Can't stop doing excercises!

[Chris From Singapore.]

Hi my name is Chris, and I'm a Guitar-Habit-O-holic Too!

I think the reason why most guitarists never improve is that we always play what we are comfortable with. It probably stems from a problem deeply rooted in procrastination. I'm sure deep within you, you have a bunch of licks or phrases within your head. Take those phrases out and transcribe them on your instrument.

Even if you've been doing the same exercises/patterns, it might be a good idea to mix them up ie. Use them with different intervals, scales, string skips, legato or whatever, or better yet use them as connecting phrases in your melodies.

I hope this helps, this has been a problem that I myself as a guitar player have been struggling for with the last couple of years. I think getting a new book, listening to a new player or whatever is good. But it's only going to take you THAT far in your quest to improve, actually getting there is really up to you

IT'S TIME TO BREAK OUT MAN!

[shredfreak]

Originally Posted by jaken777

Steve Vai once said to try & disconect your self from what your hands are doing & feel the sound coming out of your Amp in sted of thinking about what your trying to play- i read that in one of the guitar mag's, bro you must find your self in the music you do, even in songs that aren't your own you add the magic needed, put some feeling to your playing & you will enjoy what your doing on the guitar.

Cheers- Jake.

I can't agree more! This is what I'm trying to do.

[EL-CeeDee]

same problem here

Even my written songs often sound like exercises strung together. People still say they like it,.. but hey.

So then I realized...

Stop, -think-, sing, play, repeat

And it actually turns out that the things in my head are quite fingertwisting ideas...

Worked for me ( in between the noodling and pentatonics )

[Chud]

I get into the same habbits of practicing chromatics to metronome, playing up and down the same scales and modes and generally doing the same thing over and over again.

It's got to the point where i know no songs and only exersizes, so when i'm in a guitar shop or something, i can't do jack except mess around with modes.

I've been told by my college tutors to hear where you are going and let you're brain do the work rather then your hands. I have the problem of letting my hands lead me and not having good phrasing etc.

Pain in the butt ;p;

[fono22]

I have the opposite problem from a few of you....

I write a lot of songs and I never get bored of guitar... but I have never sat down and learnt the scales properly. I have learnt what sounds good after what note and I have a very good ear, but my actually playing ability is what is keeping me from turning my good songs into signable material.

I'm hoping that being joined up to Jemsite will help that problem, in saying that... I'm wasting time typing... I should be practising.

Lance