The Reality of Learning Guitar (Battling Boredom)

[@janinee6733]

Thank you for stumbling around and not hitting every note in the perfect place at first try. It`s like with drawing, most people just show their perfect solos/sketchbooks and never the work (including struggle and failure) behind it. This is so valueable!!! Love your channel! ❤

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

I’m glad you found it helpful! Thank you for checking it out :)

[@tristanedmunds5934]

I couldn't agree more

[@sebarus8108]

You have no idea how much I needed to see this video right now. Yesterday I saw another video about "the things you need to be a musician". It was very much from the viewpoint of the elitism of classical music. The demand for unattainable perfection of "you need to start when you're three years old, you need to sacrifice everything, your hobbies, relationships and your health. You must be ready to do anything, you have to be willing to move countries at a moments notice", etc. It made me anxious, and while it did get me motivated to practice, all I did was get frustrated over not being good enough. You showing your boredom with the monotonous sides of self-expression and showing yourself in the process of learning something instead of the perfect final product we so often see, is so refreshing and actually motivating. The importance of "embracing the suck" and just having fun is what I need to remember. It's all about the journey. So, thank you. I'm gonna go practice some scales now.

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

That video you were watching sounds like terrible advice 😂😂😂. From my view, that type of perspective is A recipe for constant dissatisfaction. Yeah, if you want to be a musician you need to love it, but it should never come at the expense of you or your life. It should add more color and context to your life. I started when I was 5, and yet I know people who started way later than that and are much more adept on their instruments. It really is just about the time you put in and how open you are to learning and continuing to push yourself. And enjoying that process is the key to sustaining it. I’m glad you found this video motivating… how did your scale practice go? :)

[@Lalairu]

My God who the hell uploaded that? Was it really serious or a joke? xD I can get that if you want to be a classical trained musician it might be tough, and you may have to spend a lot of time practising and studying, like any uni mayor. But you can't ruin your health and social life over it! If you want to be a professional musician you will have to take things seriously, but please take care of yourself and enjoy the journey. Give some love to those scales, hugs from Spain :D

[@kreavixminis8272]

Great editing! Great storytelling 👌 Very relatable issues 😅

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

Haha thank you!

[@Starlit-Music]

11:15 As someone who has been improvising throughout their whole music journey, this is genuinely the best way to learn to improvise. Find or record a short chord progression, loop it, and just play whatever on top of it. For beginners who aren't comfortable just diving in like that, here are 3 tips to make improvising more approachable: 1) Stick closely to a scale: It's best to do this when starting out because it's more likely to sound "accurate" and bad notes tend to discourage people from improvising, so lean on a scale that fits the song loop/song 2) Repetition Legitimizes: If you think a run you did just sounded "eh" or "alright" try playing it a 2nd or even a 3rd time. When you do this, whatever you played no longer sounds or feels random or like an accident, but feels intentional throughout, both for the player and the audience. 3) Approach the improv as small sections rather than one long solo: If you're using a 4 bar loop than instead of trying to play one long cohesive solo over it, maybe just improvise for 4 bars, let it play through on its own for another 4 bars, then try to refine what you just came up with for the next 4 bars. Approaching it this way can make improvisation feel more digestible while also giving you a more concrete way to hear how you improve. At the end of the day, improv really is just string together a bunch of rifts and melodies you've played a thousand times over, so don't worry about originality or perfection, that'll come with time. For now, just focus on getting some notes out, cause that is always the hardest part. Hope this helps make sucking at improv a little bit more enjoyable.

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

Thanks! I definitely found a lot of what you mentioned here while I was exploring a little bit later on in the video. One lesson that I remember from a long time ago was “if you hit a wrong note, keep hitting it until it sounds right,” and that definitely ended up being at the core of areas where I’d get tripped up. And if I got stuck I would just hit a bunch of weird wrong notes on purpose so until my brain could catch up and land back on the scale. I’ll definitely keep these suggestions in mind as I continue to explore improvising :). Thank you for the tips

[@sideshowblob]

Silly question...how do you match the chord progression to a scale?

[@okrosoup1164]

​@@sideshowblob If the chord progression is for example in the key of A minor, you can play an A minor pentatonic scale or the A minor scale. Or if the chord progression is in the key of A major, you can play the A major scale or the A major pentatonic scale(which is also the minor pentatonic but in different positions).

[@johngallaghermusic9777]

The most effective way I've found to open up soloing on the neck is to learn the triads. These are the chords that you would already know, but finding them with different fingerings and places all the way up the neck. What happens is the scales and chords don't get separated two different sets of info and the more you learn them , the more it connects up in your mind. Triads unlike scales because of the different positions and fingerings have far more melodic variety which create more interesting lines. Additionally ,abit of basic theory works wonders in understanding what set of notes will work over certain chords. The guitar is difficult but all those videos you showed fragment the info making it harder and understandably frustrating . Stick with it brother. 🎸🎶

[@reeceryan1600]

tip 3 is huge! once you find some fluency having distinct sections can make something that would feel meandering feel very focused

[@amidtownfarewell]

I feel you so deeply my man! I’d been playing for about 20 years when the love started to fade. And one day in 2009 I decided I was going to put down the guitar forever. It was a sad day, like breaking up with your soul mate. Then one day my friend showed me a video of a finger style guitar soloist named Andy McKee, and his song “Drifting”. I’d never seen a person play the way he did and I learned about open and altered tunings. This blew open the doors of my mind and my soul, i immediately began consuming everything I could to learn about this fascinating technique. Finally the staleness was gone and it was like I was learning about the guitar for the first time. And I’m happy to say I learned the finger style and continue to write my own music today. And thankfully, I’ve fallen in love all over again. Love your video bro. Thank you

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

That’s amazing. That moment where you’re taken back to the magic of it is hard to describe. I’m glad you found that spark again :).

[@SouthMeckStunna]

This is funny because I basically had the opposite guitar journey as you.. I started out learning scales and improvising over backing tracks/looper pedals. I wanted to be a lead player, so I thought that’s just what you did! But then I reached a point where I realized I was playing the same licks over and over, my rhythm and timing skills were shit, and I couldn’t write anything comprehensive. Now for the past few years I’ve been going down the music theory rabbit hole. This video was super relatable, thanks for sharing!

[@TheUltraGamer98]

I love this video so much! Not many people talk about the strugles of learning an instrument. Much less having the courage to show these struggles. Such a breath of fresh air. I am currently not wearing a hat but I would tip it to you sir! Next time I wear a hat I'll do it!

[@unnicornmusic89]

A couple of things that helped me get over boredom. 1. Discovering Nick Johnston, Chris Buck and Julian Lage a few years ago. 2. Thinking in intervals and focusing on the major scale since everything is mostly derived from it. Also, shout outnto Brian Kelly's Zombie guitar channel. No nonsense approach to music theory. Very underrated

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

I’ll have to check them out! Thanks for sharing the knowledge :)

[@jwhite3389]

Josh Homme is an absolute wizard when it comes to writing and improv. Kyuss and QOTSA for life 🤘

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

Oh yeah! Hes got such a unique way of thinking about music too… it’s super cool

[@matthewprice1950]

That was a really brave video. Not many KZbinrs would go through that process with mistakes etc. they’re usually happy enough to show you something they’ve spent hours working on. The hardest thing about improv is the phrasing. My teacher gave me a tip: Make your phrasing match a song in your head. It can be anything usually something completely opposite to what style your playing. Stevie wonder songs work great as he’s all over the place. Try it and see.

