I'm a little discouraged... (not a pity party!)

[pwhand]

Hi all. This is just a little about me, and some stuff I've been thinking about lately (may get redundant). I'm fairly new here, I signed up a few months ago to try to buy some JEMs from people, but to no avail (parents)... My name is Paul, 16 years old, born and living in Indiana. I'm up here late at night, and just wanted to express something that's been on my mind lately. I've been discouraged lately because I've seen all of these people that have been playing guitar or another instrument since they were really young. I really just got my own equipment about a year ago when I was 15, but I had been interested in playing since I was 14 when I played guitar at my friends birthday (I actually caught on quite well) and also over the next year whenever I went to his house (I think he actually got jealous because I learned the Pulp Fiction theme at his house one time and he couldn't play it but I could). So really I guess you could say I've been playing since I was like 14, but whatever. Anyways, my family has never been musical except my mom playing casually when she was young (like all little girls). I never got into piano when I was young because I just didn't like it, but I wanted guitar and drums. Of course when I asked for those on one of my earlier birthdays I got some tin cans and Kleenex box with rubber bands around it, and paper towel roll sticking out of it LOL (I'm not trying to get you to feel sorry for me). My family is not poor, they just didn't want to spend the money. Some kids are motivated by their parents to pickup an instrument, but I really wasn't. When I was young, my father was struck by lightning and had part of a tree fall on his head on another lightning strike. He didn't have it checked out so he ended up with some memory problems, and he now has Parkinsons and does what he can. He's like 57 and my mom is 53, really old compared to other people's parents I know; everyone thinks I'm adopted LOL. So, with my father sick and my mom working all during the week and sleeping on the weekends, I've never really been involved in anything as there was really no motivation. Then in sixth grade when they started to get kids in band I joined up to my parents surprise. I started on percussion, I was bored just smacking stuff so I switched to trombone. I went through band the next few years and grew to hate it as the instructors were just jerks; many people have quit because of them, including me. I was never really serious about it (I NEVER practiced, but still made Honor Band 3 years and instructors thought highly of me because I was a good musician or something), but I did learn how to read bass clef so that should help me if I ever compose I guess. So really, after I quit band I continued music through guitar which I described above. FINALLY, now that you know my musical history, I want to tell you something that's been on my mind. I've been discouraged because I've read about people who started guitar at younger ages than I have (and they have had more time to hone their skills and some are even better) and I just feel like I've lost a lot time I could've used playing guitar. All I've really ever done in the past is play video games and play recreational baseball which I managed to do very well in, even performing better than the kids who made the school teams. Then when I was trying out for school baseball I again felt this similar discouragement because a lot of the other kids had been playing on all-star and travel teams and had a lot more experience, but I couldn't because of my dad and stuff. I didn't really care about that anymore once I started playing guitar though. I've considered a career in music, but don't know what I want to do. I've never really been open about music in my family though because compared to my parents, our tastes our opposite (I like Vai stuff, classic rock, some metal; my parents like OLD stuff). I've also been shy about my playing because I played what they didn't like, but now that I've played what I like for them, they do like it... weird. I've progressed very well since I started playing I know a few songs all the way through perfect, and a couple minutes of a lot of others (like 20 maybe). I think my technique has progressed very quickly compared to other people I know, so that is good. I also had trouble finding a good teacher, I went through 2 who wanted to messing around teaching me electric guitar with an acoustic guitar, now I've got a great teacher. I think I've progressed so much because I played like 8 hours every day and all of it was constructive because I used places like Cyberfret as means of instruction. My current teacher is impressed with my abilites, he's even said I probably know stuff he doesn't know. So, I have plenty going for me, but I just feel like I could've started earlier and if I had the determination I currently have I could be very good, not likely though because not many people have that early fire for a serious musical career. I still don't know if I want to be a pro musician, but from the comments from many people I probably should. FINALLY (FINALLY) that's really all about me, I curious to see what your comments are. Thanks for reading.

