How to Tell if Guitar Isn't for you

[@BrandonDeon]

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[@Insignia27]

I think rather than famous ones, you should just say to name guitarists you like. Fame does not matter, how much a guitarist influences you does

[@TricksterSMB]

How much does this cost?

[@Sewersyrup]

I had a friend who bought a guitar to impress girls, never had any interest in music, musicians, or anything related to it, I tried my best to teach and motivate him, I even get back into playing after a 10 years break, gave him exercises and theory lessons I would use to myself, he said it was boring and refused to practice, he thought that guitar skill would come magically or something idk, 2 months later and he had given up. Your initial video is 100% correct, Instruments take dedication and you can't have dedication for something you don't have passion about.

[@yasaldesilva]

This was my first student at guitar. Wanted to play to impress girls. Didnt work for him. Didnt touch the instrument since then.

[@MattiaVMusic]

Honestly, the amount of people thinking that playing an instrument and learning music doesn't take efforts, and you just go up a stage and play is absurd

[@Sinkovc3]

My classmate has 3 guitars. He doesn't play them. He only learned the basic chords to play some easy songs to impress somebody. I tried to teach him barre chords. He was trying for 5 min but then just gave up. Im sad for guitars collecting dust

[@nachiii___]

This is usually the case, when I picked up guitar it was mainly my personal will and motivation to start learning a skill during COVID. Practice eventually got me into classic rock, punk rock and other genres that involve guitar playing to constantly fuel that passion I once had from the start up until now. I met a friend through work that plays guitar longer than I did, and the conversations we had were mostly guitar or that specific genre-centered topics. Even as a beginner knowing a handful of guitar players, it allows one to venture in that sort of content, whether to improve or to just discover new music to listen to. People really jump to conclusions because they don't think the long term effects of picking up guitar. It is natural that if you don't have interest in a certain skill, you tend to give up further down the road.

[@attempt58]

Foolproof way to determine if something is for you or not: Ask yourself "Do I enjoy/love doing this?" If your answer is positive, it's likely that the thing is for you. If otherwise, you should most likely stop doing said thing.

[@Femboylover33]

Basically the universal way to know if you like something or not

[@lilgiantzigzag4326]

For some, for people like me i really really thought i loved playing basketball and lied to myself. But really, it was just for approval from my father. i loved getting. So this list of things helped me realise i actually enjoy guitar yk.

[@rubydoobyd00]

very true. i used to paint all the time for years, i was a teen prodigy at it, and I'm still pretty good at it when i occasionally still do it. but i always dreaded doing it and i hated doing it 😭😭 i play the accordion now and it's honestly my favorite thing to do. practicing accordion is the only thing i consistently do everyday.

[@NobodyAtAll420]

​@@lilgiantzigzag4326Don't seek approval .... BE happy the way you are and live up to your own standards. If you base your life on the approval others (even if it's your father) then you'll just rely on others to live your life forever....

[@Rickmode2435]

love how you keep it so real, everybodys so soft and quick to get offended cause theyre lazy.

[@stevenpipes1555]

When i was little, i would make guitar bodies out of cardboard and screw them to wooden shutter boards, about the same size as a guitar neck. Then i draw frets and inlays, pickups, and knobs. Bend a coat hanger into a trem arm, turn up the headphones, and be a rock star for hours and hours. Now i build guitars! Lol

[@DrSuess360]

I read that as you used to make guitar boobies and attach them to things. Weird.

[@dragonfx310]

I love this, man. Now that's passion.

[@SquirrelDarling1]

twoodfrd? Is that you?

[@stevenpipes1555]

@@SquirrelDarling1 I don't think so?

[@stevenpipes1555]

@@dragonfx310 Lmao! You should have seen these things, they were ridiculous! I would draw the frets on, they were all crooked and spaced funny. I drew fret markers like hearts diamonds clubs and spades, or like hot rod wheels, i loved Hot Wheels back then too! They were all in the wrong places, but. I always got that 12 fret inlay somewhere in the right area!

[@KyriCB]

You said it as it is, guitar is a way of life, it is your friend, family, girlfriend and everything in between. You have to play it everyday just like you would talk to your wife or partner everyday. You really shouldn't have to explain this initially to a real guitar player. A player never stops learning whatever instrument they play. Rock on man!!

[@DrewD-t5f]

At the end of the day, it’s just a hobby. In no case should an invective be put on the same level as family or girlfriends in my opinion 🙂

[@squiddysquidster802]

@@DrewD-t5fBut it’s not just a hobby. Maybe it’s a hobby for you, but for some people, it is their life and identity. For some it’s their job. Music isn’t just a hobby, it can be a career, thinking it’s just a hobby for everybody just isn’t correct.

[@ozman6602]

I like playing guitar more than I like talking to my wife, but if you think of practicing like a chore stop playing

[@DrewD-t5f]

@@squiddysquidster802 well that sounds awful. I don’t think Career should be placed over family either. No matter how much you think of it as a hobby or a business or a career family should be more important imo

[@squiddysquidster802]

@@DrewD-t5f Never said it should be placed over your family, but it is something you have to practice everyday if you want to improve. I don’t prioritize it over family, but I do practice everyday consistently.

[@graves_1987]

I think a lot of people take it as "gatekeepy" because they think of it like you're trying to quiz them at a concert about their band Tee. I took it as being into guitar means having an understanding of what you like and want to play, which is a good indicator on how much you wanna learn. I started back recently and that video got me to dive deeper into bands and artists I like to really understand their guitar playing.

[@errix]

I saw it as gatekeepy because it literally was a "name three guitarists, poser!" type question, whether that's what we intended or not.

[@Dawgpoisoner]

Bro is a real one for keeping it real and explaining himself.

[@drg69]

I think it was Eric Clapton who said (something like) "If you can walk past a guitar and not want to pick it up, then you're probably not a guitarist".

[@xx-jx3my]

Sitting here smoking cigarettes with a 57' telecaster in my lap that I only know 4 chords on. Who the fuck is Jenny Page? I'm gonna be a rockstar remember my name.

[@DrSuess360]

Wait. Is your name Jenny Page?? Or did just spell Jimmy Pages name wrong?? Lol.

