how to improve my playing?
- Thread starter kelvin
- Start date
ImmortalSix
John Mayer's Mankini
Re: how to improve my playing?
-I agree that playing with people better than you is a must - it has helped me by leaps and bounds over the years
-Also, what I do is listen to music I love and break it up into small chunks and just figure out one chunk of it, and play it 100 times. Then figure out the next part, play it 100 times, and so on. At the end of a good session, I can play the whole thing, and since I played each part a million times, it has the tone etc. that I want it to have
cliffs: play with people that rule, break songs up into little pieces and play them twice as much as you think you need to
-I agree that playing with people better than you is a must - it has helped me by leaps and bounds over the years
-Also, what I do is listen to music I love and break it up into small chunks and just figure out one chunk of it, and play it 100 times. Then figure out the next part, play it 100 times, and so on. At the end of a good session, I can play the whole thing, and since I played each part a million times, it has the tone etc. that I want it to have
cliffs: play with people that rule, break songs up into little pieces and play them twice as much as you think you need to
Corbic
New member
Re: how to improve my playing?
Rid is right. I've only been playing for over a year, but I've already found out (the hard way) that I'm not cut out to be a shredder, I'm not very good at tapping, and...well I just can't play very very fast. I'm much better off playing blues and classic rock. So I embraced that, and instead of trying to be Yngwie Malmsteen, I tried to become me, by playing as I can, though it may be a bit slow at times, and putting as much feeling as I can into my playing. And having fun while doing so. I practice a few hours a day, and play with a few other people, and thats of course helped me as well. But like Rid and others said, embrace what you are as a player and not what you aren't. Build on what you are to create your own musical identity.
Rid is right. I've only been playing for over a year, but I've already found out (the hard way) that I'm not cut out to be a shredder, I'm not very good at tapping, and...well I just can't play very very fast. I'm much better off playing blues and classic rock. So I embraced that, and instead of trying to be Yngwie Malmsteen, I tried to become me, by playing as I can, though it may be a bit slow at times, and putting as much feeling as I can into my playing. And having fun while doing so. I practice a few hours a day, and play with a few other people, and thats of course helped me as well. But like Rid and others said, embrace what you are as a player and not what you aren't. Build on what you are to create your own musical identity.
danglybanger
ReelItInologist
Re: how to improve my playing?
play til your hands hurt. My big problem was that when I was "practicing" I was just noodling with no structure, or playing familiar things.
I only started getting out of that rut when I forced myself to practice things til I got them, forcing myself to play things I didn't want to play, forcing myself at paces and in fingerings and scales I was unfamiliar with...
Forcing myself to read stuff on chord types and scales...
It hurts
But it's worth it when you can just bust out.
Slade
play til your hands hurt. My big problem was that when I was "practicing" I was just noodling with no structure, or playing familiar things.
I only started getting out of that rut when I forced myself to practice things til I got them, forcing myself to play things I didn't want to play, forcing myself at paces and in fingerings and scales I was unfamiliar with...
Forcing myself to read stuff on chord types and scales...
It hurts
But it's worth it when you can just bust out.Slade
Pink Unicorn Horsey
Megä Pöny Rÿdr
Re: how to improve my playing?
^ +1
Awesome advice. Go after the stuff that's more difficult. If you keep practicing the stuff you already know, you'll just sound good at those few things.
^ +1
Awesome advice. Go after the stuff that's more difficult. If you keep practicing the stuff you already know, you'll just sound good at those few things.
Guitar Toad
Toadily Stratologist
Re: how to improve my playing?
This is a really cool thread. It's refreshing in a way...it's ok to suck as a guitar player.
I found that when I play the ABC song and Twinkle Twinkle for my two year old, she thinks I'm am just the best.
Thanks for starting this thread, kelvin!
I started just working with the Am minor pentatonic scale when I got my strat 1.5 years ago. I knew all the notes on the neck and the C major scale. but that's really all that I knew. I began learning the notes of the Am pentatonic scale on the whole neck...I just kept playing it over and over and over and then started making up my own riffs and licks and then it's just almost become second nature now. I can now fairly easily move the Am pentatonic scale and play it as D, E, C#, or any where I need to play it.
Then I started working with the E major scale in the same way.
