10 Guitar Mistakes to Fix NOW and Get Better FASTER

[@forrestkingbrandt1329]

As an instructor, I have incorporated many of these fixes in my teaching for years. Happy to see someone at your level sharing the same tips.

[@TheVersatileGuitarist]

I’m not alone!

[@cumanasibi]

I've watched thousands of videos about mistakes on guitar, but this is surely the best. Thanks a lot!

[@TheVersatileGuitarist]

Wow that’s great to hear!

[@RickDanner]

everyone has a reason to give a guitar lesson and in the end it all comes down to what the person personally chooses to learn but you are a good guitarist and teacher

[@gypsydavy708]

I'm so glad I stumbled upon your video. I'm so the considerate neighbor who wants no one to hear them. I've only be playing classical for around six months so time to reprogram myself on several of these mistakes I am making. Thanks so much.

[@TheVersatileGuitarist]

Glad I could help, keep it up and good luck!

[@Bart91127]

As an English teacher/interpreter Guitar teacher/ performer..it's been quite a discovery to stumble upon your materials..your American English is super understandable,pleasant to the ears Your lessons are first-rate..especially (in my opinion)ur straight-to -the -point, no-nonsense Instantly applylable flamenco techniques. Greetings from Cuba.

[@TheVersatileGuitarist]

Thank you Mariano, I went to Cuba in 2017 hope to go back someday!

[@Bart91127]

You'll be more than welcome!!

[@ashlenjos]

Very true ...

[@johncassar2923]

I agree 100%

[@Dutcharmytent]

I thought that was an English accent until I saw USA.

[@jameskingston6175]

Excellent. No strings attached!

[@ryanbartlett672]

Great list and plain explanations. Thank you.

[@StephiSensei26]

Bravo! The first ten years would have been a lot easier if someone had shown me this in the beginning. Thanks for helping the struggling beginner student.

[@TheVersatileGuitarist]

Better late than never!

[@David-hr3ui]

Thanks for this video Scot, it has been very helpful to me.

[@Bart91127]

Best explanation ever on when/when not stick your thumb over the neck.

[@josephreinhart8712]

He blasts right through mistakes I never even thought of, one's I never even tried (but now I will, you bet!) but this is foundational stuff, the bricks and the bones of playing.

[@habsom1406]

Every tip a gem, with intelligent correction techniques! Thank you. 👍😎

[@drparfait3739]

Your opening remarks (playing loud as you can) are, per physics, right on the mark. I was a martial arts instructor and a student of physics so I understand entropy. In karate, we learn big in practice because in th real world, movements are smaller…

[@nicholashunter6076]

Excellent video. Very clear advice which will make a huge difference to everyones playing.

[@TheEricalmonte]

Brilliant!

[@colink4823]

Great video. Tip 3 and 1 I'm definitely guilty of. Love to see your view on how to play barre chords properly and without pain

[@thehomefront1905]

Great teacher

[@jaypierce8994]

Thankyou wish I knew this stuff 20 years ago . Had to find it all on my own, but I did still learn something I am guilty of.

[@beastlybombers]

Fabulous. Thank you so much. Keep up the great work.

[@TheVersatileGuitarist]

Thanks!

[@afonsodeportugal]

Really quality content here! Thanks for sharing!

[@TheVersatileGuitarist]

Thank you!

[@Elflamencojuan]

As a mostly self taught player for decades, I have made most of these mistakes at one point (except thumb over). But the need to look at the music when learning a piece, has forced my fingers to mostly find their own way. To beginners, it seems impossible, I know. But it happens gradually, not overnight. One day, you will realise that you have played a whole passage without looking at your left hand at all. Trust your fingers...use the force (or whatever).

[@TheVersatileGuitarist]

Yes! Getting visual confirmation seems like a good idea but becomes a very bad habit!

[@williamwhittington7294]

I took your advice, or guidance and forced myself not to look at my left hand. Oh my God, I got instant results, you know what you are doing, as I practiced and played this way I felt like I had just been released from a prison cell. Now I can listen and feel more intently. Thank you very much. I am getting better with my rasqueo strumming. There is a little gap between the first flourish and the second rush when there should not be one.

[@TheVersatileGuitarist]

Great to hear!

[@migueldemaria3830]

Good stuff, Scott! Good to see you amigo.

[@TheVersatileGuitarist]

Hey Miguel, hope you are well!

[@rhatid]

Very good concept for a lesson. Super useful! Thank you!👏👏👍

[@TheVersatileGuitarist]

Glad it helped!

