14 Technical Mistakes Every Intermediate Guitarist Makes

[@BrandonDeon]

How many of these mistakes are you guilty of dammit? 52 Week Guitar Player officially reopens for enrollment on December 14/2024. We will reopen on Dec 11 for waiting list members. We will only be accepting 100 new students. Sign up to the waiting list to be among the first in line: brandondeon.com/survey-page2

[@marksomething]

all of them.

[@michaelmccormack2634]

You're my favorite drill sargent! Learn a lot from your tips and love the humor! Hopefully I can be your student just need to save up. Need to get back on stage! Keep up the vids man... ... For some reason I keep seeing you in my nightmares yelling at me to quit cigarettes lol... I hope this continues!

[@aaryanvipin2412]

Could you please make a video on the right process to learn scales and the fretboard? Love you content!

[@4536647674]

Before i sign up for this 52 week course..just wanna know do you roast your students like in your videos? Cause if you don't I'm not interested..i want you to call my fingers weak little shit everytime i make a mistake

[@zabooka]

hi

[@willc521]

“Send this video to a guitar player that fuckin’ sucks!” *proceeds to forward video to self*

[@viatueur73]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@Natural_Evan280]

Me!!

[@TokisakiHanabi]

same here 😂😂😂😂

[@stonks693]

-Don't use angled fingers while using Italian grip *01:32** Proceeds using angled fingers*

[@curtisnorris868]

Also flung his fingers way high off the fretboard.

[@ItzBotz]

This thing about not using angled fingers should not be followed to the letter. It's good that you train like he said, a hand that is more reminiscent of a bass player, until you can play freely like that, and use angled fingers on the right occasions. Every professional uses angled fingers, but it is because of the context. Anyway, I don't know everything, but I think this way and I think it works well

[@BrandonDeon]

Lolz you're right I kinda did! If you look at past videos like my Cliffs of Dover cover I generally don't though. It's a bad habit that I still recommend you avoid. Cheers my man!

[@coyote8427]

do as i say not as i do kinda shit

[@stonks693]

@@BrandonDeon I understood what you were trying to say, I was just joking 😄. I have improved a lot because of your tips, Thanks

[@imantoniojuan]

Mistake 0: Have short fingers!

[@Vang_Ke]

My friend has short and fat fingers but he play fast solo lick like ease

[@ariannaguadagnini3759]

Can't they just like get a smaller guitar

[@davidpignatore6532]

I got short, thick fingers and it def prevents from being able to do certain things. I can't use the Hendrix grip. My fingers won't reach without muting out most strings.

[@Natural_Evan280]

SAME

[@NoMusiciansInMusicAnymore]

0.5 would have been funnier

[@gaiamaietti9621]

0:30 fortunately I'm italian so I never make this mistake

[@christianfoster3806]

Biggest intermediate guitar mistake: watching KZbin instead of practicing. Facts

[@llll-lk2mm]

youre so right. im waiting for my first amp rn lol.

[@jameswilliford5478]

Beginners too

[@SuperXtoon]

I had always had the "right" thumb position shown at 0:13. However, I've watched some videos that say that the "wrong" way is more natural for the hand. I've tried this for a few months and I've noticed that I no longer feel any pain/tension in my thumb muscle. However, I still need to use the "right" thumb position for big stretches on the lower strings. I think in the end it all depends on the situation.

[@CLA82529]

Same.

[@VideoGameAholicOF]

Bingo

[@jaxsonevans6039]

I disagree. In my experience, if you do that, ur hand will loose the proper “curve” that allows you to play lower notes without buzzing. Hopefully that made sense

[@acekiller48]

This whole comment sections is on CIGARETTES!!!

[@kb470]

I am appalled

[@acekiller48]

@@kb470 Then lay off the CIGARETTES!!!

