With Regard to Playing guitar, What's the Best Single Piece of Advice You Ever Receiv

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by 6L6

…What's the best single piece of advice you ever got with regard to playing the guitar?

Hi 6l6

Don't know if it's the best single piece I ever received, but it's served me well.

When I see somebody play something interesting I find the opportunity to ask them "can you please show me that again?"

Actually I usually say "When you were playing "Song X" at the chorus you played this really cool lick/chord. Can you please show me that again?" and they almost always say 'yes'. So I pull out my phone (camera in movie mode) and ask "May I please get a picture of this?"

The casual name for this is "FREE LESSONS".

[nightchef]

Not exactly advice, and not directed at me specifically, but I remember when I was about 13 or 14 reading Anthony Scaduto’s biography of Bob Dylan, and he mentioned that while most of the other Greenwich Village folkies were obsessed with learning new licks & tricks, Dylan was obsessed with learning songs.

Reading this switched on a lightbulb in my brain. I hated running through scales and exercises, and I didn’t think I was making any progress with it. But I loved listening to songs and trying to work them out by ear. And I found that when I learned something theoretical or technical in the course of working up a song, it stuck. Whatever I learned by doing exercises, by contrast, left me almost as soon as the exercise was over. My brain was never truly engaged in them.

Granted, song-focused learning is probably not the best way to become an accomplished shredder, but then I never really wanted to be that.

[phavriluk]

Practice with a purpose every day

[Saxonbowman]

I haven’t done this nearly enough but it was “play with other people.”

[hotroad]

Being really good is not necessary. I have gigged professionally for over 40 years! Ouch!! My mantra and learning technique has always been, practice, play then perform.

Let me explain a little. Yes, it takes practice as this thread makes clear. Practice with others better than yourself. I did and do and it makes a huge difference. Secondly, play means play time. Learn what you have fun learning, not what you don't. You don't need to learn Tommy Emmanuels stuff unless thats what flips your switch. How about learning House of the Rising Sun or similarly, Hotel California but just for fun and practice until you can keep a steady resting heartbeat while playing it.

Lastly, perform it, perform it, perform. Performing for one or two or two hundred is what will 'force' you to keep practicing and learning new songs. Without the next performance I stop practicing and learning. Performance, or sharing your music with your wife, partner, child, dog, neighbor is going to keep you fresh and pushing forward all the while having fun.

Nowhere does this method say 'perfect' the song. No. Play it differently every time. Keep it fresh and in front of others even if you are just a beginner. I started at age 14 playing for a YMCA banquet. I was terrible but it made me practice and I had fun.

[chrisjwhit]

The right note is only a slide away

and

Nobody knows your limitations until you exceed them

[Mr. Jelly]

I never actually ever received any advice.

What the guitar taught at a young age that has stuck with me to this day is that I can learn. I can learn anything I want to. All I have to do is try. Something always sticks. Try again and a little more sticks. Eventually you know something.

[DWKitt]

Try to play a little everyday even if it's only a few minutes.

[DWKitt]

Originally Posted by nightchef

Not exactly advice, and not directed at me specifically, but I remember when I was about 13 or 14 reading Anthony Scaduto’s biography of Bob Dylan, and he mentioned that while most of the other Greenwich Village folkies were obsessed with learning new licks & tricks, Dylan was obsessed with learning songs.

Reading this switched on a lightbulb in my brain. I hated running through scales and exercises, and I didn’t think I was making any progress with it. But I loved listening to songs and trying to work them out by ear. And I found that when I learned something theoretical or technical in the course of working up a song, it stuck. Whatever I learned by doing exercises, by contrast, left me almost as soon as the exercise was over. My brain was never truly engaged in them.

Granted, song-focused learning is probably not the best way to become an accomplished shredder, but then I never really wanted to be that.

I'm the same way.

[Cecil6243]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Hi 6l6

Don't know if it's the best single piece I ever received, but it's served me well.

When I see somebody play something interesting I find the opportunity to ask them "can you please show me that again?"

Actually I usually say "When you were playing "Song X" at the chorus you played this really cool lick/chord. Can you please show me that again?" and they almost always say 'yes'. So I pull out my phone (camera in movie mode) and ask "May I please get a picture of this?"

The casual name for this is "FREE LESSONS".

[Cecil6243]

deleted...

[spock]

Playing more = playing better.

[ascotia]

In regard to performing:

-If you're in your head, you're dead.

-The audience is (generally) on your side, whether they know it or not. They want you to succeed and they want to hear what you have to say.

-You've put in the time for yourself, so show up for yourself. Channel your nervous energy into intense focus.

[M Hayden]

Practice practice practice. That’s certainly the best advice I’ve received. It’s necessary to get to a level where you can play mindfully without sweating the details.

And I still do it...periodically I play through the entire repertoire, or at any rate the pieces I’ve written down in a list ads an aid to remembering what I know and have learned, just to ensure that I am practicing what I actually think I know.

And what I find is that sometimes I need to practice technique, sometimes I need to practice time, sometimes tone, sometimes specific licks, and sometimes memorization.....and occasionally, all of the above.

[Picker1]

Practice 5 minutes every day. It will always go longer and you're much more likely to pick the guitar up when you're not committing to 1/2 hour or more at a time