GMC:er Posts: 25.297
Joined: 23-December 09
From: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
1 LEAVE SOME SPACES This one is harder than it sounds. It’s tempting to just play over everything once you get to a certain level of ability. Not playing can seem like a missed opportunity. However, it’s a good thing to plan into a solo and even into an improvisation. Think a few bars ahead and try to find a good spot not to play so that it puts emphasis on where you do decide to come back in. This is part of adding “Dynamics” to your playing. If you never stop, at all, it can become monotonous for the listener, just like playing non stop 8th notes or non stop 16th notes can become monotonous for them.
2 USE SMALL SHAPES Unlike ‘Instagram Style” players, using every string in your riffage/licks, can mean that you are stepping on other instruments in a mix. Using large hand shapes that bar every string across the 12th fret for example and then adding chord pull offs works great for POLYPHIA style music, but often works less great for a lead player working with a standard backing or non neo soul band. When you are one part of a mix/composition, find your spot in it and work that spot.
3 DON”T GRIP TO HARD This is crucial. If you grip too hard with your fret hand, you will tire out the hand. The hand needs to be able to play for extended periods in order to even practice efficiently, much less play a long solo or long set list. Gripping too hard/tensing up is a natural response when playing something new or fast, etc. It’s something that is worth learning to overcome. Despite it being natural, it’s not a good thing imho. It’s something one has to train one’s hands NOT to do. This is tricky because the hands are often busy, as is the brain, trying to just play guitar, then you add tension/grip control on top and it’s an extra layer of complexity. Still, it’s worth doing.
4 USE LIGHT GAUGE STRINGS FOR LEAD AND HEAVY FOR RYTHM Lot of debate on this one but I’ve found it to be true. I went to 8 gauge Yngwie sets on my main guitar. They use heavier gauge for lower strings. 9 sets for leads are standard. A 10 set works good on a heavy guitar mostly used for rythm bits. Also serves as the “other” guitar to keep your hands from settling.
5 TUNE DOWN HALF A STEP This is an old trick but a good one. It reduces string tension to allow you greater control over your bends and vibrato. It can make your playing much more expressive. Especially on heavy string sets and extended range guitars that tend to have a lot of string tension. The more you can gain control over the subtle use of bending and vibrato, the more dynamic your playing will seem.
6 SOMETIMES FIGHTING YOUR GUITAR IS A GOOD THING Just the opposite of the previous tip, using a guitar with a very thick or very thin neck, whichever one you are not used to, playing with heavy or light strings, etc. Just using an instrument or strings/etc. that are not what your hands are not accustomed to doing, will force your hands to adapt. This can be a great wellspring of creativity. If a guitar/setup feels unfamiliar, you probably won’t be able to play all of your familiar bits on it as easily and your hand will have to come up with some new things. So try to switch things up now and then.
7 SOME GUITARS PLAY EASY AND SOME DON’T, USE BOTH! If you are used to playing an Ibanez with a wafer thin neck and 8 gauge strings, playing a Les Paul with 10 gauge strings will feel a bit alien. So to combine number 5 and 6, don’t just play guitars that are comfy! Go and buy a cheap guitar that plays badly. It too will force your hands to adapt. Also, going back and forth between them will keep your hands from getting stale and not being able to adapt.
