Building up speed..help !!

[Colin P]

I've been trying to build up my speed in playing, but find it really difficult especially when trying to play a straight forward Major scale, for some reason I think this a lot more difficult to play with any speed than say a blues scale. Maybe I'm being negative here but I'm sure that however long I play I'll never be able to get to the speed I would like, I really believe that some people have a natural ability in this department, or is it simply a case of practice? Your thoughts or tips would be most appreciated.

Cheers,

Colin.

[BoyMambo]

Colin,

I am in no way an expert on this, but my understanding is that to improve speed, and as ironic as it sounds, you need to slow right down and improve accuracy. The idea is to practice very slowly till every note is absolutely perfect and then speed will come on its own. When I was very young I started to record every practice with a tape recorder and listen back for imperfections, and work on the areas that were rubbish. Having the confidence that it was right at practice allowed me to improve my speed. (I really should be doing that now!)

Hope that you are well,

David

[Colin P]

Colin,

I am in no way an expert on this, but my understanding is that to improve speed, and as ironic as it sounds, you need to slow right down and improve accuracy. The idea is to practice very slowly till every note is absolutely perfect and then speed will come on its own. When I was very young I started to record every practice with a tape recorder and listen back for imperfections, and work on the areas that were rubbish. Having the confidence that it was right at practice allowed me to improve my speed. (I really should be doing that now!)

Hope that you are well,

David
Hi David,

I'm fine thanks, hope you're well too, I bet it's hot where you are right now.

Back to the speed issue, what you said regarding the the accuracy is exactly the problem I seem to have, I start slow but when I speed things up I feel I loose the calarity of the note, almost as if I muted it slightly, I know my main problem is patience, I want things to happen probably quickly and I must admit doing scale practice bores me S***less, but I will bear in mind what you said and try harder.

Cheers David and best wishes,

Colin.:)

[Phil Bennett]

Hi Colin

It probably won't help, but have a look at this guy play.
http://www.theodoreziras.com/mainpage2.htm.

The John Petrucci rock disciplne DVD is a good place to start.

Regards

[Doug Lewis]

I'll second everything said including your own comments. It gets boring to play slowly, but every shredder and teacher I've seen has said the same thing. Play it only as fast as you can play it clean. .. It's not fun, but it's the way it is. John Petrucci's DVD is awesome for tweaking your hand skills. Most speed drills are done with chromatic scales versus major and minors. A metronome (sp?) is a must have! Good Luck! :)

[aleclee]

Jack Zucker (a Gear Page forumite) has a book entitled Sheets of Sound (http://www.sheetsofsound.net/) that is chock full of useful exercises. Its 250+ pages cover linear scales, pentatonic scales, apreggios, fourth-based intervallic models, fifth-based intervallic models, and diminished models and then some.

One thing I found interesting was how it encouraged the use of both sweep picking and alternate picking to maximize speed and smoothness. So far, I've found it a great aid for developing speed and accuracy.

In case this post sounds like a sales pitch, I'll disclose that I paid full price ($29.95 + S/H) for the book and have no business affiliation with Jack.

[irwcustom]

I did the rock masterclass at the guitarist institute with Shaun Baxter. That was great. Sweep picking and legato excersises that foucused on playing everything without a wash of unwanted noise caused by undampened strings and general mistakes. Scales bore me too - your right. In the main it was more down to the picking that gave the speed - and in no way did I get very far. I think we all hear things that are typical runs and many aren't major scale based - though I'd suggest listening to Eric Johnson though it's mainly major pentatonics; he takes the notes by the way he plays to another level IMO. One things for sure as said before, slow it down to improve accuracy - and timing and then speed it up ... but maintaining accuracy. Right, I'd better get practising :o

[Colin P]

Hi Colin

It probably won't help, but have a look at this guy play.
http://www.theodoreziras.com/mainpage2.htm.

The John Petrucci rock disciplne DVD is a good place to start.

Regards
Thanks for that Phil, but let's get real now? as it happens I'm not a great lover of that style of playing, just seems like a speed competition with no melody, probably get shot down now! but some of the stuff on there we be useful.

Cheers,

Colin.

[Colin P]

Jack Zucker (a Gear Page forumite) has a book entitled Sheets of Sound (http://www.sheetsofsound.net/) that is chock full of useful exercises. Its 250+ pages cover linear scales, pentatonic scales, apreggios, fourth-based intervallic models, fifth-based intervallic models, and diminished models and then some.

