Speeding Up Your Guitar Scales

I thought my speed was limited by my genes or age, but all that changed after a few discoveries in how to practice scales...

Here's what' below...

• The frustrations that held my guitar playing back for so long.

• Where I found the answers I was seeking.

• A couple of general discoveries that changed my direction.

If you've ever struggled to play faster scales or pieces, if you've bought a number of guitar books, tried a number of different "methods" from free online videos, if you've added more hours and repetition to your practice, even if you've studied privately with another teacher and you still haven't seen the speed you desire; then you're about to read about some of the information you've been looking to achieve that goal. Here's why...

The Problem Of Guitarists Focusing On Pieces Only

When I first began playing the guitar, I was entirely focused on learning pieces to perform. I knew that scales where a part of playing but I never saw a scale in a piece, especially at the beginning, so I figured why practice them? But with every piece I played, it seemed that I was always chasing the "accepted" speed rather than focusing on the music. This became my first frustration and continued through my undergraduate and graduate degrees in performance. I seemed to always be trying to catch the speed rather than knowing I could play the speed already and focus entirely on making music.

Misinformation Is Everywhere (Especially In The Guitar World)

My second frustration came from all the misinformation from various instruction over that time. I knew that practicing scales was supposed to be the key. Even the famous Andres Segovia suggested if you only do one thing a day, practice scales for 2 hours. I tried that and how I was doing it didn't help at all. It seemed that most people offered the same advice of moving the metronome up a click over a long period of time and you'd eventually find the speed you were looking to achieve. This did not work.

My Confidence Was Destroyed

My third frustration came from not feeling confident to perform the pieces I really wanted to play. I knew that if I could not reach the speed in scales, then I'd never be able to play the pieces I so desired to perform. I resigned myself to playing easier and, by their nature, slower pieces in my concerts. This made me want to give up performing and sometimes playing altogether.

For Guitarists, There Is Another Way

Fortunately, that wasn't the end of the story. Along the way, I met some amazing people and teachers. Some of them come from the present, and others from the past (I'm talking about the great instrumental teachers of the 19th century). Through their insights, I was able to begin a new path to practicing scales that included better right hand finger technique, refined approaches to left hand fingering, which types of repetition actually work, and many more. This changed my playing life and I am sure it will change yours too!

If you've ever been down the path I followed, then I know how you've struggled. I and my students are proof that it works. It may take an adjustment in your playing and practicing, but by using the tools the results will speak for themselves.

My simple methods will speed up your scales more in 3 months than most do in a year.

• You'll discover why your tip joint affects the entire speed of your playing.

• Rhythmic variation practice that works for scales and challenging repertoire.

• Plus the way our brain needs to be trained when speeds rise above our ability to think quickly enough for speed.

Why should you listen to what I have to say?

Yes, I have the degrees to "prove" that I am trained to play and teach guitar at a high level (those degrees are a Bachelor and Master Degrees in Guitar Performance). Yes, I have studied and still study with some great teachers (Aaron Shearer, Tom Kikta, Ken Karsh, Tim Bedner, and Christopher Berg). But most of all, I have seen the change in my own playing and the playing of my students. Some have gone on to study music in university settings and others are making a career in performing. The students are the true driving force in my teaching an playing.

This course of video lessons and supplemental materials will guide you step-by-step on how you can change your technique and practice exercises to move your scales beyond where you thought possible. With almost 2 decades of teaching success, these videos extend that success to attempt to answer many of your questions on the subject and give you the tools and techniques to exceed your scale speed expectations. Join the many who trust, and have trusted, this material to unlock their ability to play scales at their desired speed!