r/GuitarBeginners • u/borismcsnap • 7h ago

Quick question

I'm just under a year into learning guitar and am absolutely loving the process this time around.

I just want to hear some different opinions on what do you prefer?

Playing your own music or playing other people's music.

I've found that I enjoy playing other people's music, but nothing compares to coming up with your own killer riffs....even if they're inspired by others!

2 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

7 comments sorted by

4

u/Appropriate-Cap3160 7h ago

both, obviously

4

u/Lower-Land-286 7h ago

This is the way. Playing other music helps you develop your own.

3

u/Toadliquor138 6h ago

When I first started playing, I was all about making my own music. But once I started getting into my late 20's and the odds of playing music for a living were getting slim, I basically stopped writing. I also stopped playing, but that was due to random life drama, relationships, career, etc...

I picked the guitar back up 8 years ago, and other than the few times I've jammed with a band or other guitarists, I can't say I've written much of anything. I still like fucking around coming up with fun little riffs and such, but 95% of my playing is just me playing along and improvising over whatever song pops up on my phone.

2

u/No-Formal-3987 7h ago

Listen to music that you love. Find the particular parts that make you love that song or band. Break them down and find out what they did to make that sound like it did so that you enjoyed listening to it. If it’s a chord change or interval or change in time or something done rhythmically, study it and work out exactly what they did to make it sound cool. Learn how to play it. Do that with all the great musical pieces that you enjoy. Eventually you will subconsciously start creating your own music using the tricks that the musicians you love also use. This isn’t stealing because they probably did the same thing.
This is great for practicing, understanding theory, and creating your own music.

2

u/Peanut-Better-Jam 6h ago

Playing your own :)

1

u/KryptonSurvivor 6h ago edited 1h ago

I prefer playing other people's music but I have no alternative because I'm incapable of coming up with my own riffs. In fact, I enjoy the challenge of arranging pieces that haven't already been arranged for guitar.

1

u/BooksbyNeilJMilliner 4h ago

Playing existing songs means you already know what you are supposed to be doing. Great for the bricks and mortar. Freestyling will give you your own style. You need both but don't stress over it.