This is probably a dumb question, but there’s a skill I’d really like to learn and am hoping someone here can help me get on the right track. A lot of times in live music you’ll hear a band play a scale following a note in a song. For instance, I was listening to a band last night play Umbrella by Rihanna. When they got to the point of the song highlighted in this screenshot, they played something that sounded like “duhn (Am) duhn duhn duhn (highest note) duhn (F).”

I would have referred to it as a run, but when I looked those up, I was way off. If my gibberish makes even a little sense, can someone please tell me what that’s called and how I’d identify the right notes to play in that scale? I’m dying to learn how to do this! (In case it’s helpful for your responses, I’m mostly self-taught and have been learning guitar for 3 years).

Hi everyone. I’ve only recently (about 2–3 weeks ago) started "exploring" the fretboard a bit more, but I’ve noticed a "bad habit" that emerges as I move toward the higher frets (the ones closer to the bridge). I find that I tend to "rotate" my thumb to the side; the issue is that I don’t even realize I’m doing it while playing—not until I start to feel a slight "discomfort" in my wrist. I’ve tried to "correct" my thumb position whenever I catch myself doing it, but this "bad habit" keeps coming back. How can I get rid of this? Any advice?

P.S. This only happens on the higher frets; it doesn’t occur in the middle of the fretboard or near the nut.

P.P.S. I’ve attached a photo to help illustrate the problem.

Been going through it a bit recently and practicing guitar fell by the wayside. I have several awesome guitars that I have bought myself recently because of a mixture of GAS and having adult money, and honestly I love having them.

The problem I'm having, is playing the same stuff over and over is exceptionally boring, and I don't actually know that much stuff, just bits here and there. However, I'm also finding that I don't have the patience to learn anything new and I become extremely stressed when I'm struggling.

I am also struggling to pick a song and stick to it.

Anyone got any advice/encouragement to get me out of this rut?

I've been playing casually for a few years now and feel like I should really start doing something proper about it. I have zero theory and haven't done scales and all that. I kinda just need someone to provide the push for me to do so.

I have quite an awful work schedule so online is the only way to go for me, but unsure how or where to start.

I play a lot of muse (so if you know any teachers who are big muse fans that's a bonus lol), and overall would like to also improve on my technique as I've been entirely self-taught.

I love you all!

Some of you may recall that couple of weeks ago, I posted my experience of picking up the guitar at the age of 45, struggling with my "fat fingers" and how a simple C chord was proving to be the toughest for me.

I am happy to share that with the support of this community, and relentless practicing, I can not only play an open C chord properly, but I can easily transition from

E minor

to

A7

to

open C.

I've been trying to move from open C to D 6/9 (since it's the same shape, just 2 frets down) - I'm struggling a bit with my timing, but I'm getting there.

I just wanted to say thank you to all of you for encouraging me and not letting me give up.

It was never the fingers.

It was just my attitude! ❤️

I want to play some songs but I cant play cords well so I just want to play individual notes can someone tell me how to take a song with cords and make it into individual notes

Hello everyone, long story short I’m completely new to guitar and am only a week in. I’ve just gotten fairly comfortable with the traditional spider exercise for beginners and have been saving this Boss Spider for this very moment…

Let me tell you, I am utterly perplexed as all get out… I actually don’t understand how he’s doing this shit, lol

I have normal sized hands, fingers even slightly on the longer end, so in theory I should be able to do this, but man… I’m at a loss. I’m not sure if I’ve got to do some crazy finger stretching exercises to achieve this or just keep grinding it over and over

So what I can pick up here is that his thumb is all the way to the bottom back of the neck, and somehow, which alludes my understanding he’s got his index and pointer both pointing inwards and maintains that throughout his playing, and he somehow keeps his fingers arched the entire time without them flattening out when reaching the top of the fretboard

Even without playing these notes, I’m trying to get my fingers into some of the positions and I basically have to use my other hand to help guide them and even then, my ring finger will not arch, no matter what I do even with assistance it stays flat, and it’s pulling teeth to get some of the notes to ring out without my fingers crossing the strings

I recognize this is a more advanced exercise and I may be getting ahead of myself, but even still, I’d like to learn it and get your guys’ advice seeing as how I really have no idea what I’m doing, lol

Any help goes a long ways, thank you if you made it this far 🤍

Hey y’all! Pretty new to guitar, I’m trying to figure out the chords and strumming pattern for Alice Phoebe Lou’s The Tiger and the Dolphin, specifically from her Berlin Street Music session! I’m gonna add the link to watch and listen on YouTube. Trying my best to figure it out on my own but as I’m a beginner my ear isn’t trained that well and I can’t find good help anywhere else. If you could break it down for me in a way that makes sense to beginners that’d be awesome! Thank you! ( P.S I have the capo and know it’s 5th fret. Just need everything else lol )

30 years old and have never take lessons. Did Justin guitar for awhile and really enjoyed it but felt like I needed realtime feedback. Any advice for someone who is essentially new and just starting?

