three hows and a what

[Soylent]

woah there.. I love some metal, I guess I played metal in my day too..  :guitaristgif:

 

[BobR55]

Been playing for 43 years

After 38 years I could play it as fast and fluid as I can think it. I continue to work on the thinking part. lol! Not sure when I'll get good.

I still practise about 1 to 2 hrs/day.

I play both kinds of music - Country and Western!! (and have played Disco, Rock, Metal, Alt Rock)

 

[GoDrex]

I started when I was 13. Practiced a lot until I was about 16 or so, and then focused more on trying to figure out how a band worked more than my actual playing. So I guess I was OK enough to jam by the time I was 16 or so - in my mind anyway. Played with various friends and band combinations until I was 22 or so. Played mostly heavy metal, but the original music I did with one band was moving in a less heavy and more weird direction. I went to college and pretty much stopped playing regularly - messing around here and there on acoustic but really not much at all. I lost interest in it because of the expense of gear and my lack of money. Started getting more into computers and pretty much stopped playing (was enjoying listening to music more than playing it - I usually do mostly one or the other). Decided to start playing again when I was 35. I'm 40 now. I guess I play instrumental rock or experimental (see my sig or myspace page). I noodle around mostly with blues when I'm just messing around, or play solos over songs that come on my radio station. I think I'm pretty good at operating a guitar, in some areas, and I'm terribly weak in other areas. I don't know any songs, and would really need to work to be in a band, though I do miss it. I suck at most chords, I can't really stretch my fingers very far, I can't alternate pick very fast any more (though I could get that back if I worked at it a bit). If I play fast I prefer legato as opposed to fast picking - it sounds better to me and is easier for me. I don't know a lot of licks and I've never really learned other people's leads unless they were really easy. I really only like to play electric guitar, because I like the sound of it  - I mainly started playing because I liked the weird sounds you could make with it. I probably should have gone into sound effects recording or something like that.

 

[stormbringer]

Hmm, since 1979 (after a brief stint on the drums and bass)
I am happy with where my playing is now, although there is always a lot more to learn.
I only practice when learning new songs
Southern Rock / Classic Rock / Hard Rock / Progressive Rock / Blues

 

[Wana_make_a_guitar]

Since 2007

I don't know yet! A

As many as I can spare

Whatever style gets thrown my way.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

Guitar since 1990, Bass since 2007.

I think I'm better than most, but when I meet or see a truly good player, it's clear that I don't even play the same instrument.  What's funny is, if honest, most good players don't think they're any good.  But, it took a few years of playing anything and everything hours a day.  It could've been shorter, but I had no practice structure and was self-taught.

I gig pretty regularly, so I may play 4 times a week, but seldom practice anymore.

I play Red Dirt (think Classic Rock meets country), Country, Rock, Blues, and a little R&B.

 

[NLD09]

started when i was 16. I'm 18 now.

Pretty much learned overnight. the first couple weeks were kinda rough though. i'd consider myself decent.

my practice has fluctuated a lot in the last 2 years, but now i pretty much play until my voice wears out.

First song i tried to learn was Pride and Joy (that was stupid.) stayed around the blues alot but living in Ft. Worth
country is kind of required. have been known to stray as far as black label society, and nirvana covers too.

 

[chrisg]

- over 30 years

- still not as good as I would like

- average about 2 hrs per week (plus band practice)

- classic rock, blues, acoustic

 

[Tempest]

Almost two years

I'm pretty good for two years, I've been told I'm a bit of a natural

I can play any amount of time really, usually over an hour, but I could play all day.

I play MOSTLY classic rock, blues, blues-rock, and some 90's grunge stuff.  And I can play METAL (not incredibly well, I can show off with the easy stuff though lol)  At the core of it all I'm a blues guy, and I want to get better with a slide to.

 

[kboman]

Oh yeah, about what we practise - I tend to practise the material I'm working on at the moment, or the specific technical stuff that's needed to play it. Currently I'm playing acoustic guitar for a singer, so I'm mainly playing my acoustic with a metronome to be consistent and in preparation for recording to a click track. Last year it was all about the electric for a big-ish stage production, so I played nothing but my Swede for six months. I had a few unison lines with a flutist to play, so I did some scale work just to get the fingers into shape for that.

