Off Topic: Out of shape :)

[jamminjim]

you gots to start alternate picking real s-l-o-w.........

but I'm no expert.....

[sickindian]

I have been traveling lately and use a Pocket Pod and my iPod. Works great for me.

Explain it in simple way pls.

[straycat113]

Well the thing that really pushed me over the hump was playing to backing tracks of all forms of music. If you are just going to sit and run up and down scales that is exactly what your playing is going to sound like.

Now take the same scale say E Aeolian and practice it over a backing track you will see your mind thinking more in a musical way and ideas will be popping out all over the place. The more familiar you get with the jam track the more you will find that you are actually creating an instrumental as the runs and licks will stick in your head. I would do this hours on end and that is when I crossed over the threshold. As was stated I also used to have a regimen of all the licks and runs that were a problem and lumped them altogether as part of my practice routine which was something I got from a Steve Morse video. He was saying how so many people who had a sticking point in a solo or piece of music would constantly play the whole part up to the problem and that you should just remove the problem and make an exercise out of it. And when I thought about it he was dead right as I used to do the same thing.

Well as of today I have not been able to play for two years exact, and could care less where I will be after my surgery. But with the help of God if all goes well I will be thankful just to play again.