How to get better at playing guitar....without playing one

Read books on musical theory and become a *real* musician.

I suggest learning cadences/keys/practicing syncapated rythmns/beat box?/write a song using musical score and theory..

use your imaginiation
 
I bought a few of the bestselling music theory books from Amazon (guitar specific and general ones) so we'll see how that goes.

I wish I could take an instrument on the train/to work, but I think I could just about get away with a book at work so I can't do that. Wouldn't want to annoy commuters on the train either with me practising. :p

I'll take a look at Guitar Pro as well as that could be useful in the future once I am comfortable with the basics.

Thanks for all the other suggestions as well. I'll take a look at them too. :)
 
KidCanary said:
That's a ridiculous thing to say - Plenty of successful musicians have either no or very little knowledge of theory.

Learning theory can help, but it doesn't make you any more of a "real" musician.
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Actually by putting real in asteriks I think he was kidding.
I've got by for 40 years without reading spiders on pieces of paper and made loads of money BUT I always wished I could read the spiders and follow them quickly.
Of course Guitar Pro does it for me now whether it's guitar or keyboards.
My lead guitarist in Disturbin The Peace reads music and he has got no expression of himself when he plays.
My other lead guitarist in Mistreated can't read a note but has been the guitarist in tribute bands to Hendrix, SRV, Blackmore and The Doors.
Definitely learn theory but don't let it take over - I still recall in the late 70s a band in my recording studio arguing for over 2 hours because the lead guitarist couldn't understand why a note sounded wrong when it was in the scale.
Eventually he played the Eb instead of the E and it sounded right.
 
Yeah, I was kidding. Hence the *'s. Nevertheless I'm grade 6 classical theory. I play in all different types of bands with all different types of instruments.

I can tell you now, that learning theory was one of the best things and worse I done. It stunted creativity in a way.. but enhanced it inifinite-fold. I can play with ANYONE. Anyone in the world! Who understands musical theory. And not just call out notes and play. I've played around the world with people of all different cultures, and there's nothing quite like the feeling of playing with someone else who understands theory. You can communicate. Take songs a certain direction and abruptly (yet sensically) spiral off into something new.

As dmpoole says, many people I know and play with don't know there crochets from their quavers. But they're a joy to play with, their technique can excel regardless of theory knowledge. Many are better than me.

You have nothing to lose in learning theory, only a better understanding of music; it can be discarded at any moment. Don't limit yourself.
 
I still believe you're MORE of a musician if you understand Musical Theory though. That's from my own experience.
 
boxman2000 said:
My old guitar teacher used to tell me that typically your ring finger is the weakest so stretching it by resting your hand flat on a flat surface and tucking your ring finger under your hand as far as you can stretch without raising your wrist (not palm) off the surface - and importantly try not to allow your index/pinkie move too much. This not only strengthens your finger but also useful if/when you come to scales as I have found it helped with 'muscle memory'.

Stretching and strengthening your thumb as well - useful for depressing Low-E and A strings (if you have the technique and reach).
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Does anyone know of any other useful techniques for strengthening fingers/grip/etc?

Learning a few songs at the moment which involves holding a bar chord and stretching up to 5 frets away for a few notes and it really hurts my thumb and bottom part of my palm after a few minutes of practicing.
(I guess because I'm putting a lot of pressure down for the bar whilst at the same time trying to stretch my pinkie quite far).

My hands aren't small but they aren't exactly baseball mitts like some pro guitarists have :)

Any tips/ideas?
 
keep your elbow 90degrees to the threat board. Bar chords come with time, I started learning on a steel string acoustic with really high action, and it meant I never experienced trouble holding bar chords since - caluses are what you're aiming for. They come with practice. Just don't overdo it, i don't know the medical term, but I was practicing mulitple octave scales one day and when I pressed my middle finger down, the string moved (like bending) and it was HARSH, couldn't put pressure down on the tip of my finger, was blood under the skin and the calus had apparently detached - was torn away. Stopped me playing for a good 6-8 weeks. And was cautious for months after.

You'll be fine if your playing a decent guitar with action that's not measurable in the cm's :)
 
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