Members erict Posted June 4, 2007 Members Posted June 4, 2007 Ive been playing guitar for almost for years and am pretty serious about it. I practice for about 4 hours a day (after school). My practicing includes various warm up exercsises and many chop building excersises. After I finish up those things I will usually just jam for about an hour (setting a loop with a drum machine) ... Once im done with that I will try to learn a song by ear (not the entire thing, just the parts i like and want to learn). And thats about it. I take guitar lessons, at them I sight read, and learn a song of my choice... The thing is that dont feel as if my playing hass gotten much better... I dont no what the reason is... maybe its the way i practice.. I dont know Anyway... Im sure many of you have been in the same position I am in now... and I ask you , HOW CAN I GET OUT OF THIS RUT???? - thanks
Members Kole Posted June 4, 2007 Members Posted June 4, 2007 EricT,I understand what you mean by being stuck in a rut. I have some advice that worked for me when I was stuck and hopefully it can help you.Begin to study music theory and practice ear training. I recommend www.teoria.com to do most of this. Studying Theory opened up new doors and helped me understand how tonal progressions worked. With this new knowledge you can begin to craft your own licks etc. to match the new chords and progressions you know. Also, learning and identifying chords, intervals, etc. is very important and can drastically change some peoples way of soloing or coming up with melodies (I know it did mine).Anyway, hope this helps and if you have any other questions feel free to e-mail me at Kole@Kolemusician.com
Members erict Posted June 4, 2007 Author Members Posted June 4, 2007 Thanks alot for the advice... but I already know alot of theory ( i should have mentioned this) and that door has been opened many times. As a matter a fact , i just finished my music theory course at school and took the exam today. I am (now that it is summer) going to try to practice my ear training and sight singing... Thanks for the advice
Members gennation Posted June 4, 2007 Members Posted June 4, 2007 http://lessons.mikedodge.com The On Topic section of my lesson site is specifically for people who need a "new view". The Advanced Pentatonics Tutorial will show you how to take those little Pentatonic scales, super-impose them over each to come up with a chromatic view that encompasses the Major and Minor Pentatonic scales, the Blues scale, the Dorian, Mixolydian, Lydian Dominant, and more...all by using two simple scales. This will be a real eye opener using tools I'm sure you already have under your grips. The Phrygian Dominant Tutorial and Indian Sliding Techniques (video lesson) will add a TON of new scale concepts and techniques to your arsonal...along with adding a bunch of exotic flare to your note choices. Plus you can choose from the Melodic Primer, Common Sounds Found in Jazz, Dominant Pentatonic scale... and the Lydian Applications will show you how to take all the Major scale/Mode patterns and break them further into MANY more small scales ala Satch, Vai, and Johnson. All of the On Topic lessons have audio, tab, diagrams, and explanations where needed. And if you want theory info, start right at the top link of the Beginners to Advanced Series. Don't let the name fool you. It's an organized, ground up approach to music theory applied to guitar. These are the fundamental tools every musician should have when deciphering and communicating music...it's probably a two year (or more) theory course if you start right at the top Intervals link and work your way straight down them. Oh, did I mention it ALL free too??? Come and get em. You can also get some other on topic stuff at my forum: http://gennation.jconserv.net/index.php I've been at this 30+ years. I KNOW I can show you a bunch of new stuff. I can't even remember the last time I was in a rut...maybe the early 80's or so...maybe.
Members erict Posted June 4, 2007 Author Members Posted June 4, 2007 thanks alot man... ive flipped through your site once a while back, but didnt ever really spend time at it... im going to right now though! Thanks a bunch
Members johnnywas Posted June 4, 2007 Members Posted June 4, 2007 i think that dedication is important however four hours a day is a pretty intensive practice schedule bear in mind that if you don't have time to rest, reflect and keep active you can lose perspective. For instance one of my least creative period was learning scales (all of em). My teacher wanted me to. It seemed terribly important at the time but then one day I decided I had had enough. When I look back I have rarely used them (its not like I spend all day listening to Eddie Valen Halen or Steve Vai) unfortunately progress generally does seem slower after a few years - very considerably - its part of the learning curve one possible issue is that there are so many different styles and techniques in modern music. You might try to focus on a particular style you enjoy and make progress there dont worry if it seems that as you get deeper into funk rythm guitar (or whatever) your blues pentatonics are going rusty - skills do get rusty over time but they can be dusted off another day. polishing dimly recollected techniques is one way of livening up a practicising routine - it all adds to your motor skills. that does not mean that hours don't count - practice is important - there are some statistics which show that musicians have to spend thousands of hours performing to get to the top of their field but for most players my advice is is don't do it if you don't enjoy it.
Members bdemon Posted June 5, 2007 Members Posted June 5, 2007 i think that dedication is important however four hours a day is a pretty intensive practice schedule bear in mind that if you don't have time to rest, reflect and keep active you can lose perspective. For instance one of my least creative period was learning scales (all of em). My teacher wanted me to. It seemed terribly important at the time but then one day I decided I had had enough. When I look back I have rarely used them (its not like I spend all day listening to Eddie Valen Halen or Steve Vai) unfortunately progress generally does seem slower after a few years - very considerably - its part of the learning curve Beat me to the punch on this comment. Four hours a day is great dedication, but burnout becomes a major roadblock along the way. Setting varied goals can help. I've gone through the scale phase too, but you can only take it for so long. Right now I'm in a Celtic guitar mode, having found this great book. It's putting my fingerstyle chops to a serious test. I find it helpful to also get away from practice and write a friggin' song! Complete with guitar solos if you want. Songwriting works a lot of muscles raw practicing doesn't.
