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Question: I need tips for getting better at guitar!!?
I play rhythm guitar in a local metal band!. Recently i've noticed with school and exams my skills have fallen short (at least compared to the summer)!. I want to start playing lead parts!.

Some things I'm having trouble with are:

- alternate picking while alternating strings (think speed riffs)
- bluesy riffs
-soloing
-upward picking
-sweep picking
-chords
-breaking in my pinky

I notice I get lethargic now playing guitar and I want to seriously start getting better!. Any suggestions!? Exercises!? Anything!?Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
Alternate picking while alternating strings - Work on even note patterns like 4 notes a string, 6 notes a string etc, and keep switching strings!.

For odd note patterns, like 3 and 5, work on economy picking!. It's where you use 1 stroke to move to the next string!. For example on the E string you'd pick up down up, then take that last up stroke to the A string and do the same picking pattern!.

Bluesy riffs - Mess with the blues scale!. You can find a lot of scale patterns on www!.wholenote!.com and they should be able to help you out!. Listen to blues players like Clapton and Bonamassa, and you can get a great idea on how to phrase!.

Soloing - This covers a lot!. You need to be able to understand the notes you hear in your head and convert it to the fret board, that means ear training!. You also need to know how to play the changes, which means knowing chord scales and the notes in each chord!. also, you need phrasing!.

Soloing is something you build over a long time, and you won't be able to just snap right into it!. Try transcribing some solos that are on your level first and then increase the difficulty of them when you can play each one perfectly!.

-Upward picking will be helped with alternate exercises, but you can also just do upstrokes through a scale to help you get used to them!.

Sweep picking - Ahh!. What a *****!. After picking a note, you have to immediately have you pick leaning into the next string!. This makes it fluid and happen all in one motion!. Get some shapes together across 3 or 4 strings and after some awkward practice you'll get used to it!.

Chords - I don't know what you need here, but check out that website wholenote!.com for a lot of chord help!. also, look at the notes in chords and the tensions and think about what other chords have similar notes!. Most of the times you can use those similar chords to comp!.

And finally the pinky!. Just work it when you play other exercises like the alternate picking one!. It'll get there eventually!.

Well that was long winded!. Good luck!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Some people have self-discipline to learn by boring practice but for everyone else, the best way to get better is to pick a song you like and learn it!. So find the songs you like that have challenging parts, and learn it!. Either you will learn or you will hate the song!. Doing scales and other drills by themselves without the reward of the song is a one way ticket to boredom for most people!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

The best cure for poor playing, boredom, frustration etc!. is to take a few lessons!. You don't have to sign up for a lifetime!. Find a good teacher and study with them as long as it takes to get you back on track!.Www@QuestionHome@Com