When learning a new song and using Riff Repeater to start slow and increase speed, what method works best for you to increase your speed?  Do you find a speed that you can do reliably and repeat that?  Or do you find a speed that you struggle with and practice that?  Or do you do something else?

@@hellohello I'm giving scientific facts you can read on Wikipedia and elsewhere, and I've never seen a 50ies, coming out of nowhere playing like Buckethead, it's not about will, it's about time and physical condition too, it's about motivation and interest, if it's not your main or only interest, maybe talent too, however as Steve Morse said talent is 99% work. 

What else can you add to this thread ? Your age ? ^_^

 

 

 

But, any progress is better than no progress and as far as I enjoy playing along my favorite bands I can live up with less than 100%. 

 

My only regret is that I haven't had the chance of starting to play earlier.

 

 

At least you're playing, some people never get around to it. Better late than never! (And 35 is still really young).

 

Guess I shouldn't feel too bad struggling with learning at my age (57), but I've loved bass all my life! I just want to enjoy myself with what I can handle. 

I started to learn guitar at 22 and did it for about 3 years, then I stopped. I picked it up again 2 years ago (I'm pushing 50) and everything I had learn all those years ago was still there just rusty.I was never very good to start with but constant disciplined practice has improved my guitar work greatly.

I find the best way is to pick a song that you really like and that you think that you can realistically play. There's no pont picking a song that is too hard you'll just get discouraged and give up.

I then disect the song bit by bit slowing down the sections and practice till you know it by memory. Once you know it by memory then you work on the speed and timing.it does take time. I'll give you an example. Smoke on the water. I learnt the rhythm part first. Then I learnt the lead. That took me a bit longer. Once I memorized it I started working on the speed. I tried a metronome but I was getting frustrated and I found it boring. So I tried playing along with the song instead. I isolated the lead and picked the part I wanted to work on. I slowed it down to 50% and played it on a loop. I practiced that part till I could play it without a mistake. I did this for the whole lead section. When I was confident of playing the whole solo at that speed without a mistake I put the speed up and went again. I also check what my right hand is doing as it tends to fall behind my left so I often spend a bit of time working on my picking. I'm currently stuck on 96% and I can get it to 98 after working on it for a while but I won't say I'm at 98% until I can get it right on the first go. That's how I do it and I do more than one song at a time so that I don't get bored. That's how I learn.

I play songs that are way to fast and difficult for me in the Championship every week.

 

Then when I go back to play songs I have previously struggled with, I notice a nice little improvement (most of the time, anyway. ;) )