• Join the A7X Discord!

    We're updating the community and moving all social content from the community to the Discord. All lessons related conversations will still take place here though! Join the Discord below and view the full announcement for more details

    JOIN THE DISCORD VIEW THREAD

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

Christian Schulze

Hot Topic Tourer
Rockstar Student
Nov 11, 2019
715
1
2,356
29
Spain
5
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.
 

Flower Hands

Garage band Groupie
Sep 15, 2021
47
144
BRA
8
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.
 
Last edited:

Chris Johnston

Music Theory Bragger
  • Nov 11, 2019
    759
    10
    1,883
    29
    North Ayrshire, Scotland
    14
    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 :giggle:

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

    Best of luck!
     
    Synner Endless Summer Collection

    JakAngelescu

    Stairway to Heaven Tab Studier
    Aug 12, 2022
    115
    1
    324
    22
    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.
     
    • Love
    Reactions: Christian Schulze