One thing I found interesting was how it encouraged the use of both sweep picking and alternate picking to maximize speed and smoothness. So far, I've found it a great aid for developing speed and accuracy.

In case this post sounds like a sales pitch, I'll disclose that I paid full price ($29.95 + S/H) for the book and have no business affiliation with Jack.
Cheers Alec, will check it out.

Colin.

[Colin P]

I did the rock masterclass at the guitarist institute with Shaun Baxter. That was great. Sweep picking and legato excersises that foucused on playing everything without a wash of unwanted noise caused by undampened strings and general mistakes. Scales bore me too - your right. In the main it was more down to the picking that gave the speed - and in no way did I get very far. I think we all hear things that are typical runs and many aren't major scale based - though I'd suggest listening to Eric Johnson though it's mainly major pentatonics; he takes the notes by the way he plays to another level IMO. One things for sure as said before, slow it down to improve accuracy - and timing and then speed it up ... but maintaining accuracy. Right, I'd better get practising :o
Always wondered if those institutes were any good, seems like it was helpful to you. I guess it really focuses you.

Colin.

[Tom Gross]

Now I'm gonna throw in a somewhat contrarian view (although not totally).

I'm not the cleanest player in the world, but I can at times play pretty fast. And for me, in addition to practising slowly, being careful, eyc., I believe you must also at times try to play as fast as you can.
I have found it helpful to spend at least some time jamming along with some backing tracks and playing things I am very familiar with as fast as I can, at blazing speed. This does a few things.
- It gives you the feel of going that fast.
- Like zen tennis, it let's your body figure out the best way to play certain things
- It let's you play unconsciously and non-inteleectually.
- I have found I sometimes have difficulty at middle tempos; some things work slowly & real fast, but not in between.
- You can find tricks on your own to take out the sloppyness or solve technical problems.

Now, that said, one should also work very hard on playing cleanly, practicing at speeds you can master and then speed up the metronome, etc.

But at home, alone, you need to let it loose and see what happens.


I alternate pick, and generally pick every note, but I threw in some sweeping several years ago. I have no technical learning advice, because I got my speed by originally being a bass player who played with a pick. All that Chris Squire & John Wetton stuff prepared me well.

[Colin P]

Now I'm gonna throw in a somewhat contrarian view (although not totally).

I'm not the cleanest player in the world, but I can at times play pretty fast. And for me, in addition to practising slowly, being careful, eyc., I believe you must also at times try to play as fast as you can.
I have found it helpful to spend at least some time jamming along with some backing tracks and playing things I am very familiar with as fast as I can, at blazing speed. This does a few things.
- It gives you the feel of going that fast.
- Like zen tennis, it let's your body figure out the best way to play certain things
- It let's you play unconsciously and non-inteleectually.
- I have found I sometimes have difficulty at middle tempos; some things work slowly & real fast, but not in between.
- You can find tricks on your own to take out the sloppyness or solve technical problems.

Now, that said, one should also work very hard on playing cleanly, practicing at speeds you can master and then speed up the metronome, etc.

But at home, alone, you need to let it loose and see what happens.


I alternate pick, and generally pick every note, but I threw in some sweeping several years ago. I have no technical learning advice, because I got my speed by originally being a bass player who played with a pick. All that Chris Squire & John Wetton stuff prepared me well.

Tom,
When I heard you at the forum event I thought to myself "Now he's a quick playing plucker" :D

[realmpel]

I agree with Tom's practice of playing tunes that you know at higher speeds. That way you are playing real music while working on fundamentals like speed and accuracy. Speed drills don't have to take the form of scales and arpeggios (I do those too, though). I have been playing jazz for a few years and use the heads to drill for speed and accuracy. A metronome is a must for this kind of practice. I start slower than necessary and gradually speed up. As soon as I start making mistakes I hold at that level or a few clicks back. It takes several days/practice sessions to advance significantly, and if I don't play for a couple days I tend to lose speed and accuracy.

Even harder for me than playing single line type of stuff fast is playing chord changes fast. I feel like I've worked out in the gym after speeding up changes for awhile.

I have also found that I play faster when I am relaxed. Also, bad hand position slowed me down for awhile.

Some good ideas in this thread, thanks all!

