# Small changes that revolutionized your playing



## JohnIce (Sep 28, 2009)

Every once in a while you might stumble on something new, by choice or by accident, that completely turns your playing upside down and makes you wonder how you ever got by before it.

For me, *thicker strings*! I was using .009's for close to 10 years, and thought that was the only way to go. Then, when I had pulled my Warmoth apart for a refinish and finally had it back together, I didn't have any strings. My dad happened to have a set of .0105's lying around, so I put those on just to check if the wiring was back to normal, with every intention of getting some 9's back on it as soon as possible.

I nearly shat myself over how much better it sounded! More punch, more clarity, more top end, more low end, and to my great surprise, not really any noticeable change in playing ease. I think I can even play faster now just because I get pumped by how good it all sounds. Total win in every aspect.

So, anyone had any similar hallelujah-moments?

- edit - Dammit, I thought I was posting in the General Music section.. *would a kind mod move it for me? *


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## Andii (Sep 28, 2009)

Switching from Mesa to the 6505+ was a big deal. Playing became more fun and I made lot of progress really fast. An amp switch doesn't seem small enough for this thread, but the change it provided for me was massive. I'm more into playing guitar now than I've ever been now that I like my tone.


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## Daggorath (Sep 28, 2009)

Seeing Meshuggah for the first time.


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## xmetalhead69 (Sep 28, 2009)

Switching over to Jazz III picks


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## JohnIce (Sep 28, 2009)

Andii said:


> Switching from Mesa to the 6505+ was a big deal. Playing became more fun and I made lot of progress really fast. An amp switch doesn't seem small enough for this thread, but the change it provided for me was massive. I'm more into playing guitar now than I've ever been now that I like my tone.


 
Oh don't worry, that's exactly the kind of stuff I had in mind for this thread.


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## Adam Of Angels (Sep 28, 2009)

When I started anchoring my picking hand's pinky on the bridge pickup, I improved all aspects of my playing. 

When I started using 2.0mm picks, I enjoyed the feel and sound of my playing much more to the effect that I improved my playing remarkably.

When I started using heavier strings, the same thing happened - I now use no lighter than .11 to .60 for C standard on a 6 string - totally awesome tone.


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## AvantGuardian (Sep 28, 2009)

The concept of relaxing while playing was huge for me. I used to have so much unnecessary tension in my muscles while playing from nerves or trying to play faster than I really could. Taking a deep breath and focusing on releasing any unnecessary muscle tension always cleans up my playing quite a bit.


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## pink freud (Sep 28, 2009)

Short strap length. Better angle on the wrist. I don't know how people play with their instruments so low.


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## norrin radcliff (Sep 28, 2009)

Playing with my eyes closed/not looking at my hands...

It helped me get out of the box and allowed me to focus more on listening to what my hands were doing - versus concentrating on my left hand.


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## cycloptopus (Sep 28, 2009)

AvantGuardian said:


> The concept of relaxing while playing was huge for me. I used to have so much unnecessary tension in my muscles while playing from nerves or trying to play faster than I really could. Taking a deep breath and focusing on releasing any unnecessary muscle tension always cleans up my playing quite a bit.


 
I had a master class with David Russell - classical guitarist while in school and he enlightened me to this very concept. A very big deal. Thanks, David! For the record, my regular instructor probably told me this like 87 times before that, but sometimes I'm a hard head...



pink freud said:


> Short strap length. Better angle on the wrist. I don't know how people play with their instruments so low.


Dude, I know so many guys that play with their guitars so low and I'm like, "WTF, dude, I mean WTF?!!?!!?!!"


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## MaKo´s Tethan (Sep 28, 2009)

when I discover that the neck p`up have the ultimate tone for shredding, I have more respect for that position now.


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## MFB (Sep 28, 2009)

pink freud said:


> Short strap length. Better angle on the wrist. I don't know how people play with their instruments so low.



This.

I've been watching Paul Gilbert's "Shred Alert" videos he does for Guitar World and he hangs his PGM's so low I look at it and just wonder how he plays so fine


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## InCasinoOut (Sep 28, 2009)

When I was a kid and still a complete beginner on the guitar, I never used anything but the bridge pickup. When i joined my first band and started learning how to use different sounds from different pickup positions was a huge change for me.

Also, as stated above, short strap length.


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## Valserp (Sep 28, 2009)

Realizing that I need a thicker pick to better control my alternate-picking... That was huge(yet I still feel dumb for trying with a soft nylon pick).


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## Xiphos68 (Sep 28, 2009)

xmetalhead69 said:


> Switching over to Jazz III picks




Legato


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## Thin_Ice_77 (Sep 28, 2009)

xmetalhead69 said:


> Switching over to Jazz III picks


Yeah, me too. I used to use 1.5mm I think, then I saw some people on another forum talking about how good Jazz IIIs were. I bought three and I realised how much better they were, I can't play with anything else now. 

Learning 'proper' scales as well. Now I find it much easier to write songs and write solos that really work well.


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## dexmix (Sep 28, 2009)

*tetra chords - made learning music theory a million times easier for me to comprehend... by breaking scales and modes down to 4 super easy 3 interval patterns. memorizing all the modes of the major scale was instantly easy. It allowed me to "see" a scale all the way up the neck, and fly across the neck using 4 notes per string, or just play a whole scale on single a string with confidence, and not have to use my ear. The shapes allowed me to play in a single position, or change positions, and choose which string i wanted to hit a note on depending on if i was ascending or descending, and what position i want to end up in. Tetrachords = Brilliant.


*learning to use my pinky - seriously, i've been playing for 14 years and just now got over having a completely useless finger. It was a month and half of agony and forcing myself to practice - but seriously, I'm so glad i did. I had no idea how big of a handicap it was...


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## budda (Sep 28, 2009)

jazz III's, balanced strings (not too thick not too thin for X tuning), and dialing in the amp.


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## Bloody_Inferno (Sep 28, 2009)

Double Picking.

Using thicker picks. I still insist on big stubbys 2.0. 

Practicing with an amp. For a long time I practiced without one, but it helped dramatically. 

Learning to control amp distortion and dialing a good tone. See above. Though the striking part is lowering the gain (which came later). 

Playing dry. I used to rely heavily on effects, but even with my stompbox collection and still use plenty, I'm no longer a slave to them. 

Getting a Noise gate. Though I only use it for Metal, it was essential. 

Hair Scrunchies on the nut. 

Using a variety of guitars with different setups: strings, pickups etc. Not only has it broadened my adaptability for different styles of music (single coils, active/passive, floyd/fixed, I'll play them all), it also justifies me to get more guitars! 

Most important for me: Learning to write music without an instrument.


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## Junnage (Sep 28, 2009)

1. Changing the angle of my thumb in my picking.
2. My friend Dave giving me a Jazz III to try, loving it, switching from Jazz III's to .60 mm Dunlop Tortex, which helped me get Paul Gilbert fast, and then switching back to Jazz III's.
3. Listening to metal music
4. Learning how to utilize the middle neck position and controlling the guitar tone with the volume and tone controls.
5. Playing Ibanez, Jackson and the Ernie Ball Musicman JP6 and JP7 (which made me want a 7 string)


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## Stealthdjentstic (Sep 28, 2009)

Realizing how much I suck and maybe thinking about practicing


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## Joeywilson (Sep 28, 2009)

Recording has given me a lot of insight on what I like and don't like about my playing and since i've started recording I've fixed a lot of those things that I dislike. Now if only I could get a decent tone haha. I feel like my lead playing has changed a lot as well because of it, i'm trying to be a little bit more "vocal" and a little less "guitar player". 

Another thing was starting to play drums, It's fun to have song ideas from a different perspective. I'm not going to lie every idea i"ve had thats based around a drum beat/idea has failed baaaaad. I'm not a good drummer by any means but I've actually been able to lay down some 'aight grindcore ideas and do some very simple polyrivimz

oh yeah jazz III ultex picks made a difference as well. I used regular Jazz IIIs for a while but my hands always got sweaty and gross so they'd slip. The ultexes rarly slip because of the chalky substance on them


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## Trespass (Sep 28, 2009)

Using Dunlop Primetone picks on my acoustic. It feels just as easy to play as clean electric now.


