Guitar help

[Wimbo]

I know from past threads that we have a lot of guitarists on this site. I have been playing on & off for over 20 years, but my skill level seemed to plateau at playing basic chords and barre chords. Even those can be sloppy at times. I can't solo, because I don't know scales & progressions. I can strum and sing & do a little fingerpicking - nothing fancy. I took lessons for about 6-8 months when I was a teen, but even then I was just getting my teacher to help me figure out songs... I really didn't learn much.

So... I want to focus on improving as a guitarist & as a musician. My biggest hurdle is that I really don't know how to help myself get better. Everytime I play, I revert to the stuff I already know. It is enjoyable, but frustrating at the same time. Any advice on where I should focus & how I should go about breaking through my plateau?

 

[theogt]

1. Find some speed, dexterity and picking exercises and work on them for weeks to build up the necessary chops. Seriously spend a lot of time doing just mundane exercises.
2. Learn some basic scales (in particular, learn the pentatonic "blues" scale)
3. Turn on the radio and just try to "solo" to the song using the appropriate scale.

Enjoy.

 

[ethiostar]

I know from past threads that we have a lot of guitarists on this site. I have been playing on & off for over 20 years, but my skill level seemed to plateau at playing basic chords and barre chords. Even those can be sloppy at times. I can't solo, because I don't know scales & progressions. I can strum and sing & do a little fingerpicking - nothing fancy. I took lessons for about 6-8 months when I was a teen, but even then I was just getting my teacher to help me figure out songs... I really didn't learn much.

So... I want to focus on improving as a guitarist & as a musician. My biggest hurdle is that I really don't know how to help myself get better. Everytime I play, I revert to the stuff I already know. It is enjoyable, but frustrating at the same time. Any advice on where I should focus & how I should go about breaking through my plateau?

I haven't been playing that long or even continuously but i feel your frustration. Every i try to get back into it and pick up one of my guitars, i do the same thing. Play the same chords and same melodies that i had made up a while back. I end up getting frustrated and putting it down.

So, i will just piggy back your thread and listen to any advice that people give you

 

[5Stars]

There are many things that make you learn how to play an instrurment.

Just like any thing else...you have to commit yourself to it. Get real...and learn, and be yourself.

When I get like you are complaining about! Cry baby...

I get a harmonica out and make up melodys in the garage...it attracts cats.

The only way to get better and do what you think you want to do is?

Use your ears...love what you play.

 

[Signals]

YouTube has 1000's of tutorials.

 

[Wimbo]

YouTube has 1000's of tutorials.

Yeah, I have seen some "how to play ..... song" videos. That's nice, but not really instructive. I have also seen a bunch of "learn guitar in 3 hours!" ads, but that is not at all what I am looking for. I want to learn some fundamentals. I want to find the exercises an earlier poster mentioned so I can improve my dexterity.
I once heard a painting teacher say, " you need to learn the techniques so your artistic expression is not limited by your lack of skill." That pretty much captures what I am talking about.
I don't want to shread, so I am not worried about having mad speed.

 

[danielofthesaints]

hey wimbo,

this used to be right up my alley. I toured around the nation with a prominent band right now in the modern hard rock scene. I played bass for them, however I sill play guitar and sing as well. theogt gives pretty good advice. I might add that finding buddies to jam with will help out a lot (learn new techniques, nifty riffs). Collaboration will allow you to pick up on others style and it should influence yours in a positive way if they know what they are doing. Back in the day, I would use something called power tab editor. It would give the sheet music, tabs, and gave me the liberty to change pre-made ones and create my own. With scales, I advise you start the scale doing whole notes, then half notes, qtr, eighth, eight triplets, and if possible 16th around 100-120 bpm. This allows you to build the scale into something that will come natural with time and practice. One thing I cannot stress enough is form. Disregard the "proper" form if its anything other than classical guitar, and just do what feels the best. Play around with difft techniques as well. Hope that helps.

 

[CowboyDan]

hey wimbo,

this used to be right up my alley. I toured around the nation with a prominent band right now in the modern hard rock scene. I played bass for them, however I sill play guitar and sing as well. theogt gives pretty good advice. I might add that finding buddies to jam with will help out a lot (learn new techniques, nifty riffs). Collaboration will allow you to pick up on others style and it should influence yours in a positive way if they know what they are doing. Back in the day, I would use something called power tab editor. It would give the sheet music, tabs, and gave me the liberty to change pre-made ones and create my own. With scales, I advise you start the scale doing whole notes, then half notes, qtr, eighth, eight triplets, and if possible 16th around 100-120 bpm. This allows you to build the scale into something that will come natural with time and practice. One thing I cannot stress enough is form. Disregard the "proper" form if its anything other than classical guitar, and just do what feels the best. Play around with difft techniques as well. Hope that helps.

outstanding advice. collaboration is where it's at.
I came across a great site lately that's filled with tons of info on scales and chords and the like...... http://freeguitarsource.com/Minor_Pentatonic_Scales/F_Minor_Pentatonic_Scale.html

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Find someone else that plays guitar and find a way to spend some time playing guitar together.

