When is good enough?

[stuh84]

There are times when I think this, because the stuff I play is progressive metal, so you have to be good at it. However, everyone in the band always seems to look to me as a guide in a sense. Why is that? Because I formed the band, rather than looked for one.

It meant no auditions, and the stuff we play is down the alley I've always wanted to go down.

This could be a good route for you, that way, you play how you feel rather than what you are told.

To be honest though, its probably just you being too hard on yourself, I usually am, as every band I've been in has told me I'm a great guitarist, I just never quite feel like I'm where I wanna be. Don't let things like that stop you enjoying yourself, the best thing I've ever done for my playing was join/form bands, it teaches you how to be tight, to be selective with what you play, how everything works together, rather than just being a bedroom w**ker :)

[MrBump]

I've always thought that the best way to meet possible band mates is in the pub - never meet for the first time with your guitar.  Too much pressure and not enough information.

Meet in the pub, have a few beers and a laugh, then catch up the following day/week for a jam.  Less pressure.

Mark.

[HairyChris]

I've always thought that the best way to meet possible band mates is in the pub - never meet for the first time with your guitar.  Too much pressure and not enough information.

Meet in the pub, have a few beers and a laugh, then catch up the following day/week for a jam.  Less pressure.

Mark.

Always a good call.

And if the conditions are right you can have the stereotypical 'I play guitar, you sing, he plays bass...let's form a band!' conversation.  :D

[plastercaster]

If you think you are "good enough" you are definately a bad guitarist.
Joe Satriani may have ace legato picking, but his tapping isn't as good as Buckethead. Buckethead isn't quite as fast as Michael Angio Batio, but MABs playing isn't as fluid or smooth as Satch.
None of them are as good with Riffs as Jimmy Page.
Jimmy's technique is far behind all those previously mentioned.

There is always an area you can improve, and every guitarist has strengths.

As long as you can hold time, and know musically and socially when to shut up, you'll be fine.

[il˙ti]

If you think you are "good enough" you are definately a bad guitarist.
Buckethead isn't quite as fast as Michael Angio Batio
None of them are as good with Riffs as Jimmy Page.

I beg to differ.   I agree with the first point though.

[Ben_W]

and know musically when to shut up, you'll be fine.

Unless you're a drummer, in which case it's your job... :)

[headtheball]

I joined my first proper band, YC/DC, about 2 years ago at 30 years old.  I guess that makes it "later in life"?  The last band I'd been in was at school when I was 17.

I

Weird! My new project kicks in on Monday, and it's my first "proper" band, not subbing or covering, since school as well, and I'm not a kick in the arse off thirty, either.

Can't bloody wait, either. We started as a pub conversation too, so there's all kinds of synchronicity goin on here.

[Matt77]

I was 25 the first time I played live. I'd always wanted to do it, but couldn't really find people that liked the same stuff. I ended up playing a few acoustic nights with a friend that could sing quite well. It wasn't really my sort of music, but it was easy to play and didn't need lots of time to prepare. I can recommend it as a good starting point to build up confidence, especially if you can get a good singer as then the attention isn't really on you.

[Muzzzz]

While you don't *need* to know every scale, every chord and have monstorous technique, I think you should aim for it... you can ALWAYS be a better guitarist, and by getting loads of technique and knowledge about theory you open yourself up musically, and you put fewer barriers between you and the music.

Having said that, these aren't the most important skills to have in a band, but you still need to keep pushing and challenging yourself as a musician too... that's most of the fun anyway!

[Doadman]

As luck would have it, I have an update for you guys  :D

I put my details on a couple of websites and yesterday I was contacted by a guy who is very interested in me as lead guitarist. They're all older than me and I'm 43! They also seem to focus on music from the 60s, which isn't really my area but I figure that I can always learn the songs and it would be good experience. When the email came in last night I had a severe case of the jitters and ended up writing back giving a very frank account of what I could play and a self appraisal that I was really no good as a player. Despite this he has got back to me saying that the stuff they play isn't really that complex and I should be fine. They seem like nice guys and they certainly can't be in any doubt about my limitations now so I guess I might as well give it a go. I am extremely nervous as two of them have been in plenty bands before and they seem to have their own PA and some lights so I'm assuming they're better than they're telling me. One thing that seemed to go in my favour was that the previous guitarist they had was apparently a great musician but had a huge ego and spent most of his time firmly wedged up his own backside. In comparison, the harsh and largely negative appraisal I gave myself seems to have been a welcome relief  :D

We're going to meet up next week as a band and see how things go so I'm hoping I'll soon get over my nerves and they'll give me the chance to do so. Here's hoping  :P

[Johnny Mac]

Good luck! They sound like a nice bunch, I'm sure you'll be fine and enjoy yourself.

[Philly Q]

Yeah, well done :D .  Relax and remember it's supposed to be FUN!

[PhilKing]

Go for it, it will really help with your playing if you can play with other guys.  It will also stretch you a bit.  It sounds like the guys have reasonable expectations and so the audition should be ok.  The other thing to do is learn the songs the way the band plays them.  Once you have got through the initial audition, then you need to find out where you fit in and just learn your parts.

[Doadman]

Go for it, it will really help with your playing if you can play with other guys.  It will also stretch you a bit.  It sounds like the guys have reasonable expectations and so the audition should be ok.

Thanks for the kind wishes everyone. They sent me a set list of songs which has given me some minor problems. As it's not really my kind of music I don't really know any of them at all and to make matters worse, none seem to be available as guitar Pro tab at ultimate-guitar.com. I can't even find many of them as backing tracks to practice to so I guess it may take a little longer than I'd hoped. Having said that, they do all seem fairly straightforward so I know that technically I will be able to play them. I exoperimented with one of their slower numbers, 'How Deep is your Love' by the Bee Gees and the whole thing seems to be in an Ionian mode so I figured if I get the melody line sorted I can then improvise some kind of solo from that. A minor complication may be that apparently each week the singer changes the key he'll sing in so I'm a little worried I may not keep up as my improvisation and theory isn't good but I suppose if they tell me the key they are to play it in, I can base any kind of solo around a pentatonic, Ionian or Aeolian anyway.

I'm sure it will be a great confidence booster once I'm over my nerves and should be a good way to learn and become better, which is my main reason for doing this.

[38thBeatle]

I wonder if they said that (about the singer changing the key) to gently wind you up- to see what you are made of. It makes no sense to change the key from one week to the next. See if you can check out the originals of some of those that you are not familiar with and get the feel of them. Whether or not you get into the band(or want to) the experience will have given you something useful.