Tokai SA wrote
On the positive side I guess we have to be happy that we have jobs that keep us busy and make us a living, it could be worse. ?
True! And I do acknowledge and I am very thankful for ALL of the awesome already in my life.
Tokai SA wrote
I'd love to have guitar and drum lessons a few times a week, but it's work work work and not enough time to fit that in.
I feel the same about guitar, bass, drums, singing. Eish ?
Tokai SA wrote
I do jam a lot at home.
That's good!
Tokai SA wrote
Simple system, modeller plugged into DAW, studio monitors, backing tracks, jam along or press record.
I've got the BR-600 but haven't really had the time to learn how to use it properly so, right now, I just record a backing track via line-in and noodle for a bit. Definitely won't help me improve because it's just once in a while, so there's no real time or focus to improve on each session because half the time is spent warming up and reminding myself how to play ?
Tokai SA wrote
For home/practise use no doubt a modeller is the best way to practise and improve your guitar playing...IMO.
Absolutely! I have the right gear (1x decent guitar, 1x tiny practise amp, 1x BR-600 with effects, 1x MP3 player with VERY good backing tracks. It helps but... not enough.
Chabenda wrote
Leave an old acoustic guitar in the lavatory - the acoustics in there are great and it'll save you money on magazines! (Intended to be quick guitar junkie's fix. If you become heavily addicted it could lead to piles)
LOL! And awesome! I've got my old classical lying around. I just need to restring it.
Chabenda wrote
Depending on your diet, you get to practice your guitar faces too......
More LOL!
Vic wrote
Norio, the old cliche you just have to make time is very relevant. My life is forunately not very structured (I'm in academics ?). You could perhaps consider setting aside 1.5-2 hours (could include travelling to and from) for lessons and an additional 2 hours for practicing per week .....even if it's after 10pm. But yeah....sometimes the urge to play comes at odd times...and usually when one must do something else and that's when utter frustration creeps in. Good luck !
Thanks Vic ? I realise and agree but I guess I'm SO, SO, SO focused on business right now that I just don't prioritise guitar highly enough to make that time because I know I will have to drop something else, at this stage.
Alan Ratcliffe wrote
I used to be like you. Then a heart attack at 33 made me re-prioritise. Basically life is too short to waste it doing nothing but working towards your goals.
When all is said and done, once you've paid the bills, what are you working for? No good having the money if you cant enjoy the fruits of your labour by spending some time doing the things you love.
Having plans and goals is good, but IMO you have to factor in the down time too and adjust your goal dates accordingly. Otherwise by the time you reach your goals, you don't know how to do anything else and are forced to continue doing the same until you retire. And then what do you have left but waiting for death?
Great advice, as usual, and I know we've chatted about this once or twice before on the phone, on one of our marathon calls ? I agree and that's why I've set a limit for myself. If I'm not "financially free" (no debt + enough passive income to cover bills) by the time I'm 30, I'm going to cut back on just about EVERYTHING and restructure my life to be more fun. I would do it immediately but I've had these aspirations since I was 16, so in January of this year I basically gave myself "one last chance".
Now that doesn't mean I give up on my goals but, ja, like you say, the goal-posts will be moved much further into the future and I will officially, at the age of 30, give myself permission to have fun and not be so darned serious!
Serious kudos to you for sharing that story with me before as it really did help give me a wake-up call! Ambition is great but there IS a balance to strive for.
X-rated Bob wrote
Ha! I got the opposite problem right now. I'm busy figuring out how much I could get for my guitars (let's have an orderly line, please).
I need something to work for. I've been listening to Gil Hockman's CD (I'm sure this is the only album ever and forever that has an arrangement for one voice and one guitar of as Snoop Dogg number) and amongst various other kinds of wonderfulness is his cover of the James Phillips song "Shot Down". So I've got this idea in my head that James is a very overlooked songwriter and I should work up some of his songs and try to construct a little set of those songs. But it's just an idea, it's not yet burning my heinie, gnawing at my mind and keeping me awake at night. But it might. Or I might sell my guitars. Or I might just veg out.
That sounds fantastic! Good luck and gopher it! (Go for it ?)