[@FOKI5895]

@@DrSuess360 Its a joke, its misspelled on purpose.

[@xavier4519]

57 tele... as someone who owns a 2023 telecaster i am jealous

[@MikeZSimale2024]

I've been playing guitar for 17 years learning new tricks every day. The guitar has saved my life countless times, never give up!

[@Nufrifin]

this made me realize, if a guitarist plays in a band, i basically never know them by name

[@Marta1Buck]

I still don't know the name of the guitarists in greenday, MCR, paramore, blink182, and others. lmao. But I can name metal guitarists.

[@marcusmaynard1526]

@@Marta1Buck Cmon Tom DeLonge isn't a tough one.

[@Marta1Buck]

@@marcusmaynard1526 without Googling it just now, I wouldn't know lol

[@obscene-c1]

@@Marta1Buck tbh guitar is more important than vocals in metal so it makes sense being able to name guitarists there

[@fayzewun1268]

I’ve been at guitar for 5 months now. The dopamine segment is so true. I’m a fire sprinkler engineer currently and I spent the previous 3 years audio engineering. The 10 years prior I was a fire sprinkler inspector. All these things taught me is these things do not come easy. I remember my first month of guitar I battled with myself like dude I’m never going to get better. But the best things in life do not come easy. My basketball coach used to tell me “ if it was easy everyone would do it” and I’m 5 9 and I could dunk on a regulation rim. If you love something u will figure it out. If you want instant gratification this is not the thing for you but if you want instant gratification nothing worth while is for you.

[@fayzewun1268]

I have practiced guitar for the last 5 months at least an hr a day most of the time more. Now I have so many chords I can play and switch between and now getting into bends and slides. Power chords and even started learning music theory. I never knew music theory in my 30 years of life and it’s so crazy I’m glad I picked this up. As I get better it does get me more intrigued and I’m starting to have more fun no doubt. But like I said above that’s what happened with everything I’ve ever done. It does become more fun once you get the hang of it. There is also a lot of pain that comes with it to. But pushing thru to find the fun is super pleasurable

[@faizal188]

I think the main issue is that the short somewhat gives the impression that you shouldn't even touch a guitar if you're not willing to give your all about it, which feels like thinking in absolutes. Either you're die hard or you're not, which gives the impression of gatekeeping. I admit I'm not a serious guitar player, and probably by your definition not even a guitar player at all, since I only play when I'd like to. I play simply because I like the sounds that I make on my guitar. I have a few of guitarists or bands I can name that I like listening to and I consider to be my heroes, like Muse, MCR, Rolling Stones, Beatles, etc. and I do think about their music a lot, but I don't practice that much. Like I said, I don't consider myself as a serious player as I feel like I don't deserve to call myself that, but I do find that my life is better by simply being able to play casually. I think by making it sound like there is no space in between feels like you're denying people the pleasure of simply playing the guitar casually, which I think can be a bit unnecessary. But then again I'm a casual player who finds myself stumbling across a creator who's clearly talking to people who are much more serious than I am. And judging from the other comments in this video it seems like your methods works for them so I'm sure you know more than I do.

[@kme06d]

This was my impression of the short as well. It feels absolute and I'm so tired of absolutes. I have many interests and hobbies and I switch between them depending on my mood. You shouldn't be required to devote 100% of your free time to something in order to say you enjoy it. It would be a bit different if you planned to earn money from this hobby, but not if it's just for your own enjoyment.

[@jacobwilkinson6112]

I’ve always been obsessed with music. Before starting guitar, I knew everything about all my favorite bands/musicians: pink floyd, queen, david bowie, led zeppelin, the cure, nirvana, etc. and I knew everything about the guitarists in each band as well. My biggest guitar inspiration has always been Ben Howard, and I learned his style of playing and it helped me begin to form my own style as well. I’ve only been playing for a year and a half, but all of my guitar playing friends/ family members tell me I’m improving super fast. I don’t feel like that I’m great to be honest, but I can say that I tend to learn songs rather quickly and I think I have a decent ear for music. Playing guitar has NEVER been a chore for me. Literally ever. I’ve always loved every moment of playing. When I bought my first guitar - a $300 Alvarez - I was playing for about 2-4 hours a day every day for the first 6 months. I just loved doing it. I think my biggest tip for beginners is to try learning songs that you really love, and if you can’t learn those songs, learn a riff or just one part from the song. I’m saying this to show that this guy isn’t entirely wrong. I was obsessed with guitar and it has made learning very easy going for me. That isn’t to say that you need to form your entire life around your instrument of choice, but I don’t think I would have stuck with it if I didn’t truly enjoy it so much.

[@XiangJi]

Those people have completely missed your point, either intentionally or ignorantly. The important thing is, people that are here to learn have understood you and appreciated what you said.

[@torch-eh7ti]

Not really That's just the *short*comings of the video format. People, who learn and are just getting started or love theory for some reason, probably won't know 5 famous guitarists. People, who only practice using books or have been playing for a long time might not consume a bunch of youtube content on guitar. Not to mention people, who are yet to fall in live with guitar, being gatekept by this unnecessary negativity. Now I personally can name my pernambuco, tarrega, sors, villa lobos and lauro off the top of my head, if you give me some time and I do consume a bunch of youtube as I am still learning and am chronically online, but everyone's situation is different in that regard. As you see without him elaborating the original statement just is too raw, wich is why the feedback was so negative. This came out way longer than it needed to be, but "chronically online" I guess. and I'm passionate about this so It's fine.

[@localbod]

I think you make some fair points. Having a passion for the guitar and a desire to know as much as possible about the guitar and guitarists will keep oneself motivated to keep practicing and moving forward. 👍😎

[@gf301]

To me it's more about one thing, the sense of satisfaction when you play something that sounds pretty good, especially if you made it up yourself. But it doesn't matter what it is,if you play it and like it then you'll naturally want to keep at it and improve. If you don't really feel it then probably guitar isn't for you, why do something that doesn't float your boat? Some of the ideas I get happen when I'm nowhere near a guitar, then I can't wait to get home and try it. I may not be particularly good but nonetheless guitar is for me and I've never once questioned otherwise. I've no idea what point I was trying to make but have a great day.

