Breaking Through Plateaus
Every player reaches that point where the juice on a scale or technique seems to run dry and they have a clone of themselves looking over their shoulder going 'You're using that one AGAIN?"
Guitar playing seems to come in bursts of progress; at least it always seemed that way for me. I'd get really jazzed up on learning a new song or solo and then excitement would seem to give way to repetition and lackluster results. What DO you do when you've learned everything you wanted to learn and now it's easy? I think immediately of a quote by one Mr. James Hetfield in a Guitar World interview some years ago, "There's always one more riff. There has to be or you would just stop." That's not verbatim, but I think I remembered the important part - there always is one more riff....and one more after that.
So how do you get past the mediocrity? Well, much like anything else, I've learned one trick doesn't work for everyone, but I've compiled a few below that I've had great results with and I bet you you just might too if you try one or two out.
1. Change Your Music
What have you been listening to lately? Is it inspiring you to play? Probably not. Do you remember how listening to your favorite bands made you excited to want to play guitar? That's the fuel that your tank needs. I remember throwing in Aerosmith's Get A Grip and just loving the guitar parts and solos so much that I could not wait to get my hands on a guitar. This was years before I even got my first one.
I change up my music weekly. Whether it's the Beatles, Aerosmith, Pop Radio, etc....there's something to inspire you. If you're tired of the Rock genre, try grabbing a Jazz album. It doesn't even have to be guitar-based. I bought a copy of John Coltrane's Fearless Leader just to get into something new. I regularly put on a jazz station here in Orlando as well to hear some different types of licks. All of this can be used to work yourself up into playing and also adding a new approach to guitar. You'd be surprised how much talent you'll hear in other styles you never thought of trying out. I'm also a big fan of the old Motown stuff. You really can't listen to enough music. If you change what's coming in, you'll be amazed to find the difference in what you're pushing out.
2. Join A Band
Seems kind of obvious, but who are you playing with? Do you sit at home picking up the guitar for a bit each day and noodling around? Why not take all those years of playing and practicing and go utilize it. You don't have to form a band set on getting a record deal, just get a group to jam with. It doesn't cost too much to rent a rehearsal room for a few hours where you can just crank up and let loose. Jamming on your computer can be fun, but all those riffs sound way better when you've got a couple of musicians in the room with you and a real drum kit to play to.
The better musicians you play with, the more you are going to learn and also step up your own game. I can't count how many times I think I'm sailing along with some 'safe soloing' only to hear the next guy tear it up. This makes me step up my own playing and actually use my mind and creativity to produce something better - it gets you working harder. Guitarists have that built-in ego to always want to be better, if not the best, and we can harness that to improve our skills. Use that determination and those guys that can smoke you to do some smoking on your own. Just leave the cigarettes alone, those are bad for you. Plus you don't want to get your precious gear ruined.
If you can find only musicians on a lower level than you, be the leader and show them how it's done. They are the ones that can learn from you and you can help lead them in the right direction away from those bad lessons on YouTube. Be a role model!
3. Change Your Gear
You don't have go out and buy a Marshall Stack and Mayer Strat, but changing sublte things in your rig can open new doors and make things fresh again. How long have you been using your current string brand? What about the gauge? When I went to .11's, I fell in love with the thickness and fresh playability. Not only could they maintain their tune better, but they also sounded louder and packed a huge punch on chords. Try going up a gauge from your current size. Be sure to have someone adjust the neck for you like a pro or you can actually damage it if you don't know what you're doing. If you like your gauge, try experimenting with other brands. I just did a great back to back experiment with .09s, .10s, .11s and all different brands. You'll find what works best for your hands, playing style and tone.
Another cheap fix is trying out some new picks. Do you use mediums? Have you tried extra-heavies? Celluoids? Copper? Yes, you can find different materials online than just your same old tortex, etc. Just google. I think they even have some space picks from Mars. Who knows. Just experiment! I always buy a handful of different sizes and grips every time I visit George's Music. Who knows, a dollar can open a million dollar door.
Ok, so the fun one everyone defaults to when hearing the words 'buy new gear' would be, yes, go buy a new pedal or guitar. I recently just upgraded a few pedals and am feeling really fresh. Upgrading to a PolyTune was a good choice and makes tuning fun again instead of seeing the same old Boss Tuner that everyone has. That can get boring. Plus if you sell what you're replacing on the wonderful craigslist, you can use that towards your new purchase. I think I wound up paying maybe 10 bucks out of pocket.
If you want to get with higher upgrades, go try out some guitars, maybe it IS time to get a new one. Or even your amp, do you have a tube amp? That was my favorite upgrade crossing over from solid state. It doesn't have to be an expensive upgrade, just change something out and change yourself in the process.
4. Go See Live Music
Few things can compare to the rush of a great live show for a guitarist. I remember seeing Anberlin last year and they put on a killer show. Who really stole the show though, was the relatively unknown band, The Crash Kings. The lead singer doubles on piano/keys ran through a boutique-laced pedal board and goes into high gain on his solos. To top it off, he's got this expression bar for vibratos mounted on the top. I have never seen anything like it. He's just molding these two instruments into one and just destroying it. The bass player had his own killer tone with distortion and the skillful chops to back it up. I was just blown away.
Good music is addicting and inspiring. Get out there and soak it up. Computers can be lifeless and not really convey that bass hit in the chest or feel of a really LIVE solo taking place. Go absorb it, process it and let it out in your own music. You've got one more riff in you. And one more after that.