[Colin P]

I agree with Tom's practice of playing tunes that you know at higher speeds. That way you are playing real music while working on fundamentals like speed and accuracy. Speed drills don't have to take the form of scales and arpeggios (I do those too, though). I have been playing jazz for a few years and use the heads to drill for speed and accuracy. A metronome is a must for this kind of practice. I start slower than necessary and gradually speed up. As soon as I start making mistakes I hold at that level or a few clicks back. It takes several days/practice sessions to advance significantly, and if I don't play for a couple days I tend to lose speed and accuracy.

Even harder for me than playing single line type of stuff fast is playing chord changes fast. I feel like I've worked out in the gym after speeding up changes for awhile.

I have also found that I play faster when I am relaxed. Also, bad hand position slowed me down for awhile.

Some good ideas in this thread, thanks all!
Some interesting and helping points.

[Jo]

So Colin, it's been over a month since you started this thread. Has your speed improved?

Mine hasn't :( ... but then I've not been trying too hard. It's so much fun noodling.

[Colin P]

So Colin, it's been over a month since you started this thread. Has your speed improved?

Mine hasn't :( ... but then I've not been trying too hard. It's so much fun
noodling.
Hi Jo,

I thought my thread was dead and buried, but then it was revived again. I've not got faster, been spending too much time on here, I type slow as well !! Seriuosly, I've had a busy month, but i'm trying to be a bit more disciplined, but it was nice to know that the forum members took so much time and trouble to share their experiences, there is comfort in numbers.

Best wishes to an ex-limey,

Colin.

[Jo]

Well I hope at least your typing speed has improved. Mine has :D

:dude:

[Colin P]

Well I hope at least your typing speed has improved. Mine has :D

:dude:
I'm thinking about designing a guitar with a fretboard like a keyboard, what do ya reckon? Just type in the song and wait. :D

[Hello Kopter]

My best roasting nights are the ones where I get the best tone.

[Brian Hill]

I agree with the "start out slow" aproach too. Acracy before speed.

[johnreardon]

Hi Jo,

I thought my thread was dead and buried, but then it was revived again. I've not got faster, been spending too much time on here, I type slow as well !! Seriuosly, I've had a busy month, but i'm trying to be a bit more disciplined, but it was nice to know that the forum members took so much time and trouble to share their experiences, there is comfort in numbers.

Best wishes to an ex-limey,

Colin.Colin, since this thread started, I have been to a few band jams and seen some of these speed merchants playing. To be honest, I have never heard so much crap in my life. It was just some guys t*ssing themselves off, on a guitar, it certainly wasn't music. All that one band did was instrumental after instrumental (no vocals at all) for about 45 minutes. The 'lead' guitarist was in a world of his own, fingers flashing up and down repeating incessantly, the same bloody riff. The audience were bored, I was bored, other musicians were bored. It's probably my age, but, I just do not understand what the hell it is all about.

I have started, initially as a protest, to actually play slower and with gaps in my playing, trying to put more feeling in there. Hopefully, it is working. At least some people have remarked about it. You stay as you are and let those who wish to bore the pants of their audiences continue.

[Colin P]

Colin, since this thread started, I have been to a few band jams and seen some of these speed merchants playing. To be honest, I have never heard so much crap in my life. It was just some guys t*ssing themselves off, on a guitar, it certainly wasn't music. All that one band did was instrumental after instrumental (no vocals at all) for about 45 minutes. The 'lead' guitarist was in a world of his own, fingers flashing up and down repeating incessantly, the same bloody riff. The audience were bored, I was bored, other musicians were bored. It's probably my age, but, I just do not understand what the hell it is all about.

I have started, initially as a protest, to actually play slower and with gaps in my playing, trying to put more feeling in there. Hopefully, it is working. At least some people have remarked about it. You stay as you are and let those who wish to bore the pants of their audiences continue.

Hi John,

Thanks for that, but you know what's going to happen now, that young gun slinger on here (no names) is again going to be accuse us of being a couple of jealous old t*ssers, who just can't do it, :D but I agree with you. I'd rather listen to an expressive player than one that just keeps playing fast scales.

As suggeested by Gary Nattrass, I've just bought a Tascam four track recorder. It's only a basic model, I play a few chords then record another track over it, I find it helps with my timing etc, and great fun as well.

[Tom Gross]

Without getting into the argument, I will say this - it's nice to have the ability to play fast as one of the things in your paintbox to use when you feel like it.

