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  #31  
Old 01-16-2020, 12:55 PM
Jaden Jaden is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by aknow View Post
Why so much guilt and lack of self esteem? No one cares, enjoy the music.
Kind of agree - I’ve been on forums where the true experts are too busy to post, but if a beginner speaks up and asks a question, there’s a good chance someone in the know will answer, and the other 90% of the readership who might be beginners or what have you - in the end everyone learns. I was educated to read, read, and read more - but that’s only possible if folks post.

The only area where I’ve encountered snobbery with regard to do with guitars is in the classical guitar genre - whereas the steel string has traditionally been the folk instrument of the people, the “poor man’s piano” so to speak.
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  #32  
Old 01-16-2020, 12:56 PM
aknow aknow is offline
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To the OP with a self-esteem problem: How abut glorifying the ability of your brain to perceive, learn, and interpret a song, for anyone's entertainment.
I've been playing more than 55 years. I am amazed when I hear a commercial or a song on the stereo, I can accompany it flawlessly, or re-create it from scratch, solo. I am consistently amazed at little things like this. I could care less about awards, $ for playing, and accolades from the peanut gallery.
When I consider the memorization that goes from brain to fingers to instrument, I am humbled.
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  #33  
Old 01-16-2020, 01:18 PM
bufflehead bufflehead is offline
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Originally Posted by Jaden View Post

The only area where I’ve encountered snobbery with regard to do with guitars is in the classical guitar genre - whereas the steel string has traditionally been the folk instrument of the people, the “poor man’s piano” so to speak.
What I always liked about the folk tradition, where my musical roots are, is the emphasis on participation and self-expression rather than mastery.
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  #34  
Old 01-16-2020, 01:54 PM
Jaden Jaden is offline
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Originally Posted by bufflehead View Post
What I always liked about the folk tradition, where my musical roots are, is the emphasis on participation and self-expression rather than mastery.
Two thumbs up!
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  #35  
Old 01-16-2020, 01:59 PM
Steve-arino Steve-arino is offline
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This thread feels like the game of telephone. How did some of the other posters get to the understanding that the OP needs help with a self esteem problem? He's just expressing his thoughts on a single facet of his life.

I too am humbled the the knowledge of so many of the folks - especially on this forum - that have been playing guitar their whole lives.
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  #36  
Old 01-16-2020, 02:06 PM
PAPADON PAPADON is offline
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I've played and gigged for 50+ years and have advanced from hopeless plunker to adequate picker knowing full well that the guitar is a bottomless rabbit hole of knowledge I will never master and frustration I will never be rid of. Never the less I don't let that rob me of the satisfaction of knowing that it has never been about how much I know but rather how much the folks standing around the bar and I have had while I've been faking it.

As far as whether or not my playing justifies my gear or not I look at it this way. Very few of us who own a top notch guitar will ever play as well as the guitar is capable of but that's not the point. To me the whole idea is to get my hands on the best guitar I can and then work hard to catch up with it.
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  #37  
Old 01-16-2020, 02:09 PM
dwasifar dwasifar is offline
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Impostor syndrome is kind of the flip side of Dunning-Kruger Effect.

People who really are skilled and self-aware also have the ability to notice and evaluate their own shortcomings, and tend to think that people who "should" be in those positions should not have shortcomings.

I have that problem generally. I've spent my career in a highly technical white collar profession, a position of considerable responsibility that requires specialized knowledge and ability, and I've made a good living at it. Yet, as I approach 60 years old, I'm still looking over my shoulder wondering when people are going to figure out what a faker I am and send me off to scrub toilets or something.

