Question for Intermediate Guitar Players

[MichaelAndrew3435]

What did you do to take your playing to the next level? When talking intermediate, I mean the things mentioned here can be done.

There’s a list of skills and techniques that intermediate players should be able to do below when you open the YouTube video. It’s subjective of course, but I think it’s good for measuring ability. I feel comfortable with just about everything listed. However, I want to know what you better players did to get better. Please don’t just say “practice”. Give specifics!

 

[SteveC]

The single biggest (and best) thing that I did to take my playing to the next level was to stop noodling around, stop practicing scales, and chord changes, stop caring about theory and all that goes into "learning"...

And... wait for it...

I STARTED TO PLAY ENTIRE SONGS, FROM BEGINNING TO END (even those where I could not play the solos).

After you memorize about 100 songs that you can play from beginning to end, you will be amazed at how much better your playing will become.

Make a list of songs, go to YT and find someone good... watch, memorize, play. Repeat 100X. Become a much better guitar player.

If you learn how to play songs, all the things that he talks about will "just happen" and won't feel like you are practicing/learning.


/your welcome

 

[SWeAT hOg]

However, I want to know what you better players did to get better. Please don’t just say “practice”. Give specifics!

Formed a band. Playing with others, especially a kick-ass drummer, is what made me a better player, by far. TBH, I don't really enjoy playing the electric guitar on its own and doubt I'd continue were it not for my band as well as the work I do with my students.

 

[DotStudio]

I revel in my mediocrity.

 

[Ghostman]

a hard lesson I am still learning: I don't have innate tempo. Use a Metronome.

I've spent 20+ years noodling, playing to songs and such, but I've never used a metronome. I know my timing is off, but now I am trying to do something about it. However, trying to use a metronome now is like starting over from scratch.

 

[SWeAT hOg]

I revel in my mediocrity.

I’ve listened to your clips....you are not mediocre.

 

[Bigfoot410]

The single biggest (and best) thing that I did to take my playing to the next level was to stop noodling around, stop practicing scales, and chord changes, stop caring about theory and all that goes into "learning"...

And... wait for it...

I STARTED TO PLAY ENTIRE SONGS, FROM BEGINNING TO END (even those where I could not play the solos).

After you memorize about 100 songs that you can play from beginning to end, you will be amazed at how much better your playing will become.

Make a list of songs, go to YT and find someone good... watch, memorize, play. Repeat 100X. Become a much better guitar player.

If you learn how to play songs, all the things that he talks about will "just happen" and won't feel like you are practicing/learning.


/your welcome

What songs make you a better shooter??

 

[Tim Fezziwig]

LSD- I was a failure, took mega doses-learned how to sing AND play lead guitar in one night! Show was booked, could not find a singer or lead player! Opened the gates ENDLESS talent appeared.

 

[SteveC]

What songs make you a better shooter??

Actually, on the way to matches, I tend to listen to some of the "standards" and their adoption by modern musicians. One of my personal favorites is "The Girl in the Other Room" from DIana Krall.

They calm me down - LOL

 

[pnuggett]

 

[Bytor1958]

Once you learn the basics then move on.

Pick easy songs then move on.

Kinda like that.

 

[danohat]

Honestly? I started playing completely nude.

 

[Kamen_Kaiju]

Some have been mentioned. Learn to play complete songs from start to finish and play in a band or with a drummer.

As far as pushing myself I just did (and still) do that by finding other guitarists that do something I don't know how to do and learning to do it.

When I was a kid I learned Sabbath and Zeppelin, then I pushed myself to learn Metallica, then it was Megadeth, then it was Slayer (because they're very fast), then it was Yngwie, Satriani, Alex Skolnick,

In the past 15 or 20 years it was Paco Pena and Paco DeLucia, and Al Dimeola, Brent Mason, Brad Paisley and Danny Gatton.

In the past couple months I've been revisiting Satriani and Skolnick and Jake E Lee, and I've been learning to play Van Halen songs. My hope is to learn all the songs on all the albums plus the solos that I find interesting, (like Jump, You Really Got Me, You're No Good, etc. )

Mostly with EVH it's not the playing that's tricky, it's palming the pick in the middle of playing so you can tap, then pulling the pick out again to play with it. I feel like with EVH I'm practicing a pick-palming/magic trick more than I'm practicing guitar.

But I've gotten pretty fluid with it over the past month, so..... I'm still learning.

Always learning, always writing.

Guitar is a lot of fun. When it stops being fun I stop playing for a while until it's fun again.

 

[Mockbel]

I believe this guy says it all... I like his series but to be honest, I couldn’t do that.. I have no time or commitment !

 

[Scooter2112]

From the video that was posted the OP, I kinda meandered down the rabbit hole and discovered Steve Stine. Probably the first guy that really made sense to me in applying basic music theory to the fretboard.

 

[CRobbins]

 

[Lungo]

LSD- I was a failure, took mega doses-learned how to sing AND play lead guitar in one night! Show was booked, could not find a singer or lead player! Opened the gates ENDLESS talent appeared.

You got the entire audience to take LSD?

 

[NRBQ]

What did you do to take your playing to the next level?

Better drugs and denial.

 

[MichaelAndrew3435]

The single biggest (and best) thing that I did to take my playing to the next level was to stop noodling around, stop practicing scales, and chord changes, stop caring about theory and all that goes into "learning"...

And... wait for it...

I STARTED TO PLAY ENTIRE SONGS, FROM BEGINNING TO END (even those where I could not play the solos).

After you memorize about 100 songs that you can play from beginning to end, you will be amazed at how much better your playing will become.

Make a list of songs, go to YT and find someone good... watch, memorize, play. Repeat 100X. Become a much better guitar player.

If you learn how to play songs, all the things that he talks about will "just happen" and won't feel like you are practicing/learning.


/your welcome

I feel like this is how I started. Lately I’ve been going back through some songs I couldn’t play correctly or in time and seeing if I can do it a few years later. Some I can and some I can’t, but there’s definitely been improvement. I try and see if I can play all of them over a backing track. I can do about 10 in correct time from front to back.

You’re right in that this is helpful, but I do think some knowledge of music theory is necessary for jamming. There’s so many chords and techniques out there that I could likely do, but I just don’t know where they fit.

 

[artis_xe]

I try to use concepts and exercises that I learned on the drums ( when I was younger ) , over to the guitar . like multi string paradiddles , and polyrhythms . sometimes I pull out a midi controller keyboard . hook it up to the computer . try to explore new ideas that I can translate back to guitar

it's all just experimentation to me . I don't want to try to be anyone else . and if my playing evolves ( or doesn't ) . so be it