Am I doing this right?

[dbrian66]

Hey everyone, I am a very amature player. Every year around Christmas I try to play that Trans Siberian song thats on the radio all the time and every year I get frustrated that I cant keep up with the recording. This year, as I was getting frustrated I tried playing with a drum track instead of the recording. I started slow and kept speeding up the tempo as I got comfortable. Somewhere along the line, something clicked and my two hands "felt" like they were in sinc with each other. It got alot easier all of a sudden and I was able to increase the tempo alot. I decided to take a video with my phone so I could see what my hands were doing. My question to you all is am I doing this right. Do you see anything that I am doing that I should change before it gets ingrained in what I am doing. This is a pretty cool moment in my journey to learn the guitar. All I have been able to do for years is just struming chords so this is a big step for me. Any advise in welcomed! Thanks

 

[sg50]

I see three things that you might consider. But remember, at the end of the day, it's about what works for you:

 

1: I think you are working too hard with your right hand. You could probably pick about half as much as you do and rely on hammering on and pulling off to get the rest of the notes.

 

2: I think you're pulling your fingers too high off of the fretboard. If your finger is right over the string, pressing is fast and accurate. If it's a 3/4 inch away, it takes longer to hit the note, and there's more room to stray from your target.

 

3: Your thumb is hanging over the top of the neck. The thumb makes a great fulcrum for bends, but for scales and runs like you're doing, I find that centering my thumb on the back of the neck behind my middle finger gives my fingers the most freedom and dexterity.

 

I will say this though. Playing to a slower drum track like you're doing is the right thing to do. You've got that spot on, and it's a great way to learn. Practicing at half speed and hitting each note translates to effective learning and improvement. Practicing at tempo with constant mistakes is a slow way to get better.

 

Good playin!

[Marshall Paul]

And don't forget to hold your mouth the right way and have the right attitude...this gives off the correct cool vibe. Very important.

[skilsaw]

To get your thumb behind the neck,and keep your wrist straight, lift the neck higher.

 

Either that, or stay cool like those millionaire rock stars who do it wrong.

[dbrian66]

Thanks guys. I know I need to work on the thumb position. It just doesn't feel comfortable on the back of the neck. I haven't tried raising the neck up though. I'll give that a shot tonight after work.

[Pin]

Thanks guys. I know I need to work on the thumb position. It just doesn't feel comfortable on the back of the neck. I haven't tried raising the neck up though. I'll give that a shot tonight after work.

 

It'll take practice but keep at it. I was taught that way from the beginning by my very fussy guitar teacher. But now I have to play that way as a severe break right across the left thumb joint about 25 years ago (dry ski slope) means I can't hook it over the neck even if I tried!

[Karloff]

no

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(just kidding)

[saturn]

It looks like you're coming along nicely. The advice already given is good. I would only add, that if you haven't already done it, you might want to check this thread out on ways to hold your guitar.

 

http://forum.gibson.com/index.php?/topic/117698-10-ways-to-hold-the-guitar/

[dbrian66]

no

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(just kidding)

At first I didn't scroll down far enough to see the just kidding part. I was thinking " man, this guy is harsh!". Pretty funny. :)

[Karloff]

At first I didn't scroll down far enough to see the just kidding part. I was thinking " man, this guy is harsh!". Pretty funny. :)

 

[dbrian66]

It looks like you're coming along nicely. The advice already given is good. I would only add, that if you haven't already done it, you might want to check this thread out on ways to hold your guitar.

 

http://forum.gibson.com/index.php?/topic/117698-10-ways-to-hold-the-guitar/

That was hilarious!

[Marshall Paul]

At first I didn't scroll down far enough to see the just kidding part. I was thinking " man, this guy is harsh!". Pretty funny.

 

Don't believe him, he is harsh. Harsh and cruel and unforgiving. An absolute monster of a man. The type of man that would take the last bowl of soup from a blind man! Demonstrative!! The type of man that should be run out of town with burning torches and pitchforks!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(just kidding... gotcha!)lol

[badbluesplayer]

Looks great to me.

[Karloff]

At first I didn't scroll down far enough to see the just kidding part. I was thinking " man, this guy is harsh!". Pretty funny.

 

Don't believe him, he is harsh. Harsh and cruel and unforgiving. An absolute monster of a man. The type of man that would take the last bowl of soup from a blind man! Demonstrative!! The type of man that should be run out of town with burning torches and pitchforks!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(just kidding... gotcha!)lol

 

Poor 'Ol Frank was just misunderstood.

 

"Igor, what was the name of the brain you stole ?"

"Abbie something... Abbie Normal "

[SHO]

I'd say it depends on where you want to go with it. Also, everyone's a bit different. What works for me technique wise might not work for you. So instead of saying it's right or it's wrong, I'll just give you my general ideas about playing fast.

 

First off. Everyone is right about the key to learn how to play fast is to learn how to play slow. You'll see that being said everywhere and it is absolutely correct. Bring the tempo down until you're comfortable, learn to play it perfectly, and only then do you speed it up a bit. But that's only half the story, really. Learning to play something slowly doesn't do anything for playing it fast unless you make sure you use the exact same technique to play slowly as you would have to use when you play fast. For me, this is mostly about the picking hand.

