Guitar speed training

[Joel007]

I've been playing guitar for 9 years now and I've had a total of 2 lessons. I want to develop more speed for solos, and learn more soloing scales.
Does anyone know any free downloadable lessons or programs for speed solos and that sort of thing?

[Redhawk]

YouTube - Speed Solo Guitar!

To do THIS...you just do it...you've evidently got a fair number of years worth of practice under your belt! I just studied other players...and listened A LOT to how they did what I loved!
not much help huh...sorry

you can read music...right? that would help...i'll look about an see what I find

[Joel007]

thanks. I've gota few tabs and whatnot. I'm hoping for some kind of useful pentatonic scales and warmups, preferably with a description of when they're appropriate.

[Moebius Tripper]

Hey, if you want to see the fastest guitar player who ever lived, just check out Paco de Lucia, the greatest flamenco guitarist alive...I should know because I have been playing flamenco guitar for 40 years and was a teacher of this music....You can check Paco out on "You Tube," or "Google Video."

[Majimaune]

There is Ultimate Guitar. You probably have that though, but on there there is a thing called guitar pro. I dont have it myself but a friend does and he says its heaps good for learning guitar.

Oh and I've been playing guitar for 10 years had 6 and I dont know how many lessons but I havent had any since I was in year 4 so thats I dont know how long cause I cant be bothered to work it out.

[Joel007]

I found a good site called powertabs.net - your friendly guitar, bass, and other instrument tablature and music community, there's some good scales and warm-ups on there The tool to read the tabs is here: Power Tab .net - Download Center

Youtube, while awesome looking, sadly doesn't allow for much learning, just gawping. For example... YouTube - Keep On Rockin' In The Free World

Thx for the help, I'm already getting faster and trying to learn Eugene's Trick bag! (its this YouTube - Eugene Trick Bag - Crossroads)

[Majimaune]

Cool. I dont think I need to play faster just get the motervation to learn something new.

[YOSSARIAN]

Originally Posted by Joel007

thanks. I've gota few tabs and whatnot. I'm hoping for some kind of useful pentatonic scales and warmups, preferably with a description of when they're appropriate.

When learning how to apply scales appropriately you have to use a learning system that has an audio program to back up all written or tabbed music. The books can tell you which notes "should" be played over a certain chord or progression, but it will not make sense unless you hear that harmonic minor ascending over that three-chord jazz vamp. There is a danger of taking these programs as THE WORD-don't ever let theory discourage you from doing what pleases your ear or gets you excited musically. The value of music theory is lies in being able to identify exactly what it is that you enjoy in in your favorite players' music and applying that knowledge to create your own.

Speed can only be developed though tons pf practice-often very tedious practice. A metronome is very helpful. Don't use scales right away. Start at the bottom of the neck (use the open notes) and slowly advance chromatically (i.e pick the open low E, index finger for the first fret, ring finger the 2, and so on). Remember to use your little finger! When you reach that 4th fret with your little finger, do the same run on the other five strings. Then do it all in descending order. Repeat the whole exercise at at increasing speeds, always making sure to pick all the notes cleanly. Repeat all the way up the fretboard a half step at a time. Use alternate picking as this is more efficient way to gain speed. Take periodic breaks. Stay dedicated, because speed exercises are not exciting. As you progress, start incorporating string skipping. Then move on to palm-muting, hammers and trills, finger spreading, string bends, all down-picking (essential for thrash riffing.) After a while you will be fast enough to start using this crap in a musical way. My guitar store use to sell "stylus picks". They had a notch at the end that would cause the pick to get caught on the string if you didn't pick cleanly or with the proper pick positioning, thereby forcing you to slow down until you get it right. Good little tool if you can stomach the constant irritation.

Don't overdo these exercises or you'll burn out. Stick to it, but give yourself some time to just play and experiment. Remember to care of your hand. I started playing when I was ten and only put my guitar down when I had to sleep or got to school or work (even then I always had it with me) and sixteen years later I my nerves on the left arm are so messed up that I have severe neck and upper back weakness and pain and I can't play for more than a few minutes or my hand and arm erupt in excruciating pain.

If you've read this whole post I hope you've got something out of it. I didn't intend to keep blathering on, but I love talking guitar.

[Joel007]

Thanks, I really appreciate your opinion And don't worry about talking too much, I love talking guitar too! I've learned most of my techniques from watching Joe Satriani, so the stuff i'm working on at the moment (besides speed in each) is: Sweep picking (Only in pentatonic at the moment), Pinch harmonics (I'm up to about 50% of the time ), two hand tapping (Day at the Beach is an awesome song), trills (pick and either hand). I've pretty much got hammer-ons down pat. I'm playing right handed style but i'm left handed, so my alternate picking could use some work.
Are arpeggios worth learning? I've gotten through a fair few and they sound awesome alone, good for warmup... but I don't often get a chance to use them in the lead riffs I play.

Oh yeah, and I'm using pick slides as intros fairly regularly, something awesome about that sound with distortion