Hopefully a reasonable thing to ask but could anyone point me in the right direction to get better. I’m relatively new but really enjoying it. So far I’ve been learning off a number of websites but struggling with a few things - making everything flow and timings. And obviously there’s some duff notes and stumbles in my playing.
Basically I just want to improve (I’m loving the process but keen to do so ASAP). Any tips would be so appreciated. No need to be nice, I can handle it, like I said I’m just keen to improve. No ambitions to gig or anything. Just to sound like the next srv
Comments
https://youtu.be/R4YM4_WAqIA
And if anyone wants to recommend a teacher in west London…
1 just keep going have confidence in the process
2 work on getting through the first year, when 90% of beginners quit (a teacher helped me with that, on reflection he diid't teach me much I couldn't have learnt myself however the regular touch points kept me going)
3 don't worry about 'getting good', that place is ephemeral, enjoy the playing for the playing it's the moment that matters
4 play with other people
5 don't 'practice' - play, and and play things you care about
6 don't take it seriously, it's fun not 'important'
stick with it and let us know how you get on
Keep at it.
go deep enough and it's about putting consciousness aside by being in the moment. motivation becomes a non-issue because playing is just something you do.
This makes learning solos and phrases very hard as you can't follow the 'pulse'. So learning to count with the beat and holding the pattern will help, esp as any solo phrases will be pushed and start on the end of beat 4, for example, on the off-beat.
Playing with feel (which SRV had bags of) is something that won't come straight away, so stick with it, everything will seem to sound crap at the beginning but it will improve.
Getting lessons is a great way to propel your progress as you're playing with someone (hopefully) better than you who knows what they're doing. When I do lessons I always use a metronome or the original recording to make sure they're playing in time and have a good sense of rhythm. It does make up for 90-95% of guitar playing.
One day I might be as good as you
After a serious amount of hours is kinda pleased with the progress made.
https://youtu.be/9WtcqZpqR5g
2. possibly connected to 1. Sounds as if sometimes your not pressing strings down accurately. Not every string is ringing out as clearly as it might.
3. Flow/timing.
sorry if that sounds overly critical but actually for a relatively new player it does sound pretty good. Keep up the good work, and keep on enjoying it.
yeah, notice that’s not all the strings ring particularly clear
If I'm learning something new, I break it down, a couple of bars at a time. I try to get it right, not necessarily perfect, before moving on to the next couple of Bars. Some sections will require intense practise, others will be easier.
I take breaks. If I'm finding something particularly difficult and frustrating I put it aside for a few days and play different things. Often when you go back, what you were previously finding difficult isn't so difficult anymore.
Have you sat and watched your own video with fresh eyes/ears?
There are a variety of issues which you need to work on to sound more 'polished'.
Potentially, tuning the guitar is a good start - which might be down to pressing too hard on the strings too.
The other comment that springs to mind is that we can sometimes be too keen to learn material that is a bit beyond us (me included) and it means that it takes a very long time to nail it. It therefore is not a great way to improve gradually. Might be worth picking some easier pieces to work on and then to really get perfect.
I'm a big fan of Claus Levin on youtube (at least his philosophy of learning) and he says that intermediate players often learn something about 80% and then give up and move onto the next thing. This means that you end up being about 80% at everything and none of your playing is really at the standard you'd like to be at. I've also suffered from this.
Try something simpler and get it perfect. How about the solo from Need your love so bad by Fleetwood Mac?
By the way, where did you get the tutorial for all the parts of little wing? I can only play the first part.
https://www.instagram.com/insta.guitarstuff/
If you don't know rhythm theory then I would learn that - beat division and bars, and practice to a metronome (the higher pitched beep is the downbeat of the bar - *1* 2 3 4 ). Also play along to recorded music and lock in with the drums (for example, placing emphasis on beats 2 and 4 where the snare drum lands if that is appropriate)
Most of your life as a guitar player is timekeeping and groove :-)
thanks again
For what it's worth - this is how I would add this one to my "repertoire"!
1) learn the basic (if beginner use open) chords - for the COMPLETE song.. such that I could play backing along to the whole track.
2) at which point I'd learn the lyrics and sing it whilst playing the chords. (which as a beginner is a big ask but by g*od you'll reap the benefits long term of playing / singing).
only then would I start approximating that intro riff and connecting parts.