[__tsidewinder__]

Hey, I was just wondering what you guys do to keep motivated and continue practicing the not-so-fun parts of guitar, or better, make those not-so-fun parts fun. I'm just starting technical studies, in order to improve articulation and develop a cleaner playing style, and its not exactly the most inspiring thing. As a side effect, I hope to develop some chops to be able to play some songs that have as of yet been "off-limits" because of my lack of technical ability.

I've also been trying to practice and apply the music theory I've learned, in order to make it more concrete, and to keep it in my head, cause I'd hate to have to learn all of it twice.

To develop technical ability, I'm practicing the good ol' major scale to a metronome, 15 mins at a time, as nonstop as possible in one position. The idea is to improve the muscles in both my right and left hand in order to gain more control, and therefore accuracy. I also hope it will help "internalize" that 4/4 beat, and since I am concentrating on hitting the first beat of every measure as an accent, improve my articulation as well. This isn't a fun exersize. It takes concentration, and its hard to get myself to just start the exersize, cause I know it won't be fun. So, I'm looking for ideas here on how to keep the 15 mins a day going.

Also, I'm doing 15 mins a day just working on good ol' music theory, the nemesis of many a guitar player. Its not so bad, its just that the prerequisites to truly understanding and apply theory are difficult to attain. These prerequisites are memorizing the fretboard, and memorizing the intervals on the fretboard, at least in my head I believe I must know these two things. After that is done, the rest will be much easier, and quicker, to learn and apply. I've heard many methods of doing this, and have already done one, but I'm looking for suggestions here as well. My current theory knowledge includes but is not limited to: Basic CAGED theory, the five positions of the major scale learned, all minor and major triads in all positions learned, Basic interval theory, and the circle of fifths understood. Thats the basics, I might know some more. That means I can improvise over any basic chord progression which consists of purely minor and major chords. So any suggestions for learning the notes on the fretboard, and learning the intervals?

My idea for learning music theory a bit more, and maybe improving my improf, is to take a favourite progression, say hotel California, and learn all of the chord triads on that progression, then improvise over it in all keys. Or just a few keys, no point shooting a dead horse and improvise in all, I figure. What do you think, Good idea, bad idea, okay idea?


Finally, any exersizes you know that could help in any of these areas? I'd appreciate it. And, what do you do to stay motivated, when practicing some of the more un-inspiring things on the guitar?

[johnnydoxx]

Kirk's Plane Talk is a different way of recognizing the fretboard. The video is very well done,and the book explains the system well. With all you already know, it would (IMHO) be a real boon to your repertoire of tools.

I don't have an answer on the uninspiring things, I am only capable of playing the inspiring things right now.

[__tsidewinder__]

Yes, planetalk would probably help my skills. I might buy it soon. I'v said that for a year now. I am a very cautious buyer, perhaps too cautious in some cases.

But more theory knowledge isn't really the goal here, it is to cement the existing knowledge, and find fun ways to use it. Not only that, but find ways to train technique, and find ways to make sure I practice the necessary but boring parts of guitar.

Maybe I just need a guide to self discipline.

[pastorbob]

tsidewinder, I would say that you need to set up a reward system. 15 minutes of boring doesn't sound too bad to me, if I get to play what I love to play after that. You also have to keep in mind where the 15 minutes is taking you. Is there something exciting that it will allow you to do, in time? Do you have a definite understanding of where it will take you, or are you just doing it because you know it's the next logical direction?

Find a way to reward yourself for doing the hard work. It doesn't even have to be a reward that involves guitar playing.

[bmurnahan]

You also have to keep in mind where the 15 minutes is taking you. Is there something exciting that it will allow you to do, in time?

pastorbob really hit on a key point here. When you keep your eye on the prize so to speak, that is a big factor in motivation. If you keep your goal in mind...getting better technically, that should keep you motivated.

If you track your speed with a metronome you will have small gains in speed that are evidence of your progress. That should also help.

And last but not least, boring is merely your interpretation. How motivated can you be when you go into a practice session with the mindset "BORING"?

What if you go into your practice session wondering, what can I discover today? What can I learn from this time spent with the guitar?

You can focus on subtle things like tone production, dynamics, how you hold the pick, etc...

You can sit down to practice and drudge through 15 minutes of mindless repetition or you can practice with intention. Try it and see the difference for yourself.

Bob

[rwjones3]

You might try recording a backing track for your scale exercises to play along with. Say four measures of Cmaj, Fmaj, Bb, on through the entire circle of fourths(fifths). Or you could record some common chord progressions like I IV V and play made up etudes along with those.

[Rockerbob]

Yikes! You guys know way more about this stuff than I do. I just play. I guess I never went at guitar to learn guitar, but to make music. For many years I have just learned songs. Some songs require that I learn to play a new chord or run, so I learn that chord or run. Over the years I have picked up a few chords and runs. Whatever you do, I would recommend just playing as well.

[__tsidewinder__]

thanks for the responses. A reward system sounds good. Maybe, if I get to a certain point in technical ability, I buy myself some new gear.

And to RockerBob, the point of the technical study and the hard work and practice is so that when I DO just play, and have fun with the guitar, I will play better, and have MORE fun. Its like when you first started, and you realized you'll have to work your butt off for two weeks to learn chords in order to play your favourite song. Yeah, once the necessary hard work was done, the guitar opened up and became completely awesome. But it DID take hard work, at least for me. Now I want to open up some more of the guitar, and make it even more awesome.

[Midnight Rider]

First of all, I express my admiration for your impressive accomplishments so far. I think you are building a sound foundation, that is my desire also. I'm playing scales to a metronome too...and it takes discipline to play slow cleanly now to play faster later......I add in a lot of variety in addition to some disciplined practice.....I just tuned my guitar down a half step and started on the rhythm part of Staind's "Outside" and it sounds awsome...! I don't know what style music you like....but you can check it out on Utube. Adding some music I like helps take the tedium out of the "practice". Midnight

[__tsidewinder__]

"and it takes discipline to play slow cleanly now to play faster later"

So true. The progress is slow, thats what is hard for me. When I started progress came so quick, but now it is naturally slowing down a bit. When the progress slows down I practice less, and so it is a vicious cycle. I hate plateaus.

And anyhow, I like most types of music, although there are limits. That song you pointed out is awesome, I'll learn it sometime.

[johnnydoxx]

Here's something that might inspire you. Give a listen to Rockerbob on GFB&B radio. This guy kicks fret (gotta keep it child-friendly).

[Noodler]

Originally Posted by Rockerbob

Yikes! You guys know way more about this stuff than I do. I just play. I guess I never went at guitar to learn guitar, but to make music. For many years I have just learned songs. Some songs require that I learn to play a new chord or run, so I learn that chord or run. Over the years I have picked up a few chords and runs. Whatever you do, I would recommend just playing as well.

Ok then, to tie the two together. Say I want to learn the solo to Final Countdown by Europe, or Bat Country by Avenged Sevenfold. They have really fast picking in them. So you have to start slow and build up speed, but it's not fun. It's not like learning some songs that you can sit with the tab and make a decent fist of almost right off. I'm told that if you sit on it for days or weeks notching up the metronome 5bpm at a time, eventually you are just wailing, but yeah, I find that hard to stick with something that doesn't come easily right off. Especially when so many songs do! So have you worked out songs that have required you to "stick with it" for a period of time before it even sounds like the track?

To the OP, Kudos for you for doing the hard yards. Everyone I know who's done it has ended up good. Google Steve Vai's 10 hour Workout, which you might find interesting (he's got some exercises you might like). I'm currently treading the same path as you, but man, I just end up Noodling. My attention just wanders and I start playing something easier, like some blues. It's so frustrating.

Hope others have some more tips. Guitar is my reward, so if it's dry, I've got nothing else! But I want to get faster.