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Practicing lots lately while I prepare for a new job and have free time.. but the thing I'm finding is that the longer I spend practicing, the more and more sloppy my playing gets. It's like a combination of hand fatigue and my brain wandering. As a result, I'm not getting things up to the speed I'd like (start slowing and ramping metronome up after 10x repetitions of phrase or something..)

Seriously, I can't even play the stupid Week 2 exercises in this book* because by the time I've ramped up the speed, I'm sloppy as hell and my strings start buzzing, I start missing notes. So pissed that I can't keep focused.

* The intro recommends that you skip to Week 17 if you've played more than a year.. and I've definitely played more than a year..

mathias wrote:Seriously, I can't even play the stupid Week 2 exercises in this book* because by the time I've ramped up the speed, I'm sloppy as hell and my strings start buzzing, I start missing notes. So pissed that I can't keep focused.

Just call it noise rock or if you're daring, jazz.

So jam session was cut terribly short because drummer's roomate's hardcore/metalcore(I'm not sure) band was practicing the same song for a couple hours during which I pretty much sat there in a sleep deprived daze only kept awake by red bull and the incredible volume being produced by their half-stacks. I've been dealing with mini bouts of insomnia which have been adding up to make me feel completely exhausted, disoriented and sick to my stomach. When we finally got the chance to play, the other roommate got home and came downstairs all pissy saying we were being really loud. I guess that's a good thing considering we're supposed to be playing noise-rock and I only had my 15 watt Vox at half volume. After a couple hours of waiting and a construction ridden drive in and out of the city(I-94 is a pain in the ass right now), we only got to jam for about 15 minutes.

Now I'm torn between taking Nyquil and going to sleep now and risk further fucking up my sleep schedule or trying to stay up all night like I would on a night when I'm working. I wish I could just sleep for ~20 hours starting right now.

mathias wrote:Seriously, I can't even play the stupid Week 2 exercises in this book* because by the time I've ramped up the speed, I'm sloppy as hell and my strings start buzzing, I start missing notes. So pissed that I can't keep focused.

Guitar Aerobics?

First of all, you need to be consciously thinking about what you're doing. Here's a better way of doing it: start at like 30 or 40 bpm. Whatever is so slow that you find it uncomfortable. Repeat the exercise until you can play in cleanly, in time, and without lifting your fingers more than 1/4" off the strings. Also, you should not be anchoring, should be placing your thumb vertically against the middle of the back of the neck (it's acceptable to bring it higher up when doing things like bending), and should be moving your picking hand less than 1/4" give or take (I'm not actually measuring) except when moving between strings. After you can do this for at least 5 minutes without a mistake, increase the speed by 4 bpm. If you mess up decrease the speed by 8 bpm. Repeat.

The reason for all this is that to get fast you first increase accuracy and economy of motion. Speed will result naturally as a byproduct and with much less effort than it would have otherwise.

This should help as well:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvhZ80OsuTQ[/youtube]

Check out Chris Letchford's technique book when you're done with that book. It's sweet.

it always gets on my nerves when people are like 'i want to be a vegetarian but i just can't stop eating meat.' well, then you obviously don't want to be a vegetarian all that much. it's just annoying. it's really not that fucking difficult, either you want to be a vegetarian or you don't. no one cares either way, no one's probably going to judge you. and if they were going to judge you, essentially saying 'i want to go vegetarian but i'm lazy' will probably make their opinion of you worse, not better

and my friend stayed the night tonight but she fell asleep a little while ago (like all suddenly in a weird position takin' up the whole bed and err thang too) but i drank too much caffeine to be going asleep anytime soon. sux.

unownunown wrote:it always gets on my nerves when people are like 'i want to be a vegetarian but i just can't stop eating meat.' well, then you obviously don't want to be a vegetarian all that much. it's just annoying. it's really not that fucking difficult, either you want to be a vegetarian or you don't. no one cares either way, no one's probably going to judge you. and if they were going to judge you, essentially saying 'i want to go vegetarian but i'm lazy' will probably make their opinion of you worse, not better

Yep.
It's pretty annoying. It's really not that hard, and if you don't want to, no big deal right? Just say so.
No one thinks you're cooler if you're a veggie.
I don't get these silly people. Make up yer mind!

vegan food sucks dude
everything taste like birdseed

jfrey wrote:

mathias wrote:Seriously, I can't even play the stupid Week 2 exercises in this book* because by the time I've ramped up the speed, I'm sloppy as hell and my strings start buzzing, I start missing notes. So pissed that I can't keep focused.