Does not have to be an instructor. Could just be a friend.

You really get better when playing with another guitarist and you will also find it more fun and the time goes by quickly.

Another thing you can do on your own is to find something with a drum track on it. Whether it be a drum machine, a guitar effects pedal with drums, or maybe something on youtube with drum tracks.

Start up the drum track and just start playing anything. Also you might want a drum track that might be outside your normal taste music. If you are used to playing blues, country or something that is normally on the slower side...pick a drum track that might be heavier and faster and just try to play something that keeps up with the drum track.

If you are used to playing a faster type of metal...pick a slower drum track and try to play something slow and bluesy.

Sometimes you might just watch something on youtube like say a concert...maybe a BB King concert and just try to start playing something that might not be the exact same as he is playing, but something that kind of goes along it.

There have been times when I have watched a movie or concert and pulled out the guitar (during or after) and came up with some cool blues riffs.

Just mix it up some.

The best thing IMO is finding another person that likes to play guitar and just jam with them. If not find a drum track or someone who plays drums and try to change up your normal genre you play. Finally watch concerts or movies with bands and just try and get a feel for something that might go along with them.

At the very least you are breaking up the normal pattern of playing the same songs you always play.

 

[theogt]

Yeah, I have seen some "how to play ..... song" videos. That's nice, but not really instructive. I have also seen a bunch of "learn guitar in 3 hours!" ads, but that is not at all what I am looking for. I want to learn some fundamentals. I want to find the exercises an earlier poster mentioned so I can improve my dexterity.
I once heard a painting teacher say, " you need to learn the techniques so your artistic expression is not limited by your lack of skill." That pretty much captures what I am talking about.
I don't want to shread, so I am not worried about having mad speed.

I don't have time at the moment to look something up, but Google could probably result in plenty of dexterity exercises.

These are often VERY basic. I'm talking about simple things like picking 1, 2, 3, 4 (referring to fret #) on every string forward and backward, then switching 1, 3, 2, 4, etc.

Make sure you are picking up and then down on alternating notes and also do your best to keep your fingers remaining as close to the strings as possible when not being used. In other words, make sure your pinky finger isn't flying off like you're holding a tea cup like an Englishman. This takes a lot of effort at first, but it helps your speed tremendously when you start getting very fast.

Do these exercises for 20-30 minutes and your fingers will be killing you. Start out slow and gradually (repeat, GRADUALLY) get faster. You can also start to do multi-string exercises.

 

[theebs]

I think the point you are at is the point every casual guitar player encounters. Its like ok I can play these few songs but I really am not a guitar player and this is very frustrating.

I was at that point forever. I grew up just kind of grabbing a guitar when I was about 16 and just basically trying to do what my older friends could do......Fwiw I never could!!!!

I wanted to play guitar to play the stuff I liked, the eric clapton unplugged album, anything van halen, anything bon jovi...pearl jam...

so that is all I ever tried to do, find guitar tab books and just keep trying to make this happen. Somethings I could play and some was just too hard and frustrating and made me put it down and walk away.

so with it being just a hobby I never really sat down to learn the stuff I should have been learning. Instead of staring at the clapton unplugged book or van halen guitar tab book all day I should have been learning about what was going on.

so in 03 when I moved to Texas and basically had time to do this, I tried to figure out what to learn but even that became a large task I couldnt quite get sound instruction on.

Then I found this dudes website, Dan Smith.
http://scenicnewengland.net/guitar/index.html

Changed everything.

Instead of just trying to learn the guitar parts of the song, it helped me understand the song and even the tab better.

So I went through and printed out all his stuff.

I started with his music theory lessons.
http://scenicnewengland.net/guitar/chords/chords.htm

this was incredibly helpful and gave me something else to do with the guitar instead of playing living on a prayer again! It is very useful especially the circle of fifths.

then I moved on to printing out and digging into his guitar scale lessons.
http://scenicnewengland.net/guitar/scales/index.html

this is awesome, learning all about keys, scales, modes etc.....its like going to college.

