I figured out a new practice method.....

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jiveturkey1

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I have a problem with playing "cleanly". So I figured I'd try to play the latest solo I'm learning (The Cars-Just What I Needed) as many times in a row as I can PERFECTLY. And as slow as I need to do that. So far my record is 3 :rolleyes:

Btw, for my skill level this is this hardest thing I've ever learned. The most fun too! And probably the quickest. I need to learn it before January 10th because we have a jam scheduled and I just started 4 days ago. My fingers are KILLING me :mad2:

:wave:
 

WholeLottaIzzy

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Keep playing it at a speed where you can play it perfectly. Get the muscle memory ingrained then work on speed.
 

rabidhamster

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Good choice that whole album is killer and there's some really tasty guitar licks in that tune. Definitely a good way to improve.
 

jiveturkey1

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Thanks, just getting back into their music since the 80's. Doing some research on them. I didn't really know that much about them. I thought the tall dark hair guy did all the singing. Is that Eliot Easton? Ben Orr had an awesome voice... RIP.

And to clarify. I realize I didn't actually come up with the idea to play slow and deliberately but I always find myself trying to play something new at full speed. I had to tell myself to TRY to play it perfectly and to me, trying to see how many times I can do it in a row. It's been helping. Thanks for the encouragement to sloooooow down! At what point should you deliberately try to go full speed even if you mess up a little. Is it okay to do both at the same time or am I froggin up my muscle memory?
 

otto6457

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My teacher jumps on me every time I screw up when trying to play something too fast. He tells me constantly that he would prefer I play it at half speed or slower and not make a mistake, rather than play it badly faster.

And yet....I try to play it too fast every blasted time.

I think when I try to play my lesson for him I'm so tense I play too fast. Probably because I'm so stinking nervous and just want it over with.
 

paradice

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you have to push yourself to get faster..bit by bit - not from half speed to full speed in one jump.. but if you're messing up then slow back down to a comfortable pace and play it error free to undo any 'mistakes' caused by going too fast

I still play things too fast too soon, or some days almost getting it up to speed....then the next day going straight in at a faster speed than I can do, then I wonder how it's all starting to sound sloppy...
 

Codeseven

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I think I've mentioned before but, in trying to improve my speed I relentlessly tried to practice as fast as I could while hitting all the notes clearly, but, I just kept hitting a wall. It wasn't until I purposely, almost recklessly, sped up way past my comfort level that I realized I could go much faster and I was self limiting my own speed. Once I physically moved faster I psychologically realized I could indeed play much faster and after that i just played that fast regularly until it was easy and then stepped it up again from there. But, I wouldn't have got there had I stuck to slow, slow, slow, slow then 'eventually' faster.

I think I had the skills to go much faster but didn't believe I could until I actually did. If that makes sense.
 

revtime

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I think I've mentioned before but, in trying to improve my speed I relentlessly tried to practice as fast as I could while hitting all the notes clearly, but, I just kept hitting a wall. It wasn't until I purposely, almost recklessly, sped up way past my comfort level that I realized I could go much faster and I was self limiting my own speed. Once I physically moved faster I psychologically realized I could indeed play much faster and after that i just played that fast regularly until it was easy and then stepped it up again from there. But, I wouldn't have got there had I stuck to slow, slow, slow, slow then 'eventually' faster.

I think I had the skills to go much faster but didn't believe I could until I actually did. If that makes sense.

Makes total sense to me. I slow things down only when I get completely overwhelmed. Then I slow it down and work on what is tripping me up. Is it finger placement? or is it the string skip? perhaps its the pull off to an open string? That gets me a lot, keep wanting to put a finger down.
Bon Jovi Living on a Prayer, the bass line I can play fast but for the life of me I can not play it slow. I have been sight reading Rocksmith for so long my hand/eye coordination is setup to play what I see. Ask me to play from memory and I can not do it very well. I play for myself and zero plans to ever play for anyone else so that is ok.
In the very beginning everything was slow because it had to be. I was learning how to play a power chord or an E chord. Almost 3 years in I can play those things easily.
I sight read. I do not really memorize anything. I practice technique so I can play what I see coming down the RS noteway. Chord I have never seen before in a new song.....I practice it outside of RS to know the name and how to play it. New technique like tapping? I take it outside of RS and learn how to basically get it down.
This works well for my goals. However, the only way to play from memory for an audience is to go as slow as necessary to imprint it on your brain cells. And then play it over and over and over and over till you can not play it wrong.
I am a Rhythm player so lots of chords and fills with almost no solo stuff.
I can not sit and play the same thing 100s of times. I do not have the patience. I can play songs at 95% or so. That means I am hitting 95% percent of all the notes in the song. Its far from perfect but I am fine with it and have a lot of fun.
This will not help 99% of you as you all plan on playing for others. However, I do recommend playing at speed and seeing what you can play and what you can not. Then work on the parts you can not at a slower speed.
 

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