Need some advice

[jkeithc82]

I'm in a rut I guess, but I actually don't know. My problem guys, is that I'm really lazy when it comes to practice. I know I should play more, but I for whatever reason don't. I have time each day to do it, and usually fit in a little practice time, but I feel its not enough. Still, I don't have the motivation to practice more. Can anyone give me some advice? BTW I'm still learning the basics of theory and stuff, so theres a multitude of things I should learn and practice, but like I said, I'm being lazy about it.

[Giant Steps]

What ever room you're practicing in, clean it. Let in as much outside light as possible and get air circulating with an open window or a fan. Organize all your materials (metronome, books, guitarmags, music, whatever else you use) and make sure they're within reach of you while you're playing. That last one's important, I don't mean accross the room, I mean arms-length.. If you don't have a music stand, get one. If you have any recording gear, set up the controls so they're very near you, and you don't have to hassle a whole lot to start recording.

I know you're thinking this sounds strange but it's actually the most helpful advice when it comes to practicing time that I can give. If it takes little to no effort to start practicing other than grabbing your guitar and turning on your amp, you'll be much more inclined to do just that. If the room you're practicing in is somewhat spacial, clean, cool, and comfortable then you'll be much more inclined to practice longer while feeling better. If all your materials are an arms-length away and somewhat organized, then you never have to put your guitar down or dig through piles of crap to get to stuff or instead just say,"forget it!" If it takes little effort to record then you'll be more inclined to use it for practice like soloing over progressions and such.

As for stuff to practice, just look on the internet! If you want you can email me and I can point you to some sites or give you some stuff to work on. sam@redwing.net

Good Cheese,
-VIG-

[jem7vwh]

The first thing I'd advise you to do is set goals for yourself.

Do you want to be a guitarist on scale with Steve Vai or Rob Balducci?

If you do, this means a serious commitment to practicing and learning your craft. When you've decided where you want to be, you can go about getting there.



Now, if you're just in a creative rut, then try changing your environment. If you're a big shred or metal guy, listen to rap or jazz. Try to improvise over it. This kind of practice helps take you out of your comfort zone and forces you to try new things.

[BrianH]

All the above suggestions are really good. I might add just one thing... try buying a book on something you don't know much about.. maybe say finger style folk guitar? or Blues guitar... work through that book.

[guitarpicker2006]

I agree with Giant Steps, having everything that you willl possibly need near you is good because that way you are more likely to get to it and do it. I have a bookshelf in my room (I live at my parents house but i am young enough to hehe) with guitar mags and technique books as welll as tab books. Having those near will make you more apt to use them
Also, open up the windows and such like Giant said. That makes me want to practice for some reason. get that beautiful Texas air in your room. For the muse part...Find a player that you like, be it Joe Pass, Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Roberty Fripp, or whatever tickles your brain and listen to them either through a tape, CD, vinal, or betteryet watcha concert tape. Those concert tapes get me. If you're into Steve Vai, watch the end of Crossroads....hehe

[Mr Orange]

Get away from the pressure.

The worst enemy is to feel overwhelmed!!

Yeah right, there's lotsa stuff and schebulafonglics to do, but don't think about it. All this ****é about "you have to have serious commitment and practice speed drills for 20 hours a day" won't do your psyche or development much good.

Like Bill Evans did, practice the minimum. Don't have lots of materials to fuzz around with, have just a few basic ones. Like one lick to master, one rhythm/comping exercise (use a tune!), one ear training thing, on reading exercise.
When practicing a lick, there are always the technical aspects, the chord changes, reading and rhythms present. And once you get it going, do it other keys as well.

Work at your own pace, and don't quit until ya master the material. Then move on. Who cares if it takes a bit longer than for Johnny next door?!
Doing some good work is better for your playing than to sloppily cover all the stuff in the world.

Remember to be relaxed and focused. Don't force anything. Take breaks. Do 15-20 mins at a time and take a 10 min break. Leave yourself wanting more. Don't think about hours. Quality counts. Shun the stress, guitar is supposed to be fun! If it isn't, why bug yourself with it?!?

[MidnightFlamed]

It's not easy to believe sometimes, especially when reading jemsite, but it's possible to be an incredible guitarist and not be a master shredder. Like anything that's art, there's emotion and creativity involved which is highly subjective. When I start to feel overwhelmed by master shred metal artists, I listen to the blues for awhile. Just to prove to myself that incredible music does not mean incredible speed.

My advice is this: When you want to work on guitar but are too lazy to play, hop online and read more about theory. Soak it up, then try writing more. From time to time I'll go back and forth between being a "player" and being a "writer," concentrating on one or the other. Sometimes the workday's been long and I just want to sit in my computer chair and relax. That's what powertab is for.

And, when all else fails, buy new equipment. That always makes me want to pick up the axe and go at it.

[jkeithc82]

[quote="MidnightFlamed"]It's not easy to believe sometimes, especially when reading jemsite, but it's possible to be an incredible guitarist and not

My advice is this: When you want to work on guitar but are too lazy to play, hop online and read more about theory. Soak it up, then try writing more. From time to time I'll go back and forth between being a "player" and being a "writer," concentrating on one or the other. Sometimes the workday's been long and I just want to sit in my computer chair and relax. That's what powertab is for.
quote]

This is very true. Even when I'm not at my axe, I am often online reading through thoery lessons. This site has helped tremendously, and even though I've played for 4 years, I never took time to learn the major/minor scales, notes of the fretboard, chords, soloing etc. I just printed out a lot of tabs and ended up only learning a rift or 2 and then getting bored and moving on. I almost feel like I've started over with playing, and now I'm progressing faster. But......I'm still lazy lol

[Reaper]

It's not easy to believe sometimes, especially when reading jemsite, but it's possible to be an incredible guitarist and not be a master shredder. Like anything that's art, there's emotion and creativity involved which is highly subjective. When I start to feel overwhelmed by master shred metal artists, I listen to the blues for awhile. Just to prove to myself that incredible music does not mean incredible speed.

I'd just like to point out that although I agree with every point you've made, to be an incredible guitarist, whether you shred or not, you have to devote yourself significantly to the instrument. The arguement: you don't have to shred is often used as an excuse for guitarists who never bothered to put serious time into their craft. Sometimes, it's actually easier to shred, because you don't have to worry about the emotion put into the blues. Anyway... whether you want to become the shredmaster or not, you still need to get off your ass!

I would recommend that you sit down, and play with certain chords, scales or licks until you can solo around them, and not to stop until you can.

[Mr Orange]

Lately I've noticed a couple of things I really gotta work on:

Melodies. They're the **** that counts. There is actually nothing outside the melody. They're so important. I've thought about intensely practicing melodies, to get myself overloaded with them, so my rhythm playing, solos and everything becomes melody playing.

Reading. Gets you paid in the real world. 'nuff said.

Arpeggio-based ****é. Makes stuff more jazz and opens up technical aspects.

It's funny btw how many melodical masters, like Charlie Haden, Bill Frisell, Jan Garbarek, Jim Hall (heck I'd almost add John Frusciante here as well), are technically quite "clumsy". No fancy stuff coming out, but God bless those lines they play. And almost every single "shredder" sounds like a speed exercise...