How to Develop Speed on Guitar Like A Pro ★ Acoustic Tuesday 195

[@DreamGuitars]

Thanks Tony! Great video here, and we appreciate the shout out!

[@ZacCostilla]

These techniques are done for the same reason cyclists buy shoes that clip into the pedals: efficiency! With clipped shoes, the cyclist can use the flexor muscles to pull up one side of the crank while using the extensor to push down on the other side. They also allow the cyclist to not worry about his feet falling off the pedals, so less thought goes into going forward. They use cyclometers for pace to make the long rides, but they’ll pedal faster and faster as they jockey for position or get closer to the finish line, finally pushing to an all out sprint to get there first. But it takes consistent, dedicated practice to do so. -former cyclist (now disabled, but still jamming on my guitar!)

[@logofthelex2668]

Practice, practice, practice, mostly slow, until muscle memory takes over.

[@guylaurent8138]

I agree...

[@comree11]

I agree. only been playing a year but the progress is there. Unfortunate i started late

[@alxesh4088]

I've been playing for 4 months and something that really helped me practice is having really solid chord changes, 60 second exercise helped me a lot

[@MoonhareStudio]

Pick direction was without doubt the biggest revelation to me in my first 90 days. I had no idea about this before joining TAC and it has made my playing so much more fluid.

[@iamsuperb3714]

practicing with metronome was extreemely beneficial for me.

[@russellharris5072]

Julian Bream's tutor made him play gradually slower and slower,which was the method used to enhance muscle memory.When I first learned finger style I would play everything fast,it took a good friend dueting with me to realise slower can be better.|The spaces are as important as the music,this imparts emotive content to the music..................

[@mintonmiller]

I have often said, the silent parts of music is where the emotion lives. Same is true with lyrics. Guy Clark said it is the holes in the lyrics where listeners fill in the gaps and personalize a song.

[@russellharris5072]

@@mintonmiller Amen to that Minton.............

[@nowarnopoker]

Thanks Tony and all for great tips. I really need it.

[@TommySG1]

Another good episode Tony! First off I really enjoy your daily lessons with your program, as far as playing faster those were great points to think about but I’m also agreeing with some others comments on this thread and that’s just good old fashioned practice, practice and more practice 🤙

[@march8193]

Great messages Tony, that is show. Metronome gonna go for. And pick thicker too.

[@roks1357]

These are very helpful tips! Another method that may help develop faster technique is to play as gently and quietly has possible which will improve dynamic control. Secondly, breakdown the musical passage to two note intervals and play as fast as possible and add notes as you become more comfortable. This channel rocks!

[@leftghostcrow1943]

Ahhhh I needed this

[@arthurmabeejr8752]

What helps me other than hammer ons, offs and slides is incorporating bends that enhance my pull offs and hammer ons. The bends are mostly made for what I call grabber notes, these bends can help you play faster if you use them within the slides. A metronome is an excellent tool to keep in constant rhythm, I am advanced player that uses a metronome, sometimes I turn off my metronome, I imagine in my head and make that same noise from the metronome, this helps me greatly as a daily practice session because I go turn it on then make sure I'm keeping that same rythm.

[@dpc915]

New convert. Love the show and site. So much to say. Getting a shirt to send a guitarsenal pic! Thanks. Dave

[@guybross1200]

Hea Tony, i found a few years ago when i practiced with the metronome i had to slow way down [like Carey Price] that made it much easier to speed up. Now i am almost as fast as Vasys glove hand, the man with the Conn Smythe trophy.Just came back from the boat parade WOW. Maybe a threepeat next year. Your friend Guy B. in Champabay FL.

[@seabass3373]

Playing everything slow really makes you get solid with the piece, and therefore, increase the speed until you screw up again. Also, relating what I'm practicing to some conxept that I know makes me feel like I am not doing something completely different but rather some variant of something I already know. Adding, having no distractions helps you concentrate on that muscle memory, where you are playing, what you are playing, and how you are playing, so that you can fully practice getting consistent and fast.

[@sbolfing]

The best technique I've found to play faster is to slow down. When I slow down, I play smoother. Smoother playing soon becomes faster playing.

[@jimross9429]

I was given this advice from Pete Huttlinger. I had a chance to chat with him at a very small venue in Woodstock GA. I asked him if he had any advice on practicing. He told me to select a lick, scale pattern, chord progression or song. Play it SLOW and perfect if you make a mistake go back to the last part you got right go slower and work through the part you messed up. As your accuracy improves start playing the selected piece a little faster. Eventually you will get, in his words not mine "stupid fast".

[@raindancer89]

Playing along with the oldies fm or am radio , helps me

[@jacsvihus]

I have heard it said that speed kills....I would happily submit that in the hands of the relaxed player speed is safe and rewarding. The only thing I found killing was tension, Tension was killing my speed. When I was able to identify and eliminate tension speed was just another thing. And then there is tone. Another day perhaps.

[@stickgs]

Can you discuss how to develop a light touch with fretting hand and perhaps more importantly how to develop relaxed hands, wrists, fingers, forearms? Trying to play faster causes tension in all of the above! What causes the tension? Is it lack of knowing the notes to play...fast? Is it not having proper technique? Is it not being able to skip strings efficiently as in cross-picking? I think not knowing the correct notes to play, as in knowing the scales, modes, and notes of the fretboard, etc. etc. may cause most of the tension....but need more opinions of experts! Thanks, -Greg

[@troykelly639]

Question for everyone out there. First off, I'm no virtuoso, but have been getting better. I practice scales with a metronome all the time. Start a new exercise slow and once I have it, increase the speed. On simple scales, I have my speed upwards of 240bpm. At that speed it's a little difficult to "count" and I rely on feel. My question is... what's the best way to synch to at metronome a higher speeds.

