[HOWEYMAN]

I've been playing guitar somewhat consistant for about 5 or 6 years now. I will learn a song or a riff, practice it a bunch of times then lay off it for a while. Well then by buddy will come over and I'll grab my guitar and say "check this out". I will then try to play a song I haven't practiced in a while and, well, I just simply go blank sometimes or it takes me a minute to remember, or I have to go get the tabs, chords, music, etc., lay it out in front of me and "re practice" it a time or two to play it as well as I did when I first learned it. Does anyone else expierence this. Maybe I just don't have the "natural talent". How many hours a day would you would say the average person would have to practice to get good enough to play tunes on the fly, without stumbling over the song?
Any other practice tips would be appreciated?
When the music is in front of me it only takes a moment to play it, it's like "oh yea" thats how the thing goes, why can't you remember, you fool!!
Maybe I'm not trusting my instincts enough either.
I do amaze myself with my playing sometimes, but dam it, I don't want to have to work up to that level every time I pick up my guitar, especially with and audiance. This questinmay seem weird to some people.

[strumminsix]

Hello! This is not a weird question and I'll try to answer it honestly and accurately but it is just my opinions...

"I will learn a song or a riff, practice it a bunch of times then lay off it for a while"
Learn a song. Riffs are fine but should be memorized after the basic construct of the tune.

"I just simply go blank sometimes or it takes me a minute to remember" / "re practice" "Does anyone else expierence this. "
Happens to all of us but as your experience and ear increase you won't be blank but remembering.

"Maybe I just don't have the "natural talent""
So what? Is it better to earn something "he developed into a great musician" or be given it?

"How many hours a day would you would say the average person would have to practice to get good enough to play tunes on the fly"
Zero. To do this your ear needs to be trained. However, if you want to be able to jam your way into a tune a tune that best developed by playing with others and listening actively. When my band brings in new tunes we don't spend a lot of time talking about it except maybe the first chord (not always the key). But the best way to play along is to play a bit softer and listen to the melody and when changes are about to occur be ready for where you think it will be but don't play, instead listen and then catch up.

"Any other practice tips"
To me the key is practicing everything you are playing without exception. Create a list of tunes. In my band we do about 60 or so.
I started by making a full chart for each that I sang and a short chart (into, outro, verse, chorus, bridge) for the tunes I didn't.
From there I practiced for like 45 minutes a day every day going right down the list and working hard on trouble spots.

From there I start stripping it down to just a few notes per song until I learn that inside and out!

As it stands today my band is still adding tunes to our repetoire so there is a lot going on but I have over 60 songs on about 6 sheets of paper and that is my practice schedule.

Hope this helps...

[nedcat]

I have to say that you have to have some "Natural Talent" as well as ample practice time. If I don't play on a weekly basis, I start to loose my callouses and that means my sound will be sacrificed. I have been playing for 25 years (give or take) and what keeps improving?...is my vocals. My guitar playing pretty much has remained the same.
Middle of the road I'd say. I was once told by a very excellent player, "Guitar is a mental process" and how true this is. If the song is one that I truly cherish, I will play if flawlessly everytime. If I just learned the tune or dont feel strongly about it, chances are it will not come out that great. Philosophy 101.

[whitelacestrange]

your probrobly just not playin enough or havnt completely memorized those songs. you should work on memorizing them, lyrics and all.

i've only been playin for like 3 1/2 years but i feel like i have alot down in my mind. i just practice like at least 3 hours a day, i barely even watch tv anymore, and when i do i have my guitar in hand. i've memorized so much stuff it amazes me, its all memorization and then practicing what you memorized.

[ebick]

A couple of comments from me.

1) I've always been able to recall, in other people's words, an amazing number of tunes off the top of my head. Pretty much, just the basics.....I'm not a great player, not of professional caliber, but I'm a real good "campfire" player.....the number of songs I can recall being a major component of that. I am NOT a natural talent. I think sheer memory and repitition has a lot to do with it in my case.

2) Forget and have to go back to the tabs? That's why they're here! I have posted previously that the primary reason I established this web site was for that very reason......for me! Especially going beyond the basics for riffs.

[nedcat]

KUDOS ebick!! I found this site 10 years ago (during the OJ Simpson Trial) and finially get to tell you "thank you very much!" The day I learned "Mission in the Rain" was a milestone in my life. Really. Thanks alot, Man!

