A lot of beginning and intermediate guitar players have the tendency to stop every time they make a mistake…

Which may, or may not, be the right thing to do. Let’s talk about the different types of practicing, and when you want to plow through vs. when you want to stop and fix every last details…

As I often say, sometimes you want to, “butcher it loud and proud.”

(This was filmed live, please pardon any extra few seconds of intro and ending…)


    27 replies to "When To Stop And When To Butcher It"

    • Mark Stephenson

      Great lesson that I can really take to the bank. Loved the intro , rocked it!!

    • Jim

      I definitely have the tendency to stop when I make a mistake no matter what. I am aware that I should just keep going but I am hit or miss doing that. I like the idea of using speed bursts to help push through and not stop. I’ll give that a shot.

    • John Farrell

      Eddie VanHalen had these words of wisdom for his son. “If you make a mistake, play the mistake again and everyone will think it was intended”.

    • Bill Storey

      Well timed advice. I am trying to record Texas Hideout and on my most recent attempt I managed to keep going in a couple of spots and made it to the end without “bailing out”. I shared my effort with a few friends and apologized in advance about the couple of flaws. Everyone’s response was that they did not hear the flaws because I managed to jump back in for the next lick and kept on truck in’! It was a god learning experience!

    • Jim

      Amen! Motor Learning principles – Specificity is the key to Transfer. If we are practicing in order to play complete songs with other people, we need to practice by playing complete songs with other people. 80/20 rule probably applies. Breaking down licks or drilling scales is important to learn new concepts. Once we understand what we are trying to we should shift the balance towards applying them in context (playing complete songs with other people) with less time on reinforcing known skills.

    • Lou

      Yup, when the fingers override the brain you got to just keep on keeping on !

    • Mark S.

      Back in the day,when I was an active guitarist in my band( mistakes everyone makes) we’re actually thought to be part of the song we were covering if it was not one of our originals and the takeaway was after said flubb most times what was done after made it sound good like We owned it with some added spice of course.
      on a side “ note “ pun intended everyone should check out Sofie Lloyd on you tube,you’ll be glad you did the woman rawks. and is easy on the eyes to boot.
      Guitarslinger, Mark

    • Bob K

      I was taking ukulele lessons before switching back to guitar. I would keep playing even if I messed up a chord or went a bit out time (I could usually “catch up” once I found the lyric on page and chord sequence at that part of the song) but my instructor would stop and have me start over. After a year or so, I decided to bail and pick up guitar again (after joining Griff’s email list!)

    • David McCannell

      Great advice. Usually if I make a mistake I am just a semi tone away from the correct note. It would be great to learn the skills to “fix” that wrong note on the fly so it sounds right i.e. bending it up sliding it down etc. What do you do to “make it right”?

    • Cris

      i like the backing track. How do i get it

    • Will K.

      Hi Griff
      Seeing your email regarding mistakes and playing through reminded me of a DVD I have of Clapton playing (at least trying) in a jazz format at Montreux in ‘97. He’s playing with David Sanborn, Marcus Miller, Joe Sample and Steve Gadd. Concert DVD is called Legends Live At Montreux ‘97. You can see the particular flub when he starts his solo on “Groovin’ “ his first bunch of notes where he’s lost for a second or two and he ignores that and just continues without missing a beat. This is now on YouTube – look up Legends Live at Montreux ‘97 Groovin’
      Even the pro’s mess up! It’s all in the cover up that counts!
      Thanks for all you do to keep us all on track!
      Be well,
      Will K

    • Jim

      So true, Thanks Griff.

    • Ken Gold

      Hi Griff, I just want to say I enjoy all of your videos. About when to Butcher it was very good I usually just try to keep going. But as an old meat cutter ( butcher ) our joke was we grind our mistakes and doctors burry theirs. Corny I know. Thanks Ken Gold

    • Michael J. McRae

      I generally feel that an amateur will show off their mistakes, but a pro will cover them and make it seem like it was supposed to be that way all along :)!

    • KeithY

      A friend once taught me: “You may forget the melody, but you NEVER forget the rhythm!” In other words – just keep on playing and don’t stop!

    • Jack Flash

      That was great

    • tony

      I just wish my guys in the my band just to plow thru when I goof. They just stop so I can not goof or were off. Then there are the times when You just have to stop . Like someone is way off key .

    • Richard Croce

      Great advice Griff..

    • Ian Richardson

      Mistake..? What mistake..?
      That wasn’t a mistake, I’m just trying out a new chord..
      Or I’m fed up playing that solo like that..so I changed it a bit…
      Or I just got a bit experimental…so what..?

      Mistake…Nah. And any ways, I thought it sounded cool…

    • Terry

      What kind of guitar are you playing in this video?

    • Mike

      I’m watching this intro to your video again,again,again. Man that sounds good. What speed would that backing track be?

    • Mike

      Your intro. Kick ass.

    • Jeremy

      I totally agree with this.
      It’s so important in a band situation and sometimes one of the greatest things you’ll play is after a mistake, when you play something you’ve basically never ever played before. Of course – it can go wrong!
      One tip I always remembered was there is the music and the space or gaps. Usually a mistake is a gap in the wrong place.
      When this happens I start creating more gaps or spaces, as though I really meant it. Obviously you need to find your way back and that’s normally only by counting, as Grif says. Create spaces!
      Happy mistakes everyone!

    • Marco

      Love the intro Griff!

      • ACE DRAGON

        VERY COOL.
        NOT TO BE RUDE, I THINK IN YOUR BEGING SOLO, YOU STEPED ON THE PIANO PLAYER WHEN HE WAS DOING HIS TREDLEING. THEN MAYBE THATS THE BLUSE. I KNOW MANY TIMES, I GOT HAMMERD FOR PLAING A LICK OVER THE PIANO PLAYER, WHEN HE WAS DOING HIS SOLO.

    • Dave D

      Great advice as usual! Really enjoy these videos and listening to you play in the beginning!

    • Graham L

      Wisdom, experience, practical advice. The invaluable Griff Hamlin!

Leave a Reply to Mike Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published.