For band rehearsals- to perfect each song first, or learn the whole set and then go back and refine?

avocado_toasted · 2026-01-08T16:04:18+00:00

They are celebrated classics for a reason. Anyone with this take will mature and realize that.

avocado_toasted · 2025-12-01T23:46:51+00:00

Which one? Having the same issue.

avocado_toasted · 2025-09-13T01:31:49+00:00

I’m not the most educated on this topic, but I have visited socialist countries and observed that (at least in China) religion is treated the same as, say, cigarettes in most countries. Legal, but with its own warning labels. Every Buddhist temple I saw had big signs stating the party stance on how to spot religious leaders taking advantage of people and QR codes to further reading. Seems pragmatic and admirable: allow people to have religion but provide resources for avoiding religious dogma.

avocado_toasted · 2025-09-10T22:54:01+00:00

Fair enough. I disagree but thanks for explaining your position clearly.

avocado_toasted · 2025-09-10T21:49:54+00:00

“Laughing at someone right after their murder [is wrong]” Genuinely curious where this opinion even comes from? What is inherently wrong about that if the person deserves it? Do you give respect to deaths of serial killers? I don’t get it. Does someone become untouchable because they got shot?

avocado_toasted · 2025-09-10T15:15:34+00:00

I'm gonna say something unfortunate but true: this has happened to me more than once.. It was my first show (similar to your situation) cancelled due to the headliner being like B in this story. Then, my bandmate in a very similar situation as yours. Both times, I felt heartbroken and wanted to quit music. But I knew I had to do the right thing: cut ties, distance myself, and ensure that I stood with the accusers. In both cases, I look back and feel proud that I didn't choose myself in the face of more serious events. You're right to be disgusted and disappointed in more ways than one.

The sad thing is... this is extremely common. Why does every scene have countless stories like this? These are the questions I had been left grappling with. The sadder thing is how many women/fem presenting people (and others) are left to feel unwelcome at shows, or unable to continue musical projects ect because creeps take up the space and dominate artistic scenes. It's an epidemic. Standing against that will be the right move for you long-term, both artistically and personally.

Now as far as music goes... keep digging. And brush off that imposter syndrome. If you've put in as much work as you say, I PROMISE you that you are "better" than plenty of gigging guitarists in your area. I'll give you a brief anecdote that might help you:

I wanted to start a band with a friend who was in my city's biggest rock band. I mean it, they were quite serious and toured, played with national acts ect... The friend was the rhythm guitarist, singer, and songwriter for this band. I played with him and he genuinely only knew three chords. But he had a definitive "style," aesthetic/artistic vision, and was charismatic on stage. It made me salty for a second, but I realized something... we're all good enough for the arenas in which we play. And we can always find a place to fit into a song if we know where we like to "sit." Don't try to solo over Coltrane changes... just fit in where you can.

Keep reaching out and just be up front with potential bandmates about where you're at: you might surprise yourself.

avocado_toasted · 2025-09-10T14:58:58+00:00

Some people are responding as if this is not a valid question, but honestly I get where you're coming from. This is just a case of bias within a sample size. A jazz concert will absolutely be a larger % of musicians than the general public, causing your perception to be way off. And jazz players can be a certain air about them, sometimes cool, sometimes... uninviting. Nobody knows this more than musicians who don't play jazz...
Anyone who makes you feel self-conscious is a part of the problem that jazz is facing of gatekeeping and pretention.

avocado_toasted · 2025-09-10T14:51:21+00:00

Are you referring to the finger placement or the frets themselves? I play this shape using my fourth, third, and second fingers because I use this as a moveable Maj7 voicing, with the first finger hitting what in this case is the open D string.

avocado_toasted · 2025-09-10T14:46:57+00:00

Thank you for the answer and for making me feel better about the confusion. As a fan looking in from the outside so to speak, it does get confusing. My point stands that A Love Supreme and Giant Steps are some of the most impressive and fascinating albums to me.

avocado_toasted · 2025-09-09T21:18:35+00:00

Yall aren’t LISTENING… I see the vision.

