Stuck in a Rut!!!!!

I come to a level of learning where i can play most basic chords play a variety of songs but not completely, can fingerpick not that good though, can strum in rhythm, but don't know what to do next, i just want to jam and improvise but don't know how. been playing my guitars for 3 years now on and off!! please help, i am fustrated!!!! :mad: :(

Do you know barré chords? If not, then you should definitely learn that. Dr. Simon has a lot of lessons on soloing, you could take a look at that too.

Everyone goes through growing spurts with guitar. Your ability will level off at some point and you think you can't get better, then something clicks and all of the sudden you can play faster, or pull off a new trick... or all your old tricks sound better. It's just the nature of the beast. Practice is the key to improving. Target what you want to get better on and practice just that for a week straight. Example: Practice just scales for a week. Run through them as fast as you can, concentrating on what scale you're playing and think about the notes while you play it. This will help you learn the scales, the notes, and play faster and more accurate... Also concentrate technique!!! One finger per fret, using your pinky. Once that week has passed, move into something that has to do with chords. Get a book that has some theory on chord structuring and chord building and start strumming chords. Try to use a drum track or something that you can strum to. This will get you use to keeping time with your patterns. Then, the next week... get some backing tracks and start messing around with improv. Use different types of music... blues, rock, and metal... just some examples. Then the next week... come up with some of your own chord progressions and riffs that you can use in jamming. If you can, record them and jam over them a whole bunch. This is a four to five week plan that I've used in the past to get myself out of a rut. You will notice that when you take some time off from playing, sometimes when you come back to something it will seem easier. Good Luck

One way to almost immediatley get out of the rut is to play along or in the style of music you don't usually play. Like classical, jazz, or regae for instance. Even if you don't even particularly care for a style of music, learning how to play in it will transfer to improvement in yer main styles of playing.

However probably the best way to vastly improve your creativity and abilities is to jam with other people. You've been playing 3 years...so start a band, or even just a weekly get-together of some friends who play something. I had played for about 3 years when I started jamming with friends in high school. I surprised myself at my progress. Now that I'm more solo again, it's harder to stay out of the rut.

Originally Posted by: R. Shackleferd

However probably the best way to vastly improve your creativity and abilities is to jam with other people. You've been playing 3 years...so start a band,

Please i beg you take note of this advice. Seriously i got into a very horrible rut about a month ago and am just getting out of it when i decided to start playing in church.

The thing is its a lot of stress on your self mentally when you play alone and have noone to play along with, especially if you arent that advanced. You get bored with you stuff. But when you put it in the context of a band then good things happen. Also look for ppl who are on your level of playing, trust me that many advanced guitar players have little patience with fledglings like me :D

Wow, bringing me back to the first three months.....You'll get over it dude...just takes time and practice.....and what practicing is is just picking up the guitar and goin' at it.

Cheers people for your help, will try my best and let ya know how i get on in a month or so... Much apprieciated, thanks for your time!

From Stei!!! :cool: :p

Yep, bar chords will really open up your playing.

Also pentatonic scales will be equally useful.

Try these tutorials:

Bar chords:
http://www.guitartricks.com/lesson.php?input=8283&s_id=76

Pents:
http://www.guitartricks.com/lesson.php?input=8157&s_id=73