[@General.chicken]

started in school three years ago, barely progressed. I just recently started to accually get into guitar.

[@Marta1Buck]

I did not progress for years then quit because I wasn't serious. When Covid hit, I finally started learning scales and legato. It took me 2 years to comprehend, but because I built muscle memory around scale and legato, now I'm pretty good at improv. Good luck to you

[@whimsicalyt]

school guitar is not the best, they teach super basic exercises and songs that are 300 years old nobody has ever heard of before

[@SquirrelDarling1]

@@whimsicalytthank you, you just brought back bad memories lol!

[@andrasperger6427]

If you (indeed) love your partner, you want to be with her/him all the time. Not just when you have time for that. If you don't really want to be with her/him, then you'd better look for someone you really want to be with. The same goes for guitar.

[@Martybuzzed]

Oh my god shut up

[@ties_s]

The way this comment was formulated is awful 😭 Not that I disagree with your point, but good lord man.

[@alexdobney7513]

I really agree on this. I started playing guitar about 10 years ago and didn't really have any interest in guitarists or paid attention to music as much in general. As I got older and wanted to actually learn, starting to find what really inspired me and finally figuring out who my favorite guitarist was, a couple years ago started lessons and taking it more seriously in general. So to me it's a really important thing because I think it helps to give motivation to practice.

[@Xman3k]

22:17 “if your gonna let someone on the internet have that much influence over you” okay brandon we all agree however, we have to take in context your position to your audience you are a seasoned, educated guitarist who knows a lot about the instrument. So if someone who I know is smarter than me about a topic tells me i probably don’t have the love I “think” I do I’ll be more inclined to be influenced by the educated guitarist rather than some random dunce on the internet.

[@DoubleD42]

😂 good lord, he is here to teach, not be your leader in life. You guys make such a big deal about nothing based on your feelings. I hate that B felt he had to explain himself to 'loser mindset" people, if you were passionate about playing an instrument, you would be able to recite a few musicians who you aspire to play said instrument like. end of story, on with the lessons.

[@Xman3k]

@@DoubleD42 im just critically thinking ab the media I consume I love brandon content he’s shaven years of learning off my guitar journey but im calling bs when I see it

[@lostmycat5671]

​@@DoubleD42I get his point, and I am into guitar and can name guitar players but it legitimately is like asking, oh you like x? name every x whatever. like you said it's not that big of a deal but to act so shocked about the reception is just poor people reading skills

[@lostmycat5671]

actually getting more into the video he seems fairly insecure and taking things too seriously ironically, people that say it's gatekeepy aren't "sensitive" it just is the classic gatekeepy thing to say and I promise you they aren't actually turned away by his words, moreso his attitude which is so comically common among other guitar players I've seen throughout my life, just way too inflated an ego for literally zero purpose, having a skill anyone can learn does not give you the right to be this egotistical

[@noahbrockett2875]

@@lostmycat5671 I agree. Had the same feeling watching it myself. He’s a great guitar player, no doubt, but this video definitely wasn’t an alpha move lol. -cigarette smoker

[@MyNamesHunter75]

If you rely on others to dictate how you choose/feel you are wasting your life over what others say and do. The reality is if you want to improve at a quick/steady rate and this goes for anything just do it and not rely on motivation, motivation is inconsistent and also a double-edged sword, if you are motivated but fail a lot you most likely will have a negative response to whatever you are doing but if you keep a good mindset/having fun (Practice can be fun and should be) you will grow faster than you think. I see a lot of people who say they hate practicing well it's probably not for you. You also shouldn't spend your entire day practicing we have around 4 - 6 hours of proper focus before diminishing returns can set in due to fatigue and can pick up bad habits that can also form more often because you are trying to compensate for your fatigue this goes for learning anything. If your goal is to master something you will need to devote a large portion of your life to it, if you say you don't have time you probably aren't serious about it we get 24 hours in a day you can choose how to use them making excuses as to why you can't do this and that will only set you up for failure it's a self-fulfilling prophecy and a mindset that will in the long run make you hate it. Especially now when everything is fighting for your attention and designed to keep you addicted to it, it's better just to cut out a lot of social media you can still use them but if you are spending hours a day on them, you aren't doing anything better for yourself you can watch 100 videos on how to do something but watching it doesn't actually help you improve. A lot of people will also say it's how they relax. Replace that time with learning something they are truly passionate about. Your favorite subject in school was most likely the one you did the best in/had the most interest in or had the most fun with. Basically, if you actually care about improving anything, cut out the fluff that takes your attention away It's around 23 minutes for your brain to actually refocus on a task after getting distracted and you have to be willing to give up your "free time" to actually improve and learn if it is a hobby for you are okay cool but if it's a hobby it shouldn't be causing stress it should be doing the opposite if your hobby causes you to stress you are doing it wrong and are setting yourself up to hate whatever your hobby is this is universal to learning anything/mastering it. Never rely on motivation rely on action the ones who grow the most have a better mindset and actually dedicate themselves to it and make time for it

[@TheNotDone]

You can literally just say "Periphery" and hit the 5 guitarist quota. Misha, Jake, Mark, Nolly and Spencer all write/play lmao. The bar is set so low that you'd have a hard time even tripping over it.

[@noddyboffin2988]

Or John, George and Paul. That's 3 right there in the most famous band in the world....

[@skylacken]

i respect how anopologetically honest you are with your takes. even if they are controversial, or even wrong or annoying. i'd much prefer a take i disagree with that stirs discussion, rather than a safe but boring one.

[@stuartromig9576]

Dude, ...hearing you having to explain your video, 'Is Guitar For You?' made my balls shrivel up into my body. It was a perfectly simple, rational message and well executed. Whoever posted negative responses apparently got all butthurt because you hit a nerve. When that exposed nerve is hit, you are going to get responses... negative responses, such as the ones that you got. Keep up the good work! (And no more explaining...you're doing you and it's working...!) 😊😊😊

[@WilyAura]

ur balls back where they belong tho??

