Paul Gilbert Live Solo. Holy Smokes!

[ErikH]

Re: Paul Gilbert Live Solo. Holy Smokes!

Funny you say that because one of them *was* a mentor of mine. He was one of the nicest guys I ever met and a good friend. That's how the jams got started. There were no egos, there was no critiquing, there was no BS. Just some guys with some beer getting together to make some noise. Sometimes I just followed along, sometimes I got the nod, sometimes I stumbled, sometimes I didn't. But it didn't matter because afterwards, they'd be gracious enough to teach me a better way to land on my feet. Not all musicians are a-holes.

 

[Osensei]

Re: Paul Gilbert Live Solo. Holy Smokes!

Somehow, I get the feeling that you're not giving yourself enough credit! :laugh2:

 

[ErikH]

Re: Paul Gilbert Live Solo. Holy Smokes!

Maybe not, but I'm pretty humble anyway when it comes to my playing. If others like it, great. If not, that's fine too.

 

[Osensei]

Re: Paul Gilbert Live Solo. Holy Smokes!

Believe it or not any musician is humble. Even me! If not they will soon be humbled!:laugh2: Maybe your teacher is a nice person! I won't try to get you to agree with me on that. But I will ask you to agree that music itself is a cruel mistress.

As musicians we often marvel at how easy it is to get people, especially lay persons to give us props. But sooner or later we become dissatisfied with the level that we have achieved. There is something within us that always makes us feel that we need to take it to the next level. It feels like there is something that we wanna get out! Often times we don't even know what its is. But it keeps us motivated knowing that there is something out there for us that we have not yet touched/realized.

In all honesty, musicians are not unique in that aspect. I can imagine that people of many walks of life are the same way about thier chosen discipline be it business, sports performance or whatever.

I guess its because our audiences only have to here us perform once. We have to listen to ourselves everyday. After playing the same tunes, crafting solos using the same methods for the 100,000,000 time, we have to ask ourselves, "Is there more?". That makes us suffer in our quest for the holy grail.

 

[Osensei]

Re: Paul Gilbert Live Solo. Holy Smokes!

Whatever! Just let me say that if a guy wants to be an ahole toward me then I'll take my medicine. If he's my mentor then I know its for my own good. If the guy is nice even better. But if I'm giving 100% and still don't see the results then give me the ahole anyday. :laugh2:

 

[ErikH]

Re: Paul Gilbert Live Solo. Holy Smokes!

Yeah, music itself is a cruel mistress. I do agree there. Just when you think you have a lick down and feel good about playing it, you see someone else do it and blow all the air out of the balloon. Or you go to a show to see your favorite player or players and get all pumped up from seeing them do their thing. Or the perverbial rutt that comes along every now and then. When those rutts come along, that's when I look back at the basics. Always seems to help dig me out.

He wasn't really a teacher really, but he did show me some things here and there that mentor would do, not just playing wise but gear choice and stuff like that. He's very much a "feel" player and he worked with me on playing more with feel and less flash.

I just get off on playing and people enjoying it. It's been almost 20 years since I started and it's been a passion from day one.