Problems maintaining focus

Jim Williams · From: Meridian, Mississippi, USA - Home of Peavey!

I wonder if any of you struggle with the same thing I do. I play several instruments to some degree...mandolin, fiddle, banjo, steel, guitar and a few others.

Sometimes I think this might be a bad thing. I feel like because I don't devote 100% of my time to one instrument, it might be hindering my proficiency. Problem is, I love them all and my pick of which one to play is often a matter of mood or what I decide I want to play.

I am afraid that I will be stuck in mediocrity though, if I don't at least put most of my focus on one instrument as far as practice time is concerned.

That leads to which one to choose. I love the steel, and played correctly I think it is one of the most beautiful sounds of all of them, however most of the jam sessions around here are oriented towards bluegrass / acoustical types of music and the other instruments fit better there.

I'm not a young person anymore, and would like before I'm gone to at least be able to excel at one instrument.

Anybody else struggling with this?
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GFI SM10 3/4, 1937 Gibson EH-150, 2 - Rondo SX Lap Steels and a Guyatone 6 String C6. Peavey 400 and a Roland 40 Amps. Behringer Reverb Pedal.

David M Brown · From: California, USA

If you enjoy playing all the various instruments, then keep on doing so. It's an issue with multi-instrumentalists, to keep up on all the instruments.

As for the Bluegrass jam sessions, bring your Dobro!

David Knutson · From: Cowichan Valley, Canada

I also play a few instruments, and in a number of styles. I don't believe I "excel" in any of them, but I try to be as fluent as I can be in each - rather like different dialects of the musical language. I am definitely most fluent on steel as far as improvisation and "seat of the pants" playing goes. One thing I try to do is - whenever I am working on something, or make a discovery on one instrument I try to bring some of that knowledge or technique to the others in practice. Learn a steel riff - then play the same thing on mandolin, guitar, etc. I think it improves all of my playing.
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David K

Brad Davis · From: Texas, USA

You sound a lot like me, interested in playing multiple instruments, but after a certain point you start to get overwhelmed about how you will ever become as proficient as you'd like to be with all of them. And there are several others like us I'm sure.

I had some early experience with guitar, but never got too deeply into it, just solid rhythm and a little flat picking. When I started the banjo some years ago I would practice hours and hours a day and made great progress in the early years. I took up dobro because I liked it also, but never put quite the same effort and fervor into learning it. Over a period of time through sheer inertia and always grabbing it for the slow songs I suppose I developed a certain competency with an old-timey style of dobro playing. Several other types of instruments I accumulated over the years, but have never found opportunity to put a fraction of the effort into, but always meaning to "someday". With experience you find that music is music is music, but still each instrument has its own technical aspects to master.

At some point you're contemplating how you need to spend 30min-1hour minimum per day, or at least 3-4 times a week, on EACH instrument to make progress with them all and you realize you can't do it all and take care of your real job and the rest of your life at the same time. Also sometimes I'm lazy and don't want to practice. And when I do I don't always practice smart, just noodling on stuff I already know for my own pleasure. Coupled with being held back by my own musical mediocrity. In fairness I've had a lot of praise for my musical talents but I find them somewhat limited and lacking to begin with. Certainly I've got some aptitude for it but I'm no musical genius. But certain patterns of putting the pieces together to make music just make sense or comes naturally to me. Others I struggle to grasp.

Steel guitar has been a little different though. I kind of feel that excitement to learn again and enjoy the thrill of making quick progress and rapidly discovering new things and replicating the sounds I hear on records, so I find myself really spending time on an instrument again. It helps to own and play an instrument you love also.

I'm no youth but still relatively young. I think my philosophy these days is that I need to focus and not spread myself too thin. That means I no longer try to learn too many things at once. I'll pick one instrument, and that's where all or most of my energy will go for 6 months to a year. I'll reach a certain plateau, and then maybe shift to something else next year. For the rest I'll be content with whatever proficiency I have today and exercise (but not expand) it as opportunity allows.

You're right about most jamming/performing opportunities being bluegrass/old-time/acoustic. "Country" is a tainted term for a lot of folks, and may drive away more than it draws, until they understand you want to do "real" country music. And other forms of steel music are almost completely off the map in most areas. Even so I'm still thinking about how to create my own playing opportunities as I gain confidence on the instrument.

Dave Thier · From: Fairhope, Alabama, USA

I think it is very much a personal thing taking in to consideration your goals, age, abilities, available time, etc. I started with acoustic guitar and later picked up dobro. I experimented with banjo, mandolin and even lap steel after retirement. In my case, I felt that these experiments diluted my time and attention toward becoming a competent dobro player.

Bill Hatcher · From: Atlanta Ga. USA

if you are over say 50 and you are not spending from 2-6 hours a day in dedicated study....you will never excel in anything musical. you may get to the point where you play ok, but to "excel".....forget it with out very serious work.

i have made a living playing music for over 50 years now. i still have to work at it very hard just to keep up with whats going on and also to learn new things in order to fit in, find work, play gigs i never thought i would play, etc.

set reasonable goals....and be realistic, or dont worry about it, work your day job and just enjoy whatever you can play at whatever level you can play at.

