Tips for improving?

[ii Cybershot ii]

As some background, I've been playing for over 20 years. I can play decently but am really interested in getting better. Here's a brief video showing where I am at skill-wise (this is not at all necessary to watch so if you are not inclined please just read on)!

I know that it is said, nothing beats in-person 1 on 1 lessons. I've taken them in the past for guitar, and on two different occasions for voice.

However this time, I'd specifically like to focus on the online component.

I've been using online lessons through TrueFire and sometimes YouTube for about 1.5 years. They can be helpful but something about it keeps me from progressing as rapidly as I'd expect, and I can easily lose interest. I think there's a lack of lessons that apply to my skill level, and also a lack of lessons that really have a logical skill progression. I find most lessons to either be far too beginner level, or too difficult, or just plain not applicable.

I am not sure what I want to get better at specifically, and figuring that out would probably be helpful.

Questions:
-What online lessons have given you the most benefit (you can mention specific teachers, courses or instructors on TrueFire, etc)?
-Were there any obstacles you had to pass in your specific situation that helped you progress more rapidly?
-Any other tips you can think of?

Thank you all!

[rokdog49]

Hi Cybershot,
I watched your video. We have a similar skill set and level of playing although I think you're a bit better with your flat-picking skills than I am.
Just analyzing what you are showing doesn't really tell your story.
The real question is what do you want to do with what you are able to do.
Can you play melodic solos in a group scenario or with another player spontaneously and in various genre's? Do you want to? Do you play with others at all? I found that playing in a worship band and in a duet has helped me learn to do a lot of things out of necessity. Do you sing?...perform in front of others? Do you want to learn theory? Is there are genre' you particularly are drawn to?
I take lessons every other week from a great instructor who has helped me leaps and bounds. I basically showed him what I could do, told him what I wanted to do and away we went.
What is it that you enjoy about what you can do and where would you like to apply it is the real question...I think.

[min7b5]

Originally Posted by ii Cybershot ii

As some background, I've been playing for over 20 years. I can play decently but am really interested in getting better. ....
I am not sure what I want to get better at specifically...

Looks like you have a lot of great stuff happening there. My own two cents is to focus on basics in a serious and sustained way. I made a series of short video essays a while back about things you can focus on -without learning any new chords, scales etc- to really get to the next level of making music. It's at https://thirtydayguitarchallenge.tumblr.com

[Woolbury]

I think you nailed it in your comments, you have to know what you want to get better at to really make progress. Bluegrass flat picking? Finger style blues? Open tunings/dadgad stuff? Jazz chord/melody? Gypsy Jazz? How can you go down these roads without making a bit of a commitment to the style? Doesn't mean you have to live there, you can move on to another style eventually, but I think some immersion in a specific style really will push your playing. It takes all the building blocks you've learned and starts adding the nuances that take your playing up a notch.

[Klimski]

There are basically two roads to improvement. 1. Becomes an expert at what you are already good at. 2. Learn a new skill

You choose, focus and do it

[ctvolfan]

Originally Posted by Woolbury

I think you nailed it in your comments, you have to know what you want to get better at to really make progress. Bluegrass flat picking? Finger style blues? Open tunings/dadgad stuff? Jazz chord/melody? Gypsy Jazz? How can you go down these roads without making a bit of a commitment to the style? Doesn't mean you have to live there, you can move on to another style eventually, but I think some immersion in a specific style really will push your playing. It takes all the building blocks you've learned and starts adding the nuances that take your playing up a notch.

Sorry my ADD kicked in with my initial reply below. I thought that was the OP saying that. But he'll get the idea anyway. Your suggestion was spot on!

I have gotten a little bored playing lately so now I am tackling learning some bluegrass. Not that I want to play it necessarily but I think it could help me grow. There are other things I have learned like hybrid picking, arpeggios and a little travis picking that has helped me grow. Just knowing a little bit of any of that stuff and you can incorporate it into something that you already play and develop your own style. You are a better strummer than I am I can tell that. I need to get better at that. I didn't watch the whole video though. You may have done some of what I suggested.

[hotroad]

Your playing is fine but on the video its variations on a theme, or the same rhythm patterns over and over with variation. I suggest you take what you know and branch out with the style you already know. You could add a lot more subtlety and crosspicking to your playing. Adjust the volume and intensity even more. Use a capo and play up the neck so you have to learn without having the full neck to use like you do in the video. Play what you know in a different key using different chords which will of course challenge you and create a different sound entirely. Do some drop tuning. Learn new rhythm patterns versus allowing yourself to play the same patterns over and over.
You have a great start and your playing is fine. Just add to it. Don't have to leave the genre or style of music unless you want to and then its a good idea to learn country, bluegrass, folk, reggae, blues, jazz, rock, etc.

[Davis Webb]

Originally Posted by hotroad

Your playing is fine but on the video its variations on a theme, or the same rhythm patterns over and over with variation. I suggest you take what you know and branch out with the style you already know. You could add a lot more subtlety and crosspicking to your playing. Adjust the volume and intensity even more. Use a capo and play up the neck so you have to learn without having the full neck to use like you do in the video. Play what you know in a different key using different chords which will of course challenge you and create a different sound entirely. Do some drop tuning. Learn new rhythm patterns versus allowing yourself to play the same patterns over and over.
You have a great start and your playing is fine. Just add to it. Don't have to leave the genre or style of music unless you want to and then its a good idea to learn country, bluegrass, folk, reggae, blues, jazz, rock, etc.

Agreed. My advice too.

[islandguitar]

Originally Posted by Davis Webb

Agreed. My advice too.

+2, Yeah, I think this one ^^^ really catches the essence of it all. Beyond dropped D there is also the further exploration of alternate tunings (DADGAD, CGCGCD, DGDGBE, etc.). You seem to enjoy Major/minor 7ths and I'll bet some of the sounds in these tunings would open things up for you.
VERY good playing! Far more than I could do with a flat pick.

In line with what HotRod is mentioning, there's an old saying: "The left hand is presents "what you know", the right hand presents "who you are". I have no doubt that all this will come together for you as you ramp things up!!

[TBman]

1st thing I noticed was that some of the chords up the neck at first you struggled with placement, so for that I would suggest putting your hand on your lap and then just grab the chord and strum it. If you're off on placement, it will show up, so just keep doing it. As you get better at grabbing the chord you can speed up a bit, then switch to the chord from another spot on the fretboard. That's all about muscle memory for a specific chord, something we all need to rehearse from time to time.

Secondly - where do you think you want to be as a player? Find tunes that you want to play and just practice them relentlessly. It may not be that you aren't where you want to be, you're just not playing the right stuff to show where you are, if that makes sense. In other words, the stuff you're playing doesn't push you/show your skill level.

[ii Cybershot ii]

Thank you all for the input.

Perhaps I did not phrase my desires correctly and ended up writing too much, however I was not looking for a critique of my playing specifically. Not that I couldn't use a critique as part of getting better, so thank you for those who were able to offer insight.

I was looking for websites, online courses, teachers, etc and anything else that you found helpful in your journey. This way I (or anyone else reading this thread) can improve for the next month or year, or more.

My major take-away from this thread so far is that I should decide what I want to get better at, and maybe that will help guide me towards which various instruction, courses, etc that I could use. I am going to watch that 30-day challenge as well.