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## Empryrean (Sep 28, 2009)

Jazz III xl picks
playing clean to make my mistakes more apparent(helped tremendously!)


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## Dusty201087 (Sep 28, 2009)

pink freud said:


> Short strap length. Better angle on the wrist. I don't know how people play with their instruments so low.



Dude, this . I have a dunlop strap lock and I'm really thinking of sewing one end over so it can be even shorter. I don't care if I look like an asshole - chances are I can play circles around the kid with the guitar dragging on the floor


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## bluffalo (Sep 29, 2009)

a metronome/recording to a click

playing to a click is hard enough when you havent done it before, but then being able to listen to yourself later and hear everything you don't hear while playing has helped me.


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## xMitch92x (Sep 29, 2009)

Getting my 2005 MH-1000 was a turning point, so much more comfortable than my Jackson KE3 Kelly.


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## wannabguitarist (Sep 29, 2009)

xmetalhead69 said:


> Switching over to Jazz III picks


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## pink freud (Sep 29, 2009)

Dusty201087 said:


> Dude, this . I have a dunlop strap lock and I'm really thinking of sewing one end over so it can be even shorter. I don't care if I look like an asshole - chances are I can play circles around the kid with the guitar dragging on the floor



Yeah, I use Dimarzio Clip-Locks, and I have them as short as possible. Its still a little low, but certainly doable.


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## Wi77iam (Sep 29, 2009)

seems like i ought to get myself some jazz III picks..


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## pink freud (Sep 29, 2009)

Wi77iam said:


> seems like i ought to get myself some jazz III picks..



I tried them. I like the size and shape, but not the material. It seems to rob some of my higher frequencies. Are the Ultex ones not as soft?


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## zimbloth (Sep 29, 2009)

My top 5 would probably be...

1. Discovering the right picks (Dunlop Tortex Jazz III PitchBlack)

2. Discovering the virtues of the Tube Screamer

3. Adapting my technique for lighter gauge strings for supreme tonal improvement

4. Discovering Elixir NanoWebs.

5. And of course, Bare Knuckle Pickups.


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## -K4G- (Sep 29, 2009)

dexmix said:


> *tetra chords - made learning music theory a million times easier for me to comprehend... by breaking scales and modes down to 4 super easy 3 interval patterns. memorizing all the modes of the major scale was instantly easy. It allowed me to "see" a scale all the way up the neck, and fly across the neck using 4 notes per string, or just play a whole scale on single a string with confidence, and not have to use my ear. The shapes allowed me to play in a single position, or change positions, and choose which string i wanted to hit a note on depending on if i was ascending or descending, and what position i want to end up in. Tetrachords = Brilliant.



Got any links? Really interested cos i suck at memorizing.


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## signalgrey (Sep 29, 2009)

1.) reducing my gain usage
2.) increasing my mids
3.) playing through a Vox AC30 as a practice amp
4.) recording myself
5.) jamming with as many people as possible.
6.) actually trying to strengthen my left hand finesse
7.) reducing my string gauge
8.) listening to cello music
9.) playing a guitar that fits my 6'6" frame/hands (i.e. a baritone guitar)
10.) using my previous experiences as a bassist when i play guitar.


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## m13os86 (Sep 29, 2009)

1) Ingesting beer before and during playing
2) Jazz III Ultex picks
3) Basic action adjustment and intonation (used to just play them as they came)
4) (#1 again)
5) Adding a 7th string


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## JohnIce (Sep 29, 2009)

pink freud said:


> I tried them. I like the size and shape, but not the material. It seems to rob some of my higher frequencies. Are the Ultex ones not as soft?


 
Yes, and yes. When I read your first sentence, my initial thought was I should recommend this guy the Ultex  It was actually just yesterday that I sat down in a more scientific manner and compared the two, and indeed, the Ultex is stiffer and has more higher frequencies, just like you said. I'm now set for using both for different applications, the Ultex are the work horse for chunky rhythms, big chords and fast shredding, whereas I'll use the regular ones for smoother, more melodic lead passages.

In short, Ultex = Jazz III + clarity.

- edit - This topic has some pretty good insights in it, keep em coming! But again, *if a mod wants to move it to the General Music section* (as it's not specifically directed at 6-stringers), I'd be grateful.


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## Prydogga (Sep 29, 2009)

Switching back from Jazz III.

Playing with high quality, isolated headphones.

Rolling back tone control.


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## AbaddonHammer (Sep 30, 2009)

Years ago, losing my ignorance and realizing that adding mids to my sound, made me sound better and alot easier to hear in the mix of a band setting.

Thicker strings.

Pick angle. Realizing that if i just turned my pick a little bit and choked up on it more, i could play alot more accurately and faster.

Changing from Strats and Super Strat style guitars to the ALMIGHTY Les Pauls.

Using a Seymour Duncan JB in my Les Paul, instead of using Gibson's p/u's.

Realizing that if your not having fun playing guitar or coming up with a riff or a solo, then your doing it all wrong. And chances are, you wont be very productive.


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## JohnIce (Sep 30, 2009)

AbaddonHammer said:


> Realizing that if your not having fun playing guitar or coming up with a riff or a solo, then your doing it all wrong. And chances are, you wont be very productive.


 


The best music is made with passion and fun, and any amount of ego, challenge, pride or overly analytical thinking takes away from it. The best musicans are often described as very humble and nice to talk to, and that's why their music is so good: They're not trying to prove anything,they do it for the love of music.


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## jymellis (Sep 30, 2009)

another string, i went from 6 string to 7 and realized what i didnt know i had been missing for the last 22 years lol.


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## ellengtrgrl (Sep 30, 2009)

Two things:

1. Believe it or not, switching to 11s. It really beefed up my sound.

2. When I was a relative noob in 1979 or 1980, my uncle (Guitar Generation #2 in my family [#1 is my grampa, who was both an acoustic guitar luthier, and a jazz guitarist]), suggested picking with one of the rounded corners of the the butt end of the pick (ala Pat Metheny), instead of the tip, for better accuracy. I've been doing it ever since then. I found that not only did my speed picking accuracy go up tremendously, but it also rounded out the sound of the picked notes - made them less spiky sounding to me.


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## Scar Symmetry (Sep 30, 2009)

Vinnie Moore.


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## dexmix (Sep 30, 2009)

-K4G- said:


> Got any links? Really interested cos i suck at memorizing.



google has a bunch of links. the only thing different about the way i learned tetra chords was that instead of W=Whole step/2 semitones, H=Half step/semitone, i use numbers, where 1 or | = whole step, and ' = half step. and anything greater then a whole step interval is the distance - 1 semitone. so a HIJAZ would be ' 2 ' . This makes it easy to "see" the 2 frets between the notes of Hijaz, or 1 fret between notes of a whole step.

so here are the more common tetra chord intervals, I also learned them using the modern names associated with the scale, not the original greek naming of the tetra-chords.

11'  IONIAN 
1'1  DORIAN 
'11  PHRYGIAN 
111  LYDIAN 
 
'2'  HIJAZ 

(I like using Hijaz in place of phrygian tetra chords)


With the exception of mode 7 (locrian) the second tetra-chord always starts on a perfect 5th. so this is how i memorized the 7 modes. *the implied interval between tetra chords is always a whole step, except for the lydian modes 4 and 7, where it is a half step.*

11' - 11'  IONIAN 
1'1 - 1'1 DORIAN 
'11 - '11 PHRYGIAN 
111 - 11'  LYDIAN 
11' - 1'1 MIXOLYDIAN 
1'1 - '11 AEOLIAN
'11 ' 111  LOCRIAN 
 
1'1 - '2'  HARMONIC MINOR 
'2' - '11  PHRYGIAN DOMINANT
 
If you look close you can see that the tetrachords repeat in pairs except for lydian, which only repeats once while cycling. This is significant because playing 4 notes per string, they are the same tetra chords following the same pattern, of repeats. 

example: playing ionion mode 1 ascending from the low bottom string, you play the tetrachords per string, at each 5th.

string/tetra-chord
6/ionion
5/ionion
4/dorian
3/dorian
2/phrygian
1/phrygian


The rest you can find on google including fingering patterns for each tetra-chord. A Good exercise is to come up with the fingering patterns yourself, and figure out how to chain them to move around the neck, or even just what the pattern looks like in one position, and adjacent positions.

a whole scale on a single string should be childs play at this point. 

