Such A Thing As 'Bad Habits' For Playing Guitar?

What's Hot
2»

Comments

  • TheBlueWolfTheBlueWolf Frets: 1536
    Posture is my bad habit, and nemesis, when playing. If I don't sit or stand correctly when playing my left arm/shoulder hurts like hell. In fact I had to stop playing for a couple of months at the start of the year.

    I forget to relax too and usually end up hunched over the guitar when learning new stuff. That gets painful too :(

    Twisted Imaginings - A Horror And Gore Themed Blog http://bit.ly/2DF1NYi


    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • StuckfastStuckfast Frets: 2393
    When you're recording other musicians you sometimes run into technical faults that they're obviously not aware of, which make it hard or impossible to get a good recorded sound. One of the most common is fretting too hard and sending the guitar out of tune on some chords, or playing too hard with the right hand.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Stuckfast said:
    When you're recording other musicians you sometimes run into technical faults that they're obviously not aware of, which make it hard or impossible to get a good recorded sound. One of the most common is fretting too hard and sending the guitar out of tune on some chords, or playing too hard with the right hand.
    Yeah I get this sometimes, I've had to adjust my playing and tell myself I'm not playing live so I shouldn't hit so hard in the studio! Also just relaxing and playing "in the pocket" is my weakness, seem to rush parts a bit or lag just behind the beat.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71956
    The only really bad habit I can think of is not listening properly to what you're playing. I'm sure we all have little things we do mechanically without really listening to what we're doing - I know I do, although I try not to. If you listen properly then a lot of the other bad habits - tuning, timing, overpicking, etc - should be obvious and get corrected.

    One of the things that most struck me in the video of Mark Knopfler playing and talking about guitars that someone posted here a while back, is that he really concentrates on listening to what he's playing.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 2reaction image Wisdom
  • bbill335bbill335 Frets: 1368
    I heard that playing songs and not skills is a bad habit!
    4reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • DanjiDanji Frets: 225
    edited September 2017
    Out of all of my years playing I come to the conclusion there isn't really any right or wrong.  As someone has said before on here there are some ways of doing things that shortcut and help, but fuck it, it's not a sport. 

    When I think of a lot of my favourite musicians I think about their quirks or limitations that have defined their style.  Metheny looks like he shouldn't be able to play a single note (if you turned the sound down), likewise for Monk, Miles Davis cracked more notes that he played, and Ian Brown is rarely if ever is in the same key as the band, (but he's always been my favourite singer). 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • GrunfeldGrunfeld Frets: 4027
    For years I thought I had to use my small finger because it was inefficient not to.  It always felt awkward and always felt difficult but I thought if just kept at it another decade maybe it would be okay.  I wanted to do the "right" thing.
    Then one day I noticed that my favourite player hardly ever bothered with his small finger.  And at that point I stopped trying to practise "right" and got on with playing the way the felt easiest for me. 
    So like @WilliamAyerst mentioned, the only bad habit is one that's painful.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • paul_c2paul_c2 Frets: 410
    I don't think earmarking a bad habit then finding a player who breaks the rule is especially relevant, or helpful. If a teacher finds and corrects a bad habit, then 90/100 of his pupils are better players because of it, 9 are unaffected and one missed out on some new genre or sound or trademark technique/niche, I'm not sure it shows the correction to be wrong.

    Also it can be more subtle than simply having "bad habits" which are corrected. Formal lessons from a teacher can enable learning to be properly directed and time efficient - so while the self-taught may arrive at a level of proficiency after say 1 year or 10 years or whatever, the teacher-taught may achieve that level much sooner (and in the same timeframe, have moved on to more/other things). Also one would hope the teacher-taught would not have gaps in knowledge, where a self-taught might (and these might/might not restrict them now or later).

