And I feel I'm way behind where I should be. There's maybe two songs I can play mistake-free, the rest is bits and pieces of songs. I can play some scales but many times I stumble. I know about 25 open chords, but can only transition smoothly a few of them. When I try to play a solo, it sounds sloppy, and when I lift a finger off a fret usually rings the note.

Just this past weekend I got together with some friends to jam a little, I could barely keep up and sometimes I felt like I should just stop playing because I was messing them up. They're nice and told me I've come a long way but I think they're blowing smoke up my $@!.

Where should I be one year in? Am I expecting too much of myself? I'm no way quitting, but it's frustrating to not be at the level I expected to be one year in.

haaaalp!

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"Music is what feelings sound like"

How often do you practice? When I was 11 I used to pick up the guitar and practice maybe once every few months. As a result, I could never get to the point of changing chords smoothly. Then when I was 13, (on a particularly boring week I guess) I played the three chords I knew over and over for about 3-5 hours every day for week. By the end of that I had developed my callouses to the point that it hardly hurt my fingers anymore, and I could actually play the song I was learning at the same tempo as the record. I don't often get that sort of practice time anymore, but ever since that week I've played guitar at least a little bit almost every day.

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I can't speak to where you show be, but I'm not quite 2 mos. in and I am playing scales and chords, some great... others not so much.

I am working on chord progressions, strumming, hand muting, finger excercises, etc.

I have memorized the Fretboard and am doing aural training and sight reading 30 min./day each in addition to Hands On practicing.

I wouldn't demonstrate in front of people right now if a gun were pointed at my head...

I am the definition of Crappy.. !!

But, that's OK... that's exactly where I am supposed to be at this point.

I read in numerous places that it takes 5 years minimum to be proficient and knowing my lack of perpensity, it'll likely take 6... whatever.

I have most of the open chords down, working on some power chords and barre chords... it's REALLY hard... but it's supposed to be...

Once I have my opens clean (hopefully 3-4 weeks), I'm starting individual lessons...

I don't get discouraged... it takes as long as it takes !

Focus on where you want to be... not on where you are !!

Others may do it in less time... GREAT for them !!... no reflection on you or me.

I am practicing 3-4 hrs./day, fingers are almost tough enough to skim truck tires... that's what it takes...

I am fortunate to be semi-retired w/ a wife who travels 50% of the time, but that's me... if it's not you... ADJUST !

Keep telling yourself that you'll get there... and then, GET THERE...

There are NO shortcuts... it takes as long as it takes.

What texasguitarslinger says is 100% TRUE... you just have to do it.

Some scales when I 1st started... I said: NO WAY... my fingers don't do that...

Well, guess what?... After several weeks, they do... she was Right... I was Wrong.

Your worst Enemy is YOU !

Defeat the Enemy !!

Love, Dedication, PRACTICE !!

YOU CAN DO THIS !!

Good Luck... see you on the Flip Side !

cheers!

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'11 FSR Am. Vtg. Ltd. Ed. CAR '57 Stratocaster (SN# LE02639)
'14 American Deluxe Ash Stratocaster
'12 Telebration Empress Telecaster
'99 Deluxe Nashville Telecaster
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'10 Heritage H-535
'99 Martin DC-1E
'13 Lanikai Tenor Ukulele

everyone is different, personally I noticed a big change when I hit 2 years playing. That's when things started sounding 'acceptable' to me, and it was very exciting to get to that point.

I knew a guy who went to a music college knowing absolutely nothing about guitar. This guy was a real hard worker and practiced like a maniac. He managed to become a capable jazz guitar player (lead and rhythm) inside of 2 years. I was amazed by how far he got in so little time, that is not typical. But it shows what you can do if you put your mind to it.

I think a little healthy competition helped me progress, and if you're not playing with other guitar players, you're not going to get that. So my advice is keep jamming and practicing. Try to get better than the people you know who play guitar, even if they've been playing longer.

“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars.”

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You describe almost exactly where I was a year in.
You just watch and see where you are a year from now.
You will be pleased when you look back on it all.

Don't worry so much about mistakes-they just come from a variety of reasons-not quite being comfortable, slipping, etc. With practice you will find that you make less and less mistakes, but even people that have been playing for decades will make the odd slip. It doesn't mean you cant play guitar. It's all about becoming confident-in confidence with guitar, there will be less mistakes like that.

But really, what you should aim to be good at is having an ear for melody-picking the right notes, playing them with feel (vibrato, ornaments, etc.), and phrasing your solo stuff well. Those things are often forgotten about or glossed over, but you will find that more or less all famous/successful guitarists can more than tick those boxes.

Everyone feels like giving up at some point, but sooner or later the learning curve will level out, and you will really enjoy picking it up and playing Good luck!