[@toddwilliamson8557]

Slow down your metronome and fit in double the notes, then when you get back up to extremely fast tempos where you cant count that, you slow it down all the way again and fit in 4x the notes. In my opinion stamina and fluidity is more important than top speed. Also practice melodic sequences not scales. Running scales from root to octave and every note in between in sequence will not help you get better.

[@troykelly639]

@@toddwilliamson8557 thanks for the info... makes sense.

[@ianhorrocks9676]

Here are three things that work for me when trying to speed up my finger picking: (1) use a capo to play the same thing higher up the neck -- I don't know why this works, but open to capo 2 makes a big difference for me; (2) play more softly; (3) try to relax and not to over think it -- in fact I think that I can play better/faster after a glass of wine :-).

[@ianhorrocks9676]

@john mcclure Thanks for the suggestion -- I think you're right. There might also be an element of reduced stretching.

[@jasong546]

That beard and blackhawks sweater is a glorious combination of destruction!

[@dalebrandenburger5002]

Tony, where did you get that cool Unplug shirt?

[@EduardoDiaz-wy4mi]

Tony have you've seen Paco De Lucia he was an extremely fast fingerpicker!

[@handimax]

So does Petco de Lucia and John McLaughlin

[@toddwilliamson8557]

Paco De Lucia is probably the most famous modern flamenco guitarist of our time. The 'fingerpicking' he used is called picado. It does not involve the ring finger or thumb like fingerpicking. Flamenco also use another technique called rasgueado. These techniques are not the same as fingerpicking or classical techniques.

[@toddwilliamson8557]

@@handimax John McLaughlin plays with a pick. He does use nylon string acoustics. He does not play fingerstyle and never has. In the trio Al Di Meola played a steel string acoustic with a pick and occasional hybrid picking (pick and fingers), John McLaughlin played nylon strings with a pick and occasional hybrid picking in the chord sections, Paco De Lucia played Flamenco guitar. Paco could not read music, Paco did not know the names of the notes on his guitar. He learned entirely by ear in classic spanish flamenco tradition.

[@rizlovedaydream8424]

When he said, you want to throw out your metronome on the wall.. I was like Yes Yes you😁😁 know You know my pain..😅

[@josephgraham1075]

I can't follow that second G pattern. Do you have this exercises somewhere else? Maybe on a different video.

[@gimpyjwilliams]

i thought ultex sharp was your favorite pick you traitor!! lol i have to use medium picks because heavy picks are hard for me to movie through the strings it feels like rocks

[@josephgraham1075]

I'm not so much into speed anymore, but for me. It was turning to drop D and palm muting.

[@chrisgmurray3622]

Yes, you left something vital off your list, although you sort of touched on it.I think it should be more clearly articulated as one of your main points-- that is rhythm as well as timing.Timing is improved with metronomes maybe, but rhythm is more subtle--being in front or deep in the pocket, or accenting clusters to give yourself an overview of something that will propel your playing and speed you up.Speed in any instance is mutually dependent on the rhythms, and is impossible to play fast if you can't develop a smooth continuous flow in timing and construction of the lick itself.So developing speed is intrinsically and completely the result of precise phrasing.( now I see why you didn't go into this more-it's hard to convey in words but hopefully you get what I mean)Good post!

[@clintonlemoine986]

I’m not gonna lie. It looked like you sped up the video. Haha. Your a bad ass

[@michaelhyatt9711]

Tony, do you have a link for those fingerpicks? I see several options and want to get the right ones. Thanks.

[@r.jlovely]

Sar make a video on guitar making process from raw material

[@omarmac1]

I play guitar in a plane so I play at 500 mph no matter what. 🎸🛫

[@r.jlovely]

How many mm pic is good for trilling sir

[@raymondkirkland887]

Can You Send Me That "G" Lisk Please!?

[@randypaul8511]

Tony I just got the Pro Metronome yesterday and it only cost me 1.99

[@bp7152]

Any advantage/disadvantage to using a drum machine instead of metronome?

[@janeandthecoolcats5033]

id say there is no difference. but regarding getting the rhythm right, i would advice to use a thumbslap. it is like the muslememory where your thumb becomes the metronome itself.

[@leeonardodienfield402]

@@janeandthecoolcats5033 that is a bad habit, not all music has percussive guitar slaps. you're going to have to retrain yourself when you try a new genre, I had to. Sounds great for a lot and helps keep time but much better to count and use your foot or move with your rhythm if you have to

[@deividasprunskas6689]

Love this show,Tony,thanks for making,makes tuesdays even better ! :) also would like if You include Joan Baez in one of Your epsisodes :)

[@jackwilson7649]

“The golden rule of pick direction”…. Oh so alternate picking? Got it.

[@omarmac1]

Alternate contact or direct contact = tunder strokes ⚡

[@mintonmiller]

for me... playing fast is overrated. after a certain speed it ceases to be music and you might as well be listening to a chainsaw.

[@Trper-qh1nn]

Agreed

[@EricMLopez]

Nah. Speed is an effect like any other, and can contribute to the feeling you intend to convey.

[@peterman7000]

videos don't help practice does, that's it. there is no simple solution. practice.