Well the story starts like this , from when i joined GMC, until a week ago i was working on my alternate picking because id never done it until i got a guitar teacher which was a bit before i joined GMC (and a a year after i started playing). Anyway a lot of alternate picking things that i have practiced I quite quickly got up to a certain speed and then they never got faster how ever much i practiced. A week ago i found the problem.

I found i couldn't play these things any faster with just my left hand, so i realised my left hand was holding me back not my picking.

So what i'm asking is does anyone know any magic exercises so im not doomed to do trills all day long, cos i don't seem to be making much prgress with them either but i might in time. Also if i do have to do trills, is there any point doing them with a metronome if they're just to increase my left hand speed?

Thanks for any help in advance

Matt

It is far more important how you approach your practice then what you are practicing. Please tell me how do you practice with a metronome, so I can suggest how to improve it.

Ivan is right. You need to constantly monitor your progress with alternate picking on a metronome. That way you can recoginze even an increase of 2bpm. Trust me, it is a slow but steady process.

Thanks guys, and ivan to be honest i'm really not good at doing serious practice with a metronome but if you think that's the quickest way forward i will try.

Well I am a total novice in using metronome, but what I think, is that it is better to makes some exercises on speed lower that your medium speed. This way the chances are higher that your hands will be relaxed, and so will "learn" faster the movement. Now I am trying to make exercises as slow as I can, even though it is bit frustrating for me.

Anyway if other people have some more tips, I would also be grateful, as I also think my left hand is slower than my right hand ( i.e. if I improve speed of my left hand I will be able to pick faster without improving right hand at the same time ).

No problem man. And you're right mate, that is the best road to success. In time you will get use to metronome so much that you will not practice anything without it. You will not be able to imagine practice without it. That is how it is important. So as soon as you start, the more you will benefit. If you need help with organizing metronome practice, I can give you my routine to modify it to your needs.