*edit: *example fingering patterns/shapes (each '-' is a fret)

IONIAN .... DORIAN .... PHRYGIAN .. LYDIAN .... HIJAZ
-2-34------ -23-4------ 2-3-4------ -2-3-4----- 2--34------ 
----R-2-34- ----R-23-4- ----R2-3-4- ----R-2-3-4 ----R2--34-

you chain the shapes, 1 step/tone apart, except for lydian scales (lydian (4)/locrian(7)) which are 1/2 step or 1 semitone apart.
for example using ionian:

-R-2-34-R-2-34- or -R-2-34-5-6-7R-

-----34---- -----7R----
---34-R-2-- ---34-5-6-- 
----R-2---- ----R-2----

 ------4---- ------R----
----4-R-2-3 ----4-5-6-7 
----R-2-3-- ----R-2-3--

---2-34---- ---6-7R----
---34-R---- ---34-5---- 
----R-2---- ----R-2----


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## MaxOfMetal (Sep 30, 2009)

Using Jazz III style small picks, such as the 2mm Stubby I'm using now. Completely changed the way I pick, in the best way possible of course.


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## redlol (Sep 30, 2009)

jazz 3s, pick hand anchoring(some hate this but i think it restrains any overexxaggerated movement), george lynch, john sykes and paul gilbert...


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## SamSam (Sep 30, 2009)

1. Holding my pick with my index finger curled (more of a comfort thing. It 
feels more relaxed to me and giving me more control.)

2. Thicker picks, used to use nylon 0.8s. Now use Delrin 1mm and 1.5mm. 
better tone, faster more accurate picking. Have to get me some Jazz IIIs 
to try.

3. Tapping with my middle finger... Still working on this but feeling the 
benefits already. 

Three small changes that have made big differences so far


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## DrakkarTyrannis (Sep 30, 2009)

Lowering my guitar. I loosened the strap until it was a low as it could go and instantly everything became easier. I could stand easier, position the guitar easier, and because of it I could sing and play easier..everything just fell into place.


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## Randy (Sep 30, 2009)

What a coincidence, because raising mine did the most for me. 

I pretty much raised it up until it's around the same height it's at when I rest it on my leg, sitting. Didn't make me some fantastic player, but it gave more consistency between my studio abilities and my live abilities.


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## Cheesebuiscut (Sep 30, 2009)

First was thicker strings as a result of playing with diff tunings, then strap length (Or lack there of), then Q-tuners, then jazz 3 picks.


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## All_¥our_Bass (Oct 1, 2009)

When I decided to use using circular picking instead of wrist movement for more precision and evenness when playing at faster speeds.

If I tried to do the same thing with the wrist I had very little control and it was sloppy, which I hated.

Another "Aha!!" moment was when I put elixirs on my guitar, the strings are gonna sound new for a whole friggin' year (and possibly more depending on how much I play). I love the slippery feel, the tone, and the extra tension!!

Using a compressor and turning down the gain for a better, tighter, more defined distorted guitar sound when tuning low.


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## MF_Kitten (Oct 1, 2009)

hanging my guitar higher and using thinner strings. also, lower action and PROPER PICKUPS!


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## All_¥our_Bass (Oct 1, 2009)

m13os86 said:


> 1) Ingesting beer before and during playing
> .
> .
> .
> 4) (#1 again)


  I substitute coffee though.


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## Harry (Oct 1, 2009)

Less gain, wearing guitar higher.


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## Felsstein (Oct 1, 2009)

xmetalhead69 said:


> Switching over to Jazz III picks




same here, happened 5 days ago... (from Tortex Wedges)

-using a practise amp (HT5) instead of my Tonelab (+ Grado 225 Headphone)
-doing recordings and listen to them
-change guitarteacher every half year
-beeing honest with myself, know what I can, know what I hate and practise it so it turns to love
-switching to Bareknuckles (especially Cold Sweat)
-using less gain/ more mids (sometimes pain in the ass)
-frequenting concerts (for the motivational thingy)
-beeing open for everything new and not thinking "I`ve settled my style, thats it"
-playing various stuff (not only metal+1 other genre)
-giging with friends (especially with beginners)


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## xmetalhead69 (Oct 1, 2009)

I switched from holding my pick with my middle and tapping with index, to the normal way that everyone else does. Its awkward but I think its gonna be a huge difference


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## matty2fatty (Oct 1, 2009)

I found ss.org

Seriously, this site has improved my playing/writing in more ways that I can even think of. 

Thanks guys!


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## digitalpig (Oct 1, 2009)

Wi77iam said:


> seems like i ought to get myself some jazz III picks..



This is what I am thinking  Especially when I heard from John Petrucci that he uses them, too.

Plus:
- Discovering my tone gets much better when using less gain.
- Finding out what I really want guitar-wise (I don't need 100 switches and toggles on my guitar so I can concentrate more on my playing).
- quitting using Fender strings and switching to D'addarios.

Felix


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## Senensis (Oct 1, 2009)

The biggest thing for me was switching to a dynamic amp and using dynamic pickup (as opposed to compressed). It made me realise that the right hand is just as important as the left one.



Bloody_Inferno said:


> Hair Scrunchies on the nut.



Same here when I need to sing in a higher pitch than my natural one.


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## JohnIce (Oct 1, 2009)

xmetalhead69 said:


> I switched from holding my pick with my middle and tapping with index, to the normal way that everyone else does. Its awkward but I think its gonna be a huge difference


 
Look up Mattias IA Eklundh/Freak Kitchen, he holds the pick between thumb and middle. Sick guitarist for sure. Might be giving up on something good if you switch.


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## Ravelle17 (Oct 1, 2009)

Using Jazz III picks, singing what I play while I play it, raising my strap to a more comfortable angle, getting into jazz, etc.

Also: RECORDING WITH A METRONOME WHENEVER POSSIBLE! It has made me far tighter rhythmically than I could have ever hoped to be.


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## petruccirocks02 (Oct 1, 2009)

For me it would have to be switching over to Ultex Jazz III's, raising my strap higher, and going from .009's to .010's. Another huge thing for me was working at Ibanez learning how to tweak and work on all my own guitars. 

-Phil


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## loktide (Oct 1, 2009)

1. less gain and more mids. before there was internet, this wasn't as obvious for an absolute guitar noob  

2. recording myself. while you're playing, you'll never realize as good what parts aren't tight/clean as when you hear your recorded self play


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## caughtinamosh (Oct 1, 2009)

Senensis said:


> Same here when I need to sing in a higher pitch than my natural one.


 
Do scrunchies grip your testacles or...? 





For me, reading up on the effect that string gauge has on tone and adapting my choices accordingly was a massively beneficial change.


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## DarkRaven03 (Oct 1, 2009)

dexmix said:


> *tetra chords - made learning music theory a million times easier for me to comprehend... by breaking scales and modes down to 4 super easy 3 interval patterns. memorizing all the modes of the major scale was instantly easy. It allowed me to "see" a scale all the way up the neck, and fly across the neck using 4 notes per string, or just play a whole scale on single a string with confidence, and not have to use my ear. The shapes allowed me to play in a single position, or change positions, and choose which string i wanted to hit a note on depending on if i was ascending or descending, and what position i want to end up in. Tetrachords = Brilliant.



Where did you learn tetrachords from? Do you know any online stuff that would be helpful?


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## All_¥our_Bass (Oct 2, 2009)

matty2fatty said:


> I found ss.org
> 
> Seriously, this site has improved my playing/writing in more ways that I can even think of.
> 
> Thanks guys!


 This place is the best thing since sevenstring guitars themselves!!


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## dexmix (Oct 2, 2009)

DarkRaven03 said:


> Where did you learn tetrachords from? Do you know any online stuff that would be helpful?



