldnt go off and play country for the hell of it, but I would play a paying gig because I am playing MUSIC, doing what I love.

I had a teacher that would only play rock, thats why he never made money playing, he never took the '**** gigs'. He never really saw it all as music either, Thats why alot of people dont want to do music as a carrer. They dont love MUSIC, they love to play what they like (wether it be country, rock, classical, jazz, whatever).

Thats just my opinion, I love music, and Ill play it all because it's what I love, I DO have a preferred style, BUT I would rather go lay down some polka tracks all day than go off and sit at a desk from 9 to 5 (and I HATE HATE HATE polka!)

But I see your point and it made sense, thanks for the advice.

Later

-Ryan

[Maarten]

I understand where you're coming from, but I'd say it's a rather naive point of view. Since I am daily surrounded by people in 'the business' I know what they're facing.
I love a lot of music styles too, but playing crappy songs on a wedding, playing with bad musicians, playing for people who'd rather not see you play etc. etc. really isn't any fun, because I like music.
Really, a lot of gigs aren't about the music at all. A lot of time goes into keeping contacts with people who own clubs, advertising, sending your demo for the 4th time to somebody who manages to loose it again, setting up 4 hours in advance at a party, waiting 4 hours, driving 4 hours, deal with musicians that aren't reliable, you name it.

And there are a lot of other interesting jobs out there, don't generalize everything else into 'sitting at a desk'. I'd rather be developing a new layout for a website (just an example) than playing polka for 4 nights a week.

Good luck from Maarten who likes pop but wouldn't mind not playing 15 minute versions of Stand By Me

[dave111]

Wow! Thanks for all the comments.

I plan to take up a teaching/performing/studio sort of role... a bit of an all-rounder. I think i will wait a bit before telling them.

I love every type of music, so I would enjoy most gigs.

I am interested in learning lots of theory, and guitar skills, but that I'm also interested in learning how to "live" as a proffesional musician, get jobs etc- it seems MI prepares you better then Berklee for this.

Maarten, i appreciate your advice, but I think music is going to be the only thing i can enjoy doing- when studying etc i have a short attention span so i dont think a 9-5 job is for me :D

Dave

[Maarten]

And studying music doesn't require a long attention span?

[Vilesilencer]

Let me preface this by saying that I've never visited GIT or Berklee, but one of the guys that I studied with did the whole "Sunset Strip Scene" back in the 80's, so his comments influenced me. IMO, given the fact that you are so young and have an unprecedented volume of free musical information available to you on the internet, IF being a musician is what you really want to do with your life, you dont need to bother with GIT or Berklee. From what I've read, these schools provide you with a great environment full of like minded people for you to swap ideas with. Also, you'll learn more of the business/performance side of things. From a pure guitar standpoint, however, there is nothing they can teach you that a well qualified local teacher in your hometown cant. Steve Vai probably already played like Steve Vai before he attended Berklee. Three members of Dream Theater attended Berklee, but only for one semester.

Also, realize right now that studying music in a school setting is NOT easy! I was just like yourself in highschool, I got good grades easily. There is a BIG difference between BS'ing your way through an essay on the civil war and TRYING to BS your way through a piece of piano music. Being a music major was the hardest school schedule I've had. Furthermore, things like theory, ear-training, piano and sight-singing might not appeal to you.. but they will affect your grades.. I saw a lot of guitarists fail out of school because they were too one-dimensional. At the GIT/Berklee level, you're looking at a good four hours of focused, uninterupted practice minimum.. and that isnt easy.

I guess in the end it's great to chase your dreams and I know I had the same idea in mind at your age. But kicking *** at guitar might not be enough of a comfort to your shattered potential when you're 26 and washing dishes since you cant make any money gigging because all the gigs go to either DJ's or local bands that are playing all covers or whatever the current trend is. My advice is to find a teacher and sign up for lessons and play your *** off for four years. If you still want to persue music as a career when your a senior, then major in music at a university that also offers other tracks. You could go into music education, music recording, film scoring, or something non-musical all together.

For now.. just enjoy playing..

[fortymile]

hey thats what i kinda meant to say too. i didnt want to come off like a...well, i just know how it is to have dreams and get attached to an idea.

just remember man, the first idea you have isn't always the best. i'm not judging your plan with that statement, because it may well be the right plan for you. but you should be open to the possibility that a golden carrot is being dangled in front of you with the MI thing. is going there one of the first ideas that occurred to you? first ideas are often the ones that are easiest, that seem like they'll solve all the problems. that's why they're so danged attractive.

there's a million ways to become a pro musician. the only prerequisite has something mysterious to do with willpower and perseverence. in a way, dreaming of entering MI when you're eighteen *could* lead to years of relative musical idleness, as you'll believe you are headed toward golden path when you turn 18. but the golden path is in you, mang!

might i reccomend arnold schwarzeneggar's biography? i'm not a huge fan of the man's or anything, but i do admire a particular thing about him. in that book, you can see the kind of weird, obsessive focus that i guess produces a self-made mang. not to say you don't already have it--i dont know. but that book is generally inspiring.

[fortymile]

sorry if that sounds condescending. i dont have all the answers either. its just how i tend to think about things. you've certainly thought about it more detail than that last post seems to give you credit for. but living her ein central florida, i see a lot of kids pay 30 grand for a full sail recording education, and i firmly believe it's the wrong choice for most of them, based on what i've seen and heard. thats sort of similar to these expensive guitar schools, maybe, unless for whatever reason you know that's precisely right for you, and youve examined the negatives as well as the positives. good luck, mang.

[dave111]

Ok,

Maarten- You interpreted my post a bit wrongly- I meant i cant sit down and learn some Chemistry, but i can learn some theory or whatever and have fun.

Vilesilencer- I am happy to learn the business/performance side of things- thats one reason why I thought i would like to go to MI over Berklee. I want to become a better musician, not only a better guitar player.

I am interested in theory, I dont find it tedious. Ear Training IS one of the things i would like to improve, but i would like a good ear- It is the key to being able to play music. Piano would be cool- i already am playing around on my sisters keyboard, learning the basic's and forming chords. I have to many dimensions, and too many things to practice :D

I have a teacher, and he is great, and im learning a great deal from him. Gigging isn't the only thing i want to do- teaching and studio work, composing and the like also interest me. I have always had a bit of a hidden interest for orchestral works and composing, so i would probably go into that side of things.

I am enjoying playing- so much thats all I can think about. Thanks for your post, It helped me understand a few concepts.

Dave
(Trill, Trill)

[Barking Pumpkin]

I'm fourteen also, and I definitely want to have music as a profession. My parents are very supportive of my love of music, so that's not an issue for me, I really feel sorry for people whose parents don't understand their love for music. I have researched Berklee through their website quite extensively. Now I've decided that I'm just going to practice, learn as much as I can in the under four years that I have, and hopefully find people for a band (working on that)...And then I'll just see where I am then. Since I'm homeschooled now, I've got time to try other instruments and such, and I'm learning piano, and I'm going to do classical guitar at some point so I can learn fingerpicking and music reading for guitar...

I would love to go somewhere like Berklee for the atmosphere. Being able to meet other people who love music as much as I do and have jam sessions everyday, so I think I'll go to the summer session in a year. Unfortunately, the majority of people my age where I live aren't really interested in music (besides MTV, there are a few though) But I can't forsee where I'll be in four years, so I'll just work hard and figure it out then...