[@Peggy_Glazer]

@@kb470lay off the cigerattes you need to practice guitar

[@kb470]

@@Peggy_Glazer I'm not! I don't even know how to spell sigerets

[@Peggy_Glazer]

@@kb470 uh huh sure take him to guitar jail for not practicing the circle of 78ths for ten sets of 12

[@earthone777]

Dude, the thumb thing makes no sense. Your thumb should naturally be changing positions and placement on the neck as you play and based on how high up on the neck you're hand is. Any beginner guitar player is gonna watch this, try to keep their thumb in the "correct position" you suggest and likely hurt themselves because you told them not to move their thumb in respect to the rest of their hand... good advice.

[@keshavjoshi7098]

absolutely agreed

[@earthone777]

​@keshavjoshi7098 Yup. This type of mindset ruins creativity. According to this guy there is only one way to play guitar...

[@BLINKxSCOT]

A lot of the other mistakes he mentions are the same. Its almost like its deliberately put first to cause outrage.

[@earthone777]

​@BLINKxSCOT I'm just highly bothered by that he's acts like he's sn expert. Even if he's just acting this way for the videos, he's gonna give beginner guitar players the wrong idea. No instrument is this rigged or black and white.

[@SubhadeepDas]

He acts like that cause he has to sell courses to you all. First make people think they have a problem and then sell them the solution.

[@SubhadeepDas]

Mistake number 15: learning guitar from this guy.

[@spade8094]

This sent me . . . To the penitentiary

[@Shakillyrics]

Absolutely 😂

[@Dave_Albright]

Very true. A good teacher knows there are no mistakes

[@SubhadeepDas]

@@Dave_Albright gotta sell them courses and make money. Create a problem. Sell the solution. Classic grifting!

[@nourm-ud5jc]

mistake number 16: thinking of learning guitar🙂

[@meineohrenbluten]

I can successfully say I did every single common mistake... NAILED IT!

[@Lorekalel]

Great video (I haven’t seen it yet)

[@jrlikeshockeyandmetal]

Real

[@paulgilbert3139]

I think He made a good point on 8:03

[@lawmerk4403]

​@@paulgilbert3139more like 9:20

[@nourm-ud5jc]

​@@paulgilbert3139😂😂

[@Heihachi8]

Everyone was a beginner Yes Brandon too Just keep forward and you will be pro in no time

[@aimz995]

he was foking not! consider taking up ciggs

[@danronck3636]

I love how Brandon proceeds to do the "mistakes" he told us not to do not even 3 mins later in his demo's, form a semi-open picking hand, to Hendrix and angle on legato licks. Might be time to make a difference between the "mistake" (which is the extrem form that Brandon shows on the bad form demos) and the playing styles some people have that still has not 100% clean technique but works better for them than the super clean technique, as Brandon uses this too

[@adriatic.vineyards]

Improper technique can lead to things like repetitive stress injuries. Sure it might work for some people, but you're gonna find out if you're obe of them at the risk of injury. If it feels right for you and you don't mind making that gamble, more power to you, but don't expect it to condoned as a best practice by an instructor who doesn't know you

[@OmarNajib-i7k]

It's not about wrong or right, it's about how comfortable you are

[@diederdas27]

Try telling that to someone who’s given themself carpal tunnel syndrome from shitty technique

[@outermarker5801]

If I had a buck for every contradictory thing in this video I'd be FOOOKIN RICH! 0:40 Don't do this, you'll hurt your wrist. If you really want to achieve the Italian parallel finger/fret thing, lift the neck to the Italian classical position it came from so your wrist can straighten and relax.

[@thexombie3225]

I may be a little bitch on CIGARETTES, but I’m not even mad because this is gonna help me become better at guitar.

[@repeatz3208]

im sick of people telling me im doing stuff wrong so I stop playing how its comfortable and play how im "supposed too" then i see this video and im right bruh

[@Giovanni-yz1vo]

Ok ok... You win, you are right Mr.Wrong

[@SubhadeepDas]

The guy in the video is too pretentious. Plenty of great guitar players/virtuosos use the so called 'mistakes' when it comes to their own individual technique, so don't worry!

[@RockyRaccoon162]

This guys videos to me just seem like a way to make guitar players feel insecure about their playing so they sign up for the course. That being said a lot of the advice is good advice, but the whole yelling schtick makes it feel like it's kind of preying on insecurity guitar players have. Everyone is different and has their own learning journey to make and there will be plenty of folks to neg your guitar playing to sell you something that you don't need.

