# practice



## RIFF WRATH (Jan 22, 2007)

well I'm still plugging away.....learning basic bass.....really hard to find a regular time slot......any hoo...I am working on the 12 bar blues......and by dang my pinkie has a mind of it's own and there it is trying to do what it's supposed to do......I suppose this is akin to a breakthrough in a way for me......still have to work to puttting the riff "segments" together.......so from this I came up with the following summary............"I'm still trying to feel and find my fingers"........can any of you noobs relate?


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Hi Gerry:

I certainly can relate, both from personal experience and from studying the concepts of the neurological/mechanical aspects of movement. The studies helped me to understand what is happening...but didn't seem to help, to any real extent, with my playing.

When you think you are getting good...try playing in the dark (taking vision "out of the mix" makes you sure of your ears and and fingers working together) :food-smiley-004:

Cheers

Dave


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

dont look down! 

i still need to get my pick hand and my fret fingers to sync up. hell, a 4-note progressive pattern where only the first note or first two notes are palm-muted is throwing me off, just because i've never practised it.


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## GuyB (May 2, 2008)

When I come across a problem like that, when my fingers don't want to go where I want, I do two things :
- first : relax, the entire body but mainly the shoulders, arms and fingers; you would be surprise how often we develop tensions in those parts and don't have conscience of it; when we are tense (I hope it's the right word) forget about fluidity;
- then, play the difficult part very slowly, even without the tempo, just "forcing" the fingers, one by one, at the good place (and remember, stay relaxed); repeat, repeat, repeat... gradually towards the good tempo and the good speed.
No miracles here, have to learn to recognize when we are "tense", not being afraid to go slow and with no tempo and repeat....


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## RIFF WRATH (Jan 22, 2007)

all good suggestions...thanks.........someone recently suggested setting up a mirror to look at for finger placement........I haven't tried that yet......still have to look down.....and at the tabs....anyone ever tried the mirror thing????


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## violation (Aug 20, 2006)

Grab a copy of John Petrucci's Rock Discipline, even if you're not a fan of his playing. At the very least, watch the first minutes where he's showing his warm up... those few minutes alone are worth the cost of the DVD in my opinion.

Start doing the fretting hand exercises he shows and I guarantee that'll make the fourth finger and every other finger your bitch, lol. Those are easily the best finger independence exercises I've ever seen and done. I'm sure there's a video of it on YouTube or Google Video, so if you don't want to spend some cash you could always check there. 

I wouldn't worry about where you're looking, at least not yet anyway. Then again everyone thinks I'm weird because if I'm looking at the guitar I'm not looking at where my fingers are going, I'm looking at my picking hand... I thought that was normal lol.


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## JaXm (Dec 11, 2008)

I know exactly what you're experiencing... I've got 4 fingers that I swear are made of vienna sausage... I'm curious as to the various things you guys do when you start getting frustrated during practicing. lol! I'm having a helluva time just trying to get my fingers to move up and down the strings properly, AND pick the proper string


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## Duster (Dec 28, 2007)

I have tried playing in front of the mirror, and it doesn't work for me AT ALL... it feels like everything is upside down and backwards, and I get so confused. I find it helps to close my eyes and visualize it from my own point of view.

Also, this may sound dumb, but it helped me to get a gripmaster. http://www.cleverjoe.com/articles/gripmaster_hand_finger_exerciser.html

I keep one on my desk during my work day and use it occasionally, and it has really strengthened my two smallest fingers. I notice it when playing and typing.

--- D


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

JaXm said:


> I know exactly what you're experiencing... I've got 4 fingers that I swear are made of vienna sausage... I'm curious as to the various things you guys do when you start getting frustrated during practicing. lol! I'm having a helluva time just trying to get my fingers to move up and down the strings properly, AND pick the proper string


Hi Gerry

I think that you would get less frustrated if you jammed with someone as a way of practicing (could be someone on guitar and/or drums). I know that it might not be practical on a frequent basis...but even jamming once a week is something to look forward to.

It really helps when you get into the groove that matches what someone else is playing. It is also much more fun in general, you can all adjust the tempo to suit, it is great to be encouraged and supported by others, you can keep it simple and...this list could go on (I'll let others add to it).

Cheers

Dave


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## RIFF WRATH (Jan 22, 2007)

Hey Dave.....working (slowly) on 2 blues riffs for you........and am trying to learn a couple for Harry........still can't find the right blues tracks.......just found 2 for Harry that I need decoded into bass.............I'll be contacting ya soon..........


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

RIFF WRATH said:


> Hey Dave.....working (slowly) on 2 blues riffs for you........and am trying to learn a couple for Harry........still can't find the right blues tracks.......just found 2 for Harry that I need decoded into bass.............I'll be contacting ya soon..........


