I often speak and write about the pros and cons of the modern internet age.<\/p>\n
On the one hand, we have access to a wealth of material and information that only a few years ago would have been nonexistent to most people.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, this easy access makes “Guitar ADD” (jumping from little tidbit to little tidbit… never really learning anything) a huge problem for most adults (oddly enough, kids don’t seem to suffer from this as much in my experience.)<\/p>\n
There have been many discussions on the Blues Guitar Unleashed member’s forum about this. And I received a great email from a student, Darryl, where he describes his experience with this “Guitar ADD” and the system he uses to combat it.So today I’m going to turn it over to Darryl and put his email here. I’ve modified the formatting slightly to fit this platform…<\/p>\n
\nI’m sure you are going to come up with basically the same thing here Griff, but I have just recognized and formulated a plan for this myself.<\/p>\n
You know sadly, I set down my guitar about 15 years ago. I was so frustrated. I sing and play, and could never break into true solos.<\/p>\n
I did some Chuck Berry type chord solos, but that was it. I spent so much time learning to sing my guitar playing had gone backwards, and the effort needed to bring it back and move it forward was just too daunting.<\/p>\n
Over the years I got down to only being able to play one song, Troubles by Little Feat. And I loved to play guitar before. It was my heart and soul. The worst possible day and you could pick it up and vent it, the best possible day you could pick it up and celebrate.<\/p>\n
Fortunately, a sat down with some guys in the neighbourhood, and got playing again. I had figured out how to play solos over the 15 year hiatus, without picking up the guitar.<\/p>\n
I never got a chance to prove that I had it all figured out, as I stumbled across your 4 note solo before I really tried to break out playing leads. And recently I have started teaching beginner guitar again.<\/p>\n
And while doing this I figured some things out. My method of teaching beginner guitar has always been to teach them the very most basic blues rythm, in A where it is easiest to play, and G, C and D.<\/p>\n
I teach them absolutely no more then they need to know so they can play songs. We all remember how hard it was to push down those strings the first time, and if these people are gonna put in the effort, let’s get them playing “music” as fast as possible so they get a payoff.<\/p>\n
And that’s when i realized, I don’t do this myself. I bounce around from song to song, lick to lick, this cool thing and that cool thing.<\/p>\n
That is why I never broke the lead guitar barrier 15 years ago(although the 4 note solo would have done that for me back then) and it stops me from learning things now.<\/p>\n
So I have started making lists. This is what I’m working on “Now”. This is my main focus to learn, “Now”. I keep it short, I try to get the time to play it every day.<\/p>\n
Right now it is 6 bluesy tunes. The list prior was 6 new lead licks. (and I mean short 1 bar fragments).<\/p>\n
I keep the list short, and I try and practice it everyday of course. And i keep on it until they are a permanent part of my repetoire.<\/p>\n
When I get distracted, and start to learn something not on this current list, it goes on a second list, “things I want to learn.”<\/p>\n
So as I make room on my “Now” list, I can look through the “Things I want to learn” list for what want to learn most, or what will give me the greatest payoff, and move them over to the “Now” list.<\/p>\n
And one more thing. I keep that “Now” list in my grasp. I have set a special song to learn “Rude Mood” that is just more then i have time to learn right now. So it is kinda my special song after i practice my “Now” list.<\/p>\n
I have it broken down into 16 parts, and have been up 2 playing 7 of those parts, and am currently back down to 3. I know I’m capable of playing it all, but i really don’t have enough time to learn it right now.<\/p>\n
16 parts at such speed is just a little more then I can learn quickly. So putting it in my “Now” list would only frustrate me.<\/p>\n
Instead I have 6 new cool licks I am playing, and 5 of 6 new songs I can now play in about 6 weeks. And I’m about to add some new stuff to the “Now” list.<\/p>\n
When I finally get Rude Mood down, I will replace it with another song or equa difficulty to me.<\/p>\n
So my method is really keeping short list of “Now” songs that are going to be acheiveable for me to learn, and make them my first thing to practice.<\/p>\n
Outside of that list, I can still be learning how 50 other songs are played, and drift around, and I even keep them on a list so my favourites can make it onto my “Now” list.<\/p>\n
And if you want to work on something outside of your skill level, pick one, and work on it after your “Now” list.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Personally I really like this idea and I’m going to try it out for myself. I like lists already and use them a lot, so it makes good sense to me. Your results may vary, of course, and this may not necessarily be the best way for you.<\/p>\n
But whether or not Darryl’s way works for you, it’s important to focus on a single thing or a small group of things at a time. The things you focus on are the things that will improve.<\/p>\n
If you have some practicing or focus tips of your own, please leave them in the comments section.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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