Speed up to slow down

[swarfrat]

Since we're validating Cagey's taglines lately I figured I'll add my experience on this one.

It sounds obvious, but it's more profound than you think. When I first read it, I was thinking, well yeah, slow down until you can get it right, then speed up. But I noticed this shuffle I was playing sorta fell apart at slow speed, even though I could "play" it faster. Actually, I started playing it slower and slower. Practicing it until I could get the feel to come through at the new slower speed, then crank it DOWN and repeat.

Quite enlightening.

 

[DangerousR6]

Yip, break it down into bits, slow down then it all falls together....at speed

Solid advise...

 

[swarfrat]

Yeah, but the concept that there exists groves in the tempo map where feel is sorta working by accident, that was eye opening. Master swing at 120bpm, Then take it down to 100, then progressively slower, until it still swings or shuffles at a snail's pace. I find most anything I can get my fingers to do works much smoother at 100-120.

 

[Cagey]

The other thing that happens by playing slow but accurate is you don't practice until you get it right, you practice until you can't do it wrong. It's a lot more difficult than it sounds.

 

[rgand]

This 'slow down' approach isn't limited to just guitar playing. It works with any skill that takes muscle memory. I used to shoot competition with .38s and I was fast but my times were down due to misses. I went to .45s which required me to shoot slower because of recoil, target re-acquisition, etc. Shooting slower, my times went up. As I got better, I relaxed and my speed increased, bringing my times up way above where they were before when I had to work at it.

With guitar practice, I slow down and when muscle memory kicks in, I relax. Relaxed, my mind doesn't get in the way and I play quicker anyway. I have to completely agree with Cagey's first rule.

I'm pretty good with his 3rd, too..... :icon_biggrin:

 

[Jumble Jumble]

Is the thread title bass-ackwards deliberately?

 

[Rick]

I break down the song into parts, intro, chorus, bridge, lead, chorus etc outro, then practice them chronologically as they occur in the song, first slow then up to tempo, then move onto the next part etc

yeah it's sort of backwards, but I understand.

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

This 'slow down' approach isn't limited to just guitar playing. It works with any skill that takes muscle memory. I used to shoot competition with .38s and I was fast but my times were down due to misses. I went to .45s which required me to shoot slower because of recoil, target re-acquisition, etc. Shooting slower, my times went up. As I got better, I relaxed and my speed increased, bringing my times up way above where they were before when I had to work at it.

With guitar practice, I slow down and when muscle memory kicks in, I relax. Relaxed, my mind doesn't get in the way and I play quicker anyway. I have to completely agree with Cagey's first rule.

I'm pretty good with his 3rd, too..... :icon_biggrin:

Been doing this with guitars & guns for years.  It works.  I carry a Taurus PT100 in .40 S&W, but my rifles are all bolt actions.  The last 3 deer I harvested were running shots, you have to lead the target and anticipate the connection downrange.  Playing guitar is much like that.  Also, I tend to warm up on my acoustic sometimes, then when I switch over to the electric, the decreased tension from one guage down to the lighter guages makes me play even more relaxed.

 

[stratamania]

An interesting thing with grooves, when you slow it down rythyms can be more challenging to get precise. Also practicing to a groove with just a click of a metronome on the 2 and 4, can you still feel it ?

And honesty time is when you record or video it and slow it down is it still actually grooving as you thought it was.