 

When I watch you play in the video, you seem to pick the strings in part by moving your wrist a little, but mostly by moving the fingers that holds your pick. Chances are you might not be able to pick like that much faster than what you are already doing, or you might... as I said before everyone is different. For me, when I play fast I keep the pick and my fingers totally still and just use the wrist, but I've seen other ways too. Try to just fret a note on a string and pick it up down up down as fast as you can. Do you want to play anything at that speed? Then look and feel what your hand is doing and learn how to do it exactly the same way but slowly and build from there. The key is to be "economical" with your hand movement. When playing slow you have time to pull away from the strings and do all kinds of goofy things with your hand in between notes, which you wont have time with if you want to play fast.

 

While it is possible to learn how to play fast with a different technique from when playing slow, I really advice against it because you will most likely end up with a gap - a tempo which is too fast for your slow technique but slower than what you have learned to play with your fast technique. Not a good situation and it can be a major pain to get rid of it and relearn.

 

As for throwing in hammer-ons and pull-offs, I'd say no. Playing legato is one thing, it has its uses and its own sound. Mixing the two has its uses too. But throwing them in as an excuse to not learn how to alternate pick properly - that's just weak and lazy.

 

That's all I had for now. Maybe if you want to ask something more specific later on I might be of some help. Also, for reference. When I say fast, I mean "I spent the entire 90's playing Death Metal" fast, not "oh my god did you see what Clapton did there?" fast, though I'd say this holds true for tempos in between that as well. =)

[Edlo]

Hey everyone, I am a very amature player. Every year around Christmas I try to play that Trans Siberian song thats on the radio all the time and every year I get frustrated that I cant keep up with the recording. This year, as I was getting frustrated I tried playing with a drum track instead of the recording. I started slow and kept speeding up the tempo as I got comfortable. Somewhere along the line, something clicked and my two hands "felt" like they were in sinc with each other. It got alot easier all of a sudden and I was able to increase the tempo alot. I decided to take a video with my phone so I could see what my hands were doing. My question to you all is am I doing this right. Do you see anything that I am doing that I should change before it gets ingrained in what I am doing. This is a pretty cool moment in my journey to learn the guitar. All I have been able to do for years is just struming chords so this is a big step for me. Any advise in welcomed! Thanks

 

I also had a thumb problem when I started and to this day sometimes slip back to the old ways. If you like that tune by TSO Check out their Christmas Canon Rock, that's my favorite by them.

[dbrian66]

I'd say it depends on where you want to go with it. Also, everyone's a bit different. What works for me technique wise might not work for you. So instead of saying it's right or it's wrong, I'll just give you my general ideas about playing fast.

 

First off. Everyone is right about the key to learn how to play fast is to learn how to play slow. You'll see that being said everywhere and it is absolutely correct. Bring the tempo down until you're comfortable, learn to play it perfectly, and only then do you speed it up a bit. But that's only half the story, really. Learning to play something slowly doesn't do anything for playing it fast unless you make sure you use the exact same technique to play slowly as you would have to use when you play fast. For me, this is mostly about the picking hand.

 

When I watch you play in the video, you seem to pick the strings in part by moving your wrist a little, but mostly by moving the fingers that holds your pick. Chances are you might not be able to pick like that much faster than what you are already doing, or you might... as I said before everyone is different. For me, when I play fast I keep the pick and my fingers totally still and just use the wrist, but I've seen other ways too. Try to just fret a note on a string and pick it up down up down as fast as you can. Do you want to play anything at that speed? Then look and feel what your hand is doing and learn how to do it exactly the same way but slowly and build from there. The key is to be "economical" with your hand movement. When playing slow you have time to pull away from the strings and do all kinds of goofy things with your hand in between notes, which you wont have time with if you want to play fast.

 

While it is possible to learn how to play fast with a different technique from when playing slow, I really advice against it because you will most likely end up with a gap - a tempo which is too fast for your slow technique but slower than what you have learned to play with your fast technique. Not a good situation and it can be a major pain to get rid of it and relearn.

 

As for throwing in hammer-ons and pull-offs, I'd say no. Playing legato is one thing, it has its uses and its own sound. Mixing the two has its uses too. But throwing them in as an excuse to not learn how to alternate pick properly - that's just weak and lazy.

 

That's all I had for now. Maybe if you want to ask something more specific later on I might be of some help. Also, for reference. When I say fast, I mean "I spent the entire 90's playing Death Metal" fast, not "oh my god did you see what Clapton did there?" fast, though I'd say this holds true for tempos in between that as well. =)

 

Thanks for the advise. My picking hand is kind of messed up. I used to use alot of finger movement and muted with my palm. I went to a Hess Fest this summer and had a one on one lesson with Tom Hess and he showed me how to use more wrist and elbow and mute with my thumb. His way works really well but I still tend to use my fingers to move move the pick some. Just need to keep working at it.

[Marshall Paul]

Poor 'Ol Frank was just misunderstood.

 

"Igor, what was the name of the brain you stole ?"

"Abbie something... Abbie Normal "

LOLOLOLOL!! my favourite comedy! well done Boris!

 

"hold on...wasn't that hump on the other side?"

"what hump?"

[4Hayden]

I also had a thumb problem when I started and to this day sometimes slip back to the old ways. If you like that tune by TSO Check out their Christmas Canon Rock, that's my favorite by them.

+1

[Marshall Paul]

The whole issue of where your thumb should be is a mute point mate because there is no wrong way of doing it. It's simply whatever works and what feels comfortable for you. So don't worry about where your thumb is, just forget about it and slowly work your way through what's comfortable, and one day it'll all gel and bingo!...there you go, your own style. Put your mark on it then, go forward, and have a ball!