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Since I'm always on the lookout for books/videos to improve/expand my playing, I was wondering if you all had any suggestions. I also want to know how you all practice. I try to do at least twenty minutes a day, normally focusing on speed picking with a metronome, working through different books, and then exploring different pedals.


Alright, let's hear it.

I don't practice ever, I play my guitar when I feel like it as opposed to forcing myself to play. It's all just trying to write songs, with the rare cover.

None of the music I intend to make requires the level of skill that most guitarists desire.

play with other people as much as possible. Nothing beats live jamming, especially when you screw up and have to play your way out of something.

For a long time I tried to practice for an hour a day but I rarely get to do that now. Been a couple years since I've sat down and gone over books, if I do get a chance to play at home I usually just screw with pedals and make noise for a while. (been playing for almost 25yrs)

smile_man wrote:I don't practice ever, I play my guitar when I feel like it as opposed to forcing myself to play.

Thankfully, I really enjoy practicing so I'm not to the point where I'd have to force myself to do it.

maybe check out some basic theory on the interwebz
like major and all the minor scales blues scales yada yada all of them with remembering the notes in the scale
some chord theory like triads diads sevens
good techniques good to learn aswel and breaking bad habits or its hey square one hows it goin

and just practice its more just practice and set out a time everyday even if its like 20 mins
practice to a metronome and without just enough to get a constant click in ur head
go slow its no race it takes time

i dunno

Lintybits wrote:play with other people as much as possible. Nothing beats live jamming, especially when you screw up and have to play your way out of something.

+1.

After my last band split I was just hanging out and jamming with people, and it really pushes you in different directions and stretches your brain. It can be challenging to play with people you're not really comfortable jamming with, or havent played with before. I was playing with some friends who write metal, not what I usually play, but it forced me to try something new.

Another thing I like to do sometimes is just put on some cds or an ipod and just play along over the top of them. Not play the song mind you, but just play melodies or different parts of the top of my head. Sometimes leads to cool ideas for songs too.

in2thegapagain85 wrote:Another thing I like to do sometimes is just put on some cds or an ipod and just play along over the top of them. Not play the song mind you, but just play melodies or different parts of the top of my head. Sometimes leads to cool ideas for songs too.

Yes! I've only tried this once, but it was very fun. The particular album I tried it with was the live Dead Meadow album.

I find that using alternate tunings lets your brain focus on what sounds good as opposed to what you think you should be playing in terms of scales and whatnot.

Try playing while you're watching tv or a movie - or some other situation where you're less than half-focused on the guitar in your hands.

You'll probably find your subconscious coming up with some pretty weird things while the guitar just sits there. Then elaborate on those.

I find that pretty fun.

leastwise wrote:Try playing while you're watching tv or a movie - or some other situation where you're less than half-focused on the guitar in your hands.

You'll probably find your subconscious coming up with some pretty weird things while the guitar just sits there. Then elaborate on those.

I find that pretty fun.

I've read that this approach can allow you to play live without having to concentrate as much.

I just learned a ton of songs for practice. At first I used tabs, but now I've got a great ear for it. I can pick things up from the radio or tv or whatever and just play along if it's not too far-out. It keeps things interesting and it makes my friends laugh.

Mainly this: http://musicthing.blogspot.com/2007/06/practice-in-front-of-bush-captain.html

CBGB wrote:Mainly this: http://musicthing.blogspot.com/2007/06/practice-in-front-of-bush-captain.html

Oh, that's good.

After taking classes for some 6 years, I would say a basic understanding of music theory is more than enough to get you started if you want to try to compose your own stuff. I say to familiarize yourself with scales, like the pentatonic (so many possibilities with this scale), memorizing different positions/notes that you can play in different keys, like I tried to learn everywhere where I could play in the key of E, A, G, etc., and add a few different chords to your vocabulary besides power chords, etc.

I stopped taking classes, and I have to say that I I'm glad I did. Before I would think too much about stuff, and I would try to think of complex stuff and honestly, that was no fun. I then got really into old Delta Blues players, and a lot of Indie stuff, and if you listen to that stuff, it's not complex or hard, but it kicks a lot of ass.

So now I when I'm really bored, I'll grab my guitar and my Iphone, and turn on the Voice Memos app. and I'll hit record, and I'll play whatever comes to mind, then I'll stop, go through it all, pick out riffs, or stuff I like and try to expand on it or combine stuff.

watch this, and i promise you'll be fine.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xm-KFJ2jDWA[/youtube]