Fastest way to improve my playing.

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CyanJaguar

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of course it is to practice, but I dont know what to practice. Is there a book or website you would recommend with exercises to help me improve really quickly?

Thanks
 
really depends on what you want/need to improve ...

Improving your ear, your improvisation, your technique? Fingerstyle, picking, electric, acousitc.

There are plenty of guitar sites out there; google is your friend ... but you'll need to narrow your search as "learn guitar fast" won't yield anything productive
 
GuitarOne Magazine comes with a cd or cd-rom that's pretty helpful.
 
If you can't read music, try to learn. Start off by transcribing it to tablature if you need to. That will teach you a lot about theory without actually having to hit the books (though that's a good idea too).

Now, as for your chops: with your music reading ability, learn to play something that wasn't written for guitar. If you tell me the kind of music you like, I could give you some suggestions.
 
Can it even be done? The only way I know to do something like learn a new chord is to repeat the chord in its place in the song, again and again. To learn it faster, I have to schedule more practice. Many short sessions are better than fewer long sessions. Pick up the guitar and spend five minutes on the target stuff, and do that ten times a day.

To go from playing chords to playing music, you have to play along with practice tracks (at least) and play with others. That is part two of accelerating the learning process.

Finally, keep focused on just a few things. No way am I going to tackle alternate tuning until I know more about playing in standard tuning. How to apply this last point depends on where you are going. For instance, learn the music with simple strums before you take on fingerpicking.
 
for reference...

Check out this site...

http://www.chordbook.com/

It has all your chords and scales, tuning, and lessons.

It's a great reference site I hear little about....so don't tell anyone :cool:

If you want to learn fast....onlyfingers is exactly right....you need to schedule more time for practice. Break it up into smaller session with lots of breaks and don't get discouraged.

Also, if youcan...try and practice with material you enjoy playing.
 
There is a book called Fretboard Logic that teaches the C-A-G-E-D sequence in respect to scales and chords. It really helped my improv to be able to look at scales in the way they are tought in that book.
 
As was said before, it depends on what you want to learn.

My suggestion would be, if you want to learn a particular passage, use a metronome. Start at a speed you are comfortable with to play the entire passage error-free. When you know the beats per minute, double it and play at the same initial speed, subdividing the beep or click. In other words, if the passage you are playing is at 70 beats per minute, double the metronome to 140 beats per minute and play at 70 beats per minute. Why? Because your fingers have to be conditioned to not only play the notes, but to rest for the exact duration before and after the notes. Otherwise, you will hit a frustrating brick wall in your speed. Gradually increase the speed of the metronome.

Taking breaks is a good idea, but also take musical breaks after the passage by playing something easy and totally different than the passage. This not only gives your fingers a rest, but also your brain. This will help avoid repetitive mistakes.

If your hands hurt, then your technique is wrong. And if you are playing electric, stand up when you practice. Sitting down changes the angle of your hands, and your technique is at risk. Standing up with your guitar supported by the strap around your neck allows your hands to fall on the guitar at the correct positions.

And for God's sake, ALWAYS WARM UP BEFORE YOU PLAY.
 
He wants to increase his speed of progress, not forget where he put his guitar. :D :D
 
Practice, Practice, Practice.

Go out and get Mick Goodrick's book, The Advancing Guitarist, it is probably the best guitar book you will ever read. Then do what he says.

Practice scales, learn every chord you can, and learn harmony. Use a metronome. Start slow, and build up your speed.

But most importantly, PRACTICE. Decide how much you can commit to do every day, and do it EVERY day. If you think you can manage three hours a day, then do three hours a day. If you miss some sleep, so be it, but PRACTICE. Don't mistake playing for practicing either. They are different. Practicing is working on things you suck at until you get good at them. Playing is making music. Don't mistake the two.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
thanks for the advice guys. I picked up a book and a dvd
the book is called "guitar soloing"

and the dvd is "hands of steel" by rock house method. The dvd is amazing.
 
JKestle said:
Check out this site...

http://www.chordbook.com/

It has all your chords and scales, tuning, and lessons.

It's a great reference site I hear little about....so don't tell anyone :cool:

If you want to learn fast....onlyfingers is exactly right....you need to schedule more time for practice. Break it up into smaller session with lots of breaks and don't get discouraged.

Also, if youcan...try and practice with material you enjoy playing.
Click to expand...


Hey great site that is a great help
 
I agree with playing with people better that you ..Also heavy gigging will do wonders for your abilitys.. :) you get better without even knowing it LOL
 
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