Improving in guitar.

[Newbie]

Hey guys, any tips? Im practising like mad, still...

ive got a teacher to guide and i find him really really good and really giving me great help...

But still... its abt the feel and such... its within urself huh?

if u have a weird feel and like, not so common, say vai, slash, or even bb kings... means ure lousy? i feel really... "different", hence like feeling damn louya. =/ anyone? tips? exercises? methods? thanks... really appreciate... sigh.

 

[CyanideJunkie]

jus keep practising man... u'll find ur place soon enuff...

 

[Newbie]

sigh... really getting sick of it. like sweeping. takes forever to master it. practise so hard still... gahhhhhh

 

[spikes]

find a really difficult song you like, and keep practising on it, for instance, tender surrender, it has everything in it, the feel, the sweep picking, the thrills the feel... if you'd can master it, you're a god, and can do anysong... then again, if you'd get inspiration, saying i wanna learn ta sweep pick!!! you play for 5 hours a day for 1, 2 weeks??? then again, if you'd jump genres and play something different, you'd take playing to another level... to like a certain genre, you'd need to see, appreciatemusic from the genres point of view... just my point of view...

 

[soft]

hmm... i am not a guitarist but i feel learning music is quite similar for all instrument across board.

within the first 3 years, learn fundemental stuff like major/minor scales, chords of all keys including stuff like X7, Xm7, XM7, Xdim, Xaug ... build up a good repertoire of songs from all genre - evergreens, folk, pop, rock, jazz... etc.

after 3 years, learn arrangement, composition, improvisation.

dont rush it. it takes a lifetime to appreciate music.

 

[Newbie]

ok.. then what sort of motivation actually "pushes u"?

for people who actually practise say 5 to 8 hours a day...

sometimes i cant even pickup my guitar for 10 mins.

 

[ShredCow]

Hey man,
I'm going to advise something totally different regarding learning harder stuff like sweeping.

Practise that for say, 30 minutes. Stop. Relax. Go practise other stuff. Come back in a day or 2. You will find that you have improved in some way or another.

Try it. This usually show much more results than going at it for hours on end.

Also, do understand that when it comes to this playing thing... Some people just have the talent, they learn fast and they can play well with minimal practice. I'm not trying to be snobbish or a wet blanket but do know your limits. For all you know, you could be a really good player but then again, maybe not. Don't stress yourself out over practicing, do it moderately and with consideration to your health.
Something I tell people when they comment about how hard it is to play fast... is that, truth be told, everyone CAN play fast. But not everyone can SHRED. So you know your limits and be practical. Sweeping isn't an easy thing and for people like me, it takes a lot of time to get it right.

And for motivation? My motivation is the beat the better guy out there. But if I can't out shred, I will out compose. I want my guitar to speak for me. That's my motivation.

And once again, to those who practice 5 to 8 hours a day, so be it. Its nothing much. Really. Just practise at YOUR pace.

 

[hellmurderer]

May I know whats the difference between shred and playing fast?

 

[DoubleBlade]

ok.. then what sort of motivation actually "pushes u"?

I'm not really a guitarist myself but there was once this story which I overheard my dad sharing with my uncles before I was introduced to the piano.

This was based on a true story in HK
There was this abandoned baby who was born blind and the orphanage decided to take her in.One day a couple who very much wanted to have a baby but could not due to complications decided to pay the orphanage a visit in hoping to adapt a baby at the end of the day.It was that baby who caught their attention amongst the other normal babies.They were contemplating whether they should adapt this baby or not as they were drawn to her but the only setback was that she was blind.After much thought , they decided to adapt that baby despite she being blind and when the baby grew up to become a mature adult....She became an accomplished pianist....

Now I'm not sure if there are any accomplished blind guitarist around with the exception of the busker you see at the orchard underpass but if a blind person can be an accmplished pianist , why can't I?

If Ray Charles can reach virtuoso level , why can't I?

 

[hifi_killer]

You need to relook at what you wanna achieve in playing the guitar, is it just to be able to shred, or is it to play anything thats fun and melodic? If i were you i will rather spend more time on the melodic aspect than the technical aspect of playing the guitar.

btw being good at the guitar doesnt mean you have to shred.

 

[Newbie]

I'm going to advise something totally different regarding learning harder stuff like sweeping..

Lol i like your last 2nd paragraph.