Members Knottyhed Posted June 5, 2007 Members Posted June 5, 2007 Ive been playing guitar for almost for years and am pretty serious about it. I practice for about 4 hours a day (after school). My practicing includes various warm up exercsises and many chop building excersises. After I finish up those things I will usually just jam for about an hour (setting a loop with a drum machine) ... Once im done with that I will try to learn a song by ear (not the entire thing, just the parts i like and want to learn). And thats about it. I take guitar lessons, at them I sight read, and learn a song of my choice... The thing is that dont feel as if my playing hass gotten much better... I dont no what the reason is... maybe its the way i practice.. I dont knowAnyway... Im sure many of you have been in the same position I am in now... and I ask you , HOW CAN I GET OUT OF THIS RUT???? - thanks As other people have mentioned - the learning curve being what it is means that the more advanced you become the harder it is to get better. If you've been practicing for years doing 4 hours a day I would assume that you are very advanced by now. One way to inject a feeling of progress back into your playing is start learning new techniques - Maybe you can't do 8 finger tapping? Maybe you're alot better playing with a pick than your fingers? Those 2 things are certainly true of me, so lately I've been working on those areas and making rapid improvements. Joining a band might help you develop as well. Working with other musicians and playing out is great for your chops and your compositional skills. Last suggestion would be to periodically record yourself, once you get to a certain stage progress happens so slow that you won't notice it on a day to day basic. Having a recording of yourself from 3month/6months/ a year ago can make you realise that sometimes you *are* improving even when you think you're not.
Members WhiskeyClone Posted June 5, 2007 Members Posted June 5, 2007 Anyway... Im sure many of you have been in the same position I am in now... and I ask you , HOW CAN I GET OUT OF THIS RUT???? Can you tell us which parts of your playing you are not satisfied with? Is it your picking speed? Improvisational abilities? As far as speed goes, there is one thing I didn't understand until years after I started. The biggest problem guitarists face (with respect to speed) is muscle tension. If you tense up (in your fingers, arms, shoulders, abdomen) while you play, you will not advance no matter how much time you put into it. I would bet money you could benefit from reading the articles at www.guitarprinciples.com. They really opened my eyes up to the problems that arose from the way I practiced.
Members erict Posted June 5, 2007 Author Members Posted June 5, 2007 I would really like improve on my fingerpicking and sight reading.... - thanks alot for all of the great advice
Members halfnoise Posted June 5, 2007 Members Posted June 5, 2007 I'm really surprised no one has said the following: START A BAND. quit effing around and start a band... how's that for my first post? (long time forum ghost)
Members Dubb Posted June 5, 2007 Members Posted June 5, 2007 periodically record yourself, once you get to a certain stage progress happens so slow that you won't notice it on a day to day basic. Having a recording of yourself from 3month/6months/ a year ago can make you realise that sometimes you *are* improving even when you think you're not.+1, beat me to this suggestion.
Members jimwratt Posted June 5, 2007 Members Posted June 5, 2007 another thing to do is to break from the routine of your practicing. Play around with the order of things or maybe even replace some things. Sometimes practicing stops beiing productive and starts being routine. That is the beginning of the accursed rut.
Members Knottyhed Posted June 6, 2007 Members Posted June 6, 2007 I'm really surprised no one has said the following: START A BAND. I did! Check my reply above
Members Big Muff Posted June 6, 2007 Members Posted June 6, 2007 http://lessons.mikedodge.comThe On Topic section of my lesson site is specifically for people who need a "new view". The Advanced Pentatonics Tutorial will show you how to take those little Pentatonic scales, super-impose them over each to come up with a chromatic view that encompasses the Major and Minor Pentatonic scales, the Blues scale, the Dorian, Mixolydian, Lydian Dominant, and more...all by using two simple scales. This will be a real eye opener using tools I'm sure you already have under your grips. The Phrygian Dominant Tutorial and Indian Sliding Techniques (video lesson) will add a TON of new scale concepts and techniques to your arsonal...along with adding a bunch of exotic flare to your note choices. Plus you can choose from the Melodic Primer, Common Sounds Found in Jazz, Dominant Pentatonic scale... and the Lydian Applications will show you how to take all the Major scale/Mode patterns and break them further into MANY more small scales ala Satch, Vai, and Johnson. All of the On Topic lessons have audio, tab, diagrams, and explanations where needed. And if you want theory info, start right at the top link of the Beginners to Advanced Series. Don't let the name fool you. It's an organized, ground up approach to music theory applied to guitar. These are the fundamental tools every musician should have when deciphering and communicating music...it's probably a two year (or more) theory course if you start right at the top Intervals link and work your way straight down them. Oh, did I mention it ALL free too??? Come and get em. You can also get some other on topic stuff at my forum: http://gennation.jconserv.net/index.phpI've been at this 30+ years. I KNOW I can show you a bunch of new stuff. I can't even remember the last time I was in a rut...maybe the early 80's or so...maybe. Great lessons.
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