I wish I could play like them

[francispj]

A guitar tragic that I am but skill levels are very ordinary.When I see people play their LP's even on 'YOUTUBE- some of the things guys can do is frightening. I do practise everyday but my fingers can't seem to move fast or cleanly enough. I have been playing off and on for a couple of years and I have a decent guitar (LP standard) so I cant blame that. Are there some practice skill that work or are some people like me just skill challenged?

 

[WildeStarr]

A guitar tragic that I am but skill levels are very ordinary.When I see people play their LP's even on 'YOUTUBE- some of the things guys can do is frightening. I do practise everyday but my fingers can't seem to move fast or cleanly enough. I have been playing off and on for a couple of years and I have a decent guitar (LP standard) so I cant blame that. Are there some practice skill that work or are some people like me just skill challenged?

I think it just takes lots of practice. I am not gifted in any way, I have to fight for everything I do. It seems that none if it comes easy to me. Thats just the way it is, at least for me. I know one thing for sure, I have gotten much better since I quit drinking!

 

[LoKi]

Haha yea the drinking thing is a downer on the playing. You always think you're a star, but the truth of it is, its sloppy as hell!

I've much more sober than i used to be. but thats not saying much.

Practice as much as you can. I try to get 3 hours in a day, even if its just noodling and I still have a LONG way to go.

 

[alanfc]

A guitar tragic that I am but skill levels are very ordinary.When I see people play their LP's even on 'YOUTUBE- some of the things guys can do is frightening. I do practise everyday but my fingers can't seem to move fast or cleanly enough. I have been playing off and on for a couple of years and I have a decent guitar (LP standard) so I cant blame that. Are there some practice skill that work or are some people like me just skill challenged?

For me it was consistent practice time daily (and I don't mean 4 hours a day),

and =faith=.
I don't mean spirtual,

I mean Faith like: "I know that if I practice this run 10 min. a day, that in 2 weeks it will sound decent" Not firebreathing shredding, but decent.

Whatever you can do to =not= put down the guitar, stay with it, pursue it, practice something different, accept that your practicing will sound bad.
I'm one of those people who thinks it 10% talent and 90% hard work.

 

[JPizzzle]

For me it was consistent practice time daily (and I don't mean 4 hours a day),

and =faith=.
I don't mean spirtual,

I mean Faith like: "I know that if I practice this run 10 min. a day, that in 2 weeks it will sound decent" Not firebreathing shredding, but decent.

Whatever you can do to =not= put down the guitar, stay with it, pursue it, practice something different, accept that your practicing will sound bad.
I'm one of those people who thinks it 10% talent and 90% hard work.

I completely agree! People have such high expectations when they start learning guitar, and it's such a downer to be working on something for so long and it still doesn't sound great. You have to accept that the riff, song, etc sounds "better" rather than perfect as you continue to practice. I stopped playing for a few month after I first started, but ended up coming back and now I try to practice every day. Those guys on youtube, tv, the radio and stage all started out at the same spot, with a guitar a pick, and i'm guessing some self doubt too. keep putting in the work and the reward will come

 

[dcmey]

I play alot of worship music, so classical fingerstyle sounds great for that, I have that down pat. I am looking to learn how to get good at making runs. Sometimes I will watch a guitarist start off playing fingerstyle and switch to a pick halfway through the song like when they want to do a run, thats kind of what I would like to do. One thing I have noticed is don't use that much pressure when your fingers are pressing against the strings, just enough to get the sound that you want. Pressing harder than you need to can slow you down.

 

[Satch0922]

my opinion is that it's not what you play but how you play it. There are a lot of technically gifted players that never make anything of their talent. Then there are guys that strike a single chord and send chills down your spine.

If you like to play and it puts a smile on your face, it's relatively cheap therapy.

 

[Satch0922]

Haha yea the drinking thing is a downer on the playing. You always think you're a star, but the truth of it is, its sloppy as hell!

I've much more sober than i used to be. but thats not saying much.

Practice as much as you can. I try to get 3 hours in a day, even if its just noodling and I still have a LONG way to go.

Well Pete Townsend had some advice back in the day..."if your going to play a gig drunk, then practice drunk. If your going to play a gig sober, you better be sober when you practice." Very profound......

 

[LoKi]

Worked for Pantera! When they first started, they used to get hammered at gigs and it sucked soooo bad. So they started practicing hammered and VIOLA!

 

[ReverendJWblues]

Most of us arent nearly as good as we think we are or would like to be. Just enjoy your playing brother, no matter what your probably not nearly as bad as you think you are. Just playing is the most imortant thing, and the enjoyment of it all. I'm not gifted I know a few who are, and they taught me just how to enjoy it.

