NPB_EST.1979 wrote:Shredit wrote:David wrote:Seeing that video and the other one got me to thinking about these guitarists that are from another planet: Joe, Jimi, E.J. etc. What was it like the first time they picked up a guitar? Was there something special there already? When did they realize they were gifted? How long did it take them to reach the point where they were at the level that the average person could never reach? 
Born with it! I've had friends who have played for what seems like a life time. There brain only takes them so far. God made these guys different. It's like the guys you play little league baseball with, you know within a few years they will be better than you no matter how hard you try.
cmon nobody is born with it. The guys you know have probably plateau'd in their practicing and just need a shot in the arm or some inspiration. The brain can take you as far as you'd like it to. God made everyone equal in my opinion, it's just a matter of how good you want to get & and how bad you want it.
Do you have any idea how many hours a week these players play? The guitar is like another human body part to them because they practice and constatly perform. I'd say ask any famous musician if they were 'born with it' or if they 'had to practice their **** off & still do' I'm sure you'd hear more of the latter.
Remember the article in G1 where Joe admitted to buying RC cars, just so he wouldn't play guitar all the time? Also I saw Jonny Lang on a tv program about ten years ago that featured other young artists (maybe 60 Minutes or something--I should really check my facts here, maybe someone remembers this and can help me out) and I thought it said that it was typical for him to practice guitar 17 hours a day or some insane number like that! Eddie VanHalen always has a guitar around his neck. SRV and Jimmie used to sleep with their guitars when they were kids and Hendrix accomplished in five years what most of us guitarists won't in a lifetime.
In my years of teaching guitar, I often say I can tell within the first lesson if a student is going to "stick with it" and become successful or if they will drop shortly and I don't think it has anything to do with talent, but rather passion. Sure, some students "pick up on it faster" than others, but many times when students come to me and they seem to have that natural talent, they don't stick with it because they don't feel challenged and get bored. Guitar has NEVER come easy to me, I joke with my students all the time that I probably should have been a ballet dancer--but that wouldn't challenge me like guitar (not to mention, it doesn't appeal to me either). Playing guitar has been one of the biggest and most rewarding challenges of my life. I have busted my arse practicing sometimes up to five hours a day to get where I am today. I'm no Joe, but I'm very happy where I am.
"There is nothing to it. You only have to hit the right notes at the right time and the instrument plays itself."---Johann Sebastian Bach
