give it to me straight...

[Nicole_Rose]

do i suck at music?

i've been trying for two years to get people to jam with write with, play in a band with and generally just make music with. i get lot's of bites, people who say they like my stuff and wanna work with me, but then they disappear. if it just happened once or twice it wouldn't bother me, but it happens all the fucking time. i'm starting to lose faith in my abilities. i know i'm no shredder but have a listen to "missing you" (that's probably my best guitar work,) and maybe "dance" for my writing ability, and tell me honestly if i suck.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/defa...?bandID=617080

[Greg_L]

You don't suck......at music anyway.


Don't worry about it. Sometimes people click, and sometimes they don't.

[rayc]

Maybe if it were Narnia instead of Sarnia people'd come out of the cupboard.
Dance 2 sounds fine - the guitar is a little bit fizzy but the song is good. Is that True on vox or yourself?
Make the best of online collabs (not as much fun as 1:1 interaction but you don't have to worry about farting and scartching!) while you wait for something to happen - go to open mic nights etc.
I don't hear anything wrong with your stuff & I prefer your non shredding style of playing - there's some intensity and emotion behind your selection of notes rather than an over rehearsed scale or mode.

[Nicole_Rose]

Originally Posted by Greg_L

You don't suck......at music anyway.


Don't worry about it. Sometimes people click, and sometimes they don't.

hahaha i don't suck at anything else either, i'm a lesbian

thanks for the listen greg wish me luck in finding someone who clicks

[Nicole_Rose]

Originally Posted by rayc

Maybe if it were Narnia instead of Sarnia people'd come out of the cupboard.
Dance 2 sounds fine - the guitar is a little bit fizzy but the song is good. Is that True on vox or yourself?
Make the best of online collabs (not as much fun as 1:1 interaction but you don't have to worry about farting and scartching!) while you wait for something to happen - go to open mic nights etc.
I don't hear anything wrong with your stuff & I prefer your non shredding style of playing - there's some intensity and emotion behind your selection of notes rather than an over rehearsed scale or mode.

yeah the guitar is recorded direct. i still haven't gotten round to re recording it and i might not, i have a lot of new stuff that is holding my attention and is better in my opinion. i might just leave it. and that's my little sister Angie singing a scratch take but she's got a nice voice.

and that was the nicest thing anyone's said about my guitar playing in a while. thanks Rayc

[jpw23]

Sounds like pretty good stuff to me

[Nicole_Rose]

thanks Jay maybe i have no reason to lose faith in my abilities, but once in a while i need reassurance i guess.

[true-eurt]

It is not really the recognition one gets from performing ...but the pleasure one gets from doing it.....that feeling you have will pass and you'll be playing away with passion...it's a dam sickness I tell ya!!!....

"Missing You" sounds good to me. Who cares if you can shred? People who only shred are people who can't make music. I like your solo playing because it actually sounds like a song and not just some person dicking around over a backing track.

I think every musician wonders at one point if their stuff is actually good or if they've been hearing something that no one else hears in their music the whole time. I know I've thought this. I still do a lot.

But yeah, you don't suck.

[elicantu]

this is actually pretty good stuff :-)
just dont worry bout them people . you doing pretty good by yourself:-)

[VSpaceBoy]

Hey Nicole, you can't worry about other musicians, most of them are flakey. Most of them will say they'll be there, they're dependable etc but aren't. Don't take it personally.

Now, that said, if you can manage to inspire someone to want to play with you, that's the trick. Creating music that makes people have an emotion is not easy. Happy, sad, dancing, jumping or whatever. Trying to create that with guitar licks is much more difficult than with words. You can't fall back on metaphors or content when the melody gets stale.

You're guitar playing is very solid, but lacks the inspirational lift that people yearn for when they jam with someone new (IMO). You also have to give people something fun to play in your songs to keep them from just playing changes. When I listen to licks, I don't listen for speed (at all), I listen for what the instrument is trying to say. If I just hear notes that are in key, it doesn't do as much as a melody that flows and sucks me in. You wanna know how to creat this?? Yea, me to.

I think the song with True was definately on its way. Start us a fire has something to it, probably my fav. Has the great licks on the guitar, and some fun lyrics. I have to tell you though, playing mostly guitar instrumentals is going to be tough to keep someones interest peaked for any extended period of time. Could just be me though.

Sorry if I'm coming off negative, I just wanted to "give it straight" as I thought it. I hate saying thigns like that 'cuz I know I'm not any better myself. I just tried to imagine if I was jamming with you for the first time and what might be running through my mind. You definately are a great guitar player thats for sure. I'm sure you could play circles around most of us around here.

[DavidK]

I enjoyed "missing you", very pleasant and enjoyable. Doesnt suck.

