The 1 tip that made you a better player...
- Thread starter lex666
- Start date
Butch Snyder
ObsoleteChickenPickingologist
Re: The 1 tip that made you a better player...
I like this one. I will have to try it.
I like this one. I will have to try it.
jimijames
New member
Re: The 1 tip that made you a better player...
One that i've gotten is: It's not what you play through, it's what you play through it. Everyone is so concerned with their tone, but it will come once you become more comfortable playing the guitar. Also, there is no substitute for experience.
One that i've gotten is: It's not what you play through, it's what you play through it. Everyone is so concerned with their tone, but it will come once you become more comfortable playing the guitar. Also, there is no substitute for experience.
deisel_86
New member
Re: The 1 tip that made you a better player...
My tip, would be to play with people who are better than you. They will help push to become better and there is lots to learn from them.. I find i learn the most this way as apposed to sitting at home playing the same riffs over and over again.. stick you neck out there and learn something new... Keep Rockin'
My tip, would be to play with people who are better than you. They will help push to become better and there is lots to learn from them.. I find i learn the most this way as apposed to sitting at home playing the same riffs over and over again.. stick you neck out there and learn something new... Keep Rockin'
Reckless Abandon
New member
Re: The 1 tip that made you a better player...
PLaying with a drum machine often. I play it through a bass amp. Come up with stuff and work on timing. Most of what I write now is from doing that. Playing scales with a metronome has also helped
PLaying with a drum machine often. I play it through a bass amp. Come up with stuff and work on timing. Most of what I write now is from doing that. Playing scales with a metronome has also helped
B
BigDaddy
Guest
Re: The 1 tip that made you a better player...
I didn't read all the answers but as a player with 40 years of playing. Playing with bands since I was 15, playing gigs soon after.
I will say the most important thing that made me a better guitar player is always remember you are there for one reason. To entertain the audience....
Never forget who you are playing for and always give it your best and be professional. Even if you are making $25 play the gig like you are at Madison Square Garden in front of 30,000 people.
Win the audience over with a tasteful and professional job, learn how to control them emotionally with your music and soloing.
I have seen great guitar players with all the chops in the world literally bore the audience to tears. By the the middle of the set they played everything they knew at breakneck speed. Or they were too loud or had a bad attitude that turned the audience off. I have seen it all.
So just be a dynamic performer that's what is the one thing that made me a better guitar player.
I didn't read all the answers but as a player with 40 years of playing. Playing with bands since I was 15, playing gigs soon after.
I will say the most important thing that made me a better guitar player is always remember you are there for one reason. To entertain the audience....
Never forget who you are playing for and always give it your best and be professional. Even if you are making $25 play the gig like you are at Madison Square Garden in front of 30,000 people.
Win the audience over with a tasteful and professional job, learn how to control them emotionally with your music and soloing.
I have seen great guitar players with all the chops in the world literally bore the audience to tears. By the the middle of the set they played everything they knew at breakneck speed. Or they were too loud or had a bad attitude that turned the audience off. I have seen it all.
So just be a dynamic performer that's what is the one thing that made me a better guitar player.
daemon barbeque
Zuhahahaologist
Destructone
New member
Re: The 1 tip that made you a better player...
"Playing is just like writing. Learn the words, find out what they mean, and then try to put them in a sentence that says what you want to express."
-my junior high music teacher
"Playing is just like writing. Learn the words, find out what they mean, and then try to put them in a sentence that says what you want to express."
-my junior high music teacher
wahwah
GumbyLoveologist
Re: The 1 tip that made you a better player...
Yeah, that's very good advice BigDaddy. As musicians we are providing a service. Keeping that in mind helps to keep the individual's ego in check, which is generally more conducive to musicality! Most audiences (particularly females, and let's face it....!) will respond more to emotion than technical wizardry which they can't relate to or understand.
Cheers.............wahwah
Yeah, that's very good advice BigDaddy. As musicians we are providing a service. Keeping that in mind helps to keep the individual's ego in check, which is generally more conducive to musicality! Most audiences (particularly females, and let's face it....!) will respond more to emotion than technical wizardry which they can't relate to or understand.
Cheers.............wahwah
JohnnyGuitar
New member
Re: The 1 tip that made you a better player...
Learn how to get the best tone from every note you pick: find the best spot one the guitar to touch the strings with the pick, never hold it with an angle to the strings, learn the way the dynamics affect tone and once you got your fast runs down learn how to pick them harder.
Another one is - start writing songs. Learn how the guitar works with the lyrics, the chords, etc... even if you're not planning to go on stage with them. Compose poems if you don't want to write lyrics (or write instrumental pieces).
Learn how to get the best tone from every note you pick: find the best spot one the guitar to touch the strings with the pick, never hold it with an angle to the strings, learn the way the dynamics affect tone and once you got your fast runs down learn how to pick them harder.
