# Happy being Mediocre



## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

So I just got off of a big YouTube Jam track session.... I know, its not ideal. Jumping onto some random Metal and Hard Rock tracks running in a few different minor scales I found myself able to riff away into the different patterns and modes running up and down the neck as if I hadn't just spent a decade without a guitar in my hand. Over the last few weeks I have been desperately trying to remember all of these things and was failing. I would just sit there and stare out into the great beyond and.... nada. As soon as there was something to jam too the flood gates opened.

I have also spent this time trying to learn a few songs because after 20 years I thought maybe it was time. Turns out I was wrong as that simply holds no interest for me apparently.

I am not entirely sure what I am trying to convey but do you ever just feel satisfied with playing guitar and the feeling you get from it or are you constantly striving for something??? Right now, I feel at peace just riffin' and rockin' and not worrying two hoops about much more than that.


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## mawmow (Nov 14, 2017)

A bit of new things and a bunch of old things trying to enhance some renditions... sometimes.


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## Choo5440 (Oct 24, 2020)

These days, I have very little energy to devote to proper practice. I find myself mindlessly playing/playing along with songs. I'd like to be a better player, but until work-life balance is actually balanced, I'll take what I can get


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## JBFairthorne (Oct 11, 2014)

I’ve long since come to terms with my mediocrity. I’m just happy playing and periodically noticing something that I’m getting better at, or a passage that I struggled with and put aside for a while becoming magically easy when I get back around to it. It’s the journey that’s important.


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## FatStrat2 (Apr 7, 2021)

Brunz said:


> ...I have also spent this time trying to learn a few songs because after 20 years I thought maybe it was time. Turns out I was wrong as that simply holds no interest for me apparently...


Same here. Years ago when I was faced w/ learning tunes that many guitarists played in wacky pitches deliberate or otherwise with even seasoned & learned transcriptionists screwing up how it's actually played, I knew it was best to learn stuff through osmosis and my own type of practice. So I get ya.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Jamming is fine. Music isn't always about performance from memory, or note for note perfect reproductions of someone else's (or your own, for that matter) music. I wouldn't recognize my bands' set lists from long ago, never mind play the tunes without relearning them.

There is no ideal.

I rarely memorize much beyond common melodies and themes, like intros, outros, and chord structures, and I jam over the rest. In a couple of bands over a period of decades that's all I did on guitar, bass, or whatever else. In a couple of other bands I chiefly sight read everything, though through repetition it's more a security blanket to have the charts. At home I combine reading with memorized stuff and jamming to backing tracks. I have my tried and true moves I guess, but try not to be too repetitive. 

Eat, drink, play guitar, and don't let others tell you how to do those things.


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## NotFromToronto (Dec 10, 2009)

Playing is one of my stress relievers. I have technically been playing guitar for over 20 years but I usually find that embarrassing to admit if someone is assessing my skill. 


The truth of it is that although I have a musical background, I didn’t take it up until after I already had a career taking the majority of my time. And I was very satisfied to be a ‘campfire’ guitar player for most of those years. A chord sheet and lyrics were enough for me to relax, belt out some tunes in a way that was sufficiently satisfying to me. 

I’ve only really started trying to move the needle in the last couple years, but still in a pretty casual way. I accept that I will never be a great guitar player… but it doesn’t limit the enjoyment I reap from the pursuit.


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## jdto (Sep 30, 2015)

I find I'm not really very good at "practicing", so I'll likely never have very good technique. What motivates me is learning songs or licks that I like. I found that when I pick something challenging, I'm usually better in general by the end of it at other stuff that employs similar techniques. Maybe six months ago, I made it a point to learn All Along the Watchtower and that gave me a nice boost in terms of what I can play. I'm sure it's old hat for many around here, but for me, it was a challenge and took some time to get through. There are still parts of it that I'm polishing, but I can get through it during rehearsal and it sounds ok.

I also find I'm learning licks stuff a little faster now. I'll never shred, but at least now I can learn a simple solo in a much shorter time than even a year or two ago. Watchtower was something of a breakthrough for me, I guess. I'm looking at learning more stuff that a few years ago I couldn't even begin to think about.


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## teleboli (Aug 19, 2009)




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## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

Mooh said:


> In a couple of other bands I chiefly sight read everything


Oh the things I have forgotten. I miss the ability to sight read music and largely reproduce it. Tab is great and all but it is not the same thing. I have never been great at sight reading guitar, but the clarinet on the other hand, look out. Now, it all looks Greek to me as if I was that same little kid 25 years ago trying to learn to play "in the jungle".

Guess I am lucky, I never learned it for guitar well because that would be one more thing to lament. 