It's like having some more big words in your vocabulary, just cause there are a lot of assholes running around just spouting a lot of fancy language without saying anything, it doesn't mean it wouldn't be nice to have a good vocabulary at hand in order to use it to express yourself that way when you felt like it.

[Colin P]

Without getting into the argument, I will say this - it's nice to have the ability to play fast as one of the things in your paintbox to use when you feel like it.

It's like having some more big words in your vocabulary, just cause there are a lot of assholes running around just spouting a lot of fancy language without saying anything, it doesn't mean it wouldn't be nice to have a good vocabulary at hand in order to use it to express yourself that way when you felt like it.Hi Tom,

As I said earlier in the thread, I still would like a bit more speed, and a few more tricks up my sleeve, just don't believe it's needed in every solo, IMHO, but I know you can play fast, as you demonstrated at the 2002 meet, and may I say, with taste too.

[Tom Gross]

Hi Tom,

As I said earlier in the thread, I still would like a bit more speed, and a few more tricks up my sleeve, just don't believe it's needed in every solo, IMHO, but I know you can play fast, as you demonstrated at the 2002 meet, and may I say, with taste too.Thanks for the kind words.
I work hard to learn to play with taste and keep the "need for speed" at bay a little.

Yeah, I was just trying to bring the conversation back to what you had said - that you'd like a little more speed available.

[Colin P]

Thanks for the kind words.
I work hard to learn to play with taste and keep the "need for speed" at bay a little.

Yeah, I was just trying to bring the conversation back to what you had said - that you'd like a little more speed available.Even with widdling over a few chords, I think I'm starting to get a bit more fluent, but as It's only a hobby so I'm not going to get too worried, it's still a pleasure after all.

[pembell]

Without getting into the argument, I will say this - it's nice to have the ability to play fast as one of the things in your paintbox to use when you feel like it.

It's like having some more big words in your vocabulary, just cause there are a lot of assholes running around just spouting a lot of fancy language without saying anything, it doesn't mean it wouldn't be nice to have a good vocabulary at hand in order to use it to express yourself that way when you felt like it.Tom, I think your analogy is good but I would modify it slightly - you're spot on that it's one's ability to express oneself that counts but I like to think it's phrasing rather than complexity that's most important. It's the difference between what a lawyer might say and how Winston Churchill might have put it.

Something else that made me re-appraise my view of speed/solos etc was an article in a UK guitar mag where a current artist was praising John Taylor - he said he never had the desire to hear him solo - just to hear him play play the melodies he did so well. Now if we could all work out melodies like that.. well just me really.

Having said that - god I wish I could play fast......

[BoyMambo]

Colin, you are totally correct, we do play guitar for pleasure and the frustration that we feel when we think we are not progressing can be very annoying. Against my own personal feelings, my guitar teacher has suggested that I work on learning the guitar solo from Stairway to Heaven. This was a big ask because it really is a bit of a holy grail for most of my generation. So I started working on it using transcriptions from magazines that I had and using some software plugins for winamp that slowdown the song's tempo without changing the pitch, and another that would allow a selected loop to be repeated. (Thanks Jo) I never really knew how hard this would be, mainly because of work and family, and you really have to be in the right frame of mind to sit there and labourously work on a bar or phrase at a time. Forcing myself for the last two weeks, I worked at half tempo. I have managed about twenty bars, half an hour each night, bit by bit, over and over again.

Well today in my lesson my teacher said, "Sorry David, full speed today!" I was quite gutted, but guess what, I nailed the first twenty bars! Then using what I had learnt from looking at the chords and from the notes used in the solo, I continued on improvising, then at his signal, I stepped straight back into the first twenty bars of the solo again to finish. Boy was I surprised.

I did not want to learn the solo, way to much respect and no confidence, but it really has helped to take a piece of music I like and really try to learn it bar by bar at a slower tempo. And just because my fingers had gone over and over it, the speed came, naturally. Best of Luck mate. How did you go with the Computer?

