Guitar Gods, Broken Hearts and Planet Reality

[rmuscat]

So i was reading this thread...
http://www.ibreathemusic.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6021

Phantom tipped me off to start a thread i think i effects everyone, musicians, scientists, dancers, tile layers ANYONE.

So we all need role models, people to look up at. We even get to a point of worshipping them and wanting to follow their steps blindly, they are RIGHT all the rest is wrong and probably stupid.

So i've been through there too, Hammet, Vai, Malmsteem, Satriani, Eric Johnson and more ... All good players in their own way, I won't EVEN IMAGINE comparing them they're all so different.

The day came when i grew out of them simply because i discovered that all they are is what they worked for and realised the the only way to become such a god is to work your GUTS off.

Worst part is the disappointment which kinda comes along with this feeling, cause YOU KNOW THAT YOU CAN BECOME LIKE THEM and IF YOU WON'T ITS SIMPLY YOUR FAULT coz you haven't worked enough for it ;)

Another strange thing is that we never realise that these guys do mistakes. It would be fun to know how many takes it takes to write a track, or how much practice it takes to learn a new song for the new album.

Also being a good guitarist is not equal to famous and adhored. I wonder how many guitarist with Vai's, Satch's and the rest's ability are simply normal working human beings with kids running in the house and a wife to satisfy!


Anyway hope this thread turns out to be a positive one. And we don't start bashing artists around (again and again)

[phantom]

i would have defended vai with my own life when i was 16. ... and i had picks attached to my cowboy boots :o .
and that really helped in some way and made me practice like nuts. and it was not just because of his music - maybe even more because of the whole vai aura, the dedication and everything gave me strength and i thank mr.vai for that. also i had my malmsteen and gilbert worshiping periods.
the older and better i got, the more i tried to find who I am musically which resulted in becoming very critical. even with my idols. i've tried to hit walls whereever i could and was happy on my way from kneeling down and worshiping to standing up with pride and uniqueness.
not that i consider myself beeing as good as any of the greats - i am far from being the player that i want to be and it has nothing to do with being big-headed, but my place is aside any musician - not above and not below.

sometimes this boards needs more controversity.
only when cold and hot air colide there is rain. ;)
(hope not to get bashed by some meteoroligist)

[rmuscat]

my place is aside any musician - not above and not below.

True. Everyone should strive for this finally.

sometimes this boards needs more controversity.

True, and we can do that without calling people "dick", saying that artists are "wankers". Criticising the work of the big ones is as useful as criticising my own, or criticising construtively that of others.

PS hot and cold air cause winds, clouds make rain ;) But we get the point LOL what a pain am i - i like it so much!

[phantom]

PS hot and cold air cause winds, clouds make rain But we get the point LOL what i pain am i like it so much!

LOL :D :D

and i thought beans and onions cause winds.... :D

[rmuscat]

LOL ha ha.

As well ;)

[phantom]

are rmuscat and me really the only ones with a opinion on that? :confused:

[Rented]

Funny you mention that thing about them (meaning the "guitar gods") making mistakes. Of course they do, they just cover it up well :) Anyway, about them not being gods and all. I remember hearing or reading (can't remember where just now) about how John Petrucci was rehearsing for one of his tours. He said that for a particualar song (which I can't remember EITHER...sigh) he just couldn't understand how he played it at the studio and was becoming afraid that he wouldn't be able to play it live. It was just too difficult. After a couple of weeks of rehearsals and practice, he did nail it though. But it just goes to show that when I try to play somebody's stuff and I can't for the life of me understand how he did it, it may not be because I'm even worse than I thought I was; maybe the original artist has similar problems (although I can guarantee that my problems are larger :) ).

[CaptainCarma]

so guys, just some of my thoughts about "guitargods"...

- oh man, I just remember how terrible it was to realize that my first hero was only human, too. this was when I ( as a young boy ) first watched my father playing soccer... :)

- to be serious, even guitargods know and use the power of marketing. it´s not only britney s. or christina a., dealing with dreams and myths even YOUR personal guitargod knows how to promote himself and the product he wants to sell.

guys like steve vai etc. don´t only sell music. image and myth come along with it and put a huge part of difference between him as a topselling artist and "Bedroom Eddie".

so, guitarheroes are good as rolemodels for you as an ambitioned player. but at least they´re human, too, with the same needs as everyone of us.