[@henrijsja741]

Respect for not giving in to the critisims and standing your ground

[@donaldball6671]

You are 100% correct. Guitar is not for everyone and a new player quickly finds out how difficult this instrument is. I grew up playing tenor sax and was semi-professional during college. When I later started playing guitar I was shocked as to how complex the process is. Highly rewarding but you have to put in the time and learn things that other musicians can bypass. Practice is not fun or easy. You have to have a teacher create a practice plan for your level of experience and you have to do that plan. The gains are at such an incremental pace that you don't see any change until months have passed by. Then suddenly you realize you can stand the sound of your own playing. Also, the only teachers I remember were the music teachers in my life. Not one of them was nice. They demanded discipline, yelled at us, threw their conductor batons on a regular basis...and made us better. I've carried that discipline to all aspects of my life and it has made be better in everything. Totally worth it.

[@BarrenWasteland]

I tried playing many years ago when i was around 14-15. Didnt have the drive to do it. Picking it up again at 32. Been making great progress and appreciate your videos. Thank you for putting em up.

[@rhr7799]

Bro... you nailed it. Guitar is hard and you do have to put the work into it to progress. You have to be consistent. 🎶💯

[@motionlessmusic]

I had absolutely no motivation when I first started playing when I bought my acoustic guitar 4 years ago. I was able to learn the opening part of "Wish You Were Here" and that's about it because it was too hard. I even bought an electric guitar because most songs I wanted to play weren't for an acoustic. It wasn't until last July that I started playing on a semi-consistent basis. I was a big pothead, and I was big into Electric Wizard at the time so I wanted to learn "Funeralopolis". It was such a simple song, but I hadn't played in so long that it was a challenge for me. Since then, I have been playing more consistently and trying to play songs all the way through. I am at the point where I can play "Iron Man" (without the solos) and "In Bloom" with the solo almost. Being able to play songs that I love motivates me to try different things, so I am now going back and learning the basics such as the 12 bar blues and simple songs such as "Wonderwall" and "Smoke on the Water". It is satisfying when you finally get it, and that is the driving factor most of the time to push you to better yourself. You are absolutely right about everything you said in this video. People just make excuses for themselves because they can't handle the truth and don't want to put in the work to get better.

[@DannyUzi]

There are different approaches to practicing on an instrument. The most important result is to be inspired by the process and your personal discoveries and ending with a smile. That’s what motivates people to do it again on a consistent basis. There’s no “one size fits all “ method to learning. It’s important to seek out a regimen or teacher that accentuates positivity and brings out your passion to devour more knowledge. Also, there can be a vast variety of goals for learning an instrument. For example, an amazing vocalist might benefit greatly from learning basic cowboy chords to accompany the simple folk or country songs they connect with. The end result is not necessarily about guitar or some penultimate mastery of any chosen instrument, but MUSIC. In the larger sense, it’s down to being proficient and fluid enough to serve and enhance the music you love to play. If you play with other musicians, the most important aspect to hone in on is critical listening and honoring the people you’re playing with by shutting the fuck up an maintaining space until you can create a part that fits the ensemble. When you do find that part, play it with confidence and authority. Keep your eyes on the drummer and be a vital component of the rhythm section. Try not to be a wanker, at least until the appropriate time comes for guitar wanking…

[@Talon18136]

Pretty accurate points in the short to be honest. I may not have started playing from a young age but it’s always something I wanted to do my parents weren’t able to afford guitar lessons when I was a kid I did do cello in my schools orchestra the cello was a school loaner that’s as close as I got to guitar as a kid it’s just now in my early thirties I’ve got the money to take the lessons and have a guitar to learn on that’s my own. as a kid it was Johnny cash’s music that got me first interested in guitar Elvis as well and several others like Malcolm young, paul McCartney, George Harrison and the like

[@PierreJamerson]

I agree with Brandon, I started my guitar journey like 5 years ago, I was bullshitting and then as of lately (2 years ago) I’ve delve deeper into it and learned about different players. It felt like a natural transition to know. I’ve gotten a bit better-not where I wanna be but I’ve grown a lot. Keep dropping bars Brandon 🤘🏽

[@andrewbritain1502]

I am 65+ and only took up guitar at 63 to get me through chemo. Age is not a barrier to learning the guitar but it is a barrier to how much you can take in and learn and how fast you can achieve what you most need to play. I could have gone on virtually any KZbin video and learned how to strum a song but that is just like learning a times table. Nothing but repetition and learning to play something that is set in stone. I decided to go to a tutor so I could learn guitar properly. Learning the notes on the fret board, learning the 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th and 12th fret notes. I have done triads, 3rds, inversions, slides, hammer ones, pull offs, 12 bar blues, DADGAD tuning and 3 or 4 tunes just to get the fingers going and moving around the fret board. I still work a 6 day week walking over 60 miles a week (I’m a post/mailman), I have a wife, 3 children and 3 grandchildren. I have one 45 minute lesson per week with a professional tutor and the rest is then down to me. As soon as the soaps come on the TV I’m off upstairs to practice. You get out what you put in and by the way, I still cannot strum a pop or country song but boy, do I love my lessons! Such variety, such a blast. And the sense of achievement when you suddenly realise you recognise the notes that are being played by your favourite guitarist just cannot be beaten. Keep up the great work Brandon. Emmerdale is about to start so that is my cue…….

[@chrismaxwell1624]

Gatekeeping to me is when the set some barrier you have pass to do it. Like money is keeper, if they make it too expensive to get into that gate I can't get by. That was reality in my childhood for guitar. Didn't have the money to buy a guitar let alone some lessons. Now is awesome, guitars are easier to get and all the online content. Not just lessons but inspiration too.

