6.1; 6.2; .3; stay on until i can do full speed or move on?

rogermack50

Blues Newbie
I can do all 3 exercises fine with the Slow Speed Vid's, but fall way short on the full speed. So my question is do I continue on to 7.1 while continuing to get my speed up to time or should I stay and keep practicing until I can master the speed. Note: I am 66 and always had a problem with speed. If I stay on the Chapter 6 exercises how do I gain the speed needed? Thanks...
 

HotLks

Blues - it's in me and it's got to come out.
When I can play something all the way through but not at target speed I start each day of practice going through the stuff I know but slowly and get it burned into memory and out to fingers. Progress with speed eventually brings my playing to what it should be. The new stuff comes after the run through on the the old stuff. I still run through difficult lessons from last year. If for no other reason than to hear myself play something I actually know. Doing this is actually a good warm up. Pay very close attention to the details of HOW you move from note to note to chord. As time goes on you may find a better way to get from point A to point B that will improve the speed of your movement. I like to say, "The secret is right there in front of you. You just don't see it yet." I don't practice enough so my progress is slower than it could be. I'm still moving forward, just slowly.

See you down the road! :thumbup:
 

Jay F

Blues Newbie
If by move on you mean you will continue to practice lesson 6 but want to also start learning lesson 7 I would say go for it. Lesson 7 does not build on from lesson 6, they are quite different. I am currently working on both. In fact, for me lesson 7 is easier than lesson 6.
 
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Griff

Vice Assistant General Manager
Staff member
I'd suggest some of both - do the slow version a couple of times, and the full speed version a couple of times. Speed takes some time... and for some folks more time than others (based on a LOT of factors.)

But, if you have it memorized, and it's just a speed issue, don't let it stop you from continuing through the course.
 
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Walt H

cloudbase - Aint got time for gravity
I realize this is a bit old but I worked on this one for a while before I could get full speed. And I am sure there are others who have issues with the speed aspect. There is a gear wheel in the lower right corner of the video. You can crank up the slow version to 1.25 speed, and 1.5 speed. Which are nice intermediate steps to getting it up to full speed. You can also slow down the full speed version to .75 speed
 

dwparker

Bluesologist
If there are certain passages which keep hanging you up on the overall speed, concentrate on those in isolation and burn them into your fingers. Then go back to the whole exercise and see if there is any improvement. This has worked for me in the past with other genres of music.
 

Kim

Blues Newbie
I realize this is a bit old but I worked on this one for a while before I could get full speed. And I am sure there are others who have issues with the speed aspect. There is a gear wheel in the lower right corner of the video. You can crank up the slow version to 1.25 speed, and 1.5 speed. Which are nice intermediate steps to getting it up to full speed. You can also slow down the full speed version to .75 speed
Thanks for pointing out that feature. I have trouble with speeding up...My playing just turns to slop. Gradually increasing the speed instead of jumping right in at full speed should help me tremendously.
 

Rad

Blues Newbie
Speed with accuracy comes last. Move on to new stuff and practice the older stuff to improve speed every day.

I use a online rhythm/drum program that lets me pick a wide variety of styles of rhythm and then lets me instantly adjust tempo from very slow to 200bpm in 5bpm increments. I take a part I’m trying to increase speed on and set the bpm so I can play it clean, then move up until I can’t play it clean then I go back 5 bpm and stay there until I have it even better Then move up again. Eventually I’m up to the tempo I’m was shooting for. I remember one complicated long lick a couple years ago that took me a year to get down pretty good. Stick with it.

good luck
 
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Paleo

Student Of The Blues
Audacity (free) will let you set an imported audio track to any tempo you want.

Once I've watched Griff demonstrate an example I then work from the audio.
 

Doodlebug

Blues Newbie
Hi all, I use a metronome and increase the tempo very gradually each day, I find it works but it all takes time.
Don’t beat yourself up and hang too long on one exercise just come back to it in time and I’ll bet you can play it better.
 
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