Get me motivated!

[ShadyDave]

Well, you didn't have the hand issues when you first picked it up :/

I don't know if this is going to be the most helpful advice in the world, but perhaps you should attempt to increase your hand's strength and dexterity and then really work hard on playing guitar again? I think, based on what you've said, that your frustratino may perhaps be due to your injury's lingering effects.

It's actually...not bad. Ok, my pinky is still sucksville but my picking has come back quite quickly and I could probably adapt to a predominantly three fingered style without too much hassle...

The main killer REALLY is money. That and a creative outlet...You know...M-audio interface, Headphones so I can practice over backing tracks without volume issues, really kick-ass 7 string, being able to finally sort the LAG out....even the Attax Combo is now under £400 but it might as well be £4000 to be honest....I just want all the pieces to fall into place and have an outlet + a teacher to kick my ass + friends to jam with. All my musician friends have moved away or won't either return mails/calls so I'm left with no-one to jam with or get inspired by that's close enough to take a bus to visit.

Lacking transport I can't exactly walk 30 miles to a mates house for a jam and a bit of advice on recording stuff....

I think to be honest the biggest killer is desire. I ain't ever going to amount to anything musically and that combined with my own low standard is making me despair. I wish I had been able to stick with lessons when I was 12 but a non-musical family who think that the world begins and ends with stupid manual labour pretty much killed any support I could have used to make headway in my youth when college + university + some cash wouldn't have been out of reach.

Woe is me, pass the razor blades etc etc

[Ernesto]

Well, you didn't have the hand issues when you first picked it up :/

I don't know if this is going to be the most helpful advice in the world, but perhaps you should attempt to increase your hand's strength and dexterity and then really work hard on playing guitar again? I think, based on what you've said, that your frustratino may perhaps be due to your injury's lingering effects.

It's actually...not bad. Ok, my pinky is still sucksville but my picking has come back quite quickly and I could probably adapt to a predominantly three fingered style without too much hassle...

The main killer REALLY is money. That and a creative outlet...You know...M-audio interface, Headphones so I can practice over backing tracks without volume issues, really kick-ass 7 string, being able to finally sort the LAG out....even the Attax Combo is now under £400 but it might as well be £4000 to be honest....I just want all the pieces to fall into place and have an outlet + a teacher to kick my ass + friends to jam with. All my musician friends have moved away or won't either return mails/calls so I'm left with no-one to jam with or get inspired by that's close enough to take a bus to visit.

Lacking transport I can't exactly walk 30 miles to a mates house for a jam and a bit of advice on recording stuff....

I think to be honest the biggest killer is desire. I ain't ever going to amount to anything musically and that combined with my own low standard is making me despair. I wish I had been able to stick with lessons when I was 12 but a non-musical family who think that the world begins and ends with stupid manual labour pretty much killed any support I could have used to make headway in my youth when college + university + some cash wouldn't have been out of reach.

Woe is me, pass the razor blades etc etc

There are musicians I'd love to play with but that have been out of geographic reach for some time now. We sometimes meet online to jam online, it's easy to do with a modeler pedal, and in order to have fun there is no need for a perfect sound. Hell I even thaught basic guitar licks to a friend over secondlife, it was great, we would play over secondlife voice and all these players that happened to stumble across were very positive, although the sound absolutely sucked. Think avatar dude. Noone gets to spend as many time playing guitar as they want, or they get to spend too much. My wife is often furious about the time I spend playing guitar when I'm not working, so I tend to keep my band activities integrated in our social life, which is often not easy, because I'm the asshole you can't finish a conversation with but has to play guitar all the time. There are things more important than playing guitar, but I tend to look for the limits of what is tolerated and I use all means to do so. You could do the same using nothing but online connectivity. As I said, think avatar! Just as Rob has the Monkeylord avatar, make one for yourself on the internet, it's like a gig, Kiss performed as avatars before there was the internet, Spinal Tap, the same story. Music is showbizz, might as well take it to the next level... only thing you need is a guitar, which you have, a modeler pedal, which you have, and an internet connection which you have also. So what if you play with other avatars, so what if they suck at playing, at least you're playing.

[Voodoorider]

I'd jam with you any day if i lived closer dave

[Mrkoks]

But ShadyDave,
I understand what you said about your all or nothing mentality*, but basic recording can be dirt cheap, you just need one of those converters for your jack cable and free software, so wouldn't that at least give you some outlet until you might find the means for those things you want? I mean, sometimes, unfair as things may seem, you just have to lower your standards a bit, I think. I don't mean that in a douchy way, but I haven't held down a job in about a year, for several reasons (including my own stupid fault ), so I've had very little money and I'm currently recording with my brother's guitar hero mic and I'm getting a converter to use the line out on my amp cause I can get one for a few bucks..
So my point is, even though it's not what you ultimately want, it might still help you at least get something out if you try it


*I wanted to add more here about my mom being mentally ill and that I understand that something might prevent you from going against that mentality, but I always find it difficult to talk about these things, I'm always afraid I'll offend someone..



Edit: Oh sorry I just noticed that the cheap recording part has been posted already

[ShadyDave]

It's all good Bro, no offence would be taken and indeed, I am working on getting an interface. Sadly the local shop is out of stock so I have to source it from somewhere else and wait for my wrists to start working again

What I REALLY need is some lessons and a really good musical environment to kick my arse.

[Adji]

It's all good Bro, no offence would be taken and indeed, I am working on getting an interface. Sadly the local shop is out of stock so I have to source it from somewhere else and wait for my wrists to start working again

What I REALLY need is some lessons and a really good musical environment to kick my arse.

I think the majority of people on the MLF provide a really good musical environment, and I will kick your damn ass Dave!! Haha just joking mate. You know you can PM me any time and I will help out if I can. I'm busy making a video for I believe DrK I think it was to help him achieve a decent drum sound and guitar sound in a mix, I made like a thirty min video or something then my screen capture programme crapped out as you saw on youtube. But if you want a video or something on something I could help with, shoot me a PM mate, I have a few requests like, its just finding the time to do em all.

[Mrkoks]

It's all good Bro, no offence would be taken and indeed, I am working on getting an interface. Sadly the local shop is out of stock so I have to source it from somewhere else and wait for my wrists to start working again

What I REALLY need is some lessons and a really good musical environment to kick my arse.

Fair enough mate

And indeed, people kicking yer arse is definitely a good motivator

[ShadyDave]

It's all good Bro, no offence would be taken and indeed, I am working on getting an interface. Sadly the local shop is out of stock so I have to source it from somewhere else and wait for my wrists to start working again

What I REALLY need is some lessons and a really good musical environment to kick my arse.

Fair enough mate

And indeed, people kicking yer arse is definitely a good motivator

Yeah, it is.

If there really WAS a "Guitar Boot camp" and I could sit down and do it 24/7 I'm the sort of person that could handle the pressure. Sitting here now, I can't manage it at all.....it's 100% or 0%....