Members FFStratophile Posted May 14, 2011 Members Share Posted May 14, 2011 Been a while since I've been on the board, nice to be back. So, long story short, I've been playing for seven years, had a couple of dreadful teachers, many bouts with tendinitis which may or may not had been caused by bad posture, and all in all, I'm a far cry from where I'd like to be as far as playing guitar goes. Sadly getting a teacher right now is impossible, so that leaves me with just myself, the guitar, and the internet: Meaning you folks. After seven years I really feel like I'm doing a lot wrong. What advice do you have? Should I start as if from scratch, or try to build from the shaky foundations I already have? Any good links? The lesson loft thread has a hell of a lot of material, but it's too much to swallow and organize coherently. I guess I'm looking for a guide, a straight and simple to understand road from where I currently am to where I wanna be on guitar. Any pointers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mosiddiqi Posted May 14, 2011 Members Share Posted May 14, 2011 Hello!..what do you actually want to do?..play in a band?..write your own songs?..where are you actually at right now technically?..have you got any clips we can listen to that might help gauge what areas you might need to work on?. Judging by your avatar..can you make a reasonable go of the solo in "Highway Star"?..that would tell me something about your level!. Lots of questions rather than answers, sorry! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Krank'N Posted May 15, 2011 Members Share Posted May 15, 2011 I used to have carpal tunnel real bad and it was getting painful to play guitar. I backed off on the playing and when I did play I took vitamin B6 supplements. Gradually my body has repaired itself . As for the rest -if you give more specific questions youll get more specific answers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FFStratophile Posted May 15, 2011 Author Members Share Posted May 15, 2011 Thanks for the replies. I do see now that I didn't really specify much. I write my own stuff, which gets quite technical on occasions. My influences are Blackmore, EVH,Satriani, Vai, Laiho. I can't think of a better answer as far as my goals for the moment. And yes, I can do a passing rendition of Highway Star, but hey, the tricky part is on just one string, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Darkworld Posted May 16, 2011 Members Share Posted May 16, 2011 How does posture cause tendinitis? I'm asking mainly so I can avoid the same thing happening to me. I recommend isolating difficult passages in your songs and fashioning exercises out of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FFStratophile Posted May 16, 2011 Author Members Share Posted May 16, 2011 I'm no expert, but prolonged playing in bad posture and with extra tension sounds like a good cause for tendinitis. Otherwise I'm really clueless as to how I got it in the first place As for fashioning passages into exercises, that sounds like good albeit common sense advice, but it doesn't really shed light on the thing that actually matters: How do I exercise? With a metronome? Without one? Start slow or not? Even deeper-how do I actually place my fingers? Alternate picking or not? Right hand placement? That is the sort of stuff I'm really confused about. There are a lot of sources on the Internet on the subject and each gives you different and conflicting advice. What do you folks say? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 1001gear Posted May 16, 2011 Members Share Posted May 16, 2011 Muscles learn molecule by molecule. The learning curve is gradual or nothing. If you're injurde (ai can't believe ai spelt that) you're in negative territory and need to come back extremely carefully. Do unstressed moves through the pain a few seconds at a time and stop. In a few days you'll have an idea of the zone you're in. Give yourself a full year to deal with it and pace yourself accordingly. This means yes, you'd be better off on slow unstressful beginner stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FFStratophile Posted May 16, 2011 Author Members Share Posted May 16, 2011 Thanks for the reply 1001gear. Do you have any examples, links or articles on slow beginners stuff? Can anyone else tune in too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mosiddiqi Posted May 16, 2011 Members Share Posted May 16, 2011 I'm no expert, but prolonged playing in bad posture and with extra tension sounds like a good cause for tendinitis. Otherwise I'm really clueless as to how I got it in the first place As for fashioning passages into exercises, that sounds like good albeit common sense advice, but it doesn't really shed light on the thing that actually matters: How do I exercise? With a metronome? Without one? Start slow or not? Even deeper-how do I actually place my fingers? Alternate picking or not? Right hand placement? That is the sort of stuff I'm really confused about. There are a lot of sources on the Internet on the subject and each gives you different and conflicting advice. What do you folks say? Always with a metronome. Starting slow is a good idea, but when you're warmed up, don't be afraid to play faster than you actually can..in short bursts. When it comes to picking(assuming using a pick in the usual rock/blues/jazz context), you're really looking at alternate, economy or hybrid. I think it's better to focus on one technique to aid muscle memory..but it is very useful to have a good grasp of all three methods..because they SOUND different. If I was starting from scratch again, I'd probably focus only on alternate picking until I was comfortable with it, and then explore economy and hybrid. As far finger/hand placement goes, the most important thing is comfort. We're all different and what works for one won't necessarily work for another, but a good rule of thumb is that if your placement/posture is stopping you from playing what you need to play, then you need to change it. What works for me is: I hold my pick between my thumb and the flat part of my index finger. My right hand rests loosely just by the bridge of my guitar with my non-pick holding fingers curled in. My picking motion is nearly always from the wrist only, sometimes from the thumb/index finger only, and very rarely from the arm. In order to "unlock" my wrist and stop picking from the arm, I found it useful to concentrate on picking from the thumb/index finger ONLY for a while. Working on this very small movement seemed to free up whatever was stopping me from picking from the wrist. If anything hurts. STOP! