StuckONplayingGuitar
I have been playing guitar for about 10 years off and on, and I still suck, I can play most scale and most chords but I feel like I am going no where. I can play pieces of song that I like but never the whole song, I am in this wierd situation where I know most of the theories, to the untrained ear I can sound pretty good but to the real guitar player I cant do crap, I just rented that old movie CROSSROADS and it gave me some inspiration to play guitar again...how the hell do I get to the next level? how should I practice? what else do I need to learn, I feel like I know quite a bit? I play scale everyday now to get faster but I feel that I am missing something because I can not feel the music...I feel that I should be able to play music eventhough I am not shredding thru everything yet because not every one shred and they can play music but I dont know how to get to the next level..can someone give me some advice..I am stuck between knowing how to play and not knowing...I want to get the next level but dont know how..I would like to be able to pik up a guitar and improvise...THANK you for you guys help in advance..
# 1
lumsage,
I am BRAND new to this forum as of 5 hours ago maybe, so I dont know what type of advice I can give you, but it will be my best. I have played for upwards of 8 years on and off, just recently have I started to really get into it and find what I love to play, I took lessons when I played my electric all the time, and only learned bits and pieces of songs and always had ppl asking "do you know any FULL songs?" that really made me mad, and after a while I just quit playing. Than some stuff went on in my life and left me with my acoustic... and now all I do is look up songs and try to get them down, I started recording in Nashville recently (as of July of 03') and they told me I had a great sound (voice), and I dont want to just go with that... I want to be a full package... able to play and sing.. the best bet for you is to stop thinkin about what you don't know and just play... all you can do is play... i hate seeing or hearing ppl who are better than me, but that is most lol... and all that makes me wanna do is get home and play some more, to improve... just play what you know, play what you want, right now you might not "feel" the music you are playing, but just give it time.. most ppl who are "good" have played for such and such years CONSTANTLY, we on the other hand are the 65% that take breaks, and really dont surround our life around playing... but I am realizing that's what I need to do now.... I hope I didnt ramble more than anything... I hope I helped you out some, thanks for reading, and good luck w/ ur playing...
TK
I am BRAND new to this forum as of 5 hours ago maybe, so I dont know what type of advice I can give you, but it will be my best. I have played for upwards of 8 years on and off, just recently have I started to really get into it and find what I love to play, I took lessons when I played my electric all the time, and only learned bits and pieces of songs and always had ppl asking "do you know any FULL songs?" that really made me mad, and after a while I just quit playing. Than some stuff went on in my life and left me with my acoustic... and now all I do is look up songs and try to get them down, I started recording in Nashville recently (as of July of 03') and they told me I had a great sound (voice), and I dont want to just go with that... I want to be a full package... able to play and sing.. the best bet for you is to stop thinkin about what you don't know and just play... all you can do is play... i hate seeing or hearing ppl who are better than me, but that is most lol... and all that makes me wanna do is get home and play some more, to improve... just play what you know, play what you want, right now you might not "feel" the music you are playing, but just give it time.. most ppl who are "good" have played for such and such years CONSTANTLY, we on the other hand are the 65% that take breaks, and really dont surround our life around playing... but I am realizing that's what I need to do now.... I hope I didnt ramble more than anything... I hope I helped you out some, thanks for reading, and good luck w/ ur playing...
TK
# 2
lumsage i think everyones been stuck in a rut one time or another. What helped my playing was I put down my electric for a few months, an played classical for awhile, juss learn the exercises and scales. You will have excellent fingerpicking, and if you succeed in building up speedwork on the classical....wait till you pick up your electric again
# 3
Improvsing hhmmm..for alot of people it comes naturally. Not me lol!...i had to learn theory where i became familiar with music and training your ear helps out alot, especially if your jamming with a band
# 4
Write stuff! Everyone says that they can't get newhere writing music... and that they suck at it... but most people can do it if they just sit down... and play... and play.... and play and play and play! Try making up a riff and harmonize it... in 5ths, 3rds.... try learning the tricks on the site and using them in your playing! If all else fails, hum a melody that comes into your head and transfer it to guitar!
good luck man
good luck man
There are only two important things in life - There's music and theres girls, not necessarily in that order....
The Ace's Guitar Tricks
The Ace's Guitar Tricks
# 5
Maybe you just have to dicipline yourself more? Make yourself learn the whole song. Improvise, even if it sounds bad, you'll get the feel for picking the right notes here and there. Eventually putting that together. Pick a solo you want to learn, and learn it all. Bascially do everything you havent done before.
Guitar playing is sort of like when you go into a house or cabin, and the water hasnt been used in a long long time. And when you turn the water on you get this nasty brown stuff, but the longer you let it run, it gets clearer and clearer. Its the same with guitar to me. The more you play, and make yourself do things that might not be all that fun, the more you'll feel like your getting somewhere and you'll feel alot more comfortable with your playing , and maybe begin to improvise.
As far as you not being able to feel the music. Its probably like i said above, you arent comfortable with the guitar yet.
Maybe you might want to consider going to lessons? Then at least you'll get a couple lessons every week, study melodic rhythms, theory, soloing,Etc. &you can also work on improving while you instructor plays chords.
Guitar playing is sort of like when you go into a house or cabin, and the water hasnt been used in a long long time. And when you turn the water on you get this nasty brown stuff, but the longer you let it run, it gets clearer and clearer. Its the same with guitar to me. The more you play, and make yourself do things that might not be all that fun, the more you'll feel like your getting somewhere and you'll feel alot more comfortable with your playing , and maybe begin to improvise.
As far as you not being able to feel the music. Its probably like i said above, you arent comfortable with the guitar yet.
Maybe you might want to consider going to lessons? Then at least you'll get a couple lessons every week, study melodic rhythms, theory, soloing,Etc. &you can also work on improving while you instructor plays chords.
# 6
