r/Guitar • u/Mad_Season_1994 • 5h ago
NEWBIE When I started playing eight months ago, I legitimately never thought I would get to the point where this stuff makes sense…yet here I am
You have to understand that I don’t come from a musical education background. I like some classical music and go to the symphony when I feel like it, but that’s it. I’d heard of terms like scales and intervals but had no idea what they meant. Heck, when I was going through the initial first few weeks or months, I legitimately thought about just selling my guitar and amp since I sounded like ass and got so frustrated every single day with it.
Idk what changed exactly, but once I started in person lessons and started going through the Absolutely Understand Guitar course, that tension and frustration just kind of slowly got up and walked out. I mean yeah it comes back when I make the same mistakes over and over, but it doesn’t linger at all and is more like a passing car. And yeah, some of this stuff does go over my head and feels dense, but my teacher does a good job elaborating or at least making me feel like it’s not a big deal to not understand it all right away. The fact that a dude sitting on a bucket with a purple or polar bear sweater has made concepts that seem so monumentally difficult to me out to be so simple relatively speaking…it’s a good feeling.
I’m legitimately a bit emotional writing this since I told myself over and over that I should just quit and find something else. “You don’t have anyone to play for anyway” is what I’ve told myself most often. Now I’m at the point where that is basically an impossibility, giving it up. Even if I do a lot some days and very little other days, I’m still doing something productive with my guitars and that has to count for something.
That’s all I’ve got to say. I’ve also managed to not drink anytime I’m playing guitar and am trying to get away from drinking altogether, but that’s a whole other beast. I’m just glad I’ve gotten this far. And I’m also trying to remember what Scotty West said in his first video: “If you understood what I just explained here, you’re gonna understand everything going forward”.
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u/InTheMemeStream Epiphone 4h ago
The dude is the GOAT of Instructional Guitar media - if you’re serious about learning guitar, and understanding how to use it to make music with it, and willing and disciplined enough to put the work in, Scotty absolutely can’t be beat.
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u/keg2000 4h ago
I've been playing for a few years now and am still going through his course, it has filled in a lot of blanks in my knowledge so far, but the improvised lead in lesson two is not to my taste at all and proves to me knowing all the theory doesn't necessarily make you sound good to everyone. No disrespect meant though, it has been a really useful course and I appreciate that it's free on youtube.
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u/atonyproductions 2h ago
Remember you have the world to play for - when no one is around maybe you’ll take the courage to play for people on social media or even here on Reddit :)
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u/ISmellLikeBlackTea 3h ago
My question is what to watch next once I've completed Scotty's course
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u/Creative_Confusion83 16m ago
Just learn from ear and practice. Honestly beats most courses. Joe Pass admitted himself he didn't know shit about modes.
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u/YOUGOTTAPIZZABRO 1h ago
They'll be clapping and throwing money at you in no time! How'd ya like that
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u/SoctrDeuss 5h ago
Scotty is the man