Speed Improvement - Guitar Tips

Hey it’s Visal here guys,

Today I’m going to be bringing you a few more tips to help with the speed improvement exercises I posted earlier. I posted a lesson on a similar topic in the past as well. Consider this as the continuation. Be sure to check out that past lesson as well in the archives section.

Tips like the ones I’m about to mention are important but often neglected by many. Put these into effect and it will propel you past a standstill which some of you may be having with regard to speed picking.

This first tip has actually nothing to do with you or your playing method but might help those struggling due to the neglect of this. It is to GET A THICK PICK. If you have a bendy pick, which helps your rhythm playing or what not, it’s time you get a thick pick if you want to play fast. The reason in short being that a bendy pick will bend as you play a note and will not have the time to reset to it’s original position before the playing of the next note which will hamper your speed to a great extent. If you prefer nylon picks, I recommend a pick in excess of 1mm. If you prefer plastic picks, a 1mm pick is a good size to start out with.

When holding a pick try hold the pick closer to the base of your thumb (as close to the striation of the thumb without having more than 20% of the pick below the cross striation). This will give you better grip and control and finally speed.

It will also assist in the pick slanting method, which I taught you earlier. It will help you go through notes with the feeling of slicing butter. Again, don’t slant it up or down but sideways. If you slant it up, your down strokes will be harder, if you slant it down, your up strokes are harder. So I recommend that if you are slanting the pick up or down as mentioned, CHANGE IT!!!

This is a rather strange but effective tip for which to move your picking hand. Take your hand forward and keep it vertically (as if to shake someone’s hand). Then try to twitch it clockwise and anti-clockwise (very slightly) repeatedly. Now hold your pick and attempt the same thing (aim for that same feeling as the twitch) on just one string holding a single note to begin with. It will be crude at first, but if you work on it, you will surely get way better with regard to your speed picking if you master this. Slowly move on to picking a few notes and then finally to scales and what not on different strings.

I know some of this might not be very clear. It’s hard to just type it out. If there is any doubt, don’t hesitate to ask me. Comment or mail me (address is on the right).

Visal.

Picking Speed Exercises - Increase Picking Speed

Hey how’s it going guys,

Today’s lesson is a follow-up to a past lesson. I’m going to teach you a few more exercises today to really develop both your picking hand and your fretting hand and help you pick faster and more fluently.

Let’s dive right into it. Check the exercise 1 prior to this lesson.

Speed Improvement Exercise 2

This is very similar to the first exercise (refer to the first lesson). Assign a particular fret to each finger. All four fingers must be on frets with no frets space in between. Unlike in the previous lesson where you just played the four notes back and forth on each string and fret, here, play the four notes in a different order. I’m not going to specify which order, but start simple and then play sequences, which feel really awkward. With time this feeling will pass and your fingers will get accustomed to stretch and play difficult note sequences. Thus enabling you to play fast.

Speed Improvement Exercise 3

Keep your index finger on the fifth fret of the high E string. First play the note on the eighth fret with your pinky and pull off to the fifth fret. Then hammer-on the 6^th fret with your middle finger followed by another hammer-on with the pinky on the 8^th fret. Then do two pull-offs from the 8^th to the 6^th and afterwards the 6^th to the 5^th. Continue this cycle but the second time onwards don’t pick the first note or any other note. Start slow then speed up. Play this on different frets too. Don’t forget the play this on different strings as each string has a different feel to it. Also play this exercise replacing the middle finger with the ring finger but on the 7^th fret to exercise the ring finger as well.

Speed Improvement Exercise 4

This exercise will truly develop finger strength and soon speed. Keep your first finger on any fret of any string. Then do continuous trills (hammer-ons and pull-offs) with the middle finger for as long as you can. Try to keep the fretting hand as straight as you can. Then do the same with the ring finger and pinky and on different string as well.

Keep on the lookout for a lesson on new picking tips,

Visal.

How to Deal with Stage Fright for Guitarists

Hey guys,

Before I start up on the lesson, I have a small question for you. What do you think is the most versatile guitar from the Fender Stratocaster and the Gibson Les Paul Standard? Comment or mail me your answer.

