How to progress Guitar playing ability further?

Question

I've been playing for around two years now and would like to progress further on the guitar. I'm finding that songs I really want to play tend to be beyond my ability so what advice can you give me?

What should I look at learning?

Answer 1

try learning some easy jazz guitar(you don't have to like it, just do it). once you have a lil bit of that under your belt, rock styles will seem easier(because jazz can be very complicated)sure some of the stuff you play might be hard, but guitar requires long hours of practice and commitment to ever become better. if the songs you wanna learn are too fast for you, work on speed. play scales up and down at perhaps 80 BPM(beats per minute, on a metronome) and work your way up. if it just has some very fancy finger work, do the same thing. learn newer, less familiar scales and work on accuracy, not so much speed. work on sight-reading. be constantly learning new songs, and push yourself. but most of ALL, practice, practice, practice!!! constant review will lead to speed and accuracy. expand your horizons. play different styles. a good musician should have knowledge of different styles, even if you don't plan to play those styles. want style you want to play is your desicion, but don't limit yourself to something easy because all you can play is power chords. thats cheating yourself of sooo many things. but remember to have fun with it. its an instrument. an art. your creative self must be present. all the long hours will be worth everything in the end. ;)

Answer 2

There are many great resources on the web to help you progress your guitar playing abilities, however you probably need to find just one teacher or learning style which you can work with, and progress alongside. This will provide greater structure to your learning, and enable you to progress more quickly, with a solid knowledge and understanding.

I've just put together a research report of the Top 100 guitar sites on the web. Within this report is our Top 10 Sites for Beginners, and Intermediates. The pdf Report is a free download, with all the hyperlinks embedded so you can go directly to the sites - www.whichguitarsite.com/research.html

Answer 3

Start listening to new kinds of music that'll help influence your playing style.  Some good examples would be Hendrix, Clapton, The Who, just try to listen to new kinds of music.  I usually listen to deathcore and stuff, but I still look to other music styles to broaden my style.

Also, for the songs that you have trouble with, if it's simply speed or accuracy, just play the song at a slower pace, working it up very slowly until you can play the song cleanly and at the right pace.  Speed is a byproduct of accuracy, always remember that!

Answer 4

It sounds like you learned for free on your own without a teacher to help you get a good grounding in the basics and now you have gotten to the point where you need those basics to move on.

HIRE A TEACHER and go back to the basics until you know them... then you should be able to move on

Answer 5

I like to play Holy Wars... The Punishment Due by Megadeth. An easier one is Angels Don't Kill by Children of Bodom. I've been playing for 2 years, so I kinda know where youre at.