[LuredMaul]

Uhm, go to bed and get some sleep for one....
Practice and go mow some grass to earn money for yourself ....quit waiting for Mom and Dad to Buy you a Jem most of us here bought ours with money from a job.
Steve Vai is your parents age "ish"
You didn't start to late just relax and learn everything you can soak in.....even the "not cool" stuff
You will NEVER know everything about a guitar...you will never play every technique....relax and have fun
oh yeah and Practice...

[TheToneZone]

what are you discouraged about? i started noodling around when i was your age back in high school and to be honest, haven't progressed much since. i've played on and off for 20 years now and i wouldn't say that i've accomplished anything substantial musically. i'm still a huge fan of the instrument though.

i also wanted a career in music back in the (hair metal) day... my dream got lost somewhere back in college, the cpa exam, and maybe now an mba. at the end of the day you gotta do it because it's fun. at my age i'd really question having a career in music, for me that might just take the fun out of it.

mike

[Mike239]

Hey i feel like that sometimes (Wishing i started guitar and sport sooner) i basically started about 6 months ago, but if you practise enough then when your older you'll be suprisingly good. Anyway check out this link:
http://www.jemsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=57294 should make you feel better.

[jemplayer55]

Originally Posted by pwhand

Hi all. This is just a little about me, and some stuff I've been thinking about lately (may get redundant). I'm fairly new here, I signed up a few months ago to try to buy some JEMs from people, but to no avail (parents)... My name is Paul, 16 years old, born and living in Indiana. I'm up here late at night, and just wanted to express something that's been on my mind lately. I've been discouraged lately because I've seen all of these people that have been playing guitar or another instrument since they were really young. I really just got my own equipment about a year ago when I was 15, but I had been interested in playing since I was 14 when I played guitar at my friends birthday (I actually caught on quite well) and also over the next year whenever I went to his house (I think he actually got jealous because I learned the Pulp Fiction theme at his house one time and he couldn't play it but I could). So really I guess you could say I've been playing since I was like 14, but whatever. Anyways, my family has never been musical except my mom playing casually when she was young (like all little girls). I never got into piano when I was young because I just didn't like it, but I wanted guitar and drums. Of course when I asked for those on one of my earlier birthdays I got some tin cans and Kleenex box with rubber bands around it, and paper towel roll sticking out of it LOL (I'm not trying to get you to feel sorry for me). My family is not poor, they just didn't want to spend the money. Some kids are motivated by their parents to pickup an instrument, but I really wasn't. When I was young, my father was struck by lightning and had part of a tree fall on his head on another lightning strike. He didn't have it checked out so he ended up with some memory problems, and he now has Parkinsons and does what he can. He's like 57 and my mom is 53, really old compared to other people's parents I know; everyone thinks I'm adopted LOL. So, with my father sick and my mom working all during the week and sleeping on the weekends, I've never really been involved in anything as there was really no motivation. Then in sixth grade when they started to get kids in band I joined up to my parents surprise. I started on percussion, I was bored just smacking stuff so I switched to trombone. I went through band the next few years and grew to hate it as the instructors were just jerks; many people have quit because of them, including me. I was never really serious about it (I NEVER practiced, but still made Honor Band 3 years and instructors thought highly of me because I was a good musician or something), but I did learn how to read bass clef so that should help me if I ever compose I guess. So really, after I quit band I continued music through guitar which I described above. FINALLY, now that you know my musical history, I want to tell you something that's been on my mind. I've been discouraged because I've read about people who started guitar at younger ages than I have (and they have had more time to hone their skills and some are even better) and I just feel like I've lost a lot time I could've used playing guitar. All I've really ever done in the past is play video games and play recreational baseball which I managed to do very well in, even performing better than the kids who made the school teams. Then when I was trying out for school baseball I again felt this similar discouragement because a lot of the other kids had been playing on all-star and travel teams and had a lot more experience, but I couldn't because of my dad and stuff. I didn't really care about that anymore once I started playing guitar though. I've considered a career in music, but don't know what I want to do. I've never really been open about music in my family though because compared to my parents, our tastes our opposite (I like Vai stuff, classic rock, some metal; my parents like OLD stuff). I've also been shy about my playing because I played what they didn't like, but now that I've played what I like for them, they do like it... weird. I've progressed very well since I started playing I know a few songs all the way through perfect, and a couple minutes of a lot of others (like 20 maybe). I think my technique has progressed very quickly compared to other people I know, so that is good. I also had trouble finding a good teacher, I went through 2 who wanted to messing around teaching me electric guitar with an acoustic guitar, now I've got a great teacher. I think I've progressed so much because I played like 8 hours every day and all of it was constructive because I used places like Cyberfret as means of instruction. My current teacher is impressed with my abilites, he's even said I probably know stuff he doesn't know. So, I have plenty going for me, but I just feel like I could've started earlier and if I had the determination I currently have I could be very good, not likely though because not many people have that early fire for a serious musical career. I still don't know if I want to be a pro musician, but from the comments from many people I probably should. FINALLY (FINALLY) that's really all about me, I curious to see what your comments are. Thanks for reading.

