New and too slow to rock and roll

Introduce Yourself
#1

Hello everybody

As the title already says , I’m a new member and paid for all access to the site. I want to learn rockabilly guitar, but right now my picking is way too slow to even give it a try.

So I started with practicing the galloping part of “ apache” by the shadows. It gave me problems so I thought maybe there are some tips on how to play these kind of lines on this site.

After trying the movements of wrist in combination with elbow movement I already improved in doing this even after a few days!

Now I don’t know if that is caused by my attempt to try this particular movement or that it happened because I tried to focus on my right hand/ elbow/wrist. Either way, it helps and thats the main thing I guess.

Now I need to get some exercises, to try and speed up my hands synchronisation.

I must say going to the topics on this site left me somewhat uncomfortable because everything seems to be taught with one goal in mind : being the fastest picker on the planet and I certainly do not aim at that… I’m still not really convinced that this might be the right place for me to be, but as I paid for a one year membership I ‘d like to make the most of it.

Greetings!
A rockabilly fan

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#2

Hi, I wouldn’t worry about that, because I’m pretty sure that all of the advice you get from the forum and CTC material is the same whether you are a beginner or advanced and with the goal in mind to play at any tempo that YOU want to. In the end, good picking is good picking regardless of the speed. You might be surprised what a rockabilly player such as yourself has in common with say someone that wants to play technical metal riffs/solos or bluegrass rolls. All three could use the same picking mechanics and will likely encounter the same obstacles - the only difference is that you may reach your goal before they reach theirs! There are a large group of really good people on this forum and troy and the team are excellent moderators and can direct you to forum and CTC content that will help.

Why not work on some of the rockabilly songs that you want to play, but are struggling with? Better still if you record a video in the “critique” section so that people can give you specific feedback on your picking - most people that have done this (including myself) have found it to be extremely helpful. Troy himself reponds to most of them himself!!

Hope to see more posts from you and good luck on your quest!

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#3

I had my first breakthrough here doing ascending and descending 6s on two strings.
Its not genre specific and can work picking and sycning at the same time.
That was the path I took and once I got it, it really gave me hope that even as an old guy I can finally develop speed and accuracy.

For the record I ascend starting with an up stroke and descend starting with a down.
Just what works best for me

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#4

Hi, welcome and thanks for joining! We definitely have guitarists here of all genres, levels, varying degrees of experience and goals.

While many people indeed are interested in building speed, definitely not the only or even most important goal, and as it sounds like you’re starting to find, there’s much to be learned about motions and technique that will help you play more comfortably / efficiently regardless of speed. Hope you find what you’re looking for here, and if there’s anything we can help with definitely let us know :slight_smile:

#5

Hello
Thanks for your advice!
I just posted a video of my picking in the critique section
My goal is to play faster to be able to play rockabilly licks so maybe I get some tips from people on my picking thus far…
Am I on rhe right path to be able to pick faster doing what Im doing now?
Or better to adjust things here and there so that I can make more/ better progress?
Thanks in advance!

#6

Thank you for your tip!
Im veryhappy to read that you can speed up the tempos a little even when being not the youngest player anymore… just like myself!

#7

Thanks!
I posted a video of a lick Im trying to play…