Fingerstyle - trying to get out of a rut

[s0cks]

Thanks for all the great advice.

I've been analysing my playing closely over the last few days and realized that I need to start practising some fundamental techniques.

My right hand isn't too bad, and I generally pluck the right strings. The main issue is really my left hand. I'm not consistent with my left hand. So I've found a bunch of left hand training exercises on YouTube. I will post below if anyone is interested, you might also tell me if it's useful or just baloney. I definitely need to increase my left hand strength, dexterity and accuracy.

My other flaw is rhythm and I need to keep using the metronome to fix this. I found my strumming rhythm to be woeful, and while I don't strum much, it seems like I should at least learn this fundamental. But really, I just need to practice timing so I can play in the pocket, which I know I can't really do right now. Occasionally, when I do, everything flows a lot easier.

It's a little overwhelming and I don't want to get bored. I'm pretty determined though, to get good at the guitar, so I don't mind boring exercises. I will certainly check out Earwitness's arpeggio exercise too. And I will take the advice of mixing in some simpler songs so I don't get too bored.

Here's what I found:

[Vtckf]

If you cant swing lessons right now check out guitarforbeginners.com and guitarnick.com....there are some good stuff there

[Random1643]

My approach is more intuitive. My head works on arrangement for a few days and then, when it’s ready, downloads the song to my hands. My hands play as directed. A few tweaks and I’m done with that song. I don’t really practice, so no help to you on that front.

You may be already be doing this but you don’t mention in your post so I’ll throw it into the mix. Get out and play. Hit friendly, local open mics; play songs that are in pretty good shape, visit with other musicians. Offer to play an hour or 2 on Saturday mornings at a local café. Get out and play with others. I’m jamming the last several months with 2 other musicians in an occasional jam/work on songs/recording group. They’re more advanced, more formally trained than I am but we each bring songs to jam on, work on. We all have ideas, make mistakes, have our own styles, learn from each other. Doing stuff like this gets me out, gets me out of my own head.