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

Thanks! Yeah, I think getting that bridge between my brain and my fingers will help with phrasing a lot. As a songwriter I can hear things in my head but there’s a bit of a lag there, so I end up just kind of defaulting to instinct. But I’m looking forward to practicing more :)

[@marcosbenhamu3915]

That was pretty cool! Suggestion: learn diminished scales and pepper minor pentatonics with that. Another trick I was taught is to introduce limitations: only play on these two strings and within these frets. It forces you to add rhythmicity into your playing because you're limited as to what you can do melodically. Thanks for the video; I needed the inspiration.

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

I’ve heard about the limitations thing before, I’m keen to try it. Thanks for the tips! I’m definitely going to check out diminished scales too :)

[@rrwilllive5668]

Learning the diminished scale without knowing what chords to put it over is useless, learning the major scale is more useful as thats 80% of what western music is

[@matthewmaki]

I find playing around with different scales over jam tracks on KZbin are a fun way to practice

[@Kutomaru1]

3:42 I’m dying 😂😂🤣 The whisper at 8:25 scared the balls outa me lol. I was like i didn’t know I was watching a ari aster movie 😱 I find it crazy that some people can match the guitar strings to the sound of their voice. They can “ba ba bee da dooo la be da doo be da boo” a few notes with their voice and know EXACTLY what parts of the strings and where on the fret board they are at. For me that is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. I know it has a lot to do with ear training. But i really do believe that it is like a super power. Thank you a lot for this one. Was really looking forward for one with the guitar. I might try to improvise over that scale you played. I also really liked you interpretation of it. It sounded dope!

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

Hahaha it actually caught me off guard a couple times too while i was editing… I kept forgetting that I put it in there. Yeah! It’s pretty crazy. Although I bet it’s less difficult to achieve than it might seem. Like… if you’re noodling around on the pentatonic scale, you could probably sing a like out loud and if you played that lick enough times before you can go straight to it. It’s kind of like learning individual words and then learning how to string them together into a sentence. And yeah! You should, Josh’s scale was really interesting and different and it was a lot of fun to mess around with.

[@RMS12.2]

Wow! This video has been so relatable. Ive had a music teacher and although he's really good I come out of class feeling uninspired many times. I've also tried learning on KZbin and just get bored. I do best when I just explore on my own.

[@kenmunozatmmrrailroad6853]

Man buddy, gotta applaud you for having the balls to hang that shit out there so raw.

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

😂😂😂 thank you

[@johnnymonster1394]

Honestly, you did a great job. I understand more now about the whole thing with confidence. When I would hear you went out of groove, you’re expressions made it so that you wouldn’t get back into it. If you played through with the same confidence, I probably wouldn’t have even noticed you playing a missed note. Love the series!

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

Haha yeah, my face has always given everything away 😂😂. And thank you! It was the most fun I’ve had playing guitar in quite some time :).

[@krisspinney4515]

When I started learning there was a cafe in my town that hosted an open mic every Friday, with free guitar lessons and a blues jam every Sunday. It was like a giant musician hangout with couches etc, and I got so much inspiration from watching other guitarists. When that place closed down (and turned into a bank of all things) I tried to replace it with online learning, got bored and fell into the trap of everything being too easy or too hard. It took most of 10 years before I picked my guitar up again. Never really even learned to solo. I got myself a loop pedal recently and once I find time to learn to use it properly, my plan is to experiment over some of the chord progressions I've come up with over the years and maybe actually learn to improvise a bit.

[@noahhhh46]

In a time where there is so much content to consume and we're constantly looking at other artists and their perfect performances on KZbin, instagram or tiktok. It's very refreshing to see someone share the reality of playing guitar and the struggles of practicing so openly. Sure, some youtubers have made video's on this in the past but i've always felt like they were way more advanced which made me not able to relate. This really came at the right time, i'm also trying to take the step from being an intermediate player with no knowledge about scales etc. to being a better improviser. Theory makes me feel uninspired and bored, or when it gets too hard it's overwhelming. keep up the great videos man, this inspires and shows artists that it's normal to struggle and hit a wall every once in a while!

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

I’m glad you’re finding inspiration here :). And I’m glad to know I’m not alone! :P

[@KrustyDong]

I really appreciate the longer shows, it’s a welcome distraction. I heard you play a QOTSA song in one of your video... such a cool band.

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

One of my favorites :)

[@trotters2247]

This is the most relatable video I have ever seen

[@Argodux]

One of my favorite parts about guitar is the kind of philisophical question of why does this sound good or evoke a certain emotion and it's very difficult to describe ironically the next most interesting thing is the scales and keys and chords side, the heavy music theory. In the beginning it was very boring for me to not be able to achieve those high hopes of creating and improvising while typically most players gravitate towards songs. This video is a great perspective for me as i'm starting on new instruments and is something I kind of forgot...

[@MonserratFoster]

I find it super important to get a teacher that you click with and that you can work on things that motivate you. It makes such a huge difference. I've had lessons in a few instruments with different people but I only recently found the guy I clicked with. I definitely need to work on music theory but my God it bores me so much. I can learn songs just fine, but going to the theory of it, and analyzing it... Numbs my brain and kills my motivation.

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

Hahaha it can be hard to work past that boredom 😂😂

[@BohemianRose1]

Embrace the suck is sooooo hard for me! Like you, I started my learning journey with lessons and was DEVASTATED when my teacher stuck a book in front of me. I was a violinist. I knew note reading. And sorry, Eddie Van Halen et al didnt use a book while performing. Lol. It was instantly demotivating. I'm trying to get into lessons again and really searching for a teacher without that AP Math mindset. I totally get it. And. The what the heck do I practice? Yup. Maybe I just need to noodle and write. This series is excellent. Thank you.

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

Oh yeah, violins an especially tough one too… I feel like as you get I to more “traditional” instruments the training becomes more traditional too. I’ve always been fascinated by fiddle players who take a traditional instrument and play it in non-traditional ways :). I agree with you on the teachers, I had a couple of teachers like that early on, they caught on to the fact that I really wasn’t Interested in traditional learning and instead fostered my love of music and helped me break down what was happening in the music that made me love it so much. I think it really shaped the way I approached things as I explored on my own :)

[@decastring]

Oh man, you're speaking right to my heart! After a 25 year "break", I'm trying to re-learn guitar and piano. It's so frustrating. My fingers used to know what to do but my brain is so f-ing bored waiting for them to catch up! Pianote (sister to Guitareo and Drumeo) and TAC (Tony's Acoustic Challenge) both help a little, but I just can't seem to keep up the enthusiasm and momentum. It's reassuring to know other musicians face the same struggle. Thank you for sharing your story!

