Showing posts with label playing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label playing. Show all posts
Sunday, October 6, 2013
What is Position Playing
Position playing for beginning guitar players.
Position playing means using one finger per fret. So if youre playing in the 5th position, your 1st finger plays the 5th fret, your 2nd finger plays the 6th fret, your 3rd finger plays the 7th fret and the 4th finger plays the 8th fret. Position playing is extremely useful when soloing so you dont have to do too much extra moving back and forth. Most guitar teachers teach positions using scale patterns which will help you figure out which position to use.
Exceptions to the rule.
There are times when it will be necessary to go out of position by 1 fret in either direction. Some of the scale patterns need to be altered so that youre still in the basic position.
How fingering relates to scales and chords.
Every chord has a corresponding scale, so when you become more advanced youll be able to visualize the scale that goes with that particular chord. Once you become more familiar with the guitar fretboard youll be amazed at how logical it is.
The takeaway from all of this is to be patient, play slowly so that you develop muscle memory, and get in the habit of using one finger per fret. One of the most important things my guitar teacher did was to not let me get away with using the wrong fingers!
Position playing means using one finger per fret. So if youre playing in the 5th position, your 1st finger plays the 5th fret, your 2nd finger plays the 6th fret, your 3rd finger plays the 7th fret and the 4th finger plays the 8th fret. Position playing is extremely useful when soloing so you dont have to do too much extra moving back and forth. Most guitar teachers teach positions using scale patterns which will help you figure out which position to use.
Exceptions to the rule.
There are times when it will be necessary to go out of position by 1 fret in either direction. Some of the scale patterns need to be altered so that youre still in the basic position.
How fingering relates to scales and chords.
Every chord has a corresponding scale, so when you become more advanced youll be able to visualize the scale that goes with that particular chord. Once you become more familiar with the guitar fretboard youll be amazed at how logical it is.
The takeaway from all of this is to be patient, play slowly so that you develop muscle memory, and get in the habit of using one finger per fret. One of the most important things my guitar teacher did was to not let me get away with using the wrong fingers!
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Want to Improve Your Playing Be a Positive Thinker
Sending negative messages to yourself.
It never fails to amaze me how many students start off a song with a phrase like "this is the one I always screw up." Or, "I just cant get that part to sound right." Theyll then proceed to experience the self-fulfilling prophecy and screw the song up or complain, "see, that part doesnt sound right."
What causes these problems?
In many cases its not lack of practice, but lack of confidence. Do negative thoughts or statements instill confidence? Absolutely not. How do you develop the ability to play confidently? Start off by listening to yourself play the song. Isolate the trouble spots, and concentrate on smoothing them out. If you continue to think a part doesnt sound right, listen to a recording of it. Dont try to play along at first, just listen several times so you know exactly what it sounds like. When you can hum it or sing it, then go back and fix your mistakes.
Theres plenty of help available, do some research.
With You Tube videos, guitar teacher websites, recordings, and all types of instructional material available, theres really no reason to struggle on your own. Find a guitar teacher, watch videos of the song youre trying to play, or any combination of those.
Change your attitude and your outlook.
Ive talked a little about this in other posts, but it bears repeating. Think positive thoughts, focus on what youre playing, and try to improve each time you play. Practicing the parts you already do well doesnt help. Work through the difficult passages, playing them slowly at first, then build up the parts around them. I tell my students to work on the hard part, then add a measure or two that lead into that part, and then on the measure or two after it.
It never fails to amaze me how many students start off a song with a phrase like "this is the one I always screw up." Or, "I just cant get that part to sound right." Theyll then proceed to experience the self-fulfilling prophecy and screw the song up or complain, "see, that part doesnt sound right."
What causes these problems?
In many cases its not lack of practice, but lack of confidence. Do negative thoughts or statements instill confidence? Absolutely not. How do you develop the ability to play confidently? Start off by listening to yourself play the song. Isolate the trouble spots, and concentrate on smoothing them out. If you continue to think a part doesnt sound right, listen to a recording of it. Dont try to play along at first, just listen several times so you know exactly what it sounds like. When you can hum it or sing it, then go back and fix your mistakes.
Theres plenty of help available, do some research.
With You Tube videos, guitar teacher websites, recordings, and all types of instructional material available, theres really no reason to struggle on your own. Find a guitar teacher, watch videos of the song youre trying to play, or any combination of those.
Change your attitude and your outlook.
Ive talked a little about this in other posts, but it bears repeating. Think positive thoughts, focus on what youre playing, and try to improve each time you play. Practicing the parts you already do well doesnt help. Work through the difficult passages, playing them slowly at first, then build up the parts around them. I tell my students to work on the hard part, then add a measure or two that lead into that part, and then on the measure or two after it.
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