How has your guitar playing changed over the years?

jonnygreentrees

I've started taking lessons after playing for 14 years.

Amazing what I don't know

jdgm

I have got a lot better and re-motivated since I bought a Gibson with the shorter scale than my Fenders.

Musicwolf

I got my first guitar, a second hand acoustic costing £8, for Christmas in 1976.  So that's, let's see 1, 2, 3 ,4 .................a lot of years ago.  I made a promising start (this was something that I really wanted to do) but got side tracked onto bass after a couple of months as a good way of getting into a band.  I later added keyboards to my armoury and so played either bass or keys (or both) in bands for a number of years whilst still playing acoustic guitar at home.

In 1988 I treated myself to my first half decent electric 6 string, a Fender Squire in LPB.  I was looking for a gig as a guitarist but ended up joining a great band as bass player for the next couple of years.  I relocated in 1990 and formed a band with me as guitarist but, after a couple of years, that folded and I ended up as keyboard player, with occasional guitars, in another great original band.  That lasted for about 15 years before eventually running its course.

I then focussed on writing and recording on my own for a year or so, which really developed my guitar skills, before joining a covers band as lead guitarist in around 2008.  For the last 10 years I've been playing covers, whilst occasionally working on solo material, and it's in this period that my guitar playing has developed.  Some, deluded, people think that I'm now actually quite good.

WiresDreamDisasters

I'm starting to chew off bits of hybrid picking. I'm nowhere near the Mastodon-y levels that I wanna be, but I can switch between using a pick and plucking chords with my fingers now, all in one smooth motion. Never used to be able to do that.

Just gotta get to the next level; the arpeggiate a chord thing... pluck the root with the pick, and then pluck with the 2nd and 3rd fingers. It's hard.

5redlights

It's improved. 

Caffeine_Vampire

Inversions are my thing now. Can’t play fast anymore and I’m happy with that. Holding down the rhythm and hanging back is something I should have done years ago. Guitar players age well. 

HAL9000

Avoiding minor pentatonic widdling.

More economic soloing.

Learning complete songs, and building up some kind of a repertoire.

Attemping to improve my singing - ok, so not particularly a guitar skill but still part of the whole making music thing.

Tenebrous

It hasn't - I'm still shite.

stratman3142

The big changes were during the first 20 odd years, attempting to assimilate the styles of various guitarists I latched on to, but not necessarily with total success, although I gained something in the attempt. To name a few, that included attempting to emulate Paul Kossoff, Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Alan Murphy, Nile Rodgers, Larry Carlton, Robben Ford, Eddie Van Halen and Nuno Bettencourt. 

I was devastated, and felt rendered worthless, when I saw Alan Murphy live with SFX. Then I recorded their gigs and obsessively copied him. Then Nuno had the same effect again. The big changes stopped then. I realised I was never going to keep up with the guitar virtuoso thing that was happening at the time and I focused on being a part of the band.

Home recording has helped me become acutely aware of how my sound fits in, for recording and live. 

For the past ~30 years it's been subtle refinements. I like to throw in jazzy lines, in a rock blues context in the style of Robben Ford, but have no interest in going beyond that. My sweep picking has marginally improved and my picking has improved thanks to subscribing to Troy Grady.

I've played in fairly big bands over the years with keyboards and brass sections etc. Now I'm in a band with just vocals, guitar, bass and drums, so I'm learning to fill out the sound. I'm still learning but I don't expect my style wiĺl change much. There are still things to work on. For example, being as you started the thread, that reminds me that I'd like to get that highly percussive Meshuggah low string style that Drew @WiresDreamDisasters can do.

JAYJO

I have forgotten more songs than i now know. I spend so much time trying to improve technique ,learn new stuff etc i hardly ever play a song. Its ridiculous really. i can pick up my guitar and not think of a single song to play.
When i do pick one it will be something i learned years ago.. I am Lazy though so that dosent help.

WiresDreamDisasters

stratman3142 said:

There are still things to work on. For example, being as you started the thread, that reminds me that I'd like to get that highly percussive Meshuggah low string style that Drew @WiresDreamDisasters can do.

Okay, I guess what I do I wouldn't quite describe as Meshuggah-ry ... I dunno.. maybe it is. But anyway... there are some pre-requisites for that. Some people aren't going to agree, but...

1. You can't really get it in standard tuning. It just doesn't sound the same. Drop-C, Drop-B, or even lower if your guitar will manage it.
2. muting with your fretting hand and palm muting are equally important. Having other strings resonating is gonna ruin the effect.
3. Picking at a right angle to the string will give you the biggest attack on the note. But you can also pick at a slight angle to increase speed.
4. The most important thing really is to get the synchronisation between the two hands very tight. Particularly when switching between palm-muting and not palm-muting and then back again. I like to think of it kind of like a hihat being opened and closed. No room for error there.

Exorcist

more 'phrasing' less 'shredding'

stratman3142

WiresDreamDisasters said:

stratman3142 said:

There are still things to work on. For example, being as you started the thread, that reminds me that I'd like to get that highly percussive Meshuggah low string style that Drew @WiresDreamDisasters can do.

...1. You can't really get it in standard tuning. It just doesn't sound the same. Drop-C, Drop-B, or even lower if your guitar will manage it.
2. muting with your fretting hand and palm muting are equally important. Having other strings resonating is gonna ruin the effect.
3. Picking at a right angle to the string will give you the biggest attack on the note. But you can also pick at a slight angle to increase speed.
4. The most important thing really is to get the synchronisation between the two hands very tight. Particularly when switching between palm-muting and not palm-muting and then back again. I like to think of it kind of like a hihat being opened and closed. No room for error there.

Thanks for the pointers.

Exorcist

JAYJO said:

I have forgotten more songs than i now know. I spend so much time trying to improve technique ,learn new stuff etc i hardly ever play a song. Its ridiculous really. i can pick up my guitar and not think of a single song to play.
When i do pick one it will be something i learned years ago.. I am Lazy though so that dosent help.

I'm the same, I haven't learned a song for years... but play far more than I used to.

Bennyboy-UK

Sadly I spend more time on internet guitar forums reading about guitar playing and much less time actually playing the thing! Need to sort that out!

TheBlueWolf

Oddly enough as arthritis has virtually stopped me playing guitar I've improved a fair bit at theory and avoiding pointless noodling.

I understand *music* a lot better than I did 18 months ago which is something of a shame as I can't guarantee that I'll be able to put it into practice, but I'm considering my guitar related options now in a more positive way. 

Barnezy

I now wish I started younger. I had 3 lessons when I was 20 and then didn’t pick it up again until I had kids 14 years later, when I realised couldn’t spend my weekends doing whatever all day hobby I wanted to do. 

Been playing consistantly 1-2hrs a day for the past 18 months. I’m now at the stage where I have enough technique to play most things, just not that well. I’ve started playing with other people in an organised group for amateur musicians and have a new teacher who is helping me on my lead. The hardest thing I find now, is knowing where to focus as everything needs improving and there’s new important things to learn at the same time. 

Ohh and I’ve bought and sold 9 guitars in that time also.