Does youth=playing fast?

[shreder75]

Re: Does youth=playing fast?

maybe the well's run dry..LOL....

I say that jokingly..but maybe there's some truth to it...take a look at George Lynch...his stuff on the Lynch Pilso album, solo wise, isn't all that hot..at least, I don't think it is....he doesn' thave the same fire as he used to..maybe it's a concious decision? I don't know...that and his tone has gotten less and less brutal over the years (lead wise) and they sit back in the mix more than they ever did...

look at EVH..the guy was a genius back in the day, but as I said above, doesn't play with the same flare that he used to..at least, that's my opinion...

I love lifeson as a rythm player...never liked his leads though...so I'm glad he went the way he did actually..lol...

is it maturity? the well of ideas running dry? just age slowing them down? who knows, really..maybe playing the same songs to different crowds for 20+ years makes them look into doing different things..I mean, how many great, new, killer things can any one person or band for that matter, come up with?

so your observation does make sense..i'm sure others, including myself, see things the same way...

who knows =)

 

[nuntius]

Re: Does youth=playing fast?

I think it's a mixture of influence, and correct practise (technique shown properly by a teacher etc). The drive for the amount of practise comes from the inspiration of the people you listen to

Ahh, INFLUENCE~! Makes perfect sense, don't it? You more than likely play (or try to play) the stuff you enjoy listening to, and maybe some of you older guys are more into less-speedy, more song-orientated stuff? I definitely think Craig nailed it.

 

[Al.C]

Re: Does youth=playing fast?

I started playing in the mid 70's. There were only a few really fast accurate players I can think of, Al DiMeola, and Richie Blackmore immediately come to mind. There were afew others who were quick but definitely sloppy by todays standards, Page and Alvin Lee come to mind. So I think that us olders guys did not have "speed" as a major goal.
Another big change is the availability of tab. When I was young there was NONE. So unless you were gifted with great ears no sense even trying to rip the fast licks. Today you can sit down with the tab, start slow and build to a reasonable speed. Not to mention teaching aides which let you slow down parts.
Clearly the speed players of the 80's were light years ahead technically of the players from the 70's. Funny thing, I prefer the players from the 70's. I can appreciate speed but I don't particularly like to listen to it.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Does youth=playing fast?

I think the very best players spend a lifetime going through cycles, which usually starts by trying to learn the most impressive stuff first. When you're young, there's a big rush to being the best on your block, or school. As musical tastes change, players normally start branching out, which doesn't always mean tearing apart speed demon songs, but learning the nuances in between all the scales and learning the finer points of other styles techniques.

I started playing really young, since my mom was a pianist. My mom made me take piano lessons, which I've long forgotten all that. I knew how to play guitar at 10, but didn't dive head first until I was about 14, where I was immersed in the whole Eddie/Randy era. Then, Ynqwie and Gilbert came along, and I did my best to keep up with that. By the time the 90s hit, I was just as sick of all the weedly weedly as most music fans were. Then, I got bit by the blues bug, and have pretty much stayed there ever since, but also learned to separate rock/metal from that genre.
I love sitting down and ripping through more technical metal stuff, but my songwriting style doesn't really jive with it much anymore, so I stay rooted in a more traditional style that works across more musical styles. That's another reason most older players gravitate away from speed. That stuff just sounds ridiculous over the type of music people often move into, tastewise. Still fun to make sure you've still got it, tho. I don't remember the last time I've walked into a session where they said "let's hear some Gilbert meets Petrucci." You will hear people saying "do something Claptonesque."

 

[Marinblues]

Re: Does youth=playing fast?

Another thing came to my mind: I stopped playing when I was 22 and the began again when I was 34. I have to say that it didn't take long for me to reach the same speed level. I must say that speed is not my aim and hence I don't really practise scales anymore, just phrases.

 

[HamerPlyr]

Re: Does youth=playing fast?

I think the very best players spend a lifetime going through cycles, which usually starts by trying to learn the most impressive stuff first. When you're young, there's a big rush to being the best on your block, or school. As musical tastes change, players normally start branching out, which doesn't always mean tearing apart speed demon songs, but learning the nuances in between all the scales and learning the finer points of other styles techniques.

