Unlearning bad teaching...

WildWayz · #1 02-23-2002, 04:14 PM

Hi,

When I first started lessons a few years back, my teacher was useless (well, at the time I thought he was great as I was about 13 years old - now I am 23). 1st lessons were chords - no problems there, but then all he would ever teach me was how to play licks from songs I brought in. He never taught me anything like scales or alternate picking so I always plucked "downwards" for everything.

Now, I stopped lessons after 12 months then continued them a few years later - but with a new teacher. This teacher started teaching me HOW to play - chords, scales, music theory, how to read music, notes on fretboard etc - but still I was hampered by not being able to alternate pick properly. I would miss notes and it wouldn't fit naturally :/

Unfortunately, after a few months I had to give up the lessons because of various reasons - so I have been thinking of re-taking those lessons and making a proper go of it.
Any tips on how to unlearn the stuff that my old teacher 'taught' me so I can master alternate picking properly?

James

caprile · #2 02-23-2002, 07:51 PM

well first of all i'm no master, but if you need some reference point i can play any petrucci stuff. i didn't even take lessons, but learned on my own. what really changed my playing was PG's intense rock II video. i adopted the way he holds the pick, and it made a radical change. it took a while to get *used to, but eventually it became natural. try getting the vid asap.

WildWayz · #3 02-23-2002, 07:55 PM

Thanks m8

I have a Vai one by some weirdo (not Wolf Marshall) but someone with a bad perm

I will look into that video

James

Jeroenn · #4 02-24-2002, 08:47 AM

Go check Marc Seal at digevent.com (guitar mania), go to the archives and check out the warming up show. That will get your alternate picking going, there is a great great example going all over the fretboard. I've been using it for some months now, and I can tell you it works just great.

WildWayz · #5 02-24-2002, 09:47 AM

nice site!

Thanks

James

Two hands31 · #6 02-24-2002, 12:56 PM

I used to hold my pick funny (two fingers on one side, thumb on other side, pointing in same direction as fingers) but changed my technique gradually just by forcing myself to do it, and it helped a lot. *So basically, my advice is just to get someone to teach you the proper way and keep forcing yourself to do it until it becomes natural.

lgascoig · #7 02-24-2002, 02:38 PM

You don't even need a teacher if you focus only on the mechanics of playing guitar. *I suggest checking out John Petrucci's Rock Discipline on VHS (also known as Rock Robotics by some forum members) which deals almost 100% with how to actually play properly.

The key is, START SLOW. *Don't be embarassed if you need to set your metronome to 40 bpm to learn a lick properly. *Just set it to 40 bpm and keep working it until you can do 48. *Then 56, etc... Keep increasing it gradually over weeks and you will get to where you want.

WildWayz · #8 02-24-2002, 03:32 PM

yep - metronomes are fantastic - got one on my Korg AX1000G and also a standalone one. Excellent for getting me to play evenly.

Will try to look for that video - but Amazon.co.uk isn't listing it :/

James

WildWayz · #9 02-25-2002, 06:11 AM

Cool news... after spending a while last night looking for UK Online Stores that sell JP's video, I drew blanks, so this morning I called my local guitar shop @ work. They said it looks like it is still available and will order it in for me

They don't know how long it will take, but it will most likely be £24.99.

--James