Hi Gerry:

Just let me know when you want to get together. 

My place is available almost anytime, if you would rather not pay the additional costs involved in heating up the jam space.

Cheers

Dave


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## 1PUTTS (Sep 8, 2007)

Gerry, you know the old joke about the tourist visiting New York City...stops a local and asks him how to get to Carnegie Hall. To which the local replies, "Practice, practice, practice..."

That's about what it comes down to...practice and have fun. The rest will take care of itself.

As a beginner myself, I know it's hard to see the big beer tent at the end of the path. I've been working on playing this one song for about a month...turns out the lead parts were far more challenging than I had anticipated. But I kept at it - a little bit here and there. Until finally today I was able to put it all together and play the song beginning to end at full speed. And believe me, a month ago I thought, "No way am I gonna be able to play this".

Anyhow, here's the video I did...practice and persistence and have fun! :food-smiley-004:

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=u0c1X5jwsB8


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## peter benn (Mar 29, 2007)

RIFF WRATH said:


> well I'm still plugging away.....learning basic bass.....


Yes, I can relate. Everybody has given good advice, IMO. If the following is already obvious, please excuse me, and compliments of the season.

One possible suggestion involves changing "shapes" (fret patterns) on the same song, using different fingers for the "root," and catching a rest for the ones that are tired.

There are two basic "shapes" for playing major pop tunes with a bass, and two "shapes" for minor (and pentatonic major) blues tunes--at the same fret, key, and root.

I'll take the liberty of calling the first one the "country" shape: second finger plays the root I while first finger plays the major III on the next string over, and the rest of the scale is played out of the same position, spanning three-fret intervals on the same string. Easier to do on a guitar than a bass, it usually ends up sounding slightly country, and can be tiring over long distances. However, for some songs, it is the correct approach. On records, you can usually hear when bass players are doing it.

The second shape, the "gliss," involves rooting I with the first finger at the tonic and glissing the third and fourth fingers (combined) up four frets on the same string to the major III, then rolling a box (two frets) in second position for the rest of the scale. Same notes, different fingers.

This is more of a string bass approach, where the notes are too impossibly far apart for the first "shape." You'll sound more like a bass player with this one. Poster boy here is "Sweet Soul Music," by Arthur Conley, I suppose.

For minor and pentatonic blues tunes, the prescription is opposite: the first "fixed" way involves rooting I at the first finger and playing the minor III up three frets on the same string, usually with the fourth finger, and rolling a two-fret box from the same position to get the rest of the notes; and

the second, "gliss," way is to root with a combined third and fourth finger and go DOWN two frets on the next string UP to get your minor III, simply bring down your combined third and fourth for the IV on the same string, and the gliss your third and fourth up two frets for your V, and stay there and roll the two-fret box on the next string for your VII and VIII.

Hope this is somewhat useful,

Peter


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## RIFF WRATH (Jan 22, 2007)

Hey Pat.......haven't seen you posting lately................way to go..........

Peter.....thanks for the reply..........very concise and thoughtful.........Duh, I have no idea what you mean...yet.........I printed out your response to discuss with my teacher in the new year.........started out on named root notes, then we changed to tabs??............I think I am being taught as you suggest (ie most efficient placement of fingers for overall movement)...but not sure.........


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## 1PUTTS (Sep 8, 2007)

RIFF WRATH said:


> Hey Pat.......haven't seen you posting lately................way to go..........


Thanks, Gerry. Yeah, this darn work has been keeping me away from the forums lately. Keep practicing, Brother...we'll look forward to jamming with you at the next get-together.

Happy holidays to you and yours...


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## Violet (Jan 14, 2009)

RIFF WRATH said:


> well I'm still plugging away.....learning basic bass.....really hard to find a regular time slot......any hoo...I am working on the 12 bar blues......and by dang my pinkie has a mind of it's own and there it is trying to do what it's supposed to do......I suppose this is akin to a breakthrough in a way for me......still have to work to puttting the riff "segments" together.......so from this I came up with the following summary............"I'm still trying to feel and find my fingers"........can any of you noobs relate?


Hah...I'm still learning how to hold the guitar properly! lol


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## RIFF WRATH (Jan 22, 2007)

Hi Violet, welcome............keep at it.........lots of good learning sites around if you google........and I am so sick of hearing "practise, practise, practise....lol


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## kw_guitarguy (Apr 29, 2008)

I agree with Greco...I have jammed with him a few times, and I find that just sitting in front of my gear is difficult to get motivated to practice.

playing with someone else however, forces you to listen follow along, and figure out how to join in, I love it...don't do it nearly as often as I would like though!

~Andrew


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