It's Time to Enter An Online Guitar Contest!

I'm going to digress a bit from my atypical, inspirational / educational-style posts and share the wonderful news that I've entered a guitar contest. For those of you who aren't familiar with the 'contest scene' there are numerous opportunities available for guitarists to strut their stuff AND gain valuable insight into their own playing (and did I mention have a Whole Lotta Fun in the process?).

YouTube has become a guitarist's heaven of sorts and the prime spot on the 'net to enter guitar competitions. Whatever your style there is a contest for you on the Tube: rock, blues, shred, jazz, acoustic...you name it, it's there. And if you don't have a preference then all the more fun for you!

The contest I entered was made possible by a gentleman named David Walliman, one of many talented guitar instructors/vloggers on the Tube. With 170 vids and counting, David offers solid advice on all things guitar. Need help learning the pentatonic minor scale? Or want to understand more about how to play "outside" in a fusion context? David covers these topics and many more in his videos. He is also one of the few guitarists I've encountered who stresses for fellow aspiring axe-slingers to "stay humble". Right on, DW.

Anyway, Mr. Walliman has started several contests since being on YouTube, and he is just one of many guitar cyber-competition creators. Laurie Monk of Truth in Shredding consistently hosts and judges guitar contests. In fact, his site is a great place to keep up with current competitions, as well as a place to find out about many new, talented players.

So, back to the contest I entered. Well, I entered late--due to certain mundane circumstances--so I might not be considered as a contestant but I had so much fun doing this it didn't matter!

...Here's my entry.

What I really liked about this contest is that David gave advice--both practice and performance--to all those interested in competing. And his advice was good. I am a veteran player, yet it was nice to get tips on what to do to make my video better.

[added Dec 19th: And here's another entry to another contest, this time hosted by Milan Polak, an astonishing guitarist and frequent creator of cyber-contests]

Well, enough about the contest I just entered, it's time you do the same...and ASAP. A list of why you should is below.

Why You Should Enter Guitar Competitions (and Frequently)

1. You are putting yourself on the spot. There is simply no better way to improve as a guitar player.
2. You will face-off with your own playing and directly encounter your own strengths and weaknesses.
3. You will--after it's said and done--have the opportunity to take actions to improve OR gripe about how others did--how the winner (if I wasn't you) shouldn't have won...this one stinks/that one's better, etc.
4. You will get better IF you're positive about the whole thing, eagerly looking fwd to the next contest, and taking steps to improve your playing based on your own--and possibly others'--observations.
5. You will undoubtably get POSITIVE FEEDBACK from the experience, even among the negative you might get. It's up to you to separate one from the other and tuck the positive away in your mind, using it for inspiration, confidence-building, and perhaps new things/ways to practice.
6. You will get to see raw, typically unsung TALENT wield its awesome Axe...be scared and go home or be inspired and come back for more next time!
7. You will have the chance to make friends with some of the other contestants. You will be surprised to see how humble some uber-talented axe-slingers can be. Maybe you're one of them.
8. You will get better if you're positive. Oh, already said that.

So...whudd r ya waitin for? Find a contest and enter it.

-6SV