What's the best practice method?

endsjustifymeans · Post by **endsjustifymeans** » Wed Sep 16, 2009 9:14 pm

Another thing I've noticed that cause problems in my practicing is I'm not "strumming through" I guess you would call it.

When I try to play a song for certain cord changes I literally stop playing and make sure my fingers are in teh right spots before hitting the next strum, where as my teacher tells me I should just keep playing and keep the timing tempo right. It's like a mental block, I can't stop my self from doing it. Drives me fucking crazy. Usually it'll be like going from a G to a C, something that involves alot of repositioning.

serfx · Post by **serfx** » Wed Sep 16, 2009 9:16 pm

ENDS! i want to thank you for reminding me that i never practice.
i just go through and play pop punk songs, and old country songs.

but my writing and playing style has digressed since i stopped learning chord theory.

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 3:28 am

endsjustifymeans wrote:Another thing I've noticed that cause problems in my practicing is I'm not "strumming through" I guess you would call it.

When I try to play a song for certain cord changes I literally stop playing and make sure my fingers are in teh right spots before hitting the next strum, where as my teacher tells me I should just keep playing and keep the timing tempo right. It's like a mental block, I can't stop my self from doing it. Drives me fucking crazy. Usually it'll be like going from a G to a C, something that involves alot of repositioning.

Try playing a G chord twice, then a C chord twice. Do this to a slow beat, so that you're strumming, say once a second (or slower, as sow as you need to get it stead). Get it perfect, then try speeding up a bit. Keep at this until you can do it quickly without thinking about, then try it with different chords, different rhythms, different numbers of chords different sequences (so that instead of playing G, C, D, A, try, G, D, C, A that sort of thing).

This is muscle memory, but it's also a mental thing. It's very easy to form like a mental block to certain things. Something I used to do when teaching piano was to get pupils to play through a part they were having difficulty with, and not worry about wrong notes. As long as they're battering their way though it, then it doesn't matter that the notes are wrong, the important thing is to get a feel for what's supposed to be happening then every time you play it after that, it will get neater and neater until it's perfect.

Usually.

This is just stuff that's worked for me, both when teaching myself and teaching others, but obviously everyone's different.

endsjustifymeans · Post by **endsjustifymeans** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 3:35 am

Will try it, I really appreciate the help!

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 4:29 am

Also: Why the fuck can't I type properly in this thread? It's all over the place.

endsjustifymeans · Post by **endsjustifymeans** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 3:21 am

Guitar instructor taught me the first half of The Trooper today. I can play it at about 1/3 actual speed.

That shit is brutal on my newb fingers.

James · Post by **James** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 11:23 am

BacchusPaul wrote:Also: Why the fuck can't I type properly in this thread? It's all over the place.

Just keep typing, Paul. Don't worry about the mistakes. You'll get a feel for the thread and your typing will be more accurate with each new post.

Mages · Post by **Mages** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 11:26 am

muscle memory posting :}

endsjustifymeans · Post by **endsjustifymeans** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 11:43 am

James wrote:
BacchusPaul wrote:Also: Why the fuck can't I type properly in this thread? It's all over the place.
Just keep typing, Paul. Don't worry about the mistakes. You'll get a feel for the thread and your typing will be more accurate with each new post.

thread win?

endsjustifymeans · Post by **endsjustifymeans** » Sat Sep 19, 2009 2:40 am

Going to "Jam" for the first time tomorrow with a bassist friend of mine. Any suggestions? I realize it's not going to be any good, but I want to get used to playing with other people and start my creative juices flowing. I figure playing along with an experienced bassist can't be a bad start.

Should I just follow along in power chords to start? I really have no idea how to do this... I'm such a loser. lol.

I miss being a singer.

Reece · Post by **Reece** » Sat Sep 19, 2009 2:42 am

dude, you're only a few months in?

i would have sworn you were at least a few years in going by guitar and amp knowledge alone.

endsjustifymeans · Post by **endsjustifymeans** » Sat Sep 19, 2009 2:50 am

Reece wrote:dude, you're only a few months in?

i would have sworn you were at least a few years in going by guitar and amp knowledge alone.

well... it's strange.

