Printable Version of Topic

Click here to view this topic in its original format

GMC Forum _ PRACTICE ROOM _ Pushing To The Limit

Posted by: Smikey2006 Apr 13 2008, 10:48 PM

I have a simple question regarding speed building.. plain and simple everyone knows that to get faster you have to practice slow! BUT if you continously practice slow.. will you eventually get faster? or should you be at least hitting your limit once a practice in order to have some sort of musle growth/ quickness increase?
I really enjoy playing stuff slower and precisely regardless of speed because it sounds better.. but i never have noticed a speed increase.. ive been stuck on Pavels Speed picking #2 at 140bpm FOREVER!.. i can play it perfectly at 140 but any higher and it falls apart.. ..

Posted by: Canis Apr 13 2008, 11:07 PM

I'm so sorry for the following answer, since it's the most used one in the history of instruments: But practice do make master

I notice that when I play a lick or riff slow a while, and I get the feeling of how my fingers move, I'm able to play it faster and faster. I guess it varies from every individual how fast you progress.

Keep it up, and you'll just wake up one day and nail the Speed Picking lesson =)

Posted by: Smikey2006 Apr 13 2008, 11:17 PM

QUOTE (Canis @ Apr 13 2008, 06:07 PM)

I'm so sorry for the following answer, since it's the most used one in the history of instruments: But practice do make master

I notice that when I play a lick or riff slow a while, and I get the feeling of how my fingers move, I'm able to play it faster and faster. I guess it varies from every individual how fast you progress.

Keep it up, and you'll just wake up one day and nail the Speed Picking lesson =)

haha yea i know the whole musle thing where you play it over and and over and it progresses.. but this feels like a ceiling.. like i play this lession day in day out at 140 for like.. everday for a month now? and every time i bump to 145 its like .. rajrasjrhas.. fingers just can't go that fast

but ill keep plucking away

Posted by: stratman33 Apr 13 2008, 11:19 PM

QUOTE (Canis @ Apr 13 2008, 06:07 PM)

I'm so sorry for the following answer, since it's the most used one in the history of instruments: But practice do make master

exactly, practice makes perfect, pretty much the only way to really build your speed up.

Posted by: Bogdan Radovic Apr 13 2008, 11:23 PM

Well you should not practice at the same speed forever..Try increasing the tempo in small steps , even 1 bpm would do it..You can push the limit once in a practice (even if you don't play it right) and than back off a little..That will be a good routine for speed..And when you back off from the limit you will feel its easy to play at that speed..Just go slowly and increase the tempo by small steps and you will eventually get to desired speed..

Posted by: swingline Apr 13 2008, 11:24 PM

What I actually do is get perfect at a given speed lets say 120bpm, then I go up a bit (123-125bpm) and its sloppy but I work at that for a little. Then I go back and play at 120bpm for a while to reset my foundation. I repeat this many times. Eventually 125bpm will become perfect and you use that as your foundation to work off of. Its not fast or fun but it is very efficient.

Posted by: Darfuria Apr 13 2008, 11:41 PM

It may seem odd, but have you thought about this mathematically. I mean, if you can play it at 140bpm, then playing it at 70bpm wouldn't be a difficult transition. Have you tried speeding up to 147bpm instead of 145?

Moving up and then down and then up again the way swingline mentioned also works well.

Posted by: Smikey2006 Apr 14 2008, 12:14 AM

im going to try this swingline idea.. ive thrown it up to 145 and played it a couple times.. really working on the picking speed, its a little sloppy but when i drop back its always easier

Posted by: Nemanja Filipovic Apr 14 2008, 02:15 AM

I agree,you should build up tempo bit by bit....in time it should come to you fingers,you will be able to play it with out thinking in the middle of the night...just be patient....