Thoughts On Technique

This is a topic that often comes up with a lot of my students. How can i play fast like you? or what do i have to do to get playing better, smoother, or cleaner? The first thing is a bit of patience is needed. Everything that someone plays at a blindingly fast speed was practiced very slow at some point. A figure, or musical motif must be mastered at a slow speed and then when all the notes are in perfect order, you can start to increase the speed. The best way to do this is with a metronome. Since the tempo of the metronome never varies, it becomes apparent when you are playing out of sync with it as well as when you are locked in. There are plenty of scales, exercises, picking patterns out there to get your technique up. Something a lot of players tend to overlook is learning real songs and solos as a means to better themselves. Listen to the very last figure in the solo in "Stairway To Heaven", for instance. Its a great little triplet/pull-off pattern not to mention the quick picking needed. Its more fun to practice examples from real songs. Find a song or solo that you enjoy or that interests you in a how did he or she do that kind of way. Just remember to take it slow at first. No one wants to hear something played fast and sloppy!
-Danielelectric