attitude and practice

Steve Giordano has some great stuff on his youtube page. In a lesson which is a basic improvisation primer, Steve says outright that consciously trying to use licks and patterns that we've learned during practice in solos is musically unsatisfying. An entire solo in which you give everything away in "an avalanche of ideas" is not artful. Also, getting caught up in a competitive thing where you're trying to outplay someone or just dazzle with speed is unproductive. What really matters is playing a melody that comes from your innermost being. A first word of advice is to suggest a dialogue in your phrasing. Set up a "question and answer" or "call and response." This way, your solo has plenty of space to breathe and grow. Often we simply try to "make the changes" but miss out on the best parts of improvisation. The next point is while practicing improvisation to "pretend as if you had all of the time in the world to compose a wonderful solo." That way, the practicer is linking the idea of composition with improvisation. The improvisation will eventually become "spontaneous composition" which I believe is the "goal of improvisation."
Steve's lesson: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h65R7Vth1Xo
Steve's youtube page: http://www.youtube.com/user/jzguru1

I've been practicing guitar every day for a while now. I've been keeping a very watchful eye on my technique. I've abandoned the idea of adding something odd and crippling but "cool looking" to make me stand out. I've embraced the absolute most economical ideas on technique, which I believe is how classical guitarists are taught. I've been practicing on a classical guitar of a medium size and keeping it on my left leg. I've been using the Principles of Correct Practice for Guitar, but not exclusively. I've individually examined almost every possible angle in which one can hold the guitar, my arms, hand, fingers, and everything can be used. I've been using the "heavy arm" as Jamey calls it, but squeezing with my thumb when necessary (legato and almost any pinky or barre work.) Both of my hands/wrists are absolutely in line with my arms whether I'm playing pickstyle, freestyle, blues bends, or jazz slides. If I can't achieve this, then I consider myself unable to play the passage. I've been moving my hand side-to-side while picking, instead of bending the wrist or rotating my arm - which I only do if I need an accent or power. I've also been warming up for at least 20 minutes. My warmup is where I "align" with the guitar. If I don't feel the physical aspects of playing happening correctly, I put the guitar down, stretch my legs or something, then pick it up again. Putting down the guitar is a very liberating thing. I used to force myself to hold it while I struggled to get to the end of something, my back in pain, my jaws clenched, and my fingers raw. Now, at the beginning of any frustration, I put it down, and remember that whatever is happening, it won't be the end of the world. As soon as I feel my elbows start to shoot with stinging pain, then I know I haven't done it right. The tendonitis is creeping back into my arm. I have a Thera-band flexbar which I must use before practicing, and sometimes in the middle of sessions. I realized that some posture remissions were issues of strength. The flexbar has strengthened my wrists, and sitting classical style with a footstool has strengthened my back.

Jamey Andreas' Guitar Principles: http://www.guitarprinciples.com
Thera-band Flexbar: http://www.thera-band.com/

I've also started to try to incorporate purely rhythmic ideas to my guitar practice. I am very consciously trying to bring whatever drumming insights I have to the guitar. The most significant so far is preparing the pick by placing it on the string before I play. This can be done in a rhythmic way: on the "ands" while you're playing quarter notes. As you speed up, it becomes impossible to prepare and you are simply playing the limit of your picking. I am no longer allowing myself to squeeze notes out with a tense elbow. I have to be light, loose, and playing with the "rebound" of the pick, if there is such a thing.

I think the most important thing I've achieved is all psychological-attitude related stuff. I MUST practice daily. I MUST warmup. I MUST NOT play with bad technique. I MUST STOP if I am frustrated or struggling. I just don't have any room any more for playing with a "limp" and I don't have time to regret not having practiced daily.

http://scraggo.blogspot.com