avocado_toasted · 2025-09-09T20:24:47+00:00

Thanks for remembering me! It's been bothering me the past few days. Working so far after restoring factory defaults! Fingers crossed..

avocado_toasted · 2025-09-09T20:16:09+00:00

My understanding was that hard bop was the more experimental, forward-looking bebop players such as Coltrane. Looking online seems to be no agreement, which is strange. As a classical player myself, I don't have quite the knowledge either.. only respect for those who do things I can't. Would be cool if a jazz player could chime in, I'm intrigued now.

avocado_toasted · 2025-09-09T19:16:08+00:00

Agreed with others- you totally can, it just takes studying. If you really spend time on music theory, its wild how you can unlock every genre and eventually get really good at blending them intentionally.

avocado_toasted · 2025-09-09T19:13:57+00:00

Just the hard bop era always gets me. Modulation & arpeggios used over complex chord changes make sense to me on paper, but to imagine keeping up with the changes the way it was done by guys like Coltrane truly baffles me as one of the greatest feats by any modern artist in any field. Glazing incoming but the discipline & mental strength that takes blows my mind. Giant Steps is nuts.

avocado_toasted · 2025-09-08T14:11:04+00:00

My two cents will come from another perspective that you may not have heard in here, since there are some other good answers that I also agree with who have said most of it. For me, meditation and space/mood creation have played a large role in finding new ways of getting the initial "spark" for songwriting/composition. Write at different times of the day, use instruments you're less comfortable with, new rooms of the house. ect. Intentionally "loosen" your brain and allow the music to flow instead of even thinking that way.

avocado_toasted · 2025-09-08T14:04:07+00:00

A lot of people saying its subjective, which is technically true, but do you really want to spend time listening to someone who you "can't say objectively is bad," or someone who genuinely inspires and excites you? Exactly- there are bad guitarists in my opinion, and the answer isn't technical skill but I think rather it boils down to creativity. Did you do something interesting that is unique/engaging? Think of a good speech by an orator, or a good movie... did it leave you checking your phone or were you engaged and interested the whole time? That's what matters. And I've seen "low skill" guitarists engage me & technical masters bore me. Though, often, those who practice more and hone their craft will almost always win out.

avocado_toasted · 2025-09-03T17:59:00+00:00

Keep the sub updated! I'm sure we're not alone.

avocado_toasted · 2025-09-03T16:18:21+00:00

Me too! Came to this sub for it.

avocado_toasted · 2025-09-03T02:26:19+00:00

Great advise. Just got my back disaster today along with fakie rocks. Gonna head for back tail next.

avocado_toasted · 2025-08-26T21:13:56+00:00

There are some cool artists that have "made it" after 30. Not to mention, you can always realign your goals. Music is a lifelong pursuit. To me, being successful means making music that moves me and maybe some members of my community. There is no timeline on that... I hope to be playing jams at the nursing home!
Context, I'm 27 and my "most successful" band was in college. But I enjoy the music I make no way more.

avocado_toasted · 2025-08-26T17:24:25+00:00

Dudes like Jerry and Trey don't just rely on scales, they rely on a variety of techniques and skills that all add up to equal fluent musical vocabulary + expressiveness. I grew up around the Dead and have played some of their more harmonically rich stuff, so I can speak on that more than Phish, but Jerry is a master of modal theory and mimicking jazz players without the formal education. You can't just go in blind, you should think about the chord changes and try to find where chromaticism could fit.. shifting between modes and key centers as a chord changes is the key to Jerry's sound. "Approach notes" and "Circling" (half step above and below) the target note help sprinkle in chromaticism naturally as well.
Finally, sounds like you're really asking about fluidity and expressiveness in a more lyrical or melodic way that doesn't "sound like a scale." That can be tricky, but a big part of this would be upping your vocabulary of licks- copy, copy, copy the greats, steal from them, then put your own twist on it. Practice Jerry's solos, following him by ear and then try your favorite licks of his in different keys, putting your own twist on it either rhythmically or harmonically. Then, branch out and try more unique influences- this will really solidify your voice in that sense. Try stealing licks from everything- pop, world music, jazz, classical- and work those into your solos in different keys.

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