# Solo plateau/frustration?!



## canadiangeordie (Jan 10, 2009)

Hi
I picked up the guitar a year ago after a 4 year absence (emigration to Canada, kids etc)...and am starting to shake off most of the cobwebs. I was never an amazing player, but now am starting to push the envelope with things i'd never had attempted before.

My rhythm playing is very tight, and chops are generally decent. But ive finally started to incorporate some shred-based leads into my playing and it feels like its years behind everything else. My fingers just dont seem quite fast eniugh for some solos, and being in a metal band, i'd like to handle at least some of the lead-duties.

Certain songs we play are hit-and-miss for me when it comes to the solo. Sometimes i'll pretty much nail it, others its an absolute shambles. And i always feel myself dreading it and tensing up when i know its coming up to that part. Ive spent hours trying to get one particular solo down (from a Carcass song) and i feel like im not getting any more precise.

Any general tips on how to a) improve this particular solo and my leads in particular and b) relax a little more? I know i should be able to tear it apart considering how long ive been playing, and thats the frustrating thing.

Many thanks!
Ryan


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Practise with a metronome. Start slow - 70BPM. Get your pick hand and your fretting fingers familiar with the pattern.

once you can play the pattern, cleanly, at 70BPM, relaxed - bump it up to 80BPM. once you can play it cleanly and relaxed, bump it up 10 more. Keep doing this until you get up to speed.

I can play fast, but its sloppy as all get out *sigh*


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## lbrown1 (Mar 22, 2007)

agreed on the start slow and get the muscle memory imprinted.....it'll take a while....as for me - I'll never be able to play fast....sometimes it feels like Ive got cement fingers ....but - I don't feel too bad - I'm not playing the kind of stuff that calls for shredding anyway - I just try to play what feels right at a nice smooth pace.


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## Samsquantch (Mar 5, 2009)

Warm up thoroughly before attempting any fast or challenging lines. Start out slow and easy and build up speed. One really good way to warm up is to play 10 different chords in every position, starting higher on the neck and working chromatically down the neck until you are at the first position. Climb back up the neck to where you started with the chord and begin the same process with another chord. This will warm up your hands and will gradually stretch your fingers out. Make sure each chord is played cleanly. After that, play some finger independence and/or scalar exercises and you'll be all set.

Another thing to take into consideration is how hard you are fretting the notes. You don't need much pressure at all. Try this: Without pushing down on the string at all, rest your index fingertip on the low E string at any fret, say the 5th. Now start tremolo picking with your pick hand (nothing too aggressive or speedy), and at the same time start to very slowly push the string down to the fret with your fret hand fingertip. As soon as you can hear the note clearly, stop pushing down and notice how much pressure you are using. You can also try this with bar chords. After awhile, if you are focused on playing with less fret hand pressure, you will find that you will have a lighter touch, but that it will not impede your ability to play fast or challenging solos. In fact, it will make your fret hand less tense and will better facilitate fast playing.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

also, some days are just plain better then others.

if it feels like a good day, start recording!

I always amaze myself when i record something and play it back - it seems like someone else is playing, because what i hear on playback isnt the way it sounded when i played it. if that makes sense...


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## lbrown1 (Mar 22, 2007)

Budda said:


> also, some days are just plain better then others.
> 
> if it feels like a good day, start recording!
> 
> I always amaze myself when i record something and play it back - it seems like someone else is playing, because what i hear on playback isnt the way it sounded when i played it. if that makes sense...


YA! - I know - I thought I was the only one who found that.....


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## JaXm (Dec 11, 2008)

I have kind of a related question... I've been playing guitar for about 4 months now... not too long, I know, I'm mostly just doing scales, and chord progressions, but I notice mostly in my scales that my pinky finger on my fretting hand wants to lift up higher and higher (until it's nearly fully extended) each time I use another finger... say when moving down the neck.... and I find it's causing my playing to be a little slow, and sloppy...
is this a common thing that I just have to hammer through or is there something I could be doing with my hand or finger to keep it closer to the string? I figure this will come in handy when I actually start playing music


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