help for the inexperienced...!

[ojmit]

Hi folks

I have spent the last two years trying to learn the guitar and although I have made some good progress I have reached a plateau and can't seem to find a way forward

I had never played any instrument in my life and at 44 decided it was now or never. Haven't had any lessons just taught myself from a book and the i-net.

I can now play enough chords and have no trouble changing from chord to chord - which, given how I started is amazing enough but all the songs sound the same! why? my hand seems to be "stuck" in the same rythym and my strummin pattern always goes dduud..........it seems hard wired into my hand - can;t stop it doing it! any simple advice?? l

thanks

[mr. beaumont]

Learn a song in a style that demands you do something different. Try a waltz, for example.

Sometimes you gotta force yourself out of the comfort zone.

[daza152]

I was going to offer the same advice try a new song with different strumming patteren. I know you can come up with your own to suit a lot of songs, but the pattern makes a difference. I was learning the Weight by The Band and after learning the chord sequence just went about trying to make "my" pattern fit, and it turns out it was way of mark. I have been playing full on for 18 months(on 3 rd attempt and nailed it this time) so started about 4 years ago I am 43 this year and still learning hitting plateau's. Have you tried Marty on You Tube he is great if there is a specific pattern to follow he will break it down for you. I highly recommend him. You can try finger-style playing thats kinda what I'm working on now, open chords just don't do it for me anymore, still like barre chords they sound sweet. So check out Marty or Justin Guitar as well both brilliant teachers. Trust me.

Daza.

[jseth]

Developing right hand technique is really important, whether you fingerpick / strum / combine the two...

Check out (w/ a metronome, if possible!) counting slowly, a beat of 4 (or 3); strum all the rhythmical variations, one at a time. Start with a whole note (a complete count of four), and just strum, then hold it... repeat, so you have that count of "four" in your brain and hands... then move to 1/2 notes (one strum += 2 counts), 2 to a "bar" (that's what you've established with your "4" count, one bar of 4)... then go to quarter note strums, that's one for each beat in your count of 4... then triplets (say "tri-ple-et, tri-ple-et", slowly and have it fit the 4 beat count...

Try just strumming on the down stroke, only - then try the upstroke only - then combine them in different patterns... try sounding just one low bass note, then strumming the chord... mix it up, try different things, HAVE FUN with this!

Plateaus in playing happen to EVERYONE - I've been playing acoustic guitar for over 50 years and still experience plateaus.... just keep on gong; take a break if you get too frustrated, but if you keep after it, you will break through to the next level... until you "plateau" again, LOL!

A wise man once said...

"Your left hand (fretting) shows what you KNOW; your right hand (picking) shows who you ARE..."

play on............................................>

John Seth

[Hotspur]

Originally Posted by ojmit

Haven't had any lessons just taught myself from a book and the i-net.

Get lessons.

Honestly, a month or two of weekly lessons with a good instructor will almost certainly "unstick" you. After that, you can take a break for a while and work on your own, coming back to your instructor again when you feel like you've hit another sticking point.

A lot of people underestimate the impact a good teacher can have. If you've never had lessons, it's almost certainly worthwhile to get some. He'll probably help you clean up a lot of technical stuff that you don't know you're doing wrong which is holding you back.

Don't get me wrong, I think a lot of the stuff on the internet is great - but there are times when there's nothing like somebody helping you fix exactly what you're doing wrong.

[rick-slo]

The most important single thing in guitar playing is to learn a bunch of songs - the right songs of course.

[Ranger1964]

I was/am EXACTLY where you are! Spent A LOT of time learning to strum automatically and then I tried to un-learn it! I bought this and it helped a ton. Not too expensive either:

http://www.nextlevelguitar.com/offer...ng_rhythm_set/

[JohnnyDes]

I also had/have the same problem. I'm stuck on the folk strum D DU UDU, which is really useful with a lot of tunes. But you DO have to force yourself out of it. The only way is to commit to learning a new song with a different strum pattern and just take it slow until it becomes a natural way to play that song. Then another song, another, etc., one at a time.

This link has a great list of songs and their strum patterns. If it's any comfort, the folk strum (pretty similar to yours) is by far the most commonly used one.

http://www.heartwoodguitar.com/strum-pattern/

JD

[unimogbert]

..............................

[Howard Klepper]

Have you tried getting a teacher? Best to find one who plays things you like.

[daza152]

Originally Posted by Hotspur

Get lessons.

Honestly, a month or two of weekly lessons with a good instructor will almost certainly "unstick" you. After that, you can take a break for a while and work on your own, coming back to your instructor again when you feel like you've hit another sticking point.

A lot of people underestimate the impact a good teacher can have. If you've never had lessons, it's almost certainly worthwhile to get some. He'll probably help you clean up a lot of technical stuff that you don't know you're doing wrong which is holding you back.

Don't get me wrong, I think a lot of the stuff on the internet is great - but there are times when there's nothing like somebody helping you fix exactly what you're doing wrong.

Good advice but thats not for everyone...I would probably not play as well in front of a stranger/teacher as I do when playing at home in my music room, but thats just me, probably a confidence thing, cause I'm still learning, I guess its easy when your good to play in front of others??

[daza152]

Originally Posted by rick-slo

The most important single thing in guitar playing is to learn a bunch of songs - the right songs of course.

Totally, know your skill level and then aim just above that (just slightly) to give you something of a challenge, but achieveable at the same time builds confidence in yourself.

[GibbyPrague]

Just play along to some songs that have a different rhythm, different time ( walts was a good idea, 3/4) different dymamics, sunctopated strumming, combination of picking and strumming.

Thats how i learn new styles, mainly based on songs i want to learn.

cheers.

[MultipleCarsGuy]

Learning a different genre of music often helps get past that, but learning new techniques also encourage you to think of your own riffs and solos.