GUITARHABITS

9 Effective Ways to Increase Your Guitar Picking Speed

March 29, 2021 by Klaus Crow

Working on increasing your picking speed is not just for the hell fire speed wannabe’s.

Once your speed increases your whole style of playing loosens up. Your fingers will feel light and flexible and you’ll gain much more freedom in your playing.

Your fingers will float easily across the strings without trying so hard. It’s an important skill to work on and to maintain.

Increasing your picking speed comes with obstacles, victories, ups and downs, lots of patience and hard work. It’s all about practicing and equally important “the right way of practicing”. Just practicing a lot of hours doesn’t necessarily increase your picking speed if you don’t do it the right way.

Every individual has it’s own specific hurdles to overcome, but if you focus on these tips you are already off to a great start.

You can do it too!
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6 Cool Major Scale Sequences to Get Better

By Klaus Crow 10 Comments

May 15, 2019 by Klaus Crow

Photo by mikelao26

If you’re new to scale sequences I suggest you check out “6 Basic Major Scale Sequences / Melodic Patterns” first. That’s where I explain why and how you should practice scale sequences.

This is Part II of the previous post and if you got the basic scale sequences under your belt you’re pretty much up for this challenge.

I recommend you play these sequenses along with a metronome: “www.metronomeonline.com” It’s the best way to make progress in accuracy and speed. Start out really slow and gradually build up your speed. Only go faster when you can play each note clear and correctly.

The sequences are for the intermediate and advanced. They are tricky but incredibly fun to play.

Enjoy and improve!


SEQUENCE #1 ascending
e:-----------------|-------------------|
B:-----------------|-------------------|
G:-----------------|-------------------|
D:---------------2-|-------4-----2-5---|
A:-----2-5---2-3---|-2-3-5---3-5-------|
E:-3-5-----5-------|-------------------|
 
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6 Basic Major Scale Sequences / Melodic Patterns

By Klaus Crow 8 Comments

July 18, 2015 by Klaus Crow

Photo by Gideon

When I first learned to play sequences I didn’t know what all the fuzz was about. Why was it so important to learn all these “sequences” or as some prefer to call them “melodic patterns”?

Anyhow, I did enjoy playing them because after a while I got into this flow and it sounded kinda cool.

Once I really got the hang of it I came to learn the benefits of mastering sequences

Sequences will improve your technique and ability to improvise and create melody on the spot.

Your playing becomes more flexible, creative and it’ll keep you from sounding like someone who is playing scales all the time. :-)

In other words… Want to improve your technique or want to improve your improvising skills?

Go ahead and work hard on these assignments.

Enjoy!

Assignment #1: Memorize the G Major scale and play it using alternate picking.

Assignment #2: Memorize the 6 sequences below (ascending and descending) and play them through the cycle of fourths. (in the key G, C, F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, B, E, A, D, G)

Assignment #3: Incorporate bits and pieces of each sequence into your improvisation.

Assignment #4: Try to make melodies from the patterns, play with the notes, experiment with timing and rhythm, turn things around, extend or shorten the duration/length of some of the notes, create pauses, etc.

These assignments will keep you busy for a while. Be patient and take your time!

G MAJOR SCALE e:-----------------------------2-3------| B:-------------------------3-5----------| G:------------------2-4-5---------------| D:-----------2-4-5----------------------| A:-----2-3-5----------------------------| E:-3-5----------------------------------| G MAJOR SCALE descending e:--3-2---------------------------------| B:-------5-3----------------------------| G:------------5-4-2---------------------| D:-------------------5-4-2--------------| A:--------------------------5-3-2-------| E:---------------------------------5-3--|

SEQUENCE #1 ascending e:----------------|-----------------|-------------------| B:----------------|-----------------|-------------------| G:----------------|-----------------|---------------2---| D:----------------|-------2-----2-4-|---2-4-5-2-4-5-----| A:-----2-3--2-3-5-|-2-3-5---3-5-----|-5-----------------| E:-3-5-----5------|-----------------|-------------------| Continue Reading

Finding Confidence in Your Guitar Playing

By Klaus Crow 6 Comments

May 15, 2019 by Klaus Crow

Photo by Ashley Webb
When you learn to play guitar there are moments when you’ll feel insecure or frustrated about your playing one way or another.

You might doubt if your ever gonna learn a particular piece as well as you would like to. You may feel hopeless about your technique or you might be disappointed about your overall results.

I had many doubts, I guess I was as much insecure about my playing as I was confident.

One way I overcame most of these insecurities is when I started reading and learning about how the mind works. The wisdom obtained from Zen and Taoism can make a huge difference in your playing. The other way to find solid self asteem has to do with how you practice.

Let ‘s take a look at the keys to becoming a true confident guitar player:

As you are so is the world ~ Ramana Maharshi

What does this quote teach you about guitar playing? Continue Reading

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