Don't forget to just play

[RVA]

I'm playing but eveything I play sounds the same. There's a definite plateau.

I know the feeling. This is one of the more simple problems to solve. Challenge yourself with something new. I have posted a lot of cool lessons in "The Classroom " section. Check it out and see if anything interests you.

 

[marshalltsl]

Great tips!

 

[Beagle]

Great tips!

Practice is all well and good, indeed necessary, but not at all what the thread is about.

 

[marshalltsl]

Practice is all well and good, indeed necessary, but not at all what the thread is about.

You are right.
But I think it's related. IMHO

 

[Truss_rod]

Carpal Tunnel ....

 

[Beagle]

You are right.
But I think it's related. IMHO

Well if you haven't practiced, then you wouldn't be able to play. Practicing isn't playing, just as playing isn't practicing.

 

[marshalltsl]

Well if you haven't practiced, then you wouldn't be able to play. Practicing isn't playing, just as playing isn't practicing.

Yes! You are right. But I think practice it's the key. A good practice method help your playing. It helps you in your inspiration and desire to play. Helps you enjoy playing. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Beagle]

Yes! You are right. But I think practice it's the key. A good practice method help your playing. It helps you in your inspiration and desire to play. Helps you enjoy playing. Just my 2 cents.

I put in the hard practice nearly 50 years ago.

 

[Session 5]

I'm playing but eveything I play sounds the same. There's a definite plateau.

So, it looks like you write your own music. Do you play covers of any kind?

 

[Session 5]

Practice is all well and good, indeed necessary, but not at all what the thread is about.

Yes , i believe you are partially right Beagle, but at sametime, in the way we practice might make a difference, or raise a persons awareness to something that might trigger or inspire one's thinking to break that person out of their shell, so to speak.

 

[Session 5]

So, it looks like you write your own music. Do you play covers of any kind?

ry new styles

Although you may not be attracted to certain guitar styles, it is highly recommended to learn new techniques from different guitar styles, different rhythms, new challenges because they always have something good to contribute. The more you learn about all the possible styles, the better guitarist you will be, and you will never be bored again.

Let's say that you only play rock; well, if you study concepts of jazz, country, blues, new scales on guitar or guitar modes, all this knowledge will only help you grow as a musician, you just have to take it back to your field.

You will realize that there are similar concepts in all these musical genres.

 

[Session 5]

Listen to new bands and new guitarists

Listen to everything; there is an infinity of quality music in all possible styles. YouTube is a mine for finding new bands or even bands from 60 years ago that you've never heard of, you discover them today and get hooked instantly. Check out the sound of the guitars, the production and open your ear to new sounds.

Use YouTube and discover new guitarists, they might explain their techniques and secrets, and you'll find that solution you're looking for.

 

[Astral Traveler]

So, it looks like you write your own music. Do you play covers of any kind?

Very few in their entirety. I do (been a long time because of covid) play in a blues band and those are covers. They are usually in the form of 12 bar blues songs though, so they aren't really covers in the sense that I have to learn every little bit and piece of the original.

 

[Session 5]

Listen to phrases and songs

The tablatures are very good, but from time to time, you have to force yourself to work the ear. Take out things by ear that you like: fragments, licks, some solo, etc. The more you do it, the better; it will be not only for your ear, but also for learning guitar movements, the reason for the choice of notes, and for the pleasure of enjoyment, once you do it there is nothing more satisfying than saying, "I took it out by myself without the help of anyone!” And not only can they be guitar phrases: you can also take out bass lines, piano, voices, etc.

 

[Session 5]

Very few in their entirety. I do (been a long time because of covid) play in a blues band and those are covers. They are usually in the form of 12 bar blues songs though, so they aren't really covers in the sense that I have to learn every little bit and piece of the original.

It would be a start.

 

[Session 5]

Study your Favorite Guitarists

With the help of tablatures and your ear, study your favorite guitarists. Why? Because they inspire you and only you know what they transmit to you. With the amount of material on websites, programs like Guitar Pro, YouTube tutorials, today you have everything at your disposal to study the best.

Once you've learned it, review it from time to time, and adapt it to your style.

 

[Session 5]

Record yourself playing

Make a video recording to see the position of your hands and your technique. You can use a camera, webcam, or cell phone to record and detect errors, and be able to correct them.

 

[Session 5]

Improvise more

When you open yourself to new musical genres, learn new techniques, and study your favorite guitarists, you have a good knowledge to improvise better and not be playing the same thing over and over again. Often improvise calmly and put into practice everything you have learned with backing tracks of all kinds, from free ones, favorite songs, to creating your own loops or backing tracks.

 

[Session 5]

Receiving personal lessons from good teachers is a good idea to improve and continue learning interesting things, to solve doubts, to show you different approaches that show you the way and go up step by step to where you want to go as a guitarist or musician.

 

[Beagle]

12 bar blues