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[demon]

Okay so I got a guitar (electric) a little while ago but haven't been taking it seriously lately. I'm trying to pick it back up again and I'm of course having the same frustrations that pissed me off when I temporarily gave up on it. As a little background info I played violin and piano for a long time (took lessons) so it was relatively easy to pick up. But there are a couple areas that I'm having trouble with, of course, but don't know how to work on them, like what proper technique to use and how to practice, because I don't have a teacher telling me how like I did with piano and violin.

So first of all, how the fuck do you build speed playing with a pick? When you hear pro guitarist playing really fast, are they alternate-picking or not, and are they picking for every single note? And what kind of exercises can you do to improve picking speed?

Also, fret-hand fingering technique. wtf. Where do I start. Here's one problem I have: when playing a chord in which two notes are on the same fret on adjacent strings, sometimes I'll just use the same finger for both notes. But sometimes that just doesn't seem right, and when I look up stuff on "proper" left-hand position on the neck and fingering techniques, it makes playing it like that a bitch. So what is the proper way to go about playing the chord? Are you supposed to use two fingers for both of those notes, the same finger, or does it depend on the situation and if so how do you tell?
Also, a lot of the time I'll have a problem where pulling my finger off the string plays a note when I don't want that fucking note. How do I avoid that? And how do I get rid of that twangy sound on lower notes on lower strings?
Are there any good general fingering technique exercises I should do? Like if I want to hit a G-spot....er, wait wrong thread.

So seriously, anyone?

 

[Optimistic]

So first of all, how the fuck do you build speed playing with a pick? When you hear pro guitarist playing really fast, are they alternate-picking or not, and are they picking for every single note? And what kind of exercises can you do to improve picking speed?

Ask again in six months when you've got a handle on chords. Alternatively, buy a book of scales and learn and practice a few each week. Stick with the same couple until you've got a handle on them. Get a metronome and slowly increase the speed as you get faster at playing the scales. Pro guitarists alternate pick as well as hammer on/pull off etc etc, they are not picking every single note.

Also, fret-hand fingering technique. wtf. Where do I start. Here's one problem I have: when playing a chord in which two notes are on the same fret on adjacent strings, sometimes I'll just use the same finger for both notes. But sometimes that just doesn't seem right, and when I look up stuff on "proper" left-hand position on the neck and fingering techniques, it makes playing it like that a bitch. So what is the proper way to go about playing the chord? Are you supposed to use two fingers for both of those notes, the same finger, or does it depend on the situation and if so how do you tell?
Also, a lot of the time I'll have a problem where pulling my finger off the string plays a note when I don't want that fucking note. How do I avoid that? And how do I get rid of that twangy sound on lower notes on lower strings?

There's no real "correct" way to play chords. It all depends on the chord progression. If barring a few strings on one fret makes the changeover to the next chord easier, then by all means do it. The way you play a chord is only wrong if it's less economical than the alternative method.

 

[AlphaSnake]

Alright, let's see now. One step at a time:

So first of all, how the fuck do you build speed playing with a pick? When you hear pro guitarist playing really fast, are they alternate-picking or not, and are they picking for every single note? And what kind of exercises can you do to improve picking speed?

Building speed takes practice. There's no secret. No particular method that'll just unravel everything and make you a speedy picker. Practice, practice, practice. Alternate picking is the only way to pick when you are individually playing notes in A) A sequence of chords and B) Soloing. You have to learn how to wave your wrist around so that when you pick you strike above the string, and then below the string, above, below and so forth. Just practice it very slowly. Up, down, up, down, etc. Download a little metronome or something on your PC and practice alternate picking to a slow tempo with all of the strings open. And no, guitarists who play extremely fast don't pick every note; this is where hammering and tapping comes into play. I can play 9 notes, yet I'll only pick the string 3 times.

Also, fret-hand fingering technique. wtf. Where do I start. Here's one problem I have: when playing a chord in which two notes are on the same fret on adjacent strings, sometimes I'll just use the same finger for both notes. But sometimes that just doesn't seem right, and when I look up stuff on "proper" left-hand position on the neck and fingering techniques, it makes playing it like that a bitch. So what is the proper way to go about playing the chord? Are you supposed to use two fingers for both of those notes, the same finger, or does it depend on the situation and if so how do you tell?

Well, I never layer my fingers. Meaning, if I have to play on the 5th fret on the E and A string, I use one finger for that. So my index finger is now taken up, holding two notes. And then I take my ring finger and put it on the 7th fret of the D string, etc. So yeah, when you've got two notes in the same fret, you should use on finger and keep the others free.

Also, a lot of the time I'll have a problem where pulling my finger off the string plays a note when I don't want that fucking note. How do I avoid that? And how do I get rid of that twangy sound on lower notes on lower strings?
Are there any good general fingering technique exercises I should do? Like if I want to hit a G-spot....er, wait wrong thread.

So seriously, anyone?

Not too sure what you're talking about. But I think you're pulling off of the strings a bit too hard and incorrectly. You have to lift your finger up and away from the string; you may be slightly bending it when releasing and causing it to ring. As far as the twangy sound...yeah, I'm definitely not sure what you're talking about there.