[@grqfes]

@@RockyRaccoon162 no i find it funny and it makes it stick better. definitely prefer it over like a bob ross type narration id be forgetting everything.

[@anthonynietzel1776]

This is such a good video. These points aren’t mentioned enough. I would show this video on day one if I were to teach a newbie. Thanks for all the great content, Brandon!

[@JojoJacquesTarot]

Let’s go Brandon!

[@asnark7115]

Not many people can use the correct form in most of these fixes because of hand geometry. Some of the most egregious violoations of form- that are nevertheless necessary to hit certain phrases- require the player to be double jointed. Hendrix grip is an example. There's a massive library of popular music that can't be played without it.

[@isaiahmarquez9717]

“SYNC THAT SHIT UP!” 😂 - SSG Lincoln Osiris

[@tommeke5761]

I don't like teachers who yell.

[@AlaminBIshal-zf1op]

I haven’t got any yelling teachers in my life who teach guitar 🥲

[@itay92w]

I agree !

[@MarcusGonzales-up1cv]

Womp womp

[@AwaisAhmed]

Some even bark

[@kerryfromaj9032]

I tapped out right away…way too intense, I need to revisit this later.

[@TheJML1975]

But you angled your fingers, during the Italian grip! 😲

[@klep9213]

Sometimes i do that too but it was for close fret, just find your own comfortable spot

[@whatmusiciwant]

Thumb positioning depends on what kind of lead guitar you are playing, getting good bends and vibrato and doing more blues/boomer type playing, it's much better to have your thumb in the "Hendrix" position.

[@efrainalejandrocastillocha2463]

Always Grateful for your wisdom, Sifu D'eon.

[@Drainage_Eli]

Brandon, I used to skip over your videos as I felt you were a bit abrasive, but found the smoking cigarettes comments you make so damn funny. I figured I’d give you a chance and found you actually have some pretty good tips and have found myself watching and actually practicing some of the different techniques that you’re teaching. I used to make videos for KZbin so I know the time and effort needed to put out content. Keep up the good work and always remember you’re never going to please everyone.

[@DenisDaily710]

Thumb placement the “wrong” way is way better imo

[@richardoconnor1821]

As always great video. I've encountered all of these issues over the years and learned corrections!

[@joeyilse1409]

This is FUCKING GOOD CONTENT! But I'm not even mad. Thanks for the great quality video bro. 1 million subscribers incoming and well deserved!!

[@Dave_Albright]

Didn't know that alot of great and famous guitarist makes mistakes but still sounds amazing.

[@HandyL]

You let the Canadian slip oot, I heard that you hoser 🤣🤘🏽

[@guyincognito320]

I just assume everyone vaguely American sounding on KZbin is from Canada because like 70% of Canadians are KZbinrs

[@ItzBotz]

Oops. No. He's Russian.

[@catdealer1144]

can we all appreciate how the thumbnail is perfectly lined up

[@onionjam]

Back when I started I saw a lot of people saying "you should do like this", always making some pointless rules because theu were taught that way and they were the worst because many of this rules came from classical guitar performances poses, play it as you feel confortable if you struggle with stuff try different positions, don't follow rules, I imagine this seeing me make and A chord with only my middle finger lol.

[@kxiong4021]

The Italian grip worked amazing for me!! I’m self taught and had been playing for almost three years now, always struggled playing on higher frets. I thought it’s because of my 2.5 inch long tiny fingers, but changing the grip helped soooo much 🥰 It feels so much easier to stretch and reaching the upper two strings. Thanks for making this video!

[@corey5715]

Thank you for actually showing how the Hendrix grip is/can be effectively used. So many snobs love to shit on it for being unprofessional or however they feel like branding it.

[@GypsyHaze]

hendrix grip is very useful even to play lead if you get a grasp on it and learn it properly

[@GypsyHaze]

+ plus it looks cool, use hendrix grip

[@jimmydmagic]

Well done!🎉 Learned a lot and also had a few laughs along the way. Subscribed

[@marcelopantoja5375]

Ngl this is by far the best video about guitar mistakes ive ever seen

[@joefamliyguy1551]

this video is really good and reassuring, thanks man.

