Sunday, November 30, 2008

7 Tips To Help Improve Playing Lead Guitar

By Joss Schuyler

If you would like to learn how to play the lead guitar then you need to know it takes more than just pure talent, you also need to know the right techniques and theory so that you can play it well. There are lots of people who currently play the lead guitar and would like to play it better than they already do, but for some this is much easier said than done. In this article we offer several tips that could help to improve your playing lead guitar.

Tip 1 - Although you may think that learning the basics of playing a lead guitar isn't important because it is boring, then think again. Certainly if you aren't willing to spend time learning even the basics when playing lead guitar it can prove very difficult indeed.

Tip 2 - Yes the great lead guitarists will play their instrument stood up or bouncing around the stage, but when it comes to learning this is not the best position to put yourself in. Instead it is much better if you learn to play lead guitar whilst sat down on a chair that is comfortable. If you are more relaxed when learning and practicing you will find it easier to retain the things that you have been taught, plus you may also find that you don't expend as much energy so you don't become tired easily.

Tip 3 - Disciplining yourself is crucial when it comes to playing lead guitar and being able to play it well. Therefore if you decide that each day you spend 45 minutes practicing what you have been taught previously then you should, and never choose to finish your practice session 10 or 20 minutes early.

Tip 4 - Even though economy picking is easier to improve your lead guitar skills you need to learn alternate picking as well. If you cannot use this technique then playing more complex techniques or faster pieces will prove more difficult for you. It is through alternate picking that you learn how to move more effectively between the up and down strokes on the guitar. Although learning this technique may take time you will be able to play them automatically and picking the strings becomes a lot quicker.

Tip 5 - You have to dedicate time to learning the various different techniques for playing lead guitar. So you need to spend time learning how to play bends, slides, vibratos, pull offs, hammer ons as well as the kinds of tricks that other lead guitarists use. Through learning these techniques you can make your lead guitar playing more colorful and so make it more expressive.

Tip 6 - To play certain lead guitar solos you will need to learn how to repeatedly play scales. The types of scales that are most commonly used by guitarists today to help them with their playing and which they learn are the Pentatonic and E Blues scales. If you can master these scales then you will find that they make a good framework for your playing and can help you to then start creating your own music.

Tip 7 - This last tip when it comes to playing lead guitar is the most important of them all. It is the one where you get told that practice makes perfect. The more time you dedicate to practicing a piece the more you will find that you remember it and so it then becomes easier to play. When you first start off learning a new piece for the lead guitar do so very slowly and then gradually build up the tempo at which it should be played using a metronome. - 15485

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