How did you get better?

[Cyntex]

^This.. Great ideas of even songs can come from noodling aroung. That being said, getting better from a technical standpoint which improved my playing was slowing the tempo down and just focusing on being comfortable and relaxed while playing. Minimising the effort in picking helped a great deal . Steve Vai had some good advise about the economy of motion in one of his interviews.

 

[ChuckV]

If you have a guitar in your hands, it's better than not assuming you're not completely dicking around. Best advice I can give you: record yourself. How do you sound? Maybe better than you thought, maybe worse, but you'll know.

This is a super important piece of advice. The two ways a guitar player can use technology to their advantage in improving their playing that have stuck out the most for me are:

1) Recording yourself
2) Writing Things you can't play, then learning them.

Recording yourself is a great way to see your guitar playing objectively, and take a close look at your timing. Many guitar players don't realize what their rhythm playing is like until they do this.

But another tip that I must suggest, simply because in my own case I feel like it was very important to how I developed, is using whatever tools you can to write musical ideas which are beyond your reach technically. I actually think my generation of guitar players, and the coming generation have a distinct advantage over earlier players; we have things like Guitar Pro, Powertab, Midi Sequencers, Podium, Reason, etc.

When I was trying to up my game technically, and at the same time was also trying to write the kind of songs I wanted to hear, I found myself writing really difficult passages or sections that I could not play, and would just slow those passages down, and practice them as if I were learning someone else's song.

Despite how much this way of doing things may seem mechanical and strange, and how unmusical the idea of using a computer to make music may seem, I don't think it is at all. Classical composers used pianos not only as instruments, but as tools, aids to composition which allowed them to hear ideas played back to them. Only the wealthy had access to a piano, and so we can think of the piano as an old piece of music technology, a 'composition aid' if you will. Using Guitar Pro or Reason, or whatever, is no different: you're the one who came up with the music, discovered the melody you programmed, the only thing you don't have is the ability to play it on an instrument... yet.

I think that this kind of thing really does allow you to organically figure out what kind of guitar player you really are. Yes, it's very important to learn the solos, licks, and methods of others, but what better what to become a better player than to take a sneak peak at what you would play if you were better, with the help of a midi sequencer, recording, or what have you, and then take a close look at what steps you'd have to take to play that.

Another suggestion I have is this; if you do make music using sequencers, then forget about whether or not what you're writing is 'playable'. Forget about your instrument, or the limits of your finger's muscle memorized patterns. If what you've written is objectively unplayable, then figuring out a way for a guitar to play something which serves the same purpose as the unplayable one is a worthwhile challenge.

Just a tip.

I don't recommend this to everyone, I'm certain some will take issue with this suggestion, or find it unnatural. That's fine by me, I think I can wrap my head around why it might be a bad idea. I still use this method to get better, but at the same time, I am able to play most anything I program into midi simply because of all the kinds of things I did practice which didn't require midi sequencing, things like scales, timing, picking, etc.

Good luck!

 

[Dirtdog]

We'll you need to find a guy named scratch down at the crossroads at midnight.
All kidding aside. Getting better is kind of subjective. Depends on the time you have to devote to certain areas. The more spread out your practice is the longer it will take you to reach each of the goals. But by focusing on one thing more than the others will get that one focused goal sooner. Than you could throttle back a little and focus on the other goal.
Learning theory does not have to involve the guitar directly but working on picking or legato does. So maybe take some time while your not at your guitar to work on theory stuff like modes or chord scales etc from a theoretical point of view like saying the scale formulas for the modes and chords for each of the modes etc. We all know people will say do this or do that but be honest with yourself about how much time you have to give to one certain area. Maybe your goal is to write songs more then playing 3000 notes a minute so you will focus on chords and melody more than shredding if it is the shredding you want to do your time will be more spent on fast picking legato etc but be careful not to overdo this area or your writing skills may suffer. Playing with a metro nome will help but also playing stuff without is good too maybe using it only on the one beat to help you gauge if you are keeping time with yourself playing and also to play with a drum machine to be able to lock in on a groove. Trying scat singing a riff and then copy it on your guitar. You can come up with more vocal lines if you do it enough. I know this is long but it's hard to say in five words or less.

 

[Adventrooster]

I've said this before and I'll reiterate: Visualize it. Some of the best practicing for me comes without an instrument even in my hands. I have an hour drive to work, and you will bet your butt the entire time I imagine myself playing every note of whatever song I'm listening to...whether I actually know how or not. When I pick it up later, I'm pleasantly surprised at how much easier it is to learn that specific technique or song.

To revert back to Mr. Petrucci's words...organize your sessions. I remember struggling to learn "x technique" and it was simply because I would try it for five minutes, not improve, and move onto playing a song. I believe playing a song can really halt your progress. I've been playing "Nothing Else Matters" or whatever song for 15 years, and playing today isn't going to push my skills forward any.

