When you learn something important

[JeffD]

I just finished a Skype lesson and learned a few things that are real powerful game changers. As powerful as when you first learn DUDU or moveable positions.

I have to confess I have two simultaneous and contradictory urges. On the one hand I want to tell everyone. Just share my enthusiasm. How everything is made easier just by.... On the other hand I want to keep mum, to let my teacher and my new knowledge be my secret weapon, and just dazzle everyone with a sudden surprising burst of progress.

When asked I would say something like, practice practice practice.

The truth is that it will come out anyway, as I am not a good secret keeper, and some thread will get me going and I will just out with it. And really, my competitive urges are lame and unseemly.

Until then I will just practice practice practice, and "y'all can eat my dust".

[MontanaMatt]

I'm glad the rest of us don't feel that way about sharing knowledge

What have you been doing with your 22k posts?

[Bertram Henze]

My guess is that you, due to old age, have forgotten what the lesson was about. You started this thread in the vain hope that somebody's response might suddenly restore what it is that you won't tell yourself.

I have good news for you: you're supposed to find the man who rules the universe, and you'll eventually find him, but he will not be interested in the universe and perfectly happy with just playing his mandolin...

[Jstring]

Wow.... did you get up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?

Redeem yourself + share what you’ve learned...

And who is your teacher?

[Mark Gunter]

just dazzle everyone with a sudden surprising burst of progress

This assumes that everyone will pause to listen and take notice

[foldedpath]

If this isn't about the answer to the life, the universe, and everything being "42" then I will be sorely disappointed.

[HonketyHank]

It's Fruit Cereal Milk Bread and Butter. Take it from me. Nothing else matters.

[Bertram Henze]

This reminds me of those ads where it says "how to lose 40 pounds of weight in one week" and your curiosity leads you to endless talks around the subject until you've spent enough money to find out that a butchery tools salesman is behind it.

[bradlaird]

This is getting good.

[AlanN]

Yeah, man...give it up...else this guy pays you a visit

[Bertram Henze]

Jeff, after that Uncle Charles story back in 2016, you don't expect us to believe any of this "Lesson at the End of the Rainbow", do you?

[JeffD]

This assumes that everyone will pause to listen and take notice

That's the true truth. No matter how profound the knowledge, it ultimately, in the grand scheme of things, is kind of pointless. Mandolin is such a minority instrument in this culture that competition between mandolinners is ridiculous because even the top of our heap, the crowned prince of mandolinners, is better known to the world for being the husband of his TV star wife.

Its like climbing on the top of the roof (at night yet) in order to claim you can get closer to the moon.

It's Fruit Cereal Milk Bread and Butter. Take it from me. Nothing else matters.

Exactly right. Fruit, cereal, milk, bread, butter, beer, and the occasional smile between good friends, are much more significant.

[catmandu2]

We went from 'powerful game changer' to 'it doesn't matter' in just 12 posts?

[sbhikes]

It's Fruit Cereal Milk Bread and Butter. Take it from me. Nothing else matters.

Or perhaps meat, potatoes, chocolate, beer and wine.

[Mark Gunter]

Or perhaps meat, potatoes, chocolate, beer and wine.

Combine those two menus and you have the whole package

[Bob Clark]

Exactly right. Fruit, cereal, milk, bread, butter, beer, and the occasional smile between good friends, are much more significant.

Ah, but don't forget pizza. Sometimes nothing but pizza, beer and a mandolin will do, especially will music-making friends!

[Mark Gunter]

We went from 'powerful game changer' to 'it doesn't matter' in just 12 posts?

Very well then I contradict myself; (I am large, I contain multitudes.)
~ Walt Whitman

Say what?
~ SRV

[catmandu2]

Very well then I contradict myself; (I am large, I contain multitudes.)
~ Walt Whitman

Still, I think it would have been better (in a utilitarian sort of way) to share the revelatory tool, rather than the angst and futility of it all, in the 'theory and technique' forum..

Personally I don't experience this as a competitive sport. I don't mind sharing whatever I may glean or arrive at in my journey - but it's probably not what anyone cares much for.

(Doesn't coffee make that list?)

[bradlaird]

Spill it, Jeff...



The suspense is killin' me. (Things I am pretty sure it's not: Special Super Duper picks, some kind of fancy arm rest, pentatonic anything, or modes. Please say it's not modes.)

All in good fun, I remain,

[Mark Gunter]

LOL

Could be like "flirting with death" to fill a post here with such suspense.

[T.D.Nydn]

Who cares? If your not going to share it, why even bring it up?

[Bill McCall]

I’m surprised the moderator hasn’t weighed in on this deliberately provocative post.

[JeffD]

We went from 'powerful game changer' to 'it doesn't matter' in just 12 posts?

I suppose for everything there is a context in which it can be seen as ridiculous.

[JeffD]

Who cares? If your not going to share it, why even bring it up?

I thought my contradictory reactions were kind of interesting.

[MontanaMatt]

Ah, but don't forget pizza. Sometimes nothing but pizza, beer and a mandolin will do, especially will music-making friends!

My band has a weekly gig at a sweet pizzeria, with 12 local beers on tap. This is the biggest musical secret in the world...get a paid weekly gig, with free pizza and beer...you will become a better player, and will constantly have a great time gigging with you band mates!