Feedback You Received that Made an Impression on You?

[philjs]

I took lessons from Don Ross in the early to mid '90s. Inspirational, and aspirational, for a fingerstyle nerd like me! Don taught me a bunch, probably most, of his tunes and I absorbed the technical along with the musical but at the end of about 3 years he cut me loose, saying "If I teach you any more you'll just be me. Go and be you."

Phil

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by Yamaha Man

Brought my new Fender Newporter to a gig and one of the musicians said it looked like paneling...I sold it 2 weeks later.

Yep, that's feedback you don't forget.

Originally Posted by philjs

I took lessons from Don Ross in the early to mid '90s. Inspirational, and aspirational, for a fingerstyle nerd like me! Don taught me a bunch, probably most, of his tunes and I absorbed the technical along with the musical but at the end of about 3 years he cut me loose, saying "If I teach you any more you'll just be me. Go and be you."

Phil

Hey Phil, great quote by Don Ross and there's truth to it.

[Deliberate1]

Originally Posted by FingahPickah

About 30 years ago, I had just finished a solo acoustic set in a swanky, upscale restaurant lounge.
…A quite dignified senior couple turned to me and the lady said.. "Young man, I have to say we don't care much for the songs you've chosen but you do play them very well". I just said "Thank you" .. but I remember thinking "if the people in the cheaper seats could clap your hands... and the rest of you just rattle your jewelry" (- John Lennon)

I still think it was the funniest, most sincere compliment I ever received...

Forgive me FP, but that back-handed compliment reminds me of the best one I ever got, though no guitar content. I was at an alpine ski camp, at the ski-off used for lesson placement. At the end of my run, a British instructor slid up to me and said, "oh, you ski so beautifully in that passe style." That is going on my tomb stone.
David

[TBman]

Someone here gave me constructive criticism - that I played with too much hesitation. Ever since then I practice a piece more before I share it and before it sees the light of day I make sure it sounds musical to a listener.

[Deliberate1]

Originally Posted by srick

“Breathe.”


It’s so tempting to try to play fast, but it’s not necessary. Feeling the beat and playing with intent is the foundation of practice.

Rick

Rick, I was at a string camp here in Maine this summer, and the highlight was an appearance by the Kruger Brothers. They gave a "master class," of sorts - held in a horse show ring at the fairgrounds. They are a fountain of knowledge and practical advice. And what you said is exactly what they said is the key to communicating your musical message.
David

[Tytlynz]

I am a newb, a covid cowboy if you will and picked up the guitar during lockdown. I have no aspirations of gigging or even playing for anyone but myself. But I have been diligent and disciplined in my practice and must be making progress.

Yesterday was a very bad day. Bad news on many different fronts. I needed a break and grabbed my guitar and headed down to a park behind where In ive that has a lake and and a ton of non migrating ducks. It is all the audience I aspire to. I was noodling just to get my mind right and amuse the ducks. I have been working on a version of Simple Man that is not quite picked but getting closer. I don’t sing. About the third time through I hear a soft voice singing the lyrics word for word. I turn around and there was a five year old little boy singing. I startled him and he was about to run back from whence he came but I said “that was very good.” He said, “That was my Grandpa’s song….he left us.” Just then his mother comes running frantically up the path looking for Jason. She eyes me suspiciously, understandly, until Jason says “I heard Grandpa’s song and wondered where it was coming from.” The mom, Monica then says you were playing Simple Man? His grandfather played it to him since he was born.” He passed in may from cancer.

For a five year old to recognize a song and sing along was about the best thing that could happen on such a sh*#*y day.

[Mycroft]

One time a local fingerstylist, whose playing I had a lot of respect for, mentioned that he thought that I had a great right hand.

I had never really thought about my right hand. It just did what it did while my focus was on my left hand fingering of the fretboard. After that my focus shifted to be more, well, evenhanded...

[tbirdman]

I was told all my life that I had no musical talent/rhythm. One lady I had dated recently told me to stop singing when I was singing to the song we were dancing to. She said I couldn't sing.

After picking up the guitar 4/20, I went to my first open mic 4 months later. While practicing my friend said I should sing with the other singers we had with us as I could carry a tune and be in proper pitch. I didn't believe him.

Fast forward I'm now doing open mics solo. I'm am taking weekly guitar and singing lessons, but the realization that I could sing and play solo on a stage in front of people was beyond my belief 1.5 years ago. So the feedback from my friend and those I play for is what has made a significant impression on me.

Here's me playing at the last open mic playing fingerstyle. https://soundcloud.com/ken-krolikosk...59a4769beea60b

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by Tytlynz

I am a newb, a covid cowboy if you will and picked up the guitar during lockdown. I have no aspirations of gigging or even playing for anyone but myself. But I have been diligent and disciplined in my practice and must be making progress.

Yesterday was a very bad day. Bad news on many different fronts. I needed a break and grabbed my guitar and headed down to a park behind where In ive that has a lake and and a ton of non migrating ducks. It is all the audience I aspire to. I was noodling just to get my mind right and amuse the ducks. I have been working on a version of Simple Man that is not quite picked but getting closer. I don’t sing. About the third time through I hear a soft voice singing the lyrics word for word. I turn around and there was a five year old little boy singing. I startled him and he was about to run back from whence he came but I said “that was very good.” He said, “That was my Grandpa’s song….he left us.” Just then his mother comes running frantically up the path looking for Jason. She eyes me suspiciously, understandly, until Jason says “I heard Grandpa’s song and wondered where it was coming from.” The mom, Monica then says you were playing Simple Man? His grandfather played it to him since he was born.” He passed in may from cancer.

