I've been wanting to make a thread like this for a while so that others can learn from my mistakes. I've been playing for almost a decade and a half, and as a seasoned player, I wanted to share some things that those early in their playing can keep in mind to avoid certain mistakes. That's why I joined this site. This almost feels like I'm writing a cheesy article for Ultimate Guitar or something. This is a also a good lesson in accountability for me, to identify my guitar shortcomings. If you don't know your weaknesses, you can't fix them. I also encourage others to share their guitar mistakes as well. If Syn or PG sees this thread, I'm sure we'd all love to know theirs.
1. Not using my pinky when I played.
For the first 6 or so years I started playing, I would hardly ever use my pinky when riffing or "shredding". Naturally, our pinky is weak so it felt uncomfortable to use it. My entire playing style was built around my index finger, middle finger, and ring finger which left me at a large disadvantage. If the riff was 5-7-8, I'd use my index on 5, middle on 7, and ring on 8. I didn't know that not using my pinky was an issue until I took separate lessons with Kevin Thrasher (from Escape The Fate) and Jacky Vincent (Falling In Reverse) and they both told me I had to start using my pinky, especially if I wanted to develop more speed. Since then, I started using my pinky BUT my pinky still isn't fully caught up and as synchronized as my other fingers. I can still "shred" but I know I would be better if I had used my pinky during the years that formed my playing.
2. Keeping my fingers closer to the fretboard. Less movement = faster speed.
This is something subconscious that I see a lot of players do. Whenever we're done using a finger on a note, we lift it in the air and move it away from the fretboard. The more we go up, the more it takes to come back down, which takes more time out of the equation. Try to be mindful of where your fingers are and how close they are and you will get better at it. There are exercises to learn this restraint as well. It is an awkward thing at first. Something I was taught in college was the do the normal chromatic exercise (1-2-3-4 1-2-3-4 1-2-3-4), but keep the fingers on the fretboard until that finger has to be used again on another note. It feels weird at first, but you get used to it and learn to keep them closer.
3. Applying theory and using it on the guitar.
Every time I learned theory I learned it in a class, or in a book, or on a video. And that’s all it was to me. Theory. All in my mind. A lot of times, people teach theory with a piano to give a reference, but when your main instrument is guitar, it might not always translate the same. What I’m trying to say is, when you learn a new piece of theory, try to apply it to the guitar so you can make some sense out of it. You'll understand it much better. Theory isn’t much without application.
4. Synchronization between my picking hand and fretting hand.
You ever see those guitarists that go to shred, but it’s all just sloppy noise? That’s where this comes into play. And this issue still affects me to this day. Sort of like how my mouth works faster than my brain, my picking hand works faster than my fretting hand. This can cause my licks to sound sloppy or hit those clunker notes. In order to be fluent, both hands need to be at the same pace and have the same timing. This is why timing and playing with a metronome is important. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve played a show and didn’t hit that solo the way I wanted to because the timing between my hands was a little off. Scale runs and chromatic exercises can greatly improve this, as well as evaluating your picking technique.
5. Being a bit more fluent in different keys.
I know my way around a fretboard, but I was I had spent some more time exploring more keys. I usually always play in D minor (thank Syn!
) or if I'm in Drop C, C minor. Drop B, B minor. You get the point. That's where I'm most fluent and well versed, but I wish I knew some other keys the way I know D minor. I don't have trouble finding the notes I need or anything like that, it's just something that I know would make me a more well rounded and versatile player.
Keep these things in mind and address your own playing and weaknesses. Knowledge = power. I find it's easier to learn it right the first time than to relearn/retrain. I'm sure there's more things I could list, but these are bigger things that came to mind right away.
As stated, I would love to hear what other players wish they knew/would've done earlier on.
1. Not using my pinky when I played.
For the first 6 or so years I started playing, I would hardly ever use my pinky when riffing or "shredding". Naturally, our pinky is weak so it felt uncomfortable to use it. My entire playing style was built around my index finger, middle finger, and ring finger which left me at a large disadvantage. If the riff was 5-7-8, I'd use my index on 5, middle on 7, and ring on 8. I didn't know that not using my pinky was an issue until I took separate lessons with Kevin Thrasher (from Escape The Fate) and Jacky Vincent (Falling In Reverse) and they both told me I had to start using my pinky, especially if I wanted to develop more speed. Since then, I started using my pinky BUT my pinky still isn't fully caught up and as synchronized as my other fingers. I can still "shred" but I know I would be better if I had used my pinky during the years that formed my playing.
2. Keeping my fingers closer to the fretboard. Less movement = faster speed.
This is something subconscious that I see a lot of players do. Whenever we're done using a finger on a note, we lift it in the air and move it away from the fretboard. The more we go up, the more it takes to come back down, which takes more time out of the equation. Try to be mindful of where your fingers are and how close they are and you will get better at it. There are exercises to learn this restraint as well. It is an awkward thing at first. Something I was taught in college was the do the normal chromatic exercise (1-2-3-4 1-2-3-4 1-2-3-4), but keep the fingers on the fretboard until that finger has to be used again on another note. It feels weird at first, but you get used to it and learn to keep them closer.
3. Applying theory and using it on the guitar.
Every time I learned theory I learned it in a class, or in a book, or on a video. And that’s all it was to me. Theory. All in my mind. A lot of times, people teach theory with a piano to give a reference, but when your main instrument is guitar, it might not always translate the same. What I’m trying to say is, when you learn a new piece of theory, try to apply it to the guitar so you can make some sense out of it. You'll understand it much better. Theory isn’t much without application.
4. Synchronization between my picking hand and fretting hand.
You ever see those guitarists that go to shred, but it’s all just sloppy noise? That’s where this comes into play. And this issue still affects me to this day. Sort of like how my mouth works faster than my brain, my picking hand works faster than my fretting hand. This can cause my licks to sound sloppy or hit those clunker notes. In order to be fluent, both hands need to be at the same pace and have the same timing. This is why timing and playing with a metronome is important. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve played a show and didn’t hit that solo the way I wanted to because the timing between my hands was a little off. Scale runs and chromatic exercises can greatly improve this, as well as evaluating your picking technique.
5. Being a bit more fluent in different keys.
I know my way around a fretboard, but I was I had spent some more time exploring more keys. I usually always play in D minor (thank Syn!
) or if I'm in Drop C, C minor. Drop B, B minor. You get the point. That's where I'm most fluent and well versed, but I wish I knew some other keys the way I know D minor. I don't have trouble finding the notes I need or anything like that, it's just something that I know would make me a more well rounded and versatile player.Keep these things in mind and address your own playing and weaknesses. Knowledge = power. I find it's easier to learn it right the first time than to relearn/retrain. I'm sure there's more things I could list, but these are bigger things that came to mind right away.
As stated, I would love to hear what other players wish they knew/would've done earlier on.