    Of course a LOT depends on the aptitude, and the attitude of the pupil themselves - unless very intensive, then the vast majority of the time will be practising oneself. And a lot also depends on how good the teacher is, too. I believe (only a hunch) that there's more 'variance' with guitar teachers than more classical instruments eg piano, violin etc
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • paul_c2 said:
    I don't think earmarking a bad habit then finding a player who breaks the rule is especially relevant, or helpful. If a teacher finds and corrects a bad habit...
    I think it's highly relevant. Who's to say the 'so called' teacher is correct. I've been given and read some absolute bollocks advice in my 48 years of playing guitar. Things that have held me back because I was stupid and naive enough to believe it at the time.
    It's not a competition.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 2reaction image Wisdom
  • AlexCAlexC Frets: 2396
    @stratman3142 Hear, hear! Agree with you wholeheartedly.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • paul_c2paul_c2 Frets: 410
    paul_c2 said:
    I don't think earmarking a bad habit then finding a player who breaks the rule is especially relevant, or helpful. If a teacher finds and corrects a bad habit...
    I think it's highly relevant. Who's to say the 'so called' teacher is correct. I've been given and read some absolute bollocks advice in my 48 years of playing guitar. Things that have held me back because I was stupid and naive enough to believe it at the time.

    Kinda proves the second point, that finding a decent teacher is fraught with problems for guitar. In theory, a good teacher should be able to help, but in practice finding (and knowing how to identify) a good teacher is not a simple task. Its easy to see why so many people are self taught etc
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • paul_c2 said:
    paul_c2 said:
    I don't think earmarking a bad habit then finding a player who breaks the rule is especially relevant, or helpful. If a teacher finds and corrects a bad habit...
    I think it's highly relevant. Who's to say the 'so called' teacher is correct. I've been given and read some absolute bollocks advice in my 48 years of playing guitar. Things that have held me back because I was stupid and naive enough to believe it at the time.

    Kinda proves the second point, that finding a decent teacher is fraught with problems for guitar. In theory, a good teacher should be able to help, but in practice finding (and knowing how to identify) a good teacher is not a simple task. Its easy to see why so many people are self taught etc
    Sorry you touched a nerve that caused me to go off on one.

    My point is to check the validity of the information being given. If I find a highly effective player, doing something I like (and fits with the way I do things), that goes against what a 'so called' expert says, then there's at least some evidence that it works in certain instances and it might work for me in those instances. I prefer to check multiple sources, do my own experiments, and ultimately go with my own judgement. I'm referring to the more advanced stuff btw.

    It's easier to check different approaches these days, with all of the clips on YouTube.
    It's not a competition.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 2reaction image Wisdom
  • fandangofandango Frets: 2204
    "If it sounds right, it is right" could be changed to "if it feels right, it is right" here I think.  I'm coming in on both sides,  a self taught player and a guitar teacher.    I know I do have what some would call bad habits, but I've seen enough  amazing players using what some would call bad habits.  The only things I call out students for  are things could lead to health issues, like playing with all downstrokes etc...
    Mmmm .... that's surely a mental issue, yes?
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • BarneyBarney Frets: 614
    Drinking loads of alcohol then trying to play.. :D
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • tralfamadantralfamadan Frets: 31
    edited September 2017
    I taught myself to play about 17 years ago now. All I could play was power chords and first position major/minor chords and the solo to Stairway to Heaven. Given the music I liked (at the time) that worked for me then but it was hard pushing my way out of that envelope. I have loads of bad habits though - especially pulling the fretted notes sharp. I'm sure that comes from wearing the guitar at a stupid height throughout my youth.

    I don't think everyone necessarily needs lessons though - depends on the person. As mentioned above, sometimes teachers can instill bad habits in their pupils. Its important not to take everything taught as gospel and keep an open mind - although that can be very difficult as a young student.
    Hoof said:
    Misusing 3rds when playing barre chords

    What do you mean by this?


    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • I will say only one thing (not relevant to the point because you guys did a great job of it already.)

    I just wonder if this thread wouldn't belong in the "Technique" section rather than "theory"
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
Sign In or Register to comment.