 

[AlphaSnake]

Oh, I should mention. Protip: Speed picking. You should learn how to strike a string correctly. Make sure you hold the pick right and learn to feather the string (if you will). Just get a tiny, tiny bit of the pick to hit the string. That way, when you try to pick fast, you're speed won't be decreased because you're not hitting the string with the whole pick, rather just a teeny tip of it.

 

[demon]

Well, I never layer my fingers. Meaning, if I have to play on the 5th fret on the E and A string, I use one finger for that. So my index finger is now taken up, holding two notes. And then I take my ring finger and put it on the 7th fret of the D string, etc. So yeah, when you've got two notes in the same fret, you should use on finger and keep the others free.

See here's the thing.....I can't even do that. I try using the tip of my index finger but I can't fully push both strings down, or I try to put my index finger flatter on the strings, but then it touches the D string. It's one of those things where it's not so much that I can't do it well or fast, but I can't figure out how to physically do it at all.

 

[AlphaSnake]

See here's the thing.....I can't even do that. I try using the tip of my index finger but I can't fully push both strings down, or I try to put my index finger flatter on the strings, but then it touches the D string. It's one of those things where it's not so much that I can't do it well or fast, but I can't figure out how to physically do it at all.

Push down harder. Get your index finger as flat as possible against the strings. Soon enough, not only will you develop calouses on your finger tips, but on the actual finger itself.

 

[demon]

Push down harder. Get your index finger as flat as possible against the strings. Soon enough, not only will you develop calouses on your finger tips, but on the actual finger itself.

When I said 'flat', I meant flat as in more the length of my index finger than the tip of it. If I'm pressing with the tip of my finger, it's not a matter of how hard I press....I'm simply unable to press both all the way down at the same time like that and get the proper sound, like the tip of my finger is too small.

 

[AlphaSnake]

When I said 'flat', I meant flat as in more the length of my index finger than the tip of it. If I'm pressing with the tip of my finger, it's not a matter of how hard I press....I'm simply unable to press both all the way down at the same time like that and get the proper sound, like the tip of my finger is too small.

You need to work on that. I don't know what advice to give you there. I mean, using one finger for chords is pretty import. Otherwise you'll never be able to experiment with some pretty fun tunings like Drop-D, C and even B.

 

[Deezer]

Also, fret-hand fingering technique. wtf. Where do I start. Here's one problem I have: when playing a chord in which two notes are on the same fret on adjacent strings, sometimes I'll just use the same finger for both notes. But sometimes that just doesn't seem right, and when I look up stuff on "proper" left-hand position on the neck and fingering techniques, it makes playing it like that a bitch. So what is the proper way to go about playing the chord? Are you supposed to use two fingers for both of those notes, the same finger, or does it depend on the situation and if so how do you tell?

It mostly depends on the chord and where you play it. I would suggest going along with how a "Beginning Guitar Chords" type of book shows the fingering, then if you come across something more comfortable later, or shortcuts during progressions, by all means go with what works for you. For example, I've seen the same A (major) chord in open position played with four different fingerings. Of course if you run into chords where there are more strings to fret than fingers on your hand, you're going to have to use one finger (usually your pointer finger) to "barre" adjacent strings. In that case, make sure your thumb is underneath your pointer finger and maybe almost one fret up (towards the body). That said, also make sure your thumb never wraps around the neck -- that means you're grabbing the neck with your palm (not good). One of my bad habits is wrapping my thumb around while playing open chords, but I guess as long as you're not touching the neck with your palm, you should be in good shape.

 

[Raxel]

So first of all, how the fuck do you build speed playing with a pick? When you hear pro guitarist playing really fast, are they alternate-picking or not, and are they picking for every single note? And what kind of exercises can you do to improve picking speed?

The easiest way to build speed is to adopt a shredder style technique before you even attempt to pick fast. That means:

- Rest your hand on the bridge, so you ever so slightly mute the strings. Don't use fingers to balance your hand.
- Pick with your wrist, not your arm. This is critical to how shredders can play for hours without getting tired.
- Learn hummingbird/helicoptor picking. This is the type of alternate picking designed for short bursts of insane speed. With this technique I could hit 20 notes a second only after a few months of playing.
- The other way to improve speed is to go up and down chromatic scales
- Finally, as soon as you are capable, learn legato style runs! This develops your hands to the point where you quite literally go up and down scales without picking. at all.

Also, fret-hand fingering technique. wtf. Where do I start. Here's one problem I have: when playing a chord in which two notes are on the same fret on adjacent strings, sometimes I'll just use the same finger for both notes. But sometimes that just doesn't seem right, and when I look up stuff on "proper" left-hand position on the neck and fingering techniques, it makes playing it like that a bitch. So what is the proper way to go about playing the chord? Are you supposed to use two fingers for both of those notes, the same finger, or does it depend on the situation and if so how do you tell?
Also, a lot of the time I'll have a problem where pulling my finger off the string plays a note when I don't want that fucking note. How do I avoid that? And how do I get rid of that twangy sound on lower notes on lower strings?

Using two fingers in that manner is fine, I do it all the time.

 

[Cool]

Here's how I did it. I looked up tabs.

Learned standard chords. Then power chords. Then bar chords. Then soloing.