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"reach for the sky and aim for the moon, for if you miss you will end up among the stars"

Zoom MS50G
72 tele dlx RI
2011 standard strat
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http://www.youtube.com/user/Almungo/videos?flow=grid&view=0

Don,t worry about it just play and keep playin you will get it.

+1
Don't even let it bother you. Worrying about it is a waste of time. What sets most pros apart from hobbyists is the 1000's of hours of (correct) practice that they put in.

As a small tip for practicing (and if you were already aware of this, don't worry about it), the primary goal is to avoid any sort of body tension while playing. While playing, direct your focus towards your hands, fingers, arms, shoulders, and make sure that they are in a position that completely eliminates any tension. Being comfortable and relaxed is a very big deal that a lot of people tend to ignore.

From a completely reductionist view, every muscle in the hand is connected to muscles further down the arm. If there's tension in one place, it translates to tension elsewhere.

Thanks for the words of encouragement everyone. I pick up my guitar just about everyday for at least an hour, but can't really say it's honest practice time. I think my problem is that the songs I try to learn are just way too hard because I really like prog rock. But sometimes I can't play some simpler songs. Just about two weeks ago I had to put about two hours just to nail the intro to Bob Marley's "Redemption Song". And you all know it's a simple melody on the first position, the rest of the song is just basic open chords so I have no problem with that. But man that intro was frustrating! And don't get me started on "more than a feeling". Been trying that intro/main riff for months and I still can't get more than one measure at a time.

Here's a list of the skills I can say I know:
First position notes, but have yet to memorize the whole fretboard.
alternate picking.
Most open chords.
several strumming patterns.
Can move power chord shapes almost anywhere on the fretboard (gets tricky past the 12 though)
Barre chords are almost clean all the time but I'm still slow making the shapes. And my hand gets tired after a while.
Some maj and minor scales and can play them clean if I don't try to play too fast.
Palm muting.
Pinch Harmonics. Not fully consistent but I get them most of the time.

And I've tried to video myself but once I press record I can't play anything right.

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"Music is what feelings sound like"

I think you're on the right track -- it took me a couple of years of playing before I began to feel comfortable jamming with other musicians or performing in front of any kind of audience.

A few practice tips that I've learned over the years...

1) when you are practicing a new song, riff or chord progression, be sure to ***identify the parts you find difficult and drill those individual parts over and over again***. All too often, students will practice a song from the beginning, play until they make a mistake, and then go back and start from the beginning again. The result is that they will know the first part of the song really well, but they don't spend nearly enough time working on the parts that are giving them the most trouble.

2) Regularly record yourself and listen to your playing. Often when we play, our brain can trick us into thinking that everything sounds great when it might not. But the tape doesn't lie. If you aren't satisfied with what you hear on the recording, keep working on it.

3) Always start learning a new riff or scale by playing it slowing and gradually working your way up to speed. If you can't play it slow, you won't be able to play it fast.

4) Re: alternate picking...it's not really about trying to move your picking hand fast. It's more about economy of movement. Practice making the back and forth picking motion as small and efficient as possible. Work at it every day, and speed will follow.

5) Be sure to practice at least a little bit every day if at all possible. In this regard, guitar practice just like exercise. 15 minutes of practice every day is way better than a single 3-hour session once a week. You need that daily interaction with your guitar in order to build up strength in you hands (not to mention maintaining those callouses!) and develop the 'muscle memory' needed to learn pieces inside and out.

6) Keep looking for opportunities to play with others. Early on, I learned that an hour of jamming with other musicians can be worth a week of practicing on your own. It really forces you to develop your ear and pay attention to rhythm and timing. If you don't have a band to play with -- spend as much time as you can playing along with recordings.

Good luck -- you'll get there!

Awesome tips thanks! About alternate picking; I pretty much got it down, I had to relearn my scales because I was doing them with only down-picking. Now they feel more fluid and like you said there's less energy spent.

I'm glad to know I'm not that far off of where I should be.

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"Music is what feelings sound like"

Powerchords, powerchords, powerchords.

"So easy, you'll never make another mistake!"

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1984 Squier Contemporary Stratocaster
1986 Peavey Envoy 110
1967 Kingston Acoustic

Just pick it up and freestyle. After 40 years of picking off and on, I just prefer to enjoy a few adult beverages and making something up. It's all about the fun and enjoying it. And I suck, but I still have fun because I gave up on trying to be perfect playing other peoples music and just rambling on with whatever. Like this crap I just did. No practice, no forethought, just started banging.



http://www.youtube.com/my_videos_edit?n ... bCqVxPqvXU

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Gary

I have many musician frins and they're damn good too. Always went to their gigs and all and now I'm jamming with them. They're all bandless right now... hmmm.


Yeah I'm definitely having fun!
The link doesn't work!

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"Music is what feelings sound like"