What are some cool things you can play **Right Now**? (Cheap philosophy post)

General Music Discussion
#1

We are a sort of “guitar self-improvement” Forum, so I think it’s normal that we are always thinking about learning and understanding new techniques, polishing the techniques we have, generally getting “better” (whatever that means) etc.

However, in doing so we shouldn’t be all “grass is greener on the other side”, and we should not forget that there may be many things we can already play that are fun to do and sound cool. We should also avoid that paralysing perfectionism where we think that nothing we play is good enough*, so we never share our playing with anyone.

So, don’t live your entire life locked in the woodshed! What are some cool things that you can already play right here and now? Play them!!!

PS: no, those perfect instagram performances are not real, don’t compare yourself to that. People cherry-pick and edit their s***t all the time. Your imperfect take with string noise, non-robotic timing, and slightly out-of-tune bends can still be great playing.

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#2

I like this run with the harmonics

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/p_cL0zKBnmM

and this feel

https://youtube.com/shorts/thWMd1VpxD8

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#3

I wanted to video some Satch solos and I had to start here because of this significance of this particular song:

This one I’m kind of proud of because I had to make the backing track. You can find Banana Mango I in midi, but not #2. It was really fun to do and taught me a lot about how to work with Logic. I was Pro Tools guy way back when but couldn’t seem to reconnect with it so I tried out Logic and… Yeah. That’s the stuff right there!!!

And this is something I made to demonstrate some EJ tones I put built in my Fractal and in a lot of ways, the entire reason I ended up on this forum to begin with lol

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#4

Wow, awesome stuff man. I got a long way to go.
You’re playing really fluid, I’m trying to get there, love it!

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#5

Don’t have anything that I have recorded besides lo-fi small snippets I have already posted, but maybe plan to some more this year in the hopes to aid others, including myself, and am always working and scheming on ways to improve.

one thing I’m working on currently is seamlessly blending techniques together smoothing out rough edges, which is harder than it sounds… well at least to me, because it requires both sudden mental and physical shifts. One tiny example was something I posted a few days ago in regards to notation practices. The lick was actually an exercise I formulated for myself to practice suddenly blending alternate and economy techniques, which is why you can hear a choppiness in the second iteration during the transition between the two. It just so happened to be a good example to use for the discussion.

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#6

Well, I don’t know if it’s cool - but it’s mine! Well besides the two covers… Here’s a bunch of junk from the past - get your barf bags ready! lol It’s always fun trying to create some music, even more fun sharing it and seeing how people react to it! Anyways, enjoy!

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#7

Psssshaw, I don’t know what yer talking about, I always love your songs!

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#8

I thought I had imposed a full ban on @Scottulus 's self deprecation! Clearly my “forum parenting” is too soft because he’s still doing it :slight_smile:
The track is fantastic!!!

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#9

This is a cool idea for a thread. \m/

I’ve been on a big song- and solo-writing kick lately, I should try to shoot some video for the stuff I’m working on. It’s not very alternate-picking-heavy, but ironically my picking technique, as it improves, is starting to inform my legato playing; the basic “gilbert 6’s” motif as a movable form (horizontally and vertically) is all over some of the solos I’ve written recently even if I’m not actually picking it.

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#10

Aww thanks, man! Much appreciated - glad to hear that you dig it - that’s the true joy of creating these things is when someone likes one! Although it can get awful entertaining when people hate them also hahaha

Aww Tommo, thanks man. yeah… y’know it’s tough - you hear the kids wailing away at stuff that seems nigh impossible and there’s not even a fret squeak or a smidge of rhythmic imperfection… Yeah, you might have to get mean! hahaha Thanks so much for checking it out, and the kind words as always!

Y’know, it’s of course very appealing to have a sort of “ultimate picking technique” that just solves everything, and at times it feels worthwhile to sacrifice actual musical growth in pursuit of said “ultimate picking technique” but… I am now of the opinion that it may be best to understand what is going on, and be able to understand what others are doing. That, combined with taking a good look at any transcriptions or exercises or whatever and ensure that the fingerings suit an advantageous position for ourselves. I think that the single greatest contribution Troy has made here is in creating an extensive naming convention for the right hand’s various techniques.

So yeah, if we just do the best we can I think we can surprise ourselves, especially if it’s in alignment with our strengths (ie particular motion, etc). We’re capable of a lot of really individual stuff!

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