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

So glad to hear I’m not alone! It can definitely be tough to get your mind back into it, but stick with it and find something you enjoy learning! It’ll come back to you. Congratulations on taking the leap back into music after such a long break, that’s a win in and of itself 😁

[@stenmartens7179]

once again an amazing video. even though you're older than me with more experience im amazed at how much i can relate to you. as a singer/guitarist myself this video was actually 1:1 with my experiences of playing guitar and where i am now

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

Glad to know I’m not alone! 🙌

[@Thomas-lo1qu]

Been playing for 15 years and I get bored until I hear a random live solo that gives me inspiration for a bit but then I try to find other things to do then come back like always lol

[@hotrodjones74]

@Chris Hayzel I highly recommend mixing together different modes, like a classic minor blues and a Dorian scale. It's awesome! Learning the modes and mixing and matching them in jam scenarios is the best way to learn improvisation. Plus it's the most fun way to do it. I'm far from a skilled improviser or player, but I went from guitar zero to guitar hero doing this. Even joined a little garage band with these skills. We recorded our own album when the pandemic was waning back in 2021. We still couldn't play out so we recorded instead. Keep on rockin' brotha!

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

Thanks for the tips! I’m definitely excited to explore more :). And congrats on the band/recording! That’s awesome, I’d love to hear it

[@brieslew]

Love the way you make videos. They are so relatable and the fact you filmed yourself learning something and kept all the mistakes in sets you apart from most guitarist youtubers. You also show that even when you've been playing for a lifetime there are always gaping blindspots that need to be addressed and sometimes you gotta get creative to do that. Been playing almost a year now, haven't dove into any boring theory yet. I just play songs I like and brute force try to learn them through repetition and careful listening. Its awesome so far. Thanks for the videos.

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

That’s how I learned for the most part too :). There’s a lot you can take away from that approach, the most important part is to keep the joy and curiosity alive😁

[@youngman850]

So, ultimately play around and find what works for you. Got it. I grew up similarly to you where my Mom pushed me to learn more and more with the voilin. Learned a lot of motor control with that. I'm wanting to transition to guitar now tho, I'm hoping to stick with it.

[@Alyssav-90]

This is so relatable. That's why I can't do lessons😅I just get bored and distracted. I just play the songs I like and I will learn all the techniques when I come to it. And that's good enough for me

[@paulbartell38]

This is great Chris. Getting in the right “head space” regardless of technique is the whole deal. Your technique is spot-on, Chris. Very relaxed,articulate right hand❤️🎶🎵🎼💐

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

I agree, headspace is everything :). And thank you!

[@_drizzle2237]

That first note got me rolling

[@mariogarrido]

Thanks for making these videos!

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

Thank you for watching!

[@kopfnussklopfer8679]

When i started playing guitar, i looked for tips, how to start guitar as an adult. There is alot of info and tutorials, but one guy just said one thing: think about, how you liked to learn things in the past and stick to that, no matter what others tell you how to learn something. I like how you communicate with us your wild ride :)

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

What a great piece of advice 😁

[@mrspy5736]

As someone who is just starting their rock journey thanks for this, I don't want to give up but damn guitar is like my boss battle.

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

😂😂😂 a lifelong boss battle

[@JV_LD]

11:48 ah yes, finally a guitar player whose improvisational skills I can match effortlessly. But in all honesty, it really helps to see I'm not the only one struggling with this. Great video.

[@lucaslazari86]

Man , thanks a lot for taking the time to share your thoughts on music! I guess I'm kinda at the same place you are musicwise. Been play guitar for 25 years, never took any lessons because it's so f*king boring hahah. I've came to this exact point where you don't feel the excitement anymore and you think that all the music knowledge learned through all those years seems so ordinary. I was even considering starting to take guitar lessons, mostly because I wanna learn to improvise better. But I'm afraid of the boredom haha Also would be really cool if you could talk about the process of getting amazing guitar tones (or any other instrument), since is not a very straightforward topic and it is very easy to be overwhelmed when you go through recording and mixing and start questioning about the methods and gear used.

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

Glad to know I’m not alone! Yeah, it’s definitely a journey and a relationship with ups and downs. And yeah! I think I’ll definitely do some recording type videos and some songwriting ones too. :)

[@euginchristo4396]

Hey Chris, I've just started out playing guitar and I'd like to know how you play guitar while singing at the same time. This was a really fun video and you taught me a lot. Can't wait for the next one! Cheers!

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

Thanks! I’m glad you enjoyed the video :). As far as singing and playing, it’s honestly just practice. It’s almost the exact same as when you’re learning to separate your right and left hands and coordinate them, except now your coordinating them with your voice. Pick a song that you want to sing and play, and just practice it over and over and eventually your hands and voice will find the pockets and the ways that they fit together. It’s kind of like a puzzle :)

[@Shinybadguy]

"Dirty Stevie" Hell F*ckin yeah!

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

🤘🏼

[@9kevin7]

That was actually awesome improvising!

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

Thanks!

[@stochastosmusic]

One of the biggest takeaways from this video for me is: 1. Look at some music you like 2. try to figure out how it works (just a one element of it is enough) 3. make it your own. (try to create your own music with it) I remember listening to "Down on the street" by the stooges one time.. and I was like: thats such a cool riff. so I took a closer look at it.. I figuered out what I really liked about it was the accent on the 4 and the 4 and, leading into an 8th note break on the one. I didn't comprehend it like that, i just liked and copied the rhythm. I played around with that rhythmical Idea on different power chords and had a ton of fun experimenting. I think this kind of process is a great way of building a "musical vocabulary" as well, as studying in a "planned out" way. I'm currently back to studying classical guitar.. kinda, the oldschool way. which I enjoy too. but I'm glad you made me remember this other approach and spend some time on it as well! :D

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

That’s a great way to contextualize it. You hit the nail on the head :)

[@timk6181]

I feel this struggle, I'm entirely self taught so I have skill but in terms of knowing how to actually play music, play the instrument spontaneously, all the theory I need for that always seems completely overwhelming. I know nothing really.

[@brucecoulda1596]