I am unhappy to report, life got in the way on me right when my guitar playing was at its best. I only mean that as a joke, I had my son a few months after having discovered all this. Also at that same time I realized that i wanted to work in tv production on some level and had to start down that road.

So my guitar playing basically came to an end. If I even try to take a guitar out and play it right now my kids are on me wanting to play it in seconds! when they get a little bigger I will get back into it, all of these lessons is where I will begin again.

learning all of this vital stuff and just simply playing stuff is a great way to learn. After a few months of sitting down and understanding the modes and keys and just practicing, I went back to some guitar tabs. There is a great program called powertab http://power-tab.net/ I dont even know if you can download the software anymore. But it is great, especially for learning. It is the tab to songs and then it also plays the song so you can hear how things sound broken up note by note.

So I took some of the songs I wanted to learn and just broke them down...things like oh it has Two sharps at the top of the page so its in the key of D, then the chord progression starts to make more sense......then I would transcribe the guitar solos tab notes which are numbers to what they are in notes and what scale the solo is in.

in fact I have my notes right here and I was in the middle of breaking down Ratt's Lay it down. Laugh I know, but I love all those old guitar players.

The song has one flat so it is in the key of Dminor/fmajor. Then I broke down all the guitar notes and was trying to put together all the notes d minor in all the modes to understand what could be played as a solo during the song and how warren dimartini came up with it...

anyway. Hopefully that site can help you. I know it must be weird to take advice from someone who never actually accomplished what I wanted but I someday hope to and will go back to all this stuff to learn. Like theogt said it will at least teach you the keys, chords, scales and modes and you can use the tab to just practice the shape of them. it will make your fingers much stronger.

 

[ethiostar]

Make sure you are picking up and then down on alternating notes and also do your best to keep your fingers remaining as close to the strings as possible when not being used. In other words, make sure your pinky finger isn't flying off like you're holding a tea cup like an Englishman. This takes a lot of effort at first, but it helps your speed tremendously when you start getting very fast.

:laugh2:

 

[Wimbo]

Thanks for all the advice! I knew I could count on some good info here.
I am steering over to the site Theebs points towards. I will also dig for some exercises to work on. I think I am going to start lessons at a local music store as well... see if I can find a teacher worth the money.
I will remember you all when I am rich & famous.

 

[skinsscalper]

+1 on the trying to learn other styles than you usually play. I'm a metal guy at heart. Always will be, but I got over a "plateau" last year when a buddy of mine came to stay with me for a couple of weeks.

He was getting into more of a old school rock vibe ala the Stones (all blues based) and even some Johnny Cash stuff (Cash was actually his great uncle).

Just having the guy around and playing along with him opened up all kinds of possibilities that I had just never given any type of creative chance. From there I started checking into chicken pickin' (endlessly frustrating but fun as hell once you get a few of the basics) to even some Earl Klugh type jazz crossover stuff.

Now, don't get me wrong, I haven't mastered ANY of these new (to me) types of playing and lately I find myself playing my acoustic more than my face melt electric rig, but it's all good. The guitar is NEW to me again for the first time in a long time. My point being that if you take yourself out of your comfort zone then you're FORCED to learn again and then it's fun again. Just like when you were 16. I still love to crank up the stereo and jam along to some Metallica and such but I have just as much fun trying to pick out an old Johnny Cash tune or figure out a cool Brad Paisley lick.

Good luck!

 

[5Stars]

This thread is so cool...read, listen and learn. It will be music to your ears...

But, you need to work at it, and like what YOU hear...the rest will come togeather

And...don't forget to practice!

 

[MetalHead]

hey wimbo,

this used to be right up my alley. I toured around the nation with a prominent band right now in the modern hard rock scene. I played bass for them, however I sill play guitar and sing as well. theogt gives pretty good advice. I might add that finding buddies to jam with will help out a lot (learn new techniques, nifty riffs). Collaboration will allow you to pick up on others style and it should influence yours in a positive way if they know what they are doing. Back in the day, I would use something called power tab editor. It would give the sheet music, tabs, and gave me the liberty to change pre-made ones and create my own. With scales, I advise you start the scale doing whole notes, then half notes, qtr, eighth, eight triplets, and if possible 16th around 100-120 bpm. This allows you to build the scale into something that will come natural with time and practice. One thing I cannot stress enough is form. Disregard the "proper" form if its anything other than classical guitar, and just do what feels the best. Play around with difft techniques as well. Hope that helps.

Yeah,he may be a lawyer but in this instance he is being truthful.
Scales and wear out your favorite album...just follow it.
I wore out Maiden's Live After Death,put it on,plug in and go...practice practice,practice and eventually you will erase your mistakes and play the parts the right way.

