QUOTE (vintageplaya666 @ Jun 29 2008, 06:38 PM)
I have a few weeknesses.
My little finger needs more strength, its not as strong as the others.
My phrasing in solo's could do with more work.
Sweep Picking
Pull offs...I can do pull offs its just when for example I'm using more than two fingers to pull off like when you ascend the neck with pull offs. If you get me lol
Pinky strengthing is tough, but not impossible it just takes alot more work than the other fingers on your hand. What i do to keep my pinky strong is just trill drills, it at least for me is the most useful for getting that little bugger to do what i want it to do. Just put on a metronome at a comfortable speed for you and trill between ring finger and pinky on two frets for like a minute and a half to 2 minutes straight every day. In no time you will see a big change in pinky strength.
As far as sweep picking like i have said in earlier posts here in this thread just take it small steps, i outlined how i learned sweep picking to someone earlier and gave TAB examples of what to do. Try it and see if it helps.
With pull offs using multiple fingers on the same string, it sounds to me like it is an issue with finger independence, the only way to learn that independence is by repitition. Honestly a good excersise, and something i have been using alot is Marcus Siepen's warmup lesson, there is alot of good multi string excersises that use all of your fingers in varying ways. If you use things like this as a warmup every day it will help you with finger independence.
Daniel
QUOTE (Pizzoaro @ Jun 29 2008, 06:44 PM)
I have a lot "unfinished" practice
Like, I think i am middle at most things...
But for weaknesses... Well... FAST ALTERNATE PICKING...
It always sounds like i pick the note to slow
For example Marcus' neoclassicsl etude...
oh yes, vibrato of course... and getting the exact right pitch on bends...
And Uncreator i fully agree! I have not progressed more slowly than i am doing with 8 finger tapping...
Its like, you have to be in a whole new position that ur not used to...
Any tips in 8 finger tapping playing positions?
-Lars
I have given multiple ideas on AP in this thread to others just search the thread, AP seems to be a big problem for alot of people.
Vibrato is one of those techniques that is very unique to each person, it is what sets us apart from other guitarists. For some reason even when trying to emulate another guitarists vibrato there are subtle difference that are completely unique. You have to really decide what sounds good to you and develop that aspect of your playing on your own. There are a number of good lessons here on Vibrato technique, but that is only half of the equation. The other half is very personal. I would like to think that my own vibrato is unique to me. It is something i have developed over the years and it is a part of me.
As far as 8 finger tapping, like i told someone earlier i have a tough enough time with 4 finger tapping let alone 8 so i can't offer any advice on the subject. Juan M. Valero has an 8 finger tapping lesson, i would suggest doing a search for it as a good starting point for learning the skills.
As far as getting the right pitch on bends goes it about first training your ear, than training your fingers. And usually they happen at the same time as you are learning. As i told someone earlier the best way to start learning pitch correction is just first play a note....lets say 12th fret on the G string, so you have the pitch fresh in your mind, now drop to the 10th fret and bend up to that pitch. Keep going back and forth until you can nail that pitch every time. Once you can do that start changing the intervals...for example you could play 12th fret on the G string then just drop to the 11th fret and bend to the 12th fret tone. or drop to the 9th fret and bend up to 12th fret tone or any combination. After awhile of training your ear like this you are also putting that into muscle memory as well. So you know exactly how much pressure to apply to your bend to move any combination of intervals.
Daniel
QUOTE (SonofDestiny @ Jun 30 2008, 04:11 AM)
My weakness is definately speed. Alternate picking is fine, until I have to get on to another string and when I have to use my pinky. I can do alternate picking fast, but there will be lots of x's in my runs, so actually I can't do it fast. I've been trying to do it for quite a while now and I just can't seem to get through the speed (well actually... it's pretty slow) limit.
My other weakness is the hammer on technique. My fingers don't have the power yet to hammer those 11's. What's best: lifting your finger up high and then striking down as hard as you can or should I keep my finger close to the fretboard?
Speed is one of the single biggest issues to overcome, as far as string transisition with AP its a matter of training both hands. I find personally that if i am having difficulty with an AP string transistion its my fretting hand and not my picking hand. You may be having the reverse. Try to analyze what is falling apart when you switch strings. The biggest challenge as guitarists is to not spend all of our time trying to correct a problem after its happened by analyze what is the root cause of the problem. Without looking over your shoulder i can't say for sure what it is that is breaking down for you. It could be a number of things, from finger independence, or a sync issue with right and left hands, or a break down of your picking motion. You have to figure out what is causing the issue and work on just that aspect so you can move on.
Hammer on's especially with heavy gauge strings can be tough, as far as the actual technique involved its best to keep your fingers as close to the fret board as possible hammering really hard from a far distance is going to slow you down in the long term. Watch where you are fretting the note when you hammer on, correct posistion of the fret can make it easier to sound the note, the further toward the middle of the fret you move the harder it will be to sound the note. Make sure you get as close to the edge of the fret without moving up to the next one.
The other thing here is to test your own guitar, see what the littlest amount of pressure is needed to sound a clear note. Just do this, touch the string with your finger and pick that string, doesnt matter where on the fret board for this. At first your just muting the string entirely, now lightly add more pressure and keep picking once you hear a note sound you can see what little effort is required to fret a note on your guitar, every guitar is going to be slightly different depending on action height, and string gauge. You will find though i am sure that it takes a very small amount of downward pressure to sound a note. Probably alot less than you think it does. Once you have a feel for that practice your hammer on's and use the smallest amount of effort to sound the note that you can. The less you have to strain your fingers downward to fret a note the more smooth your legato technique will become.
Daniel
QUOTE (Lithuanian @ Jul 2 2008, 02:25 PM)
Motivation... Sadly...
Well without following you around with a paddle and smacking you whenever you don't do what you should i can't really help you all that much lol.
But with all kidding aside you have to find something that motivates you if you are really serious about your playing. I find just listening to music motivates me when i don't feel particularly in the mood for playing, i put on say my Andy Timmons CD , and after a couple of songs i find i start hearing idea's in my head and i can't help but pick my guitar up and start working on something.
Daniel
QUOTE (Jesse @ Jul 6 2008, 08:49 AM)
... my hand synch definately:D My left hand is just... weak.. slow... my pinky is like numb, not really but like I suck with it and it's really slow. I really need to build up strenght! But hey... summer holidays are here... I can practise 2 month's straight. I'll be shreddin' afterwards:D
Greetings, Jesse.
I have given my thought on pinky strength in earlier posts so just check for them, as well as AP. If there is something specific you need help with as you progress this summer please feel free to ask and i will try to help, or point you to someone i think can help you.
Daniel
QUOTE (Canis @ Jul 6 2008, 08:53 AM)
My number one weakness now, is that I'm on holliday and don't have my electric guitar with me
I have an acousitc one, but it's not as fun to play, and I don't get to practice my tapping all that good...
Canis,
I know how you feel on this one. You know what works for me when i don't have a guitar? I practice in my head. I visually play in my own mind licks and ideas. Believe it or not you can you actually learn a lick this way without a guitar as long as you know what it sounds like and where on the fret board to sound the notes. I do this quite often actually after a practice session, i will play the lick in my head visualizing my hands and guitar and just step by step playing it in my head. It seems strange at first but for me at least it works.
Daniel
You are at GuitarMasterClass.net
Don't miss today's
free lick. Plus all our lessons are packed with
free content!