I might need some input on this story. I've been playing guitar for about 12 years, I started when I was about 16 because my mom was a substitute music teacher for a week so she brought home a guitar for her to learn, she left it at home one day in the living room so I probably walked past it not really thinking about it, then i picked it up to look at. I was hooked immediately, I honestly didn't know anyone could just learn guitar so I never really wanted to. She noticed and kept leaving it at home for me. A little while later my mom and older sister bought me a guitar with the little money they had at the time. I still have that guitar, it means so much to me. I was self taught with KZbin and books I never really left my house with it though. I made one video for KZbin 10 or 11 years ago but it got crapped on in the comments (which I understand why) but i got discouraged and didn't post again or record really. I played it nearly everyday for 12 years. I'll admit I gave up many times or I wasn't really learning like I should have been a lot of the time. But I was having fun either way. I lost a lot of memory so I lost a lot of songs I knew. I'm writing this because I quit playing about 2 months ago completely, I completely gave up and put all my guitars under the bed with the intention of never playing again because honestly it breaks my heart thinking about it. I have a wife and two kids, a 5yo and an 11yo, none of them want to play an instrument, my wife played piano when she was younger but had zero interest in learning it again when I got a keyboard for me to learn, I taught my 11yo son piano and sheet music when he was about 5, my 5 yo daughter used to like learning ukulele and was very interested in learning music to the point i bought her her very own pretty one, she played it every time she saw it or wanted to sing and I was teaching her the basics until her brother had a slight interest in learning for a split second one day, now she won't touch it for months now. I have no friends or anyone else. I gave everyone around me every opportunity to play anything they wanted. Piano, drums, ukulele, guitar, harmonica, and some others. I was just seeing what they might like. Couple months ago I gave up because I had nothing. I have no inspiration or motivation, no one is here telling me I'm doing good or what I'm playing is something they liked or thought was pretty. I cried putting them under the bed. My wife asked where they went and I told her, then I explained that I asked myself "why? Why am I playing? Why should I continue? What is the point?" In that two months the only thing anyone has said once was "you still could learn that song" from my wife, I said "could" And that's all that's been said this entire time. I was hoping my wife would fight me on it, put one in my chair, hand me one from under the bed, buy a new one, or gear, or something like a gimmick little thing that can't do much but fun to test or show someone that sees it wondering what it is next to my amp, idk, something to let me know someone cares. Music is my life, it's always been my life, and they all know that. No one cares. No one has cared. Idk what to do for a hobby now. I have nothing. My heart is broken. I even explained what I thought of your video after you said you were bored of learning that way because I have felt that way on every lesson I've done and I even went into detail of exactly how I felt and what I thought. All she said was "oh" and went back to what she was doing. I honestly don't know why I still watch guitar videos like this but I still do, and every video makes me want to go get one from under the bed. I'm strongly feeling like I'm going to play when no one is around and hide it from everyone. Idk.

[@z3rod696]

Hey ! I read your comment, and honeslty, it really pain me make me sad to read ! Because i truly knows what you are feeling right now; and if you don't mind, i'd like to tell you small something about me ! I have a VERY hard start with guitar, when i was 14 i wanted to start playing guitar, just because why not; and my beggining were horrible to say the least; i didn't know what style of music to play and had a very restrictive mindset; like i was to stubborn with electric guitar that i didn't really go anywhere for the few first years of playing, and had a pretty bad experience with a teacher too ! I didn't know why i really wanted to play in the first place ! Then a few years past, and i have bought a folk guitar and also a classical one, and then i really started to have fun and really saw what i really wanted to experience from the guitar; then 2 years after i had made bad decision in my life that affected my well being and my psychologie, and left the guitar for the first time; Then i came back to it a few years later, because i needed to; but after a years, the depression hit me very hard and it was the covid time too, so... yeah.... i was in a very bad state mentaly, and i quit again of course, because i was sooooo bad in my mind that everything was useless to me and nothing had any value anymore, and i even remember that someone said to me, that i'll regret it; for quitting guitar. From that periode of time until a month ago, i was like, "i will never came back to guitar, it's useless, it stupide... etc etc etc... i had developp a pretty negative mindset about that; AND then...... And of April of this year, and i started to remember so moment i had with my previous guitars, and youtube stuff that i was seeing back in the day; AND even my first ever composition; also why i was playing guitar (to relax and escape from the reality and feel something that even vidéo games can't make me feel, and just to be me) and you know what ? I even ask myself; "why was i sooooo dumb to quit playing ????????" "It's sounds pretty interessting and nice for a first composition" And from that moment i quickly pick up my old electric guitar from the storage that she was for maybe 8/9 years, and started to play some chrods that i've remembered, and i bought a course from my mentor/favourit youtubeur (Assaf Levavy for LickNRiff) and for 1 month now, i rediscover the joy of hearing the strings of my guitar and the relaxation that it bring to me ! And belive it or not, i've NEVER ever played with anyone for now in my life ^^ ! I really suggest to keep Chris vidéos somewere in a playlist, that's what i do when i feel a bit démotivated; and also to check LickNRiff youtube channel (it always help me when i doubt about anything); Assaf as made some amazing vidéos about the process of learning and also some AMAZING advice that'll maybe make you feel just a bit better (like, "Absolute Proof That There's No Right or Wrong In Music (This Is Mind-Blowing), The 5 Worst Reasons to Quit Playing Guitar (Seriously), My Best Advice For Beginner Guitar Players and Students , How to Play Guitar (My Best Advice For Beginners)) I really hope it'll give you a bit of a relief in your guitar spirit ! And please, ALWAYS remember that you are playing for YOURSELF, not others, if you like the music that you are creating, it's the only matter ! If you started to play guitar in the first place, it's probably because it give you something that you can't find anywere else ! And from what i can tell, if you still watch guitar vidéos, it's most likely because it's still something that's inside your soul and you heart ! So always remember why you started, focus on the FUN, the PLEASURE, don't put ANY presure on your shoulder, it's suppose to be a hobby after all, AND BE YOURSELF !!! Hope it help, even just a tiny bit ! :)

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

I’m really sorry to hear how you’ve struggled with this. I can definitely relate to some of it, though in a different context. But I was very lucky to have super supportive parents as a kid, and it fostered my love for music to a point where I didn’t care if other people cared that I played. I realize that not everyone is as fortunate. My one piece of advice would be to pull your guitars out from under your bed and play them simply because you enjoy it. And don’t do it in secret. And don’t mind whether or not your wife or kids give a shit about it. It’s your thing, not theirs. Your kids are young, and they have a whole world of other interests, but if they grow up with a dad who does what he loves simply because he loves it, it will set the example for them to feel free to do the same, whether that’s playing music or anything else. And it’s a much better and healthier example to set than the example of repressing yourself because of how other people might feel about it. Teach yourself to be free and In doing so, teach your kids to do the same. Ultimately it’s up to you to put importance on it, it will never be as important to others as it is to you. And if it’s important to you to keep playing then that’s all you need. Keep things that inspire you close at hand. Think of your time playing as your “you” time. And allow yourself to indulge the joy you get from it, because at the end of the day the goal is to engage with something that brings you joy. I hope you play those guitars.

[@Neonmnan]

I went to take a certification course. One of the first classes I took was guitar scales. I was so bored of practicing songs that I actually dropped the class. Then I started taking theory. I did ear training with it and learned the notes on piano. After a while I learned to transfer it to guitar. I realized what I wanted to learn was theory and harmony to make creative pieces of music. Not just the basic songwriting but complex songwriting that mixed theory and emotion. Point is music is a very wide subject. Even music schools have a wide variety of directions. Work on finding out what you want to learn. And what is important to you as someone learning music.

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

Great point! I actually mentioned the same thing almost verbatim in my 5 tips for sucking at music video :). I’ve been playing for 30 years, and writing has always been at the core of what I do musically. But improvising was always a big gap, so that’s what I’m focusing on right now.

[@kosmiche93]

Very inspirational and healing video. The solo may not be the most technical or mindblowing stuff one can get on an instrument, but it oozed fun, surprise and love for music. A real pleasure to listen to. I, a 30yo who loves music but just can't get himself to become a somewhat decent guitar player, decided to quit my guitar lessons after six years and try to get in contact with some other musicians to put togheter something nice n fun. Don't think I'll ever become a more proficient player than what I am right now, but playing is so damn fun. Don't care if all I can do is power chords, minor pentatonics and some other basic stuff. My teacher supports me in this.

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

I think it’s a great idea to play with other musicians. I’ve always found that that’s where the most growth happens :). All of the work you do on your own gets amplified when you start putting it in the mix with other players.