Today I thought of putting up a post that I think will truly benefit most guitarists who play for bands. Even the beginners who have to play in front of a small crowd of friends can take a lot from this. Everyone has to deal with stage fright. Before a performance, I usually get a little jittery and whether you are a pro or an amateur guitarist you still get a little cold before your first performance onstage. So todays lesson will be on how to conquer stage fright or playing in front of a crowd in general.

Here are a few tips that helped me deal with my stage fright that I think will help you deal with yours.

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

The main point to remember in this regard is to make sure to practice your material in and out. Be completely fluent with it. This will help you build up confidence in yourself so to think that “I can do this, I’m not going to mess this up, I will conquer this”. So make sure to practice otherwise that confidence won’t show onstage.

DON'T MAKE IT OBVIOUS THAT YOU MESSED UP

Even if you do mess up while improvising a solo and playing some notes, drop out for a second, groove to the music, then come back when you feel confident. Most non-musicians won’t note that, so it’s like nothing ever happened. Otherwise you will just keep flopping notes so that it’s obvious that you’re messing up.

HOW TO HANDLE THE CROWD

At the start of your performance at whatever gig, don’t look at the crowd during the first few minutes. If you make eye contact with people just as you get on, it will make you even more nervous. After you start easing in to your groove, then start making eye contact with people. Till then, just move around grooving to the music, face another band member and just rock with them for while. BUT DON'T COMPLETELY IGNORE THE CROWD IN THE STARTING FEW MINUTES ALSO!!

When you gain confidence and begin to properly face the crowd, don’t make direct eye contact (not at the very beginning that is). Focus at a point like the back of the crowd until you get the confidence to make eye contact and involve the crowd in the music.

Even so, the MOST IMPORTANT thing to remember is to just HAVE FUN. Don’t just stand scared onstage. Enjoy it. This will help you the most in dealing with your stage fright.

Cheers guys, hope this helps all the guitarists who play in bands and even the beginners who have to play in front of a small crowd of friends,

Visal.

Guitar Fun Fact of the Day!!
Leo Fender couldn't play the guitar. He was a saxophonist.

Blackbird Guitar Tab - Alter Bridge

Hey guys,

So after sharing a video of Alter Bridge’s Blackbird, I thought why not put up the tabs of this awesome song as well. It’s all in there.

Verse riff

|----------------------------------------0------------------|

|-------3------------3------------3-------3-----------------|

|-3-------3-----2------0----2-------2------2-----2----3-----|

|-------------------------------------------0----------0----|

|-----------------------------------------------------------|

|-3--3----------3--3--------2---2-----2-------0--1--1-----1-|

|-------------------------------|

|-------------------------------|

|-3p2-0-------------0---------0-|

|-------0--------0----------0---|

|-----------8----------8--------|

|-----------6--6-------5--5-----|

|----------------------------------------0------------------|

|-------3------------3------------3-------3-----------------|

|-3-------3-----2------0----2-------2------2-----2----3-----|

|-------------------------------------------0----------0----|

|-----------------------------------------------------------|

|-3--3----------3--3--------2---2-----2-------0--1--1-----1-|

|-------------------------------|

|-------------------------------|

|-3p2-0-------------0---------0-|

|-------0--------0----------7---|

|-----------8----------8--------|

|-----------6--6-------5--5-----|

|--------------------------------------------|

|--------------------------------------------|

|----------------------------------5---5--5--|

|----------------------8---8--8----7---7--7--| x2

|-5------5------3------8---8--8----8---8--8--|

|-3--5b--2--5b--1--5b--6---6--6----5---5--5--|

Chorus Riff!

|-------------------------------------------------|

|-------------------------------------------------|

|-------------------------------------------------| strumming pattern not

|-8--8-8--7--7-7--3--3-3--2--2-2--8--8-8--7--7-7--| exact!

