Quick question for some of you more experianced players

[sabitan007]

Ive been playing for about 7 years or so. Im not going to lie, Im a huge DMB fan and learned guitar basically by playing everyone of their songs. I love it. The problem is, Im starting to kinda get over dave, and I really havent found that group that motivates me to learn something through-out like I did with DMB.

I try to sit and learn some older stuff like simon & garfunkel, and others( no pun inteded) just to learn songs Ive known forever, but they really dont get my juices going like dave did back then, and I just go back to playing dave. My problem is my repetiore, although its a little scatterd, is mostly made up of DMB. I need more. I like john mayer, dave gray, but thats really all like dave.

So I find that my motivation to learn more has really almost come to a hault. Does this happen after a while? What does this mean?? I really love playing, but always play dave, and its tough to stop when its all I really know well.

Any thoughts at all

[Topher]

i am at the same exact place you are...when you figure it out, let me know.

[JW]

Maybe you can try a little Eagles stuff, Its timeless as well as some beatles tunes. Its hard to get tired of really classic tunes and fairly simple to learn. Try some of the classics, they never go out of style. 15 years from now people will still love James Taylor but they will say "Dave Who?" JW

[Roy]

Well, don't STOP playing DMB. I suggest that you need to find a new artist(s) whose guitar work you love, and HAVE to learn. This is what it takes for me to get excited about guitar.

[Bob Womack]

It's a great time for growth. Two possibilities: 1) You may have hit a plateau. Time to go out and find some new music, maybe some of the classic rock n' roll bands would help. Go to some concerts. 2) It may be time to start writing your own music and/or developing you own style.

I fould that the urge to cover other poeple's music note-for-note died for me as well. I play both electric and acoustic. I began early on (before I hit this plateau) to attempt to develop my own style. When this hit full-force, I just focused more on my own style of lead and rhythm and began writing more.

You may get back into covering. You may pickup a piece to learn a technique then end up imposing your own style on it.

Bob

[crowdedstr]

Originally posted by sabitan007
2000 Taylor 714
2000 Martin D-28
Gibson Chet Atkins SST
Jerry Jones Baritone

yeah i'd say dave matthews might be one of your influences

[sabitan007]

Just to clarify, I will never stop playing dave. Im sorry if I sounded like that, that wil never happen. lol

the eagles and beatles are great suggestions, I actually bought a strat like three weeks ago, and am trying to play alot of clapton and U2, hopefully Ill get that feeling from those, but it just hasent happend yet. I just go back to my martin, and start ripping out tripping billies and stuff. I need new motivation.

by the way, not trying to compare or start any type of different subjects here, I really dont think in 15 years people will be asking who dave is.....lol. I was thinking about that this morning acutally, I brought my little sister to school today ( she is 11) and she told me Dave was for old farts. Can you beleive that, Im 25, and my 11 year old sister thinks the music that Ive been liesting to for like 8 or 9 years or so is old.....Man , what a wake up call

[Roy]

Originally posted by sabitan007
Can you beleive that, Im 25, and my 11 year old sister thinks the music that Ive been liesting to for like 8 or 9 years or so is old.....Man , what a wake up call

So, I assume you've learned about the Beatles and Eagles in your American history books?

[Taylor007]

Originally posted by sabitan007
Ive been playing for about 7 years or so. Im not going to lie, Im a huge DMB fan and learned guitar basically by playing everyone of their songs. I love it.

Why would you even consider lying about liking DMB. They have revolutionized acoustic guitar playing! I'm also guessing Dave's Taylor use attracted to you to their models and brought you to this forum!

25% of my guitar students love DMB. His style is very unique and a blast to play on the acoustic guitar. If you have nailed down tunes like "Tripping Billies," "Recently," "The Stone," and "So Much to Say," then you have developed skills to play an array of tunes by many different artists.

Since Dave is primarily a rhythm guitarist, you might consider learning lead guitar now. This means learning your major/minor scales, Major/Minor Pentatonic, Arpeggios, etc.

There is a whole world of guitar for you to explore outside of DMB. But Dave Matthews is a great place to start!!

[sabitan007]

Originally posted by Roy


So, I assume you've learned about the Beatles and Eagles in your American history books?

I did.....

I have actually started writing my own stuff, that keeps me busy some nights. I use to play once a week in nyc in different bars. That was great because it forced me to learn different songs to perform and the feeling kinda went away, but now that I live in florida again, im back to playing for myself, and I just always go back to dave and I sometimes feel compelled to put the guitar down. Thats the problem with Miami, or just the problem with being out of college I guess, there are not enough people around me that help influence my musical choice. My other buddy is still in bands like winger and poison, great bands, but lets face it, it doesnt sound that great on a 714.........lol

[JW]

I was watching a commercial on TV for some clothes (I think) when they were singing the the 70s hit "Love Train" I would sing along every time the commercial would come on so I finally had to learn to play it. Funny where inspiration comes from sometimes. JW

[mgrasse]

Originally posted by sabitan007

So I find that my motivation to learn more has really almost come to a hault. Does this happen after a while? What does this mean?? I really love playing, but always play dave, and its tough to stop when its all I really know well.

Any thoughts at all

I have been there. My best remedy is to find someone (or someone different) to play with for a while. Learn all of his/her stuff and teach them all the DMB stuff you know. Two things can happen:

1) Learning all of his/her stuff may push you off of the plateau.
2) You may be forced to rearrange the DMB stuff that you already know to accommodate your playing partner. This may bring out your own style a bit.

If this is impossible, then you might try getting a book/CD on a style (blues, jazz) that will add more improvisation to your playing.

You said "Any thoughts at all".

[sabitan007]

talyor007- Thanks alot. I actually have been trying to read about scales and stuff but not sure where a good place to start. Ive also thought about taking lessons. Any suggestions on some scales that I could go out and find easily and learn. I really would like to become more of a student of music, than just a Davo-holic.

Its funny though, I can play tripping billies, warehouse, satelite, pretty much all of his hard (or what I hear of as hard) down just like him, but I really dont see it as much of an accomplishment. I've been playing them for so long and have really tried hard to mimic what he was doing, that it came easy to me. I NEED TO LEARN. By the way, I do appreciate all the advice. This board really is awsome. I found it like a week ago and I love it.

[MJH]

Take a look at some Dylan. His stuff ranges all over the place and has been covered by many different artists in many different ways.

Mark

[tbondo]

I'm suggesting that you spend time listening to different format stations (must have some of that in Miami) and find/learn what you like. Too much af any artist is limiting (I know, Neil Young was my DMB). Expand your horizons....latin, jazz, blues, R&B, whatever.