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I am looking for some help regarding skills needed to get to my musical goals. So here goes:

My goal is to become a decent/proficient lead player. I also would like to play my own rhythm sections. As far as Lead goes, this will include creating my own solos as well as play the melody of songs. Currently, I am basically doing what I think I need to do but without clear direction, I am not so sure what I am doing is actually adding value to where I eventually want to get to. I am concentrating on rhythm playing (Strumming, finger picking and a combination of the two), scales (not sure how to make this one interesting), fredboard knowledge and lead techniques (hammer on, pull off, slide ext.)

What I need direction in:
- What skills do I need?
- How do I setup a decent practice schedule? (I have about 1 to 2 hours a day)

I am aware that I need a tutor, but that is unfortunately not on the cards at this point in time. That is why I was hoping that you guys will be able to point me in the right direction. I have a lot of books, but without direction, they also do not help a lot. Speaking of books, I did decide on two which I am currently working through. They are:
Progressive guitar method: Finger picking
Progressive guitar method: Lead

As and when I get stuck with a specific idea or topic, I revert to YouTube to see if I can get clarity, now that helps a lot of the time, but again without clear direction...

Up to now, I have learned a lot from the forum members with various posts and topics, but I do feel that it has become time to get a lot more focused.

If anyone wants to discuss this off-line, I can supply my email address to you.

    Here's an idea, grab your cellphone and try record yourself playing something. From that, maybe we'll be able to spot some key problem areas for you and tell you what they are.

      The logical answer...vote for the Tony Cox AMA and ask him! https://community.guitartalk.co.za/d/26395-ask-me-anything-tony-cox

      The illogical answer : JOIN A BAND (or start a musical project/regular jam with someone).

      I'm a fan of the illogical one - you'll be challenged by the process/members to develop certain skills as you create jams/songs. I had written down some technical goals to develop on bass, looonngg before I joined the last band - was tricky for me to get into working on them - always something better to do ? ...but getting me to the practice room was easy!

      Now on the other side of the experience - a lot of technical theory I wanted to practice, I see that I did work on - in a way that wasn't frustrating or required excessive patience. It just happened.

      And don't diss cover bands, Bothners do the "Weekend Warriors" thing and that can be a helluva lot of fun and really help in ways you didn't expect.

      V8 The illogical answer : JOIN A BAND (or start a musical project/regular jam with someone).

      That's SUCH a good point. When I joined a band (briefly), it really forced me to look at the SONGS I was soloing over, the chords, and everything. I think if the band had kept going (it flopped after a couple sessions) I would've been 10x the guitarist I am today.

      Bands and playing in a group-setting teaches you:

      • Volume control.
      • Song priority over widdly-widdly.
      • Song structure.
      • The importance of playing "on the beat".

      And a bunch more. ALL of this is easily missed when you're just playing alone.

      I also think recording yourself regularly is an important tactic. I was surprised at how bad I really sound. Your brain tricks you into thinking you're awesome ?

      I can relate to where you are... I have been there, and will probably visit that space again in future. (There is no destination, it's all a journey ?)

      Having clear goals is probably the number one motivating factor at play here. The importance of clearly-defined, attainable goals cannot be overstated. When it seem unattainable, break it down in bite-sized chunks. Those goals should include:
      - Developing your ear (intervals, etc)
      - Improving the mechanics (finger strength, accurate picking, finger independence, string-skipping, etc)
      - Building your vocabulary (licks, riffs, phrases)
      - Understanding and applying the relationship between Chords, Scales, Modes, Arpeggios
      - Playing with other musicians... even one-on-one.

      Reading it back, it seems to me that I am just stating the obvious here... ? If you're interested, feel free to hook up in the real world, and I'll share some of my approaches with you.

      Jazzman105 Thank you sir. Thanks to all the replies, it is really a lot to think about.

      Point 1, makes sense. 2 and 3, I am working on. 4, that is more to do with confidence. That I REALLY need to work on ?.

      I must say, as far as goals go, I know exactly what I want, I am just need help in formulating a strategy to get there.

      RobbieZ . 4, that is more to do with confidence. That I REALLY need to work on

      You are not alone there! Is something I reflected on recent - something special happens when you believe that you can and the mind gets out of the way of the fingers.

      For sure, lots of muscle memory prep to get there, but I've many a peep pass through the gear junkie that just needed a bit of encouragement over gear or endless practice.

