Originally Posted by: GreggRich1Man, it can't just be that I perpetually suck, but that so far is the fact.

I worked Anders' lessons in the blues section, and it didn't take long before I thought it was me just watching yet another instructor play stuff that kicks my ass. He isn't showing me HOW to play what he is playing, he's just playing licks so fast I can't even see what he's doing. So before I complain about it, I look around and find Chris' blues videos.

He starts teaching a simple little lick and says, here's how you do it. I CAN't do it that way...I have never seen anybody else finger the fretboard like that, and all I do is buzz notes...yada yada... with my fatass fingers - he shows sort of how to palm mute. I CAN'T do it, for some reason, all I get to do is mute stuff I want to ring out. How the hell anybody does this crap I will never know.

So he says keep practicing and practicing and practicing this lick and keep going...well I am already coming up on 60 years old...how friggin long does this take??? Son of a BITCH this is pissing me off. I waste days and more days.

I have taken other on line stuff; they ALL suck at teaching. At least here they don't suck at teaching in most cases. However, there is one thing I would like to say to all instructors, all over the globe. I am not sitting here to watch you set aflame your fretboard, unless you want to take the time to show me what you are playing tick by freaking tick. I have 2 very nice guitars and right now I could use one to smash the other.

So, how's your day?

Hey man I was there once upon a time but not any more.

Here are some pointers for you:

1) Whenever you practice something, brake it down into tiny pieces and analyse BOTH of your hands. Find out WHAT is causing the problem FIRST and then continue to practice. Practising more NEVER solves the problem if you are not practising properly so do the wise thing and see what's getting in your way FIRST! and then practice more.

2) Don't expect to play fast instantly, speed comes when your hands are both very economical and make NO extra movements, it also comes when your hands are well synchronised and when there is very little tension in your hands. In the beginning focus on removing extra tension and extra movements. You should also focus on synchronising your hands very well at slow tempos FIRST. LEARN SLOW FIRST

Of course there are more things which must be in place but it seems to me that your issues are related with not getting the movements right etc.

/Dave