[@annons.6425]

I remember when before I began college and wanted to learn to how to play the piano, I really loved listening to music, especially with the piano and believed that it was the right fit for me. I expressed my thoughts to my brother who was maybe a Grade 7ish pianist back then and I still remember what went down. He literally looked at me dead in the eye with a very serious face and asked me a simple question Are you sure? I thought I would hear something along the lines of motivating me or Goodluck etc. but I was shocked. I bought and played the keyboard, and I was the same kind of person Brendon described; fast forward 3 years and my piano now sitting and catching dust by my bedside. He's absolutely right. The people who have devoted their time to their craft know exactly what kind of mindset is required to excel, and they feel a bit 'sad' when people throw out big decisions like buying and playing an instrument just on impulse and then complain about not getting better. They just give up quick. This video should be shown to any instrument/art/sport player, because one should know exactly what they are getting into, before getting into it. Otherwise its a disrespect to the craft as a whole, as the instrument/equipment just sits in the corner biting dust for years on end. I just feel guilt now when I look at my Keyboard. P.s - Yes, I'm gonna restart playing.

[@jmorellisilva]

This video just inspired me to pick the guitar to practice. And that’s all that matters: keep your passion!

[@mygrandmaisatoaster40]

Youre not wrong brandon All the people that got mad are probably upset they felt a certain way when you said “guitar isnt for you “ But you’re so right i started playing about 2 years ago now and guitar has consumed everything about my life I went from knowing nothing to endlessly ingesting more and more info about gear , music theory , famous players and the general history of electric guitar just essentially everything there is guitar related im just absorbing it like a sponge and all that interest has definitely helped me progress faster

[@mygrandmaisatoaster40]

Edit: the part where that guy said you can just play when you have time I legitimately stay awake till 1 am when i gotta get up at 4:30 am for work just because im still trying to get something right or im trying to learn some new techniques

[@victorgomez6952]

​@@mygrandmaisatoaster40 i dont think this is good for your health but.... thats your life

[@MyNamesHunter75]

@@victorgomez6952 It's called passion 🤷‍♂end of the day a lot of people drop skills because they aren't immediately good and a lot of people play video games all day or watch KZbin and tv all day that's not healthy, it's healthier to spend your free time developing skills and improving on what you know/expanding your knowledge. especially if your goals are to improve reality is if you wish to master something you have to devote parts of your life to it and some form of sacrifice if you just wanna be okay and get by that's fine to but don't knock others who are working on it

[@victorgomez6952]

​@@MyNamesHunter75 yeah but one thing is a pasion an the other is a obsession. But man im not knocking him its just a comment in youtube

[@woww4444]

Brandon's hardcore, like my jazz instructor, but he's correct. ANYTHING that you have interests in - you'll research and invest time in without it being a chore. I've played guitar for the last 13 years, and piano for 7. I've mostly been on stage for keys in an r&b band, but I'm a rocker first and can freely name my influences. If you don't invest time - you DON'T like it much.

[@tomdelisle8955]

A better title to this video should be "How to tell if you can become a professional guitar player". The nice thing about is that the guitar can be played as a casual hobby where you learn a few notes to play a few songs or you can be serious about it and put a lot of time in to it to become professional. Never discouraged someone from trying something.

[@tjrysanek9019]

Your mind is in the right place but so many people forget that music is a personal thing. Its something some people do for a hobby, for fun, or for any smaller reason. Why should someone have to dedicate themselves completely to enjoy it?

[@noahgraber9339]

Hey man don't read the comments honestly. There will always be hate and there's no reason to fill your head with hate.

[@negativespace261]

Basic understanding of language means you have to assume or interpret context. OBVIOUSLY if you love guitar ya love it, whatever, do you. But in this day and age what you said is gonna apply to like, 95% or more of the population. Yeah there’ll be some random old dude who doesn’t know what an internet is who couldn’t give less of a shit about doing anything with his guitar besides playing old blues tunes. Maybe he knows no famous guitar players, has no consistent practice routine, etc. God bless this man. However. If you’re watching this, I hate to say you’re not this man, not even goddamn close! So for all the rest of the 95% of us, this shit is pretty much correct lmao

[@Agueart]

I always wanted to play guitar as a youth. I love your shorts, just started watching the long form. I realized 2 years ago I’m old enough to afford gear and have access to unlimited info. So I started teaching myself, I play and practice everyday. The first year I was mildly interested, the second year I focused on goals and improved a shitload. Being decent or even just good at a genre of guitar takes a lot of work and time investment. Now I play everyday and make massive strides and even record music with friends. As far as naming famous players, my current gf who’s been playing for a long time listened to some riffs I’ve been writing lately and asked if Akira Takasashi was a big influence. That’s a level of guitar obsession I’ve never realized existed.

[@alxndrthree-dh2yl]

I've only been playing for 7 months now, originally learnimg through apps, but never feeling like i would grasp the concepts- thanks to channels like you, bernth, and other music theory channels i finally felt like i grasped things- very rarely have i ever felt as enthralled by concepts like with music- i never learned an instrument till 21 though! got scared out of it by an overly strict and uninspiring violin teacher in 5th grade. but god, i am SWEATING running through the modes, and even after putting down the guitar at 2am i simply cannot stop thinking about it, every little puzzle fitting together just feels amazing, unlike anything else ever. i listen to songs hearing riffs and licks and getting goosebumps over the ingenuity- seeing tim henson play for the first time had me screaming inside, the things he did had never even occured to me, and even more of them i still dont understand, but ill be damned if i dont spend 2hrs a day watching theory and practicing it until i reach those levels!

[@davidt9513]

I totally agree to the points your making. You have to have the drive or you'll never actually learn much... not just guitar but anything in life. The more care and attention to something the better you will be.

[@Αδιάφθορος]

Wow that was as real ("serious") I've ever seen you! You are right Brandon.

[@shadehunter]

Agree with 95% of what you said EXCEPT grinding for hours a day. With that being said, I DID grind for hours a day for years when I first started because I was obsessed. However, I have learned that taking a break is actually beneficial to learning something new (especially the more complicated the song or concept gets). It's psychologically proven that taking even as small as a 30-60 minute break helps you digest the new information. In the case of guitar, it helps fight bad habits from forming. This is especially true if you are recording yourself and you're not nailing what you want to play. Put in the time and work, but stepping away briefly does help. That's why Mr. Buffett dedicates time during each day just to think.