I "started" about 2002-2003, when I first met mezz and fran on js.com. I was the singer in a band and our guitarist wasn't really much of. He knew how to play but didn't care about tone, or equipment or "the science" of it I guess. So I essentially became the guitar tech. I had been starting to fuck around and had a guitar and such so I started investigating gear and had him use my equipment. I learned powerchords so I could play along with him. So I essentially started building my rig but with him as the guitarist. It's a shame really, if I'd had his fingers and we might a gotten somewhere. I spent so much time practicing and writing with the band that my own guitar learning got pushed to the wayside. Then new house, new dog, etc. etc...

Just never picked it back up until about 6 months ago when I popped up here. So I spent a few years learning about the tech of it for my band. Amps, guitars, pedals, etc. I know tone, I just can't play well yet.

the isaac eaton · Post by **the isaac eaton** » Sat Sep 19, 2009 4:54 am

endsjustifymeans wrote:
Just never picked it back up until about 6 months ago when I popped up here. So I spent a few years learning about the tech of it for my band. Amps, guitars, pedals, etc. I know tone, I just can't play well yet.

Ends sometimes I forget that you joined shortscale around the same time that I did, you have like 10 trillion posts, I have like 4.

endsjustifymeans · Post by **endsjustifymeans** » Sun Sep 20, 2009 6:07 am

jammed.

Interesting experience... I came up with riffs I was happy with but I couldnt' figure out where to go next, couldn't put any songs together or anything. Still fun, and a good first step.

Gavin · Post by **Gavin** » Tue Sep 22, 2009 4:03 am

You need to learn how to really play.

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endsjustifymeans · Post by **endsjustifymeans** » Tue Sep 22, 2009 4:20 am

I'll take that with a spoonful of lol.

Gavin · Post by **Gavin** » Tue Sep 22, 2009 4:24 am

I'm only partially lol'ing. Mustaine plays like a motherfucker. Some of it is useful in general, not just for shredding.

endsjustifymeans · Post by **endsjustifymeans** » Tue Sep 22, 2009 4:26 am

Gavin wrote:I'm only partially lol'ing. Mustaine plays like a motherfucker. Some of it is useful in general, not just for shredding.

Much as I hate him... he certainly can play. no denying it. I'm actually watching the first one now... but it's just hard to stomach a video called "symphony of instruction". lol

I'll give'm a shot. I'm still trying to track down a copy of the page hamilton instruction DVD.

Mages · Post by **Mages** » Wed Sep 30, 2009 6:03 pm

I was just thinking about my times of doubt with guitar and thought I'd add to this thread.

I had so many false starts. I learned guitar in middle school music class. then dropped it. Took a county class on it. then dropped it. bought an electric in 2003, played for a month then dropped it. Finally in early 2007 I picked it up again. this time what kept me interested was the technical details. how to get different sounds. I had this LP Special II and I was like, why doesn't this sound like my GFs Tele? I mean a guitar's a guitar right? so it was an exploratory process for me finding all the different ways you can make a guitar sound. I'd never really directly focus on practicing. I'd just play some stuff I like. or learn some chords, or a scale. so now I've been playing for about 2 1/2 years and I've grown SO much.

it seems impossible when you start. I would think, "I guess I just have to face it. I just have no aptitude for music." bullshit! it really is all about muscle memory. and ear training. when I started. I couldn't even tell if a guitar was in tune or not. I could tell something was wrong if it was drastically out of tune but I couldn't hear between two strings at all to try to tune to them to each other. now I'm so used to listening to the tiny subtleties in sound it's no problem to quickly tune up the instrument by ear.

you just have to find something that interests you and satisfies you about playing guitar. there's no right or wrong way to go about learning the instrument. you have to find the unique approach that works for you. I think it can help sometimes if your not so focused on progress and just are having fun. if you're enjoying what you're doing, you'll keep doing it and next thing you know you'll have grown as a player.

sorry if that sounds too hippy dippy it's just what I've taken from my personal experience. I'm an autodidact, I've always been horrible in school and any structured learning process. I've always had to do it my own way.

endsjustifymeans · Post by **endsjustifymeans** » Wed Sep 30, 2009 6:40 pm

I appreciate that post alot actually. Somedays when I'm really frustrated it seems like I'm never going to get any better... it's good to know everyone hits that wall at some point.