I've been playin for about a year now, and I find that recently that I don't feel like I'm getting any better, like I've hit a roadblock. I always find myself coming back to the same chords /techniques/mannerisms that I've accumulated. I go to college in a few months so I dont' really have time to get a teacher for the summer. How can I freshen up my playing and improve? Practice scales? Look up tabs? any advice appreciated, thanks...
how to practice?
- Thread starter llamma
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Cowboy Dan!?
New member
Re: how to practice?
learn to play with the guitar behind your back or over your head! :laugh2:
learn to play with the guitar behind your back or over your head! :laugh2:
S
seafoamer
Guest
Re: how to practice?
Transcribe tunes!
Transcribe tunes!
Skullkrusher
The T-Files-ologist
Re: how to practice?
Good Call.Guitarist said:
Re: how to practice?
Set a goal in your practice rountine ... practice and playing are not the same thing ... jamming while it has it's place is not the greatest idea for improving your playing and musicianship. Pick things to practice. Such as set a goal one day to practice chord inversions in chord progressions, start with root position, then first inversion, then second inversion, then thrid (if applicable ...ie 7ths), etc. work 'em in whatever string groups you have lower four strings, middle four strings, upper four strings;lower five strings, upper five strings. Go through all you chord types. Practice walking a chord up and down the neck in it's inversions. Take a chord progression that you know from a song, and work out different inversions for it to get a different sound. Try taking a song and moving it from say it's major key to it's minor key.
pracitce scales in different fingerings, and various places on the neck. Practice different scales, do things like record a rhythm track with slow chord changes (chords played for a few measures before changing, and ringing out so you can hear them well), and see what different types of scales you can play over the same chord(s). Practice scales to a rhythm (eg ... eighth notes) to a metronome, get comfortable with the tempo, then gradually increase it, if you botch it, lower the tempo back down. Play with the proper accents, or intentially put in accents on beats you wouldn't. Keep a record, be consistant. Always have a clear plan of what you are going to practice that day. Also warm up, take a break half way through practice, relax breathe, practice in good posture ... don't laugh it makes a difference. Then after you are finished, mark down anything you think you need to keep working on for next time. Then have some fun and just play, anything you want. If you only got so much time, budget it out with something meaningful and you'll get much better results. Yes learning stuff from other styles is great, but practice it, don't just play it. Also try to figure out other things from your own style that mess well with it, and things that don't ... then try to figure out why. Just some thoughts to consider. :cool3:
Set a goal in your practice rountine ... practice and playing are not the same thing ... jamming while it has it's place is not the greatest idea for improving your playing and musicianship. Pick things to practice. Such as set a goal one day to practice chord inversions in chord progressions, start with root position, then first inversion, then second inversion, then thrid (if applicable ...ie 7ths), etc. work 'em in whatever string groups you have lower four strings, middle four strings, upper four strings;lower five strings, upper five strings. Go through all you chord types. Practice walking a chord up and down the neck in it's inversions. Take a chord progression that you know from a song, and work out different inversions for it to get a different sound. Try taking a song and moving it from say it's major key to it's minor key.
pracitce scales in different fingerings, and various places on the neck. Practice different scales, do things like record a rhythm track with slow chord changes (chords played for a few measures before changing, and ringing out so you can hear them well), and see what different types of scales you can play over the same chord(s). Practice scales to a rhythm (eg ... eighth notes) to a metronome, get comfortable with the tempo, then gradually increase it, if you botch it, lower the tempo back down. Play with the proper accents, or intentially put in accents on beats you wouldn't. Keep a record, be consistant. Always have a clear plan of what you are going to practice that day. Also warm up, take a break half way through practice, relax breathe, practice in good posture ... don't laugh it makes a difference. Then after you are finished, mark down anything you think you need to keep working on for next time. Then have some fun and just play, anything you want. If you only got so much time, budget it out with something meaningful and you'll get much better results. Yes learning stuff from other styles is great, but practice it, don't just play it. Also try to figure out other things from your own style that mess well with it, and things that don't ... then try to figure out why. Just some thoughts to consider. :cool3:
TwofacePimp
New member
Re: how to practice?
I agree. Hearing your heroes play and figuring out what they were doing will definitely bust you out of your playing rut because you will have to play outside of what you're comfortable with. If that's too hard (I know that I had a hard time with only a year under my belt!), just try to figure out the chord progression or even use the tabs. But try to learn the songs beginning to end, that way you'll get the most out of it.
It is also good to practice playing the ideas that you hear in your head. If you can hear a single line melody or chord progression, you should also be able to play it on the guitar. It takes time, but it's a valuable skill to have.
Both of the things that I suggested will train your ears just as much as your hands. And believe me, ear training will definitely help your playing! Good luck
seafoamer said:
I agree. Hearing your heroes play and figuring out what they were doing will definitely bust you out of your playing rut because you will have to play outside of what you're comfortable with. If that's too hard (I know that I had a hard time with only a year under my belt!), just try to figure out the chord progression or even use the tabs. But try to learn the songs beginning to end, that way you'll get the most out of it.
It is also good to practice playing the ideas that you hear in your head. If you can hear a single line melody or chord progression, you should also be able to play it on the guitar. It takes time, but it's a valuable skill to have.
Both of the things that I suggested will train your ears just as much as your hands. And believe me, ear training will definitely help your playing! Good luck