|-6--6-6--5--5-5--3--3-3--3--3-3--6--6-6--5--5-5--|

|-6--6-6--5--5-5--1--1-1--0--0-0--6--6-6--5--5-5--|

2nd verse

|----------------------------------------0------------------|

|-------3------------3------------3-------3-----------------|

|-3-------3-----2------0----2-------2------2-----2----3-----|

|-------------------------------------------0----------0----|

|-----------------------------------------------------------|

|-3--3----------3--3--------2---2-----2-------0--1--1-----1-|

|-------------------------------|

|-------------------------------|

|-3p2-0-------------0---------0-|

|-------0--------0----------0---|

|-----------8----------8--------|

|-----------6--6-------5--5-----|

|----------------------------------------0------------------|

|-------3------------3------------3-------3-----------------|

|-3-------3-----2------0----2-------2------2-----2----3-----|

|-------------------------------------------0----------0----|

|-----------------------------------------------------------|

|-3--3----------3--3--------2---2-----2-------0--1--1-----1-|

|-------------------------------|

|-------------------------------|

|-3p2-0-------------0---------0-|

|-------0--------0----------7---|

|-----------8----------8--------|

|-----------6--6-------5--5-----|

Second Chorus (2:28)

|-------------------------------------------------|

|-------------------------------------------------|

|-------------------------------------------------|

|-8--8-8--7--7-7--3--3-3--2--2-2--8--8-8--7--7-7--| strumming pattern not

|-6--6-6--5--5-5--3--3-3--3--3-3--6--6-6--5--5-5--| exact!

|-6--6-6--5--5-5--1--1-1--0--0-0--6--6-6--5--5-5--|

|-----------------------------------------------------------|

|-----------------------------------------------------------|

|-----------------------------------------------------------|

|-5-5-5--7-7-7--8-8-8--10-10-10--8-8-8--7-7-7--3-3-3--2-2-2-|

|-x-x-x--x-x-x--x-x-x--x--x--x---6-6-6--5-5-5--3-3-3--3-3-3-|

|-3-3-3--5-5-5--6-6-6--8--8--8---6-6-6--5-5-5--1-1-1--0-0-0-|

|----------------------------------------------------------|

|----------------------------------------------------------|

|----------------------------------------------------------|

|-8-8-8-8-8-8-7-----8--7------------7--7-8-11--12--11------|

|-6-6-6-5-5-5-5-----6--5--5h6--5----5--5-6-9---10--9----6--|

|-6-6-6--------------------------8-------------------------|

                                                 |tremolo bar down

|-------------------------------------------------------|

|-------------------------------------------------------|

|-------------------------------------------------------|

|-7-8-7-----------7---------4-4/8--7-7/10--5-----0---3--|

|-5-6-5--6-5------5----5--6-----------------------------| 

|-------------8-----------------------------------------|

Myles Riff (3:22)

|------------------------------------|

|---------------20-------------------|

|--------19-----------19----22--19---|

|-17--17---17------17----17----------|

|------------------------------------|

|------------------------------------|

Now comes Mark's Riff While Myles Is Playing the above riff

|---------------------------------------|

|---------------------------------------|

|----5----7--5--5/7----5----8-7---5/7---|

|-5-5--5------5-----5-5--5------5-------|

|---------------------------------------|

|---------------------------------------|

|--------------------------------------|

|--------------------------------------|

|----5----7--5--5/7-----5---/10--8p7\5-|

|-5-5--5------5-----5--5--5------------|

|--------------------------------------|

|--------------------------------------|

|----------------------------------------------------------------|

|----------------------------------------------------------------|

|----3---3-2-0-2/3------5---5-3p2-0-----5---7-5---5/7----5---5/7-|

|-5-5--5-------------5-5--5----------5-5--5-----5-----5-5--5-----|

|----------------------------------------------------------------|

|----------------------------------------------------------------|

Now myles is playing nothing and mark is playing this

riff which he also plays during myles solo.