[BIG GINGER GIT]

Hi Colin,
Have you ever thought of buying a metronome to play along to ? maybe it could help monitor your progress.
I disagree with John's comments on speed and agree with Tom's. Speed is a nice little tool to have up your sleeve, and when the best slow players who have a great touch and soul also have great chops it's killer :eek:
A good example is Ariel's blues track with his new strat, he was so in control the whole way through but the way the track built was awesome. His slow playing at the beginning was just breathtaking for me, his phrasing was beautiful and he was hitting all the right notes, he's so melodic. Then he through in a few fast licks all picked perfectly and cleanly and you just think SH*T !! totally awesome. Same goes for Robben Ford and Steve Lukather for me, they are both masters of playing slow with tons of feel, teasing you along squeezing out the notes then BANG the rip out some speed lick and it's just ......RESPECT !! I just used those two as an example as they are two of my faves but there's obviously many more.

In the eighties when I was gigging with my hard rock band I was unemployed and could spend all day rehersing with my band and working on my chops, everyone used to check the local bands out just to see how hot the guitarists were. Nearly every gig I did some guitarist or punter would come over and comment on my playing and it was the same comments all the time. They all loved my slow playing :confused: the solos I played in the ballads always went down best with the guitarists. I used to ask 'what about the fast stuff ?' and it was always yeah 'you rock' etc but it was always the slower stuff that turned heads. I always felt a bit deflated as I'd worked so hard on my runs but it was always my phrasing and control of bends and vibrato that seemed to impress folks :confused:

As I matured as a person and as a player I realy learned to appreciate and respect that although I often wish I hadn't lost it all, wish I could still play like I did in those days :(

Having not played through an amp for a long time (Boogie too loud) I've just realised how sloppy my playing has become, the Vox is picking up all my faults so I'm really gonna start digging in again.

Keep at it Colin, it'll all come together....usually when you're not expecting it !!!

[Colin P]

To David; Thanks for the comments, it takes self discipline to sit there tonight after night as you did, I try not too learn someone's else's tunes as I don't think they ever sound like the real thing however well they are played, but saying that there are certian licks in a tune that I'd like to nail and I guess if you have a few tunes that you can play well then it can't be a bad thing, I remember when I was invited up by Julian Carter to play along along on a couple of tunes, but when he showed me a list I didn't know any!! I felt down at that stage, but I just widdled along on a couple of blues like tunes and I think I got away with it, but I believe that if you're intending to do any kind of gigging or just playing along with a few others then you need a few standards under your belt, but I much prefer to improvise, I enjoy it much more. Thanks for the encouragement.

To Ainsley; Thanks for the comments, but to be honest and at the fear of sounding stupid, I don't understand when people talk about Phrasing, does it mean where you emphasise certain notes in the bar etc? I really would like to understand it better. I bought a Korg Metronome a while ago and have just started using it, It gives out a bleap but finding it hard to hear the dominant one, maybe I need the traditonal mechaincal type.

Going back to when you were younger and umeplyed and playing all day, I think a lot of good bands and players come form this background, but I remember when when I was reading a book about snooker of all things, and it said that although practice is important, you had to practice the right things beacuse all you are doing is practicing your own mistakes, I feel this also applies to the guitar, I still think that you can take two people and they can practice the same amount time etc, and find one will improve at a lot faster rate, or am I just making excuses?

BTW: This track you mentioned with Aeriel, is it on his website? if so would appreciate the link.

Thanks again guys.

[BIG GINGER GIT]

BTW: This track you mentioned with Aeriel, is it on his website? if so would appreciate the link.


Check this out Colin, I think it's some of Ariel's best playing to date :D

http://www.aleclee.com/forum/strat_blues.mp3

As for phrasing, it's a lot of things like melody, timing, feel and choice of notes plus more.
Listen to the clip of Ariel, he let's the music breathe, holding back not hogging every space, he's got a lovely vibrato which is really important, his choice of notes is great providing a bluesy yet melodic feel (this comes from knowing your stuff, I'm stuck in the blues scale rut) the way he attacks notes, sometimes hard sometimes soft, he'll bend up to a certain note or he'll slide into it, he'll bend up to a note and cut it dead or let it sing.
It's all of these things that make good phrasing in my book, I hope this helps mate.

Oh, and as for copying other peoples stuff, I'm the same I'm too lazy. It's a shame as it's a great way to learn, I just tend to noodle and work out the easy bits :D ;)

[Colin P]

Check this out Colin, I think it's some of Ariel's best playing to date :D

http://www.aleclee.com/forum/strat_blues.mp3

As for phrasing, it's a lot of things like melody, timing, feel and choice of notes plus more.
Listen to the clip of Ariel, he let's the music breathe, holding back not hogging every space, he's got a lovely vibrato which is really important, his choice of notes is great providing a bluesy yet melodic feel (this comes from knowing your stuff, I'm stuck in the blues scale rut) the way he attacks notes, sometimes hard sometimes soft, he'll bend up to a certain note or he'll slide into it, he'll bend up to a note and cut it dead or let it sing.
It's all of these things that make good phrasing in my book, I hope this helps mate.