[@stevelankford7087]

New sub, thanks for honest no bs look at your process and journey. Looking forward to the next!

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

Thanks for coming along on the journey!

[@kylehill9653]

as someone who spends a lot of time improvising and its a big part of the music i play, the best way is to just keep making loops and trying to see what notes work over what chords and in what changes. you'll teach ur hands what not to do by the bad reactions from what ur hearing

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

Yeah! Just spending time doing it, I like that

[@PumpkinheadCryogenicJack-O-Lan]

like everything else the main thing is to like it down to its very basic, then the part to enjoy can be simplified into : repetition lead perfection, repetition leads to perfection, repetition leads to perfection, repetition leads to perfection, repetition leads to perfection, (...) the brain can build up the rest.

[@esamsayeed1860]

I hope you get more views and subs honestly this is a great music channel ive been starting a lessons studio teaching people how to play drums piano guitar vocals and production and for some reason the entire town thinks that music education is worth zero and have been having a hell of a time getting things off the ground but i hope this gets bigger your videos are great

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

Thank you :). It’s been going pretty well so far, I’ve only really been at it seriously for about 6 weeks. And honestly, it’s getting comments like this and reading about everyone’s experiences that is the really cool part about it. Congrats on starting your lessons studio. I know how hard it can be to get something like that off the ground, but it’s a really wonderful thing that you’re trying to do, and I know you’ll find students who value it. 🙌

[@esamsayeed1860]

@@ChrisHayzelmusic thanks man lol we've been putting on public programs and teaching guitar and different instrument and production lessons for free and setting up after school programs and its insane how little the schools actually value these art programs because they're not "high art" like band and orchestra and students have a tendency to start out with crude pieces as they hone their craft people are pretty turned off but I'm desperately working to make these lessons entertaining and social so students have some motivation to get past the part where music starts to feel like work how you describe in your lessons and actually build people who are capable of writing and improvisation and not just playing music others have written even though I think it takes a lot of artistry to do any of it

[@FarmerSlideJoeBob]

Yup can relate😃 When I was starting learning an instrument, it was the bass, cos it was more easy to deal with it even with my hearing loss since I was born. But I never got any bass or guitar lessons and do it all for my own including tabs and analyzing the song even with my bad hearing. When I was starting learning guitar it was 1st red hot chili peppers stuff and a lot of improvising. I do the improvising while a song is playing in the background even today and it helps me a lot to understand to combine the notes. But there was also a time I was kinda bored of playing guitar around 2017. So at last great video and great editing😃And decent improvising🙂

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

Good for you for sticking with it :). I’m glad you’ve found an approach that works for you. And thank you!

[@FarmerSlideJoeBob]

@@ChrisHayzelmusic Hey🙂 It's not easy, gettin' older won't be a better results with my hearing but I try to head back to making music even if the energy came back after more exhausting years I got. Sometimes my records are ok or kinda good, but some days I got one or two tracks which I appreciate for changing my style or doing something different. Thanks for your reading and your comment Chris😃

[@destroysoloist]

for the most part i’ve been learning guitar by myself , i think learning by yourself and playing alone is so difficult. it’s hard to be consistent. learning music theory, and other useful skills. no one there correct you. guitar is like playing resident evil, you open a door to find yourself more lost with more doors and more puzzles i know everyone learns differently but this year, i had a guitar class in my school with other students, i learned so much of the basic. which i didn’t learn being self taught. like guitar is super difficult especially for me, like the other day i learned how to use a metronome (still learning how to play along wit one) but the point is playing alone is struggle but ima be consistent and hope become a sick guitar player

[@paulcooper5748]

This is spot on.👍

[@gilvansouza]

Thank you so much for publishing this video. I was really struggling with insomnia, within 5 minutes of watching this I was out like a light. Thank you for this service.

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

😂😂😂 glad to be of service. Although perhaps you should see your doctor about your sleep typing… 😳

[@faultyclone0013]

Well this was an interesting watch❤

[@MrTimdriver]

Extremely enjoyable and, as others have pointed out, relatable video. Subscribed sir, well done.

[@purplechili2512]

Chris I took your advice and started trying with my acoustic again. I wanted to thank you for demystifying the process because conservatory has been a bordom galore and I'm really lost 😂

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

That’s amazing! How’s it been going?

[@purplechili2512]

I am so slow and I don't know how people play B chord with 2 fingers 🤌🤌

[@_GrumpyOldPunk]

Hey Chris, I wonder if a no nonsense book like Desi Serna's Fretboard Theory might work best for you. It seems like you can already play pretty damn well, you are interested in learning theory to expand your understanding and vocabulary.

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

Hey Bobby! Thank you :). I’ll definitely check it out

[@kukispicy]

Thank you for refueling that fire to learn guitar ! you have addressed a very important issue that was overlooked for a very very long time. Yes, the traditional guitar curriculum is very uninspiring. I highly recommend beginners to tryout the Ubisoft game "Rocksmith" as a very creative, effective and fun method of learning guitar. Great content, mate !

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

I’ll have to give it a look!

[@Vi-Vi_bubble_tea]

For me learning all the things I hated ended up paying off in the end. I hated every second of sight reading. Learning so many patterns. But the pay off is far beyond worth it. Put in the time and you'll become a god

[@corex72]

You taught me how to do KZbin. Story telling, that’s what’s unique.

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

🙌 it definitely seems to be the case. I’m new to it as well so I’m still experimenting and figuring it all out, but with any creative endeavor, I think storytelling lies at the center of it :)

[@corex72]

@@ChrisHayzelmusic keep going, that’s all that will hold you back from this goal. Don’t quit.

[@larsgrapeguitars]

Great video! If I can make a suggest for an exercise for improvisation, try grouping over Major scale and mode It's something that I learn for the bass and it's more for jazz, but it's a bit of a challenge for both pattern and rhythm so it makes for a good video and it's a great way to learn to use scale (not that I'm good at it)

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

Thanks I’m glad you enjoyed it :), and thanks for the suggestion! Could you send me a video perhaps that explains it? I’m not sure I completely follow.

[@larsgrapeguitars]

@@ChrisHayzelmusic kzbin.info/www/bejne/p6GQhqaqoNdqa80 The basic idea is that you take the Major scale in one area of the fretboard and divide It in group. For example, if you take the C Major scale, and start dividing into group of 3 you play, starting from the lower note avelable B-C-D / C-D-E / D-E-F / E-F-G / F-G-A and so on until you run out of string. Then you can play the same exercise but playing One group up and One down ( so likes B-C-D / E-C-D /D-E-F / G-F-E .....) or the First group down and the second up, or divide the scale the group of four or five or six... It makes for a more musical exercise and a good way to start to improvise when you put rhythm over It. When you have a Little of muscle memory, you put a chord progression to practice over it and have some fun. In the video that I send you it also talk about other way to break down and use modes and scale to improvise, but the video from where I take it was actually a course on SBL on how to use modes

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

That’s awesome, thank you! I think I understand now, it’s something I’ve been wanting to try for a while :)

[@KRAZEEIZATION]

Guitar to me is a very personal thing. I’ve been playing 37 years and it’s been mostly enjoyable. A few things I’ve learned are:- 1. No two players are alike. 2. It’s not a competition. 3. Improve your weaknesses. 4. Don’t be put off my virtuosos but learn from them. 5. Play along with records. 6. Challenge yourself to learn a song everyday. 7. Don’t be afraid to experiment. 8. Get a loop pedal, it’s essential. 9. Forget getting famous. 10. Enjoy and have fun.