I started playing really young, since my mom was a pianist. My mom made me take piano lessons, which I've long forgotten all that. I knew how to play guitar at 10, but didn't dive head first until I was about 14, where I was immersed in the whole Eddie/Randy era. Then, Ynqwie and Gilbert came along, and I did my best to keep up with that. By the time the 90s hit, I was just as sick of all the weedly weedly as most music fans were. Then, I got bit by the blues bug, and have pretty much stayed there ever since, but also learned to separate rock/metal from that genre.
I love sitting down and ripping through more technical metal stuff, but my songwriting style doesn't really jive with it much anymore, so I stay rooted in a more traditional style that works across more musical styles. That's another reason most older players gravitate away from speed. That stuff just sounds ridiculous over the type of music people often move into, tastewise. Still fun to make sure you've still got it, tho. I don't remember the last time I've walked into a session where they said "let's hear some Gilbert meets Petrucci." You will hear people saying "do something Claptonesque."

Similar in age equals similar in thought, I guess.

I can still play some of the faster stuff, but I find that it gets old really fast. I love it when it's sprinkled in, but I hate it when I get beat over the head with it. I would point to Ritchie Kotzen and Steve Lukather as being guys who I thought had a great sense of when to burn and when not to. To me, it's a trait of the consumate player. They seem to always know when to dazzle with speed and when to impress with slow content that fits the song.

 

[Mike M.]

Re: Does youth=playing fast?

I think my original intent was: is someone more likely to develop the skills needed to be able to play to some degree of speed when thier younger vs. someone (like me) who did'nt start playing until later in life? I'm not talking about someone who was once a speed demon who's now slowing down and maturing with age.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Does youth=playing fast?

I think my original intent was: is someone more likely to develop the skills needed to be able to play to some degree of speed when thier younger vs. someone (like me) who did'nt start playing until later in life? I'm not talking about someone who was once a speed demon who's now slowing down and maturing with age.

I'd say your musical tastes are pretty well established, so your playing will gravitate toward the style you hold closest to your heart. It doesn't really matter if it's fast or not. If you want to build up speed, and sound good doing it, I'd suggest doing what most young players do......take licks and scales, and learn to play them slow and clean, and speed them up gradually till your left and right hand can both pull it off. The big mistake young players make is trying to play too fast, too complicated, so it ends up sounding like a bunch of chicken scratch. If you play everything slow and clean, with great vibrato, then speed it up, you'll see your playing progress faster, yet still sounding musical. That's the goal.

 

[k17guitardude]

Re: Does youth=playing fast?

im 17 and ive been playin for about 3 yrs and i can fly threw those randy rhoads solos and older people always ask me that same question. We obviously learn a little quicker and have ALOT more time on our hands. Ive heard from my spanish teacher that its a heck of alot easier to learn spanish when your young then when your old. Im not sure exactly why that is, i guess we just get way more focused and determined and cant put the instrument down.

 

[jabsalt]

Re: Does youth=playing fast?

youth may play a part, it seems easier for younger people to learn things, but that being said, if you practice enough I believe anybody can do it, any guitar "master" is just another human being that stuck with it. though you may get there later you can still get there.

 

[\m/(00)\m/]

Re: Does youth=playing fast?

i dont know about you guys

but i did spend about a year and a half dedicated only to shred music, and that's where i gained my speed, technique, blah blah blah and all that stuff.

it's nice though, becuase i know where to use it all now

 

[Sozos]

Re: Does youth=playing fast?

Dave Murray ain't young, is he?

 

[matt99camero]

Re: Does youth=playing fast?

I'm young but can't play fast, but I've only been playing 2 years. I don't think age has anything to do with it. I think your playing reflects your practice for the most part. Some people just have a natural ability to learn faster than others though and then once some get to the point of being a good player they can not touch a guitar for weeks and then pick it up and play like they never put it down. Seems like most profesional players started guitar as soon as they could hold one up, starting at 18 I feel I've started really late in the game. I guess that's just the harder I have to work at it.