Necrophagist.
Carcass - Tools of the Trade
Carcass - Tools of the Trade
What helped you the most to build chops
- Thread starter Aberak
- Start date
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Been playing since 1991 and I still feel like I need to build my chops properly.
All this time and I still don´t know how to solo, I sound sloppy, my hands are too big and my fingers to hard to get speed. I had classes in the beggining of the 1990´s and some classes in 2004, they did help me, but I´ve learned the most in some sort of self-taught curiosity.
But I´m still mad that I play a lot of complicated riffs and I can´t solo, it makes me sad. I feel so out of place sometimes when I see the amount of shredders here.
All this time and I still don´t know how to solo, I sound sloppy, my hands are too big and my fingers to hard to get speed. I had classes in the beggining of the 1990´s and some classes in 2004, they did help me, but I´ve learned the most in some sort of self-taught curiosity.
But I´m still mad that I play a lot of complicated riffs and I can´t solo, it makes me sad. I feel so out of place sometimes when I see the amount of shredders here.
All_¥our_Bass
Deathly Chuuni
Oh yeah I forgot to add, that I looked up loads of music theory in books or online.
Michael
Forum MVP
So far just practicing with a metronome for an hour or so a day. That's all it really comes down to... that and patience. 
I think the biggest motivator for me is living in a tiny town in the middle of nowhere and knowing that if I wanna hear interesting guitar playing it's gonna have to come from me. By the same token, I fully understand I won't be playing a show here for a long, long time
There's been lots of excellent advice so far. In addition to the stuff mentioned, I've realised that it's far more productive to do shorter periods of focused practice than long periods of noodling everyday. Nowadays I'll play for 3-5 hours, but focusing on specific things, be they technical or theoretical, rather than sitting in front of the TV noodling and messing around with the guitar all day (although I do that as well after the hardcore practice sessions!). That sort of practice is like meditation for me...nothing else winds me down in the same way.
I agree.
I used to noodle around for like 8 hours a day and I didn't get a whole lot better. Then when I started constructing my practice like you would construct a workout at the gym I noticed great improvement. I think you have to go 10 steps back to progress 100 steps forward when practicing. Starting really slow, playing exercises for a few minutes rather than 4 bars then upping the tempo by 1bpm at a time.
Now I don't noodle at all. Sure, its not fun but not much in life is . I have constructed workouts for each technique I use a lot and in doing so my playing has gotten far better in a matter of months.
You will never learn everything, so find the things you like and try to master them.
I used to noodle around for like 8 hours a day and I didn't get a whole lot better. Then when I started constructing my practice like you would construct a workout at the gym I noticed great improvement. I think you have to go 10 steps back to progress 100 steps forward when practicing. Starting really slow, playing exercises for a few minutes rather than 4 bars then upping the tempo by 1bpm at a time.
Now I don't noodle at all. Sure, its not fun but not much in life is
. I have constructed workouts for each technique I use a lot and in doing so my playing has gotten far better in a matter of months. You will never learn everything, so find the things you like and try to master them.
Holy Katana
Wait, what?
1. Trying to play things that are way over my head technically. Even if I can't play a song at full speed, I can still learn patterns and stuff from it.
2. Taking up jazz guitar. Even though I've only been playing it for a handful of months, it's already helped me immensely in changing chords really fast,
3. Spending a great deal of my free time practicing. I've gone for entire weekends doing nothing but practicing, eating, going to the bathroom, and sleeping.
4. Taking AP Music Theory at my high school. Knowing how music works is always helpful.
Also, I bought Sheets of Sound for Guitar by Jack Zucker a couple of weeks ago. If you don't know what it is, it's a phenominal guitar book that Jimmy Bruno recommends strongly. There are hundreds of extremely original and inventive patterns in there, as well as suggestions as to other chords they could sound good over, in addition to the one notated on the lead sheet symbol.
2. Taking up jazz guitar. Even though I've only been playing it for a handful of months, it's already helped me immensely in changing chords really fast,
3. Spending a great deal of my free time practicing. I've gone for entire weekends doing nothing but practicing, eating, going to the bathroom, and sleeping.
4. Taking AP Music Theory at my high school. Knowing how music works is always helpful.
Also, I bought Sheets of Sound for Guitar by Jack Zucker a couple of weeks ago. If you don't know what it is, it's a phenominal guitar book that Jimmy Bruno recommends strongly. There are hundreds of extremely original and inventive patterns in there, as well as suggestions as to other chords they could sound good over, in addition to the one notated on the lead sheet symbol.
Nick1
Well-Known Member
Not in any particular order.....
1. The Metronome
2. Studying with George Bellas for the past few years.
3. Ear Training
4. Rehab (not for drugs ) But Ive had 2 surgerys on my left arm and each time Ive really focused on EVERY aspect of my technique. Since I was too weak after the surgery to play anything fast, it forced me to play slowly and to really focus on the weak parts of my playing.
5. Lessons with Tom Hess for years.
7. Composing music with out using any instrument. Just pencil and paper. I sometimes will write things that are alot harder to play when I dont have a guitar/piano near by.
8. For speed and strength Id say various Lagato and Tremelo picking excercises for extended amounts of time.
9. Paul Gilbert/Michael Romeo/John Petrucci.
10. Teaching Guitar has helped alot.
11. Playing in the Church choir for the past 10 years has helped me SO much with my improvising.
1. The Metronome
2. Studying with George Bellas for the past few years.
3. Ear Training
4. Rehab (not for drugs
) But Ive had 2 surgerys on my left arm and each time Ive really focused on EVERY aspect of my technique. Since I was too weak after the surgery to play anything fast, it forced me to play slowly and to really focus on the weak parts of my playing. 5. Lessons with Tom Hess for years.
7. Composing music with out using any instrument. Just pencil and paper. I sometimes will write things that are alot harder to play when I dont have a guitar/piano near by.
8. For speed and strength Id say various Lagato and Tremelo picking excercises for extended amounts of time.
9. Paul Gilbert/Michael Romeo/John Petrucci.
10. Teaching Guitar has helped alot.
11. Playing in the Church choir for the past 10 years has helped me SO much with my improvising.
GREAT advice IMHO. One of the reasons I stopped playing for a few years (among others) was that I thought I had to throw in hours on hours of playing or focused practice, and then it seemed I didn't progress as much as I thought I ought too - which led to feelings of 'maybe I just don't have that talent', etc...
When I got back to playing, I threw that crap out the door. If I pick up the ax now and in 15 minutes just don't feel in the groove, I put it down and come back later, cuz it'll just be a waste of time for me. And when I do come back and it feels right - totally productive sessions.
