When I want an ego-boost and just focus on comfort, technique, how I’m naturally playing, etc (weird description, I know) I’ll put some headphones on and jam something while noodling away on the guitar, unplugged and totally not trying to play any particular scale, or in time… Really the only thing I focus on is feeling fast and smooth. I find it helps me “reset” some things to where they should be (for me like where I pick the string, how hard, movement patterns). Anyone else do this? I tend to jam Comeback Kid or similar high tempo stuff (200+ BPM), since that’s my speed goal.
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All the time haha. I don’t even try and play anything besides fast and relaxed. I usually plug in though as I like doing random sweep stuff and working on muting . I personally still have days where my technique just doesn’t feel right if that makes sense ( but if I listen to it back it sounds fine and I doubt many if any would notice)Sounds weird idk how to explain it. this usually sets me straight.
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What do you mean? Shredding in a scale randomly or literally just any note?
I find if you don’t have a relatively pre-planned shape to dance around in you can’t actually go fast, as most the notes will be muted and flubbed.
I do often just move around a scale mindlessly trying to build up an unconscious feel for the scale. But just moving my fingers randomly hitting anything to me seems like you can’t actually play clean.
@WhammyStarScream I think I just go off patterns / fingerings that I’ve played in the past, so I guess they’d be more akin to a random scale than any note. I don’t really do too much chromaticisms, but that could work and would be “any note” lol.
I’m guessing the main benefit here would be building comfort / feel / speed on patterns that you’re familiar with without being concerned if you’re in the right key, or on beat, or anything really. I think a similar concept might be the Petrucci 4 note per string chromatic picking exercise from Rock Discipline; I vaguely remember him saying that because it’s atonal, you can just focus on the speed / technique and not melody.
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Yes, I do that, and honestly, I just feel like I’m being lazy or uncreative. I can play random chords or notes in a focused way, where I am searching for a musical idea and I’m not too bothered about what will sound good or not, I’m just in shut-down-my-brain-and-experiment mode. I’m okay with that. But lately I’m just doing the same, but unfocused on any kind of musical idea, and it just isn’t a good feeling, feels like I’m stuck or directionless. Perhaps that happens because I’ve been focusing more on my technique, on the physical sensations I get while picking or fretting something, but surely I could be a little bit more musical…
Well, just to clarify, this should do nothing for you musically. The only reason I have done this is just to get “reacquainted” with playing technical things smoothly after not playing for an extended amount of time (anywhere from a few weeks to months).