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

🙌

[@B_R_Renee-P]

"Guitar is hard,and boring" I agree as a self taught beginner guitarist who is learning using youtube only that phrase is absolutely correct,I'm also learning music theory at the same time with youtube only as well. Lets just say, it is extremely frustrating sometimes,but i know that's apart of the whole learning process. Its even worse when you dont know what you're supposed to practice to get better at Guitar. 😭

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

💯

[@michameinhardt3665]

So fucking beautiful.. I was wondering about a guitar tutorial.. and asked me what psycholog trigger that guy was about to use to make me better... if I would spend money for him..? cause that's why i suck👀 in some technical terms? Learn how to play on the instrument is like going over the top of a mountain.. Afterwards you will find new issues.. But it's fun.. i play a bunch of instruments... Great to listen to your word's. Kind of refreshing.. So cool.. 👃👍👂🙏

[@jonahtompke5210]

Great video!

[@theguyyouheardabout6658]

Bro the drum skit got me 😂

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

😂😂😂

[@pedrolopes6071]

Josh Homme's scale has a lydian + dorian vibe to it...very cool!

[@StarDarkAshes]

Are you from Agoura Hills? I grew up in Thousand Oaks so it was funny to see the music shop. 😂

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

Haha I am! I went to Agoura High. Nice to see a fellow West-Valley-er here :)

[@StarDarkAshes]

@@ChrisHayzelmusic Cool, man. I’m in Seattle now. I can totally relate to the video and being a huge Jerry Garcia fan I have always wanted to get really good at improvising. He was obviously 🙄 amazing at improvising and after playing on and off for 30 years I simply cannot fathom how he was so good. Some of these guys are amazing and just considering all the time it seems like it would take It boggles my mind how some musicians got so far so fast in the art. I’m still trying to figure out the Pentatonic scale. 😂

[@ccastillo36540]

I already know who you're watching just by her voice 😄

[@lakota2-1warden]

The production value on this feels so high.

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

😂😂😂 thanks. It’s just me, a camera, some lights, and some editing software.

[@jumpinjustin9474]

Really good video, really speaks to me. I'm more into learning guitar the traditional way but it gets frustrating when my improvising still sounds like I'm playing through a scale and I'm just now building a repertoire of licks to break out of that. I'm definitely going to check out that Josh Homme video, it looks fascinating. That red guitar behind you isn't a Dot Studio is it? If it is I have that same one.

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

I totally get you! I’m kind of in the same boat, though I probably have less traditional knowledge. Stick with it though, you’ll breakthrough eventually :). And yes! It is :). Though it has 13 gauge strings on it and it tuned to C standard :P. For those darker songs, ya know?

[@Shawnieboy00]

It’s funny, I started improv soloing but I literally only know like 4 actual songs

[@christopherparsons3224]

I think this is where adding GOOD people to your musical adventure is key, once you have exhausted your limits of playing along with mechanical devices. Adding the wrong people brings to your experience, a whole new set of potential problems and doesn't necessarily get rid of your boredom; bands can become like marriages and songs like your children. Be careful of your choices. It is a lot like trying to enter the dating scene. Don't make bad choices in your angst to curb your loneliness and desire to express yourself fully. Some people will even try to use you for your ideas and discard you, if they don't like you for you or don't feel your performing talents are up to snuff. Even the people you think you can trust the most will be the ones to do it to you the worst. #PoorMansCopyright

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

I can definitely relate to what you’re saying. As someone who grew up playing and touring in bands, playing with other people is probably one of the most engaging and interesting ways to grow exponentially on your instrument. And finding the right people to collaborate with is in some ways harder than finding a good romantic partner. So many things in your personalities, both as people and as musicians have to be just right. But when it does happen, it’s magical.

[@deandee8082]

your soling isn't bad, definitely something to build on or refine, whatever, you don't have to super shred or be the fastest player in the world to make good music or write good songs..

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

Thanks! Yeah, I agree :). It’s fun to explore for sure

[@StratsRUs]

Learning the Major scale and playing Keys, studying the Circle Of Fifths.That's the true Key.

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

Yes! The ol’ circle of fifths. I’ll definitely be revisiting it :)

[@CouchGuitar1]

The hardest part of improvising for me is the Rythm. I tend to just stick to 8th notes playing, the moment i stop focusing on the rythm. Also to be aware of the start and end of a phrase. Any Tips, for better Rythm control?

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

I think just really experimenting with different rhythmic patterns, practicing your double picking. Find some solos your find interesting and learn them inside and out, eventually the techniques will embed themselves in your right hand. At least that’s how I developed my guitar rhythm :)

[@darko714]

Most players I know are like Chris, but I'm the opposite. I can improvise all day, but I've always had a very hard time even memorizing the chord changes, much less solos. That's why my lead skills are way ahead of my rhythm skills. When people tell me how good I am, deep inside, I still wonder if I'm a fraud.

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

We all have different strengths. I think it’s awesome that your improv skills are as sharp as they are

[@darko714]

@@ChrisHayzelmusic Just saw you have a video entitled "The Art of Sucking at Guitar". Seriously, man, how can I not subscribe?

[@BradenAndersonGuitar]

I hope that pne day I can be a guitarist, performing and shit, I started over two years ago, and something about it just pulled me, like I used to play videogames and play sports, now I stay in my room and play for hours, I'm deadass serious about it, and Im learning and Ive been told be people who have played guitar for a long time that I am really good for having only played for 2 years, I want to take it all the way, but I dont know how, I dont know where to go, I can get good at guitar, and performing, but I dont know how to get out there and show the world what I have to offer, I hope it goes well for me, cause guitar is the only thing Im good at, so I hope I can make something out of it

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

My biggest piece of advice for this: find some friends or a group of other musicians, start a band, even if it’s just playing covers, and once you’ve got a handful of songs under your belt, just start playing shows. It’s much easier to take the leap and work towards a goal with other people. You’ll push each other to grow, and you’ll find your own voice in the process.

[@BradenAndersonGuitar]

@@ChrisHayzelmusic Thanks for tge advice, maybe one day Ill be able to play for a lot of people, I never cared about fame or money, I just want to be able to play and to inspire others to play as well

[@awesome_aragok4062]

Guitar is not boring, you are !!

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

😂😂😂 fair enough

[@awesome_aragok4062]

@@ChrisHayzelmusic No offense! My Man 💪

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

Hey, not everything is for every one

[@johndeerman2105]

Suck embraced. ✌😎🎸

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

Hell yeah!

[@BohemianRose1]

Also, I think it's a da*ned shame that private lesson music teachers dont start from the "heart" and instead start from the "head." I believe every student should leave their first lesson learning a very simple cool riff. Explain the frets, strings body stuff as they learn something creative. Private teachers, PLEASE dont kill the joy on the first day. Show them this stuff, dont tell it. Incorporate the info into something cool and memorable. 😅

[@rickwilliams967]

If you want to learn, just do it. It's called motivation.

