Im done with this unfruitful pursuit. Goodbye shredding for now.

[Christian Schulze]

Whaddup synners, been a while.

I have been soul searching for a while lately.
Things have stopped making sense.

I soon will have played guitar for six years.
Ever since encountered this site, my mind was obsessed with shredding( since most of the songs I like have sick shredding solos, that of course did not help).

I spent a good while on learning how to shred, but has it actually made me a better musician? Fuck no!

My end goal was always to learn how to express myself with music...so what have I done for that? Waste time attempting to shred...getting frustrated and making guitar a choir and less fun.

So I forfeit for now. I fist got to properly learn how to walk and then how to fly.

I want to have fun again. And that is where I will spend for now my time on.

That's all.

 

[Brian Haner Sr.]

I could not agree more. Music should be fun. Play what makes you happy. Or for that matter, don’t play if that makes you happy. Life is short. Find your bliss!

 

[Flower Hands]

It's not a waste of time. it's something that's good to get done sometime. I never did any technique work ... and it shows lol.

Your post is in a good time, I spent some time this week just thinking over what to get out of it, what's important in music.
I'm trying to read a little about painting too

I'm not a working musician, if you are a working musician, you have wildly different ideas.
IT'sLOOPY... it's more armchair Art philosophy overthinking than actual playing:

Selected questions :
Is music in the process? Is music in the result? the message? [process art vs result. that's an old debate but still...]
Is music in the technique? the world can be infinitely complex, should you chase complexity? Lots of music have only 3 chords or 1, or just a beat. My friend plays traditional music, it's only 3 chords and it's great
Should you chase meaning? it's music, it's not cancer research, there doesn't need to be something grandiose about it. Or there could be?
What is the turning point where it sounds good? Is it in how much bendy and in time you make your phrases? that must not be it or is it, who knows...
The artistic process: I got a foot into creating music that sounds alright functionally, and then what, do I treat it like work and go systematically and iterate through all those chords until something sounds nice? That's creativity?
Should music start in the imagination or in the fingers? memorizing and mental playing can be good for the but the mind is limited, the fingers can create something unpredictable[say...harmonics]
edit> it really can be summed into mundane vs impenetrable and human fallibility related to music.



There are good arguments for all angles, it's all valid, I guess it depends what you want to do.
I think all those reflections are already laid out in some artsy philosophy book, if you know any, let me know

In the end, I suppose it's really about fun. Sit down, shut up and play ! or not, I don't know . do what you want


Edit: You know, forget about all this I wrote, it's kind of bullshit, I'm overly nihilistic.

 

[Ed Seith]

If it's not fun, stick with what's fun. And musical. #WhatPapaSaid

 

[Jamie London]

You gotta do what deep right to you, and I’m looking forward to seeing you expand on what that is!

 

[Chris Johnston]

Hey man, hope you're all good!

I've been at this exact same spot earlier in my playing - From experience, distancing yourself from that 'shred obsession' is usually the best thing that happens to your playing - and weirdly - your technique

Guitar is there to be enjoyed & explored in whichever fashion you choose It's all beneficial to your playing too

Best of luck!

 

[Zesty Rage]

Play what you love playing! Or learn something that you’ve always wanted to learn on your instrument. New scale new song new style the possibilities are endless. Hope to see you doing what you love tho!

 

[JakAngelescu]

Whaddup synners, been a while.

I have been soul searching for a while lately.
Things have stopped making sense.

I soon will have played guitar for six years.
Ever since encountered this site, my mind was obsessed with shredding( since most of the songs I like have sick shredding solos, that of course did not help).

I spent a good while on learning how to shred, but has it actually made me a better musician? Fuck no!

My end goal was always to learn how to express myself with music...so what have I done for that? Waste time attempting to shred...getting frustrated and making guitar a choir and less fun.

So I forfeit for now. I fist got to properly learn how to walk and then how to fly.

I want to have fun again. And that is where I will spend for now my time on.

That's all.

I agree so much with what @Brian Haner Sr. Said. It's suppose to be fun, but sometimes it's not fun when you can't do what you really want to do. If "shredding" is what you REALLY want to do, it WILL come someday, sometime. But for now maybe you're tired of holding yourself up to the standards of that. Personally CJ, I love the fact you're stepping back from this concept because I don't want "the will to shred" to blind you from how far you've really come.

Your playing does not bore me. It never has. Sometimes I turn on your instagram videos just to relax. I find your playing soothing and lovely. Even when you were only 2 years into your playing you had something not many players have, and that's "breath" in your playing.

When I listen to you, I breathe in so deep and just sigh it all out because your playing is simple, melodic and soothing and it allows me to do that.

My most favorite YouTube jazz track has a guitarist that never plays faster than 8th notes. Never bends either. And the track is like 80bpms. It's beautiful.

Regardless, I loved our last chat. I hope you continue no matter which way you go.