Because i approached the notation differently, I had to teach myself, piecing a bunch of information together from several incomplete sources off google, and re-writing the interval notation.

I'll publish my notes eventually, but my previous post is enough to get people memorizing all 7 modes.

the best site for my purposes was maqam world, which gave me insite on arabic music and how to build scales.


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## Scar Symmetry (Oct 2, 2009)

loktide said:


> 1. less gain and more mids. before there was internet, this wasn't as obvious for an absolute guitar noob
> 
> 2. recording myself. while you're playing, you'll never realize as good what parts aren't tight/clean as when you hear your recorded self play



These two have helped me actually. 

I didn't need the internet to tell me to back off the gain and crank the mids, I learnt that in my transition from tone noob to tone snob that scooped mids on most (though not all) amps does not sound good, especially in a live situation.

As for recording myself, I still do not have means to record riffs onto my computer, but I occasionally video myself playing to keep track of my progress.


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## All_¥our_Bass (Oct 3, 2009)

AvantGuardian said:


> The concept of relaxing while playing was huge for me. I used to have so much unnecessary tension in my muscles while playing from nerves or trying to play faster than I really could. Taking a deep breath and focusing on releasing any unnecessary muscle tension always cleans up my playing quite a bit.


 I don't have to take a deep breath in order to relax though.


pink freud said:


> Short strap length. Better angle on the wrist. I don't know how people play with their instruments so low.


  I've always played my axes high though.



Bloody_Inferno said:


> Double Picking.






Bloody_Inferno said:


> Playing dry. I used to rely heavily on effects, but even with my stompbox collection and still use plenty, I'm no longer a slave to them.


Although I was never a slave to them, it does bring out things you might miss otherwise, and I hardly ever use reverb on distorted rhythm playing-I want to know all the places I'm messing up.



Bloody_Inferno said:


> Hair Scrunchies on the nut.


I wondered why my tight playing wasn't so tight sounding and no matter how well I muted or how staccato I played it always seemed to ring out just a bit longer. I now have an old shoelace woven through my strings behind the nut which works wonders.



Bloody_Inferno said:


> Most important for me: Learning to write music without an instrument.


I do this to. I'll even bring along a notebook and write it out in standard notation to best of my ability. The duration and rhythm isn't always perfect but I do my best and it always gets fixed later.


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## Phlegethon (Oct 4, 2009)

well here's a list, in no particular order 

using dunlop gatorgrip 2 mm thick picks. I remember Yngwie mentioning something along the lines of "you can't play fast with a thin pick". never knew what he meant until I tried it. 

attacking the strings using an aggressive attack. I was struggling with something I knew how to play backwards and forwards and then went "to hell with it" and started bashing notes out of the guitar. long story short, I now make those strings move

paying attention to the guitar and amp to the nth degree (assuming one has a good axe/amp). this was brought about by my issues surrounding my 7321 after I bought it. when I used it I really started to play with my eyes and wonder about things like the stock p/ups and all that sort of thing, wondering how bad things were in comparison to the salvation that was on sale at various music stores. then it hit me: if I wanted to be better I should focus on getting as much out of my gear as possible before running off and buying random things that might help. at the end of the day, it's done a hell of a lot more than dropping cash I might not have on some magical tone talisman of any origin. oh, and with the right amp setup, the AH p/ups can floor just about anybody

the last and most important thing would be when I had a brush with carpal tunnel in my left hand. I literally had to toss out everything I thought I knew about playing guitars and everything related to that. not making those changes would've resulted in me going beyond the warning signs and into "you need to stop playing" territory. I *had* to think without any regard to any conventional wisdom or regard for any personal feelings I had about anything regarding guitars and playing. as a result of using cold, hard logic to either pass or fail ideas as fast as I could without being sloppy I noticed the biggest leaps I've ever had in my playing


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## Sniper Johnny (Oct 4, 2009)

One little change that helps solidify my speed picking and downstrokes is connecting the middle and first fingers on my picking hand. It seems to make it swing back up with a bit more ease. It definitely helps me drive the string hard from both sides.


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## JohnIce (Oct 6, 2009)

Sniper Johnny said:


> One little change that helps solidify my speed picking and downstrokes is connecting the middle and first fingers on my picking hand. It seems to make it swing back up with a bit more ease. It definitely helps me drive the string hard from both sides.


 
Interesting, I started doing this just last night and I thought the same thing. Not as comfy for regular playing but it did help to clear up some speedy passages.


----------



## Cancer (Oct 6, 2009)

Changing to flatwounds strings for all of my electrics.


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## helly (Oct 7, 2009)

Green tortex, big strings (I LOVE immense string tension. D'Addario 13-62 in drop B flat on a standard scale sixer), and most recently developing a heavy right hand has helped a lot with my tightness, speed and accuracy.

The most significant changes for me have probably been a bit too big for this thread, but here goes anyway. 

First, after a year of playing self taught, then taking a couple lessons from a friend of mine I was told as harshly as I needed to be told, that I would never be a good guitarist if I didn't use my pinkie, and if I didn't alternate pick. I had to relearn everything I thought I knew, but since then it's been much smoother.

Another huge revelation I had was when I started playing EMG loaded guitars through a 5150 with everything set up correctly and running an ISP Decimator. That leaves absolutely no room for error when you can hear every little mistake you're making with such definition. It made me much tighter.

And last, but not least, surprisingly enough... playing in bands. Playing in bands in any serious manner seems to have been the major driving force in my improvement throughout my guitar playing career, or whatever you wanna call it. There's nothing that drives you to improvement like trying to keep up with your bandmates and other bands in the scene, absolutely nothing.


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## ilyti (Oct 7, 2009)

Stone picks. That's the only one I can think of right now.


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## Niilz (Oct 7, 2009)

- bougth a cheap yamaha and played the sh!t out of it... then:
- JazzIII picks
- work in a guitar store
- playing "good" guitars w/ resonant wood
- playing in a band
- JazzIII Ultex pics (far better than the black/red ones)
- stone picks for rehearsals/recording
- start to write songs: [. RETAIN .] on MySpace Music - Free Streaming MP3s, Pictures & Music Downloads
- stop all the equipment/playing technique bs ;-) 

 That's it so far....

btw: very cool thread!!!


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## RiffsinProgress (Oct 8, 2009)

I remember when I learned triplets for the first time. I was attempting raining blood XD
but that helped me learn right hand control a little better, as did learning how to incorporate Pinch harmonics.

I went to jazz III for awhile, and then moved back to standard sized picks. The jazz III's helped my right hand as well even when I went back to standards. I even used the Jazz II's a little.

I remember when I started using more mids as well. our band was practicing and I couldnt hear myself that well (the other guitarist cranks his bass and scoops his mids) so I kind of did the opposite and boosted the mids and took out some bass. he started having to turn himself up louder XD 

I started using my pinky for more than just wide stretches.

realized what an overdrive pedal could do for your sound

and like a few others have said, being in a band really pushes you to strive for being a better guitarist


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## AeonSolus (Oct 8, 2009)

1) Finding Bulb and studying his playing
2) Switching from Bass heavy and little mids config to mids notably cranked, Mids enhances the presence of overall sound, that made me realize every small stain in my playing, which forced me to improve.
3) Lowering the gain, and using a OD for clean boost
4) Pulling the Strap up.
5) Using Skinny top, heavy bottom strings, the sound you get out of them is amazing, also the playability is better in my book
6) Finding this site  made me evolve as a musician
7) Getting good pickups
8) using heavy as hell picks 
9) Belive it or not, playing bass and trying to "shred" on it, when you actually get it, go back to the guitar and see the results ..
10) Re-fretting my guitar to Ex-Jumbo frets, mmmm legatto goodness
11) I don't know if it's just in my head but using reverse headstocks  To me the heavier strings get more tension and snappiness to the sound, and the thinner are easier to bend and since they aren't as stiff, they have a more..err..loose vibrating sound? (i think that's because of my string choice too but whatever ) to me it just sounds amazing.

I think that's it 

PD: Amazing thread! this should get stick'd


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## 6or7mattersnot (Oct 11, 2009)

A new guitar. I went from a short scale guitar that had 22 frets and natural access to about 20... The neck was round too, so it didn't fit my hand right.