Larry Lenhart · From: Ponca City, Oklahoma

I personally struggle with that issue a lot ! But, like you, I love them all...my problems is that I get such "tunnel visions", that one thing is all I do for a lonnng time...right now for me it is Hawaiian music on steel...I dream it and play it all I can...but I also love country music and standards on the lap steel...I like the same thing on my pedal steel, and I have recently sold my D10 pedal, so at least now, I only focus on the E9th neck, but also try to simulate the C6th sounds on it..so kinda...Guitar has always been my main interest (Ventures, Chet Atkins, Merle Travis, Roy Clark, flat pick)since I was 16, but steel was second, with banjo third...the banjo just sits there for now Sad

So, bottom line is, yes I can totally relate to what you are saying...but at 70 I will never be as good as I want to be on any one instrument, but I keep practicing, and as long as it is FUN....that is the main thing ! I wake up and can hardly wait to go to the music room and hit it again ! Makes me feel like a little kid, even tho I look like an old man !! Smile

and

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Zum Encore, Remington D8 non pedal, Hallmark Mosrite clone, Gretsch 6120 DSW, Gretsch G5210T-P90 Electromatic Jet Two 90,1976 Ibanez L5, Eastman archtop, Taylor Dreadnaught, Telonics pedal, Squire Tele, Squire Strat, Fender Tonemaster, Gold Tone 5 string banjo, Little Wonder tenor banjo, 3 Roland cubes 30s and 80, Carvin combo bass amp

David Knutson · From: Cowichan Valley, Canada

Oh no!! This thread has prompted me to get out my old A-Model mandolin and put in an alternate tuning. S p r e a d i n g me even thinner . . . . help . . . .
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David K

Jim Williams · From: Meridian, Mississippi, USA - Home of Peavey!

Wow, lots of great comments, thanks. I guess I feel drawn to the lap steel because of the fact that my Dad played during my early childhood so I kind of grew up around it. Doug Beaumier has also been a huge influence for me towards the lap steel. I am constantly amazed by what he can get out of this fairly simple instrument. As far as the acoustics, I probably am best at the mandolin.
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GFI SM10 3/4, 1937 Gibson EH-150, 2 - Rondo SX Lap Steels and a Guyatone 6 String C6. Peavey 400 and a Roland 40 Amps. Behringer Reverb Pedal.

Clyde Mattocks · From: Kinston, North Carolina, USA

The biggest problem with playing a lot of instruments as you get older is remembering where you put them.
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LeGrande II, Nash. 112, Fender Twin Tone Master, Session 400, Harlow Dobro, R.Q.Jones Dobro

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

I have the same affliction, but I don't struggle with it. I've had some type of 6 string guitar since I've been big enough to drag one around, but I was never very proficient on it.

Pedal steel called me in the late 70's and that's my main instrument and the one I play the best...and get calls for.

I also took up dobro and lap steels in the 80's, mandolin about 5 yrs. ago and have a couple keyboard instruments which spawned from my early childhood yrs. of piano lessons.

It's been a while now, but I can also find my way around the electric bass.

Sometimes I ask myself the same questions as you do.
My answer is that I would rather have done it as to have gone through life wishing that I had.
This way, I have no regrets.

I studied pedal steel really hard and play that pretty well, so I have that forever, Lord willing and health holding out.

I had aspirations of playing it professionally, but that never happened. I can't hang with the big boys anyway...but since I accepted that fact, I saw no reason not to enjoy my other interests.

I enjoy playing the other instruments and right now I'm jonesing for an acoustic jam where I can use the other instruments for a bit. I realize my limitations though in a crowd of experienced 'grassers pretty quick, but that doesn't stop me from doing it.
What's left on my list is saxophone, but I don't know if there's time.

Jim Williams · From: Meridian, Mississippi, USA - Home of Peavey!

Too bad you are not closer to my area Jerry, we have some kind of jam down here just about every weekend.
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GFI SM10 3/4, 1937 Gibson EH-150, 2 - Rondo SX Lap Steels and a Guyatone 6 String C6. Peavey 400 and a Roland 40 Amps. Behringer Reverb Pedal.

Stefan Robertson · From: Hertfordshire, UK

I gave guitar up for Steel never looked back.

I Always remembered the saying "Jack of all Trades, Master of none".
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Stefan
Bill Hatcher custom 12 string Lap Steel Guitar
E13#9/F secrets: https://thelapsteelguitarist.wordpress.com

"Give it up for The Lap Steel Guitarist"

Paul Seager · From: Augsburg, Germany

I play Electric Bass well enough to walk on any jam session stage, play steel well enough to join a German country session Smile

I play guitar for myself but my chord vocabulary is IMO pretty good for a bedroom player. I have a ukulele too and one day I really will dust it and change the strings!

I'd always wanted to take up upright bass and dobro. I started dobro and quickly realized that although there was much in common with steel, it needed more time. I borrowed an upright and sure enough, got going really quickly but to move to the next level was going to make my beloved angry.

I decided to stay with the the two instruments I know best and concentrate on those only. I have to say that since doing so, things have worked out well but I will also add that it helps to have a dedicated project for each instrument because then I have a reason and indeed something to practice and improve.

\ paul

Mike Neer · From: NJ

I have played guitar 40+ years and made an effort to learn as much about music as I could in all those years, which makes it easier for me to play other instruments once I learn the techniques.

I put aside guitar to focus solely on lap steel, so that is where all my energy is. I still use the same musical information, though I've had to tailor it to steel guitar (obviously, improvisation is not quite as easy without having four digits on the fingerboard to work with). It was my opinion that in order to play the steel well enough for my liking, I would have to devote all my energy to it. Lost a lot of gigs (which I guess I didn't really want anymore anyway).

I could never really get used to the idea of being a utility player anymore once I got hooked on the steel. I found it a drag to switch off between instruments. YMMV, and if I had to make a living off of it, I would probably think otherwise.

The only other instrument I am really interested in is the acoustic bass. I'm hoping to delve more deeply into that in the coming years.
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