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Developing my playing.

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  • 21-08-2006 5:16pm
    #1
    frobisher
    Registered Users Posts: 2,413 ✭✭✭


    I've been playing acoustic guitar for about 10 years and for a while was working semi proffesionally. My playing has always been simple rythym to back up my singing. What I'd like to do know is try and bring my playing up a bit and work on things like lead and picking.
    Has anyone ever done this before after they've been already playing for so long?


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    #2
    GerryRyan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 966 ✭✭✭GerryRyan


    Best thing you can do is try new styles (jazz, funk, 12 bar blues etc ... just some style you haven't played before)

    Pick up a guitar magazine (Guitar Techniques, Total Guitar) and try the lessons.
    They'll help you in picking up new licks/phrases.

    That should do for a start.

    You say you've played 'semi-professionally' - what do you mean by this. Pub bands?


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    #3
    frobisher
    Registered Users Posts: 2,413 ✭✭✭frobisher


    ThatGuy wrote:
    You say you've played 'semi-professionally' - what do you mean by this. Pub bands?
    I made a living out of playing in an origianls band, recording/playing other bands in my own studio adn running jam sessions. Although very little of it has actually been in Ireland.

    Thanks for the tips!!


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    #4
    John
    Registered Users Posts: 12,135 ✭✭✭✭John


    Play along to TV shows and movies, make your own soundtrack to suit the action on screen. But definitely try out new styles, that's the best way (and I *should* practice what I preach).


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    #5
    BossArky
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 9,484 Mod ✭✭✭✭BossArky


    You would probably want to start getting the fingers doing the old chromatic exercises 1-2-3-4 from low E to high E, move up a fret, up and down, move up another fret... etc all the way up to the 12th fret.

    I presume that if you have been playing for 12 years and cannot play lead this means that you usually sit down and beat away at just chords.

    Forget about chords for the moment and concentrate on single line melodies. Work out tunes in your head, i.e. phantom of the opera (great one I've been messing with lately), Nelly the elephant, if I were a rich man, etc, etc.

    Soon you're mind will think lead wise as opposed to chord wise (hopefully - I have no idea if it will work.. please be my guinea pig ;) )


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