cain
Hi guys
For a lone time now i haven't been happy with the way i play or sound. I was talking to norio just now about practicing guitar and a realized something important.
Ive been trying a new approach to practicing for a while now. Ive been practicing my scales, runs and licks in front of the television, without any amp or headphones. As in most things i do in life i have a problem of trying to control everything i do instead of letting it go and letting it come natural.Doing this hinders speed, tone and feel. One must let it happen naturally and let it flow out of you. Until one learns to do that, you will never become like Vai, Satch or any of the greats.
FatBoy
Interesting! I have never had a problem of trying to control it too much, in fact I am way too sloppy, but iit works fine for my kind of guitar (the drunk guy by the fire style). I think like all things in life you need to find your balance, not overly controlling, but ya not my kind of drunken gibberish that accidentally sounds like something either. I do agree with you wholeheartedly though, I would not really want to listen to someone that plays like a robot, for that might as well play on a MIDI synth or something.
arjunmenon
Hi Francis,
Great post, but i have a point of view that is quite contrary to what you've mentioned.I mean, i do practise without an amp and its great for warming up both hands and for the fretting hand to learn the fretboard(and 'sans' amp means i don't have to deal with an irate girlfriend) ? However, what i try to acheive is the effortless application of the things i've learnt in the past without thinking about it (something i've started paying more attention to after reading a Holdsworth interview), but i can only make this happen if i pay attention to every detail of my technique, note selection and phrasing for it to almost become an extension of me at a later stage.
Cheers.
cain
Hi Arjun,
I think my post came out wrong from how i intended it. One should play clean and as perfect as you can, BUT some of us concentrate on doing the right stuff the WHOLE time. Listening to great players ( Including you ), they never concentrate that hard, thats why rehearsal is there and once the final product is delivered, its as if instinct guides you and it all becomes naturally.
arjunmenon
Hey Francis,
Thanks for the rectification (now i get where ur coming from ? )
And thank you for the compliment, however, i still think of myself as a noob ?
Good post. Keep it up!
Cheers.
cain
Arjun, dont we all always feel like noobs ? Thats what drives us to do better ? Once you too comfortable with your playing, you stop growing ?
arjunmenon
Well said, brother. Well said 8)
