what do you find the most difficult thing to do in your guitar playing?

digitalscream

I'm definitely in the "I find the whole thing hard to deal with" camp, but my two worst problems are:

1 - Fast picking - I just can't do it very well, and the fact that I still have to consciously think about relaxing my right forearm after all these years suggests it's unlikely to get better.

2 - I'm very sensitive to the tone on the day, such that if it doesn't sound right I just can't play well.

These appear to be built-in problems, I fear

bluechargeboy

Tense right arm / plectrum death grip, particularly when thrashing acoustic guitar in my band trying to keep up with a double bass volume-wise (when we are not playing through a PA). Gave myself "housemaid's elbow" tendonitis doing this, so be careful out there, kids!

JayGee

As a hack in a working pub covers band, I'd say the thing which trips me up and (metaphorically at least) generally keeps me awake at night is recognising when I should be playing less or not at all, having the confidence to do it, and finding a way of not looking and feeling like a spare part while I'm doing it.

Seriously, sometimes the pressure to throw in an unnecessary or inappropriate lick gets almost physical.

"Hmmm, I haven't played anything for ages, have I missed a cue? Shouldn't I be doing something? - I'll just throw in a quick pentatonic twiddle and a couple of chord stabs. Oh dear, that sounded crap and the bass players looking at me like I just drowned his kitten...".

rico

For me it's learning other people's songs (I could never just be in a covers band) so I know loads of small parts of lots of songs. I find it boring to be honest. 

I much prefer writing my own stuff but I have an oddly specific optimal writing environment. It usually needs to be loud and I seem to be more productive late at night which can be tricky living in London. 

Playing quickly used to be a lot harder but after a month or so of mind numbing practice with three note per string scales with alternate and economy along with a metronome (increasing by 2bpm every other day or so) it's getting much better. 

Music theory is also not as good as it could be but again it's something I'm addressing. Many moons ago I was approaching grade 7/8 so there is a base knowledge knocking around somewhere. 

Incremental gains is where it's at! 

Cabicular

It has always come relatively easy to me (unlike singing which I really have to constantly work at) Whereas some people are just natural singers and don't do half the work I do but sound miles better.

If I was to pick one thing it would be alternate picking on the lower strings. I seem to get a little plectrum stuck down there for some reason. I really must sort it out

Stuckfast

I can't do fast alternate picking at all, and never have been able to, I don't know why. Also I wish my playing didn't go to rat shit quite so fast if I don't pick up a guitar for a couple of days.

Drew_TNBD

Hybrid picking. I really wanna become a bad ass bitch at that stuff, but it's fucking hard.

darthed1981

Stuckfast said:

Also I wish my playing didn't go to rat shit quite so fast if I don't pick up a guitar for a couple of days.

This one is very annoying.  Happens to me regularly.

Sassafras

Staying off the drugs has always been a struggle.

fandango

darthed1981 said:

The biggest challenge I have (lack of genuine "talent" notwithstanding) is playing every day.

When I do, I get better, almost striaght away, but then I put the guitar down for a couple of days and my "feel" just goes.

I'm an intermediate player at best and my ear is crap, so I'm just another in the crowd really, love my guitar playing though

"love my guitar playing though" - Ditto.

"my ear is crap" - just a thought but have you tried the other ear?

My main gripe is that I can't play faster than a certain point. No, I'm not a shredder, but some of that surf groove just a bit Ferrari for me.

Sassafras

Drew_TNBD said:

Hybrid picking. I really wanna become a bad ass bitch at that stuff, but it's fucking hard.

Don't worry, you'll always be a bad ass bitch to us.

BRISTOL86

lukedlb said:

BRISTOL86 said:

For me it's all about the actual hand techniques. I have very odd fingers (overly flexible at the top joint and 'gammy' as my dear Nan used to say!)

I find some things that are considered simple basics very very difficult indeed. Barre chords are a constant frustration as where a normal person would have their ring finger relatively flat to the neck, that's physically impossible for me. There is a very pronounced 'scoop' between my top two joints when pressing down for a barre chord that really makes things difficult. 

I rarely use barre chords preferring the Hendrix style of a hooked thumb for the low E string. It feels so odd and quite limiting to do an F barre chord. There's so much more room.
Would that help you?

Yeah I do do that thumb over thing at times, but I'm still working away trying to improve at conventional barre chords. 

longi

Finding the time to play full stop, I haven't really picked up the guitar properly for nearly a year now. My entire time is spent working long and irregular hours and being a dad plus walking a dog twice a day. When I do play I sound like a choking dog. 

Barney

Picking it up everyday..!

57Deluxe

Apoyando and Tirando

Gagaryn

Travis picking! People make it look easy and I struggle!

ESBlonde

Timing on the rhythem parts, despite all the years playing I seem to find it harded to drop back into the beat with the right feel. Good drummists help but that feel of just before, just after or right on the beat makes for the groove and I'm either getting super critical or loosing my edge.

carlos

siraxeman said:

carlos said:

Finding people and bands I want to play with

That's a good un...very common thing for many or dare I say most of us!

Everything else comes with practice but spotting gems in classifieds is hard to practice. 

darthed1981

fandango said:

"my ear is crap" - just a thought but have you tried the other ear?

Haha - they both suck

Gassage

Bent note vibrato.