Time to actually learn how to play :P

[Nadz1lla]

My band supported this awesome Prog band called Icaruss last night. They are 10 years younger than me and put my playing to shame...in fact they pretty much put everything musical about me to shame, they were absolutely fantastic, I can't say enough good stuff about these guys.

However, it brought sharply into focus that having "played" guitar for 12 years (and I write all the songs for my band, even though I only do vocals live), I've not really broken any ground as far as my actual ability goes. It's time to actually learn how to play. I have no money for lessons as I was recently laid off and am still unemployed. On the bright side, I now have an abundance of time in which to play until my fingertips bleed, and i can break out the John Petrucci Rock Discipline DVD I have been hiding in the cupboard all these years.

Can anyone recommend any good sites / free stuff to help me learn, bring my technique up to scratch and finally get out of the little rut I've been sitting in for 8 years? I seem to have learned a pentatonic scale and how to drop-d my axe and then my enthusiasm fizzled out. I really want to start writing more intricate guitar parts a-la Opeth and start learning how to shred properly.

Am into:
Dream Theater
Opeth
Machine Head
Porcupine Tree
not forgetting Red Seas Fire and The Safety Fire cos those riffs are damn inspiring, lads!
That kind of stuff really.

Throw me a bone guys! Also if anyone has any kind of pre-practice "rituals" they find useful, or any little bits of advice actually, chuck that in too!  :lol:

Thanks in advance for any advice!  :)

[Denim n Leather]

Stay off the interwebs if you have any hopes of getting good fast. Practice, don't just play, under the tutelage of a good teacher 4-8 hrs every day. There is no easy way.

[maverickf1jockey]

Not true IMO.

With a disciplined approach one can achieve things perhaps even quicker than with private tutelage by 'playing' the techniques rather than 'exercising' them.

You can do as many skill drills as you like but you aren't going to get any better at a sport without actually playing and I think the same applies here.

That said tutoring will help lay the foundations more easily from which your playing should be built.

[Nadz1lla]

I really would get proper lessons, but as I say, unemployed and very much in debt, heh.  :?

[lulusg]

Get a good teacher, I would say! There is no easy way out process. Good luck!!

[Nadz1lla]

Ah yeah fully aware there's no "easy" way out, am prepared to work. But I'll probably get the teacher to treat me as if I'm a complete beginner. Unlearn all the bad stuff I have no doubt taught myself, hehe.

[Denim n Leather]

Not true IMO.

With a disciplined approach one can achieve things perhaps even quicker than with private tutelage by 'playing' the techniques rather than 'exercising' them.

You can do as many skill drills as you like but you aren't going to get any better at a sport without actually playing and I think the same applies here.

That said tutoring will help lay the foundations more easily from which your playing should be built.

Agree to disagree. Making music is not a sport and can't be treated as such in my opinion. But if that method has worked for you -- more power to you!

[Roobubba]

Hmm having never had a lesson, perhaps I find myself once again in solitude...

At least I don't play a  c**ting tele.

Roo

[lulusg]

Aha! once the old knots have been untied, learning process is fast foward!

[Nadz1lla]

Hmm having never had a lesson, perhaps I find myself once again in solitude...

At least I don't play a  c**ting tele.

Roo

Look, now you're just making yourself angry Roo, go sit in the corner.  :lol:

[ailean]

Ok, yes, tutor, it's worked weel for Sue so far.

However, I did actually read the bit where you said you can't aford one right now (good luck on the job hunting btw), so maybe take a look on YouTube, I think there are a number of video's on there that have been done by professional players, and probably tutors as well. The only probaly is figuing out which is useful and which is just someone talking cr@p, and you might actually be better spending that time with an axe in your hands.

Have you got any friends for contacts that might be able to teach you some techniques for free (or beer).

[hamfist]

Never had a lesson myself either, so it can be done.

It might be nice if people stopped continuing to suggest a tutor, as you have plainly said you can't afford one.   If you are disciplined and identify the right areas to work on, there's no reason that practice on your own will not improve your technique hugely.
  The key thing is "hours" on the guitar. You gotta practice, gotta put in the work.

Personally, I hate scales and "technical" practice. I've always learnt lots of new stuff by simply learning new songs. So, be realistic, choose songs that inspire you, but are within yout grasp, technically. And simply have fun learning music that you love. If you are also motivated enough to do the "technique" and scales thing then all power to you !

[Nadz1lla]

yeah, my problem is motivation. Much as I like JP, I keep getting bored of Rock Discipline quite quickly. But then, the clue is in the name, "Discipline", I just have to be tougher with myself. I was quite impressed I watched it for an hour last night with my axe and I was only going over the 1st couple of exercises. but it's a start. If I can be tougher and keep it up for 3 hours at a time just learning, I might get somewhere, hehe.

Thanks for the good luck message too, Ailean!

I used to just learn songs from tab on the internet, but as we all know, you can't trust everything on there these days. I think I'll try Deliverance by Opeth as I seem to have the majority of the chord-work down already.

You tube vids is a good idea, thanks, as you say though, it's sifting through the rubbish to find those diamonds in the rough.   :)

[Ratrod]

Whether it's playing tutorials, excercizes  or songs, the key is repetition.

The more you do it, the better you get at it.

At some point you might hit a ceiling and that can be very frustrating. By that time it's best IMO to step away from it for a while but not too long.

Get yourself motivated. Listen to music that inspires you, go to see great live bands. Keep it fun.

[maverickf1jockey]

Not true IMO.

With a disciplined approach one can achieve things perhaps even quicker than with private tutelage by 'playing' the techniques rather than 'exercising' them.

You can do as many skill drills as you like but you aren't going to get any better at a sport without actually playing and I think the same applies here.

That said tutoring will help lay the foundations more easily from which your playing should be built.

Agree to disagree. Making music is not a sport and can't be treated as such in my opinion. But if that method has worked for you -- more power to you!

I was referring to improving skill and fitness in both examples.
I was just using the latter example to illustrate my point and I do agree that music should not be treated as a form of competition, though benchmarking against superior players does help to motivate me to push my playing that bit further.