Would like some input. I started playing Mandolin about 6 years ago really enjoy it. I met a lot of people in the community through my initial jam class , public jams and camps. I play everyday something for the most part and weekly out at jams. I started learning guitar chords from jam class and starting trying to play guitar when one was lacking for small group. That evolved into playing guitar when leading the slow jam in my community. Really love guitar and singing with guitar. I have been taking instruction in both these instruments for the duration of my playing time. Frequency varies, progress varies depending on what I have been playing the most that week or month. Many times when playing guitar though I have found that I have been supplying just the rhythm backing at a very basic level so I have been trying to dress that up and learn to play a hand full of songs in beginner style. Most recently I have been playing around with a fiddle- same story. Just experimenting . Liked the sound . It is a lot like the Mandolin for fingering , now just how do I work the stick with strings that goes with it? You get the picture . If there are too many mandolins at a jam I try to pick up something else and fill in as best I can . I have found that some of this is really helpful. I learn something on Mandolin I can switch it to guitar if I sit and work it out. Or I discover that my slow tremolo/ shuffle that I can not get out of my head is the sound of a fiddle shuffle . It was like a revelation to me as I was not playing it purposely. I usually have something in the works for each instrument through my lessons or something on the my own. So I am learning but I am struggling with all of this. As most players might say I am not happy with my level of playing and I am trying to improve. I am getting frustrated as I find myself switching instruments for the needs of the varying groups that I’m playing with. Let’s not forget trying to add the vocals, lyrics, harmony. Maybe I am too new a player to be trying to get all this down. I know I have seen it in individuals that have played one instrument for many years. They have a good background before they started another. The couple of people that I have had the nerve to speak to about it have had varying ideas on this. Some have thought that it allows for that cross learning, relieve boredom when you have reached a plateau on learning one thing switch to another type thing. Another suggested putting everything down but one and focus. They were instructors. I have invested money in decent quality instruments, for my income, all around. I am not in a band so I will be presented over and over again with these same driving forces. So I am curious how others have reached some type of balance in their playing and learning. How do you not be the 6 th Mandolin in the group , yet be playing and focusing on the instrument that you chose to play ? My biggest desire is to really make some ground somewhere. But then again from the conversation I see on the Cafe it sounds like this drive to improve really never is satisfied. I appreciate any input .
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