Here is a crazy anecdote though rather unrelated.

Keyboard typing. About 4 months ago, I had this odd desire to learn to type "properly". I have always been a fastish typist, somewhere in the realm of 85-90 wpm on average, but not on dictation or reproduction, just on things from my brain to my fingers. Then one day I thought I should remedy this before it is too late in life to change. I found some decent reproduction style typing lessons on the internet and away I went. Well holy hell did I move backwards fast. My usually finger flurry of left index and index and pointer right hand was replaced with an eight finger fuddle of mashing keys and trying so hard to keep on the correct finger. As that went along, the time for memory was over and everything moved into punctuation and numbers and symbols. Well, to wrap this story up, I went from a sloppy, poorly punctuated, terribly inaccurate fastish typist to a perfect typist (ok, not perfect, high 90% accuracy) with a word speed of around 80-85 wpm. While I got a little slower, my ability to reproduce text and the like was an increase in speed and being able to not have to hunt for punctuation all the time was really a vast increase. 

I think what I am trying to illustrate is that there is a lot to be gained from proper technique and practice. I would spend about an hour or so a day (sometimes more) on this for about 2 months. The best part is it would get exciting when you would see the gains. I need to find something for guitar that works like that and can intrigue me the same way and then go. Problem is there is so much musical theory, finger theory, physical theory... it is hard to find something that melds them all together in a congruent fashion. If anyone has any suggestions, feel free to let me know. I do like to learn.


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## Kerry Brown (Mar 31, 2014)

I find it hard to practice unless I have a goal in mind. Learning a new song for the band. Writing an original song. Learning new songs sometimes makes me learn new techniques. Writing songs makes me think about song structure and how melody interacts with chords. I rarely practice scales any more. I do participate in online improv challenges. The challenges are often in genres I would never play otherwise. That really makes me think about melody. The key is to not just noodle all the time. You need to have a purpose for your playing or you will just keep playing the same old, same old.


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## pickslide (May 9, 2006)

I realized that playing guitar is for me and nobody else. I enjoy it and at times I even make myself smile with some of my playing. That doesnt mean that Im very good lol, but who else am I playing for if not myself? I have played live a bit and would like to jam with more people, but as long as I enjoy playing and the sounds I can get thats really all I can ask for.


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## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

Kerry Brown said:


> I find it hard to practice unless I have a goal in mind


I am not really sure that I am talking about practicing... but I think maybe I am lol. I do not really know what exactly I am talking about. That should come to no surprise for anyone that knows me but seeing as most of you do not, I thought I would make it clear 

You are spot on in your assumption about having a stated goal of practicing. To "practice for practice sake" does not sound like a good philosophy to me. Scales and practicing them can lick my bottom end and I will die a happy man if I never do it again. Getting a deeper understanding of musical theory and melodic theory now is about where I am at.


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## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

I should add as well, I am not really talking about writing. I do that more than I just pick up and play but really they are one in the same so to speak on a certain level. I am just saying at the root of what makes a person happy with their guitar interactions I think mine is mostly just playing, sorry my thoughts are so disjointed you should hear my playing!!


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## Kerry Brown (Mar 31, 2014)

Brunz said:


> I am not really sure that I am talking about practicing


Learning might be a better word. I practice with my band but on my own I am learning.


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## JBFairthorne (Oct 11, 2014)

I find it best to practice within a context. If you’re working on a particular skill, scale, picking pattern, palm muting, whatever….pick a few songs that use that and practice them. Play the song rather than practice the skill


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## Doug Gifford (Jun 8, 2019)

Jamming with tapes for the practice win. You get to learn songs, listen carefully to arrangements and production, play in every key, keep time, exercise your ears and build your chops. Did I miss any?


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## Verne (Dec 29, 2018)

This is me to the core. I play for myself, the cats, and Cindy if she gets too close. ;-) 

I have never played with in a band setting nor jammed with anybody other than one of my cats. I'm okay with that. I play for myself, and I am happy with what I hear. I am not good, nor am I "better than I think" as most will say. I'm really not. I enjoy music and being able to make it. If I was truly really awful at it, I likely still wouldn't stop. It make ME happy, to hell with the judgemental people who are either really good, or the worst kind, the ones who don't play but pass judgement about mine (or anybody's) ability. Play for yourself first, then others if they are so fortunate.