[@GIBLETTS]

your great at putting it across , thanks so much for sharing your knowledge . important little things that add up to a lot , Thanks Malcolm

[@TheVersatileGuitarist]

Thank you!

[@bobnat2]

I'm mainly a Piedmont finger picker and I've struggled for years with getting to higher speeds. After watching this video I now understand that the most likely culprit is I watch both of my hands too much. Sometimes they get very slightly out of sync. I can play regular rhythm without needing to look at my fret hand much at all, but fingerpicking is a bit more intricate with the fret movement. I'm going to start working on trusting my hands, especially the left one. Thanks a million!

[@TheVersatileGuitarist]

Close your eyes and “use the force”!

[@sustainablelife1st]

Great tips. I make several of those mistakes. Will work on correcting them! One thing I notice about a lot of well known classical guitarists it that they practically lay their head on the guitar and stare at the fretboard from milimeters away. It's kind of creepy, like they are going to actually lick the fretboard! lol.

[@TheVersatileGuitarist]

Yeah you never know if stuff like that is just for show since they’re in front of an audience..

[@marshallkohlhaas80]

Or build a sound proof room... so glad i found your channel..

[@TheVersatileGuitarist]

Welcome!!

[@orriolbohigas591]

Awesome content. Subscribed.

[@TheVersatileGuitarist]

Thank you!

[@nelsonpennypackermusic3760]

Thank you for addressing the best way to play gypsy chords. I was having trouble getting the cord clean and on time but your method is amazing. Thank you.

[@stephenmugeche8117]

This video was very helpful Thanks for sharing! Subscribed.

[@TheVersatileGuitarist]

Welcome to my guitar obsessed mind!

[@geekwillow8177]

I used to play base notes on the E string with my thumb on the neck which is a necessity on a couple of the 60s/70s rock riffs such as the intro to The Byrds version of Turn, turn, turn to name one. I accidentally impaled the knuckle and no amount of practice will let me use it in that manor again because it won't bend. Especially because like you, I already have hyper extended thumbs.(hope you don't mind me pointing that out) But in all other respects I can play the guitar just as well as before. You give some pretty sage advice. I recently discovered on my own that I sometimes don't always keep the strum moving CONSISTENTLY along during cord changes. I think that is in my mind the #1 mistake any guitarist should fix and getting the cord change right should be secondary. And your positioning of your thumb for picking will no doubt help improve my picking immensely so thank you.

[@nateb1804]

This was well done. Succinct and useful. I'm definitely subscribing. :) Thank you!

[@TheVersatileGuitarist]

Welcome to my guitar-warped mind!

[@pkbrown58]

I found at least 2 big things to work on, thanks to your expert counsel. Bravo, Scot.

[@TheVersatileGuitarist]

Great! When I started to read your comment for a second I thought it was going to say “I found at least 2 things wrong with this video…”

[@davidmolloy126]

Thanks very much Scot for a great tutorial which has helped me a lot. Take care. David.

[@TheVersatileGuitarist]

Great to hear!

[@Roestradd]

My God! This is so helpful. I have always known that I wasn't really doing most things correctly but didn't know what exactly. Watching you just brought everything up. I'm guilty of all the charges 🙌🏾. Time now to start with the correctional moves. Thanks a million 🙏🏾. Your latest subscriber.

[@TheVersatileGuitarist]

That’s great to hear! Glad I could help

[@johnlay3040]

This program is very good for advices. I used a cheap Yamaha C40 laminated top for late night/early morning practice. It's very quiet but has very nice tone. I mention Yamaha, because it has good intonation.

[@davehumphreys1725]

Thanks for the video. I suffered from a couple of the mistakes that you mentioned [ I'm entirely self-taught]. The one I find the most difficult is not looking at my left-hand. I've watched Julien Bream play the most complicated phrases without ever looking at his hands. He just has his eyes closed and listens to the music! I'll try and practice that skill.

[@TheVersatileGuitarist]

You’ll be surprised at how much your fingers really DO know where they are!

[@steverlfs]

I was a garage band electric guitarist in the 60's. Trying to learn flamenco, I always find my thumb sneaking over the neck. I'm going to try your advice of keeping it beneath the middle finger. Thanx- I love your channel!

[@TheVersatileGuitarist]

Thanks I appreciate it! Does your guitar have a narrow/crossover neck? If so that can make you really want to bring your thumb over like an electric guitar

[@gabriele3716]

Video utilissimo per ogni chitarrista.