Happy Playing,
Mike
Guitar playing seems to come in bursts of progress; at least it always seemed that way for me. I'd get really jazzed up on learning a new song or solo and then excitement would seem to give way to repetition and lackluster results. What DO you do when you've learned everything you wanted to learn and now it's easy? I think immediately of a quote by one Mr. James Hetfield in a Guitar World interview some years ago, "There's always one more riff. There has to be or you would just stop." That's not verbatim, but I think I remembered the important part - there always is one more riff....and one more after that.
So how do you get past the mediocrity? Well, much like anything else, I've learned one trick doesn't work for everyone, but I've compiled a few below that I've had great results with and I bet you you just might too if you try one or two out.
1. Change Your Music
What have you been listening to lately? Is it inspiring you to play? Probably not. Do you remember how listening to your favorite bands made you excited to want to play guitar? That's the fuel that your tank needs. I remember throwing in Aerosmith's Get A Grip and just loving the guitar parts and solos so much that I could not wait to get my hands on a guitar. This was years before I even got my first one.
I change up my music weekly. Whether it's the Beatles, Aerosmith, Pop Radio, etc....there's something to inspire you. If you're tired of the Rock genre, try grabbing a Jazz album. It doesn't even have to be guitar-based. I bought a copy of John Coltrane's Fearless Leader just to get into something new. I regularly put on a jazz station here in Orlando as well to hear some different types of licks. All of this can be used to work yourself up into playing and also adding a new approach to guitar. You'd be surprised how much talent you'll hear in other styles you never thought of trying out. I'm also a big fan of the old Motown stuff. You really can't listen to enough music. If you change what's coming in, you'll be amazed to find the difference in what you're pushing out.
2. Join A Band
Seems kind of obvious, but who are you playing with? Do you sit at home picking up the guitar for a bit each day and noodling around? Why not take all those years of playing and practicing and go utilize it. You don't have to form a band set on getting a record deal, just get a group to jam with. It doesn't cost too much to rent a rehearsal room for a few hours where you can just crank up and let loose. Jamming on your computer can be fun, but all those riffs sound way better when you've got a couple of musicians in the room with you and a real drum kit to play to.
The better musicians you play with, the more you are going to learn and also step up your own game. I can't count how many times I think I'm sailing along with some 'safe soloing' only to hear the next guy tear it up. This makes me step up my own playing and actually use my mind and creativity to produce something better - it gets you working harder. Guitarists have that built-in ego to always want to be better, if not the best, and we can harness that to improve our skills. Use that determination and those guys that can smoke you to do some smoking on your own. Just leave the cigarettes alone, those are bad for you. Plus you don't want to get your precious gear ruined.
If you can find only musicians on a lower level than you, be the leader and show them how it's done. They are the ones that can learn from you and you can help lead them in the right direction away from those bad lessons on YouTube. Be a role model!
3. Change Your Gear
You don't have go out and buy a Marshall Stack and Mayer Strat, but changing sublte things in your rig can open new doors and make things fresh again. How long have you been using your current string brand? What about the gauge? When I went to .11's, I fell in love with the thickness and fresh playability. Not only could they maintain their tune better, but they also sounded louder and packed a huge punch on chords. Try going up a gauge from your current size. Be sure to have someone adjust the neck for you like a pro or you can actually damage it if you don't know what you're doing. If you like your gauge, try experimenting with other brands. I just did a great back to back experiment with .09s, .10s, .11s and all different brands. You'll find what works best for your hands, playing style and tone.
Another cheap fix is trying out some new picks. Do you use mediums? Have you tried extra-heavies? Celluoids? Copper? Yes, you can find different materials online than just your same old tortex, etc. Just google. I think they even have some space picks from Mars. Who knows. Just experiment! I always buy a handful of different sizes and grips every time I visit George's Music. Who knows, a dollar can open a million dollar door.
Ok, so the fun one everyone defaults to when hearing the words 'buy new gear' would be, yes, go buy a new pedal or guitar. I recently just upgraded a few pedals and am feeling really fresh. Upgrading to a PolyTune was a good choice and makes tuning fun again instead of seeing the same old Boss Tuner that everyone has. That can get boring. Plus if you sell what you're replacing on the wonderful craigslist, you can use that towards your new purchase. I think I wound up paying maybe 10 bucks out of pocket.
If you want to get with higher upgrades, go try out some guitars, maybe it IS time to get a new one. Or even your amp, do you have a tube amp? That was my favorite upgrade crossing over from solid state. It doesn't have to be an expensive upgrade, just change something out and change yourself in the process.
4. Go See Live Music
Few things can compare to the rush of a great live show for a guitarist. I remember seeing Anberlin last year and they put on a killer show. Who really stole the show though, was the relatively unknown band, The Crash Kings. The lead singer doubles on piano/keys ran through a boutique-laced pedal board and goes into high gain on his solos. To top it off, he's got this expression bar for vibratos mounted on the top. I have never seen anything like it. He's just molding these two instruments into one and just destroying it. The bass player had his own killer tone with distortion and the skillful chops to back it up. I was just blown away.
Good music is addicting and inspiring. Get out there and soak it up. Computers can be lifeless and not really convey that bass hit in the chest or feel of a really LIVE solo taking place. Go absorb it, process it and let it out in your own music. You've got one more riff in you. And one more after that.
Happy Playing,
Mike