My dad gave me his RG220B and it completely changed my playing style. I could play longer and faster and not tire out so quickly. I also had a whole two octave playground to mess with on all six strings. Also, switching from Ernie Balls, which really aren't that good, to GHS Guitar Boomers. They just opened up the tones of the basswood body and maple neck.

Changing from crap speakers to an all tube amp and a POD 2.0. What a difference in tones there. Louder, and seperate notes are clear as a bell. Chords sing as well. Lovely...

And that's my small changes that equal one large change.


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## Metal Ken (Oct 11, 2009)

restructuring how i practice, and closing my picking hand rather than leaving it open have worked wonders for me.


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## Pish (Aug 7, 2010)

Sitting with the guitar between my legs (classical style).


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## Origin (Aug 7, 2010)

Becoming a nipple-rider.


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## snowblind56 (Aug 8, 2010)

1.) Switching from my Marshall MG80 combo with a Boss Metal Zone to my Randall Cyclone half stack. Amazingly, I could palm mute for once.
2.) Holding my pick between my thumb and the side of my index finger allowed me to play more aggressive rhythm. 
3.) Selling my Randall Cyclone and buying my ENGL Powerball. Yay for tubes!


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## numberonejrio (Aug 8, 2010)

SamSam said:


> 1. Holding my pick with my index finger curled (more of a comfort thing. It
> feels more relaxed to me and giving me more control.)
> 
> 2. Thicker picks, used to use nylon 0.8s. Now use Delrin 1mm and 1.5mm.
> ...



This.

Also, raising my strap helped a lot

Here's another one, when I first started playing I thought you weren't allowed to alternative pick while palm muting /facepalm. So learning how to do that definitely helped.


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## Fuel (Aug 8, 2010)

Metal Ken said:


> restructuring how i practice, and closing my picking hand rather than leaving it open have worked wonders for me.


+Rep for truth. A closed picking hand has opened up new levels of accuracy and control, and therefore speed.

As for other changes:

1. Boosted mids and low end made me love my little Roland/Digitech amp/pedal setup. I've actually managed to coax a fairly solid tone out of them.

2. Going from Black Stiffo Jazz IIIs to the Eric Johnson model. The extra grip and increased flexibility gave me more control over my picking hand, and a much chunkier, snappier tone.

3. SMALLER FRETS. Playing on Agile's standard-sized frets instead of giant-ass nickle speed bumps has improved almost every aspect of my left hand's technique.


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## snowblind56 (Aug 8, 2010)

Fuel said:


> +Rep for truth. A closed picking hand has opened up new levels of accuracy and control, and therefore speed.
> 
> As for other changes:
> 
> ...



+1 on the Eric Johnson signature Jazz III's.


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## LorenzoD (Aug 8, 2010)

As odd as it sounds, quitting music altogether for almost 2 years helped me a lot. It helped me come back to the instrument with a fresh state of mind. It also helped me really look back at my past playing and weed out some of the bad habits I used to have. It's made both my writing and playing stronger as a result. 

But I think the biggest thing was just me broadening my music tastes. Up until the breakup of my old band, all I really listened to and enjoyed was 80s metal and progressive rock/metal. Now I have an extremely wide open approach to what I listen to, and that has helped reshape my playing.

Oh and lately, I just switched to Jazz III XL picks. HUGE difference! Another step forward.


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## soundgardener75 (Aug 8, 2010)

Number one for me had always been utilizing what you have to the best you can. I may not play as great as Tom Morello (I know I know), but that advice had always stuck in my head ever since I saw that article. I came from a middle class family, we can only afford so much, so I made full use of what I had creatively, and I had (surprisingly) been complimented with what I have.


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## Polyformic (Aug 8, 2010)

The main things that changed my style was:
- Buying a 7-string.
- Put on really heavy strings
- Practice without an amp = damn hard pick attack = sounds damn good plugged in to a amp!
- Going to Jazz III picks
- Starting a band
- Learning how to get the best sound of my limited gear.
- Started recording.
- Having a structure for my practice.
- Playing punkrock!!


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## troyguitar (Aug 8, 2010)

Spend more time playing and less time sitting on forums.


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## Winspear (Aug 8, 2010)

-Thicker picks
I used to play with 0.7s or some shit. Everyone thought I was crazy and didn't understand how. Now, neither can I 

-Thumb picks
Changed to thumb picks about 6 months ago. It's going fantastic, has inspired me to develop my fingerpicking more, has made no negative impact.

-Thicker strings
Also up from 9's to 10.5's. A great improvement. 

-Generally not caring about image
Buying good quality guitars instead of cheap spikey ones. Hightening my strap from stupid low to almost-stupid high


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## SargeantVomit (Aug 8, 2010)

After all these years finally forming a band where nobody has to babysit each other and we can just fucking get shit done and do it well. No hassles and lots of reward.


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## Joel (Aug 8, 2010)

Practicing with a clean tone, using heavier strings, adding hybrid picking to my playing (listening to Brett Garsed).


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## All_¥our_Bass (Aug 8, 2010)

Running mulitband eq pedals both before and after distortion, for high gain I can't live with basic eq in only one place.

Tuning in fifths, made the guitar feel very different and fresh, as many cliche guitar 'licks' are not practical in fifths tuning.
It also makes the distance between voices in a chord wider, and clearer sounding.
More range-low F and high E on six strings without instrument modification, although modding a fifths tuned axe arguably makes it "better suited" to said tuning.

Most importantly it fucks with most people hardcore, except maybe violin/viola/cello players. 

Tonal "trade-offs" running my amps treble and presence in the 0-2 area, but the treble on other pieces of gear before the amp have the treble boosted to "harsh" levels. I get plenty of zing and articulation, but very low noise.


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## Goatfork (Aug 8, 2010)

Getting really heavy strings and switching exclusively to Jazz IIIs.


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## George Djentson (Aug 8, 2010)

learning to alternate pick correctly. by far.


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## SYLrules88 (Aug 8, 2010)

changing to holding the pick with thumb and index finger instead of using thumb, index, and mid finger. as long as ive been playing, id be one hell of a player by now if i had started out that way.

all your bass, im intrigued by the idea of tuning in 5ths. never done it but would love to try it. also with your different EQ ideas.


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## Explorer (Aug 8, 2010)

My guitar neck went to almost completely vertical back in the '80s. I've never had a recurrence of the wrist problems that had plagued me before then. 

In the past 5 years I converted most of my guitars over to full fifths tuning. That wasn't a small change, to be sure, but it allows me to use all kinds of non-guitar books and idioms. 

The tetrachord idea is interesting for guitar. I've applied it strongly to my other main instrument, but hadn't thought to put it to my fretboard. Thanks for the suggestion!


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## jl-austin (Aug 9, 2010)

For me, buying a 7 string really opened things up for me. In ways I did not expect. I hold the neck more proper now (or at least I seem to more often now).

That, and learning to play keyboards. That really has helped my guitar playing A LOT! I was never into learning scales on the guitar, it is SO MUCH easier on the keyboard, and that knowledge has helped my guitar playing. It kind of has forced me to learn things on the guitar.


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## sicstynine (Aug 10, 2010)

DrakkarTyrannis said:


> Lowering my guitar. I loosened the strap until it was a low as it could go and instantly everything became easier. I could stand easier, position the guitar easier.



same for me. my shoulders aren't even. by loosening the strap, i could lay down my picking hand easier and everything picking-wise became a lot easier, and faster. 

also, switching to jazz iii, playing thicker strings/caring for string tension/intonation and getting a high-gain amp (forces you to play tight/accurate)


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## jymellis (Aug 10, 2010)

using a metronome when i practice


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## Origin (Aug 10, 2010)

Metronome is a hell of a good thing 

Other things came to my mind...integrating circle picking into my right hand after I finally learned how to pick  and playing with my 6505 has DEFINITELY forced me to tighten up.


