Tricks to breaking through a wall in your playing...

Lots of great advise and ideas here . I'm one of those musicians who knows a little about alot . Studied Classical badly , did Rock, blues , metal covers badly . Play Jazz badly, Country ECT. Well I exagerate when I say badly, suffice it to say I can play passably well within alot of different genres but never " great " .
Ive come to that wall you speak of too kinda stuck playing the same riffs over and over the same phrasing , the same technical probs. holding me back . So Ive had to go back and do the work to kick it up a notch . I'm doing scales and arpegios constantly , working on stuff I find uncomfortable, exercises to address technique / fluency . Just grinding this stuff over and over SLOWLY and accuratly . I have to be patient too progress is coming but slowly .
 
Kidsfeet said:
I thought of something else.

Record yourself. Then listen back, and evaluate your playing critically. Don't beat yourself up over it, but listen to yourself and see if you tend to play the same licks over and over again. Then consciously try to break that habit. It's tough!
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I can verify this helps a lot. I've made it a new year's resolution to record myself more. Its already benefiting my playing. I hear things in my playing that I didn't know were there. The trick is being totally objective, which can be hard to do at first. I tend to listen to myself in the car and at work. Some of it is very good, which gives me a great confidence boost. Other material is rough, which gives me a chance to honestly assess where I'm at, what works, what doesn't, and improve from there.
 
+ 100 on the recording . When I bought my axefx I had just also decided to build myself somewhat of a home studio. Still learning that too . Lately kinda using the daw as a sketch pad recording ideas / riffs whatever. sometimes I suprise myself and say that sounds pretty good ! Mosty learning weaknesses and what I need to work on .
 
The cool thing about recording, too, is not JUST the notes you play and whether they "fit". You can also hear your dynamics too, which I think is really important. How you hit the notes is just as important as what notes you are hitting, imo.
 
Go here Backing Tracks by Coffee Break Grooves - Jazz, Blues, Rock, Jazz Fusion and more

Their backing tracks are killer. Grab some funk, soul, jazz, gypsy jazz, latin, etc. backing tracks....genres you don't normally play. Play the licks you know to the different timesigs and styles and then start learning new licks to add to your tool box and keep playing them over the varied styles.

I do this weekly.....helped me to really get a handle on my alternate picking and the different styles have helped me to phrase in different ways. For me it isn't all about speed (I'm no speed demon and never will be). It's about feeling it and phrasing it.
 
A few things I´ve noticed during the years.

If you want to write great songs, listen to great music.
If you want to end up in playing your great music, practice by playing to others great music.
If you want to end up as an "great" player too (but who defines that anyway?), practice by playing your stuff to others great music.

What you eventually will find is that even in the most simple song (arrangement), it can be quite hard to play your stuff to it. That is because you´ll need to listen to see where you/your stuff will fit and more importantly IF it will fit. This will be harder the greater the music you listen to are.

In every bandsituation when playing music, there´s a space you will take up. So you better learn how to make the best out of it. It all depends on the song really (not your part only), because that is what matters in the end in great music (for the big masses at least).

Then acknowledge the fundamental parameters you´ve got in any music:

Dynamics
Rhythms
Frequencies (or notes if you prefer)

...but also remember that there are infinite combinations (including contrasts) of these above to choose from. And sometimes the best choice is actually none of them (= silence), which you learn when you are listening to where you fit in the music.

In any way, you will end up sounding like you. Whatever that means...
 
My $0.02

Play/think outside the box, literally. If you are stuck in your normal "goto" scale shapes, and chord voicings, then learn others. Force yourself to learn other "uncomfortable" patterns or voicings while playing with a jam track or band. Do this for while and you'll become very versatile and it will be hard to become stale in the future. Learn all your triads (if you havent) around the entire fretboard. Learn all the major and minor Arpeggios rooted from the 6th and 5th string. Learn all the modes.

Consider learning slide guitar in standard tuning. It will make you think differently, or add a more linear thinking licks when playing without. Use diads and triads with the slide for chord tones. It has opened me up immensely.

