Help With Reaching Goals Options

[JadedWolf465]

Hello all,

I've been a member for a little while, and I have been playing (in total) for about a year.

Started off with an electric, when I should have probably got an acoustic, but I learned to play on an Epiphone SG Special. I learned bits and pieces to songs here and there, barre chords and open chords. I can play simple songs like Plug in Baby, Black Dog, Stairway (Solo), Last Resort, etc. However, when I play, I feel like I am stuck. I have this entire site at my disposal, but I feel overwhelmed as if I don't know where to go next. The only thing I'm proud of is that I know how to play Under the Bridge from start to finish.

Bottom line: What I want to do is to be able to play my favorite songs. Fall of Troy, Avenged Sevenfold, Canon Rock, Cliffs of Dover, etc. But I don't feel like I am ready to learn those songs, and when I practice them relentlessly and don't get anywhere, I'm afraid that I'm going to put down the guitar because I have a hard time learning the songs, due to a lack of technique. This has happened before.

I was just curious if someone could point me in the right direction. Such as; "Go practice this, this, and this. After that, try learning this, this, and this. Then you can move on to a harder song like this and this." I feel like I learn better when I'm instructed by someone I can look up to (who is at where I want to be) of what to do, instead of having a wide array of lessons at my disposal but not knowing what to do with them.

Any help..?

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This post has been edited by JadedWolf465: Dec 10 2009, 07:43 PM

[Ivan Milenkovic]

You can apply for MTP program, this is definitely the thing you need. I don't think you can apply now, but you can try in March.

In the meantime, I suggest you check out this lesson plan of mine:
https://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_fo...st&p=312457

you may skip some first lessons that you are familiar with.

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[-Zion-]

when you say you know the solo behind a certain song.. lets say Stairway.. do you actually know what you are playing?

Back when i was younger i used to play solos according to the tabs i could find, and i was really happy that i could play this and that solo..
Now, that i know that some of the Stairway solo is using the A minor pentatonic over the chords Am, G, F, and i can use this particular scale, it allows me to deviate from the original path, and essentially make the stairway solo "my own"..

If this *is* the case, i would suggest you begin working on the minor pentatonic scale, and perhaps read up on some theory.. Theory will be hard and difficult in the beginning, where you read and read and read, but at some point you will understand something that will make those previous days/weeks of reading make sense.. This is a major accomplishment and the feeling you get from it is just AWESOME! Suddenly some of the world just makes more sense.. Check out Andrews theory board for this.. Start from the beginning and progress slowly through the board.. (it can be quite overwhelming to see that whole index that he has made.. but it's quite awesome.. just go slow)

If this is *not* the case, i would suggest you record yourself.. mp3 or preferable video.. show your actual skills to the people here at GMC. I am sure that a lot of people and instructors can direct you in the right direction once they can see and hear your playing skills..

EDIT: GOALS are important.. so try setting some goals for yourself.. Set a long term goal that might be "Cliffs of Dover", but more importantly you should set some SHORT time goals.. it's the short time goals that keep you going..

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This post has been edited by -Zion-: Dec 11 2009, 10:53 AM

[Staffy]

That would be a fairly easy task. As Ivan says, try to get into the MTP-program. Besides that, all lessons here are graded by difficulty, so You can just find Your actual level and start off by practising the level above........

//Staffay

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[JadedWolf465]

Thank you for your responses, especially your rather detailed one, Zion.
I'm already looking into Andrew's theory lessons, because I figured thats where I needed to go, since, you're right; I may know how to play the solo, but I haven't the slightest clue of what notes I'm playing or what key or any of that. However..

That would be a fairly easy task. As Ivan says, try to get into the MTP-program. Besides that, all lessons here are graded by difficulty, so You can just find Your actual level and start off by practising the level above........

I know this, but the thing is that there are so many. Thats why I wanted to see if anyone could provide any hints towards which specific ones, or what types to search for in that appropriate level to accommodate the goals that I have. Example; I know that practicing shredding and (I assume) "Paul Gilbert style" lessons won't help if I want to be a slow, mellow blues player. I would think that maybe a Iron Maiden/Metallica styled lesson would probably help me, specifically, out, but the thing is that I don't know for sure.

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[Daniel Realpe]

Well, you say that you might not be ready for those songs. But have tried them, at least some parts?

When I started that's how I learned. I wanted to learn how to play these difficult stuff and I just gave it a shot see how it went. Eventually I could play some riffs, then some solos. I remember my first fast solo was One from Metallica, when I saw I could play it, it felt awesome and realized that it can be done

Why don't you start with that one?

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