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## Disco Volante (Aug 10, 2010)

Thicker and pointier picks
Heavier gauge strings
Higher strap
Recording myself and listening back / metronome
Lower Gain
More Mids


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## AcousticMinja (Aug 10, 2010)

Chords and open tunings.
Sounds weird, but open tunings really changed everything for me.
when I first started, I use to only play single note things, and from time to time, a chord here and there, but chords really changed me from being strictly death metal, to someone who loves playing alternative and progressive music more than anything...combined with open tunings, its pure bliss for me now.

Edit: Using tortex .73mm picks.


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## Hollowman (Aug 10, 2010)

for me it was getting rid of the negative people in my life.staying off forums and playing my guitar thats why I only have 286 posts in 3 years I have 600 between 2 forums.excepting objective criticism from friends.open tunings for cleans and for proggy stuff.


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## cwhitey2 (Aug 10, 2010)

for me like everyone it was finding the right strings for what i wanted to do and also the strap height.

i also find that anchoring my strumming hand to the bridge pickup helped a lot for shredding.

learning to play with my pinky, because my friend told me there is no point in playing if your not going to use it.

and i think just a better understanding of how everything is related/how stuff works together gear wise has helped me a lot.


EDIT: Also buying a guitar with Sperzel locking tuners...they just blow my mind at how tight they are to turn and how well they hold a tune compared to my stock Grovers on my schecter


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## MetalBuddah (Aug 10, 2010)

1. Getting rid of my started guitar and buying my Hellraiser
2. Using Jazz III picks
3. Wearing my strap just about as high as Petrucci....cleaned up my picking while standing up and I could never go back to playing low again.
4. Changing my trem picking technique by bringing all of my fingers together


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## Nonservium (Aug 10, 2010)

matty2fatty said:


> I found ss.org
> 
> Seriously, this site has improved my playing/writing in more ways that I can even think of.
> 
> Thanks guys!



Agreed. Thanks guys.


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## Jogeta (Aug 10, 2010)

Learning to palm mute.
Playing a guitar that is correctly intonated and well set up.
Receiving a Dunlop H3 from Brian Eschbach and another one from John Kempainen.
Using slightly less gain for rhythms.
Playing with a noise-gate.
Switching from Les Paul style guitars to Super Strat style guitars.
Switching from six stringed guitars to seven stringed guitars.

*Listening to what I am playing.*


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## Jinogalpa (Aug 10, 2010)

sell my crappy Line 6 Spider II and buy a VOX Valvetronix

nothing expensive and extraordinary but a gooood choice for my ears.

edit:
of course Dunlop Big Stubby 2mm Pleks, great grip and control


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## gfactor (Aug 10, 2010)

Putting my strap way up high like a dork, and Jazz III's


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## rahul_mukerji (Aug 10, 2010)

In no particular order:

Listening to :
*Friday night live in San Fran* ... I was into Cannibal Corpse and all that genre of music and thought everything else was weak. My friend played that cassette tape and it shot my dogma to hell. From that day I swore I'd learn how to play dem songs, and indeed I did. That changed the way I looked at guitar forever.

*Pierre Bensusan, Tommy Emmanuel, Preston Reed, Michael Hedges, Stanley Jordan* : Changed the way I looked at tunings and what the guitar is capable of beyond strummed chords and scalar runs.

*Prasanna*: Changed the way I viewed Indo-Fusion Jazz with his slides and technique.

Gear wise:

*Picks* : I still don't just play with one (like most do), I go between Dunlop Med Teardrop for funky rhythms, Dunlop Croc 1.5 for heavy song chuggs and if I'm just playing sparse rhythms with lots of little leads, then Dunlop III's it is. But I change from time to time and picks make such a difference in rhythm and lead playing !

*Strings* : Almost exclusively stuck to 10's since my early days of "standardizing my equipment". I did run into a band that used 11's and they sold me a guitar and I loved the feel of 11's. But since my band tunes standard I use 10's.

One of the most influential things that happened that seems insignificant but changed my playing was when my player switched from Impellitteri to a Pink Floyd song, and I instantly realized that I dont have to strive to be a super shredder to play well crafted solos. I stopped trying to cram 100 notes in my solos and my band instantly thanked me for it


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## s_k_mullins (Aug 10, 2010)

Switched to heavier gauge strings.
Started using Dunlop Jazz III picks.
Improved my posture while practicing.
Cut back on the gain and stop scooping the mids! 
Sometimes the smallest changes have the largest effect!


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## Customisbetter (Aug 10, 2010)

1) Use compression always
2) make a loose fist, not a firm five
3) angle the guitar neck higher (this was Pete's advice and it worked wonders)


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## blister7321 (Aug 10, 2010)

dunlop M3s 
i loved the .88s when i used normal pics and i love jazz3s so the M3 is both

11-52s (wound G) for strings 

playing with my 6 stings low (like hefield or punk low)
and my 7 higher


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## Murmel (Aug 10, 2010)

blister7321 said:


> playing with my 6 stings low (like hefield or punk low)
> and my 7 higher


Seriously, how the fuck do you even do a powerchord below the second fret without twisting your wrist to oblivion when you have the strap that low?
Not to mention doing for example: 7-9-10 quick runs down all strings. It's god damn impossible.


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## eclipsex1 (Aug 10, 2010)

Pick attack changed my playing more than anything, I think. That, and adding just a teeny pinch to notes when it works. These two things made my tone AMAZINGLY better.


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## potatohead (Aug 11, 2010)

Jogeta said:


> Learning to palm mute.
> Playing a guitar that is correctly intonated and well set up.


 
Agree completely. 

Another one for me is fingering power chords with index and pinky. I can do it both ways but this seems more natural and easier to transition. Past he 10th fret or so I have to go back to index and ring, though.


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## DrakkarTyrannis (Aug 11, 2010)

Murmel said:


> Seriously, how the fuck do you even do a powerchord below the second fret without twisting your wrist to oblivion when you have the strap that low?
> Not to mention doing for example: 7-9-10 quick runs down all strings. It's god damn impossible.



I don't see how people can play wearing the guitar like a necktie. The lower the guitar is for me the better. I have more flexibility, control, and it's just more comfortable.


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## Adam Of Angels (Aug 11, 2010)

^My wrist and forearm have literally next to no agility at all when the guitar is too low. Then again, you may not play as much lead as I do, and I'm sure our techniques are very different.


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## DrakkarTyrannis (Aug 11, 2010)

Adam Of Angels said:


> ^My wrist and forearm have literally next to no agility at all when the guitar is too low. Then again, you may not play as much lead as I do, and I'm sure our techniques are very different.



Indeed our techniques are very different. Different strokes and all that.


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## McKay (Aug 12, 2010)

Getting rid of Jazz IIIs (I still use the jumbos though)
Using thinner picks
Using thicker strings
Recording a lot


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## McKay (Aug 12, 2010)

I don't know if it counts because it's why I play in the first place, but relentlessly beating the crap out of my strings.

Makes your riffs sound ballsier and makes you look better on stage.


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## JakSchitt (Aug 12, 2010)

Adopting a classical position while practising. Making sure my fretting hand is perpendicular to the neck instead of having my hand all skewed up. Also, my vibrato used to be really weak, tightened that shit up..


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## metalgod72 (Aug 12, 2010)

Paul Gilbert: Intense Rock I & II


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## stryker1800 (Aug 14, 2010)

Learning alternate picking, Jazz III's and eventually Ultex jazz.

More recently downpicking, not only does it have a ballsy tone, but surprisingly it helped my alt picking more than I would expect also switching between the two makes for a few extra interesting dynamic changes.


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## maliciousteve (Aug 14, 2010)

Using Jazz III's
Moving from Jazz III's to 2mm Big Stubbies
Using Less Gain
Using more Mids
Using a Metronome
Listening to other types of music.


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## the unbearable (Sep 1, 2010)

practicing keys/piano. less becomes more real quick... and weird ass chord progressions start popping up. i go back and listen to some of my shit periodically and think wtf arp. is that?

double tracking with a metronome. without listening to the first track while doing the second. eliminated a lot of slop on my single note parts.

recording bass last. sounds ridiculous, i'm sure.. however, since i've started doing that, i've had the nuances of the different rhythms of the parts of songs actually write bass parts for me that i wouldn't have normally thought of.

pod studio gx. hands down. lower noise floor alone has made my life a fuck lot easier....

that's it so far.... i'll probably think of more later..


