Can you play any song you want?

[Markedman]

I played a party last week and some of the people in the crowd were really impressed with my playing and let me know it. I humbly replied that I'm not the best player in town, but when pressed to name someone better, well anyway, apples to oranges I suppose. One fellow asked if I could play anything I wanted on guitar and I said, "yeah, sure, I suppose." It's just a matter of wanting to play the song. It took me 2 months to master "Master of Puppets" when it first came out, I was playing Dio, Black Sabbath, Hendrix, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, etc. before I discovered Metallica, Slayer and Pantera. Now a days I can generally play a song that's a common radio hit instantly, usually nailing the leads first time through. A couple of years ago I learned "The Rain Song" by Led Zeppelin and that was a song I always admired and wanted to learn, (video of me performing it live at "Infinity Hall"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2A7wc2O1cA). So this week I learned a song I could sing good and perform with my band that I've always wanted to do, "Achilles Last Stand" by Zeppelin. It didn't take long to learn, I even have the lead down mint like the original. The singing is going to take a couple of hundred repetitions to nail, but WTF! I don't want to suck! Watching Jimmy Page playing it on youtube helped, but he improvises the lead and the band messes up, which is their style of improvisation and nobody notices unless you've learned the song. I wasn't born a natural guitar player, but I have an extremely deep passion for playing and at 51, I'm better than I ever thought I could be. I'll post back a link to youtube of my band "3 Prix" (pron., three pre) playing this song when I get a video. (I've already posted one video of us playing "Come On" in the rigs and tones section.)
Anyone else feel this way about being able to play anything you want? What song are you learning or plan on learning?

 

[RR]

I could play songs I want to play. But I can't play all the song I wish I could play. :lol:

I don't think there's anyone as "born natural guitar players", just some that pick up the guitar faster than other and learn exponentially than linearly. e.g. my brother started to play guitar 3-years before I did. When he wasn't around, I would play his guitar until I got my own. Once I got my own, I learned things faster than he did.

You're 51, (I'm 55) so all your wisdom, experience, -- I assume you play just about everyday whether its 5 minutes or 3 hours -- your limber finger muscles are reflex on how you play. If you teach a beginner how to play a particular solo, they struggle even if they have the fingering correct. They're fingers are developing.

For me, if I'm trying to figure a solo or chord progression and something seems off I use YouTube or I use my recording software to slowdown the passage. Yeah, I know, some of YouTube stuff are not exactly. But using these two method makes things easier for me.

Songs I want to play are not that envolve (difficult guitar wise) but I try to nail the sound too (at least 14 electric guitars, humbuckers, single coils, P90s, mini-humbuckers yet to get Filterons). Note: I'm amateur luthier so I build majority of my electric guitars these days, bodies from scratch, necks (tenon joints too) custom builders. I'll soon build my own neck. Funny hobby for me.

Songs I wish I could do and only do it half-ass (lol) are Van Halen's into "Too Hot for Teaches" and solo on "Ice Cream Man". EVH fingers has a long finger reach. My hands (I could palm standard basketball) are not wide enough so I struggle.

 

[Markedman]

I thought of something after reading your reply about V.H. Several years ago I was going to learn "Eruption" and went to youtube and there was some kid like 7 years old nailing it. There was a brother band, "The Monty Brothers" that played around my neck of the woods, they were 9 & 11 years old at the time and totally amazing. The last I heard from them 20 years ago was, they ended up writing a song with the singer from Styx, I couldn't find much on line about the Monty Bros., but they were still at it when they turned 10 & 13!

The Grand Delusion : An Interview With Tommy Shaw - Styx ...
www.styxcollector.com/tssterling93.html
The interview which you read below is the one Tommy Shaw gave to Sterling and provided ... In 1992 I first conceived the idea for a Styx biography. .... of songs with this group called the Monty Brothers, ten and thirteen-year-old brothers who ...

 

[dodger916]

I could play songs I want to play. But I can't play all the song I wish I could play. :lol:

+1.

 

[Vigo1999]

I could play songs I want to play. But I can't play all the song I wish I could play. :lol:

same here!! 8)

but well, aside from very technical stuff like Malmsteen, Boderick, Friedman, Schenker (my guitar god) and the likes, i can play almost anything or at least 90% of what the audience WANTS to listen, we cant forget that . . . but yes the years passing by really helps (im 43).

 

[MrMarkIII]

As in most other important aspects of life, I've learned to fake it.
And I've noticed that no hot chick has ever come up to me and said, "You suck, dude! I can play 'Eruption' wa-a-a-ay better than you!"
YMMV LOL

 

[YellowJacket]

I generally hate playing other people's music and prefer to play my own.

 

[RR]

As in most other important aspects of life, I've learned to fake it.
And I've noticed that no hot chick has ever come up to me and said, "You suck, dude! I can play 'Eruption' wa-a-a-ay better than you!"
YMMV LOL

Who doesn't fake it? Close enough is good enough.

Talking about Hot Chicks, here's my dream lead singer. We would haven't to be a good band to be the most watched band.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Os4ntgRQm8E

 

[mesa metal]

I generally hate playing other people's music and prefer to play my own.

+1,000,000

 

[2 Boogie]

Hello All!

I have been playong guitar for about 35 years now and I can say that I can play a lot of songs, but not all of the songs that have been made.

One thing I have discovered, is that a lot of people that play guitar want to play exactly as they guitar hero, but play like the guitar heros and legends is very hard, it's easy to come close, but not perfect.

My idea these days is that I can listen to a song and almost play the song, but I do my own thing of the playing, make my feeling and string picking as I want it to sound and feel.

I don't want to offend people here, just saying that you becomes a better guitarist if you do your own and unique thing.

2B

 

[Jorn218]

Good post 2 Boogie. I was one to never want to play exactly like my guitar heros. There was always something in the back of my mind telling me I'de never get to their level. What I did want though is to cop their techniques and use it with my interpretation. The only question I have that I have yet to be able to ask the remaining living one, is why he chose to play what he did and how he came up with his note choice.

 

[JOEY B.]

Improvisation is the thing that "made" guitar" heroes what they are. Very structured guitar playing would be boring to play night after night, if you were in a professional touring band. You would begin to sound like a robot, after a while. :roll: