Licks and single note playing

[Tricia_Lynn]

Hello Barbara,

I think at the beginning, we all get frustrated with trying to find the correct string. You are not alone. The first comment you made that I would like to point out is “doing it perfect”. We are learning, so its not going to be perfect for a while. So, try your best and just keep movin’. Before you start doing the play back or playing with him, take a deep breath and relax your body. If you tense back up during the play through, stop the video and re-center yourself (or relax your body) and then start it agan. I tend to get tense when I go to the “play” with Tony part. I noticed when I take a moment to relax myself, I do tend to play better. When you mess up dont worry about it… keep playing on.

Putting too much pressure on ourselves tends to make us tense up and get frazzled and thus… our mind and fingers don’t communicate because everything else in our body is out of balance (or feels tight and chaotic).

Maybe once you get thru a rough lesson for you, you can strum through something you are good at playing… to bring back the WHY…

Going back to the “why” you are doing this may also help you refocus.

I don’t know if any of this will help… but I do understand your frustration.

Happy Wednesday,

TriciaF

[BarbaraM]

Thanks Tricia, that does help. A good reminder to loosen up (both physically and mentally!). I should point out, that I’ve been at this for a year, and yes, I am going to be a beginner for a while; I know that. I don’t expect to be “perfect” in the sense of being a total pro, but just not making the same mistakes over and over even at slow, deliberate speeds.

[Tricia_Lynn]

Yes, I understand. I have been playing on and off for a few years. It is definitely frustrating. Just try not to lose the focus of why you are doing it. You got this~ You CAN overcome!! I truly believe since I have started this relaxation thing, it is helping. I have become very mindful about when my shoulders and body feel tense.

Hang in there! Relax and refocus on your “why”.

Happy Playing!

[TerriG]

First, you’re not alone…Second, I definitely understand where you’re coming from. Maybe because we started around the same time and we are at the same level of learning, I understand the frustrations you’re feeling.

One of my biggest mistakes that I learned recently is that I rely on the TAB as a crutch instead of listening to what notes that are being played. I am playing visually (if that makes any sense). So my brain is trying to coordinate the TAB, my eyes, my fingers and the guitar strings all at the same time and I am failing miserably since I’m not listening on what I’m doing. So I decided to step back and try to listen. It’s hard in the beginning and my memory is not the greatest, but I’m learning what notes come next not by eye, but by ear.

I don’t know if the above will help you, but it is baby steps in learning to play by ear. I will say that creating the neural networks in the brain will take time since you’re training the subconscious mind to take over. I am having better success in remembering songs melodies. I hope this helps you and no, you are not alone.

[BarbaraM]

Thanks, TerryG. I did that at first as well, too many things to keep track of! Then I read a book on training the musical mind written by a neuroscientist (The Laws of Brainjo, by Josh Turknett), and he says to drop the tab crutch as soon as you can. I try to do that, and I listen to the play-along by itself to get how it goes, but then executing it is the challenge. I still have days when I can’t get anything right even songs I know well. Patience and practice!

[TerriG]

It is patience and practice as you mentioned. The struggle is real, so don’t think you’re the only one. If you find something that works for you, please post. I bet many would be grateful for any tips in this journey. I do remember someone posting awhile back that they would blindfold themselves so they could get a feel of the strings/sound without looking to build muscle memory skills. I haven’t tried it yet, but maybe an option. Good luck and keep us posted!

[Loraine]

OK, first I feel like I’m always apologizing for the length of my post, but there was so much in your post that I want to touch upon a lot of it.

Barbara, I was laughing as I read your comments not out of jest or making fun of you or thinking it was funny but because I understand completely where you’re coming from. I’m years into this and I cannot play improv well or comfortably. I often can’t understand the relationship between the notes or scale as they were taught, and the background music. I haven’t really studied the fretboard enough to know where all the notes that could be played are located. That’s on me, because at my age, I simply see confusion. I laughed to at you becoming mentally exhausted from the effort. in order to have a clear understanding of the correlation between where specific notes are on the fret board, it might make it easier. However, I’m gonna suggest something simpler. I use this quite often. If I have to practice improv.

I simply stick to the Pentatonic scale for whatever key the lesson is in or the background music and simply play different notes along that scale. Don’t worry about what’s been taught so much in the lesson just stick with the pentatonic for now.

Another way to practice improv is to choose a note on the E string and decide on whether you want to do a major or a minor pentatonic scale. Then go to YouTube and search for whatever note you’ve chosen and type in that note and major or minor, and then type in”backing track” after the key for your scale. Many backing tracks will pop up you can pick and choose whichever ones you want, and then, depending on whether major or minor, start with either your pinky or your index and just use the pentatonic against the backing track that you found skip around do notes whatever sounds good you know it might be playing the same note over and over just a combination of notes but just have fun with it close your eyes even if you can just start to feel it. I actually find this very enjoyable sometimes and I often zone out as I’m doing it because it just starts to sound so good and can be very relaxing.

OK, now lastly, I’m gonna comment on perfection. As you know TAC teaches progress, not perfection. In fact, you can never reach perfection. No one can. You can strive towards it, but that does suck the fun out of things. Just relax have fun know that you’re gonna make mistakes. Learn to laugh at yourself. Also, we’re taught to practice in small segments. You practice for 10 minutes. You mark something complete you can continue But do not spend an hour or two hours on something because it becomes unproductive and you will probably take two steps forward and three steps back. You will continually be frustrated. Trust what’s taught and what so many others before you have been taught and have learned from that if you break something down into small segments you will actually be more productive and you will to continue to improve and move forward. Stagnancy is our enemy. We can’t get caught up in perfecting something. This is why so many lessons cycle through every few months because their benchmarks for you to look back at your previous benchmark and to see how far you’ve come since then. On a typical day I will pick up the guitar multiple times for 10 minutes and play something and put the guitar back down. And then I might come back to it later I might play the same thing, but more often than not. It’s something different just by doing that you’re increasing your skills.

[BarbaraM]

Yes Loraine, I love your detailed replies! You’ve been a great help to me before. Much of what you say though I already do–small segments of time, splitting things up, playing something else I’m “better” at in between lesson practice–and it does help. But what you said about finding backing tracks on Youtube, I never thought of that. Sounds like a good way to relax, too, as you said.

As for notes on the fretboard, I thought of making myself a chart to scale to look at periodically when I’m not playing (don’t want to make it a crutch).

And by the way, May your hand/wrist speed up its healing and be strong!

[the-old-coach]

Hello– Barb. This is a great thread– and you have had GREAT responses so far– (prior to this comment of mine!).

OK– When you mention “Licks and single note-playing” are you referring to spicing-up that moment or so BETWEEN chords, or, maybe, playing “walk-downs” or “walk-ups”(?)— or are you talking about entire instrumental lines within a song- (like “mini-solos”)?

Specifically “when” and “how” you are trying to use these licks and single notes is important…. Including: if it’s when you are just noodling-around, or if it’s when you’re just practicing transitions from one chord to the next, or if it’s when you’re trying to play-along with a song, or even if it’s when you are writing tunes on your own…. on and on….

I have some ideas and possible suggestions, depending on your specific use.

First things first: Be cool. Even if you think you aren’t improving….. you ARE. Take this issue in small chunks of time. NOT hours-long beat-downs. Just 10 minutes or so, then come back to it later….. or tomorrow….. Your brain needs time to soak it in.

[BarbaraM]

Thanks! That seems to be the consensus from the rest too. As for what I mean by licks and single note playing, all that you mentioned. I don’t do badly on the rhythm lesson, but the chord transitions sometimes mess me up, as I have to think out of the chord box into the single-note box. I know it will come in time, but it gets frustrating as I think I’m at the stage where I know-what-I-don’t-know, and can’t wait to know it! 😉

Also, some chord transitions are extra hard for me as some chords I can’t form in the “normal” way due to mild arthritis, so normal transitions are sometimes awkward to execute.

[the-old-coach]

If I may, can I mention something that was told to me a long time ago, by a guy who played (mostly “rhythm-guitar”) in local bands for years.

I use it, it makes transitions much easier, and sounds cool in the process. It simply involves adding, changing, or removing one finger off the chord you are going “from”– on your way to the chord you are going “to”. Sounds confusing– but it is soooo easy.

Here’s an example– you are transitioning from a C chord- (using the “normal” open shape)- to a G chord- (again- “normal shape”).

Take your C, and– (sort of “on your way” to G)- simply drop your pinkie (that’s unused in the C), onto the 3rd fret of the Hi-E, and take a strum there. Think of it as “kind-of a bridge” / kind-of a “chord-in-between-chords” on your way from C to G– (kind of a “half C/ half G”).

And… your pinkie is already “there” as you finish moving to the G.

Think of this as a “general concept” that can be used on LOTS of transitions from any chord to any chord. (You can also “LIFT” a pinkie or an index finger– gives you LOTS of cool-sounding transitions).

Another suggestion as you change from chord to chord is to use “sus2″s and “sus4″s in the same manner I mentioned here. They are COOL!

You can also just use this just playing 2-3 strings- (sort of a “mini-chord”)- or even just pick ONE string in the transition.

Just maybe experiment/noodle around with this idea a little. Let me know if it works or even makes sense for you.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 2 months ago by  the-old-coach.