How many hours per day...

[Guest Quigley_Moog]

...do you think Geddy, Alex, and Neil practiced their instruments when they were learning, to get where they are today? They must have done few other things as teens--ie no parties, homework, or TV watching to get THAT GOOD! I am just curious because I have been playing guitar for nearly seven years now, but I still can't gain much more proficiency. I think the boys must have been pretty much glued to their instruments as young men. Edited April 6, 2005 by Quigley_Moog

[defrushfan01]

I would have to say yes. but there are always some people who dont need as much practice as others. Myself Ive been playing for around 1.5-2.5 years, im not really sure, but with only 3 months of lessons, ive jumped from barly being able to play, to writing my own music. but remember its allways more hard to play other peoples music.

[yyzyy]

I would think they practiced a lot!! Myself, playing for 13 years...I get AT LEAST 1 hour a day...But sometimes up to 3 a day.

 

I wonder if they practice right now? I'm sure not as much as they used to, but do you think they practice at all? I think yes!

[wingman]

Most likley,Im 16 and i havent been playing guitar that long, only 1 3/4 years. so i practice 4-5 hours a day after school to make up for lost time. But i played violin and bag pipes for years, also a little drums.

[ES-335]

It is called talent ... they have it. I teach Guitar and bass and I have had students who picked it up quickly and could play pretty much anything I taught with practice. On the other hand, I have taught some who practiced and practiced ... etc ... but just can't get it. They are mechanical and stiff and will never progress past that point. I can pretty much tell from the begining.

 

Concerning RUSH, you can listen to their albums and hear them get better. Hear them create and develop their own style. Obviously, they were all blessed with an extreme amount of talent and creativity.

 

 

 

 

[launchpad67a]

**Practice means a lot! New, up-comimg bands and musicians Must practice.

**The way to get good is to practice, by yourself at first. Put on the headphones and play the song 'note for note'. Practice many styles!

 

 

I assure you the boys worked out Every lick, note for note. Thats why their music is so structured.

 

I learned everything I know at a young age. Went to college for music, desided it was the wrong choice! Dropped out, started a band.............

 

At first I started playing 4 hrs a day in my room at my house and giging 2 nights a week with a wedding reception band ( I was 13 at the time), playing everything from jazz standards to the lastest rock&roll. Moved on to Classic Rock bands, lasted the next 5 yrs. In 1990 I started an Original project called 'Pale Devine', we got signed to Atlantic Records...for 2 years...done!

Now I have made a living playing music for the past 23+years. Thank god that I didn't waste more time at this..............

(I'll never give up the dream)

 

Not sure why I wrote this....

[ES-335]

QUOTE (launchpad67a @ Apr 7 2005, 05:38 AM)

**Practice means a lot! New, up-comimg bands and musicians Must practice. **The way to get good is to practice, by yourself at first. Put on the headphones and play the song 'note for note'. Practice many styles! I assure you the boys worked out Every lick, note for note. Thats why their music is so structured. I learned everything I know at a young age. Went to college for music, desided it was the wrong choice! Dropped out, started a band............. At first I started playing 4 hrs a day in my room at my house and giging 2 nights a week with a wedding reception band ( I was 13 at the time), playing everything from jazz standards to the lastest rock&roll. Moved on to Classic Rock bands, lasted the next 5 yrs. In 1990 I started an Original project called 'Pale Devine', we got signed to Atlantic Records...for 2 years...done! Now I have made a living playing music for the past 23+years. Thank god that I didn't waste more time at this.............. (I'll never give up the dream) Not sure why I wrote this....

I hear ya Mike.

 

I started playing guitar at 8 when I was given an ES-335 by my Step Mom who had it collecting dust. (long story)

 

I played it till my fingers bled. I remember I set up my little Soundesign turntable (remember this is in the mid 70s) and my twin reverb right next to each other and would sit and figure out the licks, chords etc. I also had some instructional books to teach chording and the Mel bay guitar books for picking, scales etc ... I was also in the elementary school band so I got some musical structure and learned how to keep time etc ... I remember trying to learn Clapton's solo (from ear) from While my Guitar gently weeps. I got close, but I was playing it with two fingers and almost totally on one string LOL!! By the time I got into RUSH, just a few months later, I had progressed a little. I remember learning Working Man and What your Doing ... and would play along. Of course faking the leads till I got to where I could play them.

 

Then I met a guitarist through a friend who was in his mid teens, he had been playing for a while and was really good, he lived a few streets away and he really helped me develop by teaching finger dexterity exercises, new scales, finger picking, and the ALL IMPORTANT POWER CHORD!!! etc etc ... By then, I was about 10, he was like a God to me ... I remember he had this mahogany SG standard and matching 6 and 12 string acoustics. The thing that amazed me was he picked up his acoustic once and ripped through Mood for a Day from Yes (Steve Howe classical style acoustic guitar solo) ... I remember thinking there was no way I would EVER get to that level. But, I worked on it and a few years later, I had mastered it along with several others. To this day, I Love playing Mood for a Day.

