Music (Guitar) advice

[6A9 Ace Matador]

so i'm starting this AQA course thing soon worth an AS level and I have to show that I'm participating in activities that are classed as "enriching" for 100 hours over the span of two years. i decided i'll try put up a youtube channel where i'll put up music videos of myself singing and playing guitar. so i pretty much need to get a lot better at guitar in a short space of time. i talked to my teacher and we'll be starting classes again soon but uh do you guys have any reccomendations on how to improve rapidly? don't mind playing for long periods of time everyday and stuff. is there any websites or books that are worth looking at / getting?

pe to the ace

 

[alamaster]

Main thing is just motivation and practicing what you need to work on the most. Eg: if you suck at alternate picking, practice some scales or riffs incorporating that.

Books don't really help that much, take lessons if you can and just practice every day.

 

[6A9 Ace Matador]

yeah been taking lessons for like two years but i'm pretty lazy lol. i'll just do scales and stuff i guess!

 

[Anthraxinsoup]

Scales and stuff. How good are you? only scales? cause then I would say you are the same level as someone after a couple months. Just play alot more, Infact you reminded me to go get my guitar

 

[cantab]

I have to show that I'm participating in activities that are classed as "enriching" for 100 hours over the span of two years.

Personally I consider stuff like that a load of bull. A qualification should be about a well-defined subject, and not have unrelated requirements tacked on.

But, you're doing it now. And it should just be a box-tick. Half an hour's practice a day. Assuming they're not anal about evidence, which they probably will be. In which case, take up bagpipes and play them outside the examiners' houses!

 

[DM]

After playing for 10+ years, all I can say is: practice, practice, practice. If you've been taking lessons for two years than you probably already have pretty calloused fingers, so that pain is out of the way, but seriously... just play. A LOT. You say you don't mind playing for long periods of time every day, and that's exactly what it will take. I know people who started ripping Slayer solos after 6 months of playing because they never put the damned guitar down, so every time you have a minute or two of free time, that ax had better be in your hands.

Do your scales, work on finger exercises for dexterity and strength, and memorize all the chords if you haven't already. If you're going to sing and play simultaneously, start with simple songs, i.e. songs with easy chord progressions. Stay away from picking for the time being until you get good at everything else.

 

[DanielG]

Ive only been playing for about 2 years, but I will say this: Learn as many chords as you can! Practice alternating between them, it is great practice.

 

[Annhialator Zero]

Tbh I find with the guitar that it can't be something you force yourself to play, cause where's the point then? I'm one of those people DM mentioned that never put the guitar down and was playing Metallica solos after six months, because I fucking loved playing the guitar and there were very few things I enjoyed doing more. If you honestly enjoy practicing for hours a day (like most guitarists) then do so. If it feels like a chore you're wasting your time. Other than that I agree with everyone else that practice = perfect. There are no quick fixes, although some people pick things up quicker.

 

[Kojax]

Since everybody has already told you to play as often as you can, I'll offer a different piece of advise. Play with a bunch of different people if you can. The other people don't even have to be that great for you to benefit from playing with them, you can learn a lot by trying to teach somebody a song or by going over arrangements. It's also more fun to play with other people than alone in my opinion, so you're more likely to want to keep playing.

 

[tup]

Yeah exactly what the above poster said. Even if you're not that good, just go and play with someone you know who plays guitar. Their skill doesn't matter really as long as you're playing with someone else. Play alternating tunes with them or even a bunch of chords, and if you have time and skill, jam!

 

[6A9 Ace Matador]

yeah just paid for another term of lessons, i start them monday. been doing finger excercises and stuff non stop for much time and doing chord progressions and stuff. also to az, i enjoy guitar but i'm pretty lazy and lack the virtue of: patience. also i can play complicatedish stuff if i work at it, learnt sweet child of mine solo's one and two, nothing else matters intro and stuff some time ago. i think all i'm missing is just buckling down and doing finger excercises and going over chord progs daily, also learning logistics (pretty simple logistics) like going down each string on the fretboard and knowing its name, e.g. f #f g #g and so on, then getting how bar chords and stuff work and change. so going to go over that stuff with my teacher and hope for the best B) thanks for the advice users of cong