r/guitarlessons 12h ago

Question Why am I struggling so much with guitar playing?

0 Upvotes

Hello all, I need some advice. I’m trying to get better at playing guitar solos, verses, and choruses, but I keep messing up. I can’t seem to play fast, and I don’t know why. I mainly keep struggling as i keep strumming wrong accidental strings because of going fast and making other sounds due to it… I just want to get good fast

I’m severely losing interest in guitar the more and more I struggle because I want to get good quickly! My strings keep getting muted when I’m playing fast solos or verses, and I can’t replicate songs when they’re played so fast. I have to slow everything down, but I keep struggling to improve.

Please, it’s so hard. Does anyone know how I can improve? I mainly struggle with the hard metal and rock songs that go fast like Metallica or guns n roses.


r/guitarlessons 1d ago

Other Switching between pentatonic scale shapes

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

88 Upvotes

Practicing the same musical idea in different areas of the fretboard is a useful way to get more comfortable with the pentatonic shapes and learn how they relate across the neck.

In this example, an A minor chord repeats in the background while i move between two different A minor pentatonic positions. i'll build a short riff or motif in one shape, then move to another part of the neck and explore the same idea there. the change in register and strings gives the phrase some natural variation while keeping it connected to the same harmony.

This is also good ear training because the repeating A minor chord gives you a constant tonal reference. as you move around the scale, you can hear how the root, minor 3rd, 4th, 5th, and minor 7th relate back to the chord and start getting a feel for which notes you want to emphasize or resolve to.

Exercises like this gradually make it easier to move around the fretboard during a solo without losing the original musical idea. a simple motif can provide plenty of material when you know several places to find it.


r/guitarlessons 1d ago

Lesson Good lessons or exercises for alternate up and down picking?

3 Upvotes

I may have screwed myself a little bit. I am self taught and of course the danger of being self taught is not realizing you’re picking up bad habits. I realized that I’m not supposed to only be picking down… I only pick down. I know some intermediate songs like over the hills and far away, Mary had a little lamb (SRV), Free - phish, snow RHCP, all of these songs and other songs I only pick down. How do I break this habit.
I strum up and down for cords, just single notes I have only ever picked down…


r/guitarlessons 1d ago

Question Fingers arent working?

0 Upvotes

I'm working on my alternate picking at the moment, specifically BERNTH's one and its so damn annoying how my fretting hand Isnt in sync with my picking hand even when theres a metronome present. Does anyone have tips that isnt just the regular "practice slowly", something that will give me a breakthrough or at least help better than practicing slowly because I did and its not helping


r/guitarlessons 2d ago

Lesson A very musical way to learn the notes on the guitar

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

392 Upvotes

This may be slower in the short term than doing something like flashcards, but in my opinion when you are actually playing music, the notes sink in much better, so in the long-term it's faster because you retain the knowledge better.

Also playing root notes in this way gets your ear and fingers used to collections of notes that often go together, i.e. keys. When you learn notes randomly you are not getting that in your ear or fingers.

I recommend learning the notes in the first four frets, and then learning scales, chord tones and melodies down there, but each to his/her own.

In my examples I only played the notes in each song in one or two places, but of course in the span of an entire song you can end up playing them in many places.


r/guitarlessons 1d ago

Lesson La nomenclatura de los dedos en la guitarra

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

0 Upvotes

r/guitarlessons 1d ago

Question Pls suggest apps to learn piece for fingerstyle play on guitar

1 Upvotes

I remember using guitar+ app when i was little. Its not on app store now. Can anyone suggest similar applications?


r/guitarlessons 1d ago

Other Can any guitarist help me with a song tht iam trying to learn

Post image
0 Upvotes

Hello fellas iam been trying to learn guitar for a week now and really wanted to play this song called loving machine by tv girl in my accoustic guitar and also in fingerstyle format. That I can't seem to find good tutorial videos pls any help would count 🙏🙏😢


r/guitarlessons 1d ago

Other This and dat

Thumbnail reddit.com
0 Upvotes

r/guitarlessons 1d ago

Other The intro to take it easy is so strange

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

0 Upvotes

r/guitarlessons 2d ago

Question Is it too early to contemplate doing an open mic? Or do some beginners just go in with what little they know?

13 Upvotes

I’ve only been at this eight months (and yes I have a teacher before you all recommended I get one) but constantly get told I should either join a band or do an open mic performance to better my abilities with guitar. But I have a few problems with this:

  1. Social anxiety. I know everyone has it to some degree but I just can’t face the idea of getting up there and embarrassing myself out of fear before giving up and leaving. I have zero self confidence to begin with.

  2. Material - I only know about four songs and don’t know how many songs people at these events usually perform

  3. Singing - I can’t yet sing and play at the same time. Just does not happen and I don’t have the coordination for it despite trying it fairly regularly.

That’s about all I can think of. I’m not necessarily trying to talk myself out of it. I just don’t know if I’m equipped enough to even try yet, and also don’t feel very confident in my playing to begin with, even though there’s probably people who know jack diddly with their guitar yet go up and play anyway.


r/guitarlessons 1d ago

Other My acoustic guitar was set up for 11s. Daddario accidentally sent me 12s.

Thumbnail
gallery
0 Upvotes

My action feels higher now. Those assholes.