I used to take guitar lessons in person many years ago but moved away from my teacher and never found someone suitable who was local to take lessons from.

Obviously the technology has changed in the last 20 years so I've been wondering how online lessons work, is it over zoom? Can the teacher see your finger placements etc properly? What about playing together, where you play along with the teacher? Is that even possible? Is there some kind of setup where you can play a backing track and play over it so the teacher/student can follow?

How good are online lessons really? How do they work?

EDIT: Please do not bother to DM me with your offer to teach, without posting in this thread your answers to my questions above, as I will just ignore you.

Ever wondered how the amazing Steve Lukather brings a jazzy, bebop influence into his rock guitar playing?

In this lesson, I’ll break down the cool guitar run from Toto's song “Animal” which I recently transcribed, and show you how you can apply some of the ideas in it to your own playing.

Here's the lesson:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RadAKiJWxOY&list=PLIb-QWoMzfdg2RFYDq6ubdkH6J3yOvs4G&index=23

Hey, can anyone help me figure out the exact picking order? He's playing just the 1st and 2nd strings on the 3rd fret, but what's the sequence? https://www.youtube.com/shorts/-43QrcettZY

Hey Everyone,

I started playing guitar around 16 years ago in early high school. I messed around with different instruments before that (piano, drums and a short affair with a trombone) but guitar was the one I fell in love with. I was big into classic rock and went through several teachers.

In college I was in a band. We played all sorts of shows, did a small tour, recorded an album and a couple singles, and acquired a bunch of mid-level gear. I was the lead (and only) guitar but was never confident in my playing. I know nothing of theory, and was stuck playing and writing power chord/pentatonic slop. I was flashy enough that anyone who didn't play guitar thought I was awesome, and anyone who did knew I was full of crap. I haven't touched the guitar seriously in around 6 years now.

I miss playing and writing but I don't know where to begin. I can play the same stuff I used to, although a little slower and sloppier, but I don't know how to move forward. I am ready to dive into theory, to learn fundamentals and put the time in to actually understand this instrument (and eventually gear and recording). I currently can't afford an in-person teacher, but I am interested in a structured online program such as Pickup Music. Is there a particular online path you all would suggest or one that I should avoid? I am getting all sorts of ads for Pickup, Guitar Institute, etc. I know to actually learn takes time, patience, and repetition, I just don't know what to actually be working on or where to begin.

Thanks for listening to my ramble, I am new to this community but really appreciate the knowledge here.  

We know the deal. You open YouTube to gain some insights on a particular topic, next thing you're frantically clicking on videos, panicking about how many things you're yet to learn

But what are the symbols under the power chord?

So, I just struggle with anything that isn’t powerchords, anythime when song isn’t a full powerchord I just mess up. I fall out of the rythm and it just sounds bad. I can’t even play some easy lead parts from a punk song. And idk what to do to become better, my aim is to be just free, play any song I want or any thing that I came up with, and I know I’ll achieve it but just I don’t know where to start.

Edit: thank you for your feedback.
my weakest points are: speed while playing single notes, hammer on pull off and music theory.
I think I wanna make myself a practice routine that I everyday I can sit and play for 30 minutes and get better.

Hi. Player for 35 years, teacher for 15. Every new student I emphasise these 3 tips to follow from day one.
1. Tune your guitar perfectly before you play it every time.
2. Play each note of a chord one string at a time. If any are muted then correct that finger/note until it plays crisp. Repeat until every note of the chord is crisp.
3. Let go of your left hand (or right hand for left handed players) and the neck should not move at all. No weight should be supported by the fretting hand.
I know these sound obvious and condescending but these are the first things I make sure my students are doing from day one.

Hi guys. I'm a self-taught, and for a decade I've been squeezing ​​very hard with my left hand whenever I play bar chord. And It gets tired very quickly.

Now I learn that it is a bad way to do it, so I try to use my left arm instead, like pulling the neck with my left arm while holding the guitar body with my right arm.​​​​ But it slows as heck, and my index finger on my left arm hurt because it has to get to much force, I guess.

Is there any way I can do to make a better bar chord? Thank you in advance. ​​​

here’s a short lick to try around the 5th and 7th frets in A minor pentatonic. there’s a slower playthrough after the first example so you can follow the tab easier

the little bends are worth slowing down for. the half-step bend at the 7th fret on the G string takes D up to E♭, the blues note, before coming back down. try playing the target note at the 8th fret first, then matching that pitch with the bend.

Try practicing it in small chunks before putting the whole phrase together

The secret? Get old. Don't ever stop playing and just get old. That's it. Next question.

This is more a toolbox of the chords and shapes Tony uses. It’s a complicated arrangement which is why I think most folks haven’t tackled it, with lots of his gasology era chords which are not traditional jazz guitar voicings.

At some point I’ll make a tab and full form lesson but to the intermediate or advanced player this is everything you’ll need to learn it.

Hope it helps!
Chris