I find music fascinating, It's funny how it can totally transform your day depending on what you are listening to.
When I was younger I only listened to hard rock, I blame some of that fact with the group of people I used to hang around with, who were "headbangers" and if you listened to something else like Cher they would cut you down and basically bully you into not liking it anymore.
Without that headbanger influence in my life as I got older I started to appreciate a wider assortment of music. Slow blues and dance having a significant impact on how I viewed music as a whole, and it got even wider with some bluegrass, reggae, pop, and classical.
Being a musician myself, I started to have a mutual respect for any musically inclined group out there even if I didn't care for the type of music. Those players are musicians too, and they work hard at their craft and have their own audience, you have to respect that fact even if you don't like the music.
It was very hard not to compare myself to other players, I always thought I was never good enough to compete with them, I never had a music lesson, learned how to read music, or knew the names of any chords, but then a thought occurred to me, it's not a competition and I don't have to be as good as someone else, I just have be the best I can be and always try to get better, for myself and not anyone else. You can apply this thought process to everything in life, not just music.
When I came to that conclusion, it was like a weight had lifted off my shoulders, I didn't know why I feared other musicians and felt self conscience around them. Now I embrace other players, I crave to be around them, for the things I can learn from them and maybe they might learn something from me. I want a certain type of knowledge and for some reason it can't be obtained from reading or watching videos, it can only be obtained from collaboration.
If I had learned this when I was younger I think I would be way further along musically. Since I've stopped comparing and started enjoying and learning, I have learned scales, chord names and locations, picking and finger placement and a ton of other things I can't remember right now. lol
Music has a way of getting deep into you, finding your soul, and gently caressing it. It can lift you up when you are down, and bring tears to your eyes. It has a way of being able to tug on your emotions that no other type of media can and I am in awe of it's power. You don't have to be a musician to enjoy it, it naturally flows through everyone. Now go listen to some music.
Scott Goerz
