Help For N00bies...

Stairway

Hey guys...I've been playing for about a year now and I've gotten decent at playing chords and such. I can play a majority of songs that are simply chordal, but when it comes to quick picking, attempting solos, etc....I'm just not that great. I realize the solos are out of my league, but can anyone suggest some practice methods to speed my pick up?

Thanks!!

nick1977

Stairway wrote:

Hey guys...I've been playing for about a year now and I've gotten decent at playing chords and such. I can play a majority of songs that are simply chordal, but when it comes to quick picking, attempting solos, etc....I'm just not that great. I realize the solos are out of my league, but can anyone suggest some practice methods to speed my pick up?

Thanks!!

Get a book that teaches scales. Learning the scales are a must for playing solos. There a lots of books out there. I've used books from Mel Bay, but there are other good ones out there too. Once you learn the scales, solos come much easier.

As for speed, start off very slow, and learn each note properly. Once you program your brain as to where your fingers are supposed to go, speed will come. Also, work on your right hand picking technique.

BinFrog

For a good jump start, try learn just one form of the major scale, and figure out different ways of picking it

for instance a simple form of the a major scale:

e|

---

24(5)
B|

---

235
G|

---

(2)4
D|

---

246
A|---245
E|(5)

Notes in parentheses are root notes. The numbers themselves are frets. Start that A note on the E string using your pinkie. The only stretch you have to do is on the D string when you go up to the 6th fret. Otherwise you use your pointer on the 2nd fret, middle finger on the 3rd, ring on 4th and pinky on 5th fret.

Once you get that fairly fluid up AND down the strings (think Do-Re-Mi-Fa-So-La-Ti-Do as you do it), work on alternate pickings.

For instance, take the first run (octave) from A on the E string to A on the G string:

Instead of playing the notes in order like: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8(1) (these aren't the frets anymore, just notes of the major scale...your root note is #1, and subsequently also #8)
Try:
1 2 3 - 2 3 4 - 3 4 5 - 4 5 6 - 5 6 7 - 6 7 8
and reverse it.

or maybe try: 1 3 - 2 4 - 3 5 - 4 6 - 5 7 - 6 8

Work these patterns up and down the neck. Try it in a different key like B or C. If you get really good at them, try to map out what the notes are and see if you see any patterns. Can you find other fingerings of the major scale? There are tons of them, the one I provided is only one!

Stairway

Thanks for the tips, guys!

BinFrog

Any luck with this stuff?

Tav

Try books on soloing or google it. To speed up your picking and get into soloing you should started learning scales. Playing them slowly to begin with then speeding them up over time. To be over eager to go fast straight away it takes a lot of time. Concentrate on hitting every note correctly and maintaining good technique. It would probably be best to try some books or if you can get some proper instruction. It'll help prevent learning bad habits and making mistakes in your technique.

Chromatice scales where you play a fret per finger, so say 1234 on the E and then 1234 on the A and so on...do these up and down the strings and the neck...again if you google this there are plenty of lessons on the internet.

When learning solos by other bands break them down into little licks...maybe just 3 or 4 notes. Practice it piece by piece then string it all together.