Need some guitar playing advice...

[htismaqe]

I've been playing for almost 30 years now and have never really developed any "chops". Some of it is a lack of ambition...well, most of it is a lack of ambition...and some of it is just a natural lack of manual dexterity (I think).

I'm kind of stuck in a rut and I want to learn how to really play lead guitar - I'm not talking about Yngwie Malmsteen/Marty Friedman/Joe Satriani shit, but I would like to learn to play lead well enough that I could play some Dio songs or whatever.

So for somebody with my background and 3 decades worth of bad habits, what's the quickest way to do it? Private lessons? Books? Youtube?

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by melbar

I always let it slide because I can sing, but its just my laziness not doing the work.

I'm exactly the same way.

[melbar]

Im in negotiations with the wife to use the tax return to purchase a new guitar. Been a while and it always lights a fire under my a**! Hard to maintain that practice strategy for long financially!

[Mr. Flopnuts]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

I used to spend quite a bit of time at it but I never really got "better".

That's why I'm leaning towards lessons - so that when I do spend 2 hours a day on it, I'm learning the RIGHT things.

Like, I can go to the gym and work out and lose weight. But if I consult with a personal trainer and have them put together a routine for me, I'll lose weight twice as fast.

Well, as a guy who lost 185lbs without a trainer or partner, I'd say when you want something bad enough you go figure out how to get it done.

[Dayze]

This is a good reference. Can't figure out how to embed frm my iPad


http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pSSeaE_B75U&feature=relmfu

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Mr. Flopnuts

Well, as a guy who lost 185lbs without a trainer or partner, I'd say when you want something bad enough you go figure out how to get it done.

You could have lost that weight twice as fast, though.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by melbar

Im in negotiations with the wife to use the tax return to purchase a new guitar. Been a while and it always lights a fire under my a**! Hard to maintain that practice strategy for long financially!

Getting something new always helps.

I can tell a definite improvement in my playing the last couple of months.

I got a Zoom C5.1t controller with Zoom ZFX and I like it so much I want to play 1-2 hours a day.

[Lzen]

Originally Posted by Over-Head

http://www.metalmethod.com/?gclid=CN...FYtU4Aod0G4ADg

Holy crap! I had a couple of those when I first started out playing guitar. I didn't realize that was still around these days.

[Demonpenz]

Dayze you ever get that electronic drumkit?

[headsnap]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Yeah, the problem is that I've been playing for 30 years. I've developed a lot of muscle memory, most of it bad.

I think I need professional 1-on-1 lessons.

before you seek professional help, start practicing permutations... have the guitar with you when you are watching tv, run the permutations up and down the neck, changing the patterns but stick with the alternate picking. Do this 20 minutes to half an hour 4 to 5 nights a week and within a month you will notice a drastic difference in your playing. Like you said it's muscle memory, you have your little lick library, ways your fingers move time after time... permutations will open up your library.

It's not learning scales, you have already learned those at some point in time. It's weird, after starting the permutations about a year ago, the scales are coming to me naturally, the fingers want to travel around the neck more(instead of hanging out in A Pentatonic at the 5th fret!).


pick up that unplugged electric and annoy the wife for a few minutes...

[Demonpenz]

I think it is worth seeking profession human help in person the worst thing is you find out it doesn't work, which is a lesson in itself

[headsnap]

Originally Posted by Demonpenz

I think it is worth seeking profession human help in person the worst thing is you find out it doesn't work, which is a lesson in itself

I'm not saying don't do it, what I am saying is to get into shape before showing up to training camp...

[Dayze]

Originally Posted by Demonpenz

Dayze you ever get that electronic drumkit?

Not yet.
But I got a promotion yesterday that bumps me up 10k a yr. so it's coming very very soon.

Possibly by he end of march. It might even allow me to go up a step in terms of price aNd not be so constrained by cost etc

[Lzen]

Originally Posted by headsnap

before you seek professional help, start practicing permutations... have the guitar with you when you are watching tv, run the permutations up and down the neck, changing the patterns but stick with the alternate picking. Do this 20 minutes to half an hour 4 to 5 nights a week and within a month you will notice a drastic difference in your playing. Like you said it's muscle memory, you have your little lick library, ways your fingers move time after time... permutations will open up your library.

It's not learning scales, you have already learned those at some point in time. It's weird, after starting the permutations about a year ago, the scales are coming to me naturally, the fingers want to travel around the neck more(instead of hanging out in A Pentatonic at the 5th fret!).


pick up that unplugged electric and annoy the wife for a few minutes...

That's good advice. I used to do this back in the days when I was in gigging bands.

[htismaqe]

So what are "permutations" if they aren't scales?

[crossbow]

Get a book that shows you the pentatonic minor scale. Learn that and you have learned 99% of all the scales used in blues, pop, and rock. Also, learn where all of your octaves are on the neck and your range will skyrocket.

I started messing with guitars as a kid in 1962. I played professionaly from 1972 - 1982 until my left ear got damaged by a virus. When I was doing it for a living I played 8 hours a day minimum. Now days I forgot 90% of all those scales and chords but still play sometimes.