Off topic - Guitar practise

[.50 Caliber Bob]

Most people on this forum know their stuff, and from listening to several (pretty damn good) clips, can all play pretty well to boot!

I have the problem that I spend far too much time browsing forums online, researching the lastest gear that I want to buy, reading reviews of it all, pricing up the options, overdrive pedal A, or overdrive B, etc etc, that I hardly ever practise :-(

To date, practising guitar for me has just been for short term pleasure (ie, getting an immediate gain from learing a song I like, by reading tabs online/buying tab books)

What I would really like to be able to do, is to put in the hard yards, and become a fairly proficient guitarist.

Now I'm not talking shredding at 567 notes per second or anything, but I'd like to be able to string a half decent rock / blues solo together, and to be able to play most of the sort of music I like well (which as it goes, is fairly "mainstream" guitar rock tastes, Thin Lizzy, Free, The Eagles, Dire Straits, Guns and Roses, etc).

Basically I want to get to a level where I am content with my playing ability.

How did everyone get where they are today, and what do you recommend? I want to devise a practise routine of 30 minutes a day, but dont really know where to start.

Any input at all would be welcome!

Sorry to write such a long off topic post, but I spend to much time GASsing and not enough actually playing!

Mark

[Johnny Mac]

Well just pick up your guitar more and you'll get into a new habit!  

I try and practise techinques one day and then to learn more or put those techniques into practise just jam along with your cd collection, backing tracks and it will just fall into place. It's good to paly with other musicians too if you can find them. The problem is for me there are far to many guitarists and not enough bass players and drummers.

 :band5:

[futuregun]

I have the problem that I spend far too much time browsing forums online, researching the lastest gear that I want to buy, reading reviews of it all, pricing up the options, overdrive pedal A, or overdrive B, etc etc, that I hardly ever practise :-(........., but I spend to much time GASsing and not enough actually playing!

Mark

haha man im in the exact same boat.ive fiddled with guitars for about 3yrs on an off now an im rubbish for the amount of time ive had a guitar but i could condense the actual time ive practised into a few months realistically.its a VERY hard habit to break.
ive just got sickened by ppl playin for a few yrs an blowin me away so i got john petruccis rock discipline dvd....i sort of jumped into the deep end.alot of its too  hard for me ie all of it  :?
but its given me some drive but th one thing i could advise you to get is a metronome...or use the online metronome like i do.its a godsend for me anyways.other than that im too cr@p to give proper advise.
more sympathy as im woeful for GAS!!!GAS!!!!!GGGGGAAAAAASSSSSS!!!!!!! :roll:

[SamR]

One thing that really helped me was learning whole and half steps. I kinda figured it out before even reading up on theory, but when i came to learn all the boring stuff i found it a great help already being able to spot the notes in a key. Just play what sounds good to you, if i went over endless theory books i think i would get bored pretty soon, keep it creative.

Also watch a lot of guitar videos on youtube, just inspiration, it keeps me motivated.

[indysmith]

i assume you already know the full major scale and the pentatonic boxes... If not do - they're ESSENTIAL.
Find some exercises and practise them with the online metronome (high 5 futuregun!). Do fingering you're not used to, jam overr backing tracks, try to play with others; maybe even think about getting a teacher.
Who am i to talk? i suck!

[sgmypod]

damn I have the same disease as .50 Caliber Bob

[indysmith]

i think we all do :? that's what we're doing here! lol

[Mr Ed]

Same here.

Once I move house, I'm forcing myself to start practising - even for an hour a night - on more advanced techniques to improve my soloing. I'm a solid player but I could solo a bit faster, that's my next progressive aim for myself.

[Twinfan]

I would:

* Learn the pentatonic scale in all positions for one key (E for example).  This can then be moved to any other key (e.g. up five frets for A)
* Learn the rhythm parts to songs you like
* Play along to tracks and then do your own improvised solos using the appropriate pentatonic scale

The above worked for me!  Once you get that nailed, you can add in the pentatonic major scale, blues scale, double stops, bends, vibrato etc.

Most importantly (in my opinion) is to choose and play songs you like.  When you can play a song you really love the satisfaction is immense.  :D

[Ted]

I could not recommend highly enough, getting a guitar teacher. I could never afford lessons in my teens, but now at the ripe age of 26, i've finally got myself one and its great. I am finally at peace with the instrument.

BTW your symptoms are common place.

[crispsandwich]

Seriously man, get Guitar Pro software (I think the latest version is 5). I managed to get hold of 56,000 tabs for it. You open up the tabs and it plays the tabs like MIDI soundfiles. You can alter the speed, transpose the song into different tunings. It's an amazing piece of software. It's changed the way I've learned guitar.

Oh, and learn your scales and modes and memorize which notes are where on the fretboard. I'm starting to learn this stuff and it really does help you identify which notes would sound good played over chords and stuff.

[JamesHealey]

I spend far too much time browsing forums but i make sure I practice aswell, I think a bit of knowledge goes a long way.. I mean i've been playing 16 years now so I've kinda got the "chops" and theory part down it's just a case of keeping on top of it and not letting it slip which It does from time to time..

Educate your self, pickup the guitar more and try become more obessed with your playing than your new pedal.

I know it's hard boys like their toys I mean i've tried a million things to make me play better and it simply just comes down to hard work. huff how much does that suck?  

[plastercaster]

Same  :oops:  :oops:  :oops:

I have REALLY improved since getting a guitar teacher, and all the stuff about pentatonics, playing with other people and clicks are all things he's taught me, highly recommended.

I learned well for about a year and a half, when I spent at least an hour a day on guitar, then got nowhere for 6 months when I discovered this place, but my progress has picked up again since investing in lessons. they really are worth it!

[jpfamps]

Metronome, metronome, metronome. The 3 Ms.

[Philly Q]

I read the start of this thread and thought I must have written it myself, then had a memory lapse.

Wish I could help, but I am very much in the same boat.  

I'm convinced finding a teacher is probably the best bet, but it must be hard to find the right one.  And being limited to public transport, I don't really fancy lugging a gigbag round the seedy outskirts of London on evenings and weekends.