Tom Hess. I stumbled upon this guy a few months ago and thought he was a douche...but he has some great ideas. He talks about making just ONE note on your guitar SING. Practice making one idea sound good and slowly add to it. It actually helped me improv exponentially.

I hope this is useful.

 

[TaP]

Great advice everyone, I'm glad this thread hasn't died! I actually do record myself a lot now, because I've been writing a lot recently.
I've been doing a lot of ear training/learning non-guitar songs by ear and it's been fun, I guess it's what keeps me interested when I fail at Periphery, Elitist, etc.
I've been busting out some grooves to a click recently and find that really fun. I boom-box some riffs and then play them. I notice my playing has gotten a bit tighter, and I'm able to think of a riff and play it easier than before.

Anyways, keep 'em coming. When it comes to technique practice, should I just practice alt picking to a metronome for x amount of minutes? sweeping? legato? I worked on pure upstrokes recently.

 

[Kaickul]

Listening to a lot of different music keeps you motivated, and also set goals, record your own stuff. Nothing more fulfilling than creating your own music and people enjoying it.

 

[kchay]

Yo. I've been making slight progress. Making sure I at least push myself to learn AT least a little more of the songs I'm struggling with. (I'm all over the place, but love practicing Periphery and Bulb tunes, I can't play any to speed, but I notice I'm getting cleaner and faster, slowly).
Anyways.

1) Do you NEED to have a metronome on always as you practice? I do for the most part, but that click shit gets annoying after a while, I'm sorry...

2) Is playing the same songs getting me anywhere? Repetition, slowing down at parts I'm not clean at. Metronoming parts to gain speed in it, playing along etc.

3) I read that noodling around isn't good? And that it's not sufficient practice? I noodle around but I write something out of it 90% of the time. Actually 100%, otherwise I just play songs I know. I feel good after it.

So please! Answer those questions, and tell me... what helped YOU?!

(2 years into playing)

EDIT: I know I asked something similar before but I wanna see what works for you guys too! One guy plays hard things, that's exactly what I'm doing lol. It's the most fun for me too though, so... it's what keeps me playing. I wanna be guitar gawwwwd!

I don't personally use a metronome, and I've read of people who don't. I just learn songs that are a lot harder than what I can play at the moment, to try cover them as cleanly as possible. It's really quite tricky, especially once you start videoing and putting audio to video.
Also, I started listening to other stuff, and trying to develop my ear more. Doing other styles and jamming to different types of songs seems to be changing how I improvise, which is cool.

 

[TallestFiddle]

Definitely DO PLAY SONGS, holy crap guitar would be so boring if you weren't playing any songs. You want to practice mechanics and techniques first to warm up (Look up John Petrucci's lessons for ideas), but if you don't play songs after that you're gonna blow your brains out.

Metronome is a very very useful tool, but its quite abrasive and tedious.

I use a program called "Amazing Slow Downer" to slow down songs to a tempo I can play, and then slowly increase the speed as I start to learn it better. This way you can always play at your skill level. Even if you have to reduce it to 30%, you're going to be making progress and eventually get to a speed where you've gained a significant technique. This is just like playing with a metronome, and I highly recommend this, you will be playing songs you didn't think you could after some decent time and effort. (There's probably a better program to do this, but I got this and it works so I don't complain)

Some songs I try to learn I have to start at like 70% or even 50% for some solos. I don't have a huge problem with this, because I'm gaining those techniques at the speed that's comfortable for me. Then I can use those techniques when I'm noodling or writing, and use them in my speed.

Ya definitely record yourself, even if it sounds shitty, don't worry, its good practice. You get to see what you're doing wrong and improve it. And if its set to a metronome you're getting good timing practice too.

 

[Les]

This is all great advice here. I only add one thing. Try to keep it fun. Dont wear yourself out, with the mundane practice routine.

For an example, (use whatever you want for session length): Play 20 mins straight, being disciplined trying to learn one or a few specific things, then, turn off the metronome and jam around, noodle, play a cover, and so on. 20 mins later go back to the regimented practice session or what have you.

I find that i can "practice" a lot longer this way, and it keeps it light all at the same time. The important thing is, even though your going 20 mins strict to 20 mins goofing around, youve just spent 40 mins straight playing the guitar in your hands. One thing ive always loved about musical instruments, is there is really no way you can not progress as long as your PLAYING the instrument. (i know there are exceptions for bad habits and such)

 

[pirate60]

I use a program called "Amazing Slow Downer" to slow down songs to a tempo I can play, and then slowly increase the speed as I start to learn it better.

This is exceptionally good advice. I spent years doing metronome exercises in the hope of developing my technique so I could play the songs that I liked. Very demotivating, and whilst I improved, I wasn't having much fun. About 12 months ago I started learning whole songs and playing them through at a speed (using the Amazing Slow Downer") that was on the edge, but I still had good tone. The result? I was able to get songs up to speed way quicker and was having a bunch more fun doing so.

I learned the first 4 Metallica records this way, and am slowly working through Show No Mercy now. My goal is to have all of the classic "Big 7" thrash albums under my fingers.

