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Original message:490 days 6 hours 25 minutes ago

Member: Gregorio Gasperi

31
WebCred

Well, I was wondering what YOU do every day to improve your playing.

I start off with warming up (I wasn't used to doing this, but someone I know had serious problems with his tendons because he did not warm up, so I decided it was a good idea), after that come my scales. :)
Then I start working a particular song, riff, or lick I want to learn.

That's quite limited. And I'm seriously unhappy with myself - I just improve damn slowly! I'm sure the error lies with my way of training. Being mostly selftaught, I don't have anyone to tutor me on this (and on lots of other things, but that's why guitar.com exists. Heh).
Anyway, I feel confined in my playing. It's horrible to have ideas in your head (or heart?) and to be unable to bring them to these 6 strings!

Any suggestions?!

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Reply:489 days 17 hours 44 minutes ago
Member: Mike D.

+ 1

402
WebCred

For one, I have never tried your "warm ups". Seriously, that's a damn good idea. I'ma do that.

But another thing is to improvise. Pentatonic scales or minor scales, to anything you can. I can do that and it helped make me a better guitarist. Jam with a drummer. It helps you get time signatures in your head, and the beat you get from it will help you to make up some epic ass songs. What style do you play? I suggest you listen to artists who play in your genre and solo to them. Between the beat and the improv, you should be insane in a few months.

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Reply:489 days 14 hours 51 minutes ago
Member: Gregorio Gasperi

31
WebCred

Heh... Really, warming up actually changes a lot... Right now, I do the "typical" warming up exercise (chromatic scale up and down the neck :) plus something that really keeps my fingers bleedin'.
On each and every string up and down the neck. First hammer-ons, then pull-offs...
The possible combinations are:
[Two fingers]
1-2
1-3
1-4
2-3
2-4
3-4

[Three fingers]
1-2-3
1-2-4
1-3-4
2-3-4

[Four fingers]
1-2-3-4

Every note has to be as long as the one before.
It really helps developing muscles...
(I got this one from Justin Sandercoe, http://www.justinguitar.com. He posted a video about it on YouTube, too.)
Anyways, I had a band until some time ago (like 3 weeks), until I moved away from where I lived. The drummer was just a genius (12 years old, played since he was 5), so I jammed lots with him, but I was really stuck with my stuff. It kept sounding so damn bluesy. BTW, I was a real metal head until some time ago, when I understood that when playing guitar I should consider all genres. That's what I try to do now. I still listen to metal and rock a lot, I've got problems with listening to blues, jazz, swing... I just don't really get the groove, I guess. I try playing everything I can get my hands on...
Well, cheers, and good luck with the -100 project... :p

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