[@williamwhittington7294]

I reviewed you 10 mistakes list and I do three or 4 of those. 1. The thumb lags behind on the back of the neck. 2. I stop reading at the end of a measure. 3. Looking for left hand finger confirmation too much. 4. Lifting fingers too far away from the strings. I have been working on these things.

[@ashlenjos]

I just started learning the guitar and this has been very useful as l was committing these mistakes. Thanks a lot ...

[@TheVersatileGuitarist]

Glad I could help!

[@RovshanKulemirov]

Hi Scot 👋 thank you for your good exercises for flamenco guitar, yesterday I had trained some of your picado exercises goes well little by little thanks a lot! May I ask you to check my performance soleares where should I improve ,please!

[@hargisP2]

Very good Scot. You have gained a new subscriber.

[@TheVersatileGuitarist]

Welcome aboard!

[@user-qk3sc8rq9r]

Help Scot, I'm making a weenie motion. Thanks for the video, it was very helpful. A little self examination is always a good thing.

[@ChazwardGuitarLessons]

Brilliant thanks.. Started in 1975 beatles stuff.. Still going.. Always. Improving Thank God

[@TheVersatileGuitarist]

It never ends!!

[@I_0..0_I]

This advices are good, quite rare to find real teachers on KZbin 👍

[@TheVersatileGuitarist]

Wow thank you!

[@bobsina9923]

I do the quiet thing still, can't stop.

[@TheHesseJames]

I somehow developed over the years the flying off finger syndrome paired with the pressing as hard as I could syndrome. I had to remind myself to fix it everytime I grabbed the guitar. I did exercises and adapted pretty quickly with new pieces but it was way harder with my old pieces.

[@TheVersatileGuitarist]

Yes it’s interesting how we encode some of these movements into old pieces but are able to do it efficiently with new pieces… Keep it up!

[@deeguitar]

Great video. Thanks for sharing. Haha. My family wishes I made mistake number 10. 😂

[@TheVersatileGuitarist]

They’ll thank me later!

[@Mondayman622]

You can also use expanding spray foam to fill the cavity of the guitar

[@rebeccagrohowski6479]

Best looking guitarist who sits in front of a cello on KZbin! 😍

[@habsom1406]

.....and he has a killer smile and cool sense of humour too! 😎

[@arjangrad1412]

first to say thank you for this video , very useful , and also i would like to know if you use any support holding your guitar old school , wish you a great day

[@TheVersatileGuitarist]

I don’t use any support, I just have it tilted in a way that keeps it still, for the most part

[@dudleybarker2273]

that teacherly stare at the end 😅

[@TheVersatileGuitarist]

👁️ 👁️

[@donbobskiy]

10 and 1 are the best :)

[@TheVersatileGuitarist]

Or the worst…

[@Dutcharmytent]

I feel better now that I don’t do the biggest mistake. I do though , never sit correctly in the right chair or on a stool, I always sit on the edge of the bed.

[@drparfait3739]

The reason for the “problem” with the ring finger is physiological (shared muscles, tendons, etc). Try this experiment to help understand: (1) make a fist and place (kind of) palm down (2) extend thumb and each finger EXCEPT the middle finger (3) with all fingers and thumb now pressing against the tabletop, begin to lift one finger at a time. Thumb up and down, index finger up and down, SKIP THE RING and lift the little finger up and down. They all work. Now try the ring finger… hmmm. Since muscles work in pairs (one contracts as the other loosens, and since the two fingers sharing a few of the same one(s), with the middle finger curled beneath the fist, those muscles are already utilized and cannot do any more. A similar effect takes place in ALL movements of those fingers, only in lesser degrees but still somewhat noticeable. [I left out medical terminology as it will not be needed unless you are in medical school or on a game show]

[@SixStringSteve]

I’d like to add one more . . not alternating right hand fingers during scales or phrases. Many beginners use one finger only. ‘Never the same finger twice’.

[@TheVersatileGuitarist]

Yes definitely that is an issue! Although we can cheat on that sometimes I’ve got a video on that coming up!

[@robertgiles9124]

My tip is how so many hold a guitar in a position where their hands cannot play in a relaxed manner and the left arm comes to the neck at an awkward angle....or standing they pose with the guitar at a low slung level to look cool. Then hit the strings so they slam into the neck. Good times!

[@paulcrawford5153]

do you have any advice... I didn't follow finger crossing rules for picado for like 15 years.. now for the last 1 or 2 years I have been trying to correct it but I find I have to learn a piece each i and m as if I just play it without learning it maticulously I get all muddled and can't tell when I am using i or m.. like I go down a string m,m instead of m,i and I have no idea I did it.