Another one is - start writing songs. Learn how the guitar works with the lyrics, the chords, etc... even if you're not planning to go on stage with them. Compose poems if you don't want to write lyrics (or write instrumental pieces).
phil_104
Cheesesteakologist
Re: The 1 tip that made you a better player...
The best advice came to me from this guy who was stuck in the '60s. He told me that after I had a good mastery of my instrument and I knew how to handle it, that music had to be an emotional phenomenon rather than simply something that is mecanical in the sense of playing. Music should be more than just hitting strings. That changed my perception somewhat, and I think it helped me put passion into everything I play.
The best advice came to me from this guy who was stuck in the '60s. He told me that after I had a good mastery of my instrument and I knew how to handle it, that music had to be an emotional phenomenon rather than simply something that is mecanical in the sense of playing. Music should be more than just hitting strings. That changed my perception somewhat, and I think it helped me put passion into everything I play.
Re: The 1 tip that made you a better player...
Best advice? Stop playing altogether for awhile. Or learn the drums or piano.
I seriousely think only years really bring the experience. My favorite players are people like Neil Young ,Lou Reed, Zappa, Lennon. Not very technical but, as a former shredder, they are the ones i appreciate now.
You have to get really 'good'. Then let yourself get 'bad'. Then you might actually be able to be a good, true player.
Best advice? Stop playing altogether for awhile. Or learn the drums or piano.
I seriousely think only years really bring the experience. My favorite players are people like Neil Young ,Lou Reed, Zappa, Lennon. Not very technical but, as a former shredder, they are the ones i appreciate now.
You have to get really 'good'. Then let yourself get 'bad'. Then you might actually be able to be a good, true player.
Last edited:
Pink Unicorn Horsey
Megä Pöny Rÿdr
Re: The 1 tip that made you a better player...
Work on the things you're not good at, rather than wailing away on your strengths. Sounds pretty intuitive, but I never realized how much I avoided the difficult stuff until someone actually said something about it to me.
I'd love to read that interview, Jeff. In fact, point me to any Roy Buchanan interview. He's one of my recent discoveries, and he's become an instant guitar god in my eyes.
Back to topic...
- Keith
Work on the things you're not good at, rather than wailing away on your strengths. Sounds pretty intuitive, but I never realized how much I avoided the difficult stuff until someone actually said something about it to me.
I'd love to read that interview, Jeff. In fact, point me to any Roy Buchanan interview. He's one of my recent discoveries, and he's become an instant guitar god in my eyes.
Back to topic...
- Keith
fingerace
New member
Re: The 1 tip that made you a better player...
VERY good tips in this thread and straight to the point! It's in my browser's favorites...
I agree.
Learing difficult techniques creates a larger list of options for the player to express his emotions.
When you have the ability to play fast, fingerpick, use harmonics, play using a slide, play slow, play with an ebow, play using a wah, or using a talkbox etc etc, you can choose whatever pleases you at any given moment. Whatever can express your emotions. You can do anything. and this way you become a better guitar player.
VERY good tips in this thread and straight to the point! It's in my browser's favorites...
I agree.
Learing difficult techniques creates a larger list of options for the player to express his emotions.
When you have the ability to play fast, fingerpick, use harmonics, play using a slide, play slow, play with an ebow, play using a wah, or using a talkbox etc etc, you can choose whatever pleases you at any given moment. Whatever can express your emotions. You can do anything. and this way you become a better guitar player.
Rand-O-Monium
New member
Re: The 1 tip that made you a better player...
Someone else said it,but I'll re-iterate to know when NOT to play.
I'm the only guitarist in our band,so I see as seizing opportunities when a solo comes up,rather than doing a bunch of noodling between verses,etc...
Great Thread,BTW!!!
Someone else said it,but I'll re-iterate to know when NOT to play.
I'm the only guitarist in our band,so I see as seizing opportunities when a solo comes up,rather than doing a bunch of noodling between verses,etc...
Great Thread,BTW!!!
JohnnyGuitar
New member
Re: The 1 tip that made you a better player...
Another one- I figured it today when I sat down to play. Instead of practicing on technique practice on getting great slow phrases with long sustaining notes. From any scale or pattern you know...
Don't know if it would make me a better player but it felt good. solos started to mean something to me. It was the same intensity that I was getting from the guitar when I only started and I couldn't play fast...
Another one- I figured it today when I sat down to play. Instead of practicing on technique practice on getting great slow phrases with long sustaining notes. From any scale or pattern you know...
Don't know if it would make me a better player but it felt good. solos started to mean something to me. It was the same intensity that I was getting from the guitar when I only started and I couldn't play fast...
Zhangliqun
Questionologist
Re: The 1 tip that made you a better player...
Works for me. I go through about two of those blue cans a week. (Don't care for the malt flavor in the orange bottles.)
Drink more Ovaltine.
Works for me. I go through about two of those blue cans a week. (Don't care for the malt flavor in the orange bottles.)
