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How to get better at guitar

jakeworth.com

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Re: How to get better at guitar

#21

Post by crtified »

One truth I've observed from decades of keen hobbyist involvement in guitar music and playing is that a lifetime of music is largely an individual journey.

The fact that some players learn by transcribing, while others learn by jamming, and yet others learn by rote theoretical study, or 10-hour practice sessions, etc, is a big part of the variety which results in the wonderfully varied tapestry of music styles and approaches that humanity creates and enjoys.

Not to take away from the age-old, valid advice in the link about the value of ear-to-fretboard work.

Re: How to get better at guitar

#22

Post by andrewvc »

It’s a great article on something that’s useful, but a bit overconfident in its universality. Better at what? There are many dimensions to being a guitar player. Is it technique? Theory? Ability to pickup a song by ear (this article)? Better at playing in a group? Better at playing solo? Better at reading music? Better at accurate bends? Better at fingerpicking?

One of the nice things about music is you can’t get good at ALL of it. You have to pick where to focus. I’ll also say, you might need to ask yourself if you want to get better. I love relaxing by reading through the chords on a new song and playing it. I already have a job, and the time I truly have for intentional practice is like once a month. Most people are not studying to become guitar pros but to enjoy their time with the instrument. If that is your goal let joy be your guide. Perhaps some short term pain is part of that journey but really weigh out what you want out of the experience.

Re: How to get better at guitar

#23

Post by bardackx »

RomanPushkin wrote: post #19

I am playing for quite a while... Had private lessons with a coach to practice solo guitar, and general understanding for a couple of years. Before that around 10 years or more as amateur, now it's been 3 years since I spoke to a guitar coach last time. I play every day, I do my solos, I play blues, I don't need chords. But it's hard. Just don't underestimate how hard it is - to be able to play any solo by ear. I gue…

this is pretty sad

Re: How to get better at guitar

#24

Post by RyanOD »

I've been playing guitar for 30+ years. When I was a kid, I learned almost everything by ear - note by note by note...

In hindsight, once I had learned a song, I had actually learned MUCH more than just that song. It is that "extra" that adds up over time and makes one a guitarist and not just someone who can play some songs on the guitar.

Rock on!

Re: How to get better at guitar

#25

Post by emil-lp »

RomanPushkin wrote: post #19

I am playing for quite a while... Had private lessons with a coach to practice solo guitar, and general understanding for a couple of years. Before that around 10 years or more as amateur, now it's been 3 years since I spoke to a guitar coach last time. I play every day, I do my solos, I play blues, I don't need chords. But it's hard. Just don't underestimate how hard it is - to be able to play any solo by ear. I gue…

Why did you continue playing for over a decade?

Re: How to get better at guitar

#26

Post by Affric »

crtified wrote: post #21

One truth I've observed from decades of keen hobbyist involvement in guitar music and playing is that a lifetime of music is largely an individual journey. The fact that some players learn by transcribing, while others learn by jamming, and yet others learn by rote theoretical study, or 10-hour practice sessions, etc, is a big part of the variety which results in the wonderfully varied tapestry of music styles and ap…

I can’t imagine stopping every note. I think it is pretty good practice for me to never stop if one can avoid it.

I used to stop all the time, when I made a mistake, between repetitions, when I finished the piece.

I agree about ear to fretboard.

Re: How to get better at guitar

#27

Post by doubled112 »

BizarroLand wrote: post #7
beachy wrote: post #3

Sting famously learned to play bass using this sort of technique with music on LPs, lifting the needle and dropping it back a bit in the track over and over again as he gradually worked out the notes and fingering. Probably almost any method is effective at learning guitar, as long as it includes the key factor - time spent practicing.

My music teacher said that practice does not produce perfection, only perfect practice produces perfection. If you mess up, redo the part you messed up correctly 5 times in a row. And, don't just practice the easy stuff. You have to challenge yourself to grow.

As somebody who started teaching himself guitar as a teenager, put it down for 10+ years and started back up, this resonates.

Everything takes twice as long to learn because I first have to unlearn the old habits.

Re: How to get better at guitar

#28

Post by Acrobatic_Road »

glial wrote: post #5

I learned to play guitar this way -- listening to CDs and scrubbing back and forth, writing down what I heard. It's great, but it only gets you so far. Learning pentatonic scales was a step-change for me.

as somebody who practices from tabs I have no idea how I would begin doing this.

Re: How to get better at guitar

#29

Post by senko »

Wow, Justin with his hair!

Been plucking at the guitar (literally and figuratively - trying to learn) for a couple of years now and Justin's (free) course was the best I've found. His videos are compassionate, funny, explain things really well and easy to follow. He also dog-fed the instructions by learning to play left-handed (and posted those videos as well, hilarious to watch).

Compared to that, some time earlier I subscribed to a Berklee free course on Coursera (iirc) - Beginner guitar. Felt like a fumbling idiot, almost never touched guitar afterwards.

Really recommended: https://www.justinguitar.com/

Re: How to get better at guitar

#30

Post by Slow_Hand »

BizarroLand wrote: post #7
beachy wrote: post #3

Sting famously learned to play bass using this sort of technique with music on LPs, lifting the needle and dropping it back a bit in the track over and over again as he gradually worked out the notes and fingering. Probably almost any method is effective at learning guitar, as long as it includes the key factor - time spent practicing.

My music teacher said that practice does not produce perfection, only perfect practice produces perfection. If you mess up, redo the part you messed up correctly 5 times in a row. And, don't just practice the easy stuff. You have to challenge yourself to grow.

Yes. Put another way: Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast.

And as my music professor once said: "If you sound good while practicing, then you're not practicing."

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