And all the other great advice others have mentioned.
 
guitvai1 said:
Tackle a different genre, put on a drum beat and jam. With the band I'm in now I'm forced to learn lots of disco funk stuff like Niles Rodgers. This has opened up a whole new world for me and my rythm playing has improved immensely, similarily in my previous band we played some blues and I got into SRV and Hendrix. Just try different things, I used to be stuck on Satriani and Vai stuff but realized this stuff limited me immensely.
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Yeah, even just looping a quick chord thing with the Axe, something that's different to what you'd normally doing. Even just looping one fairly neutral sounding chord (or even just a single note) in a droney kind of way, so there's no inherent jazzy/bluesy/whatever style about it, no particular rhythm. And then just play. If you're droning a single root note, your options are pretty much wide open. I know in the past I've buggered about with this kind of thing, found a sound I liked with a bunch of notes and then written riffs or a song or whatever with it. Sure, it's no doubt just some scale I'm unaware of. But for me, sitting there running through scales trying to learn new things isn't the same as picking up on something I'm hearing and working from there.

The other thing I like doing is just playing along with whatever song is playing. I don't necessarily know how to play the song (actually in most cases I don't), but I just improv melodic lines along with it or whatever. Maybe it's a bit of noodley nonsense over a verse, maybe it's playing along with the vocal melody, maybe branch off with a few harmonies, etc. etc. If there's a guitar solo, maybe I'll have a crack at playing it by ear (or memory I guess), harmonise a few bits or whatever. It's kinda just no stress experimentation. I'm not trying to write my own stuff, or deliberately trying to expand my musical abilities or anything. It's someone else's song, and probably a perfectly good one without my involvement, and it still will be next time I listen to it (as long as I don't play over the top of it :lol). But I might come out of it having picked up a few things just from noodling about on someone else's music. I don't pick up the guitar thinking, "I'm gonna play over some songs until I have a minimum of 5 new ideas to play with." It's just me fatting about on the couch with a guitar, and sometimes I get ideas from it, other times not, but either way it's a bit of fun.
 
I'm a hack, but I know that hearing my vibrato played back after recording it rather than in real time was a real eye opener. Just don't be hypercritical to the point that it discourages you from playing (a problem I have). Find something to work on and just focus on working it rather than dwell on the fact that it isn't good.
 
shasha said:
Just don't be hypercritical to the point that it discourages you from playing (a problem I have). Find something to work on and just focus on working it rather than dwell on the fact that it isn't good.
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+1. Good guitarists are rarely satisfied with their playing.
 
Just a couple more thoughts of things that really helped me.

When I first heard the CAGED system. That really helped to open up the "unfamiliar territory" on the fretboard. I know most professional guitar instructors use a numbering system instead of the name of the chord shapes, either way its very useful. Also learning arpeggios like others here have stated.
I also had the chance to play with a great guitarist once, and i tried to show him my very best by running through the scales i knew while he played rhthym. He politely stopped me and asked if i knew the arpeggios of the chords of the key we were playing in. I said yes, he then showed me that instead of just running through different scales of the key, to anchor my playing on the notes of the arpeggio of the chord that was playing at any given moment, at every position on the neck. He said,if you do that you will always sound like you know what your doing...
 
Glancing through the answers, there seems to be good advice. It depends on what you're after. I've always been very systematic. Consistency is always the key. EVERYDAY. When I started it was 6 hours,every day, for years. Then I honed it to 3-4. Then 3. Now it's 2-3. None of that counts time spent jamming on my own or with others or messing with the Axe Fx II. The hours I track are just PRACTICING, meaning working on a system of directed technique or concepts.

I keep a daily record, and have done for 25 years or so. I decide what I'm going to work on and work on it. There's reasons for each thing I work on. Right hand technique, playing through changes, timing, rhythm, phrasing, arpeggios, etc..

Recording yourself is also very important. There needs to be some way to compare and make critical judgements. ALSO to see growth. You can get discouraged without seeing you've made progress.

PLAYING WITH PEOPLE is crucial. Playing with a drummer is most important.

Every time I play and take mental notes, sometimes actual notes, on what I need to work on. Then I amend my practice regimen accordingly.

Working on music is also very important. But for me, working on new music falls outside the realm of my systematic practice. That's just me. I'm weird. Knowing how to read is ALSO very important. This opens up a whole new world of music to guitarists! The guitarist who reads, and reads well, can play with a lot of people and gig in situations he or she'd be unable to otherwise.

This is just me. I've always been a practicing maniac. I spend much more time working on the guitar than working on tone. YMMV.
 