At about 3:59

|-----------------------------------------------------|

|-----------------------------------------------------|

|--0----3------3p2---0--------2---3p2-------0----0----|

|-----------------------------------------------------|

|-----------------------------------------------------|

|-3---3---3--3-----3----3---3---3------3--3----3---3--|

|--------------------------------------------|

|--------------------------------------------|

|--0----8---8p7---5------7---7-----7----7----|

|--------------------------------------------|

|-6--6----6-----6--6---6---6---6--6--6----6--|

|--------------------------------------------|

|-----------------------------------------|

|-----------------------------------------|

|-------------------------------------7---|

|---8p7---5------4----5--------5p4--------|

|-----------------------------------------|

|-6----6---6---5---5-----5---5-----5-----5|

|-------------------------------------------|

|-------------------------------------------|

|-------3--------------3---------------0----|

|--0--------------0-------------0-----------|

|-------------------------------------------|

|-3--3----3----3----3-----3---3-----3----3--|

|-----------------------------------------------------|

|-----------------------------------------------------|

|--2---2-------0-----3-------3p2---0-------2---3p2----|

|-----------------------------------------------------|

|-----------------------------------------------------|

|-3--3----3--3---3------3---3----3---0---3----3-----3-|

|----------------------------------------------------------------|

|----------------------------------------------------------------|

|---0----0------0---8------8p7---5--------10----8------7h8---7---|

|----------------------------------------------------------------|

|-------------6---6---6--6----6-----6---6-----6---6--6-----6---6-|

|-3---3----3-----------------------------------------------------|

|-----------------------------------------------------------|

|-----------------------------------------------------------|

|----------------------------------------------------7------|

|---7----8-----8p7-----5--------4----5-------5p4------------|

|-----------------------------------------------------------|

|-6---6----6--------6----6---5----5----5---5-------5----5---|

|-------------------------------------------------------|

|-------------------------------------------------------|

|-------0---------2-----3-------------0--------2-----2--|

|--0------------------------------0---------------------|

|-------------------------------------------------------|

|-3--3-----3---3-----3-----3----3---3---3---3-----3-----|

Myles Solo

                       

|-------------------------------------|

|-------------------------------------|

|----------------3-3-5-5--5b----------|

|5~----5----5--5----------------------|

|-----------------------------------1-|

|-------------------------------------|

|----------------------------------------------|

|------------------8---------------------------|

|---3--5-3---5/7------7\5-----5--3-5b--5b-3----|

|-5------------------------------------------5-|

|----------------------------------------------|

|----------------------------------------------|

|----------------------------------------|

|-11b------------------------------------|

|-12b--12-10-12-10-----------------------|

|-------------------12\10-8-10b-8-10b-8--|

|----------------------------------------|

|----------------------------------------|

|-------------------------------------------------|

|--------------------------15----15b--14--13--15--|

|-----------12--10--12--12----12------------------|

|----12-------------------------------------------|

|-10----10----------------------------------------|

|-------------------------------------------------|

|-------------18-18-20-18-20b----18------20b---|

|-------20-20-----------------------20---------|

|-18-19----------------------------------------|

|----------------------------------------------|

|----------------------------------------------|

|----------------------------------------------|

|--------------17----17--18-20-20-20-18-|

|--19--19--20---------------------------|

|---------------------------------------|

|---------------------------------------|

|---------------------------------------|

|---------------------------------------|

Rhythm For Mark's Solo

|-------------------------------------------------|

|-------------------------------------------------|

|-------------------------------------------------|

|-8--8-8--7--7-7--3--3-3--2--2-2--8--8-8--7--7-7--| strumming pattern not

|-6--6-6--5--5-5--3--3-3--3--3-3--6--6-6--5--5-5--| exact!