[@uskidsknow19]

Glad u went into detail about when hendrix grip is useful. Most videos I've seen in my self taught adventures have said to never ever use hendrix grip under any circumstances

[@dvs87]

Its like “never use a grip used by many of the top guitar players in the world” lol

[@GypsyHaze]

sounds more like a skill issue, for example look at any blues player, not even hendrix but stevie ray vaughan, buddy guy, bb king, albert king, all of them use this kind of grip and they play awesome music

[@dvs87]

@@GypsyHaze i agree

[@ernestkhalimov2922]

God bless this man, wish you the best

[@exp-eri-mental]

The ideal position is in-between the 2 positions on the thumbnail. I don't know any guitarist who's thumb is totally vertical

[@Prey.Rock99]

Good luck trying to get back and forth between bending and shredding with the “Italian “ grip

[@whoisadaline]

sometimes these habits are hard to break but i ensure anyone whos trying, youll get there !

[@gail694]

2:50 if you’re having trouble using the pick, James Hetfield could have some as he actually uses a style that not many guitar players use. Instead of holding it with 2 fingers, he has an easier grip of the pick because he uses 3 fingers to hold it. (His dominant hands thumb, index finger, and middle finger.)

[@jerrylim6722]

to perfect the italian grip, I will now exclusively just eat my spaghett and nothing else... all jokes aside, figuring out that I had a gorilla on everything and refusing to move the entire arm down when string skipping, was some galaxy brain shit for me like 3 months ago.

[@devonholdip4101]

Dude I'm an intermediate player and I was making some of these mistakes. Plus this was funny as hell. Love the vid bro you got a new sub boom

[@adamkhalil5524]

Everyone always explains fingers flying away from the fretboard so poorly. What needs to be demonstrated is what our relaxed hand shapes like, as well as how that shape shifts with different wrist positions. From these relaxed states we need to feel what it's like to close our fingers and to then relax them. To feel then extend and relax. To the point, fingers flying away stems from not understanding we can just relax our hands to release notes, and if we instead try to pull our fingers away to release notes we over do it. We are most efficient when our muscles arent trying to do opposite actions (in this case finger flexion and extension) simultaneously. Tldr: utilize the stretch reflex of the fingers to release notes instead of your extensors, unless you can do so in a controlled manner and for a practical reason

[@eem3515]

Dang thx for this helps a lot like i have one or three mistake pointed out after correcting it it makes the puzzle complete now im playing better

[@thedeathcake]

Angled fingers during demo of point 3, Italian grip.

[@Levelity]

Saw that too. Also Hendrix grip is mandatory when playing stuff like Hendrix which you can’t do with Italian grip.

[@imlijc7588]

Yep..noticed that🤣

[@syntaxlost9239]

"Don't angle your fingers." *immediately demos angled fingers.* Correct answer: It depends. If you need your pinky (jazz, classical, fast soloing in general), you need the "Italian" grip. If you need sick bends, angled fingers are fine.

[@patrickgambill9326]

For mistake 8, George Lynch tends to play with pretty fanned fingers. Rather than a closed fist, I like to leave my middle, ring, and pinky open but loose to help with muting the higher strings and to hybrid pick the higher strings. I think just like the Hendrix grip, what you are playing will dictate which right hand position is better. Regardless, you shiuld not keep you fingers tense in your right hand if you don't keep a closed fist.

[@Demonbassplayer101]

3:08 This is something I actually learned from watching Glenn Tipton of Judas Priest. When he does his solos, his hands hardly move and his fingers stay close to the fretboard.

[@NDFlyFisher]

Good tips! How about a video of tips on barre chords?

[@thewitchertales]

Corrected all these today crazy being called out so many times in a row but im learning thank you, playing is more comfortable now, especially the tense part and the italian grip with angled fingers

[@MoonMilk64]

Omg the grip thing I accidentally got right but thank you for the rest! Sooo useful.