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turefire.com

I learned about truefire from this forum. It has been great for learning different methods, or styles, or theory. Sometimes the lessons I get overlap, but it's great to get a different take on the same thing. If you are trying to dip your toe into Jazz, or need a crash course in Country, it's a great way to break through. Also great if, like me, you are somewhat remote, and no instructors anywhere close.
 
Different strokes for different folks. When I get bored playing my same old stuff, I usually turn to
one of the infinitesimal tutorials available on the web for download or purchase. I own more than a dozen
Truefire lessons, instructions on how to play Hendrix, Beatles, Hank Williams, jr., Townes Van Zandt, etc.,
etc., etc. If none of that helps, I turn to Guy's Grids and try out a new chord or two. Usually, I finds something
that will catch my interest for a day or three before I get bored again and turn to something else. It helps. I play
every single day, an hour or two or more and usually find something that keeps me going. I'm sort of like a jack of
all riffs, melodies, and rhythms, but master of none, although, I do feel like I'm getting to the point where
I nearly can play a complete song start to finish. I learned the Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest, Cecil Brown, and most of
The Weight just by noodling around with what I've found on the Web. No more excuses, guys. It's all out there waiting
to be tapped.
 
I was forced to take 2 year break during graduate school. After finishing and having time I gained a new level of appreciation for playing.

I also drifted from just metal to new styles/genres of music. Wherever it was fusion, jazz, Spanish pop etc. varying to learn and challenge myself has made a drastic change to my playing.
 
Usually, when I hit a wall, I put it down for a few days, and reflect. Same thing for writers block. Sometimes to move forward, it helps to NOT do a thing.


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BrainalLeakage said:
Usually, when I hit a wall, I put it down for a few days, and reflect. Same thing for writers block. Sometimes to move forward, it helps to NOT do a thing.
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Yes, that's what a lot of folks do. I've never suffered from writers block. For me, I find it counter intuitive to put it down. Sometimes it helps. I'm not arguing r saying that walking away isn't the righ thing to do. But I find working through it, for me, is the best thing. There is the coming back fresh thing after being overwhelmed with too much guitar and music and stuff. But for writing, for example, I've found that writing is the best solution for writers block. I know it sounds stupid, but it's not. The block is probably self censorship and self invalidation. I've learned not to do that. I can always go back and change something. But I need a bridge and take whatever is there. Need a chorus? Bam. Normally it's right the first time. The more I put it down with things like, "it's not good enough", the more blockage I find I have. I trust that I have good taste. It might not be good enough taste for someone else, but that's not what matters.
 
FantomasXD said:
i have always been interested in trying some jazz so i will start there.
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Then start with the secret power of major/minor pentatonic (before jumping into deeper and sophisticated areas) - most people just use the minor pentatonic, when talking about pentatonic scales. I discovered this around 1996/7 which helped me cheating when playing some jazzier content (I can't play jazz....but this can be your door opener as it was for me back then -> bad example regarding major/minor penta but good regarding jazzy content with no idea about jazz but it works anyway...ha! https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/100561953/anewbeginning-improv.mp3 (me around 1997 found on an old tape) ). Learning to combine both major and minor pentatonic into one basic scale brings some fresh material into your playing and can be very inspirational. Don't think too much about the scales when playing - think about the melodies....

Even more important is your rhythm feel! Make yourself a simple backing track (I always loved to play with myself, recording a rhythm guitar track first then play over it, later also record your soloing exercises (and listen to it later on...you'll discover yourself in an new way!)....start with a very simple chord progression, no fancy rhythm chord playing just simple 4/4 - now develop some phrases of melody on it - no hyperspeed lixxs - 1/4th and 1/8th notes only, make some phrases and feel your notes, then build it up......

then learn some easier jazz standards, listen to other players playing them, try to catch their melodies, try to memorized it and try to sing the soloing while listen to it....again, no hyperspeed, melody development. I found out that Barney Kessel did a marvelous job for us guitarists on the "Poll Winner Series" recordings together with Shelly Manne and Ray Brown - for example, take the classic "Satin Doll" and learn Barney's takes just by listen to him - this could be a door opener too.....



Listen to his solo - this is just the real deal! Learn the first part of the solo - not the fast later parts.....this is a perfect starter tune!

Finally - "listen" to the music you want to discover as much as possible, get the feel of it! Enough talking - go to your record store (or iTunes) and buy the poll winner record (in the youtube link above). Your first great jazz record, congrats!!! :D


Cheers
Paco
 
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