 

[YosemiteSam]

I've been avoiding this thread as I've been surfing CZ from my phone lately.

That said, I am now going to comment.

I'm a casual guitarist. I suffer from the same problems. That said, I recommend the following.

1. If you know someone that plays, get together from time to time and play. Other guitarists even if their skill is beneith you, can teach you new things IF they actually have some playing skill. If you hear them play something cool, ask them to show it to you!
2. If you don't know any scales, learn the minor pentatonic scale first using the CAGED system. (probably the most popular guitar scale) There are basically five patterns that cover the entire fretboard. Learn each one and practice playing random stuff on each emphasizing the primary notes. (patterns pictured below)
3. Once you know them all, chain them together while playing.
4. If you don't know alternate picking, PRACTICE IT! (picking up and down while playing each note of the scale)
5. Walk up and down the fretboard with the Chromatic Scale. (basically playing 1,2,3,4 on each string. see below)
6. If you hear a lick or a riff that you like, Google it (tab or music) and learn it. Entire songs aren't required. If you know others that play guitar share and let them share cool licks with you! I'm more than willing to share stuff that I play 10k times over like you do that I'm sure is completely different. We can learn from each other!

Minor pentatonic scale using the CAGED system. The WHITE dots are the primary key the note is in. So, if you start with pattern 1 on the 5th fret, you are playing in the key of (A) and the WHITE dots are in the octave of (A). Lots of rock musicians play this scale, and it is the absolute KING of blues. Pattern two, links with pattern 1 and 3. Pattern five links with pattern 4 and 1.

The Chromatic Scale. This is not a real music scale per se, It's to practice alternate picking and to strengthen and coordinate your fingers to walk the fretboard.

Walking it forwards (from top to bottom) and backwards (in reverse from bottom to top)

Finally, if you want to write music. Learn music theory. If you don't, it's going to be quite difficult to write lots of good music. From time to time, you might do well, but in the end you are just wasting time if you don't learn music. If you just want to play as a casual guitarist, follow what I said. Hear something cool, Google the tab or music and learn it. You always learn something new.

 

[Juke99]

I have played for 40+ years. Self taught.

3 years ago I decided to start taking lessons.

I accomplished more in my first year of lesson than I did in the prior 40.

Just sayin. It's worth the investment. When you reach a plateau, there's very little you can do to rise above it...without some assistance.

Note: While I'm not exactly Joe Satriani...I'm pretty ok.... johnviscontimusic.com

 

[theogt]

I've been avoiding this thread as I've been surfing CZ from my phone lately.

That said, I am now going to comment.

I'm a casual guitarist. I suffer from the same problems. That said, I recommend the following.

1. If you know someone that plays, get together from time to time and play. Other guitarists even if their skill is beneith you, can teach you new things IF they actually have some playing skill. If you hear them play something cool, ask them to show it to you!
2. If you don't know any scales, learn the minor pentatonic scale first using the CAGED system. (probably the most popular guitar scale) There are basically five patterns that cover the entire fretboard. Learn each one and practice playing random stuff on each emphasizing the primary notes. (patterns pictured below)
3. Once you know them all, chain them together while playing.
4. If you don't know alternate picking, PRACTICE IT! (picking up and down while playing each note of the scale)
5. Walk up and down the fretboard with the Chromatic Scale. (basically playing 1,2,3,4 on each string. see below)
6. If you hear a lick or a riff that you like, Google it (tab or music) and learn it. Entire songs aren't required. If you know others that play guitar share and let them share cool licks with you! I'm more than willing to share stuff that I play 10k times over like you do that I'm sure is completely different. We can learn from each other!

Minor pentatonic scale using the CAGED system. The WHITE dots are the primary key the note is in. So, if you start with pattern 1 on the 5th fret, you are playing in the key of (A) and the WHITE dots are in the octave of (A). Lots of rock musicians play this scale, and it is the absolute KING of blues. Pattern two, links with pattern 1 and 3. Pattern five links with pattern 4 and 1.

The Chromatic Scale. This is not a real music scale per se, It's to practice alternate picking and to strengthen and coordinate your fingers to walk the fretboard.

Walking it forwards (from top to bottom) and backwards (in reverse from bottom to top)

Finally, if you want to write music. Learn music theory. If you don't, it's going to be quite difficult to write lots of good music. From time to time, you might do well, but in the end you are just wasting time if you don't learn music. If you just want to play as a casual guitarist, follow what I said. Hear something cool, Google the tab or music and learn it. You always learn something new.

This is good. It's basically the long version of exactly what I suggested.