Speed is always a good thing when it comes to playing guitars. Not only does it give you a powerful tool to create entertaining music, but it also develops your muscle structure that you’ll need to play longer and faster.
If you want to be a Metallica acolyte learning the Black Album from cover to cover or a massive fan of bluegrass requiring fast-paced picking, you need to increase playing speed, which comes down to practice, practice, and practice.
Many of the best guitarists, from Jimi Hendrix to Eric Clapton to Slash, all use fast playing techniques on their acoustic steel strings to play incredible music. Here are some simple but practical tips and tricks for you to increase your speed on your own acoustic steel strings just like these masters.
Everything begins with patience. You are going to need to practice a lot to develop quality speed, and that means hours of dedicated focus. To better prepare, try finding out the weaknesses of your current playing technique.
An excellent way to dig out your unaware weakness is to record your performance of a piece and then study it for further analysis. Pay close attention to how you attack your acoustic steel strings, strumming patterns, fingering on the fret, and flexibility. This is a simple fix to getting a little boost of speed. However, the secret weapon of boosting speed could also be your strings. You may want to get a set of helpful tools with a pack of light acoustic guitar strings that do not require as much action to play.
No matter how you want to practice becoming faster when playing your acoustic steel strings, try not to lose any note or style accuracy. Playing fast without hitting the correct chord patterns or notes only leads to sloppiness when it comes time to perform. Try these tips:
Relax - You may want to get a set of helpful tools with a pack of light acoustic guitar strings that do not require as much action to play.
Practice Slowly First - Speed comes with time. You need focused, repetitive practices that are slow at first. Once you have all the patterns and progressions down, you will naturally begin to develop speed across the acoustic steel strings.
Synchronize Your Hands - There is no dominating movement unless the music calls for it. You do not need to have a faster fret hand than your picking hand. Your hands will affect one another as you play, so it makes more sense to synchronize your efforts from the beginning.
Use Sweep Picking - Practicing on your nickel wound strings does not just mean trying to play a single song. Use arpeggios (chord picking in succession) by sweeping your hand in sync across the surface of the acoustic steel strings. This is similar to strumming, but you articulate each instead of playing the entire chord.
Use a Metronome - Metronomes are essential tools for musicians using almost all instruments. Nothing is embarrassing about using one to perfect your playing speed and accuracy. There are many free phone apps worked as a metronome that you can download to use if you do not want to purchase one of the traditional pillar-like wooden models.
Getting actual speed out of your guitar playing is going to take time, practice, and focus. There is no natural shortcut to being a guitar god. You need to carry your guitar everywhere and get in those essential 10,000 hours before you’ll be considered a master. Be patient with yourself, and you will see gains in speed and accuracy over time.
Another thing to achieve high playing speed is to get a set of light acoustic steel strings. Here we recommend high-quality acoustic steel strings like the AW456 Guitar String set from Alice. These are plated high-carbon steel plain strings with nickel-plated phosphor bronze winding that allow you flexibility and reliability for your playing. The harder nickel has a better grab on the core, contributing to a crisp treble and forceful bass simultaneously. What’s more, it gives the strings a special luster and also features like anti-rust and anti-discoloration, bringing premium texture and a longer lifespan. Ranging from extra light to medium weight, there will be always a set that meets your requirements.
When you need quality guitar strings for any technique, you need expert products from Alice, a leading professional-string brand.