[@HandyL]

Hendrix grip, Italian grip…lol classic! 😁👍🏽✌🏽

[@TobeyFairre7861]

Ah heck. I know I've made these mistakes before. Fortunately, I quit tobacco products on June 13th, 2022 and will never look back. Happy Friday everyone!

[@thismfisprettyclever]

I bet you felt pride when commenting that

[@WhiteCranK]

😂​@@thismfisprettyclever

[@maxwellblakely7952]

Quitter!

[@GinoPietermaai1999]

Thanks dude this was very helpful!

[@GinoPietermaai1999]

you've got yourself a new sub

[@michaldivismusic]

An explanation of why the mistakes are bad would be helpful.

[@jadenholvik3814]

Lifting the fingers of your picking hand is actually better for palm muting when playing more high-gain stuff, anchoring your hand to the bridge solves any flailing around, so maybe say keep them loose and close rather than let them flail around? A lot of sick shredders play with an open hand rather than a closed one to stop strings from ringing out.

[@thereisnopandemic]

How you hold the guitar is subjective, it is what works for you.

[@UniqueUsername420]

Honorable Mention: Playing Guitar, only the cool kids play Bass (im 6'4 btw)

[@WelcomeToTiltedTowers]

Bro is *slapping* some real facts here

[@RexSiegel]

Funny M F. You have earned my loyalty. Beginner here

[@NelsonWin]

I instantly removed this video from my watch history. Young and Rebellious teacher.

[@DAG_M]

Don't put your fingers on fretwire. 2:10 Puts finger directly on fretwire

[@jesuschrist7825]

Struggling to get proper technique on CIGARETTES so I'm taking up Guitar. Thx for all the Gold Senór! Your videos really piss me off!

[@austaneousc5802]

Explaining why things should be done a certain way instead of just saying it's "wrong" would go a long way imo

[@Aquotin]

Mistakes I currently have: 11(Sometimes) & 12.

[@adriaellen]

Oooh the bending, thanks for pointing that out, defintely why it's not working 😂 .. made me laugh out loud!

[@bmint]

All great advice! Thanks Brandon!

[@Hjh826]

If it works then it works. If you can play yngwie malmsteen songs with "inccorect" thumb and wrist placement then you have no reason to change. And if thats what youve been used to for the past decade switching could make you worse at guitar untill you get used to it. Theres no one right way to play guitar

[@noscrubbubblez6515]

Won't Get fooled Again came on the radio and I with my Nova Go to overdrive and caught feedback in a high overtone matching the A note the synthesizer noodles around for most of the entry. The guitar has amp and speaker built in. The sustain can be infinite (or until the battery runs out). No electric chords anywhere, which gave me a chance to lean over and crank the radio up. All those power chord are first position (i think). This guitar is so cheap - buy 2, then you'll always have a potent one while the other recharges. Of course I turned down a little for the next song. Living in apartments is a drag and I need to express Won't Get Fooled Again because I'll never be able to buy a house (and I'm a millionaire) they don't fool me- they won't let us afford a house.

[@stoneHeHenge]

Those 'mistakes' are sometimes a necessity for people with short fingers and crooked arms. Guys, pls don't listen to him if any of this 'fixes' feels uncomfortable to you.

[@DMDvideo10]

One players mistakes is another players magic!

[@catholicmetalhead398]

I'm Glad That I Didn't do Most of These With My Guitar Covers, that Being Said I Should Work on a More Close-Fisted Pick-Grip! :D

[@mclordawesome]

I don't disagree with the gripping part, however I can say this because I have big hands and long fingers. After 11 years of playing, and having first been taught what you preach, I must say for like the first 5ish years this was good for me too when I developed my technique.. until I grew to 6'7 and my hands and fingers also decided to jump the scaling and now it is actually easier for me to play with a slight angle in most cases because it closes the distance better for my fingers while also allowing me to still hold it comfortable. So I don't really have that problem so maybe mention it that it is in most cases, which I do agree on, the correct way yet it can also be individual and can vary for specific reasons. That is what I teach my students now too although I do correct them in the way they hold their pick and position their picking hand a lot.

