General Music Chat

The hitting a plateau thread got me thinking about the fact that now at 55, if I ever ran into the 25 year old version of myself, I'm afraid that young punk could mop the floor up with me as far as guitar playing goes!

From a knowledge standpoint, I would kick my younger selfs' butt. They may seem obvious, but the point being that I have absorbed much through experience over the years...(trust me, I know older guys who have played twice as long as me, and yet go cross-eyed when I begin talking a little theory).

That being said, physically, I couldn't come close to competing now. I used to practice my fingers off, everyday. In band sessions, when the balance wasn't right, I'd play harder. Nowadays, I pick up my bass and it takes me a few days to START to get back up to speed. I also have to make sure I can hear myself when playing with the band, because my hands don't have the endurance to pound out notes for any real length of time. I spend the latter 3/4 of practice wringing my hands, trying to get them to loosen up and stop aching.

I expect to hit that stage eventually, maybe when I'm 80 or 90.
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And then I'll just switch from acoustic guitar back to electric, which is comparatively much easier . . .
In the mean time - I'm learning new stuff every week.
I know at least 60 times as much now as I did when I was 25.
I didn't even start playing til I was about 21 . . .

At 25 I was just really beginning my Kung Fu journey.
I picked up the guitar in 2005. I was 45 years old.
So I guess I don't count.

I will say this much in comparison.
My 50 year old ass could mop the kung fu floor with my 25 year old ass.
Partly because of the skills I learned.
Mostly because I'm old and treacherous.

I wonder if it is the same in the realm of the guitar?

From a knowledge standpoint, I would kick my younger selfs' butt. They may seem obvious, but the point being that I have absorbed much through experience over the years...(trust me, I know older guys who have played twice as long as me, and yet go cross-eyed when I begin talking a little theory).

That being said, physically, I couldn't come close to competing now. I used to practice my fingers off, everyday. In band sessions, when the balance wasn't right, I'd play harder. Nowadays, I pick up my bass and it takes me a few days to START to get back up to speed. I also have to make sure I can hear myself when playing with the band, because my hands don't have the endurance to pound out notes for any real length of time. I spend the latter 3/4 of practice wringing my hands, trying to get them to loosen up and stop aching.

I'd love to be able to teach you the ligament stretches I learned in Chin Na.
And pass along the herbal knowledge I have as well.
I'm positive it would benefit you Joseph.

Just don't know how it could be done without actually touching you.
Energetics cannot be taught with video and audio alone.

The hitting a plateau thread got me thinking about the fact that now at 55, if I ever ran into the 25 year old version of myself, I'm afraid that young punk could mop the floor up with me as far as guitar playing goes! Shocked Embarassed

Just the opposite for me. I'm 55 also and I really didn't get serious on the guitar until I was in my early 40's but I've played for over 40 years. My young self was just young, dumb, and you know the rest. I was a lazy musician then and not much better now. But My skills are much better now......

The hitting a plateau thread got me thinking about the fact that now at 55, if I ever ran into the 25 year old version of myself, I'm afraid that young punk could mop the floor up with me as far as guitar playing goes!

Well with went like this; when I first started playing with a band my mind was absorbed with hitting the right notes and keeping time while my eyes were fixed on the neck of the guitar not a clue as to what was happening in the audience, if some girl was giving me the eye I never knew it.
Later as I progressed I was able to play while looking at my band mates and the audience most of the time.

After I gained enough dexterity to interact with the audience, adjust my tone on the amp, work my pedal board, tell the soundman to give me the tone that I wanted on the PA, tune a string on the fly if needed and even notice if some chick was giving me the eye… now that’s progress.

Now I still can do all that except the occasional chick looking at me has gotten older, when adjusting the tone on the amp I need glasses, if the guitar goes out of tune I have to use the Boss tuner and the soundman no longer gives a F#@k if my mic need volume treble, bass or mid range.

As for my guitar playing... it’s like my car the older it get the more maintenance it requires and doesn’t have the same acceleration.
I’ll stop here without getting into how my gear has been streamlined over time.

Who came up with this thread anyway? Now I feel blowing my head off luckily I don’t own a firearm.

I would KICK my younger versions butt! I started playing guitar when I was 13 for my own entertainment and found that it was soon getting in the way of my violin playing. Then about 2 years later I decided to get serious about guitar and put the fiddle on the backburner and I have never looked back. I discovered the plateau thingy around 20years old and I PLAYED THRU IT! back in those days I practiced a minimum of 8 hrs. a day. Over the years I have really gotten a lot more efficiant with my practice regimine. These days I probably rehearse an average of 3 hrs a day. I am one of those guys that at 51 years old still lives, breaths, sleeps, guitar and music. I can play things note for note I never dreamed I would be able to play and I have my own style that allows me to go where ever I want to go. Sometimes I even bring my guitar to work and play an hr. or two here!

On guitar, bass, drums, and keys I continued a slow crawl to where I got last year. The pinnacle of my musicianship came last year on my loopty loop tour. Playing 12 shows in 17 days honed my skills. Vocally I am better than I was at say 23 in a several ways. Stamina (3 hours last november working it HARD with NO glitches), about 3 more usable notes in my upper range, and phrasing and pronunciation. I also actually think about pitch now. Before I thought I was always dead on. Now I realize with a little extra effort I can be a little tighter.

I used to practice constantly when I was younger. I hardly ever have time to practice anymore, but own it when I perform. Experience trumps enthusiasm. Plus my writing skills are far better now. So overall I would say I'm a better musician now.

I played nothing but acoustic for probibly 15 years then i picked up a eletric (a whole new world) wile still learning i would kick my ass from years gone by.

Dajax I think you are one hell of a guitar picker now! I sure would liked to have seen your younger version play that guy must of been Hell on Wheels!

. . . Before, I thought I was always dead on. Now I realize with a little extra effort I can be a little tighter.

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Ah, if only more musicians had that attitude . . .
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With me -
Stuff I recorded just 2 years ago, - now has me appalled . . .
I often record a song within a few days of writing it (so I don't forget it).
But the difference in the sound of a song recorded last week - or the same song after playing and developing it for an additional 2 years - is simply amazing . . .
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So much to record, and so little time . . .

I expect to hit that stage eventually, maybe when I'm 80 or 90.
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And then I'll just switch from acoustic guitar back to electric, which is comparatively much easier . . .
In the mean time - I'm learning new stuff every week.
I know at least 60 times as much now as I did when I was 25.
I didn't even start playing til I was about 21 . . .

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I started playing when I was 14 as a drummer in a Dixieland Band. At 17 I graduated to a "Big Band" in that era. Entered the service and when I came home I started my own 21piece outfit. Then gave that up and started playing drums in a country band. Finally switched to rhythm guitar and have been doing that ever since. At 82 , I now have a 5 piece traditional country band
I can't keep the pace I used to, have trouble bending over and getting back up. LOL, the guitar neck is a little harder to hold on to for all the bar chords but I can still do it and my vocals (I Think) and I'm told are nearly as good as they used to be. So I'm not quitting until I just can't do it any more cause I love playing, singing and entertaining.....

Dewey

Thats awesome Dewey! Thats what I hope and pray I get to do play until I can't do it anymore! I have already lost a few good musician friends that went WAY before their time!