[@sybrenroorda3865]

I think you can also interpret the first point in a different way. As a very new guitar player I saw your short and couldn't off the top of my head name 5. But I wanted to figure out more about guitar and after like a week of scrolling and listening to people and stories about Hendrix, Page, Clapton, May, David Gilmour and so many more it actually made me more motivate to learn and I even started learning the forbidden riff for when I need to go to a guitar store again.

[@coquettishconcubine]

love hanging out and watching your long form videos. keep it up!!

[@CalebCox-bu9yo]

I got a Squier Stratocaster for Christmas last year, I loved it at first, I learned that first bit with the open strings in Nothing Else Matters, and the first part of the intro to One, and then after a week I stopped. In July, I began playing again, I learned some basic chords: Em, E, Am, A, D, C, G, and Dm, but quit again after trying to switch between chords and not being able to. I started playing again in early October, my girlfriend suggested I learn a harder song which would make it easier from that point forward. I took her advice and learned Omerta by Lamb of God, which looking back, wasn't that difficult, but I was finally really getting into guitar. I got a distortion pedal so the song would sound right, and learned many new techniques like hammer ons, pull offs, palm muting, and even pinch harmonics. Once I had that down, I moved on to other songs. I picked up Crazy Train pretty quickly, finish learning the One intro by learning Kirk's intro solo, and now I'm learning Seek and Destroy and I plan for it to be the first song I learn to completion (except maybe the solo lol).

[@FOKI5895]

To say something like this to an absolute beginner may be unreasonable, but after a few months or whatever time it takes for someone to truly give it a go, all of the points are completely valid. For me, I have always been interested in music since very early on, what i mean is, about the same time my peers spent playing video games, i spent listening to music. Almost all of the music i liked had guitar and I was very interested in melodies and individual instrument parts in the songs i was listening. I always wanted to play guitar, mainly because I wanted to make my own music with it. But life got in the way and I always had some problems that prevented me from starting. At the age of 25 something broke in me, I guess I realized the train is running away from me, Im getting older and I may never do all the things I wanted to do, so I stopped putting things on hold and picked up a guitar for the first time in my life. If you asked me to name famous guitar players at that point, I dont really know if I would come up with any, I could name a lot of bands and songs that inspire me, I would probably even know the faces of a lot of the players that play them, but I would not know their names. A few months after starting guitar, I could give you a list. Presumably if you are interested in guitar and just starting out, not knowing things is not a sign of disinterest and with time you are gonna learn more and more, if after a year, you werent interested enough to learn anything, then I would say whats the point. When the guy at the interview asked you that, presumably you already knew to play guitar and if you were into jazz, should have known these players, but for someone picking up a guitar for the first time, they dont need to know any to start playing, and once they do, they will come across them and remember.

[@Mrs.Foster1719]

Your channel is GREAT. Learning guitar is hard. You have to want it bad enough and love everything about guitar. Patience and consistency is key. Also, you have to have fun playing. Not every step of learning guitar is fun but fun should absolutely be part of it. It takes great effort and lifelong learning. Keep going Brandon! 👍

[@wxlve7580]

ive got mad respect to this guy, im fourteen and have been playing guitar for around 6 years now and i love it. Brandon has helped me develope an unfathomable understanding of the whole guitar. Ive never heard an invalid point from this man. idc if im glazing hes goated asf. yall gotta subscribe or sum if youre tryna learn guitar, he dumbs things down a lot for all of us intellectual minions.

[@MyGuitarDoctor]

I grew up around rock music. Looking at albums covers made me think "I want to be that guy". Liking and being interested in guitars was a very natural thing for me. My parents never bought me a guitar even though I asked for one every Christmas. I could be a rock star by now! lol Well, working on it.. rock on! Lars

[@FelipeOliveira-ob6li]

I love how you keep it real. People are easily offended or just don't want to face the reality.

[@moonl1314]

Nobody likes being disciplined, but everyone likes having discipline. Being able to control yourself and understand what things really mean beyond the surface level is very important!! It's why I love the intensity of this channel. Can't wait for the age reveal at 1mil.

[@JoshWestoverMusic]

Completely agree with all of this tbh. I started learning guitar when I was around 12 (I'm 28 now) and was obsessed with it - it's all I wanted to do after school, I would just sit and practice, learning songs, eventually writing etc. The reality is that getting good on any instrument is a lot of time and work, and you have to genuinely want to do it to get any good (and I'm not even an amazing guitar player). I have other interests in my life now, but my love of music and guitar I know will always be there - it's just a part of who I am. That's how you know

[@pulehushortribs157]

Man I love to Surf been doing it for 55 years, I can name 10 surfers for every decade since 1960 till now, I am a Professional Chef and I can do the same with Acclaimed Chefs, If You are into something passionately how can You NOT KNOW THESE SORT Of FACTS?✌❤🤗

[@tmarty4269]

Mozart proved some are born with it, some not as much.

[@Tragic_TV]

People definitely went overboard with this short, I'm a bassist so I can't say it fully applies to me, but all of your points are fair and it's not gatekeepy

[@alteredkill6109]

I really like this video. Talking about dopamine and how it affects people's desire for guitar is very accurate. TikTok (and KZbin Shorts) brain has fucked a lot of people into instant gratification. I specifically got into guitar about a year and a half ago for this reason. Besides having a fascination with guitar for a long time, I really needed to try something I was not good at and that would take time. My main problem is I don't want to go get lessons, so I have been brute forcing a lot of steps to learning. But even doing the bare minimum theory has proved to be infinitely rewarding. I simply will never get bored of the guitar because it will have something new every time.

[@adriaellen]

Everyday I'm thinking about how I can improve my practice - longing to play as much as the longing I feel to turn on and listen to the music that inspired me to play to begin with ....pete loeffler, chino, zach hansen, dave grahs, ross roland, gavin rossdale, bernth, mark tremonti, slash, van halen, paul reed smith... Your monkey's uncle, or a relative who also inspired you to play. Depression sets in for me when life gets in the way and I had to skip a practice. 100% thanks for the vid, gave me nothing but reassurance that I'm on the right path.

[@ayrs2024]

Honestly, I completely agree. I don't see anything wrong with what he said, personally. Great videos btw. Always stand for what you believe and keep it up. Thanks.