[@isaiahedwards8193]

That thumb placement is completely wrong. Jesus Christ, this guy is gonna fuck up beginner's hands before they even start.

[@Lemmingadventures]

I am not a professional guitar player, I wouldn't even say I'm a good player. I'm self taught watching videos and playing rocksmith mostly. There is one guitar truth that no one talks about and that is a genetic disposition when it comes to hand shape and finger length/shape. If you are blessed with hands/fingers like Brandon's, your guitar learning life is going to be much easier. Some of us aren't so blessed. Some of have short, fingers and really short pinkies. Some of us have weird shaped index fingers that make barre chords almost impossible and we have to literally wring the guitars neck to be able to make it sound OK. The point I am trying to make is that some of us that aren't born with long, wirery fingers and have to do the things Brandon says are incorrect. We have to bend our hands and fingers however we can just to make it work.

[@wassabi-g7p]

0:25 Players with small hands will often benefit from slightly angling their fingers.

[@gansior4744]

ADHD, Autism or OCD?

[@gabrielvelasquez6601]

Yes

[@myztixs]

The troublesome trio

[@JojoJacquesTarot]

The dark triad!

[@comfy_fabian]

Gotta catch them all

[@atgosh]

When the waiter asks you how you'd like your steak

[@georgeanderson7657]

Liking the longer vids👍

[@NeonBeeCat]

squeezing the heck out of my pick is something i was guilty of and one of the reasons i stopped playing for a while

[@ickolazoski]

if you plan to yell use compressor

[@Lolyeah283]

0:46 Hendrix, SRV, Frusciante, Chris Buck, Mateus Asato, Paul Gilbert, John Mayer, Eric Clapton, Paul Davids, Tyler Larson, Mark Tremonti, Kirk Hamett, Might be a Bad technique but its not all about technique.

[@prasannakumar7794]

👏👌👍😜😜😜. You are selected for Hollywood, too. Excellent.

[@kb470]

But lifting my fingers all the way up helps to keep me from getting confused as to which finger im supposed to use. Like, if its up its at the back of the line and out of the way..my adhd makes it so im always moving random fingers. But making them go so far out of the way helps keep the order in line

[@paulgilbert3139]

You can't shred if you do it like that

[@skum73]

The correction to the first "mistake" is the complete opposite of what they tell you to do when you get wrist pain when playing guitar.

[@TheBestGuitaristForReal]

Keep the long formats coming

[@gf301]

Wow, there are actually some things I'm already doing correctly! It's just the other eleven I need to work on. I'll start tomorrow, maybe sooner.

[@et3rnal.gh0st]

I figured out that the only way a teacher could teach me something is brutally swearing at me

[@jimson3785]

"Don't angle your fingers during Italian grip" Proceeds to angle his fingers during Italian grip.

[@sergioandresvahos281]

The Technical "mistake" #3 is allowed for some chords, like on gypsy jazz, for example

[@lein_1647]

great, no explanation. thanks for you fucking advice.

[@nathanaeljames3059]

I partly agree with Italian style, but hear me out. When I do long stretches I put the thumb back there, but otherwise it’s more comfy angled. I compared hand sizes with my friend who was 6’5 and we had nearly the same pinky to thumb span(I’m 5’10). His fingers were mad long though. My thumb is longer than my pinky and almost the same size as my index. I hated my classical lessons because they always told me to keep it back.

[@stefosters]

Really appreciate the phuckin tips. Cheers. Atb

[@manelthegreek]

As a guitar teacher I spend half of my lessons correcting the thumb placement.

[@JojoJacquesTarot]

Who else had to rewind because they got caught up in the comments section!! Funny AF!! 😂😂

[@anantkumarchiku7013]

Btw cool riffs for the tips🗿🎸

[@kentozapater8972]

damn, the first one was a game changer

[@probablecosby]

The cigarette jokes kill me every time.

[@JoeWalsh-pm4zf]

Watch Allen Collins and Steve Gaines playing their live solos at the end of Sweet Home Alabama, e.g. Oakland Colloseum. I don't think they would agree regarding the thumb position!