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

I’m motivated :)

[@SongSwan]

Unless you are a virtuoso by 15 you soon discover that life demands lots of time in exchange for things like eating and living indoors.Then you realize the good possibilityvthat you do not have what it takes to be a jukebox hero.......then you just carry on.

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

😂😂😂 well said. I think what I’ve found over the years is that it’s super important that you’re doing it for the right reasons. At the core of it you have to love it. Yeah, I had all the big dreams for a long time, and even got to live some of them. But at the end of the day, I’d still make and play music, even if no one ever heard it. Because the truth is, it’s been the love of my life for my whole life :).

[@jakeelam4125]

Dude i feel like im watching a you tuber with millions of subs. Then i check and only had 13k, shockith

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

😂😂😂

[@baronvonwinkle1470]

Chris your a breath of fresh air. Like others have mentioned, you put out thought provoking content and your not afraid of admitting your weaknesses. Very much a man of the people! Keep doing what your doing buddy!

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

Thank you :). That means a lot. I’m glad these videos are connecting the way they are, it’s cool to be able to share this journey with you all!

[@jsuntres1]

Chris! I cannot get over how an elite musician like yourself in plagued with self doubt. And admitting to the need to improve only bolsters your integrity in my eyes at any rate! It’s so inspiring for us, shall I say, far from elite musicians! Even the great BB King said in an interview before he passed that you can learn something new about the guitar every day! And you played an awesome solo!

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

Haha oh yes, self doubt is ever present. I’m really glad these videos have been connecting with you. And thank you! It was a lot of fun to explore :)

[@Reiichiful]

Fantastic video yet again. It is so refreshing to see an experienced and skilled musician get in that mental space of "alright, I'm bad at this, let's roll". I feel like I can see on your face those moments exploring the scale of "Oh? That sounded cool" that I get doing minor pentatonic practice over random spotify backing tracks. Thank you for this, yet another reminder for us to embrace the suck ✊

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

Haha thank you, this comment put a big smile on my face. You pretty much nailed the experience and the feeling :). Embrace the suck!

[@Melloommusic]

Said it on one of your older vids, I'll say it here. These videos are so beautifully made man, the way you create them is awesome. So happy I stumbled across your channel man!

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

Thank you 🙌

[@aaronbouquet644]

Started a month ago. I learned 10 chords relatively easy. Feel trapped doing the same thing over and over. Not “making music” is brutal. Jammed with two other guitars yesterday and BOOM! Reignited.

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

Yes!

[@johnnyclifford9423]

Fun story man. I experienced a few of the things you spoke about early on and giggled a little. You are right, guitar is not an easy thing to learn and can be very frustrating. I believe everyone is different and you should try find out who you are and play to your strengths. My story: I'm 65yo and have been playing since 12yo. The bug bit me when I saw The Beatles on Ed Sullivan and specifically John Lennon. Seeing him up there singing and playing that Rickenbacker with all those fans going crazy was a life changer. Before I even had my first real guitar I was drawing electric guitars on boxes with a magic marker and posing in front of a mirror while I jammed to my favorite songs. Yep, I wanted to be a star. For my 12th birthday Dad bought me a beginners electric and small amp. I didn't leave my bedroom until I was 15yo. I got Alfred's Basic Guitar Method Book 1 and went through the lessons. In the back there is this great chord diagram that I learned all the chords from. I did take two random lessons in which I learned Stairway (how cliche) and My Love by McCartney. Other than that I listened to my favorite bands and learned how to solo by working out my favorite solos note for note as best I could. I joke that I was taught by Tom Johnston (Doobie Brothers). A surprise to me early on was there were a couple people who said I was a natural guitar player. This shocked me because I was not very good. I really struggled. I had to make up my own way to play F and D chords. But I never gave up. I figured if I couldn't really play I could always be a singer/guitar guy like David Cassidy. After about 5 years all of a sudden I took a leap. I remember it clearly. I'm like "wow, I can do this". I got into a band and I've been in working bands since and have had a modest career playing locally and still do. As a player I was never fast,. My fingers still don't move very fast. So I learned how to play melodies. I don't know any of the technical scales by name but I basically play what works and sounds nice. There's notes out there. Go get em. I don't really jam. Not my strong suit. I like to play organized structured music. You have to improvise a little but I don't want to hear myself play the lead to Freebird. While everyone else my age was copping Eddie Van Halen I was becoming Johnny B Goode/Keith Richards. I found out what I was as a guitar player and embraced it. The guitar is so versatile and everyone should try to find their own place. I'm grateful for the guitar. I cannot imagine life without it. Good luck everyone with your guitar adventure!

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

What a great story, thank you for sharing :). I can definitely relate to your message here. I started out thinking I wanted to be a rockin guitar player. I even went to musicians institute to study guitar but dropped out after one quarter. During my time there I realized I wasn’t interested in being a guitar player in the way that my other fellow students were. Many of them seemed to be driven by the idea of being able to stand at the front of a stage under a spotlight and pull out a rippin solo to a screaming crowd. Whereas I was more interested in the guitar as a songwriting tool, and less as a solo lead instrument. So that’s what I focused on. Guitar became somewhat of a supporting compositional instrument for me, a smaller part of a whole production. Then, a few years ago, right around the time that I felt I had topped out my knowledge and wanted more, I started playing in the only non-original band I’ve ever been in, occupying the musical role of a guitar player who’s much different than I. And learning to approach the instrument from that perspective sparked an interest in learning more about guitar as its own instrument. :) I think what I’ve learned is that as with so many other things, who I am as a guitar player has changed and evolved over time. And what I wanted from it has gone through many different iterations. Whether it’s the desire to be a guitar hero, learning I like it better as a compositional tool, discovering a love for effects and tone exploration, and so on. My relationship with it ebbs and flows as I grow as a person :).

[@anti_gravity8446]

As for myself, I felt lately that writing songs got me out of the rut and feeling burnout. I am not a good songwriter nor I am aiming to be but the fact that I am letting the sounds in my head flow through something really excites me. Glad I stumbled on this video. I think we need more guitar videos like this. Internet is saturated with technical lessons but lacking with this kind of wisdom. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and wisdom with us!

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

I’m glad you found something to battle the burnout! I’m a bit on the opposite end of the spectrum. I’ve done nothing but write songs for decades at this point and I’m a little bored with it. Part of the reason is because I feel like my songwriting has hit the limits of my knowledge, so this exploration is to try and expand those limits :).