[@TheVersatileGuitarist]

Yes, crossing strings is always an issue when trying to maintain strict I & M alternation. Check out my video on the Picado technique it gives you a few exercises and specifically one really great string crossing exercise where you play triplets towards the ceiling on open strings

[@TheHesseJames]

I had the same issue. Took me weeks of slowplaying and gradually increasing the tempo to get over it, especially on pieces I was already playing for years.

[@345kobi]

6

[@RovshanKulemirov]

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@user-nq3ew3zg7i]

I cant switch chords fast enough any tips?

[@TheVersatileGuitarist]

You need to practice coming on and off the same chord (being sure to keep the shape in the air) as I mentioned! Then go between 2 chords.. most of the time it’s a matter of *leaving early* which even the best players have to do to get to the next chord without pausing

[@user-nq3ew3zg7i]

@@TheVersatileGuitarist thank you!

[@Sergio_deus]

this video should have way more views... You should put some red circles and arrows in the thumbnail so it gets instantly flowed by view like in every clickbait video there is xD l agree with almost everything except that playing very loud could make you very tense so l would not recomend it right at the beggining when you ahave to be more focused on precision of the left hand rather than sound in the right. Especially having in mind most kids will be playing electric guitar anyways.

[@TheVersatileGuitarist]

I teach and play nylon string guitar which is very right hand intensive, so volume is an important thing from the start and hard to “undo” once the habit of playing quietly is ingrained

[@Sergio_deus]

@@TheVersatileGuitarist l agree but you alwayshave to trade volume for speed when playing. And there are external microphones that can amplify the Guitar really good. Now, IF you are playing with an Orchestra then yes you are quite right that playing louder its a must, but then again you are sacrificing quality of sound for volume

[@Sergio_deus]

@@TheVersatileGuitarist sorry for coming back l just wanted to say l was a few day ago doing a practice where l had to watch a class so l just could barelly stand the professors play, completely metallic sound and overly picked strings that man was creating, iut just ruins every possible enjoiment out of the sound of a Classical Guitar. So is it really worthy? l know you for being in a Masterclass from Eduardo Fernandez you CAN have a potent sound AND beautyful at the same time, but how many can achieve that when they are starting to study? And also does starting with loud sound actually improves your later sound? Just wondering anyways

[@williaminavanbottle9297]

I just roll-up tissue Lay it under the Strings at the bridge Amazingly one can Still hear the notes And chords... As if in the distance. If the neighbours do Hear...music? They'll think it's coming From across or down The street. This will, psychologically, Calm down their irritation As the noise problem... Will become some others... Irritation. I worry about my self... Sometimes. My psychological state Of mind, that is. Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Just kidding...I hope!

[@stancoleshill8925]

Wear ear plugs. Trim your finger nails really short on your left hand.

[@randallscott6]

Jesus, this guy is giving me anxiety!

[@didiksuwitohadi4594]

Too much talk....

[@TheVersatileGuitarist]

You’re right, who needs to hear ideas explained? Next time I’ll just put some bullet points on the screen and let the viewer figure it out

[@jamesrogers5277]

the next mistake i see players my pupils of course doing this way way way too much its super important not to lift the fingers too high or itll take you ten years to get back and all the fingers must go down at the same time not one after the other and the way to correct this is to do the opposite so that you end up somewhere over the rainbow in the middle with your thumb over the neck this not always wrong I find with strumming the d chord you wont hit the sixth string and the thumb keeps up with the fingers sometimes the thumb is sticky but it should work like a clamp if you keep all your fingers down all you need is the pinky but dont let the fingers what does he mean too much talk well i reckon he means er this….

[@w.l.graves7228]

i'd say your lessons have the exact & correct amount of everything needed , for a guitarist to learn to play better , thank you ! also , a bit of humor in a lesson of any sort, makes the student feel at ease , i've learned this from being both a teacher and a student. keep up the great lessons ! as for didi= go somewhere else ... @@TheVersatileGuitarist

[@seonaidoriada1013]

I agree with all this except the issue of your fingers going to the right place without looking. More like 9 times out of 10 my fingers go to the wrong place. I’m still working on that muscle memory.

[@TheVersatileGuitarist]

Close your eyes and visualize!

[@seonaidoriada1013]

@@TheVersatileGuitarist I’m usually looking at the sheet music, actually!

[@TheVersatileGuitarist]

All the more reason to trust your fingers! But it takes a while….

[@seonaidoriada1013]

@@TheVersatileGuitarist It must because mine go to the wrong place a lot.