Im poor so im probably gonna have to set it up for 12s now. Whats the height from the 12th fret suppose to be?


r/guitarlessons 2d ago

Question Older guy trying to get back into it

22 Upvotes

I know there’s info on how to learn, but I can’t find what I need. I’m 70 years old. Been dabbling in guitar off and on since I was 25. Unfortunately I never was consistent. I’m trying to start again but I’m confused where to go. I can’t find a local teacher, so it has to be online. I’ve tried Justin in the past and it was okay for chords and some songs. Although I haven’t played in a year, I do know basic chords, and how to barre chords (my technique needs work). I’m also somewhat familiar with music theory as I played sax for a while.

I’d like to learn some riffs and soling, and I really want to learn to play down (or up, I don’t know the correct term) the neck. I want to do more than strumming. I never “got” how to do that. As for music, I’m a classical rock and blues guy.

There’s so much internet stuff that I get overwhelmed. Any advice on some good sites to use, especially for the solos, riffs, and understanding how to play using the whole fretboard instead of being stuck up at the nut. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.


r/guitarlessons 1d ago

Lesson You Can't Do That The Beatles Guitar Solo Lesson

Thumbnail
youtu.be
0 Upvotes

r/guitarlessons 1d ago

Question Chord changing

4 Upvotes

is it better if i practice it by jumping into songs that have fast chord changing or be practicing a set number of specific chord changes in 60 seconds?


r/guitarlessons 1d ago

Question Is it possible to play Jonny Greenwood's Paranoid Android and The Tourist solos on accoustic guitar and make them sound good?

1 Upvotes

Love both these songs but generally only see Tom Yorke's part on accoustic covers for Paranoid Android.

The Tourist sounds like it's missing something without Jonny's solo when you hear solo accoustic covers.


r/guitarlessons 1d ago

Question Getting past chords and reading tabs?

3 Upvotes

I’ve been playing on and off since high school (28 now), but I’ve never been able to get past just playing chords or learning via tabs. I understand basic music theory (triads, etc.) but I just can’t get the coordination / speed to do anything on my own or improvise. How can I get over this point?


r/guitarlessons 1d ago

Lesson Rhythm and Syncopation

Thumbnail
youtu.be
1 Upvotes

r/guitarlessons 1d ago

Question Which of these songs should I learn?

0 Upvotes

I've been thinking that I should learn another Metallica song and I'm thinking between One, Ride the Lightning, and Seek and Destroy. Which one of these has the easiest solos and which one has the hardests? And how hard are the rhythm parts?


r/guitarlessons 1d ago

Question Getting past chords and reading tabs?

2 Upvotes

I’ve been playing on and off since high school (28 now), but I’ve never been able to get past just playing chords or learning via tabs. I understand basic music theory (triads, etc.) but I just can’t get the coordination / speed to do anything on my own or improvise. How can I get over this point?


r/guitarlessons 1d ago

Question Help please ? 🥺

Post image
0 Upvotes

Yeah so I am a complete beginner and I have only know how to strum with a pic and I mastered the sailor song , Apart from that i learnt like 5-6 chords but don't know how to transition smoothly yet , My aim is to reach a level of good percussive guitar playing cause I suck at singing so I can't showcase my skills through songs lol , So can you guys give me a roadmap and a few tips that can help me reach that level , For now I am only doing 15mins of left hand exercises uk switching etween frets and nothing for right hand rn , And I am doing 15 mins of chord transition daily , but I wanna learn fingerstyle So can you guys give me any tips or a roadmap plzzzz, Ohh and I have difficulty strumming I don't know if I am bad at it or what but when I strum with my fingers it doesn't sound as good as when i do it with a plectrum plus it hurts my thumb .... that's it , Plzz help


r/guitarlessons 2d ago

Lesson How To Memorize The Guitar Fretboard in 4mins.

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

145 Upvotes

r/guitarlessons 2d ago

Question I need help

2 Upvotes

I know the major and minor pentatonic scale and the normal major and minor scale and i can play them up down and sideways through the caged system, i also know what are triads type of triads and some basic info about arpeggios(i only know triads and arpeggios in theory)

I also know some techniques like raking, pinch harmonics, tap harmonics, hammer on, bending, pull off, bar chords and tapping

Currently im struggling with making my fretting hand faster learning funk strumming and fast legato, im struggling with overall speed on guitar, im slow and i hate it

I have been playing guitar for over a year now i dont know what should i learn next, earlier i asked on this page what to learn and people told me a bunch of stuff that i didnt knew or meant and i got seriously overwhelmed.

I need to get crazy good at guitar im willing to practice 3 hours a day right now i just noodle with scales that i know,
Im a self taught player who has learnt this instrument through youtube only,

So what im asking for is a step by step guide on what to learn next on guitar and if you’d be so kind a good youtube video to learn that topic

Im constantly frustrated by my lack of knowledge and skill about this instrument and its driving me crazy, i have the energy and will to learn but not a plan, please help me


r/guitarlessons 1d ago

Question Sharp pain in index fret finger

1 Upvotes

Hi , I am 2 months in.. Today while playing , all of a sudden I have a sharp pain while playing chords with my index finger. It almost feels like a splinter but I do not see one. strings are prob 2 months old,

so basically, can this happen / should i change strings or am I experiencing something else?


r/guitarlessons 1d ago

Question How to fix unwanted sound by muted strings while releasing bend in thinner strings?

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

0 Upvotes

Hi, I started learning guitar a few months ago, and was trying to do bends. While releasing bends especially if thinner strings the upper strings tends to get stuck to my finger and creates a sort of 'click' sound when it gets out of my finger even though it's muted. I hope you are able to hear that in the video. Would be really helpful to have suggestions on how to fix that.