At dorm parties, I almost always bring my guitar. I've gotten a great response with it. A lot of people ask me to play them songs or will tell others about my playing. It's a great opener. I've gotten tons of parties really going, but half the time, before the song's over, my target has already stopped paying attention and is off somewhere else. I have a real problem transitioning from the guitar playing on into the different phases with girls (kino, etc).
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Example: some girls basically opened me at a party. They had heard I played guitar. "Come let me play you a song", I took them to another room. They were into it for a few minutes, but then my target whipped out her phone and started texting. After the song, they got up "we're going to another room".

Any ideas/feedback would be appreciated.

Playing the guitar too early in your case might be comming accross as:
You seeking her approval
Its the only interesting thing you have to offer

Make the girls that open you work harder for you to sing them a song. It sounds to me like your playing the song too soon and unfortunatly when u do play it isn't good enough to keep their attention. Make them get you drinks, qualify their music knowledge or personality traits, whatever..

So instead.. your making them beg you to play a song and in turn creating HV/Status.. only play it once you're sure you've DHV, Negged your target, and possibly even built comfort w/ some kino.. this way the guitar playing can be used as more of a closing tool to make her melt just before you go in for a kiss..

Skill said it best. dont give anything to a HB without getting something back in return. tell them u'll play them a song if they bark like dogs lol!!

Skill32, those are some really good points. I've kind of realized that I get stuck in a position where it comes off that I'm seeking approval. I've tried to make girls work for it a little more. I tried being cocky about it at the last party, but I think I overdid it. A girl asked if I would play her a song and give me a really flirty look. I told her "You have to sing me a song first", but then she gave me a sort of disgusted look and just turned away. Was this a little too much?

In any case, I'll definitely have to make them work for it more. Times when I've been more successful with it, I realize that I worked them up to it before hand.

lol dude, iv only just started playing the guitar, and already im seeing huge interest init from girls when im saying im taking lessons...

the line iv used when a girls approached me and bought it up is "im not a lil show pony for your amusment" laugh like your joking, or "i dont play for just anyone... are you just one of them normal, average girls, or have you actually got something unique about yourself that makes me want to play for you..." make her validate herself for you, obviously there are numerous ways you can say this and make her validate herself for you, theres just two examples, im sure you and everyone else on this forum can think of your own, but the point is make it something just out of reach... cat string theory with your guitar... make her keep validating herself, but with each validation move with the topic and create a conversation out of it, so it doesnt seem like an interview.

Guitar can be used as great DHV or peacocking. I tried saying something along the lines of what you said to one of the girls who approached me that night, but I think the way I said it may've been too serious and not playful enough.

Good luck with the lessons. I took a long break from guitar. It's a great tool for venting or releasing.

I always play guitar at dorm parties and I've played a few house parties too. It's a great way to chill and be the focus of everyone for a short time... and you only have that short time to make an impression. So here is my analysis:

Problem: People will lose attention and you need to find a way to keep it. Especially your target's attention.

Solution: If I am at a dorm party where I know most of the people and maybe a few randoms are there, I will play a song everyone knows, but I will change the lyrics to include the target's name. For example I may play Mr. Jones by Counting Crows which everyone will sing and then instead of singing "Cut up, Maria. Show me some of them Spanish dances..." I will replace "Maria" with my target's name. Usually people will laugh a little and it just makes an overall good vibe.

Another fun thing to do when you are playing for people is to just strum chords and make up funny lyrics as you go. I would gear each verse to pick on another person in the room - keeping it light hearted obviously.

Pointing out the target with the song is something I really need to try. And strumming chords and making lyrics up is another great idea. I spent years doing that in my room into a boombox when I was younger.

One problem I've run into is that closer friends or the party regulars are a lot less interested in the playing than the newbies and people I see less often. Do you not play as much at parties where there are a bunch of regulars?

Well personally I find it better to just learn really short songs, for instance one I have lined up ready to go if I ever get the opportunity to DHV with guitar is a song called Tears In The Rain by Joe Satriani, it's all instrumental, it's pretty difficult but it's only a minute long so you play it and just when they are at melting point the song is over, then just reap the rewards.

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"My toughest opponent is always myself"
Musterion's Journal

Right, I would tend to play more songs if the crowd is made up of randoms because they haven't heard you play before so their attention will be more focused on you. You have the chance to expose your personality through the songs you play and use humorous add-ins to make an impression on them.

When playing for friends and regulars, they have heard you play before so there is less of a need for them to pay attention because it is all repeat in their minds. You just need to find new ways to catch their attention while in this case. Ex: throw their names into songs, impromptu chords and lyrics, or ask one of the girls to accompany you in singing so the performance is different.

Heres a great guitar tutorial.

Great for teaching you the "basics".

http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1904510

I tried making stuff up and adding people's names to the song at a party last night. Everyone was really digging it and laughing. It's all about being creative and getting the flow of the music going.

Right on. I went to a beach area this evening with some friends and a few other people I didn't know and after the fire was going, the acoustic came out. Have fun with it and people get into it.

I play guitar too, so I have some idea of what's going on. For one, when you play for the crowd and make shit up,,, that's cool.

Now pulling two girls you don't know so well aside to play for them is a but dodgy. Playing guitar is such a intimate experience. I mean, you can see right into the persons soul,,, so to speak. It may be too big a move prior to establishing a solid base of attraction, rapport and comfort.

It's like telling a very personal story to people you don't know so well. It can come off wrong.

I'd save it for closing.

CHeers