How to play guitar really fast
March 1, 2009
By Floyd Michaels
Ultra fast guitar playing reached its heyday in the 1980s when everyone wanted to play fast like Yngwie Malmsteen and others. The craze never really ended, and today guitarists like Zakk Wylde still give guitarists the taste for speed. But how to play guitar really fast isn't that easy to learn, as many teachers can't play so quickly themselves!
You can learn fundamentals that can help you develop the speed you want, and concentrating on each of these will pay-off in the long run. First of all, you want to work on your right-hand technique, your left-hand technique and recognize that practising to build up speed doesn't happen over night. Its not possible to increase speed and fluency by developing just one aspect of your playing. Also, playing fast without accuracy just sounds plain awlful. Left hand proficiency takes time to build up. You need to develop excellent finger and thumb placement, and good finger dexterity and accuracy. The two basic thumb positions used by guitar players are over the top of the fretboard, and resting behind the fretboard. Behind the neck will give you greater reach on the fretboard and better control and consistency. If you practice guitar scales and exercises fast in this beginning thumb position, you will increase your speed in time.
Having your fingers ready on the fretboard, in the right positions is a must if you want to play really fast. If your fingers are already resting above the first 4 frets until needed, your hand won't have to physically move as far, because it is already in position. You then can either press the fingers onto the strings, and leave it there until you needthem (finger anchoring), or raise each finger as the next one comes down (finger movement), for speed, finger movement is what you should use. Finger accuracy involves consistently fretting a note right behind the fret, this improves dexterity. Remember to use the flat part of the finger tips and not the side of the finger. The more discipline you have, the quicker you will become.
Having just one technique down is not enough. Everything you do, from how you hold the pick, to the alternating pattern you use will all have an impact on your speed. Picking can be alternating, sweeping or circular, and should probably be acquired in that order as they increase in complexity as well as speed. One technique is not better than another, it depends on the situation.
If you want to play really fast, holding the pick lightly above the strings will do the trick, we have to reduce the drag factor as we sweep across the strings. Use the motion of the wrist, keeping it as loose as possible. Remember to not tense up your fingers and thumbs.
All of this will take discipline and practise. You will have to make time everyday to get better, a big splurge at the beginning of the week then nothing for the rest of the week is no good. Remember to practise with a drum machine, start at slow speeds and then increase tempo gradually.
Its just a matter of time with these simple techniques, with practise and discipline, you will be playing guitar really fast in no time.
You can learn fundamentals that can help you develop the speed you want, and concentrating on each of these will pay-off in the long run. First of all, you want to work on your right-hand technique, your left-hand technique and recognize that practising to build up speed doesn't happen over night. Its not possible to increase speed and fluency by developing just one aspect of your playing. Also, playing fast without accuracy just sounds plain awlful. Left hand proficiency takes time to build up. You need to develop excellent finger and thumb placement, and good finger dexterity and accuracy. The two basic thumb positions used by guitar players are over the top of the fretboard, and resting behind the fretboard. Behind the neck will give you greater reach on the fretboard and better control and consistency. If you practice guitar scales and exercises fast in this beginning thumb position, you will increase your speed in time.
Having your fingers ready on the fretboard, in the right positions is a must if you want to play really fast. If your fingers are already resting above the first 4 frets until needed, your hand won't have to physically move as far, because it is already in position. You then can either press the fingers onto the strings, and leave it there until you needthem (finger anchoring), or raise each finger as the next one comes down (finger movement), for speed, finger movement is what you should use. Finger accuracy involves consistently fretting a note right behind the fret, this improves dexterity. Remember to use the flat part of the finger tips and not the side of the finger. The more discipline you have, the quicker you will become.
Having just one technique down is not enough. Everything you do, from how you hold the pick, to the alternating pattern you use will all have an impact on your speed. Picking can be alternating, sweeping or circular, and should probably be acquired in that order as they increase in complexity as well as speed. One technique is not better than another, it depends on the situation.
If you want to play really fast, holding the pick lightly above the strings will do the trick, we have to reduce the drag factor as we sweep across the strings. Use the motion of the wrist, keeping it as loose as possible. Remember to not tense up your fingers and thumbs.
All of this will take discipline and practise. You will have to make time everyday to get better, a big splurge at the beginning of the week then nothing for the rest of the week is no good. Remember to practise with a drum machine, start at slow speeds and then increase tempo gradually.
Its just a matter of time with these simple techniques, with practise and discipline, you will be playing guitar really fast in no time.
About the Author:
Do You Know All guitar scales In Every Position In Every Key On The Neck? Goto http://www.visualmodalguitarblueprint.com To Find Out More!
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