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## Milo (Sep 2, 2010)

maliciousteve said:


> Using Jazz III's


Having guitar strap higher
practising on a clean channel


----------



## canuck brian (Sep 3, 2010)

Playing the guitar higher, using heavier strings than 8's (nerve damage in hand has finally subsided), using a metronome at all times and switching to these:

j


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## Goatfork (Sep 26, 2010)

bump


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## fuzzboy (Sep 26, 2010)

Using thinner, bigger picks

Lowering my strap quite a bit. Yes it's quite low, but it allows me to play more relaxed, therefore better.

Playing in open Cmaj. It's really the only tuning I use now.

Stop using my neck pickup on leads so much. I was kinda relying on the extra compression to make up for some sloppiness.


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## Philligan (Sep 26, 2010)

Switching to lighter strings (aka from 12-56 to 11-54 in drop C). Helped me get a little more control, and actually tightened my playing up.

Jazz III XLs. Gave me the sharp point of the Jazz III, which is mostly for a more percussive sound with less pick noise, and the larger size gave me more control and helped me put a little more muscle into things.

And less gain, of course.


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## oftheangels (Sep 27, 2010)

Originally :just making the jump to 7 string: the extended range for soloing,and creating new chord voicings.Then when I got my Gary Kramer Deltawing R36 Turbulence,with its 36 frets that also shook things up!Now after watching Tosin Abasi,I started slapping the 6th and 7 th strings ,and doing some new cool things.......plus changing WHERE And how I pick as this guitar has 36 frets,1 pickup,so the neck extends down where the neck p.u.normally is,which means you most often pick over the neck/fretboard..then I also started often turning the vibrato bar backwards....these things are giving me my own voice on the instrument....


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## abstract (Sep 27, 2010)

Switching to 1.35mm picks from my music store's generic-brand "heavy" paper-thin pieces of crap
Switching to Ernie Ball strings; not a plug, they actually feel more comfortable to me
Getting my first 7; 6s play like butter now and my technique is way tighter as the 7 is a 25.5
Learning to mute with my fretboard hand
Selling my gibson
Turning up my mids


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## Splees (Sep 27, 2010)

using less gain. using a delay then looper helped with timing and creating new ideas. I guess listening to other music helped influence other ideas which made everything else easier.


----------



## Bigfan (Sep 27, 2010)

Since i got my pod xt i've started playing sitting down more, and that really relaxes my fretting hand. 

And like everyone else here, using jazz III's

Playing in lower tunings on my six-strings (Drop Db/D, drop B, B standard) helped my rhythm playing quite a bit, and helped make my leads less shrill.

Edit: Less gain, more mids should be every metal guitarist's mantra


----------



## Konfyouzd (Sep 27, 2010)

Learning to slow the fuck down helped my playing alot. At least it made it sound more like there was some sort of purpose to what I was doing.


----------



## Louis Cypher (Sep 28, 2010)

Brass picks. best switch ever. 
Also I'm now using Stone picks, Brazilian Agate. would def recommend giving either a go is you like heavy plastic ones


----------



## Lasik124 (Sep 28, 2010)

Well I'll jump on the bandwagon and say JazzIII picks for sure 

Also when sitting I know always have a stool to put my left leg up to sit more proper and get a better angle all around


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## Konfyouzd (Sep 28, 2010)

Am I the only one that cant stand those tiny little jazz III picks?


----------



## Prydogga (Sep 28, 2010)

I don't hate them, but...  I like teardrop dunlops.


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## ttiwguitar (Sep 28, 2010)

Lots of Jazz III comments here... I can't play with regular picks anymore because of those. Finding a great drummer and guitarist to play with in my early teens has helped me become a better musician more than anything else. I've been playing with the same group of guys for over seven years now. And John Petrucci really taught me the value of using a metronome to perfect things at slower speeds and really analyze my playing.


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## lava (Sep 28, 2010)

Konfyouzd said:


> Am I the only one that cant stand those tiny little jazz III picks?



Nope. I went out and got a few specifically because of this thread, and I can't stand them either. I presume their purpose is to allow for better picking accuracy during fast runs? Considering I don't do too much of that, I didn't see any benefit from using them. And it kept falling out of my hand.


----------



## QuambaFu (Sep 28, 2010)

xmetalhead69 said:


> Switching over to Jazz III picks


 
I second this.


----------



## ttiwguitar (Sep 28, 2010)

lava said:


> Nope. I went out and got a few specifically because of this thread, and I can't stand them either. I presume their purpose is to allow for better picking accuracy during fast runs? Considering I don't do too much of that, I didn't see any benefit from using them. And it kept falling out of my hand.



I use 'em for everything. My index finger is slowly getting worn down from choking up on the pick though


----------



## The Honorable (Sep 30, 2010)

Man I gotta try these Jazz III picks.


----------



## GuitaristOfHell (Sep 30, 2010)

to the OP. Similar story. I'd always get 10's for my guitar and my aunt accidently got me EXL 115's by D Addarrio which are 11's. I put them on and I was like Oh... My... God... this is soo much better why didn't I try these before!?!?!?! Since then that's been the only set I've been buying since approximately 1.5 years ago.


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## Ckackley (Sep 30, 2010)

Damn.. Seems most of use went down the same road. For me-

Jazz 3's
Less gain with more mids
7 string guitar(changed everything I do suprisingly enough.)


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## MusicMetalHead (Sep 30, 2010)

Getting Dunlops big stubby.
Using no gain on my amp but rinning it through a pedal. (epoch amps blow sooo much wang)
Playing around with my switches and knobs
P4 Tuning 
Actually learning some songs.


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## Black_tear (Sep 30, 2010)

Definetly being aware of tension and stress (and trying to reduce it ) while practicing and playing. It's insane how much difference it makes , yet, most guitarist forget about it. 
Probably one of the main reasons why many people can't improve their playing.


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## Double A (Oct 4, 2010)

Well this thread convinced me to buy some of the jazz 3's, I got the black ones and the yellow ones with the weird coating.

I wasn't expecting huge things ,but I was expecting something...these picks do not have the attack that I get out of the black dunlop 1mm nylons that I really prefer and will keep using. The Jazz 3's also are really tiny, I got giant manhands and while the ultex ones stayed in my hands well they just seemed tiny and again, had nothing of the attack that I love from the nylons. Everything sounded a bit duller to me.

Anyways, the small thing that had a huge impact in my playing was finally realizing that I could play as well as my heroes if I wanted to. It would just take more practice and hey, I love playing guitar so why not? For years I just wrote off techniques that I had thought I had no chance of mastering, mainly sweep picking, but now I realize I can do it, i just need to DO it.

I know I can play, I know I can play very well. I am mainly a rhythm monster but working my way into being as best a lead player that I can be. I just have to DO it.

I guess knowing that just putting the time it takes into playing and that EVERY player that I love has done this was a huge light bulb moment for me. Stupid, I know.


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## NeglectedField (Oct 6, 2010)

Was in a proper studio 2 years ago and got humiliated for my poor palming technique making notes go sharp, among numerous other flaws in my technique. It got to the point that I couldn't look at a guitar without getting choked up. But I've been trying to apply what I've learned and I like to think I'm improving.


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## Konfyouzd (Oct 6, 2010)

lava said:


> Nope. I went out and got a few specifically because of this thread, and I can't stand them either. I presume their purpose is to allow for better picking accuracy during fast runs? Considering I don't do too much of that, I didn't see any benefit from using them. And it kept falling out of my hand.


 
there's just not enough pick for me. my fingers hit ths strings.


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## Koshchei (Oct 7, 2010)

No revolutions here. Just constant evolution, bit by bit.


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## Invader (Oct 7, 2010)

No really revolutionized, but

- keeping my picking hand fingers together in a fist ala Paul Gilbert, instead of letting my middle, ring and pinky fingers be straight. I had a bad habit of anchoring my fingers to the pickup ring and changing this helped with accuracy and speed. It tooks some getting used to, but now I wouldn't change back. 