[@MashaT22]

Best video I’ve seen in ages. Well produced and presented, funny, and brutally honest as you start exploring with improvised playing. I can relate as I’m a self taught bedroom guitarist (meaning no traditional teacher), and I also have physical disabilities, medical issues, and a Traumatic Brain Injury working against me. The matter makes me zone out a lot, so a variety of engaging content with a lesson plan seems to work best for me. I’ve heard people say they learn from KZbin, but that’s mostly supplemental for me since there’s no direction/goal overall and the quality of the lessons vary drastically. I use KZbin more for learning a specific song or trying to get some other techniques/ideas regarding something specific that I’m interested in exploring or improving more. I’ve mostly used a variety of mobile apps and websites to help me learn and practice - and yea, I can read tabs and genuinely play much better than I ever could have imagined since I use a variety of apps. Fender Play’s free three month pandemic trial helped get me going enough to see that I was actually making progress, and then I started using the following in addition. As far as these educational apps, they’re all very different. If you’re not into traditional lessons, perhaps you’d have fun with a more gamified approach. Gibson and Yousician will be too easy for you unless you start at the higher levels, but it’s still fun to play and compete like guitar is a game. Rocksmith+ was also literally just released on mobile (also PC/Mac). Sometimes I’ve gotten a lot more out of using apps like this collectively because it challenges me - but they also give me neat ideas in be try small bites. The videos are relatively short if there is one, but most of the content is following the chords alà the old mobile Tap Tap games (only using an actual guitar). You might like to explore what those have to offer for you, if anything. Even if some it it is too easy for you, sometimes the lessons and practice content still has little valuable nuggets, and it’s really fun besides. KZbinr Courses with Advanced Content: I love Justin Guitar whose content is mostly free on his website and fun/interesting/relatable. I’ve never been bored by his lessons. His mobile app only goes up to Grade 3, so use his website. You may also really like Guitar Super System from MusicIsWin’s Tyler Larsen - he literally has a course called The Art of Improvisation. Tim Pierce also has tons of advanced lessons content. Both of these guys are super experienced and fun, so I can see you gelling with one or the other based on the snippets I have seen of sample lessons and their KZbin content. I’ve never tried either Tyler or Tim, but I hope to someday. I’ve only heard amazing things about both. There are other apps and content I’ve tried and dabbled with. Ultimate Guitar has been a mainstay, mostly for chords and tabs. They have lesson content since last year, but I don’t find myself meshing with it like everything above. But above all, an app based approach that uses a variety of presentation styles that is engaging has really taken me far. The Gibson app has helped me most with exploring soloing and improvising. I really suck, but I’m making headway and having fun. I’ve been loving your videos. I’m so glad KZbin helped me find you. You’ve become a fast fave of mine! Thanks so much! 😇🙏🏻🤘🏻🎸🔊🎶

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

Thank you! I’m so glad you’re enjoying the videos. And thanks for these great suggestions 😁

[@LifeOfGuyYoutube]

This was the first video I've seen in 6 months, since I got serious about guitar that has helped me. Every other one starts with someone showing off, then endlessly plugging their channel, click subscribe, ring the bell etc... The Josh Homme channel is my next click... Watching you take that concept from loop to improv, slowly finding your way into it is so imspiring. I haven't seen anything like this, it's not perfect - and you know it... Exactly how I will be when I try it... Well done, and thank you..

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

I totally get you. I’m glad you found this video helpful :). Feel free to share your thoughts after exploring the scale too! I’d love to hear how you feel about it after messing with it for a bit!

[@ETHANSKI11]

these videos genuinely help so much! it’s refreshing to see someone who explores the mental approach to these concepts as well as the actual learning. most youtube music tutorials/videos don’t really click with me but your style clicks and it’s great seeing these pop up on my feed! thanks for making these 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

I’m glad it connects for you :). It’s definitely nice to be able to explore the mental emotional aspects of playing music, it’s such a big part of the whole thing :). Thanks for hangin in there with me 😁

[@ganglestank]

Guitar was never boring for me. I always played because it was fun, and because I wanted to express ideas that were stuck in my head, so when I started to succeed it was extremely rewarding. I just copied the sound of existing songs at first and there was no tedious or boring part because I would just mess up a few times and then succeed.

[@dave7922]

Sounds like you’ve got some talent. You should push yourself, play some way harder stuff, get bored a little, lol.

[@ganglestank]

@@dave7922 That's just not the way I practice. I do play hard stuff, I constantly learn things that are on the border of my ability, but to me it's fun because I'm not just learning a lick, I'm learning an idea and applying it to many different ever-changing licks. Idk if you've heard of guthrie govan but he one time said that he's never once sat down and drilled in a lick, he just played for fun and got that good as a direct result. What's fun to me might be boring to others also. Who knows? I don't even think about it like practice, I don't usually do things like the spider routine, I just play as hard as I can and focus on things little to no other guitarists have honed.

[@webmonkey6533]

@@ganglestankyou sound like me honestly. I’m probably a bit behind you in terms of skill but that’s how I feel every time I pick up my guitar. I play and practice some stuff I already know and then learn something new. I’m glad you are having fun with it, and I’m glad I am too, so let’s keep going and maybe we’ll be the next oasis! (joke,lol)

[@ganglestank]

@@webmonkey6533 Hey, never say never lol

[@_TwoDot]

@@ganglestank I’m guessing when he talks about boredom he means boredom because he can’t get to what he wants to fast

[@Paulskirocks]

I enjoyed this. I started playing as a teen in 1980, learned basics, wrote songs, tried to become a rock star, and ended up as an electrician instead! Anyway, when I gave up trying to have a band, I started doing more open jams, and it occurred to be that I kind of sucked at really knowing the guitar. That's when I started trying to really learn, and although I really am still a mediocre guitar player, I have gotten comfortable improvising. I was thinking of making some videos on my simplistic way of seeing the fretboard, not that I am a guitar teacher, but because I think it might help folks. Keep on jammin.

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

You definitely should! My view of the fretboard is incredibly simplistic too, and I feel like it would be great to see more videos of people that I can relate to :)

[@gaberox1]

This is crazy to me I spent countless nights playing until the sun came out and beyond without a second thought to anything other then how the playing felt. I actually wish I would of started focusing on learning songs way sooner but expression and feeling was always easier if I "just played". Cool video.

[@SnaptrixGaming]

All I do is improvise when playing guitar since i was 15. I can play smoke on the water tho lol

[@sageboatman]

As someone very early on my musical journey- being mostly self taught I've spent a lot of time familiarizing myself with music theory, scales, etc- I've spent a lot of time improvising. I feel like it has gone a long way in terms of allowing me to be confident when I want to just pick my instrument up and play. Having music theory as the foundation of whatever I'm playing has given me a great mental framework to both play and internalize music, and I honestly can't recommend it enough. That said, I totally hear you about boredom. Even now as I try to revisit different scales I find myself just totally uninterested- I spin off and start improvising. Given that, I appreciate what you said about making sure that what you're learning is sufficiently difficult to keep it from being boring- definitely plan to incorporate that into my own practice.

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

That’s great that you’ve been able to build that solid foundation. I feel like it might have been easier to do had I started with it at the beginning rather than trying to go back and learn it now. Major congratulations on taking those first steps on your musical journey too, choosing to allow yourself to explore it is half the battle :)

[@fytakytemusic]

Once again - great video! Confidence is vital for improvising. I found the most powerful confidence builder was a good SOUND… and by that I don’t mean the tone of the guitar or amp (although that helps too), I mean the sound of the actual notes you play - learning how to play them so that they “sing” rather than just “sound”…While many courses focus on what notes to play, very few, if any I’ve come across deal with the physical act of making a guitar note sound good.

[@ChrisHayzelmusic]

Yeah definitely! I think a lot of that comes with time, learning to make a note sound expressive rather than just playing it :).