I’m completely self-taught, and not bad at doing what I can do...but the problem is, I have no real idea what I’m actually doing.
I know enough chords to get by, but end up playing the same ones in a couple of different positions, I only really know one or two of the the same old scales (blues and pentatonic) for improvisation, in the same fingering patterns...but I mainly just make stuff up as I go along - I’ll play random notes and see what happens, and I’ll improvise lead guitar with random notes - sometimes it’s hit and sometimes it’s a miss.
Basically, I feel stuck in a rut.
I’d like to be a better guitarist...know more chords, learn some more useful scales and be able to play them in different patterns, have a better understanding of theory etc.
I don’t want to take any exams, nor do I want a teacher...I want to do it on my own, at my pace.
I have played with other people before which was fun, but I have no intention of joining a band...I just want to be better and more diverse. I’m only interested in blues and rock, with a bit of metal for good measure, and would like to be more diverse across those genres.
What do you suggest I do?
I don’t have a gambling problem, I’m winning, and winning is not a problem for me. That’s like saying that Iron Maiden have an awesomeness problem.
Comments
Supportact said: [my style is] probably more an accumulation of limitations and bad habits than a 'style'.
try to learn something a little outside of your native style
something different and challenging..
then experiment with what you've learned and try to somehow import some of it back into your native style
http://lcmmusicshop.uwl.ac.uk/shop/dept/Electric-Guitar/100101
or....
http://lcmmusicshop.uwl.ac.uk/shop/dept/Rock-Guitar/100135
Seriously: If you value it, take/fetch it yourself
I use the RGT syllabus with a lot of my students and its a very good one, structured and details exactly what you need to know for the required grade. Some just work through the handbook and don't take an exam, that's fine by me, as long as they're improving by the grade and learning along the way. There are different syllabus types too, performance only ones where you don't need to take exams, you can video your performance and send it into them for assessment. That is, of course, if you want to. Its quite versatile and suits people who want to do different things. Rockschool have good pieces too on their repertoire, from modern rock pop stuff to old classic.
I'm not trying to sell lessons or anything but I for one can say they will benefit more than disadvantage. If you do want to go lone-ranger style then I do suggest you work from one of the RGT handbooks as a reference as it'll tell you what you need for a certain grade.
Learning songs outside your preferred listening/playing genre will do that too and keeps it fun and practical.
Good luck.
The best thing for learning and developing has been my looper, it drives me to create new sounds and chord progressions.
scales, arps, theory, knowhow are great.. but without context they are more science than art
Seriously: If you value it, take/fetch it yourself
Seriously: If you value it, take/fetch it yourself
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Football is rubbish.
I helped him prep one of the pieces [it was very Dream Theater]
looked pretty good to me
I liked the idea that there was a part in there where you get to play your own solo
flexing creative muscle is important too
have a wis
Seriously: If you value it, take/fetch it yourself