This is the elephant in the room for most people.

[Eagle]

Knowing my options fully is always better for the situation imo. A lot of what I practice these days is about musicality and keeping my technique consistent and accurate. When I was younger I used to be technically focused to try to be better but music is about music first and foremost.

For me if I want to choose to play something simple because it is right for the piece I want to have decided on it not because I don’t know what else I could do. Ear training, melody, harmony and rhythm are all part of practice not just technique.

 

[la szum]

I've always loved learning, just for the sake of learning. That's it. It, in and of itself, gives me pleasure.

A girl in HS once asked me if I read the encyclopedia in my free time. I didn't and told her 'no.' But she apparently picked up on my having a better-than-average amount of knowledge about several things, which I suppose was true. I just like that shit.

I wasn't learning so I could _________. (Some things I was, of course, but not everything.)

And it's the same way for me on the guitar. I couldn't care less about an end goal, or putting what I learn into a song. If that's what excites you, that's great.

For me, just being able to see that this week I can do some things better than I did last week, makes me content and happy. So maybe I do actually have a goal, which is to simply please myself with my improvements as a player.

If knowledge is power, then knowledge plus skill is mastery.

I think we all need a pursuit in life----especially men. The hunt and evolution
and all that jazz. I can't do the endless drift from one random thing to another.
Jesus might have wandered in the Desert for 40 days but not me.

Where are we going and when do we get there?? I need to take a piss anyways!

 

[FuzzyAce]

I've always loved learning, just for the sake of learning. That's it. It, in and of itself, gives me pleasure.

A girl in HS once asked me if I read the encyclopedia in my free time. I didn't and told her 'no.' But she apparently picked up on my having a better-than-average amount of knowledge about several things, which I suppose was true. I just like that shit.

I wasn't learning so I could _________. (Some things I was, of course, but not everything.)

And it's the same way for me on the guitar. I couldn't care less about an end goal, or putting what I learn into a song. If that's what excites you, that's great.

For me, just being able to see that this week I can do some things better than I did last week, makes me content and happy. So maybe I do actually have a goal, which is to simply please myself with my improvements as a player.

#AlwaysBeLearning.
I think it's safe to say most of us here feel that way, and hopefully that desire continues til death.
And sorry if my previous post came off as snobby or something, that was definitely not my intention. I'm just some random hack on the internet!
I hope you understood what I meant though.
For example -- you of course know what it takes to build a whole house from start to finish, the foundation, framing, etc, etc. I look at songwriting that way. Applying all the skills it takes to build something and creating a finished structure. That's what drives me musically because it seems like a never-ending learning experience. I think I'd give up playing if that desire dried up? Maybe in some weird way that's why I learned to work on amps and guitars, because of that fear of losing passion with music. At least I'd still be connected with the guitar in an intimate way. I'm just happy I enjoy both the technical and creative aspects.

 

[TSJMajesty]

#AlwaysBeLearning.
I think it's safe to say most of us here feel that way, and hopefully that desire continues til death.
And sorry if my previous post came off as snobby or something, that was definitely not my intention.

Not at all!!

I hope you understood what I meant though.
For example -- you of course know what it takes to build a whole house from start to finish, the foundation, framing, etc, etc. I look at songwriting that way. Applying all the skills it takes to build something and creating a finished structure. That's what drives me musically because it seems like a never-ending learning experience. I think I'd give up playing if that desire dried up? Maybe in some weird way that's why I learned to work on amps and guitars, because of that fear of losing passion with music. At least I'd still be connected with the guitar in an intimate way. I'm just happy I enjoy both the technical and creative aspects.

Right on!

I guess I took your meaning to be that we should all have a reason for wanting to develop as a player, that ends up in some way/shape/form in a song, whether it's your own creation, or whatever.

What I was trying to say is for me, the pursuit alone is enough.

No worries!