[CaptainCarma]

btw. it was Friedrich Schiller who said:

"don´t call me a genius, ´cause I am not. all that I created was a result of hard work."

[Koala]

This thread could ruin the "2 weeks to shred" and "secrets to rock guitar" book, video and cd market, and I glad it came up here. I wish all new players coming to this site could read this thread and understand its all about effort and hard practice. Not trying to learn modes when you don`t even know what that means, or trying to sweep when you can barely hold a pick. You choose how good you are period.

[phantom]

This thread could ruin the "2 weeks to shred" and "secrets to rock guitar" book, video and cd market
lol :D

good you came here here koala.. i (we) already felt lost and like sheep between wolves :rolleyes: .

hey... make it a sticky topic ;) .

i think this is what i breath was (and is) all about? there are enough "shred-zones" on the web... let's raise quality.

[theguitarist]

IMO,having "guitar gods" is a good thing.By this,atleast you can start working remembering thier hard work.As everyone said you need inspiration for getting started.Many times it happens to me,i am listening to vai or joe then suddenly i get energetic and start practicing.You can see a virtual mark which you have to achieve.So you keep practicing and making yourself better and better.

Now the sad thing is that for every profession or work it is hard to find your "god".Thats why i wish to have "god" for my studies who would kick me for getting started to study ;) .

Once i was seeing television and saw the interview of a great Indian singer.He was asked "At what age you discoverd the natural talent to sing and started singing?"At first he remained quite and gave the reporter a frustrated look.Then he answered that "Why do you think it is natural talent?What do you see natural in this?It's all hard work my son,all hard work.No one is born with natural talent of anything.You have to work for it.So forget that he/she has natural talent thats why he/she is successfull."It was great :) .The way he said it everyone was clapping and got the clear image of "the hard working man" :D .

[mjo]

Interesting thread !!
Definately, having someone to look up to and inspire you is a good thing. Just what are you, (we) being inspired to do, though ??

When I first became interested in music / guitar, the people that inspired me were not the usual "crowd". Where (and when) this was going on, I didn't have a chance to hear Hendrix, Page, Santana...........(how old are you Mike?) ;) The people I was listening to were Craig Fuller, Toy Caldwell, Charlie Daniels ( a little Allman Bros. too). Most of these players were not technical geniuses with perfect technique. What they were doing was putting some great feeling into thier music and I recognized that. So I wasn't striving to learn every scale, play sequences at 200 BPM, etc. Most importantly, (maybe) I wasn't intimidated by what these guys were playing. There were no thoughts of " I'm never gonna get this".
Eventually, of course Hendrix, Zep., Santana made it to my ear and even that was primarily feeling (I thought). It wasn't until much later that Via / Satriani / etc... made the scene and, honestly I'm not a big fan of some of these guys, (there are some major exceptions) - (now I'm gonna get it) - :rolleyes:

So yes, take inspiration from your idols but go ahead and question just what insiration you're taking :cool:

-best
Mike

[RandyEllefson]

The big guys are human just like the rest of us, so of course they make mistakes. When playing live, if they feel their playing is "off" (for them anyway), they may simplify passages a bit or play them with easier articulation. In most cases, you'd never know, but advanced players really nitpick details. What I mean is that it will sound great to everyone, but they are thinking something is a little off.

I've recorded things with my wife sitting here, and she's amazed that I stop recording in the middle of some passage because I didn't like it, even if I'm playing the exact thing over and over and didn't miss a thing, by my own admission. Often it just didn't feel right. She can't hear the difference. To be honest, if I recorded it, left it and came back later, I'd probably not hear it either.

I'm sure the big names aren't any different. I know I could play some things live in an easier way and most would never tell.

[rmuscat]

hey randy thanks for your feedback!! :D

i had thought the thread was dying/dead