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Ray wrote: Ja I dont know about these sabbaticals preceded by announcements I see every now and again. What sparks it? Does someone make you the moerin? Is there an epiphany of sorts that you arent going to be a Chet Atkins or the like? Maybe you've been buying so much kit that you cant hide it from your chick anymore? Am I barking up the wrong tree here.
The thing is, you participate in this forum you become part of a community. Now, for whatever reason, you decide that you don't want to participate in the activity that this community revolves around what do you do? There's no rules, of course, you could just devote your time to stamp collecting or tracing family trees or whatever and leave GFSA to get on with itself. Squonk wanted to leave an explanation.

I don't think we should read more into it than that in this case.
    I can relate having had a similar experience. I had spent every weekend for years playing in bars and clubs and one day just had enough. I needed to do something else with my life. I sold off most of my gear and started spending my time off in the bush. The guitars that I kept spent over ten years under the bed. I'd pull them out once a year, maybe, dust them off and then put them back, wondering if I'd ever want to play them again. Well, I'm playing again and loving it.

    Good on you Squonk and here's wishing all the very best to a very talented guy!
      @ squonk ........

      firstly let me start this by saying .... if you wanna leave the forum ... thats fine.... thats personal ......

      now my main point ...........as for your so called struggle and lows with guitar playing ...........dude do you really want me to get in my car in pretoria right now and drive all the way to you and kick your butt ?

      you forget i knew you from 5 yrs ago .. and then i had the pleasure of hosting that open mic in pretoria at the end of last year that you drove thru for and performed at .......... and say what you will the development in 5 yrs is chalk and cheese... when you performed... you had a unique story telling style , with nice fingerpicking technique .... and above all it was all original ..... and you entertained us all that evening........

      squonk , you have a product there that is marketable........ if you do what i heard that night and btw i still have the video i shot that night .... maybe you should watch it before you think you at a musical low............ i think in 5 yrs you have developed a unique style .... and a pleasant and captivating stage presence ....

      you should be performing your set at all acoustic festivals ....... you definitely have something that is in your own style


      and remember very few ever become the Joe Pass's or tommy emmanuels, or martin taylors ...... so learn from them...... but few ever reach their level of skill.........


      so what i'm saying is sure leave the forum , in fact the forum is not quite aimed at fingerstyle acoustic players... so that i understand ......


      but SQUONK you have done all the hard work to develop your style and you are NOT a clone or doing covers ......... and remember it's NOT just the guitar skills that define you as a musician ... it's the entire package of songwriter , singer , performer and player ... and many great names in our biz are not the best players but they have the unique original package

      personally i won't pay money to see a tommy emmanuel clone.....or someone immitate another artist but i will pay to see someone like you doing an "original" concept in your own style

      also i know a few phenomenaly technically brilliant guitarists who sit at home never gigging cos they don't have the rest of the package or lack the ability to 'find their own voice" ......

      and you squonk have in the last 5 yrs "found your own voice"

      so quit the forum but DON'T quit performing live

      ps. if you need to chat or just need your butt kicked till you see what you actually accomplished in last years or just help getting your show out there just email me and i can help where i can.....

      ps 2. you need to see that video ...
        Keira WitherKay wrote: @ squonk ........

        firstly let me start this by saying .... if you wanna leave the forum ... thats fine.... thats personal ......

        now my main point ...........as for your so called struggle and lows with guitar playing ...........dude do you really want me to get in my car in pretoria right now and drive all the way to you and kick your butt ?

        you forget i knew you from 5 yrs ago .. and then i had the pleasure of hosting that open mic in pretoria at the end of last year that you drove thru for and performed at .......... and say what you will the development in 5 yrs is chalk and cheese... when you performed... you had a unique story telling style , with nice fingerpicking technique .... and above all it was all original ..... and you entertained us all that evening........

        squonk , you have a product there that is marketable........ if you do what i heard that night and btw i still have the video i shot that night .... maybe you should watch it before you think you at a musical low............ i think in 5 yrs you have developed a unique style .... and a pleasant and captivating stage presence ....

        you should be performing your set at all acoustic festivals ....... you definitely have something that is in your own style


        and remember very few ever become the Joe Pass's or tommy emmanuels, or martin taylors ...... so learn from them...... but few ever reach their level of skill.........


        so what i'm saying is sure leave the forum , in fact the forum is not quite aimed at fingerstyle acoustic players... so that i understand ......


        but SQUONK you have done all the hard work to develop your style and you are NOT a clone or doing covers ......... and remember it's NOT just the guitar skills that define you as a musician ... it's the entire package of songwriter , singer , performer and player ... and many great names in our biz are not the best players but they have the unique original package

        personally i won't pay money to see a tommy emmanuel clone.....or someone immitate another artist but i will pay to see someone like you doing an "original" concept in your own style

        also i know a few phenomenaly technically brilliant guitarists who sit at home never gigging cos they don't have the rest of the package or lack the ability to 'find their own voice" ......

        and you squonk have in the last 5 yrs "found your own voice"

        so quit the forum but DON'T quit performing live

        ps. if you need to chat or just need your butt kicked till you see what you actually accomplished in last years or just help getting your show out there just email me and i can help where i can.....

