the more i practice the worse i get

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Granny33
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the more i practice the worse i get

Unread post by Granny33 » Thu May 13, 2004 5:20 pm

i've been playing guitar 15-30 minutes 3 or 4 days a week for like a year and a half. the last 3 weeks i've rele started to get into it more and i'm practicing 2 hours + every day, doing finger excersices learning scales and theory and all sorts of sh*t. can someone please tell me why ive gotton a ton worse at guitar and now totally suck?
I can't believe that we would lie in our graves,
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1eyed_jack
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Unread post by 1eyed_jack » Thu May 13, 2004 5:53 pm

take day off and relax

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Unread post by EnFuego » Thu May 13, 2004 6:43 pm

1eyed_jack wrote:take day off and relax
thats a good idea. Sometimes when i am having trouble with a song I have to take a break for a day and it seems to come the next day.
"A George divided against itself cannot stand!"

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filmdude100cms
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Unread post by filmdude100cms » Thu May 13, 2004 7:13 pm

im in the same problem here, ive like started messin up on stuff i can do in my sleep when i play, and i got a big gig on tuesday, hate to do this, but i might not touch a guitar tommarow.

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mdel21
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Unread post by mdel21 » Thu May 13, 2004 7:14 pm

Sometimes I go two or three days without playing. Or if I do, I don't play anything I want to learn. I just strum and pick nonsense.

Granny33
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Unread post by Granny33 » Thu May 13, 2004 8:18 pm

yea i'm doin that, i'm also reading stuff on how to like get better and stuff practicing. interesting stuff, check out the lessons part of http://www.ultimate-guitar.com
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dreaming of things we might have been.

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dmbguitar718
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Unread post by dmbguitar718 » Thu May 13, 2004 9:15 pm

Granny33 wrote:yea i'm doin that, i'm also reading stuff on how to like get better and stuff practicing. interesting stuff, check out the lessons part of http://www.ultimate-guitar.com
Definately take a break. After waiting like 5 days or so, you'll want to play sooo bad. after the break, it seems like you've gotten alot better. i've had to do it on vacations, not fun.
Pat McInnis

Thomas
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Unread post by Thomas » Thu May 13, 2004 11:48 pm

wow, i don't think in the 2 years i've been playing that i've ever gone a day without picking up my guitar for at least a minute...

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Unread post by MWR » Fri May 14, 2004 12:15 am

Maybe because your taking on more advanced concepts and realizing subconsciously that your not as good as you thought you were when in actuality your getting better. Or your getting worse. It's gotta be one of those.

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Unread post by Davy28 » Fri May 14, 2004 12:25 am

I don't believe in practicing 3-4 hours per day. I just make sure I practice every day, whether it be 15 min to an hour. practicing a little bit every day is the key
Forget about the reasons and the treasons we are seeking
Forget about the notion that our emotions can be swept away, kept at bay
Forget about being guilty, we are innocent instead
For soon we will all find our lives swept away

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taylordb
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Unread post by taylordb » Fri May 14, 2004 4:54 am

Every time that has happened to me is just about when I seem to make a "breakthrough" into the next skill level.
Chill out a bit, like the others have said...play somethings completely different, or just put it down for a couple of days...then come back to it.
You're only as strong as the tables you dance on.

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Unread post by c_tietze » Fri May 14, 2004 8:13 am

Take a break. Seriously, clear your mind.

Secondly, always remember that your fingers can always reproduce a passage of music quickly if they can play a passage of music slowly and accurately.

Practice slowly and then build your speed.

Search for Jamie Andreas - he plays acoustic and classical, he's an instructor and he has a book out and his online lessons are clear an very helpful.

Peace,

CJT
~ And rain washed away all her tears and I smiled done away was the sum of all my fears ~

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ShawnRT
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Unread post by ShawnRT » Fri May 14, 2004 9:12 am

Like any group of muscles, your fingers will tire after days of repeated/stressful use. Give them a day or two off to heal and you'll be amazed at how much better you sound on the third day. Plus sometimes you just need a mental break.

MWR was right in that the better you get, the more you realize that you have to learn.

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tjmac66pc
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Re: the more i practice the worse i get

Unread post by tjmac66pc » Fri May 14, 2004 10:39 am

Granny33 wrote:i've been playing guitar 15-30 minutes 3 or 4 days a week for like a year and a half. the last 3 weeks i've rele started to get into it more and i'm practicing 2 hours + every day, doing finger excersices learning scales and theory and all sorts of sh*t. can someone please tell me why ive gotton a ton worse at guitar and now totally suck?
also, sometimes i think we cram our minds with learning new songs and styles that we forget music is all about rhythm...concentrate on slowing things down a little bit...ie. if dave plays at 5mph, you play at 2.5mph... and really try to feel the rhythm with your strumming and picking...by slowing it down and playing with more of a natural flow, you'll start to learn how to pick things up a little quicker and more accurately...this how you learn difficult songs like tripping billies and such...whenever i'm in a rut, i slow things down and 'reset' my rhythm...it works virtually all the time...and opens the door quicker for learning new/tougher songs...just my philosophy

Granny33
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Unread post by Granny33 » Fri May 14, 2004 3:35 pm

yea i totally agree on the learn slow thing. i read this whole thing on how accuracy = speed or something like that, and i want to get every note perfect, and start nice and slow and work it up.
I can't believe that we would lie in our graves,
dreaming of things we might have been.

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