 

From there, I took the normal progression, basement bands, garage bands, played guitar mainly, but also played bass if we needed a bassist at the time. (Of course, Geddy was my main influence on bass but a close second was John Deacon) ... played professionally at 14 ... was in a regular working band from the age of 16 to 23 ... some original but mainly copy or cover but always with the plan to convert to all original once we got going, then I quit and went to college as I was tired and very poor.

 

My story is the same as many, probably not too far from Geddy's and AL's ... my problem was I never could assemble a band that was talented enough and or dedicated enough to make it stick. We got close once about 1988 with Arista, but it didn't happen. The turnover killed it. They all had the Rutsey syndrome ... who knows, if I stuck it out a little, I may have been successful ... but I am happy now. Although I would love to play in a traveling band again ... the only way that would happen is if I win the lottery.

[Guest Quigley_Moog]

I hear all of you guys. I can't get out of my (guitar) pentatonic scale box patterns. When I hear Alex rip it up on a fast solo (Analog Kid) my heart just shatters. I wonder if I'll ever get THAT good. Of course, he has 30 years on me, but still.

[My_Shrimp_Cot]

QUOTE (Quigley_Moog @ Apr 7 2005, 10:01 AM)

I hear all of you guys. I can't get out of my (guitar) pentatonic scale box patterns. When I hear Alex rip it up on a fast solo (Analog Kid) my heart just shatters. I wonder if I'll ever get THAT good. Of course, he has 30 years on me, but still.

Man, if you want to be a musician (even part time) the first thing you need is a thick skin. I play jazz saxophone and there were times we (I) were so bad (something just wasn't clicking) people were shaking their heads and leaving, and other days the applause is so loud it's almost deafening. So which is it? I suck or I'm great? Who knows?

 

Do you think Alex worries that he can't play a certain lick like Satriani or Gilmour?

He plays what he can play....

 

Also if your stuck in pentatonics, it sounds like you are playing alone too much, you need to find other guitarists and show them what you know and they show show you what they know etc. Guitar is too hard to learn by listening. At least I learned the most this way. (from other guitarists)

[kazzman]

When I practice, I practice for as long as I can. Hell, I've been known to drum entire Rush shows while I practice. I've progressed away from practicing along with cd's and into writing my own material, and that's usually what a practice consists of. I'll still grab a cd every once and a while to play along with.

[defrushfan01]

ya i just got a new amp so i really cant practice on electric much, so i'll grab an acoustic, and play for anywhere from 25 mins to 2 hours. I love to play, and have been writing my own stuff lately.

[NeilPeartFan2112]

QUOTE (ES-335 @ Apr 6 2005, 08:44 PM)

It is called talent ... they have it. I teach Guitar and bass and I have had students who picked it up quickly and could play pretty much anything I taught with practice. On the other hand, I have taught some who practiced and practiced ... etc ... but just can't get it. They are mechanical and stiff and will never progress past that point. I can pretty much tell from the begining. Concerning RUSH, you can listen to their albums and hear them get better. Hear them create and develop their own style. Obviously, they were all blessed with an extreme amount of talent and creativity.

[defrushfan01]

QUOTE (NeilPeartFan2112 @ Apr 8 2005, 12:56 PM)

QUOTE (ES-335 @ Apr 6 2005, 08:44 PM) It is called talent ... they have it. I teach Guitar and bass and I have had students who picked it up quickly and could play pretty much anything I taught with practice. On the other hand, I have taught some who practiced and practiced ... etc ... but just can't get it. They are mechanical and stiff and will never progress past that point.  I can pretty much tell from the begining. Concerning RUSH, you can listen to their albums and hear them get better.  Hear them create and develop their own style. Obviously, they were all blessed with an extreme amount of talent and creativity. Dude your so god forsakenly annoying.   Get a life, learn how to say something on your own, instead of quoting somebody else.     Oh, ya you might want to invest in a good woman and get laid, cause you need IT.

[ES-335]

QUOTE (defrushfan01 @ Apr 9 2005, 07:42 PM)

QUOTE (NeilPeartFan2112 @ Apr 8 2005, 12:56 PM) QUOTE (ES-335 @ Apr 6 2005, 08:44 PM) It is called talent ... they have it. I teach Guitar and bass and I have had students who picked it up quickly and could play pretty much anything I taught with practice. On the other hand, I have taught some who practiced and practiced ... etc ... but just can't get it. They are mechanical and stiff and will never progress past that point.  I can pretty much tell from the begining. Concerning RUSH, you can listen to their albums and hear them get better.  Hear them create and develop their own style. Obviously, they were all blessed with an extreme amount of talent and creativity. Dude your so god forsakenly annoying.   Get a life, learn how to say something on your own, instead of quoting somebody else.     Oh, ya you might want to invest in a good woman and get laid, cause you need IT. I happen to believe that NeilPeartFan2112's reply was a wonderful reply!       Projection: the attribution of one's own ideas, feelings, or attitudes to other people or to objects; especially : the externalization of blame, guilt, or responsibility as a defense against anxiety     added content

Edited April 10, 2005 by ES-335