[Nicole_Rose]

thank you everyone for listening and commenting. it makes me feel better about my playing. whatever the reasons for people not coming through, it's not the fault of my playing.

space, missing you is about the most powerful love i've ever had, if that's not inspirational enough, then it just ain't going to do it but thank you for the compliment on my guitar playing

and for the record, instrumentals is not my thing. i've written like 10 songs in the last two years and none of them are finished so none of them are up there. the lyrics to my new stuff though controversial as hell, are something i'm quite happy with.

and i dont' have anything with True up there. it's my sister ANGIE singing on Dance 2.

thanks again everyone. you put me back in my proper place. just wish me luck in finding someone to partner with. i want to learn and grow as a musician and a writer and i'm not sure i can do that without playing with others.

be well

[Nicole_Rose]

oh and space? thanks for giving it to me straight as you see it. that's what i was after.

i gotta spread the love around before i can give some to you though.

[r4m]

Sounds good to me. Crying my soul has some pretty sweet licks. Very Santanaish.
Missing you is sweet too! Keep it up!!!

[Torpid-x]

Originally Posted by Nicole_Rose

give it to me strait...

I listened to Dance 2 and Missing You.

I like your sense of melody, reminds me of me but, when you try to play faster runs you lack a technical vocabulary, sometime it's a little painful, sometime it's good but trite within the genre. you need to develope some tastier, faster ,not neccesarily full shred, but "your speed" runs to make you stand out. btw, you have plenty of speed to play shred licks.

your rythm playing in dance 2 was far better than the lead, (actually that was the song with the "painful" runs. I'm glad I listened to Missing you also, which I really enjoyed and redeemed you from a much harsher critique.

unlike what danny.guitar says, most (quality) shredders have a balance between technique, speed and soul, Yngwie is a hell of a blues man, but he's known for his shredding. Joe Satriani - you must be an absolute idiot if you don't think that "shredder" can make music. that's just 2 examples I used because of popularity, I could use better examples.

anyway, the question "Do I suck?" You already know the answer to that, no you don't, you know what your weaknesses and strengths are. Perfect your strengths (in your case melodic lead) and imporove on your weaknesses and KEEP AT IT!!!. that's all you can do as a musician, or anything else in life.

as far as people working with you and leaving, that could be a personality conflict, drug problems (at either end), intimidation, or just that they aren't serious about music.

[Nicole_Rose]

thanks for listening r4m and torpid

torpid i hear you on the speed issue. i don't have much of a library of fast licks. i will work on that. thank you for all your comments, they are appreciated.

[erik_ande_85]

No you don't suck
the guitar sound in dance ain't the best, but you don't suck at playing for sure. I would do a collab with you

Originally Posted by Torpid-x

unlike what danny.guitar says, most (quality) shredders have a balance between technique, speed and soul, Yngwie is a hell of a blues man, but he's known for his shredding. Joe Satriani - you must be an absolute idiot if you don't think that "shredder" can make music. that's just 2 examples I used because of popularity, I could use better examples.

Notice how I said people who only shred? Yeah, one word can make a pretty big difference.

Michael Angelo is someone who mostly always shreds but he can also play really melodic stuff and is a master at pretty much every kind of technique there is.

However, go on youtube and look at all the millions of kids who do nothing but shred through scales and couldn't play or write a real song to save their life. I know people like this in real life.

Anyway, don't want to take the thread off-topic in a pointless debate.

[Torpid-x]

Sorry danny,
it sounded like you were a close minded shredder basher, like one of those 70's classic rock guys who bash everything else. No debate, I don't consider someone to be a shredder unless they are a musician first. playing fast isn't neccesarily shredding, it's practice!!!

I don't watch much on you tube, I'm sure there are plenty of kids with more sloppy speed than talent posting there junk, I was one of those kids once, and if it was available at the time, I probably would have posted it too.


Sorry Nicole,
for the temporary thread hi-jack, and your welcome

[Chili]

I'll give it to you straight.... This is good stuff. You should have no doubt in your abilities. Very soulful and I enjoyed listening.

[Dogman]

Your tunes are enjoyable to listen to, and decent home recordings...that's all that matters. No song is going to be everyones cup of tea, but you gotta do this homerecording stuff for fun, right? I usually find some enjoyment in just about everything I listen to here, and yours is no different...some good riffs in your tunes, and fun stuff to just listen to. Keep on having fun....something may click with other musicians, and it may not.

[RAMI]

Definitely no sucking going on. I like the grooves and riffs. Alot.

[Nicole_Rose]

thanks for your comments Dog and Rami.

Dog you're right, i do this primarily for my own fulfillment and joy. there's nothing quite like being creative and writing your own tunes. it would just be nice to have people to play them with.

Rami, i have to spread the love around, but i'll remember you

[anselm]

Originally Posted by Nicole_Rose

do i suck at music?

i've been trying for two years to get people to jam with write with, play in a band with and generally just make music with. i get lot's of bites, people who say they like my stuff and wanna work with me, but then they disappear. if it just happened once or twice it wouldn't bother me, but it happens all the fucking time. i'm starting to lose faith in my abilities. i know i'm no shredder but have a listen to "missing you" (that's probably my best guitar work,) and maybe "dance" for my writing ability, and tell me honestly if i suck.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/defa...?bandID=617080

No, you don't suck. I like your staccato notes that you throw in. Bands are tough. It is real hard to find people that you are compatible with. Just keep trying.