I just don't hear the fluid improvement...

wannaplayblues
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Posts: 896

I just don't hear the fluid improvement... Aug 13, 2014 9:52:12 GMT -6

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Post by wannaplayblues on Aug 13, 2014 9:52:12 GMT -6

So, my practice is regular - which is great. Been working on it daily. Thing is, I just don't feel I'm playing any better...

No, I'm not fishing for positive replies, just wondering if others feel the same, is what I feel common? So here's exactly what I mean...

I want my playing to sound fluid and smooth, but I just feel it sounds the same as it always has. So, working through the BYCU books I know I'm doing the songs and progressing at learning them and playing the right notes at the right time, but does it sound smooth? Pleaseing to the ear? Do I sound better than a first-time player playing a few notes?

I hope that makes sense... it just feels if I played two notes and asked a non-player to hold the guitar and play the same two notes, they'd be just as smooth as me.

What can I do to improve fluid playing?

I'm just a humble guy who plays at home - but darn it, I want to be the best I can be! And I want it to be in Blues style! I listen to blues players and they all sound so confident and smooth. How will I ever get there? I want to be able to improv and make it pleasing to hear!

Last Edit: Aug 13, 2014 9:54:27 GMT -6 by wannaplayblues

"I hear you talkin' son, but you 'aint sayin' nothin'" - Will McFarlane quoting Muddy Waters hearing a really fast guitar player

joachim
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Posts: 1,820

I just don't hear the fluid improvement... Aug 13, 2014 13:27:33 GMT -6

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Post by joachim on Aug 13, 2014 13:27:33 GMT -6

Wpb,

same story here... take consolation in the fact that many of us are in the same boat.

I suppose we just keep at it, have realistic longer-term goals, and don't let practicing become a chore - it's supposed to be our leisure time.
Sometimes we can churn out good lesson recordings once a week - othertimes it takes longer. But if we keep at it, and keep having fun, I am sure in a year or two we will be awesome...

Phil
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Posts: 3,563

I just don't hear the fluid improvement... Aug 13, 2014 14:27:50 GMT -6

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Post by Phil on Aug 13, 2014 14:27:50 GMT -6

WPB,

I think we talked about this (or a related subject) in another thread at one time. Progress often comes in sudden bursts and not necessarily in noticeable increments. You are going along practicing every day, not noticing any changes, and then suddenly one day you realize the something that used to be very difficult to play is now easy.

It's not until a given tune, riff, lick or whatever becomes relatively easy for you to play that you can pay attention to the nuances of the music. Things like fluidity, holding notes for their proper time, putting in some vibrato on a bend, muting unwanted notes, and all the other little things that make a tune sound good, can't be done until you can play it without tensing up and struggling. You simply can't struggle with the technical difficulties of playing the right notes and do all this other stuff at the same time. At least I can't.

I didn't notice a big improvement in the versions of "Minor Blues" that I recorded 6 months apart (other than recording quality) until other people pointed out the differences. Ater hearing some objective input I listened again and can see some improvement, though not as much as I would like to see. However, I can definitely notice that things that were once hard to play are now much easier.

Around last Oct. I jumped directly into "MBYCU" and couldn't even come close to getting the hang of the rhythm of "Chord-on Bleu," let alone the lead part. A few days ago I tried it again and the rhythm was no problem except for some tricky business in the last 3 measures, and I got that down fairly well the very next day.

Don't get discouraged and give up right when you are about to make a big leap forward.

Phil

There's a difference between having 30 years of experience and having 1 year of experience 30 times.

jack1982
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Posts: 3,273

I just don't hear the fluid improvement... Aug 14, 2014 5:41:07 GMT -6 blackcountrymick likes this

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Post by jack1982 on Aug 14, 2014 5:41:07 GMT -6

Well you have to keep in mind that those pro's you're emulating have been playing for 10, 20, maybe 30 years. That fluidity is the result of a million tiny improvements, the type you probably make every week, and over a long period of time they add up to something major. Like I always say, you can't enjoy the journey if you're fixated on reaching your destination

Just content yourself with the fact that whatever song you're working on, you can play it a little better this week than you could last week. As long as you're practicing regularly you'll get there - not as fast as any of us would like, but eventually

I look to you, and I see nothing
I look to you to see the truth

cunningr
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Posts: 1,743

I just don't hear the fluid improvement... Aug 14, 2014 13:10:32 GMT -6 via mobile

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Post by cunningr on Aug 14, 2014 13:10:32 GMT -6

Also keep in mind that you hear your self every time you play which makes it harder to hear your own improvements. This is the importance of keeping your recordings and going back several months to do a comparison, like when you don't see a kid for six months and they have a growth spurt it's more noticeable since you don't see them every day.