      One regret I recall from my daze at the Jazz Workshop was never attending their ensemble get-togethers. Playing with others is key to confidence and cementing dry theory into your playing vocabulary.

      Good luck!

      RobbieZ Jazzman105 Thank you sir. Thanks to all the replies, it is really a lot to think about.

      I must say, as far as goals go, I know exactly what I want, I am just need help in formulating a strategy to get there.

      There's no profound strategy to reaching such goals, IMO. You just have to get into the trenches and do the nitty-gritty graft. The stimulation and motivation presents itself there, at that level. I'd say, start with one simple NEW exercise each, aimed at taking you closer to each of your goals... or even just two of your goals. It's all in our approach. Here's my typical approach to, for instance learning an intimidating Pat Martino solo passage. This kind of approach is obviously not always strictly relevant to other learning areas mentioned, but I'm selling a mindset.
      1. Do it slow in a parrot-fashion.
      2. Use a metronome.
      3. First learn the whole thing, then start increasing your speed slowly and incrementally over days.

      4. Swap the metronome for a drum-machine. More stimuli, more fluff to work through under pressure, stronger concentration and attention span being developed...
      5. In that spirit... Now add a chord progression to your drum beat. (many apps available to do that)
      6. Once you know the phrase, substitute it with arpeggios and scales over the progression instead. Now you learn the context of the phrase... which scales its based on. So if you "lose your spot" in the solo, at least you have the comfort of knowing your "territory".
      7. Play it in other keys and finally force it into a song you already enjoy playing or improvising over.

      (Step 5 - 7 can potentially happen in one practice session). So, in learning a lick, I have exercised my ear, timing, improvisation, and more.

      Again, it all sounds so obvious... but as a guitar-player, the value is not in knowing how you can do it. It's in doing it.

      Jazzman105 This kind of approach is obviously not always strictly relevant to other learning areas mentioned, but I'm selling a mindset.

      That's a great approach - Nice one Jazzman (Why am I surprised, with a nickas Jazzman, hehe). It's pretty much what the teachers said I should have done ? I failed to get through it that methodically, especially step 7 - never did go through the keys as I should have, tsk-tsk.

      Thanks V8...

      V8 I failed to get through it that methodically, especially step 7 - never did go through the keys as I should have, tsk-tsk.

      I don't think anyone really does. ? I certainly don't run through ALL the keys. What's even more challenging, and something I don't see being discussed as much as changing keys, is playing it in the same key, but in different positions. Now your ear and interval knowledge is really being put to work!

        Here are a few more thoughts on the topic. I hope you find this useful RobbieZ.
        We all become periodically despondent with our (lack of) progress. In that space, it's easy to feel isolated and start questioning everything you thought you know about playing guitar. The fact is that the greats we admire were even more isolated than us today. They did not have that wealth of resources at their fingertips like we do. For the majority of them, their early learning was limited to mimicking recordings.

        George Benson and Eric Clapton will be the first to admit that they are not theoretically minded guitarists. They play what they know. I don't imagine either of them playing West-African grooves very well, for example. That's not what they know. For them to know it, they have to practice it - just like us.

        Guitar playing is a very versatile activity, with constant room for improvement across a very wide spectrum of elements and styles. So no-one ever knows if he knows enough or if he is focusing on the "right things" during practice. Beating yourself up about the things you don't know will drive you nuts and is no good for your confidence. Therefore I've learned to focus on doing the things I can do, better. The rest I learn by necessity. And here is where clear goal-setting makes another appearance.

        If my goal is to play an epic song that is obviously out of my league, I have to learn to master the elements of that
        song. It could contain fast runs, sweeps, pinch harmonics and all sorts of other horrible things I struggle with or know nothing about. Nevertheless, these things then become my current curriculum out of necessity... brought about by my goal.

        If my band gets booked for a wedding gig and the bride pre-requests a specific ballad as a first-dance song, then learning that song becomes a goal and all it's components become my current curriculum.

        If it's my goal to jam with highly skilled jazz cats at a local jam night, then preparing two windgat jazz standards
        and a killer solo for each, becomes my goal and brushing up on my comping, modes, favourite jazzy licks, etc become my current curriculum.

        Etc.

        In this way my learning is goal-oriented and has real-world relevance. At the moment, I am working on Christmas carols, for example. Simply because 'tis the season.

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