Using GT for Most productive learning

Hello Mike!

Your lessons have indeed been most enjoyable, thanks so much for it. [br][br]

I have been using Guitar Tricks for an year now. I was a beginner......and today I feel a lot more confident, musical and comfortable playing my guitar. That's from zero. The course layout the teachers the lessons have been helpful.

Guitar tricks have so much material and I seem lost and reached saturation point now. I want to improve my speed technique and musicality. I seem drawn to many paths.....Blues, Rock, Country, Classical and so on......I don't know what to do other than practice what I have been. Sometimes doing that gets boring.... these days I have switched over to songs.

Sometimes the lessons are long and slow and takes up most time listening to the teachers and little practice going along with them. I really like the teachers a don't get me wrong.

I would like some guidance and direction from the Guitar Guru such as yourself......how should I proceed......should I choose a single path (country, rock, blues etc)? Should I build my song practice list? Should I practice techniques, practices or a bit of all? To make my journey productive and enjoyable?

To be honest if I grade my skill levels they would be

Chords changing - B-

Strumming - B

Scales and picking - B-

Speed - C

Music Theory - A

Songs - Easy to Moderate

What's the best way to use Guitar Tricks? For the best results.....is my question.

Hello and thank you for the kind words!

First off - congrats on improving your playing and all that you have worked hard to learn! That is an awesome achievement, and now it is time to get focused on continuing your progress.

My advice would be this:

1) Choose one of the style courses in the Core Learning System to work through. It's always best to choose one and commit to it, instead of bouncing around all of them. The style courses are designed to pick up where the Fundamentals course left off, so you won't be missing out on anything. Just choose the style you would like to focus on - whether it be Rock, Blues, Country, or Acoustic, and be diligent about fully working through it.

2) Work on learning new songs and building your repertiore. This is the best way to connect all of the theory and techniques you've been learning to real world music making. Choose songs from our GT Song Library that you would enjoy playing and are close to your skill level. The goal would be to learn all the parts and be able to play the song start to finish with the Jam Along video.

3) Set aside some time in your practice routine to drill your technique. For example, if you encounter a tough chord change while learning a song - take that chord change and practice it for 5-10 minutes, very slowly and with plenty of repetition. This method can be used for strumming, scales, picking technique, etc. Your goal is to work on your overall timing, dexterity, smoothness, and speed with this method.

I hope this gives you some ideas - let me know how it goes!!

[br]Mike

Thanks a lot Mike for your insightful reply. [br][br]

Makes a lot of sense. I was getting waylaid by practices, techniques, songs, genre and so on and I seemed to be pulled in many directions. [br][br]

I will organize myself better and focus my energies on one genere at a time. [br][br]

I will let you know how it goes! [br][br]

Thanks once again!