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GMC Forum _ PRACTICE ROOM _ Help! I'm Getting Discouraged...
Posted by: sidewas lightning Sep 17 2008, 12:58 AM
I am in need of some change in my practicing that will make me a better guitar player. It is not that I can't find time to practice, but if even if I pushed myself and practiced ten hours a day I wouldn't be getting anywhere. It is not just what I'm practicing, but how I practice. Random licks aren't helping my playing any. What is something real that I can do to get better??? I don't need to be shredding 800 bpm by next week, but I want tangible progress. I've been practicing like this for months now and I have to say it's getting me pretty down on the whole guitar thing. I just need something to get me out of this rut.
Posted by: Nemanja Filipovic Sep 17 2008, 01:08 AM
Maybe you just need to clear your head for a few days.That always helps.And get back to problems that you haw know with fresh mind.There is no such thing as no progress.You are always in the progress,question is how fast are you going.Nothing comes over night,or moths for that matter.All the people you hear that play great,spend years building technique and experience.It is just a little crises,I am shore you make it trough.
Posted by: Ramiro Delforte Sep 17 2008, 01:10 AM
Have you tried a schedule to organize your praciticing time?
Like...if you have 2 hours a day you can make a list:
Sweeping 15 min
Alternate 15 min
Tapping 15 min
Legato 15 min
Theory 20 min
Aplication of theory (could be a composition or an improvisation) 20 min
Getting down by ear some themes or songs you like 20 min
That's a good start. I think in that way you can improve your level and it's easy to evaluate it.
I hope you find this useful. 
Posted by: sigma7 Sep 17 2008, 01:10 AM
I agree, taking a break for a week or two or even less will have great effect on ur playing
u can also try to take a break from learning other peoples licks and learn ur own
it helps me bunch...just take a scale and have fun
Posted by: Emir Hot Sep 17 2008, 01:12 AM
Play songs man. Learn as many as you can. That's the key. I can never enjoy listening myself playing licks and scales only. It's only good for technical side but the music is not about that. When I play a song that's the real thing. When I say a song, I mean full nice song from some favorite band. Could be on acoustic guitar as well. Also try to compose something and that's where you can include what you have learned so far. Practicing random licks will take you nowhere.
Posted by: Trond Vold Sep 17 2008, 01:14 AM
One thing i can say for sure is that your not alone in that situation. Been there myself many times, especially in the first years.
I dont know how you approach your practice, but have you tried to set yourself a goal?
Like, decide on a song you really want to learn and just focus on that song and try to learn all the nuances it might have. And once you have nailed it, you might find yourself having learned alot more than just a song.
This usually worked for me when i felt stuck.
Posted by: sidewas lightning Sep 17 2008, 01:22 AM
Yeah, I'm trying to learn songs too. Been working on smoke on the water, not just the main riff but the solo too. I might work on gn'r, slash is one of my favorite players.
Like...if you have 2 hours a day you can make a list:
Sweeping 15 min
Alternate 15 min
Tapping 15 min
Legato 15 min
Theory 20 min
Aplication of theory (could be a composition or an improvisation) 20 min
Getting down by ear some themes or songs you like 20 min
That's a good start. I think in that way you can improve your level and it's easy to evaluate it.
I hope you find this useful.
That sounds like a great idea, I think an organized schedule would keep me much more focused. Thanks for the advice.
Posted by: eddie!!!! Sep 17 2008, 01:41 AM
hey i know how u feel. i felt like i wasnt making progress either, but thats because u get better very slowly. so slow, u cant tell the difference between last week and today. but if u dont give up, youll see that in a month or two, you will be slightly better than last month.
what i like to do is play acoustic songs sometimes and than work on rock solos other times because that way u have two different styles to choose from. if you dont really care for the clips on this site, i would try to play songs i like, just find the tabs and make sure theyre right. i really like the red hot chili peppers and john frusciantes stuff. some of theyre songs are really easy, and because theyre so popular, u can usually find the right tabs. but most importantly dont quit cause youll never get any better that way
Posted by: Jeff Sep 17 2008, 01:48 AM
I dont know how you approach your practice, but have you tried to set yourself a goal?
Like, decide on a song you really want to learn and just focus on that song and try to learn all the nuances it might have. And once you have nailed it, you might find yourself having learned alot more than just a song.
This usually worked for me when i felt stuck.
Agree! This is how I approach it too. We have all been there. Find one song that you love and learn it completely in and out. You will feel great about achieving your goal + you will enjoy playing the song the "real way". Don't rush it, you will get frustrated.
Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Sep 17 2008, 02:11 AM
Don't worry it happens to all of us, sometimes you don't see the goal, and even don't know how to come to it. The key is to know what you're gonna practice, and do it systematically, every day by a little. Don't need to rush it, just take your time, and I suggest getting a notebook and writing down everything you practice, also writing down a bpm next to the practice. This will help you organize your sessions a bit.
