What You Can, and What You Cannot Play...

[guitarpicker2006]

I was confronted, (Like a lot of times) by people who said "Can you play Eruption by EVH" or "can you play this?" I'm getting really tired of people asking me this. I don't think that it is impossible to play something if you have the chops in the first place. Like, (Not to be big-headed) I can play that stuff, but i don't want to flaunt it. Who else agrees with this?
And somebody might get really offended if another person who doesn't or does play guitar asks them if they can play something when they cannot. But when i was starting out, I think that itmade me want to play those more...
Well, to the point...
Let's put down some suggestions for people to use to get their chops up. "Anyways, it's all in practice..."

[guitarpicker2006]

A book that I got from Musicians Friend called flying fingers helped a lot with the right hand and the right and left hand coordination.

But I found out that finger stretches work really well too. I am teaching my dad how to play guitar and it reminded me what I was like when I started.
here's a little shin-dig that i like to do with the 1st, 2nd, and 4th fingers on my left hand....

Start on the E string, with 1st finger 3rd fret. Then play your 2nd finger 3rd fret on the A string. Next do your pinky on D string 5th fret. Then take that to the next 3 sets of string and do the same thing up and down all over the place.

I find that thing to work out to my advantage really well. I do it this way, but when you cannot get those little piggies to the markety well, try doing it reverse.

It's not hard to make up stuff like that, most of the stuff that I make up for exercies is symetrical anyways....
Hope i helped

[sniperfrommars1]

Guitar picker> I had the same issue in high school. Cept I just learned eruption and about everything else they wanted. It basically got to the point where I got pissy. I had that young gun attitude and I let it get to me. Ive spent a long time playing guitar, and I would like to think Im good even though I know IM just slightly above average. dont let others bring you down, you know what you can and cant play

[athlon]

my bluesy playing isnt half as good as i would like, sure, i can get by on pentatonic based rock, and i was playing in a band, and we done covers like "get the funk out" and stuff, and i had all of that down, but my real forte in my playing is my sweep and alternating picking, i spent years ( and i mean years ! ) doing lessons from Micheal Angelo and Vinne moore, and as a result i have got my playing very fast and clean, but ... and here is the tragedy.... i notived my hands started to shake sometimes, and lock up, and all sorts of wierd things, and i have been diagnosed as having muscular distrophy, which will get worse. At what rate i dont know, but i will continue to play and strive to be as good as i can

so, i suppose i am just really like your average "bedroom guitarist"

Athlon

[Rabin]

I can play Jingle Bells and Im very proud of myself!

[jkeithc82]

I can't play a lot of anything, but I consider myself still in the beginning stages. One thing I would like to improve is my legato hand stregth. My fingers don't seem fast or strong nough to play legato very well.

[jono]

I tend to split things into 3 camps when dealing with the "can you play (insert name of song here)?" ?.

Firstly is the "yes I can, pass me a guitar and I'll show you". Songs that I know off by heart and am prepared to rattle off for anyone cos I'm confident enough to remember them and physically able to play them.

Secondly is the "yes I can play them, but I don't know how to right now, give me the cd and a couple of hours and the music/tab and I'll get back to you"

Thirdly is the "no" camp. Stuff that's not in my "style" mainly classical/fingerpicking type stuff. That and the rediculously hard stuff that certain rock guitarists use to showpiece their technique.

[jono]

I think a lot of Satch's early stuff is great for improving both your ear and technique. He's recognised as being one of the true greats because not only is his technique incredibly polished, but his note choice is always 100% right on the money. Go get yourself a copy of Surfing and the music book and sit and learn. That's what I'm spendign my practice time on at the moment

[Globbits]

Cunning plan. What about doing the same with 'passion and warfare'? A good rock workout!

[PerpetualBurn]

Me, i recon the electric guitar is just like any other instument. People write music, on sheets, in notation format, people play this music on violins, pianos, whatever. There is no reason people shouldnt be able to play the score of a violin piece on guitar note for note, and if your chops are up, at equivilant speed. Or the right hand of a piano piece, or the left, or whatever. I recon if you wana get a good rock workout, yeah, go for satch and vai tab books, do some ear training, test yourself with the CDs and your ear against the book. But if you want a real stamina and technique workout... its gotta be the 5th caprice, at a good 160BPM, thats what it says on this violin score anyways! (looks at violin score...) Thats a sweet combination of constant altering positions and picked runs, with some tricky fingering and the odd arpeggio run here and there. The classical stuff can provide a serious workout. Especially 13min long epics like 'Chaccone' (J.S.Bach) Thats a killer piece, fast, slow, quiet, loud, angry, sad, hopeful, its got it all. Personally, i like the classical stuff more than most modern rock stuff, but i like classical with a bit of delay...and a high gain lead amp...

Rob