 

[meteor685]

this thread is really helpful

 

[molsoncanadian]

Thought I might chime in here

- Little bit of history, played in a high school percussion section, and jazz band as the drummer, picked up a little bit of theory, but never took it as seriously as I (now) wish I had

- Picked up a guitar about 4 years later and fell in love instantly. Instead of really taking the time to learn fundamental things, I jumped straight into playing VOM, Periphery, Animals ect ect. I could play these tunes half decently at speed, but they were sloppy. I just kept telling myself no matter what, Ill practice this stuff until I can play it.

- Fast forward 3 years from then and I find myself constantly going back to address really simple issues that I shouldnt have had, had I taken the time to really learn the fundamentals. I am mainly talking about proper picking/fretting hand position, picking from the wrist, and avoiding any tension while playing. While it sucks to go back and constantly chase resolve with these issues, I do believe that going in guns hot made me a better player than most friends I started with. A couple friends I play with stuck to maiden for the most part, and needless to say I feel like I have progressed significantly further than they have as a result of what I chose to play.

- Long story short, I without a doubt believe %100 do yourself a favour and make sure you can do the simplest of things with ease (no tension) and good technique and timing. If this means going back to 90BPM and playing 16th notes for 5 minutes at a time do it. I learned that actually focusing on the simple stuff opens the gateway for more advanced playing. Additionally, and this is just my opinion..... Pick and fvcking hard song (yet reasonable), and stick with it. Open guitar pro and break it down section for section and play it at a speed that doesnt interrupt your ability to cleanly execute passages, lines, legato runs ect ect...

- One last thing, I know people think practicing something like a picking excersize to a metronome seems cumbersome and boring, however, if you keep it in mind that you WILL benefit from it, it becomes addicting. Sometimes I like to slow things down and practice a riff for a couple days, and then play it up to speed, and I am always suprised at what it does for my technique.

- Fast forward to now and I am working on mostly Dream Theatre tunes, but upon examining solo's I exposed a myriad of weaknesses, which in my opinion is not only good, but exciting. Knowing your issues and resolving them is great.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[meteor685]

Thought I might chime in here

- Little bit of history, played in a high school percussion section, and jazz band as the drummer, picked up a little bit of theory, but never took it as seriously as I (now) wish I had

- Picked up a guitar about 4 years later and fell in love instantly. Instead of really taking the time to learn fundamental things, I jumped straight into playing VOM, Periphery, Animals ect ect. I could play these tunes half decently at speed, but they were sloppy. I just kept telling myself no matter what, Ill practice this stuff until I can play it.

- Fast forward 3 years from then and I find myself constantly going back to address really simple issues that I shouldnt have had, had I taken the time to really learn the fundamentals. I am mainly talking about proper picking/fretting hand position, picking from the wrist, and avoiding any tension while playing. While it sucks to go back and constantly chase resolve with these issues, I do believe that going in guns hot made me a better player than most friends I started with. A couple friends I play with stuck to maiden for the most part, and needless to say I feel like I have progressed significantly further than they have as a result of what I chose to play.

- Long story short, I without a doubt believe %100 do yourself a favour and make sure you can do the simplest of things with ease (no tension) and good technique and timing. If this means going back to 90BPM and playing 16th notes for 5 minutes at a time do it. I learned that actually focusing on the simple stuff opens the gateway for more advanced playing. Additionally, and this is just my opinion..... Pick and fvcking hard song (yet reasonable), and stick with it. Open guitar pro and break it down section for section and play it at a speed that doesnt interrupt your ability to cleanly execute passages, lines, legato runs ect ect...

- One last thing, I know people think practicing something like a picking excersize to a metronome seems cumbersome and boring, however, if you keep it in mind that you WILL benefit from it, it becomes addicting. Sometimes I like to slow things down and practice a riff for a couple days, and then play it up to speed, and I am always suprised at what it does for my technique.

- Fast forward to now and I am working on mostly Dream Theatre tunes, but upon examining solo's I exposed a myriad of weaknesses, which in my opinion is not only good, but exciting. Knowing your issues and resolving them is great.

Just my 2 cents.

same story for me cept it was played for 2 years, then quit a year in a half, then started bak 3-4 months ago.

ya i agree, it is better to stick to things until their done, cuz other thing will get easier

Currently learnin this and it is reallllllly HARD to get rite, but it has made other songs(that focus on lead) easier just by transcribin the tapping licks haha.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57--LRvGgKQ

 

[HoneyNut]

- One last thing, I know people think practicing something like a picking excersize to a metronome seems cumbersome and boring, however, if you keep it in mind that you WILL benefit from it, it becomes addicting. Sometimes I like to slow things down and practice a riff for a couple days, and then play it up to speed, and I am always suprised at what it does for my technique.

Just my 2 cents.

Molsoncanadian is absolutely right about using the metronome to improve your technique. It does get addictive! You will notice your improvements and they will be very gratifying.