TOPIC: I LEARN SOMETHING NEW EVERYDAY....

I used to think that playing the guitar fast was a big problem ....recently I've learned that that's not the case. The problem for me is playing the song/piece at a different speed from which I'm used to practicing it. Some songs from Dave's CDs I've learned "playing fast"...others I've learned "playing slow"....so when I have to play them with others at a different pace, it really makes me have to concentrate hard . Guess with experience I'll be able to do them at any speed without even thinking. I've also found in "all these months" of playing that I find speeding up a lot easier than slowing down. Am I the only one that experiences this?

I appreciate the fact Dave encourages slow playing. One of my problems is being able to sync with a more experienced player. Many players will play a tune alittle differently than how it's tabbed out. For instance, at my level of playing, i utilize a simple bass/strum in the chord progression. It's enough for me to just keep a good rhythm going. Some players will alternate bass notes, or arppegiate notes in the progression, which sounds flowery and cool, but totally throws off my concentration.
I haven't built my playing ability up to a level to be able to improvise like that yet, by playing fills and riffs. If i spent more time playing the scales, i could be more creative. But for now, i like keeping it simple.

I play scales everyday and still can't improvise. I don't think I'm very creative. I can play what I know( I hear it in my head while I'm playing)but not much else. So I keep practicing, scales, chords, and melody lines. Someday I'll get better. The cat still likes my playing!

Dave 2311
When I started with Dave he made me play the alternate bass note from day one....I'd go home and do the G chord a bizillion times, alternating the bass notes....and literary drove the dog and me nuts.....but it worked...and when I felt a little comfortable with that chord I moved to the next one (C) etc.. Still I don't always get it right, but by alternating I know where in the measure I should be...and like you said, it does sound better....keep plucking....you too will get "there"...

I'm finding that I need to relax when I'm practicing or playing. I concentrate so much on what I'm supposed to do that I forget to do it or have trouble doing it when the time comes. I was at a lesson last night trying to play part of a lead and struggled terribly with it until, in frustration, I said to myself Whisky Tango Foxtrot (that's NATO speak)and took a deep breath and relaxed a little bit. It felt much better. It didn't sound much better, but it felt better. When I got home, I took a deep breath before I started practicing and it even sounded better.

We're all waiting for that epiphony.