|-6--6-6--5--5-5--1--1-1--0--0-0--6--6-6--5--5-5--|

Mark's Solo

|-15-17-17b-17b-15----15--17--15h17p15----15-------------|

|------------------18------------------18----18-15---18b-|

|----------------------------------------------------17b-|

|--------------------------------------------------------|

|--------------------------------------------------------|

|--------------------------------------------------------|

|-------------------------------------------------------|

|-------------------------------------------------------|

|-14---12-14--14b-14b--12-------------------------------|

|-------------------------10---------10-12----------10--|

|----------------------------13-10-13-----13-10--13-----|

|-------------------------------------------------------|

|-15-15-15-18-15---------------------------------------------------------|

|----------------15-18b--18-15--18-15-18-15------------18----------------|

|-------------------------------------------17b-15--------17b-15-17---15-|

|--------------------------------------------------17--------------------|

|------------------------------------------------------------------------|

|------------------------------------------------------------------------|

|-3-5-6-5-3-----------------------------------------|

|-----------6-4-3----3-4-6-4-3----------------------|

|-----------------5-------------5-3-2-0----3---5--3-|

|---------------------------------------------------|

|---------------------------------------------------|

|---------------------------------------------------|

|-----------------------------|

|------------------------18b--|

|-2--3-2-----15--17-15---17b--|

|-----------------------------|

|-----------------------------|

|-----------------------------|

|---------------15---------------------18----------|

|-------17b-17b---17b----------17b-17b----17b--15--|

|-14-15------------------14-15---------------------|

|--------------------------------------------------|

|--------------------------------------------------|

|--------------------------------------------------|

|-----18------18-----------|

|-18b----18b------18b-18b--|

|--------------------------|

|--------------------------|

|--------------------------|

|--------------------------|

|-17-17p15------17-17p15------17-17p15------17-17p15-------|

|---------18p15----------18p15---------18p15---------18p15-|

|----------------------------------------------------------|

|----------------------------------------------------------|

|----------------------------------------------------------|

|----------------------------------------------------------|

|-18b-18b-15-------18b--18b-|

|------------18--15---------|

|---------------------------|

|---------------------------|

|---------------------------|

|---------------------------|

this bit really fast!

|-20-15-18-15-17-15-18-15-20-15-18-15-17-15-18-15-20-15----15-18-15---15-|

|-------------------------------------------------------18---------18----|

|------------------------------------------------------------------------|

|------------------------------------------------------------------------|

|------------------------------------------------------------------------|

|------------------------------------------------------------------------|

|-17-15--15-18-15-----------------------|

|------18--------18-16-18-16-15---------|

|-------------------------------17---15-|

|---------------------------------------|

|---------------------------------------|

|---------------------------------------|

Third chorus immediately after the solo

|-------------------------------------------------|

|-------------------------------------------------|

|-------------------------------------------------| strumming pattern not

|-8--8-8--7--7-7--3--3-3--2--2-2--8--8-8--7--7-7--| exact!

|-6--6-6--5--5-5--3--3-3--3--3-3--6--6-6--5--5-5--|

|-6--6-6--5--5-5--1--1-1--0--0-0--6--6-6--5--5-5--|

Chorus Breakdown

|--------------|

|--------------|

|--------------|

|-8------7-----|

|-6------5-----|

|-6------5-----|

Mark plays this riff till the end with distortion

|--------------------------------------------|

|--------------------------------------------|

|--------------------------------------------|

|----------------------8---8--8----7---7--7--|

|-5------5------3------8---8--8----8---8--8--|

|-3--5b--2--5b--1--5b--6---6--6----5---5--5--|

And Myles plays this riff along with Mark Till the end (Distortion)

|--------------------------------------|

|---------------20---------------------|

|--------19-----------19---22p19-------|

|-17--17---17--------------------------|

|--------------------------------------|

|--------------------------------------|

Outro 7:07

Marks Riff (Clean)

|----------------------------------------0------------------|

|-------3------------3------------3-------3-----------------|

|-3-------3-----2------0----2-------2------2-----2----3-----|

|-------------------------------------------0----------0----|

|-----------------------------------------------------------|

|-3--3----------3--3--------2---2-----2-------0--1--1-----1-|

|-------------------------------|

|-------------------------------|

|-3p2-0-------------0---------0-|

|-------0--------0----------0---|

|-----------8----------8--------|

|-----------6--6-------5--5-----|

|----------------------------------------0------------------|

|-------3------------3------------3-------3-----------------|

|-3-------3-----2------0----2-------2------2-----2----3-----|

|-------------------------------------------0----------0----|

|-----------------------------------------------------------|

|-3--3----------3--3--------2---2-----2-------0--1--1-----1-|

|-------------------------------|

|-------------------------------|

|-3p2-0-------------0---------0-|

|-------0--------0----------7---|

|-----------8----------8--------|

|-----------6--6-------5--5-----|

Myles's Riff (Distortion)

|-------------------------------------------|

|----5b-------------------------------------|

|-5b-----8b--6-8-11------3---5--5b---5b-----|

|----------------------5-----------------5--|

|-------------------------------------------|

|-------------------------------------------|

I hope you liked taking a shot at this song. It’s not an easy song, but with practice you should be able to play it. Practice slowly and then speed up!!

Visal.

Guitar Fun Fact of the Day!
The largest playable guitar is 13.29 meters tall and 5.01 meters wide.It weighs 907 kg. The first chords played on it were the opening chords of 'A Hard Day's Night'.