Learn what the chords are for the major scale and minor scales. Then just experiment with playing your own chord progressions and see how they sound. Play the standard progressions 12 bar blues and other variations with the I IV, V chords. Through in some II, III, VI, and VII chords occasionally and you'll be able to start learning what sounds good.
Don't worry about play 100 notes a minute. just learn how to play two, three and four note phrases with feel and emotion like to you mean it.
Keep plugging away and be patient...you'll be able to really suck one day...
This is a really cool thread. It's refreshing in a way...it's ok to suck as a guitar player.
I found that when I play the ABC song and Twinkle Twinkle for my two year old, she thinks I'm am just the best.
Thanks for starting this thread, kelvin!
I started just working with the Am minor pentatonic scale when I got my strat 1.5 years ago. I knew all the notes on the neck and the C major scale. but that's really all that I knew. I began learning the notes of the Am pentatonic scale on the whole neck...I just kept playing it over and over and over and then started making up my own riffs and licks and then it's just almost become second nature now. I can now fairly easily move the Am pentatonic scale and play it as D, E, C#, or any where I need to play it.
Then I started working with the E major scale in the same way.
Learn what the chords are for the major scale and minor scales. Then just experiment with playing your own chord progressions and see how they sound. Play the standard progressions 12 bar blues and other variations with the I IV, V chords. Through in some II, III, VI, and VII chords occasionally and you'll be able to start learning what sounds good.
Don't worry about play 100 notes a minute. just learn how to play two, three and four note phrases with feel and emotion like to you mean it.
Keep plugging away and be patient...you'll be able to really suck one day...
Last edited:
Re: how to improve my playing?
This is a very very important post that should not be taken lightly. It is true 100% and I live by these rules.
I just want to add to this, DO NOT BE AFRAID THAT YOU SUCK! If you play alone, it's much easier to see your mistakes and it's much harder to improvise solos and such. (I can't hum out a tune and play it. But if I hear a kick ass rythm going, I can play over it fine.)
Once you get in a band enviorment, you can rest on your fellow band members a bit and actually sound far better than you ever will alone.
And most importantly, HAVE FUN! If it stops being fun to play, set the guitar down and go do something until you feel inspired to play again. I understand people taking lessons can't really do this, so this only applies to self taught people.
Glenn tippton is a fine example of that. If you play when you're not in the mood, you'll sound like trash unless your playing is already above the level of 90% of guitarist.
This is a very very important post that should not be taken lightly. It is true 100% and I live by these rules.
I just want to add to this, DO NOT BE AFRAID THAT YOU SUCK! If you play alone, it's much easier to see your mistakes and it's much harder to improvise solos and such. (I can't hum out a tune and play it. But if I hear a kick ass rythm going, I can play over it fine.)
Once you get in a band enviorment, you can rest on your fellow band members a bit and actually sound far better than you ever will alone.
And most importantly, HAVE FUN! If it stops being fun to play, set the guitar down and go do something until you feel inspired to play again. I understand people taking lessons can't really do this, so this only applies to self taught people.
Glenn tippton is a fine example of that. If you play when you're not in the mood, you'll sound like trash unless your playing is already above the level of 90% of guitarist.
Re: how to improve my playing?
After only a little over a year, I wouldn't be saying "I'm not cut out to be a shredder."
I'm sure Yngwie, satch, and vai all felt the same. It just requires insane amounts of practicse and determination.
It's taken me 3 years to even become "sorta" fast. I run scales every day, play blues shuffles made up of very hard to play chords, and lots of stuff like that.
It makes your fingers more flexable, speed comes with time, accuracy comes with practicse.
After only a little over a year, I wouldn't be saying "I'm not cut out to be a shredder."
I'm sure Yngwie, satch, and vai all felt the same. It just requires insane amounts of practicse and determination.
It's taken me 3 years to even become "sorta" fast. I run scales every day, play blues shuffles made up of very hard to play chords, and lots of stuff like that.
It makes your fingers more flexable, speed comes with time, accuracy comes with practicse.
Re: how to improve my playing?
Don't get complicated too soon. Learn to cover some of your favorite tunes. But don't try to go all out right away. I would suggest that you first learn to be a good rythm guitarist. Strumming for a while will help you gain a good chord vocabulary. Particularly if you study some basic music theory as you go along.
