Playing the guitar is a very interesting exercise, because it offers the opportunity to learn a social skill that can be used in a lot of situations. For example, if you know how to play guitar you can play on a party, in a small group, or just by yourself. In this article I show some secrets of how to play fast on guitar.
But if you already know how to play the guitar, then the most coveted skill becomes how to play the guitar fast and without making any mistakes. This is what separates virtuosi players from everybody else that can just play one song or two in the instrument.
The Secret to Play Guitar Fast
The good news is that playing fast is not a feat that is so hard to reproduce. As much as rock stars want to make you believe, playing the guitar fast is not something that only super men or women can do. In fact, with a little practice anyone can play fast guitar solos without much trouble.
The secret to achieve high speeds in your guitar solos is to practice with confidence and technique. There are just a few changes in finger position that can make a crucial difference in how fast you play. This is one of the secrets that separate great players from others.
For example, you can start with a good session of pickering practice. The most important part is to learn how to pick the strings with agility, without losing control after a few strokes. You should organize your practice sessions so you can pick fast on the strings while moving up and down in the guitar neck.
Practicing Transitions
Once you get how to play guitar fast in a single string, start practicing the transitions from one string to another. For example, you can start with moving from the first string to the second, then back. Do this repeatedly for a few minutes, with a pair of strings. Then, do the same exercise, now moving from the second string to the third string.
Repeat this for a few minutes, and then move to the next pair of string. The objective of this exercise is to make you very confident about all the different positions and variations of picking speed and string changes.
One skill that will help you in this stage is to practice guitar scales. You should make some effort and start to play guitar scales like a pro. You can also use some tips to increase your guitar control abilities.
Regular Practice
Don’t forget to practice this every day. The important thing is to maintain a constant level of practice, so that you can quickly get used to the increased speed. After a few days or weeks, you can start doing these exercises even faster.
Before you know, after a few months of practice you will be doing guitar solos at high speed. You will be able to replicate what even some of the fastest guitar players can do, and all by yourself. Continue practicing this skill with easy guitar solos, until you master it.
Remember, there is no quick shortcut to be able to play guitar. Even the best guitar players take a long time to get to where they are. The difference is that they shortened the time by constant practice. You can do the same, if you are consistent about practicing your skills, and keep a constant momentum in your guitar playing evolution. Remember that practice makes perfect.
For additional tips to play guitar quickly, check this other article.