Ned

[HOWEYMAN]

Thanks for the imput. I really do need to practice more. If I practiced as much as I watch TV, I proably would be really good. I guess that statement leads to having the "passion" to play. I need more fire in my belly. Another thing I do is practice hard with no interuptions like 4-6 hours on monday (for example) then don't play again till thursday, then just sit with and fool around on the recliner watching the game. So I guss the answer is think of my guitar as a TV, and I will do much better. lololololo! Jeez, people, I'm single and live alone, I should be playing all the time! lolololo!, ost would dream to have as much time as I do to play, So, I better start using. I've seen every episode of King of Quenns anyways, lololol! I just need to play more. plain and simple.
I believe if I was in a band, I would evolve really quickly.

[strumminsix]

Howey, take breaks.

Just like anything else step away and come back.

[Billbbill]

Hman-

You made me think of binging with that playing 4-6 hours on monday and not again till thursday routine. Try playing in smaller amounts more often, maybe, er say while watching the game. I do it all the time. My wife hates me for it.

I do however play a song to death for 2 or 3 days while learning it to the point where I'm satisfied. My wife hates the tunes by the time I learn 'em.

As far as remembering songs I'd guess to a point that's a function of your own memorizing ability. There are things you can do to help your memory, though I'm not too knowledgable of those methods.

What I will say is that I got better when I started thinking of the actual chord name instead of positions. In others words where I used to say be playing I know you rider, I did't so much think of the chord names, D, C, G etc. as much as the positions. Probably a quirk I alone possess! But when I started thinking of the actual names, I began to remember the songs better. I also bacame more adept at moving to different variations of the chords as I was no longer relying on the positions.

Again I alone probably went through this backword excercise and if you don't, just disregard that last paragraph.

In general just keep practicing and if nothing else try to improve your ear. It'll help most in the long run.

One other thing, it's only natural to need to brush up on a tune you haven't played in a while.

[strumminsix]

billx2, same here I had muscle memory of my finger positions and not the chords.

So I started using barre's, same thing.

Then different shapes using barre's, again, muscle memory.

Overcoming it was the result of writing it down and looking at it and at the same time switching between barre's and open.

[Billbbill]

I no longer feel so alone.

[jck_strw]

I'll just repeat what Bill said--it's better to practice for shorter duration but more frequently, than one huge chunk less frequently. When I first started learning to play, I picked up my guitar every single day for a year or so. Even if it's just to strum a bit. Familiarity breeds success. One of the great things to do is sit in front of the TV and play and play and play. If you're like me, you've seen every King of Queens ep. twice already, but you still watch it (I used to do that with Law & Order). So since you've seen it already and are watching it for the third/fourth/etc time, play during KoQ. That's 30 minutes every day right there.

re: memorizing a song--here's something I've been doing lately. Write down the chords to a song. If you're really ambitious, you can write down the lyrics too. Writing things down sometimes helps you remember them.

[wisedyes]

I think that a certain amount of both is necessary, but practice is way more important than natural talent. Let's face it; there are very few Mozarts among us, that's what makes them so unique. The rest of us have to rely on desire and hard work.

Two of the best things that you can do for yourself as a player are, imho, learn some of the theory behind what you are doing, and seek out and play with people that are more advanced than yourself, and listen to what they are doing and ask them questions about it.

The theory really helps start helping things fall into place alot quicker; you will start to discover patterns and commonly used devices that pop up all over the place in music, and know what to do with them when they do. Not saying you have to become an all out full on theory geek, but knowing enough of it is a HUUUUUUGE timesaver.

[HOWEYMAN]

wisedyes wrote:

The theory really helps start helping things fall into place alot quicker; you will start to discover patterns and commonly used devices that pop up all over the place in music, and know what to do with them when they do. Not saying you have to become an all out full on theory geek, but knowing enough of it is a HUUUUUUGE timesaver.[/quote]


I will agree 100% with that statement. I have an interest for music theory. I find it fascinating. and I sometimes try to understand it more than I practice it on the 6 string.

[strumminsix]

Here's a fun one for theory students like myself....

Start thinking of a scale backwards and forwards.
Then think the major notes
Then think the minor notes
Then the 7th notes, diminished....