I haven't looked at my strings much lately. But then, I have been improvising blindfolded.
lol, I'm not even kidding. :lol:
All kidding aside there have been some informative, historical, and entertaining posts for our beginning friend. And I can certainly relate. I am a MAWG myself who switched to bifocal contacts shortly after I started playing guitar which is the time we most want to STARE at those strings. Had to take the contacts out to practice and on the days I had lessons I couldn't wear the contacts. It was a real pain in the pa-toot. Turned out my prescription was whacked so that was easily remedied, but I digress (another symptom of middle-age, or at least mine).
The reason that I wanted to chime in here is that my teacher RECOMMENDED practicing chord changes in a completely dark room. He recomended the same thing for practicing licks and runs as it made the mind focus more on the sound and what you were doing. Now I don't know if he was performing some type of Jedi mind trick or if the benefit is all in my head but I feel like it helped me play more cleanly. YMMV. Of course I still have a long way to go.
/dwayne
I really wasn't kidding, lately I have literally been doing 20 minutes every other day or so with a bandana over my eyes so I can't look at the strings (or get distracted with anything else visual - the brain can only process so much at a time, right?). One of my mates is blind, and I tried the idea after discussing with someone how not having sight means your other senses have to focus more. Just make sure you don't tie the blindfold over your ears.
Everyone always tells me you shouldn't look at the strings, or necessarily at the fretboard at all. And hell, I know it's possible, I'm a jeff healey fan too!
But I only actually manage to look away when playing things I've played 1000 or more times, or just before playing shockingly wrong notes.
:-(
Ande
Playing guitar and never playing for others is like studying medicine and never working in a clinic.
Hi everyone, thanks for the informational replies and cool links!
Didn't expect that many replies hence not getting back and appearinglike I abandoned the thread..sorry :oops:
I've been staring at my strings now for 5 days, I've even been carrying a photo of them with me, then you tell me to go blind fold! ugh...just kiddin.
I've been a real slug at practicing, maybe getting in 1-3 hours every 4 days. not good not good.
I'm 40-ish and used to play bass (Gibson SG). but its been about 20 years since that and I jsut got back into playing 6 string now. Bass guitar strings were alot easier to see!
I've recently managed to learn to play "Time of your life"/Greenday in this last week and been only looking at the strings half the time :lol:
Thanks again and this thread can go rest now, its certianly done its job!
best
Shane
Everyone always tells me you shouldn't look at the strings, or necessarily at the fretboard at all. And hell, I know it's possible, I'm a jeff healey fan too!
But I only actually manage to look away when playing things I've played 1000 or more times, or just before playing shockingly wrong notes.
:-(
Ande
ditto, hence my trying the blind fold, lol.
I never look at the strings.
If you're aspiring for studio work, looking at the strings can be a bad habit - any time you spend not looking at the chart risks losing your place.
Guitar teacher offering lessons in Plainfield IL
