Perceptions of greatness?

[Steadfastly]

Most of you likely play better than me but I doubt any of you can clean windows as good or as fast as me. The reason is I have spent years doing it and teaching others to do it.

Using the same principle, if I put as many hours in playing and practicing guitar, I would be a much better player, maybe not as good as someone else who put in the same time but likely better than some who did.

The point is, we all have certain skills and abilities that come to us easily but we can all improve by working at it.

I.E. Roy Clark practices 5 hours per day. If we all did that, not likely any of us would be as good as he was as he was a phenom. However, a few might be close and we would all be better players.

[Pitar]

As a player I'm pretty focused on moving my hands with my ears. Every day I play some of that is in the mix. I don't mean covering published music. I mean covering what's in my head encompassing dynamics, patterns syncopation, meter, etc. within the framework of a listenable piece; original work.

I'm a nuts & bolts player who dismissed notions of being a contender before I hit 20. Learning how to progress as a player became a clearer focus after eschewing that baggage. Actually, it made me realize that my knowledge of where I'm going and what I have to learn far exceeds what I know, and that alone convinces me I'm not ready for prime time. IOW, I don't want to play covers for people. I want to play only originals and I've allowed covers to interfere with that for so long that there's no time left for a course change. That's okay because I enjoy what I do and that strokes the ego enough.

[Akousticplyr]

I call mine “delusions of adequacy”.

[Pinetreebob]

As I get better I have found out I can plays some of my favorite artist's songs. I now feel I could sit down with them and play along but I have come to realize I will never be able to play as well as they do...not even close!

[Steadfastly]

Originally Posted by Pitar

As a player I'm pretty focused on moving my hands with my ears.

When I first read this, I got a real funny picture in my head.

[SpruceTop]

The better I get, the more in awe I am of the great players.

[CaptRedbeard]

After 55 years of playing and singing, I have found that there are thousands of players who can play a lot of notes on a few strings, really loud, above the seventh fret, but there are only a few hundred who know who to play all the note on all the strings on all the frets. Those are the ones that dedicated players stop, listen to, and are then inspired to play better.

[bufflehead]

The OP is asking us to focus on our individual abilities, but my focus as a guitarist has always been on the music. I rarely perform solo, preferring to work as a duet or a member of a band. Since back in the 70s I have focused on playing rhythm to the point where I excel in that role. As such, I often have the opportunity to be part of making incredible music. To me, that's what counts because of how much fun I have in the process of backing up some really great guitarists.

I know any number of fabulous guitarists who are technically more proficient than me, especially in terms of fingerstyle, but who don't have my skills playing rhythm. And I'm cool with that because there's always a spot for a good rhythm guitarist, especially one who doesn't secretly want to be something else.

I will never make it to the rock & roll hall of fame, but I've played with a dude who is enshrined there. What a kick that was!

[Charmed Life Picks]

This kind of thread always brings me back to Steve Goodman. Yes, I'm old, but he still remains one of the finest acoustic pickers of his (my) generation.

For those of you too young to know, Steve was John Prine's best friend until his untimely death at 36 in 1984 of leukemia. He also write what most people consider the finest train song ever, "The City of New Orleans."

This is a vid of his standard show opener, "It's a Sin to Tell a Lie." Sorry for the horrible quality. Wow, what a player. Enjoy!



scott

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by MileHighJC

I also have contemplated this question... more than once. As has already been said in this thread... I aspire to not suck! Perfect description of me.

I definitely appreciate the technical abilities of other guitarists more now than I did before I started playing in the fall of 2017 - whether it is someone jamming at one of the local open mike nights, or a superstar tearing up Red Rocks Amphitheater. I can appreciate the work it took to get there far more than I could before the callouses developed on my fingers.

Having said that, that is not the thing I appreciate the most - which is the ability to create emotions. It is one thing to be able to play the notes... to me it is an entirely different thing to tell a story with only music. I might be able to play a chord progression or melody technically, but to make it evoke an emotion is an ability (skill??) that goes FAR beyond the technical.

Just my $.02...

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Agreed. I've seen some blazingly fast guitar players that generated zero emotion in the audience.

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[SalFromChatham]

I find that when me and my partner gig, the more they drink the better we sound.

[rwmct]

Originally Posted by Charmed Life Picks

He also write what most people consider the finest train song ever, "The City of New Orleans."

Finest train song ever? It is a great song. But there is a lot of competition.

Wreck of the Old 97. Wabash Cannonball. Orange Blossom Special. All time great songs. They will all be pushing 100 soon, and still will be widely performed..

[guitar george]

I have a much greater appreciation of professional and awesome guitar players, today, than I have ever had before. I realize that I will never be able to play like any of them and even if I put in the time, money and effort it is beyond me.

For most great performers I believe that it is in the genes to some extent. Some have it and others don't. I don't have it. I never think, "I could be great too if I wanted to be." It usually is evident at an early age.

Now I'm just gonna make myself happy and go strum and sing my sad, mellow love songs.

[Joe Beamish]

I’m more appreciative than ever of anyone’s ability to write the simple melodies, lines, riffs and hooks that stand out and even make a great song. Often this implies an interesting and eye-opening (to me) approach on the guitar, but not always. As for great technical ability and speed, I never loved it nor believed I would attain it, though I do still admire it from an ever increasing distance like a beautiful girl in a rearview mirror.

[Charmed Life Picks]

Well, I suck, so almost anyone is better.

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