As you begin to play rythm, try to make your axe sound like the guitar in the recording. This will help you develop an ear for tone. A good sense of tone is one of the qualities that differentiates a pro from a noob! Once you get good tone you'll really begin to sound like a pro. Once you know what good tone sounds like then experiment and try to create your own unique tone. This will make your playing immediately recognizable to anyone who is familiar with your playing. This is when people who hear you should be able to take the blindfold test. It will become your signature sound.
Next tackle lead playing. Be prepared to spend the rest of your life on the planet in an effort to perfect your lead playing. It's like Kung Fu. If you die at the age of 90 then you'll have just started making some headway by then! :laugh2: To play lead you'll need a combination of ear training, phrasing, more theory, and more technique.
Don't get complicated too soon. Learn to cover some of your favorite tunes. But don't try to go all out right away. I would suggest that you first learn to be a good rythm guitarist. Strumming for a while will help you gain a good chord vocabulary. Particularly if you study some basic music theory as you go along.
As you begin to play rythm, try to make your axe sound like the guitar in the recording. This will help you develop an ear for tone. A good sense of tone is one of the qualities that differentiates a pro from a noob! Once you get good tone you'll really begin to sound like a pro. Once you know what good tone sounds like then experiment and try to create your own unique tone. This will make your playing immediately recognizable to anyone who is familiar with your playing. This is when people who hear you should be able to take the blindfold test. It will become your signature sound.
Next tackle lead playing. Be prepared to spend the rest of your life on the planet in an effort to perfect your lead playing. It's like Kung Fu. If you die at the age of 90 then you'll have just started making some headway by then! :laugh2: To play lead you'll need a combination of ear training, phrasing, more theory, and more technique.
Jackson Distortion
New member
Re: how to improve my playing?
+1
Getting a good tone to place with the playing is one most satisfying aspects a guitar player can experience- it is gratifying not only to the player, but also an audience.
+1
Getting a good tone to place with the playing is one most satisfying aspects a guitar player can experience- it is gratifying not only to the player, but also an audience.
Corbic
New member
Re: how to improve my playing?
It's not just because I can't play very fast, its also that I don't really want to be a shredder :laugh2:
I much prefer playing blues and classic rock, and working my way up to Cream era Clapton speed, or Jimmy Page speed. If I can do that, I'd be the happiest guitar player ever. I'd much rather play things at a medium speed with a lot of feel and attitude then play a billion notes a second that don't have much feel to any of them (No offense to anyone who does play like that, its just not my thing).
It's not just because I can't play very fast, its also that I don't really want to be a shredder :laugh2:
I much prefer playing blues and classic rock, and working my way up to Cream era Clapton speed, or Jimmy Page speed. If I can do that, I'd be the happiest guitar player ever. I'd much rather play things at a medium speed with a lot of feel and attitude then play a billion notes a second that don't have much feel to any of them (No offense to anyone who does play like that, its just not my thing).
cake55
New member
Re: how to improve my playing?
practise practise practise
and play with pro musicians that will push
you somewhat
the only way i became better was
jamming ..going and watching acts
listening to varied types of music
and of course practise in the house
get sum backing tracks from the net
theres BT mp3s for all types
blues/hard rock ect
there great to jam too and of
course improves your playing
even though its cover versions
i cant even read music at all
when i play live i got the odd
one or two saying my playing
is great ....so i guess its down
to the ears too
theres no rule really
but it all depends were you
wanna go with it
but music is fun and
you need to keep that
factor with you...
best of luck and keep rockin in the da free world
practise practise practise
and play with pro musicians that will push
you somewhat
the only way i became better was
jamming ..going and watching acts
listening to varied types of music
and of course practise in the house
get sum backing tracks from the net
theres BT mp3s for all types
blues/hard rock ect
there great to jam too and of
course improves your playing
even though its cover versions
i cant even read music at all
when i play live i got the odd
one or two saying my playing
is great ....so i guess its down
to the ears too
theres no rule really
but it all depends were you
wanna go with it
but music is fun and
you need to keep that
factor with you...
best of luck and keep rockin in the da free world
Last edited:
F
firebirdVII
Guest
Re: how to improve my playing?
Hey, I routinely play bare-fingered with 13s, sometimes with 14s, if you get scared away the first time, then you'll never get those callouses developed.
Hey, I routinely play bare-fingered with 13s, sometimes with 14s, if you get scared away the first time, then you'll never get those callouses developed.