 

[Newbie]

You need to relook at what you wanna achieve in playing the guitar, is it just to be able to shred, or is it to play anything thats fun and melodic? If i were you i will rather spend more time on the melodic aspect than the technical aspect of playing the guitar.

btw being good at the guitar doesnt mean you have to shred.

mmm but whats the biggy when you play note by note stuffs in say shops?
maybe its not so much of the biggy, but whats the point of, no skills, when u try good guitars? =/

 

[hifi_killer]

I didnt say totally ignore the technical aspect, you still need some techniques to bring out the melody,. But you dont need ALL the techniques, you decide whats necessary and unnecessary for yourself.

The way i see. you want play the guitar well because you dont want to look stupid infront of other people. If thats whats actually made you want to shred so badly... clearly something is wrong.

 

[hide]

ok.. then what sort of motivation actually "pushes u"?

for people who actually practise say 5 to 8 hours a day...

sometimes i cant even pickup my guitar for 10 mins.

guitar simply isn't what you really love man

cos its LOVE, that motivates me to practice as many hours a day as i can. I just can't bear to put it down once i pick it up.

 

[Newbie]

I didnt say totally ignore the technical aspect, you still need some techniques to bring out the melody,. But you dont need ALL the techniques, you decide whats necessary and unnecessary for yourself.

The way i see. you want play the guitar well because you dont want to look stupid infront of other people. If thats whats actually made you want to shred so badly... clearly something is wrong.

Well i mean... Part of it yes, somehow. But its not really totally that way lah...

Its like, ive seen people who play 3 chord songs, on a say, Gibson gold top.
Or even easy stuffs, then get diss by people.


Not that i dont wanna get diss, but i wanna get into the "right league". Say, good guitars, with good skills...

Mmm is there still something wrong with me? Sigh.. lol headache.

 

[ob]

ok.. then what sort of motivation actually "pushes u"?

for people who actually practise say 5 to 8 hours a day...

sometimes i cant even pickup my guitar for 10 mins.

man...... u hav to look way back .... like... why do you pick up your guitar in the first place..? its the very same reason why you keep doing it even now.... if ever you r unclear abt it..... look back...

if the reason was to impress people, well... so be it.... keep impressing people..... if it were to fulfil your musician dream..... keep wrkin towards your dream.... if it were to be the calling need of your life..... make sure u you do it....

if for some reason you dunt.... its because you just like the idea of it, but dunt really want it!

for me.... my motivation.... it is still to recreate the beautiful sounds of the guitar in real life in my own hands..... so i hav no problems picking up the guitar.... jus putting it away...

hope that helps....

 

[ob]

I didnt say totally ignore the technical aspect, you still need some techniques to bring out the melody,. But you dont need ALL the techniques, you decide whats necessary and unnecessary for yourself.

The way i see. you want play the guitar well because you dont want to look stupid infront of other people. If thats whats actually made you want to shred so badly... clearly something is wrong.

Well i mean... Part of it yes, somehow. But its not really totally that way lah...

Its like, ive seen people who play 3 chord songs, on a say, Gibson gold top.
Or even easy stuffs, then get diss by people.


Not that i dont wanna get diss, but i wanna get into the "right league". Say, good guitars, with good skills...

Mmm is there still something wrong with me? Sigh.. lol headache.

this is truth.... you will never find yourself good enough.... its a bottomless pit... the more you improve... the more you feel the need to improve....

to quote john finn:

i think everyone goes through this. you play and practice perfecting your 'thing' only to get tired of the way it sounds by the time you get it right. to the point when you would either sound technically perfect(but bored silly), or completely adventurous (and sloppy to the point of being unintelligable)

there had to be a middle ground where you can maintain that exciting spark while being able to call on you technique resources.

it the 80s it was cool to have chops and to give the impression you knew what you were doing. from a pure technique viewpoint, what was expected from a guitarist was significantly raised. thats good. at the same time guitarist were often rated purely on their chops. really fast(but mindless) noodling became the order of the day. thats bad.

these days almost the opposite is true. today, the music itself is more important than an individual;s technical ability. thats's good. at the same time, record are routinely released where bands are playing out of tune and out of time. the musicians sound like no one is listening to anyone else. the quality of sound at live shows is lowered considerably. and we're supposed to think its all cool (talk of the emperors new clothes). thats bad""

yeah.... when you finally and truly feel that you are there..... it also means you found yourself and comfortable with who you are.... music its not a competition in a first place.... if you play three chords and enjoy it like you never had.... nobody that disses you off will ever take away your endless joy you had with your instrument...

lol...its long... but hope it all helps....