Also doing small tasks and wide area of things (songs, chords, alternate, economy, sweeps, tapping, legato, bends, vibrato, rhythm etc) will help you to make your sessions more interesting, and motivating. If you do same stuff over long periods of time, you will quickly fall into a routine and get bored.
Posted by: Ian Bushell Sep 17 2008, 07:11 AM
That's what i do!
Hang in there and be patient sideways lightning:)
Keep practice regular and consistent, even doing that you may find yourself in the same place technically for a while.
The trick is to not stop and to keep at it otherwise progress won't happen.
Posted by: superize Sep 17 2008, 08:19 AM
Playing songs by your favorite bands is really fun to do... I do this alot since the reason i started playing guitar was that i wanted to learn to play song from my favorite band.
If you for exemple are having trouble with a solo in a song you can try to train on the technuiqe for a while and then go back and try againg.... I find this very motivating when playing and it feels really good when i am able to play the song in normal tempo.
Hope you find your way again
Posted by: Danilo Capezzuto Sep 17 2008, 01:08 PM
If I can say my little opinion I would suggest to do this way:
If you have ten hours per day...just make this:
Make two hours of raw (boring) techniques. One day practice 1 hour alternate picking- 1 hour legato.
The next day just practice hour tapping- 1 hour economy picking. Change exercises every week or every month.
Then...after a big pause (if you practice techniques at morning, then make this at evening) practice something like this:
10 minutes ear training.
10 minutes little warm up.
10 minutes some reading.
10 minutes some groove (funk, blues...)
10 minutes triads
10 minutes 7th chords
10 minutes scales
10 minutes arpeggios
30 minutes single string improvisations
Hope you found this useful, if you need help please send me a mail. Good luck!
Posted by: Bogdan Radovic Sep 17 2008, 02:20 PM
I think you should make yourself a reasonable goal, you should think of some technique you want to become better at (pick a lesson here at gmc that you wish to master , or even a famous song) and than go for it! Just make sure you set the goal not too high! After you do that you should focus your practicing on that particular goal (lessons, exercises etc)..You will definitely reach it very fast and than you will be pleased! Also one more thing , sometimes when we practice we don't see/notice the results of it clearly..But they are present, like in better tone control, muting technique (you play more cleanly), generally more competent/comfortable feeling when holding the instrument and many other things that can be not so obvious to ourselves...
Posted by: kjutte Sep 17 2008, 03:25 PM
Learn to jam.
Then you can use the licks you learn.
Posted by: skennington Sep 17 2008, 04:03 PM
I agree that this happens to all of us at some point. The key imo, is to keep it fun and exiting. If you are practicing the same old thing over and over, you will burn out. Try not to focus so much on it being "practice" but rather a "session".
What type of gear do you have? I found that with a simple purchase of a Toneport, I have lots of other tones to play around with. When I get tired of that distorted sound, I can go into the Gearbox library of tones and find something new! Working on the same exercise with different effects helps me "spice" up the lesson a bit.
Set some reasonable goals fo yourself and monitor your progress. If you are not progressing, change the routine. We all are going to have different ways of learning things and at a different pace. The thing is, we are all going to learn. Just need to find what motivates you man! Try some of what has been said here and see if it helps. If not, move on to something different but stay positive and you'll have that feeling back in no time!
Posted by: Pedja Simovic Sep 18 2008, 04:41 PM
Your practice routine should consist of following areas
1) Technique study
2) Songs / riffs/ solos
3) Theory and Harmony
4) Transcribing/Ear Training
5) Composing
6) Recording
7) Listening to music (enjoying it and learning from it)
This is not the exact order but do ask me questions if you have regarding each area I would love to help you out!
Posted by: jacmoe Sep 18 2008, 08:28 PM
What could be more motivating than all the great lessons here @ GMC!
Pick one or two of your favorites, and make them your goal.
Browse the Practice Agendas and be inspired.
Posted by: sidewas lightning Sep 18 2008, 08:46 PM
I dont know how you approach your practice, but have you tried to set yourself a goal?
Like, decide on a song you really want to learn and just focus on that song and try to learn all the nuances it might have. And once you have nailed it, you might find yourself having learned alot more than just a song.
This usually worked for me when i felt stuck.
That's really great advice.
Thanks for everybody's help!
I practiced new things yesterday, and it felt great...tapping feels so good now.
Now I need to get off this forum and start practicing again!
Posted by: Pedja Simovic Sep 18 2008, 09:54 PM
Thanks for everybody's help!
I practiced new things yesterday, and it felt great...tapping feels so good now.
Now I need to get off this forum and start practicing again!
Your last sentence made me very happy !
Good work man keep it up!
Posted by: sigma7 Sep 18 2008, 09:56 PM
dont forget to add physical exercise to ur routine just as I have just learned
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