It took me forever to start playing out, even though I've been playing guitar since my teens, because I was convinced I wasn't good enough. When I finally started playing out, relatively late in life, I got a lot of unexpectedly positive feedback. That was helpful, but my grip on feeling competent to perform professionally is still very tenuous. A lot of the time I can't believe anyone would want to listen to me when there are so many people out there who are obviously more musical and more talented.

tl;dr version: You are not alone, OP.
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  #38  
Old 01-16-2020, 02:09 PM
hairpuller hairpuller is offline
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I think I'd rather be the guy that can play okay, but thinks he stinks, than the guy who plays okay, but thinks he's great.

scott
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  #39  
Old 01-16-2020, 02:09 PM
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Mr. Jelly Mr. Jelly is offline
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The person that has the attention in the room has the power position. You either take it or let it be taken. There is no other option. If you believe in yourself and what you are about and what you have to say then stand and deliver. Others will be glad you did. Still others will be jealous, hate you, compete with you, revere you, admire you for it etc. Talent and skill don't have that much to do with it. There are people in every profession that are smarter, more talented, better looking, more charming etc. etc. The leaders aren't. They just do.
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  #40  
Old 01-16-2020, 02:33 PM
C.F. Angee C.F. Angee is offline
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I think there are three standards for justifying a nicer guitar:

1. You ought to play it, not ignore it
2. You ought to be able to tell the difference between it and a lower-cost option
3. You ought to be able to responsibly afford it

That's all.
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  #41  
Old 01-16-2020, 02:37 PM
whvick whvick is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by C.F. Angee View Post
I think there are three standards for justifying a nicer guitar:

1. You ought to play it, not ignore it
2. You ought to be able to tell the difference between it and a lower-cost option
3. You ought to be able to responsibly afford it

That's all.


1. Yes
2. Hummm, not always
3. Yes, but there is the retirement fund
And the grand kids And.....

Seriously, good points!
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  #42  
Old 01-16-2020, 02:51 PM
dwasifar dwasifar is offline
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Originally Posted by dwasifar View Post
Impostor syndrome is kind of the flip side of Dunning-Kruger Effect.
"Interestingly, really smart people also fail to accurately self-assess their abilities. As much as D- and F-grade students overestimate their abilities, A-grade students underestimate theirs. In their classic study, Dunning and Kruger found that high-performing students, whose cognitive scores were in the top quartile, underestimated their relative competence. These students presumed that if these cognitive tasks were easy for them, then they must be just as easy or even easier for everyone else. This so-called “imposter syndrome” can be likened to the inverse of the Dunning-Kruger effect, whereby high achievers fail to recognize their talents and think that others are equally competent. The difference is that competent people can and do adjust their self-assessment given appropriate feedback, while incompetent individuals cannot."
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  #43  
Old 01-16-2020, 03:05 PM
Crazyguitardj Crazyguitardj is offline
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I haven't been playing for very long, compared to some of the people on the thread with 55 years of experience. But I definitely I am an imposter. I learned guitar by picking up a chord sheet and sitting down and playing. I haven't learned any music theory other than 2 years of piano starting when I was 10. It's always slightly embarrassing to have that expert guitar player walk into the room and ask me to play lead in a song coming up. I always have to tell him "well... Umm...im not really good at that..." but I am working on it, however, music theory tends to turn my brain to oatmeal in under 5 minutes
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  #44  
Old 01-16-2020, 03:24 PM
Shades of Blue Shades of Blue is offline
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I have the imposter complex in every aspect of my life. Always dealt with it. I have a good job, I get along with everyone, yet I still feel like I'm one mistake away from losing it all...

In relating to guitar, I suffer more from gear guilt. I feel guilty for owning thousands of dollars worth of guitars just for hobby's sake. Not sure how to just sit back and enjoy what I have, but I typically buy a nice guitar, then start thinking about how to sell it and purchase something less expensive and save the money. Only, I never save the money, I just end up selling 2 guitars and replacing them with a nicer one.
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  #45  
Old 01-16-2020, 03:27 PM
MChild62 MChild62 is offline
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What a delightful thread!

Rather than feeling like an imposter, the passage of time has just increased my admiration for those who have had the passion and persistence and made the sacrifices to make music their profession. The fact that I know I will never be as good as they are has no bearing on the joy I get playing alone or with friends or in a small acoustic group that meets weekly or at my mother's assisted living home (and some small amount of joy transmitted to others).

As for quality and cost of guitars, if you can afford it and it brings you happiness, what's the problem with that at any price?
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