Oh, and as for copying other peoples stuff, I'm the same I'm too lazy. It's a shame as it's a great way to learn, I just tend to noodle and work out the easy bits :D ;)Hi Ainsley, thanks for the explanation and the link, you should be music journalist, or are you on the side? Aeriels track nearly blew my CD...wow, just glad my playing is only a hobby.:eek:

[Colin P]

Dave,

Forgot to mention in my last post, re the computer, I'll think it's going to be a desk top, but not for a couple of months. Cheers and thanks to you and the others for your expert advice.

Colin. :)

[ikkyu2]

It took me about 2 hours a day of serious practice, for two years, until I started to build up the kind of speed I wanted - the ability to rip out an improvised shredder solo, select the notes, and get to where I was going. I was able to cover some Yngwie tracks like Far Beyond the Sun with suitable inflection and phrasing. If I missed a day of practice it showed. I was about 16 at the time it all started to come together.

I'm 32 now and I don't think I could ever get back to that level. The body machinery is simply not up to par. But the general method is the same - practice things slowly. A missed note or poorly-phrased run means you go back, turn the metronome down 4 or 5 bpm, and play it again until you can do it perfect every time. It requires a lot of concentration and mental energy and it's not exactly the most exciting thing, which is why I don't bother with it much these days :)

A little compression, either an effect or in the amp, doesn't hurt either - the shredder's secret weapon.

[Drpcr]

Hey David, ur a neurologist, get with it, left side of the brain controls the slow part, right side the speed ;) I guess guitar playing defys that anyways, cause I'm right handed but my fret hand is my left hand, this is not right! :confused:

All good points, slow is key and then if you can it slow then speed it up. Personally, I think I can play way faster than when I was 16 and shredding. Althoughwhen I was 16, I was playing on Jackson custom shop with no radius and action so low that if I looked at the guitar, it would make noise. Now I just shred on my custom 24, although I think when my Driskill shows up, that will really let me rip. I would also encourage you to practice with a metronome. Its how most musicians learn tempo and speed in any instrument. I learned that when I was 3 playing violin and listening to paganini, but helps if ur have Ehlers-Danlos in those situations, but I digress.

I think there are 2 kinds of audiences. People who like speed vs people who like slow melodic sequences. If I shred, some people will say, man that rock. If I play some old fashion blues, some will say that rocks. Who knows what is good? To each their own.

ALthough I tell you, every time I go into GC, I'm always shredding since most of those kids in there think they can, and play so loud, I have to step in and say, ummm listen to me and learn grasshopper...

[Tom Gross]

Great post, Ariel.

[Colin P]

Colin
The best way of getting some speed is just not trying to play fast.
I have no memories of a time when I was telling to myself "you must get faster!"...in fact I always tried to get out of those "boxes" you learn when you're a kid, and to get away from the pentatonic scale. if you listen carefully, I usually rely a lot on the 2nd and 6th degrees, which are the two that are missing on the pentatonic...I do this to make sure I'm NOT playing that scale...it's something I cannot get rid of, I guess...my fault!:)
I suggest you take a short phrase, say, three or four notes linear on the first string and play them up and down picking every single note you play, start slowly and then speed it up till the moment you feel there's something not quite right...that's the point when one of your hands begins to be slower than the other...you should notice if your picking hand is getting behind, or the other way around. Then concentrate on getting that slower hand up to where the other one is. Speed is all about synchrony.
But one last unsolicited advise: Play with an absolutely clean tone. You won't be able to know exactly where you're getting sloppy if you use a lot of distortion...always be true to yourself and be your most sharp critic: if you don't like what you hear, others won't do. If you think what you play is cool, then that's what all is about: Happiness. Make yourself happy playing the guitar...it should be fun ALWAYS. The moment you feel it's hard work, the moment it becomes apparent to others you're not enjoying it and you're out.:)Thanks for that Ariel, but now I'm confused, you say you concentrate on the second and sixth degrees of the scale :confused: and the linear on the first string? Got the timing thing though, so there's some hope.