I started playing when I was a child, but never really devoted myself to learning the standard way. I never even desired to play other people's songs. I wanted to create my own.
So when I started self-teaching and figuring out different ways to do things on the guitar, I was eventually able to start writing my own songs.
I picked up on a lot of instruments along the way, stayed on drums for many years, but eventually started playing acoustic and learning fingerstyle and playing in open tunings.
My electric has been collecting dust since then.
To this day, in the over 20 years of hands-on music instrumentation experience I have, I have not learned a single song of someone else's (beyond jamming originals or band practice), nor have I the inclination to do so.
And I think I do pretty well for myself.
Never lost motivation yet.
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