Well..... can you go back and break this all down into simple paragraphs for us to read? I just spoke to your english teacher and she said you'd better concentrate on your writing structure before tackling your career in music!

Sorry I "crashed" your pity party too....

Just keep pickin & grinnin! Life is just starting to get interesting for ya!

[Mylo]

+1 on the paragraphs. Either that or a map.

As for the whole age thing - Don't even worry. Did you know Vai started playing guitar when he was 14? So there are plenty of decades of time left to play.

Don't even worry what other people can do, either. Guitar and music isn't a competition!

Just keep at it. It's a slow process, but the journey is as much fun as the goal.

[Dino]

I can't believe I read all that... Man, Joe Satriani said the he didn't start playing until he was 14 or so... He told me not to force my 10 year old to learn anything yet because he is too young. You started at a good age, if you practise as much as you say you could be better that Yngwie in 1 year.

[pwhand]

Thanks for the replies guys.

(new paragraph)Sorry I didn't separate the stuff into paragraphs, I just got going, and posted it.

(new paragraph)Again, don't feel like I'm trying to get you to feel sorry for me, I just hadn't done much around here except try to buy JEMs, so I figured I'd introduce myself to everybody (I guess I should've put this in the other forum).

[pwhand]

Originally Posted by LuredMaul

Uhm, go to bed and get some sleep for one....
Practice and go mow some grass to earn money for yourself ....quit waiting for Mom and Dad to Buy you a Jem most of us here bought ours with money from a job.
Steve Vai is your parents age "ish"
You didn't start to late just relax and learn everything you can soak in.....even the "not cool" stuff
You will NEVER know everything about a guitar...you will never play every technique....relax and have fun
oh yeah and Practice...

I do have a job and money, it's just my parents won't let me spend it. They would rather me buy brand new everything and pay like $3000, as opposed to buying off of here for half that. They think I have to have a warranty, but you don't. I mean just take your guitar to a repair shop and get everything fixed. So cautious...

[C.Thep]

It's never to late to start. My music theory teacher never touched an instrument until his senior high school year, but now he is freaking scary on the piano. But then again, he is like 55.

Just have fun. Don't worry

[jemplayer55]

Originally Posted by C.Thep

But then again, he is like 55.

WTF is that supposed to mean??? Hey, if it wasn't for us "old" guys.....

[jemplayer55]

Originally Posted by pwhand

I do have a job and money, it's just my parents won't let me spend it. They would rather me buy brand new everything and pay like $3000, as opposed to buying off of here for half that. They think I have to have a warranty, but you don't. I mean just take your guitar to a repair shop and get everything fixed. So cautious...

Great that mom & dad care. They just don't want to see you get ripped off and to get the best you possibly can. There are crooks everywhere..... even on this forum. They may not last long but they do manage to screw someone before they are weeded out!