Berklee graduate planning to go pro

Introduce Yourself
#1

Hi all,

Just joined a few minutes ago. I graduated from Berklee a week ago and finally have time to drill down on some foundational stuff to take my playing to the next level. I’ve been playing for about 22 years, primarily acoustic guitar but recently started spending a lot more time on electric. I do acoustic fingerstyle, blues, RnB, and have recently started exploring neo-soul and jazz fusion. I find I’m limited in how fast I can go and quickly build tension in my wrist and forearm when trying to improve speed. Hoping this program can help me unlock my speed, accuracy, and precision. Thanks!

4 Likes
#2

Congratulations on your graduation. Now go take your place in music and give it everything you’ve got. I’m sure you’ll be great.

2 Likes
#3

Thanks so much, that’s very kind of you!

#4

Oh you’re on for the coolest ride! Enjoy!

Btw, did you see the Cracking the Code Youtube series? I still binge watch that thing from time to time. :rofl:

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#5

Man, it made me feel like a kid again, having my head blown by music holding a guitar up in my bedroom, and the magic of trying to figure out what made it all tick. Too cool.

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#6

It definitely evokes nostalgia in the most wholesome way, and it helped me overcome the feeling that there was something wrong with me because I couldn’t find a way to play fast on my own.

2 Likes
#7

Hey no I haven’t. I found Troy through a Reddit thread when I was looking for tutorials on improving my right hand technique. I will check it out, thanks for the suggestion.

1 Like
#8

That’s great to hear honestly. I seem to get stuck at about 70% on most of the tunes I try to play. The “start slow, gradually increase speed” method hasn’t worked for me at all.

2 Likes
#9

I’m confident you’ll improve your technique quite remarkably. Many of us around here also tried to become race drivers by not moving above 2nd gear :rofl: but well, evidence shows that the only way to get good at playing fast is to play fast (there’s method to that madness but that’s the bottom line).

2 Likes
#10

That makes sense. How often do folks upload to Technique Critique?

#11

CTC team responds within a week, usually sooner. Folks will post when they have something to share or questions to ask

1 Like
#12

Got it, thank you. Any tips on how people are getting the camera angels they’re using in those videos? I don’t have one of the attachments for my phone to my guitar neck like Troy is using in his videos.

#13

I do… but I’ve also gotten very good results using a little tripod for my phone and just sighting it down the neck, or more aptly putting it on a desk, getting it at a comfortable height, and then positioning myself so that it’s got a good sharp angle down the fretboard but also my fretting hand doesn’t obscure my picking hand.