Help!

Please tell me. How do you people get so good at guitar? I love hearing some of these solos and cool metal riffs, however I have trouble understanding the theory behind it. Can someone help me progress by giving any pointers as to what I should do to progress? If you could, I would greatlt appreciate it~

~madman127~

Many people dont understand the real theory behind the music they play. To come up with some cool solo's just get hold of a copy of some basic scales e.g 'A minor pentatonic' then attempt to create a solo using the notes within that scale. With the riffs, its purely just looking how other metal riffs are created followed by practise. Try and get hold of some good tab and try and pick it up from there. For soloing, try getting hold of a guitar mag, they will usualy tab some famous songs (jimy page stuf etc) then u can see how a solo is created.
Keep it real man!

(Anyone else feel free to tell me im talking c*?p, or further enlighten this person)

Inventing your own riffs and solos isnt as difficult as you'd think. I find it easier to invent solos to songs already out, or demos of songs. For example the November Rain demo, with piano solos in it, where slash subsequently laid his solos on top. As for cool riffs, for me, i guess its tial and error, just messin around hitting notes in different combinations!!

Later Axl

Originally posted by madman127
Please tell me. How do you people get so good at guitar? I love hearing some of these solos and cool metal riffs, however I have trouble understanding the theory behind it. Can someone help me progress by giving any pointers as to what I should do to progress? If you could, I would greatlt appreciate it~

~madman127~

Probably a lot of good guitarists are so good simply because they have been playing for something like 30 years. Just keep practicing.

Well all I really have to say is practice, practice, practice...Start off with easier more basic tunes and you'll find yourself getting better and better after a while, then start with more difficult tunes and techniques..It won't happen over night but it will happen!

I definitely agree on the practicing.I play along with cd's and try to record myself as often as possible. Listening to yourself on playback will sound different than when you were playing it. It also gives yourself a chance to critique what you have done. Sometimes I'll be playing and come up with stuff and it's like "where did that come from!" Besides, recording yourself helps when your trying to remember a riff or solo you came up with weeks ago.Like some of the others have said it won't come overnight, but don,t give up.Good luck.

You know sometimes it all about focusing on the most simplistic aspects of the whole experience, and its important to never forget why you picked up the instrument to begin with.

For every musician, its safe to say that we set goals for ourselves, but being that we wan't to learn so much in such little time, the whole experience can be rather overwhelming at times. But after years of gradual practice, something just clicks inside of us, where we are comfortable with our style and comfortable around others. Its important to be comfortable around others, because no matter how good you get as the years progress, you can always learn something new from someone elses. Try your best to maintain your enthusiasm, and when you leave during your lessons, give yourself something to be excited about the next time you pick up the instrument. Ive just always kept in mind that no matter what style of music you play, as a guitarist there are five basic areas of technique that should recieve constant attention: single string technique (scales arpeggios); chords and rhythm; improvisation; ear training; and sight reading.

-Joseph

I don't have much to add. Just keep on practicing. The other guys have pretty much summed it up.

-Evan
http://listen.to/EvanDyson