What Do You Think is the Key Ingredient to Becoming a Great Guitar Player?
Posted in guitar players on 05. Jan, 2010
This week’s question is a good one. Let’s have a look:
Question: Playing lead and rhythm? being part of a commercial band? knowing all the scales? being able to show off to an audience? being able to replicate any song on demand? Having a different colour guitar? Playing left-handed? playing a variety of styles? having an extensive fan-base? Being able to play any song by ear? Making your own solo on the spot? etc.
Answer: Most people have not answered the question. The practice practice and more practice is what it takes to become a good guitarist, but great guitarist ? I have known many guitarists and after the initial learning process, most simply accept their position in the order of things and do not get better or worse….25 years later they are still playing the same riffs. This leads me to believe that providing you have the basics and can play, being great is very much in the lap of the gods…..you either are or you aren’t !
first off you need to have a guitar
An awful lot of practice of stuff that isn’t easy to do.
reading music, having a good teacher. im learning at the moment, and my teacher is fantastic. ive learnt to read music in 4 sessions. other than that, i would say confidence, and good miming skills
actually being able to play a guitar
Talent should be the first thing
10% talent. 90% perspiration.
My dad is an excellent guitar player..and he doesn’t even read notes he plays by ear and can play any song (he writes too) you play for him
confidence .. concentration , faith and the wanting to do it …
my father is a guitar player was actually asked to record at one time. he always said to be a good player all you have to do is practice long periods of time and have a lot of fun. now me I am white I have no rythme and can’t play the radio without getting static. but remember to have as much fun as possible.
All of those things would be outstanding if you were a savant. However, most great guitar players are great because they practice, practice, practice. They know what works, what their limits are, what sounds good from their instrument. All of those things come from practice and immersing themselves in a supportive environment.
Practise and talent.
practice and a good ear. learn to play many styles.
skill, talent, determination, hard work and a bit of luck
people are born great… in ur case i’d have to say sorry..
you need practice, practice and practice.
You don’t need a formal teacher, my brother is an exceptional guitarist, he taught himself using Bert Weedon manuals, my son is a guitarist, he concentrated on Joe Satriani, he plays by ear.
No amount of ability will compensate for practice however, and no amount of teaching can replace it.
fingers
1. Practice hard. Every day, for a really long time. Also, practice well. Most people say, "I’m going to be a great guitar player." but never practice whole songs and improve their technique, they just learn a bunch of short, cool licks. You need to set goals, learn whole songs, and improve your overall technique.
2. Be yourself. The people love originality. Just because some things worked for some people, doesn’t mean it will work for you. Do what you like, and the people who like that will appreciate you and your music for what they are, not what they are trying to be.
3. Get band members who share the traits mentioned in 1 and 2.
P.S. knowing all the scales is a really good goal, but not necessary to becoming great.
A combination of being able to make a guitar sing, playing with raw emotion and practice. The best guitarists in my personal opinion aren’t the most technically brilliant.. they are the ones who can make you really feel something with their music i.e Hendrix, Jimmy Page, George Harrison.
1, Practise
2, More Practise
3, Even More Practise
And then practise some more
There are many things you need like an affinity with music, knowledge of scales and the ability to play from the music sheet and from the heart, but | reckon that the most important things you need, which you must have, that is absolutely fundamental to playing a guitar is owning one…and having fingers.
origionality
People have already said practise, so…
Things that will help you practise…
Being in a band, especially one who have a deadline for when their next/first gig is going to be.
Practise with a band.
On your own, practise with a drum machine or playing along with music to help with you timing.
Practise improvising over random songs played on the radio.
Remember that a great guitarist is nothing without great songs, so learn to write music, or find someone who can, you will never achieve greatness playing cover versions!
Imagination…look at all the talent Clapton and the rest have,lots of talent no imagination. Key is getting in that zone that all musicians find were everything is natural and not forced.
ATTITUDE !!!!