How do you deal with perfectionism?

[Yair Matayevy]

We practice, practice and practice. And when the time to record comes, we realize how much more we have to practice to reach the desired result.
 

I believe many other players are trying to be less of a perfectionist regarding recording and performing. Still, they love their playing without getting upset later about the mistakes or imperfections.

Coping methods are different and depend on each person's personality type.

For example, as a person who analyzes things in depth, I can delve more and more into what can be improved, removed, or added. The answer is probably counterintuitive, which means thinking less and feeling more.

What do you think?

Edited December 8, 2022 by Yair Matayevy

[Dad3353]

20 minutes ago, Yair Matayevy said:

... What do you think?

 

But that's exactly it; I don't 'think'. I play, using  techniques copied from some of the finest players ever : I throw my fingers at the strings, just as they do. OK, they're luckier than I am, mostly, but 'thinking' (whilst playing...) is a non-starter, for Humans at least. No, do the practicing. See (hear, listen to, record...) what's not right, find out how to correct it and do so (this may mean practicing something different for a while...). When it comes to 'playing', however, just throw your fingers to the strings and be lucky. Yes, I know; the more you practice (well...), the luckier you'll get, but in any case, forget the 'thinking' bit; Humans aren't built that way. Imagine a motorway drive; a car swerves across your path. Do you 'think' what to do..? I hope not. No, do the work, certainly, but give yourself the certain confidence that it'll be fine and it will be (or as fine as the diligence of your practicing can make it...). 

[Pocketdog]

Perfectionism is an unobtainable goal, simply what one person percevies as perfection to another clearly isnt..no matter how good you think your playing is or isnt

there will always be someone better or worse out there... fact of life, better to channel those energies into doing the best job you can with the skills that you have

 its more important you play and enjoy what you do.. the more you do that the chances are you'll get more proficient IMO

[Strumbarmy]

Many years ago, I bought a Breitling Top Time watch.  It was a lovely looking thing that kept great time but when you adjusted the hands, there was some "backlash" in the gears and it took about twenty seconds before the hand moved, meaning that the minute hand didn't match the seconds hand.  The get around was to set it a third of a minute (20 seconds) past the start point for it to match up when it started to move.  Annoyed the doo dah out of me until I educated myself that perfection was nigh impossible!  Then I bought a quartz watch!  It had a plastic movement and kept better time than the Breitling!  Cost?  £4.99!

[randythoades]

Back in the day when I was learning, I struggled with a similar problem. I couldn't understand how my heroes could play things so perfectly. But then my guitar teacher at the time pointed out that the recordings I was listening to were just a snapshot, a capture at that time and that they had played the same part 20 times and just chosen the best version. They weren't perfect at all, they were mostly improvised and just happened to be what the fingers played. When I went to watch some of those players do it live I realised that he was right, they rarely played it like the record, they hadn't listened to it in the same detail I had, they just played it with the same 'feel'. Sounded just as good.

Sometimes those 'mistakes' are what defines us as players, otherwise everyone would play in exactly the same way.

[ReneAsologuitar]

Perfectionism is a bummer.

Specially when you are trying to learn.

And even at year 50 of playing guitar, one is still learning.