okay, so i started playing at the grand old age of 26 - and didnt know what alternate picking was until at least a year later (should have got a good teacher!!).
anyway, i always thought i would not progress to a decent level because i was too old to build up the dexterity and speed needed for a lot of playing. As a result i gave myself a complex and recently i have been working on my picking and - alternating between 1,3,4 and 1,2,3 patterns in runs along the neck, i now cleanly play nearly 8 notes a second.
All i need to know is, is that enough? i dont want to play shred, but is this fast enough for me shift the focus of my practice onto other things - like MUSIC!!
in other words, i dont want lack of picking speed to be my limiting factor when choosing what songs to learn - i want a new limiting factor to concentrate on, e.g legato, or fretboard knowledge??
"I like to play that guitar. I have to stare at it while I'm playing it because I'm not very good at playing it."
Noel Gallagher (who took the words right out of my mouth)
there must be something wrong with me. my procedure is backwards from yours. I learn songs first and then the technique needed for the song afterwards...well, sort of..
what good is it knowing flawlessly a bunch of techniques if you have no idea what to do with them.?
you need to get musical with your skills now.
apply your knowledge to songs.
All i need to know is, is that enough?
Yes, most definitely. Get hold of your three favourits songs and start working on them
A :-)
"Be good at what you can do" - Fingerbanger"
I have always felt that it is better to do what is beautiful than what is 'right'" - Eliot Fisk
Wedding music and guitar lessons in Essex. Listen at: http://www.rollmopmusic.co.uk
cheers guys. it is hard sometimes to get across what i mean when its just in short posts - thanks for your advice though.
i do learn songs as part of every practice routine, i always have - its just that i am the only guitarist in our band, and i often wonder what impression others guitarists will have of me. everybody seems so speed obsessed (and i am not), but i want to know that i can at least hold my own.
i am very happy ignoring improving picking speed in favour of more musical practice techniques, but i need to know my picking is at a level other guitarist dont consider "beginner" before i can do that.
"I like to play that guitar. I have to stare at it while I'm playing it because I'm not very good at playing it."
Noel Gallagher (who took the words right out of my mouth)
i now cleanly play nearly 8 notes a second.
That is plenty fast.
Actually, I can really relate. I have always been a slow Blues type player. And I've worked for years to improve my speed. At present I can play sixteenth notes cleanly on one string around 160 BPM. Changing strings is always more difficult, I can play sixteenth notes around 135 BPM. And I have been playing over 35 years! So you are way ahead of me at this rate.
Is it fast enough? I don't think any guitar player thinks they are fast enough. But this is plenty fast. The important thing is to play cleanly, that is the difficult part.
And it all depends on what your goal is. Myself, I have never cared for shred type Metal guitar. But I do respect these player's tremendous ability and skill. And there are times when I want to throw super fast runs into my solos. For me, I just want to be able to play the music I hear in my head.
So nobody can answer this question for you. But if you can play as fast as you hear it in your head, then you are fast enough.
If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis
thanks wes. Am i sure its 8 notes?? well i think so, i just recorded myself on camera with a metronome and then just played it back in slow motion on media player and counted the notes - it was between 7 and 8 per second. i dont really now the terms that dictate music speed like 16th notes etc, so i cant comment on that. However, it was a very simple pattern.
i am more than happy to agree a recount is needed, but judging from what you said, i have done enough practice at this picking pattern now - and i will move onto something else.
i did sign up to soundclick to put some stuff on - i will re-do a vid and stick it on there. thanks
"I like to play that guitar. I have to stare at it while I'm playing it because I'm not very good at playing it."
Noel Gallagher (who took the words right out of my mouth)
almann1979
I deleted that line from my post when I realized I was mistaken. :oops:
Figuring out the time is not that difficult. At 60 beats per minute, your metronome will click once per second, at 120 BPM it will click twice a second, at 180 BPM three times, at 240 BPM four times per second. Your speed is determined by the time, usually 4/4 time, but sometimes 3/4 or many other various times. But 4/4 time is the standard.
So, in 4/4 time, every four beats is a measure. At 60 BPM, a measure will be 4 seconds long. If you play a whole note, it will be 4 seconds long, a half note 2 seconds long, and quarter notes 1 second each. Now you are playing 8 notes per second, so 4 X 8 = 32, so you are playing 32nd notes at 60 BPM. This is the same as playing 16th notes at 120 BPM. It is all relative to the time, hope that isn't confusing.
But this is pretty darn fast for a beginner, especially if you can cleanly switch strings at this speed. That is very impressive for someone just starting out.
You want to play cleanly though, that is most important. Lots of fellows can play fast but are very sloppy. So make sure your playing is precise.
If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis
cheers wes, in fact i have just been sat with the wife going over it just to see if i counted right.
we worked it out as 72 notes in a fraction over 10s, so, no, not 8 notes per sec, i must have just rounded up to impress myself last time :lol: (my wife teaches maths so she wouldnt let me get away with any cheating!!!)
as long as other guitarists are happy that this will allow me to play most songs, or as you say, what is in my head then i am more than happy. just need to know i am on the right path.
my problem is i have an addictive nature and unless somebody says "okay, you can stop now" ill practice this until my arm falls off!!
cheers. Al
"I like to play that guitar. I have to stare at it while I'm playing it because I'm not very good at playing it."
Noel Gallagher (who took the words right out of my mouth)
my problem is i have an addictive nature and unless somebody says "okay, you can stop now" ill practice this until my arm falls off!!
When it comes to practicing guitar, that is a great quality. I once saw a video of Yngwie Malmsteen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zl81Mq4llZg
As you can see, he is kinda fast. :shock:
Anyway, he said that people thought he was gifted because he became good so fast at an early age. But he said the truth was that he locked himself in his bedroom and practiced night and day.
Lots of folks psyche themselves out on guitar. They believe if they start late they cannot be a great guitar player. Nothing could be further from the truth. The great Wes Montgomery, one of the greatest jazz players ever, did not start playing until he was 19 years old, which is considered late by many.
While Johnny Cash was no master of guitar, he was actually pretty darn good on the instrument. I read that he did not take up the guitar and singing until his early 20s when he was in the Army. And he had a pretty good career. :D
The only real secret to guitar is just keep practicing.
If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis
Nicely said. i suppose we all play just to enjoy it too! guess i should take things less seriously. :D
"I like to play that guitar. I have to stare at it while I'm playing it because I'm not very good at playing it."
Noel Gallagher (who took the words right out of my mouth)
Nicely said. i suppose we all play just to enjoy it too! guess i should take things less seriously. :D
True, but not to the degee that you lose that fire. Oh and by the way, I took up guitar at the "ripe old age" of 48!! There are others here that have started later than that, so don't "fret" it, our new friend.
Jim
there are a lot of schools of thought on technique and chops over melodicism and artistry. I personally think that if you get the basic techniques down (decent tone, clean notes, basic legato work) you can tackle the other things as you come to them. I'm not a big advocate for sitting with a metronome and practicing the same licks over and over again, you end up really good at two or three licks. I come from a jazz/ blues background and think that fretboard knowlege and music theory are a million times more important than advanced technique.that stuff kinda happens as you play more. A lot of people will disagree but thats where im coming from. If you know your scales, modes and chords you can start learning the techniques needed to accentuate these things. And hopefully come up with new ideas for expressing them. Hope that helps.
Don't sweat it dude, just play!
Just remember, whatever you play be it fast or slow, to play it with feeling and conviction. Speed-demons are a dime a dozen. But someone that can move you with what they're playing,those are the players that are going to get noticed.
I can always record and increase the tempo. Zats simple.