For a five year old to recognize a song and sing along was about the best thing that could happen on such a day.

What a sweet story.

- Glenn

[Deliberate1]

Originally Posted by Tytlynz

I am a newb, a covid cowboy if you will and picked up the guitar during lockdown. I have no aspirations of gigging or even playing for anyone but myself. But I have been diligent and disciplined in my practice and must be making progress.

Yesterday was a very bad day. Bad news on many different fronts. I needed a break and grabbed my guitar and headed down to a park behind where In ive that has a lake and and a ton of non migrating ducks. It is all the audience I aspire to. I was noodling just to get my mind right and amuse the ducks. I have been working on a version of Simple Man that is not quite picked but getting closer. I don’t sing. About the third time through I hear a soft voice singing the lyrics word for word. I turn around and there was a five year old little boy singing. I startled him and he was about to run back from whence he came but I said “that was very good.” He said, “That was my Grandpa’s song….he left us.” Just then his mother comes running frantically up the path looking for Jason. She eyes me suspiciously, understandly, until Jason says “I heard Grandpa’s song and wondered where it was coming from.” The mom, Monica then says you were playing Simple Man? His grandfather played it to him since he was born.” He passed in may from cancer.

For a five year old to recognize a song and sing along was about the best thing that could happen on such a sh*#*y day.

My friend, that is as good as it gets. If you have any song-writing bones in you, the universe has sent you an invitation.
David

[Aimelie]

Originally Posted by Tytlynz

I am a newb, a covid cowboy if you will and picked up the guitar during lockdown. I have no aspirations of gigging or even playing for anyone but myself. But I have been diligent and disciplined in my practice and must be making progress.

Yesterday was a very bad day. Bad news on many different fronts. I needed a break and grabbed my guitar and headed down to a park behind where In ive that has a lake and and a ton of non migrating ducks. It is all the audience I aspire to. I was noodling just to get my mind right and amuse the ducks. I have been working on a version of Simple Man that is not quite picked but getting closer. I don’t sing. About the third time through I hear a soft voice singing the lyrics word for word. I turn around and there was a five year old little boy singing. I startled him and he was about to run back from whence he came but I said “that was very good.” He said, “That was my Grandpa’s song….he left us.” Just then his mother comes running frantically up the path looking for Jason. She eyes me suspiciously, understandly, until Jason says “I heard Grandpa’s song and wondered where it was coming from.” The mom, Monica then says you were playing Simple Man? His grandfather played it to him since he was born.” He passed in may from cancer.

For a five year old to recognize a song and sing along was about the best thing that could happen on such a sh*#*y day.

Gee whiz, this made me tear up.

[DaveG]

Two of the best compliments I got weren't said directly to me, but were things I overheard.

I was playing at a song circle one time. I didn't have much confidence in my singing, but gave it a shot anyway. When I finished I heard a guy say to his friend "I wish I could sing like him." The funny part is I was thinking exactly the same thing about him.

The second is one time I was playing at an open mic. I had just started writing songs and did an original. I heard a woman ask her friend what song that was and he answered "Oh, that's a John Prine song". That made me fell pretty good.

[Steve DeRosa]

When I was in fourth grade, I was given an "aptitude test" for admission to the then-new school recorder class - simple vocal pitch-matching exercise...

I wasn't accepted - instructor said I had no musical ability...

Next year I auditioned for the school chorus - made it with no problem; also began guitar lessons - finished the entire original six-book Alfred's method in under nine months (thank you, Jack Wilkins )...

Played two solos during my sixth-grade year - one for the class play, one at Graduation ceremonies with my brand-new Gretsch Double Annie...

Took majors' sequence Music courses in college, did freelance full-score choral/orchestral and small-group vocal/instrumental arranging during the '80s-90s...

Wonder what ever happened to that recorder teacher...?

[RRuskin]

After a gig, our bass player asked me if I knew what a quarter note was. His response when I answered in the affirmative was, "Would you mind playing some every once in a while?" This might have been the best advice I ever received.

[Mr. Jelly]

This story is to long and I've told parts of it before here. This started many years ago. When my children were young I'd sneak away to my secound story bedroom and practice guitar. The room had lots of windows that we'd have open in the summer overlooking our back yard. The guitar was a real nice D-18V Martin. Fast forward some years and I get to shake hands with Dickie Betts at a private party the Allman Brothers was playing at. That's it's own story as it costs allot of money to hire them and it had never happened to them before. Dickie was walking around in the crowed and nobody noticed him. Mainly because these people were not Allman Brothers fans like you'd have at a real concert. I see him and I had to shake his hand. Wouldn't you? So I'm shaking his hand and this gal behind Dickie says, loud enongh to be heard, "that's that guitar palyer". But as I'm shaking Dickies hand I glance over his shoulder and she's pointing at me. What the heck!? I was caught in the middle I didn't want to be rude to her or Dickie. I just nodded. That was that. I thought she had seen me in bands as I was out playing at that time. Another fast forward. I found out that her and her guy had lived behind my old house years ago as we shared back yards. They'd hear me playing and would go out on their deck to listen to me. It taught me that a person never knows what influence or impact they are to other people.