Guitar Aerobics?

First of all, you need to be consciously thinking about what you're doing. Here's a better way of doing it: start at like 30 or 40 bpm. Whatever is so slow that you find it uncomfortable. Repeat the exercise until you can play in cleanly, in time, and without lifting your fingers more than 1/4" off the strings. Also, you should not be anchoring, should be placing your thumb vertically against the middle of the back of the neck (it's acceptable to bring it higher up when doing things like bending), and should be moving your picking hand less than 1/4" give or take (I'm not actually measuring) except when moving between strings. After you can do this for at least 5 minutes without a mistake, increase the speed by 4 bpm. If you mess up decrease the speed by 8 bpm. Repeat.

The reason for all this is that to get fast you first increase accuracy and economy of motion. Speed will result naturally as a byproduct and with much less effort than it would have otherwise.

This should help as well:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvhZ80OsuTQ[/youtube]

Check out Chris Letchford's technique book when you're done with that book. It's sweet.

Yeah, I started with classical guitar and a very strict teacher.. so I don't ever do the rock-thumb hooked over the fretboard, constantly thinking about thumb placement and trying to get finger movement economy. Also did a little piano and lots of school band, so I'm able to count, even when it unexpectedly threw 32nd notes at me as part of the first week of exercises. (Count double time with foot and think 1e&a2e..etc) Just had to start slow enough (bpm-wise) to count nonverbally like that again.

It's funny, the "workout" part of this book is 10 "reps" of the exercise at given speeds, starting at 40rpm and ramping it up 8-10bpm each time until you get to 120bpm. Maybe I'm increasing the bpm too much by following the book? The problem is though, after 15 minutes of playing the same passage, my hand and my brain are bored. Definitely trying to focus on it,

Fuck you, Gibson for making a blue Firebird with two mini humbuckers and a Maestro vibrato, then telling me it's like SEVEN THOUSAND FUCKING DOLLARS.

http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electri ... ird-V.aspx

Also, fuck you psychobiology exam for me failing by ONE POINT and having to retake this monday.

mathias wrote:The problem is though, after 15 minutes of playing the same passage, my hand and my brain are bored. Definitely trying to focus on it,

What I do - and this depends entirely on how your mind works - is play something like seasons of South Park while I do exercises. You still have to concentrate on what you're doing though. If you can multitask well, it will help you keep from getting bored. Victor Wooten recommends watching tv while doing exercises.

tuffteef wrote:vegan food sucks dude
everything taste like birdseed

Then you haven't had good vegan food.

Fuzzy Picklez wrote:

tuffteef wrote:vegan food sucks dude
everything taste like birdseed

Then you haven't had good vegan food.

i should have known when they said try the chocolate cake its delicious
like how does that even work

tuffteef wrote:

Fuzzy Picklez wrote:

tuffteef wrote:vegan food sucks dude
everything taste like birdseed

Then you haven't had good vegan food.

i should have known when they said try the chocolate cake its delicious
like how does that even work

Mother Gaia surrounds us with many delights that do not require the harm or exploitation of another living and loving creature for we are all one in this cosmic celebration.

snipelfritz wrote:

tuffteef wrote:

Fuzzy Picklez wrote:

tuffteef wrote:vegan food sucks dude
everything taste like birdseed

Then you haven't had good vegan food.

i should have known when they said try the chocolate cake its delicious
like how does that even work

Mother Gaia surrounds us with many delights that do not require the harm or exploitation of another living and loving creature for we are all one in this cosmic celebration.

You, my friend, are lame.

tuffteef wrote:

Fuzzy Picklez wrote:

tuffteef wrote:vegan food sucks dude
everything taste like birdseed

Then you haven't had good vegan food.

i should have known when they said try the chocolate cake its delicious
like how does that even work

Come to England, our vegetarian and vegan food is wayyy better than the states etc. (I know from people that aren't british, not just claiming that, I wouldn't know myself)

I'm a veggie that severely dislikes vegans and some of the stuff they have is Very nice (Alot tastes like crap i'll admit, oh god the vegan cheese but some is very nice).

I can't go to/play ILFest because I live in TX.