Guitar lessons in the age of YouTube/Got the Blues

So, because I became overjoyed and mesmerized with the 2-string shuffles that my teacher gave me last week, this week he printed out all kinds of songs that use roughly the same pattern, so I expect to sink even deeper into it this coming week. I love my guitar teacher. And he always gives me one rather ambitious piece that uses the technique we're learning but at a rather advanced level. I love this too - it gives me something to aspire to.

The good thing about learning guitar in the age of YouTube is that in an instant you can find film footage of the original artist playing the piece, watch their hands, get the rhythms down, realize that it's actually okay to flub some bits as long as you play expressively, that they were pretty much just making it up as they went along anyway, that kind of thing.

But the bad thing about learning guitar in the age of YouTube is right at the top on the right hand side of the page when you're watching your heroes play the new song you're supposed to learn, there's inevitably a video called "10 year old kid plays [whatever the song is]".

Viz.:

Eddie Van Halen playing Eruption
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_lwocmL9dQ

10 year old kid playing Eruption
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huUVXWEM7yQ

Steve Ray Vaughn playing Pride and Joy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIpIsM4KTLc

12 year old kid playing Pride and Joy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJVqBPode5k

James Hetfield from Metallica playing One
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5BoQ1qPPRs

8 year old kid playing One
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDDV4hNv3j4

This was starting to make me discouraged, but tonight I came up with a brilliant plan - as soon as I get these songs worked up to a certain standard, I'm going to post some response videos - "45 year old woman plays Eruption solo", "45 year old woman plays Pride and Joy", but also then "45 year old plays her own blues composition because she has life experience and can express the emotions she's earned from living through song".

For 45 years old, that's rill mature, Ellen.

Still, it gives me inspiration!