[@saadabbassre]

In my teenage years I used to think learning guitar wasnt that hard, everyone seemed to be trying to learn it. 20 years later, I personally know maybe 3 guitar players who actually know what they are doing. And learning it myself now... damn it is hard work. Fun work, frustrating work, demanding work, and well-worth-the-effort work (for me).

[@GibberishDraw]

As someone who started only a few months ago can confidently say practicing more does help a lot, the days I played for 3-4+ hours I learned 10x more and improved 10x faster than if I just played one hour or less.

[@gilbertomunizjunior3162]

Dude, thanks for the video. Don't listen to the guys who complain about the truth.

[@T2kizz]

I really enjoyed the deep dive, I hope it helps people consume information in a meaningful way in the future. This, like other things in life, if a video is going to upset you to the point of quitting, then you were probably looking for a reason. Not trying to be insensitive, but in general, life can be tough so navigating content and it's impact on you personally is something to be aware of and managed appropriately.

[@mladenmarjanovic1123]

I started learning now at 33, maybe it's a bit late, but i don't give a fuck. I get dopamine rush just by looking at my guitar, when i practice i feel great and when i learn something new i feel like i'm at the top of the world. And this feeling gets stronger every day. It's also keeping me sane after shitty corporate work that i sadly have to do to survive. Guitar is the best thing that ever happened to me.

[@spreadwuvokay]

Definitely not too late you've got like easily 50 years worth of fun in you.

[@ziadelgeziry]

Dude was tweaking like homelander unironically

[@ARandomDizzy]

Honestly Brandon first point is important. When you are invested in something you want to seek out those who are the best in their fields. Something to aspire and learn from, will I ever be that good? It takes a ton of discipline to be that amazing of a guitarist and truthfully I may not even that discipline yet I still have a fire to pickup the guitar everyday, learn something new, try new things because it is honestly fun and well I think about it a lot.

[@bakters]

Real talk. I'd add one more thing. - If you own a guitar, but it's out of your arm's reach, you will never get really good at it. - If you have to get up in order to reach it, you might get good, but not really good. - If you have to get up and walk up to it more than a few steps, you still might get decent, but not good. - If you have to go somewhere, open the case, etc, you'll probably eternally suck at it. (Or you are done with it for the time being, which amounts to the same thing, really.) Well, if you agree with it, feel free to use it in an even more polarizing tiktak or whatever that thing is called.

[@attempt58]

What people also need to realise is the fact that a lot of this short form content HAS to be super quick and shallow to fit in more info. I believe that he was intentionally not explaining a lot of his thoughts and not drifting from the main focus to fit all of the points in 60 seconds. Also, being slightly controversial ALWAYS boosts engagement and encourages discussion in the comments section. Any reasonable human should be aware of this

[@dragonfx310]

It's all about priorities. I have a 9-5, I go to the gym, I read & write, cook & clean and socialize with family & friends but at the end of the day, I always make time for guitar, whether it's an hour or 30 minutes. If I wait for time to clear up, I'll never have it. I believe you don't have to do it for hours on end, only if your schedule allows, but if it does really matter to you, you'll do anything to get it done. That's what I think a hobby is. Am I gonna be famous and play in front of large crowds in sold-out arenas? Definitely not, I'm not a musician, I just like playing guitar. I can't sight-read an actual composition, only tabs. That's good enough for me.

[@user-we3pb8ri1u]

everything you said makes complete sense. Ignore the idiots of the internet my friend.

[@Fabian5150]

I absolutely agree. I started playing guitar back when I was 8 years old, but didn't really practice that much, until I really got into Van Halen with about 13/14. And now looking back, I just acquired so much knowledge about guitar players, their styles, influences etc. over time, without it being any effort, I was just interested in that. And than I also started practicing daily. If someone just wants to play a little bit, learn some basic chords to accompany their favorite songs or whatever that's totally fine, but it cringes me if someone like that than pretends as if quitar would be their everything. If they just say "Oh yeah, I play a little here and their, but it's not a big thing to me", perfectly fine.

[@Fabian5150]

I think you can see this in some pop artists: There are ones that actually learned guitar. They might not be the most technical players, but they now where they're at and can name some influences, like maybe Ed Sheeran vs. some Taylor Swift just learning some chords and walking on stage with a guitar because they like the idea of being a rockstar (but wouldn't really work as much for it as it would take to be a proper one).

[@jonramboat9680]

I really enjoy the show. Keep telling it how it is!

[@josephbarnicle4212]

As a Berklee student, you’re absolutely right. I would like to add that there comes a certain point where some of these can be bent but you need to have years of experience. I know many people that don’t have to practice for gigs, yet they’ve played for tens of years. I know other guys who pickup new instruments and don’t have those influences for that instrument but they have had years to play and learn music elsewhere.

[@blakerunyon8523]

Agree with you about “when you have time” you got to MAKE time for the things you love.

[@angellovesjazz]

My 5 guitar players that comes to mind 1. George Benson 2. Earl Klugh 3. Norman Brown 4. Wes Montgomery 5. Django Reinhardt

[@fftofgp]