 

[Samantha]

it takes years of being persistent and learning i was on and off for five years and only in the last two have i really said to myself i have to start playing properly.

the way i do it is i just improvise and i learn what sounds good together and i work my way along and across the fret board learning what sounds good where and trying different ways of getting a sound out of my guitar.

don’t be discouraged when you see people flying across the fret board with minimal effort they where like you too and it doesn’t matter as long as you like playing.

studies show that the sooner you start playing the faster the brain changes and grows axpanding and developeing the parts of the brain used for musical tallent.

 

[LoKi]

I've been in a slump lately, find myself reverting back to the old tricks. We need an inspiration video thread! Or maybe post em here. Youtube, here I come!

 

[lp59aholicDon]

Think of this , its not exactly what you play but how you play it, Do all you can to work on your finger dexterity, Fast odd chord changes, scales constantly altering which fingers you use to hit which notes, dont always use the same ones Go SLOW Make every note of a scale be heard clean and clearly, the same with your chords, use alternate picking styles in arpeggio forms . there are many technics but its your diligence , patience , practice and perserverence that can bring it out, Its a hard fustrating road at times, but its also like slowly fighting your way up a long stair case, where you need to take rest stops , Grabbing a positive attitude and telling your self you will find your way there find some songs not too difficult and learn them as best you can chord for chord and note for note

 

[Swordscythe]

I don't even want to be able to shred, or none of that... i just try to practice fingerstyle as much as I can, and most of all try turning a riff that's in my head into reality... if I succeed in that, then I'm happy for a time... my biggest problem is that I don't have much of an ear for music, but I'm hoping to develop it.

 

[Eggy]

^ I guarantee that if you keep practicing it'll all fall into place. As somebody stated earlier we're never half as good as we think we are but we also don't suck half as much as we think we do either.

 

[DeafDumbBlind Kid]

just keep playing. I do find listening to other styles of music, even other instruments helpful. Also, try playing and singing. You don't have to have a great voice, just make a joyous noise.

I've been playing going on 37 years now. I still consider myself to be a hack, but it doesn't stop me. Every once in a while, I'll play with somebody just starting out and I am amazed at how much I know and take for granted.

Don't worry about the fingers, it is muscle memory, they will eventually learn it. I think my breakthrough came when I started dreaming about playing the guitar. Not fantasizing, but a lucid dream where I am playing, and the sounds I hear in my head are coming out my fingers. It was the greatest feeling. Then I began being able to visualize in my head and hearing the notes, when I'm out walking, sitting in a chair or driving my car and listening to the stereo. This has helped tremendously in my playing.

The first time I was really in the 'zone', playing away and actually sounding like something, was an epiphany. I can't say how many months or years it takes, it is different for everybody. For me, it was probably after 20 something years (I did take a major break for 5 years, long story). I admittedly wa lackadaisical about practicing. Then I stopped trying to emulate other people, and really get the licks and riffs under my fingers, and play songs. Noodling is great for building your finger strength and calluses. Learning songs and picking up some theory helped to put the nooding into a semblance of coherence.

play on, brother

 

[Tenacious T]

I stopped focusing on "other" players long ago. There will always be guitar players that blow my doors off. That, I cannot change. So, I just started to focus on my personal growth as a guitarist.

We all play the guitar because it's something that we truly enjoy. So...enjoy. Don't worry about how good or bad you think you may be. Play, have fun & progress.

Go forth & Rock!

 

[alanfc]

A guitar ............:

Francis, heres some more, from a thread of mine a few years ago. Basically guys saying all the same thing but you might find something new

Finally I don't care that I don't care - Telecaster Guitar Forum

 

[Rico]

Just DO IT.!

Michael Jordon didn't become who he was, wishing he could play, he played. He wasn't hanging out, he was at some court shooting baskets and practicing his moves.

Same can be said for all the great ones in any field.

Hendrix, Page, Clapton and so on. When you read about their youth and how they learned to play, they were musical nerds. They had tunnel vision, they slept, ate $hit and dreamed guitar. Some people would have called it obsessive behavior, others would say driven. Either way they didn't get to where they are by just dreaming about it. Of course they had to have some talent, but still they had to act upon it. Play, play along with records, play with friends, play alone in your room, check out different styles and take out of it what works and moves you. Will you become famous, rich and a legend. Who knows.? But you will be happy and if playing makes you happy then have at it. Your hero's should be what inspires you to play. Learn from them, but don't try to be them. Learn their licks and phrases, then bend them and twist them, blend them until one day the voice you hear will be yours.

Damn, I'm gonna go play now.!!!!

 

[oldsawman]

amen brother , stink or not i love making any kinda music i t will come eventully hehe my luck ill prolley kick first