Is Your Guitar Playing Stuck In A Rut? Try This...As guitarists we've all experienced times when our playing is stuck in a rut. But what can you do about it? In this article we’ll reveal some of our favorite methods to improve our playing and learning when it feels like we’re stuck in a rut. Does all your playing sound the same? Does it sound like scales, and not music? Well here's a few tips that you may like to try... |
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Don't let yourself play your usual scale patterns. Instead, try to think single string melody for awhile. This will help you to free your mind and get away from scale thinking, and the basic muscle memory we have programmed into ourselves by constantly practicing scales. Remember: Scales aren't music. They're just a guide. Another thing to try is to sing (or hum) every note that you play. This will help develop the connection between your ear and your hands. You want to strive to be able to hear the notes in your mind, and then apply them to the fretboard, instead of moving your fingers around different scale patterns. It may sound a bit goofy, but the best music and riffs often comes from within - not out of some pattern in your muscle memory. Another thing you might like to try is to make a melody, riff, or piece of music using just the chord shapes. You know your "CAGED" patterns, right? Most players have these things pretty well internalized, but don't know where to go next. A good way to take a step further is to use these chord notes entirely, and add more detail to the riff by using passing notes – such as other scale tones or even chromatic passing notes. Good music often starts here, around the chords. |