How To Break Through Plateaus

[Bombadil]

Your thoughts? Figure this would be a good topic in its own right.

[Uncle E]

Practice 5 hours per day.

Emulate non-guitarists.

Sing the part while you play it.

[lfm]

No shortcuts, just disciplin yourself.

But what I find helps is trying new things that make you spend more time with guitar neck.
- sweep picking techniques

I find this Petrucci simple way was a bit of fun
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEWs7XGb_u0


More effortless picking techniques with Troy Grady, brilliant guy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xho69iDSnQ

Getting absolute relaxed picking and no tension anywhere.

Have a guitar with a tremolo/whammy bar, do this Jeff Beck stuff
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSI9m95vhyU

From that you get loads of new ideas to use too.

[BertKoor]

Join a group with different people.

Change of teacher.
If you don't have a teacher: get one!

[tapper mike]

Great subject and great responses.

Especially Bert

As we age it becomes increasingly harder to learn and increasingly harder to self motivate. Having a trusted external coach to push us when we need it and acknowledge our growth when they may see it but we don't.

I'll add to that by saying. Reward yourself for your accomplishments/performance growth. That's kind of the hardest thing which is why I strongly suggest playing out. Most of the time if you are playing at the top of your game others will recognize this. Which can build your self confidence that you can do more.

I'll also add. You don't have to be a speed demon. Your musical direction should match your personality.

[tapper mike]

Teachers are easy to find, Good teachers not so much.

[lfm]

Another about simplicity and beauty
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rh6HEF5Dy2I

and many ideas following the ideas of learning triads all over fretboard giving more freedom.

[Negoba]

It really depends what is holding you back or keeping you from achieving your goals. Is it technique? Fretboard knowledge? Ability to improvise? I have some ideas for each but the question wasn't very specific.

I tend to find I learn the most at the beginning of the learning curve so I get the most bang for my buck trying something I've never done before.

If you don't have the CAGED system firmly in your head, learn that. (Many of us learned before that term was widely used, but the concept of connecting diatonic scales, pentatonics, arpeggios and chord shapes in different positions is essential.)

[seangm]

Throw yourself into a situation that is over your head, like try playing with people that are way better than you or doing a high exposure gig where the songs are complex or difficult. You will learn to get better real fast.

[Djard]

Taking a break from practice and focusing on composing gives me a fresh look at what I was doing (insight is necessary for change). But the main cause of failure to make progress in music performance is lack of attention to technique and failure to practice sloooooowwwwly. It is easy to get into the habit of playing challenging pieces at full speed, which typically amounts to engraining a bad habit.

Recording and playing back your music is also a good way of recognizing what needs attention.

Guitar phenomenon Paco de Lucia once commented that "technique is no longer a problem." Only an accomplished musician can appreciate the depth of that statement.

[CoolGuitarGear]

Play in styles you're not used to, e.g., Jazz. Just simple jazz... or simple ambient... or whatever. Doing this helps to break free of your usual licks, riffs, etc., and then you're able to take those styles or music concepts into your usual playing style. I use Band-in-a-Box for back tracks... you can select from a few dozen styles (hip-hop, hard rock, country, world, etc.), and each one has several dozen sub-styles (texas blues, chicago blues, rock blues, etc.). This makes it so each to create a song in a style, all of which have individual tracks with tab, notes, etc., if you want to learn something specific vs. improvising.

[tapper mike]

Play in styles you're not used to, e.g., Jazz. Just simple jazz... or simple ambient... or whatever.

I as a jazz guitarist primarily and rock/blues guitarist second (though it started the other way around) disagree.

This is simple jazz from the 1920's and oddly a country standard.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsL4Gcc_CBI

It contains no 9th, 11th or 13th chords. It has no bebop in it. No modes, no Parker passing, neighboring tones, No Coltrane patterns or fractal changes. And yet it's tough as nails to get down with authenticity. What you will have done if you've mastered it as played is a very good grip on early jazz and gypsy jazz that you could not apply to any other music. I was in a big band standards jazz which was the popular music made between WWI and WWii It was "simple" but not easy. In order to be accomplished at it I had to throw out my long history of pop/rock/blues and focus solely on that type of music. All rhythm all the time I might get two solo's a night if the band leader wanted to throw me a biscuit.

Going from one style of music that you may have some strengths in to another style that you dont is like throwing out the baby with the bath water.

[CoolGuitarGear]

Play in styles you're not used to, e.g., Jazz. Just simple jazz... or simple ambient... or whatever.

I as a jazz guitarist primarily and rock/blues guitarist second (though it started the other way around) disagree.

As a guitarist that has no particular roots, and can compose in any genre I choose, I disagree. Randy Bachman used jazz in one of The Guess Who's more famous songs... his jazz teacher didn't know how he was going to swing it, but he did. You are taking a particular genre of jazz and saying it won't work... there are other styles... turn Bossa Nova into a Metal song (that's my point). A person gets into different swings, tempos, rhythms, and those aspects can transfer over.

[glasspipe]

1. Play a different instrument.
2. Try a different genre.
3. Combine different genres.
4. Step away from guitar for awhile, do something else then come back.

[tapper mike]

Playing a different instrument hasn't made me better at my primary one but it does provide a meaningful distraction and allows me to compose, arrange and record better. Usually one and four on your list are the same. I play a different instrument and leave the guitar to one side.

I think it's okay be aware of your limits. I know Pantera and Dream Theater is tough stuff and being able to master it would show extreme dexterity. But I don't have to go there.

The other night I was playing some of the lamest songs I knew. It wasn't even trying and not especially fun. But I played them anyway and said to myself this is fine. These are songs I can master in a day and play out that night. My audience wouldn't care if I was challenged or drop their jaws mesmerized by my amazing virtuosity. But they were songs that got a lot of airplay in the day and still are in high rotation and local radio stations.

You don't have to climb every mountain just because it's there.