I've been playing the same.

[keithtan97]

Okay so the problem is this.. I got my guitar like.. Last year February, so I've actually played less then two years with self-taught and no actual lessons from any professionals or teachers. Every time I pick my guitar up and play, I always do not know what or how can I do, to make me improve. I'm like always playing the same thing over and over again improving very slowly..

What method or ways would you recommend me to improve on my guitar?

I'm fine with anything, fingerstyle or just strumming chords, playing licks on the guitar. But I just want to know some proper way to really help improve my guitar skills and not by just playing along with songs over and over again (I even get tired of it sometimes...)

Thanks.

Keith.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by keithtan97

…I'm fine with anything, fingerstyle or just strumming chords, playing licks on the guitar. But I just want to know some proper way to really help improve my guitar skills and not by just playing along with songs over and over again (I even get tired of it sometimes...)

Hi Keith...

I'm not content to learn songs to play to an empty living room.

Motivation occurs lots of ways, but for me what pushed (pushes me still) is that there is a constant outlet for my playing.

My gigging partner and I shoot for 10-12 outings a year where we go play, and then I'm involved in a guitar society which gathers once a month and the members play songs for each other. The latter usually involves having 2 songs ready and one in reserve.

The gigs are usually 90 minutes to 2 hours, and we have that much material. My gigging partner and I meet for coffee and practice/playing twice a week, and this winter we plan to record our instrumental duets in a 'live' fashion.

Then I've stayed involved in our Worship Team at church which results in at least 2 rehearsals a month, and 25-40 weeks a year playing at church.

This all combines to make playing not only fun, but a constant.

[Fruitloop]

Sounds to me like you could learn some of the mechanics of music, that is theory and ear training. When you understand what you are playing it becomes much more enjoyable and gives you much greater freedom to play what you want.

I'd suggest starting on that road, I have no experience from his site but I hear great things about justinguitar.com. Also look for threads in this forum.

Agree with lj, playing for people is a great way to improve.

If you have the gear recording yourself is a great way to improve too, you get to hear yoyrself how you sound to others.

[skitoolong]

I think I'd start with a couple of questions:

1. What's your goal? Play by yourself? Others? Just play your favorites to friends?
2. What kind of music really get's you going? Do you want to learn to play it?
3. Are there any techniques that you'd really like to learn?
4. Why did you decide to learn to play guitar?

I think if you can identify the answers to some of those it might give you some path/framework/long term goals to work toward. I'm like you in that I'm pretty new at this, but different in that I just can't wait to get home in the evenings to work on my "list" of songs/techniques that I'm currently working on!

[unimogbert]

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

[athair]

Perhaps it may helps if you start from scratch and solve the following thing:

Take C Major Scale (C D E F G A B): now, try to get the seven 4-note chords, taking Root-3rd-5th-7th in each degree...

Then you might go on a little further on the "theory-side" while keeping your song-playing and start gradually watching as to what are the common points between both activities...

Greetings!

[keithtan97]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Hi Keith...

I'm not content to learn songs to play to an empty living room.

Motivation occurs lots of ways, but for me what pushed (pushes me still) is that there is a constant outlet for my playing.

My gigging partner and I shoot for 10-12 outings a year where we go play, and then I'm involved in a guitar society which gathers once a month and the members play songs for each other. The latter usually involves having 2 songs ready and one in reserve.

The gigs are usually 90 minutes to 2 hours, and we have that much material. My gigging partner and I meet for coffee and practice/playing twice a week, and this winter we plan to record our instrumental duets in a 'live' fashion.

Then I've stayed involved in our Worship Team at church which results in at least 2 rehearsals a month, and 25-40 weeks a year playing at church.

This all combines to make playing not only fun, but a constant.

Hey there, I get you, I do have a group where we would get together and jam in a studio like once a few months. But the sad thing is... I only have this group of friends.. I am not a really social guy so yea.. hahah, I don't have much friends or groups to play with along.

[keithtan97]

Originally Posted by skitoolong

I think I'd start with a couple of questions:

1. What's your goal? Play by yourself? Others? Just play your favorites to friends?
2. What kind of music really get's you going? Do you want to learn to play it?
3. Are there any techniques that you'd really like to learn?
4. Why did you decide to learn to play guitar?

I think if you can identify the answers to some of those it might give you some path/framework/long term goals to work toward. I'm like you in that I'm pretty new at this, but different in that I just can't wait to get home in the evenings to work on my "list" of songs/techniques that I'm currently working on!

My goal? Well.. I just want to play with friends, learn music so I'll be able to write my own and share to the others.

Types of music erm.. I would say I am learning singing now as wellx so.. I like and would want to get good at playing and singing with the guitar.

Techniques not yet I guess. What I really want to know now is erm.. How to get really good at notes hearing and stuff. I've heard about Scales but really couldn't understand about it..

Why? I love music (: but.. I'm not good at it ): I can be a fast learner at times, but sometimes a slow learner. I used to be very bad at singing, like really really bad, but after 1 year plus of singing, I've improved. It goes to the same to my guitar playing. I've improved, but the problem has always been that I'm playing nothing much but the same I guess :/

I've been playing the guitar for only less than 2 years and I have been self taught myself since then.