Recommendations on where to go next...

[mappler]

I am a goal oriented person. Unfortunately, I've accomplished all of my near term guitar playing goals and I am looking for some new ones. The problem is, I'm just not sure what to do next. I have some books, but they feel like "work" right now and I need to leave them alone for a little while. I'd like a book of songs to work on, but I'm having a hard time finding something for my skill level. I think something with Arpeggios would be a lot of fun. I would classify myself as an advanced beginner. The following is my current "skills inventory" with acoustic guitar:

Scales: Minor pentatonic, 5 forms starting anywhere. Major scales - several forms, starting anywhere
Bending: A little, mostly 1/2 steps so far.
HammerOn/PullOff: Yes, and getting better
Arpeggios Major,Minor,7ths: I'm working on these now
Chords: Major/Minor/Dominant 7ths, Barre 5th and 6th root, and a few others
Strum Patterns: Many
Fingerpicking: some
Music: I read music.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you!
-Matt

[Jhengsman]

Do you play any actual songs or with somebody?

[David Hilyard]

Sounds like you want to put your good foundation of skills to work on some tunes. Lots of books of tunes at these places, several genres to "pick" from, and different levels.

http://guitarvideos.com/

http://www.acousticmusicresource.com/

http://www.homespuntapes.com/

http://www.chordmelody.com/index.html

Have fun!

[Allman_Fan]

How about the ability to play the same song in different keys (without a capo)? Or, in the same key, WITH a capo? These are useful skills.

[drive-south]

Since you've got the basics down, you need to pick a style or genre you want to specialize in. Start by learning some standards in that style.

If you have been playing with flat pick, try playing fingerstyle or using a thumb pick and finger picks.

Try playing in an alternate tuning such as open G or open D. Try your' hand at slide playing.

I like the suggestion of using a capo and transcribing tunes to other keys. This comes in handy when playing with others and being able to accomidate a vocalist. You can assume that the vocalist will never be able to play in the key you've learned the song in and you will have to transcribe. As we get older, our voices lose range and we can't hit the high notes anymore so we need to transpose songs down to a lower key. This is harder than tranpsosing up with a capo. It requires a completely differant set of chord shapes. An example would be a song normally played in D. The vocalist can't sing it in D, so you have to transpose down to C or B. All the chords you were playing in D can't be slid down.

Then there is always the possibility of trying 12-string guitar or a baritone. Don't worry you will never run out of possibilities or challenges.

[tfarny]

When I was in your position, I learned a ton from the Fred Sokolow DVDs. I'm not sure they were for everybody, but the Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Blues, and Slide guitar vids were a pleasure to learn from and watch. Paul Simon and Gershwin were a bit more challenging. I really believe in learning music that you love and not worrying about following a progression, so if those Sokolow DVDs sound appealing, they probably will be.
Technique-wise they mainly focus on alternating bass fingerpicking and chord based soloing, two key aspects of acoustic playing that will make your songs actually sound like good songs. If you're a classical guy or a metal guy or something, disregard, but if you'd like to learn "big river" or "me and julio" or something, they really are good study tools.

[valleyguy]

Hmm, there is a difference between learning techniques and making music.

Have you learned songs, performed them, refined them, played them with others? Do you sing along, or only instrumental? If you want a humbling experience to point out your deficiencies, try recording and playing along with yourself.

Many layers and challenges to the guitar, if you look for them, but in the end it should be about enjoyment.

[mappler]

Thank you all so much for your replies. I think it was exactly what I needed. I think several of you have correctly diagnosed (although it wasn't obvious to me for some reason.. that I need to play some tunes. I'm not sure what tone was intended on the response from Jhengsman when he said "Do you play any actual songs", but regardless it hit the nail on the head perfectly (and made me chuckle a little). The answer was basically: "nope, not really". I think I'll correct that.

I've ordered a couple of books from chordmelody.com and now I have my next goal!

Take care and thanks for the help,
-Matt

[drive-south]

I commend you for asking for suggestions. Some players hit a plateau and stay there for years, eventually giving up. You obviously are serious about learning and improving and are commited to reaching your' goals. That's a recipe for success.

drive-south

[David Hilyard]

Originally Posted by mappler

Thank you all so much for your replies. I think it was exactly what I needed. I think several of you have correctly diagnosed (although it wasn't obvious to me for some reason.. that I need to play some tunes. I'm not sure what tone was intended on the response from Jhengsman when he said "Do you play any actual songs", but regardless it hit the nail on the head perfectly (and made me chuckle a little). The answer was basically: "nope, not really". I think I'll correct that.

I've ordered a couple of books from chordmelody.com and now I have my next goal!

Take care and thanks for the help,
-Matt

Cool!

I brought my guitar to work one day, when a co-worker said he'd bring his, after we found out we both played. We took our guitars out and I played a few tunes first. He said "Wow!!! You know tunes all the way through!" He'd been playing many years and pretty much had a bunch of licks, but no tunes he played beginning to end.

Have fun! Making music is what it's all about. Techniques are just the tools.

I've seen players do it the other way around, more often than not. Trying to make music, while lacking the technique. They both have to come together to make a pleasing sound.

[oldhippiegal]

Something else I love doing is to take a song and use all that pentatonic/scale/chord stuff to just improvise. I can spend an hour with a single song, trying out various bits and end up with an arrangement I really like. It's a totally different mindset than playing a song through and than practice.

[usb_chord]

Master intervals

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by mappler

I am a goal oriented person. Unfortunately, I've accomplished all of my near term guitar playing goals and I am looking for some new ones.

Hi Matt…
I suggest you start recording yourself. That often gives us honest snap-shots of our playing and pushes us to new goals...