Solved Going back to the basics

[danny.guitar]

If you are getting pain from playing, you really should have at least one sit down with a worthwhile teacher. Fighting through it is a good way to do real damage.

As for learning rhythm, the only way you get better, is by practicing regularly and SLOWLY with a metronome.

Yea I've been really thinking even just a couple of sessions with a good teacher can save me from a lot of pain in the future. So that's probably what I'm going to do.

But I've gotten this far on my own and I'd really like to continue learning on my own. But I think I've reached the point where I need to go talk to a teacher so I don't hurt myself and keep myself from playing.

 

[cephus]

Here's a tip for the wrist pain. Trying to just squeeze a straight finger along it's length is tough. I roll my fingers a bit to the side. It's not as hard to keep all the strings fretted when you are off the plane of your joint's arc. if that makes any sense.

 

[thewanderer24]

Yea I've been really thinking even just a couple of sessions with a good teacher can save me from a lot of pain in the future. So that's probably what I'm going to do.

But I've gotten this far on my own and I'd really like to continue learning on my own. But I think I've reached the point where I need to go talk to a teacher so I don't hurt myself and keep myself from playing.

Just remember, a good teacher is there to help give an unbiased ear and eye to what you can do and help focus on fixing weaknesses. A good teacher won't try and change your tastes or feelings about music, they'll give you tools to help get there better.

I don't know why people are afraid of having a teacher. I have played with A LOT of musicians over the past 7 years or so, and I honestly don't know a single person I think of as being a really good musician on ANY instrument that didn't have at least some work with a teacher. The only exception I can think of is a harmonica player I played with a couple of times that was smokin...

I thought I was good when I got my first teacher about 4 years ago, and all it opened my eyes to how much better I could be.

 

[travelin travis]

sounds like to me that you need to be playing with a band. i think that's what you're missing. if you can find some guys that already half way have their shit together, even better.

 

[danny.guitar]

sounds like to me that you need to be playing with a band. i think that's what you're missing. if you can find some guys that already half way have their shit together, even better.

Yea. I used to play guitar with someone who was real good, always played classic rock stuff though and not much acoustic, I got kinda tired of playing the same songs.

Now I play with a friend of mine who's almost on the same level as me, but he's a better songwriter and stuff.

Never played with a whole band before. But a lot of bands around here just play crappy music and nothing I'm interested in.