        ps 2. you need to see that video ...
        +1
        Well said Keira.
        I've never heard Squonk, but that's not important in this context...I don't think one should leave a Forum just 'cause one is going through a low....the highs normally follow the lows aint it ?
        As for the focus of this Forum, I really think there's something for everyone....granted there's a lot on electric guitars and amps, metal and blues, and very little on jazz (which I like) and acoustic guitars and techniques...but once more members start posting these topics, soon there'll be a lot more interest cultivated...maybe even a sticky or two... ? on these topics or genre....
        Sure...this Forum takes a lotta time from some of us...I'm visiting almost everyday...and yes, sometimes I get a bit bored with some content...but hey, that's no reason to quit imho.
          Vic wrote: Oh and BTW: this forum is home not only to "great" guitarists... ? many a member here can't play a damn riff (yet).....they are here for the goooood company. 8)
          +1
            Keira WitherKay wrote: @ squonk ........

            firstly let me start this by saying .... if you wanna leave the forum ... thats fine.... thats personal ......

            now my main point ...........as for your so called struggle and lows with guitar playing ...........dude do you really want me to get in my car in pretoria right now and drive all the way to you and kick your butt ?

            you forget i knew you from 5 yrs ago .. and then i had the pleasure of hosting that open mic in pretoria at the end of last year that you drove thru for and performed at .......... and say what you will the development in 5 yrs is chalk and cheese... when you performed... you had a unique story telling style , with nice fingerpicking technique .... and above all it was all original ..... and you entertained us all that evening........

            squonk , you have a product there that is marketable........ if you do what i heard that night and btw i still have the video i shot that night .... maybe you should watch it before you think you at a musical low............ i think in 5 yrs you have developed a unique style .... and a pleasant and captivating stage presence ....

            you should be performing your set at all acoustic festivals ....... you definitely have something that is in your own style


            and remember very few ever become the Joe Pass's or tommy emmanuels, or martin taylors ...... so learn from them...... but few ever reach their level of skill.........


            so what i'm saying is sure leave the forum , in fact the forum is not quite aimed at fingerstyle acoustic players... so that i understand ......


            but SQUONK you have done all the hard work to develop your style and you are NOT a clone or doing covers ......... and remember it's NOT just the guitar skills that define you as a musician ... it's the entire package of songwriter , singer , performer and player ... and many great names in our biz are not the best players but they have the unique original package

            personally i won't pay money to see a tommy emmanuel clone.....or someone immitate another artist but i will pay to see someone like you doing an "original" concept in your own style

            also i know a few phenomenaly technically brilliant guitarists who sit at home never gigging cos they don't have the rest of the package or lack the ability to 'find their own voice" ......

            and you squonk have in the last 5 yrs "found your own voice"

            so quit the forum but DON'T quit performing live

            ps. if you need to chat or just need your butt kicked till you see what you actually accomplished in last years or just help getting your show out there just email me and i can help where i can.....

            ps 2. you need to see that video ...
            Very Inspiring! This is why I can't turn my back on GFSA. Post like this make this a brilliant forum!

            Squonk, I hear you, but you underestimate the pull of the 'beauty way'. I do hope that hopeless struggle for 'imitation' gives way to creation.

            =
              Squonk, really enjoyed your posts over the last few years, and will miss them. Re the Forum, many of us have gone through ups and downs. I've moved between being a 30-log-ons-a-day guy to the odd visit to somewhere in between many times over the years - but the pull of the GFSA community is very strong! Just pop in and chat on the "off topic" board every now and then. Best of luck with whatever you'll do. ?
                X-rated Bob wrote:
                Ray wrote: Ja I dont know about these sabbaticals preceded by announcements I see every now and again. What sparks it? Does someone make you the moerin? Is there an epiphany of sorts that you arent going to be a Chet Atkins or the like? Maybe you've been buying so much kit that you cant hide it from your chick anymore? Am I barking up the wrong tree here.
                The thing is, you participate in this forum you become part of a community. Now, for whatever reason, you decide that you don't want to participate in the activity that this community revolves around what do you do? There's no rules, of course, you could just devote your time to stamp collecting or tracing family trees or whatever and leave GFSA to get on with itself. Squonk wanted to leave an explanation.

                I don't think we should read more into it than that in this case.
                I think I said what I said all wrong. And I'm sorry for it. I was just thinking about what we expect from this guitar playing thing. I've been following a similar thread on another forum and wondering the same things there. Maybe the goals that Squonk set himself are pretty stiff ones and he isnt getting there. But if he says he is getting frustrated becasue he feels that he has attained very little, then it could be in relation to his goals or aspirations. And it's maybe a little bit silly to say he is getting there if we dont even know where there is for him. I can say that some while back he posted a recording of something he was going to play at a wedding and I thought heck that sounds pretty grand - and I havent heard much else of what he does so I cant say much more. So I think that encouragement is great.
                  Keira WitherKay wrote: ps 2. you need to see that video ...
                  Can we see that vid too? ?
                    Hey Squonk, take a break, it's one of the few things you can do for free. I have done it many times over the years, sometimes as long as 6 months. Always came back stronger. Think about what you want to do in the meantime and what is limiting you in your playing. Creating original music in non standard tunings would drive me batty but it may be your niche. During your break work out goals for the future, eg learn music theory, create your versions of covers etc just to break the mold. Visit TJs, know what they're missing.
                    Main thing, enjoy.
                      Squonk, at least come back in May to pass on your congratulations ?

                      All the best, hope its not permanent, you'll be missed around these parts
                        All the best with the decision Squonk. I'll miss your posts here.
                        Sean wrote:
                        Keira WitherKay wrote: ps 2. you need to see that video ...
                        Can we see that vid too? ?
                        +1
                        Wizard wrote:
                        Vic wrote: Oh and BTW: this forum is home not only to "great" guitarists... ? many a member here can't play a damn riff (yet).....they are here for the goooood company. 8)
                        +1
                        + another
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