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FFStratophile Posted May 16, 2011 Author Members Share Posted May 16, 2011 Thanks mosiddiqi, very useful stuff. Now I just lack a coherent plan of action. What exercises should I do? How should I plan and manage my practice time? How do you do it? Thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mosiddiqi Posted May 16, 2011 Members Share Posted May 16, 2011 Thanks mosiddiqi, very useful stuff. Now I just lack a coherent plan of action. What exercises should I do? How should I plan and manage my practice time? How do you do it? Thanks in advance. Well...for me, my practice time is driven by my desire. So, what happens is, I'll get obsessed by something..say Blackmore's solo in "Lazy" for example ..so first thing, I'll slow it down and try and learn it note for note..in doing so, I'll undoubtedly hit problem areas where my picking or fretting isn't cutting it. I'll isolate the problem area, and then THAT becomes my exercise. So, I guess I'm saying that the exercises I do, are nearly always pieces of music. In fact, for "Lazy" I had problems with this lick: ..which makes a GREAT picking/hammering/pull-off exercise..much more fun than playing an actual exercise for me. Similarly, the break in "Spotlight Kid" makes for a super exercise..I actually play this almost every time I pick up the guitar: This is all about combining alternate picking and sweep picking..lot's of fun! This method works for me..finding things I HAVE to learn, and then working with them. I don't find that I need to plan or manage this type of thing, I just do it..'cos I have to. However, if you do need to work out a practice regime, 20 minutes scales, 20 minutes rhythm, 20 minutes lead improvisation etc....then the best advice I can give is to make sure you plan to have some fun with it . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FFStratophile Posted May 16, 2011 Author Members Share Posted May 16, 2011 Thanks a lot. Sounds like a fun way of practice which I'd love to adopt. Just one minor mishap. I lack a grasp of how to take an exercise and perfect it. If I don't have an orderly way, I start playing slowly, speed up, get sloppy and quickly grow bored. What I need is proper instruction on how to take an exercise and perfect it. Hopefully I managed to explain myself Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mosiddiqi Posted May 16, 2011 Members Share Posted May 16, 2011 Thanks a lot. Sounds like a fun way of practice which I'd love to adopt. Just one minor mishap. I lack a grasp of how to take an exercise and perfect it. If I don't have an orderly way, I start playing slowly, get faster and quickly grow bored. What I need is proper instruction on how to take an exercise and perfect it. Hopefully I managed to explain myself Record everything you do and listen HONESTLY!!!..I'll often think I've nailed something till I listen back to the recording and find that I really haven't..usually small details, but it's those small details, vibrato, dynamics, articulation etc, that really make the difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FFStratophile Posted May 16, 2011 Author Members Share Posted May 16, 2011 Thanks, I'll give it a shot this evening. Any more suggestions from anyone? What about music theory? Where do I even start on that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jeremy_green Posted May 16, 2011 Members Share Posted May 16, 2011 Man MO you got this sucker wrapped! Nice answers. Stratophile. Follow the love and go where it takes you - that is the best plan for learning. Use songs as your teachers and create all your exercises and questions from that. So for example if you are learning "Lazy" maybe you want to come on here and ask: What key is it in? How can I determine that? What is the theory behind the chord changes? What scales are used? Why? This type of theory. The point is make your questions relevant to what you are working on. Accumulating techniques and knowledge in a fishbowl is cool... but real life application will stick with you far more. Join a band - ASAP!Record yourself often.Use only your ears to learn songs for a long while.Always end every practice on with a good note.Accept that some days you just dont have it and learn to laugh at it. Not see it as a sign of your sucking.Define your goals both micro and macro and devise a map to get you there.Listen to music that inspires you.Go see live performances often.Buy a new pedal that excites you once in a while.Use a metronome a lot.Stop playing scales mindlessly and start playing music with those same scales. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 1001gear Posted May 16, 2011 Members Share Posted May 16, 2011 Theory; get a personal keyboard and lessons and/or instructional software. You can always reference the knowledge to fretboard. The exercises; you're on your own. You have to diagnose your obstacles and develop a program that'll get you playing your music. Teacher wouldn't hurt either. The problem as I see it and this is probably true in and of itself, is it would in all likelihood take an accomplished guitarist to cut the material you wish to do. Compound this with starting at injured wannabe and I see little other recourse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FFStratophile Posted May 16, 2011 Author Members Share Posted May 16, 2011 Thanks a lot folks. I was actually looking for a structured method, but what you are proposing, well it sure is something I've never tried before. I'll be giving it a shot. One more question, what's your opinion on Auggie's speed series? Worth following through? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jeremy_green Posted May 16, 2011 Members Share Posted May 16, 2011 OK here is a structure: "I am going to learn Deep Purple's Machine Head - front to back note for note. Including post-game analysis of each song and solo" Ready? GO! : ) P.S. Most thought out series are good ... Augie's is well done. So is Stetina's Speed Mechanics book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.