I think a lot of people changed some of the things he said around to fit their response. Several said you need to know all the famous guitar players when he only said 5. There were many other comments people made where they changed things he said around to fit their point. I remember when I was younger a had a friend that wanted me to watch NASCAR. I told him why would I want to watch people drive in a circle. He said, the key to liking it is to pick a driver to root for. You won't like it if their isn't something that draws you to it. He was right to my surprise. I could literally watch people drive in a circle for 500 miles on the chance that the person I was pulling for would win at the end when it's possible he may not even finish the race. Even the most basic fans for things as far as sports go usually know the quarterback, or a star pitcher, top shooter on the basketball team etc. I play guitar, and I've seen a lot of people that said they wanted to play guitar. The ones I know that actually went on to learn had bands and musicians they knew. Others just thought it was cool because a friend or someone they knew did it, but didn't really care about music that much, or at least the kind that you'd at least listen to when you start playing guitar usually. If you get good enough, you can convert any kind of music to guitar even if there's none in it. I'm nowhere near as good as Brandon, and I've told people the same as he did because I know how much effort it took for me to get this far, and how much farther I could be if I had been more motivated. I'm older now, and spend a lot more time at it. Those people I warned probably wouldn't make it if they weren't serious enough to put in time, or didn't have the time to put in, I can't think of a single one that did because they either never started, or toyed with it a tiny bit, found out it wasn't easy, or found more interesting things to do and quit. Some of them thought I was being detrimental to their drive to play, but it was easy to see the type of people they were. If you do something for awhile and become decent at it, you have an idea of what it takes to get there, and who can do it. There are people that work hiring people for jobs that use this ability all the time. I've seen one man that wanted to play bass, and he admitted that he had no musical talent, but had great memory and willpower. I would never had bothered with the other types of people I spoke of earlier that I knew wouldn't follow through, but I knew him and he always followed through on things he set his mind to. He never got very good, but the songs he wanted to learn he learned just by remembering them after I taught him the best I could note for note. That just tells me it's not even worth worrying about possibly destroying someone's motivation to play by saying guitar not for them. If they have strong motivation and conviction, that will just make them want to do it even more to prove someone wrong. People are just too sensitive, and I think Brandon makes great videos.

[@TeddsPicks]

I have to be honest when you're younger you have a tendency to have more time ... Or you did back in the late '70s when I first decided to learn ... Now there's so many other external stimulants like gaming and access to a whole variety of distractions ... I played my first gig in the '80s and that was my drug ... I knew it wasn't going to pay the bills so I continued to live my life and decided to roll back into the San Diego music scene in 2006 ... 😊 I think the thing that motivated me most back then was to learn a new song and play it as good or better than the original artist ... It is always nice to have set goals and work towards those goals. As soon as you lose sight of the prize that's when the guitars start collecting dust.

[@ArtemSayapov]

I think you have a point on not knowing any guitar players. For the first 6 months or so of my self taught journey, I didn't really have any guitar players I was a fan of, but recently, after hearing Tim Henson, Marcin and Ichika, my motivation for practice is just sky high, and I've even started going to a music teacher to speed up my growth. Maybe it's not necessarily a tell-tale for if guitar is for you, but if you like guitar, you should definitely try to find inspiration from longtime players.

[@louiscook1062]

My inspiration to start learning guitar was from playing guitar hero with my housemates in university. We got all the guitar hero games on the wii and played it almost everyday. I got my first guitar 5 months ago for Christmas and I'm loving it

[@vladioanalexandru4222]

I don't need someone to tell me. I can play for hours on end without running out of stuff I want to play. I always come back to learn a song that's stuck in my head every couple of months. I love it and it's the same as riding a bike. I can never forget it.

[@pillboxstyx]

Started at 15, stopped early 20's, and I picked guitar back up at 34 and I wish I could go back and tell my 22 year old self "Hey, pick that shit back up and learn scale shapes. Take lessons. Don't get stuck in the middle."

[@StormOfSin]

this is one of the realest channels on KZbin 😂

[@bajorekjon]

I almost gave up because i'm left handed. I had to learn to play right handed, and it was very akward and uncomfortable at first. I'm glad I stuck to it

[@StormOfSin]

if you wanna play guitar and you don't do these things. just prove him wrong, dont whine and moan and call it "gatekeeping" just do it. if you really wanna do it, you shouldnt give a fuck about what other people have to say, its your hobby, your passion. And at the end of the day thats the whole point of the video, if you wanna play guitar you will play guitar regardless of what people have to say.

[@LunatiqueRob]

The people who pushed back against what Brandon said in that video--I would venture to guess that not a single one of them are serious guitar players, because I have never in my life met a single person who is relatively accomplished in something and wasn't at least somewhat obsessive about it. It takes passion and discipline to get good at something, and all the things Brandon mentioned are clear signs of both. This isn't to say only the really serious people who aim to become impressive guitar players are allowed to play guitar. There are plenty of hobbyists who like to strum a few chords and that's what makes them happy. So perhaps it was the title of the video that was the problem. It maybe should have been titled something like "If you don't do these things, then you won't become an advanced guitar player."

[@remenant7372]

I could always name like a dozen guitar players before I even started playing because I always thought guitars and guitarists were the coolest part of the band

[@garyeggleton1142]

you are 100 percent correct....I would ask anyone who wants to play guitar, what player would you like to sound like

[@Talon18136]

My answer would be Johnny cash or colter wall

[@nguyendangphuoc8601]

you know youtube isn't for you when you get copyright strike from yourself for reacting to your own video.

[@ramithweerathunga479]

This is 100% true shit. Not even with just playing guitar. Anything we wanna improve, hobbies, career in our life.

[@daveeopera]

i was really felling like not trying today like there is tomorrow but I have always been motivated by you thank you so much brandon I am actually wanting to quit my dopamine reception I will always be thankful for your content and trying harder to progress each day

[@katyb3869]

I think this is true for any creative discipline.. art, music, writing, whatever. Actually, I saw the original video and it was a lightbulb moment for me that, yeah, if I am interested in being a better musician or artist, I have to have people that inspire me. It's honestly my no.1 priority now, so thanks.

[@thomasjackson474]

100% agree. How could anyone not know famous players of their instrument?

[@sharpangus8538]

Gotta love people who can’t read between the lines. Isn’t the point that there can be measures of your interest? If you’re interested in guitar that interest will manifest into things such as knowing the names of famous guitar players. There are obvious exceptions. I FINALLY talked my daughter into playing bass after failing to get her to play guitar. She’s very into it now. She can’t name any bassists. Also, this should be motivating for people. If someone thinks they love guitar and sees that video, they could be thinking “shit, he’s right” then start digging into it.

[@hypoflipzy1157]

When I first started I was trying to teach myself classic rock and I couldn’t motivate myself to practice every day. A couple months in my grandad started teaching me bluegrass and ever since I’ve been obsessed. I practice 5-6 hours a day and listen to guitar music when I’m not playing.

[@Archangel486]

I smoke weed and love video games, but frankly I'm obsessed with guitar because of how every new thing I learn tickles my brain. Nothing feels quite like it