WOW!!!!

Dude, that's the most sense I have seen you speak on this forum ?

I agree entirely. However, take the good with the bad. Nothing comes without a bit of hard work.

if it was all fun they'd make it into a playstation game.

oh, wait...

I find the fun in learning something I wouldnt have normally. so when I get that scale run right thats when I find enjoyment.

It is a lot of fun - nothing makes me relax and smile like "stomping" over the fretboard like a drunk elephant ?

That said, some of the "boring" stuff like scales and music theory are things that are good to learn and know.

DonovanB wrote: if it was all fun they'd make it into a playstation game.

oh, wait...

I find the fun in learning something I wouldnt have normally. so when I get that scale run right thats when I find enjoyment.

I love learning stuff on my guitar. It's the best part.

Its like John Petrucci said .. .

"Apply what you learn"

You learn an arpeggio shape.... then incorporate it into a lick
You learn a legato lick ... change it a bit , or a take a section of it and mix it into a new lick.
You learn a tapping lick... use the same technique with a different bunch of notes.

To have fun while still improving :

"You actually have to get creative to practice efficiently"

But having said that, spending all your time and creative energy on "practicing"

Sometimes you just wanna jam out and play on feel and that's totally cool as well...

Practicing scales can be some of the best fun u could ever have... ok, scrap that, sex is better.... oh wait, cutting bread is better too... oh wait, watching paint dry is even better...

On a lighter note... scales can be fun... its the rhythms you put inside them that make all the difference

DonovanB wrote: if it was all fun they'd make it into a playstation game.

oh, wait...

ROFL!

Seventhson wrote: Alot of people think playing guitar is to much of a chore. I reckon it should be fun, Practising scales every day is not what guitar playing is about.

It's a zen thing. You need to do the chores so you can have the fun. The danger with just having the fun part is that you can lock yourself into a comfoirt zone and go nowhere.

X-rated Bob wrote: It's a zen thing. You need to do the chores so you can have the fun. The danger with just having the fun part is that you can lock yourself into a comfoirt zone and go nowhere.

+1 Bob, I have been having fun for years and have gone nowhere slowly. Only now understanding the chore side of things 8)

The old saying of "you dont work guitar, you play guitar" applies. Even lessons and learning scales should be fun, or otherwise whats the point? I agree its a must to learn the stuff, but you have to make it enjoyable to yourself. Sooner or later the initial enthusiasm of learning a new instrument will wear off and if by then you dont enjoy playing, you'll eventually quit. So you have to find your own way to make the learning fun. Whats "Fun" differs from player to player, so analyze what you like about playing and incororate that into your lessons.

chris77 wrote: The old saying of "you dont work guitar, you play guitar" applies.

I think it's a bit of both, you have to work at anything to become good, but not lose the fun factor. And then when you're good, you have so much more fun! ?

chris77 wrote: The old saying of "you dont work guitar, you play guitar" applies.

I think the saying should be you dont play the guitar but rather, you play the music

X-rated Bob wrote:

Seventhson wrote: Alot of people think playing guitar is to much of a chore. I reckon it should be fun, Practising scales every day is not what guitar playing is about.

It's a zen thing. You need to do the chores so you can have the fun. The danger with just having the fun part is that you can lock yourself into a comfoirt zone and go nowhere.

+1 Bob yes it is a zen thing,,,,,,,,,, guitar playing is a spiritual experience of art ...... vibration / sound / touch / creativity ........ it's more spiritual than most give it credit for.... but i guess the true spiritual experience of it is to discover that for yourself.............so let me not spoil it for those who don't see guitar playing in such a light .........

it's like surfing dudes ........... if you keep surfing ,,,,,,, the waves keep coming ....so you keep surfing .........

peace and light
keira

Keira WitherKay wrote:

X-rated Bob wrote:

Seventhson wrote: Alot of people think playing guitar is to much of a chore. I reckon it should be fun, Practising scales every day is not what guitar playing is about.

It's a zen thing. You need to do the chores so you can have the fun. The danger with just having the fun part is that you can lock yourself into a comfoirt zone and go nowhere.

+1 Bob yes it is a zen thing,,,,,,,,,, guitar playing is a spiritual experience of art ...... vibration / sound / touch / creativity ........ it's more spiritual than most give it credit for.... but i guess the true spiritual experience of it is to discover that for yourself.............so let me not spoil it for those who don't see guitar playing in such a light .........

And I don't want to dis any of that, but I was talking more about one of these paradoxical things where you find that if you look after the chores then you get more fun. I am not taking lessons at present (too many irons in too many other fires) but I am trying to find some time to spend on scales each day. It bores me stiff, but it also helps me learn the fingerboard and so I find that when I am playing I suddenly "know" where a note that I want is (on a good day, on a regular day I can figure out where the note is a lot quicker). And that adds to the fun and the satisfaction (and maybe it's satisfaction we should be aiming for rather than fun).

To quote Gary Player "The more I practice, the luckier I get."

X-rated Bob wrote: To quote Gary Player "The more I practice, the luckier I get."

That's awesome, Gary knows.

Surely it's to do with your mindset. If you arrive at your practice time with the "ag no man, this scale playing story sucks" attitude, then it will be a chore. If you arrive at your practice time with the "I'm gonna nail this scale and take my playing to the next level, woohoo!" attitude it is fun. Then again, I love to practice, so maybe I'm just nuts.

I love to jam but practising scales and doing finger-strengthening exercises (and other exercises) means I get to jam a whole lot better. And I prefer to jam well rather than getting bored stiff because I've run out of ideas!

It all comes down to balance. Build the foundations, then rock the house ?

(Oh and rocking the house as you go along is important too - just don't rock it so much that it breaks the foundations you're building ?)

it's like surfing dudes ........... if you keep surfing ,,,,,,, the waves keep coming ....so you keep surfing .........

That's it! Very true. Also if you ask a two year old to bake a cake, they'll probably have a lot of fun, but not end up with a cake. Probably the last thing you want to hear, but there'll come a time when you might want the cake.

I was taught the blues scale ... so have spent most of my time jamming around in that.
I am now working through a book of beginner pieces (playing lead-like; not chords).
I've found it very useful to take a piece, identify the key ... and spend time practicing the scale.
(e.g. G major)
This does two things - builds the muscle memory of the fretboard patterns; as well as tuning your mind in to the key.

I found a book at Bothners today for only R 80 that has all of the common scales; including the blues, jazz, modes etc.
A nice reference book.

I have a spreadsheet that can generate all of the scales and the finger positions if anyone is interested; but it's useful to have a convenient book for playing