- getting a 3mm Stubby from Karl Sanders. I would've never thought I'd like such a small and fat pick. After the gig I tried it out and really liked it. Now I use them almost exclusively.


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## Vinchester (Oct 9, 2010)

Hold the guitar in a classical position. (Resting it on my left thigh when sitting down, making the whole thing diagonal to my body)

This seriously improve my ability to play when standing up, since the guitar's in the same position as when hanging from my shoulder. Also much more natural to human physique.





Invader said:


> - getting a 3mm Stubby from Karl Sanders.



You meet Karl in person!? Next time give him a kiss for me lol


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## HumanFuseBen (Oct 9, 2010)

really actually thinking about what NOTES i'm hitting as opposed to just playing scale patterns that i knew had the "right" notes in them! i really started doing this more when i was playing bass with a few really melodic bands. it has opened up my playing immensely! 

also, reading "The Music Lesson" by Victor Wooten... everyone should do that!


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## possumkiller (Oct 9, 2010)

There were a couple things that changed my playing a lot. First, I spent like 10 years playing rhythm and shitty leads. It took a very long time to even get to my shitty leads. I finally started to break through a little when I just gave up and let go. I quit paying attention to what I was doing and just did it. I dont know what happened but I just felt really calm and relaxed and all of a sudden I was ripping things up. 

I never could get sweep picking. I was always making too much noise with the other strings and getting angry and quitting. When I was in Iraq last time I got a guitar and had to wait for an amp. So I was playing acoustically. THAT really helped me develop my sweeping. You can do it without all the excess noise that you get plugged in and practice until you get it down.


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## The Reverend (Dec 17, 2010)

Checking out ss.org 

Instead of just thinking I was cool because I could play Job For A Cowboy's _Doom_ Ep start to finish, I started learning about what it is to actually BE a guitarist. Tone, technique, style, and cheesy as it sounds, soul.

I'm still wayyyy off where I'd like to be as a guitarist, but I'm rebuilding the foundation that shitty deathcore built.

Also, heavier strings. I think that's more what this thread was meant for 

EDIT: Sorry for the bump! But I had to put that out there haha


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## lookralphsbak (Dec 17, 2010)

xmetalhead69 said:


> Switching over to Jazz III picks


THIS

I was using Dunlop 1mm tortex big ass mother fucking blue picks... Then I saw Necrophagist play. After their set I saw Muhammed's pick on the stage. It was a jazz III Ultex pick. I looked around for these picks but no guitar store near me sold them. I called Dunlop and they sent me a sample pack. I did find a store that sold the ultexs. I got the package in the mail and tried the Jazz III max grip. I was in love... Now I use the grey jazz III max grip picks.

Also another thing I found was alternate picking. It's sad but I didn't discover alternate picking until years after I started playing guitar. I then practiced it everyday haha. Also it wasn't until a year ago when I joined my band that I learned that you were supposed to mute with your left hand for rests in music. How sad is this coming from someone that has been playing since 03-04 ahahah

Also, learning to hold the pick properly. I know many people hold them differently (Marty Friedman anyone haha) but I started out holding the pick like James Hetfield does, with it in between the top of your index finger and thumb. When I started getting bands like Lamb of God and Dimmu Borgir I realized holding the pick like this was a disadvantage. I spent so long looking at different "proper" pick holding techniques. Now I hold it between my thumb and the side of my index finger.


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## LLink2411 (Dec 17, 2010)

I learned to not care at all about what I do or what people think as far as my music goes.

I just bloody play now.


That is a great lesson to learn.


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## Double A (Dec 20, 2010)

Double A said:


> Well this thread convinced me to buy some of the jazz 3's, I got the black ones and the yellow ones with the weird coating.
> 
> I wasn't expecting huge things ,but I was expecting something...these picks do not have the attack that I get out of the black dunlop 1mm nylons that I really prefer and will keep using. The Jazz 3's also are really tiny, I got giant manhands and while the ultex ones stayed in my hands well they just seemed tiny and again, had nothing of the attack that I love from the nylons. Everything sounded a bit duller to me.



I have to say I was totally wrong about this. I do not use Jazz 3's anymore although I did for a bit. I switched to Dava Jazz Max Grip and I am not looking back.


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## avenger (Dec 20, 2010)

possumkiller said:


> There were a couple things that changed my playing a lot. First, I spent like 10 years playing rhythm and shitty leads. It took a very long time to even get to my shitty leads. I finally started to break through a little when I just gave up and let go. I quit paying attention to what I was doing and just did it. I dont know what happened but I just felt really calm and relaxed and all of a sudden I was ripping things up.
> 
> I never could get sweep picking. I was always making too much noise with the other strings and getting angry and quitting. When I was in Iraq last time I got a guitar and had to wait for an amp. So I was playing acoustically. THAT really helped me develop my sweeping. You can do it without all the excess noise that you get plugged in and practice until you get it down.


The first half of this is exactly where I am now. I stopped gripping the pick and it was an instant "wow" moment for leads.


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## ST3MOCON (Dec 20, 2010)

Dusty201087 said:


> Dude, this . I have a dunlop strap lock and I'm really thinking of sewing one end over so it can be even shorter. I don't care if I look like an asshole - chances are I can play circles around the kid with the guitar dragging on the floor





I love the look of the dimarzio straps but i hate how they are so long! lol i was thinking of sewing a damario strap or something lol

playing another bad ass guitar always jump starts my creativity =)


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## jl-austin (Dec 20, 2010)

I tried the Jazz III picks, recently. I did not care for them. Not enough plastic for me. I can see that if you are a crazy fast player how that they could be beneficial. For me, I am just too slow.


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## GATA4 (Dec 22, 2010)

lookralphsbak said:


> Also, learning to hold the pick properly. I know many people hold them differently (Marty Friedman anyone haha) but I started out holding the pick like James Hetfield does, with it in between the top of your index finger and thumb. When I started getting bands like Lamb of God and Dimmu Borgir I realized holding the pick like this was a disadvantage. I spent so long looking at different "proper" pick holding techniques. Now I hold it between my thumb and the side of my index finger.



Me too dude. I used to hold the pick the exact same way, then I saw a video of Static-X's Wayne Static and I looked at how he was holding the pick. It was a really awkward transition at first, and my fingers actually hurt for a while because they were getting accustomed to the new strain of the angle. It's been great though. It really gives a great crunch because the pick drags against the strings more. It makes pinches easier too


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## epsylon (Dec 22, 2010)

For me best change was forcing from economy picking which was "natural" for me to strict alternate picking for almost everything (including 1 note per string arpeggios). It was a real pain in the ass, but it has definitely improved my playing. Next step for me is to work better on downstrokes / upstrokes picking, whether it is on one string or arpeggions, and work on proper sweep picking on the other hand. Economy picking when you're a n00b (like I was and still am ) is way too hard if you want to play clean and tight.
Other best change was to hold the pick "properly". I used to hold it weirdly between the flat part of my index and the flat part of my thumb. Switching to the side of the index wasn't painless, but without too much effort I can hold the pick much tighter now. I wanna mention though, that "properly" is completely subjective, as we all know, a few of the greatest players out there hold their picks in really weird fashions and it doesn't prevent them from being awesome.
And last but not least, switching to heavier picks, trying out different shapes and thickness : jazz 3, wedge, big stubby, standard tortext from 1.0 to 2.0...


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## ridealot100 (Dec 22, 2010)

Hitting /played on World of Warcraft and wondering what 30 days played on my guitar would do for me. 

I know dont play video games and spend my free time reading up on theory and practicing.


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## turbo (Dec 22, 2010)

i use to limit myself by caring about who heard me. 
once i let go and just played with out caring, it was all fun and games after that. then once i got into recording and listening to myself, and trying to write songs, i got way better and really started picking things up.

then i quit for a year,sold everything. and now im back into it,im restarting on a 7 string and a new to me tuning, its completely back to old school. and for whatever reason, im back to caring about "who" hears me.  

i guess not playing for a year made me somewhat guitarded, but im working on it. but i have my moments where i feel im rocking it,and thats when i turn it up stop caring


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