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## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

Verne said:


> This is me to the core. I play for myself, the cats, and Cindy if she gets too close. ;-)
> 
> I have never played with in a band setting nor jammed with anybody other than one of my cats. I'm okay with that. I play for myself, and I am happy with what I hear. I am not good, nor am I "better than I think" as most will say. I'm really not. I enjoy music and being able to make it. If I was truly really awful at it, I likely still wouldn't stop. It make ME happy, to hell with the judgemental people who are either really good, or the worst kind, the ones who don't play but pass judgement about mine (or anybody's) ability. Play for yourself first, then others if they are so fortunate.


I will warn you, jamming with people is a highly addictive function and can a lot of times really draw out the best of you whatever that might mean. To this day, the best jam I ever had was over 20 years ago and we played "Jumping Jack Flash" for a good 45 minutes in a buddies barn at probably 2 in the AM at a good ol' fashioned Nova Scotian drunk up. I was fortunate enough to be the worst player there and I think I learned more about my playing in those 45 min than I have in the whole rest of my life.

Glad to see there are a lot of other members here who just play to love to play. I am rightfully jealous of everyone who has the commitment to improving and proper practice too


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

No matter how good you get, you'll always feel mediocre. Or so I'm told.

These days the little bit of practicing that I do is learning new tunes. With no gigs, I find it hard to practice at all. When I'm gigging regularly, I pretty much split my time between maintaining existing material and adding new tunes.


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## GuitarT (Nov 23, 2010)

I'm okay with being mediocre. There's a certain comfort in knowing I'll never be a "has been". 😉😎


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

"You wouldn't want to peak too soon."

I forget who said it, Jeff Beck maybe.


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## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

I peaked st 17 and have been riding the same wave ever since. I'm looking for a new plateau 

I lied before, I dont think I'm ok being mediocre or at the very least I want to move on to the next level of mediocrity


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

I am the mediocre of mediocre.🎸


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## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

Robert1950 said:


> I am the mediocre of mediocre.🎸


Now that makes my head turn


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

I started playing in grade school; must’ve been grade 5 because by grade 6 I would take my guitar to school in a green garbage bag and pick out the songs in the music book that they used for music class. That really sucked but it was a beginning and I’ve been at it ever since. I’ve had a good time, that’s all I care about.


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## jdto (Sep 30, 2015)

I wish I had started when I was a kid, but I’m glad I started when I did, regardless. It’s been fun and I can’t dwell on the regrets. My son is taking piano lessons and enjoying himself, so I’m glad I am able to give him that gift. My daughter didn’t like piano or music much, but she did competitive dance from a very young age and she just graduated from that school. Dance and performance is another art I got into as an adult (albeit a much younger and physically fit adult than I am now lol), so I guess the kids got a bit of the performance gene. It’s never too late to enjoy making art!


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## Derek_T (10 mo ago)

Mark Brown said:


> do you ever just feel satisfied with playing guitar and the feeling you get from it or are you constantly striving for something???


9 out of 10 I'm not satisfied, I know that's sad . Yet, I keep putting between 1 and 2 hours of practice a day 7 days a week.
But, even though I'm not necessarily satisfied with my playing, having unrealistic standard I'm comparing myself to, I still have a strong feeling of accomplishment after each practice.
It's not because I'm not where I want to be, that I'm not making progress. In the past few years, thanks to mindful and focus practice, my playing improved on many aspects (technique, repertoire, vocabulary, theory...).

I think as long as you made peace with the idea that there's no finish line but everyone is on their own journey you can "feel satisfied" and "strive for something", what's important is to keep moving forward.


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## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

Recently I have made some serious gains back in my playing. I find i am connecting a lot more and challenging myself with the things I am playing.

According to some old recording I was perusing a few weeks back, I think I might have moved past where I was when I stopped some 15 years ago.

This is good news.

I also find I have moved away from fingerstyle and have embraced the pick.


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## Doug Gifford (Jun 8, 2019)

In other fields, "mediocre" is pronounced "competent."


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

If there is still an empty month they need to have a national mediocre day holiday.


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## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

Wardo said:


> If there is still an empty month they need to have a national mediocre day holiday.


I would get behind that.

Honestly. It is a good state to be in. No one trys to knock you off the top and the bottom is far enough away you can't see it any more.


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## AJ6stringsting (Mar 12, 2006)

I got a Reel to Reel back in the 1970's, I was able to slowing down to half speed and learned things verbatim, Hendrix, Schenker, Emmett, Rhoads, EVH, Malmsteen or who ever.
Great ear training and it knocked people out that I was able to pull songs off verbatim.
Sometimes, I find inspiration in other players or band mates.
People can trigger things in you and inspire you to come up with ideas, play better and break out of rutts.
Sometimes, putting the guitar down and just thinking about musical ideas can inspire too.
When I get too " mechanical " in my play, I'll stop playing just so I won't depend on technique so much.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)




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