I'm currently also working on doing some solo work later this year, so I'm practising singing as well, and singing while playing which is turning out to be an absolute bitch! I feel for Zappa let me tell you.

 

[GoDrex]

I'm currently also working on doing some solo work later this year, so I'm practising singing as well, and singing while playing which is turning out to be an absolute bitch! I feel for Zappa let me tell you.

Yeah he couldn't do it well enough for his liking. In his book he says that he wouldn't have been able to pass the audition for his own bands.  :laughing7:

 

[vtpcnk]

>Yeah he couldn't do it well enough for his liking.

maybe. but it doesn't show on his albums. even live ones like "roxy and ...".

btw i saw (dweezil) zappa plays zappa a couple of years back in msg theatre.

steve vai was a guest. dweezil was pretty good. but vai outplayed dweezil in a duel.

considering the speed at which they were playing/soloing, i am not even sure how i caught it. but there was no question that vai was the superior player (in whatever sense - maybe in that time and space). the funny thing was it showed on dweezil's face! one of the remarkable things i have seen live.

 

[GoDrex]

>Yeah he couldn't do it well enough for his liking.

maybe. but it doesn't show on his albums. even live ones like "roxy and ...".

he doesn't play and sing at the same time

 

[Volitions Advocate]

Started in '99

Played rhythm jazz in the school jazz band at first and sucked at it, the chords were very difficult.
With my friends I played punk music and on my own I played a lot of folk, w/ alternate tunings
Took me a year and a half before I could play with a pick.  And I used to play constantly then.

I was a much better player before I learned the "rules"

I don't practice much anymore because I have band rehearsal 4 nights a week with my 2 bands, about 3 hours a night. I never seem to play on my own anymore and my playing (and love of playing) has gone downhill because of it.

And I've been good ever since I've enjoyed the way I sound.

 

[slashgnr88]

5 years

never had a lesson.

played with people within a month (best friend started at the same time as me so we played with a lot of people)

never really had a structured practice just jammed a lot

got to college and never have time to play anymore (tear)

I play 80s hair metal, classic rock, blues, folk, and TRY to play Malmsteen (again try. got some stuff down but man is that stuff tricky)

 

[TBurst Std]

how long have you been playing?

how long did it take you to become good? (albert king apparently practiced for 5 years by himself, before he played to another soul!)

how many hours do you practice a day?

and what kinda music do you play?

29 years with a 6 year break and a 11 year break

1st time, 3-4 years till I could make a steady, decent income playing (put myself through college playing)
I had a pretty good injury to my left hand that just makes some things not possible now (IE: the 6 year break)
Now I am a much better musician than guitarist - there is a difference 

Not as much as I need to, probably about 3-5 hrs a week, then about 2hrs of performance a week

Contemporary Christian, Classic Rock, Blues

 

[hannaugh]

Off and on for 10 years, though with all the offs it's more like 5 or 6 years.  I really didn't have the time, energy, or budget to play much during college since I was at school from sun up to bed time.  But I did play during the summers, so I made a little progress.  I only recently decided to start learning and practicing seriously rather than just strumming chords.

I became pretty good at strumming chords and playing fingerstyle in high school, so I would say it took me about 3 years to get good at that.  I still suck at flatpicking sometimes though.  I'll probably never be good enough to satisfy myself, which is good because it means I will keep learning my entire life.

When I first started I practiced all the time, whenever I had a spare minute.  But I was in high school then.  I'm a little busier now, so it's usually an hour or two, sometimes more if I'm feeling energetic.

I play whatever I'm listening to, which could be just about anything.  Right now I'm studying the blues genre, but I want to learn about all of the styles.  My goal is to some day be a good jazz player and to be able to improvise kick ass solos. 

 

[vtpcnk]

>I'm studying the blues genre

can you expand on this pls? what exactly does the study involve?

 

[vtpcnk]

>Currently focusing on electric slide techniques

hey i am always on the look out for slide songs in standard tuning. if you know any do let me know. thanks.

 

[Nightclub Dwight]

>Currently focusing on electric slide techniques

hey i am always on the look out for slide songs in standard tuning. if you know any do let me know. thanks.

The new issue of Fretboard Journal has a feature article on Warren Haynes, and it mentions that he plays slide in standard tuning.