How do you hold notes for longer?

[heyjoe]

Sounds easy really, just keep your fingers there for longer, let the note ring longer.

However, if like me, you've been itching to get to the next note all the time, how do you correct something like this.

It's been something I've been aware of for a while now, and the feedback from the videos I posted has made me realise
its an issue I need to address urgently.

So, what would you, the good folks of TG recommend I do to get my notes to sustain more? Are there exercises I should do?
Should I use a metronome and slow down the songs I play?

Thanks in advance

Joe

[mark]

There are probably exercises for this but I wouldn't use them. I would look at the actual songs I play and find examples of where the notes aren't being held.

I would isolate these parts and try to see exactly what finger movements are involved. I would try and make the finger movements as efficient as possible.
Also actually changing the fingering can make it possible to hold on to the notes longer.
I would practice these changes for a few minutes and then go back to doing something more interesting.

These kind of things take time and I don't think there's much point in practicing them for hours.

[willem]

heyjoe wrote:

Sounds easy really, just keep your fingers there for longer, let the note ring longer.

However, if like me, you've been itching to get to the next note all the time, how do you correct something like this.

It's been something I've been aware of for a while now, and the feedback from the videos I posted has made me realise
its an issue I need to address urgently.

So, what would you, the good folks of TG recommend I do to get my notes to sustain more? Are there exercises I should do?
Should I use a metronome and slow down the songs I play?

Thanks in advance

Joe

Hey Joe,,I really think you said it your self,,,keep the fingers there and they will ring longer,, its in everyone to speed up..so the use of a metronome is case and also slow it down for reaching your goal,,not that I am a wise guy but they pointed it out to me many,many times..

You say you itching to the next note all the time and that habbit there you are used to(and your fingers) so you can only change that by slowing down till it is used to the way it must be....also something I discovered not so long ago...

Strange thing that guitar,,every note you pick syncopates in the next one you pick till you lift your fingers..

keep sustaning Joe,,hey you can do it!!!!

Willem

[michelew]

I would again suggest palying against the album so you're not switching too early.

But in truth, this sounds like a problem/predicament for our very own superhero, the Master of Sustain, the Queen of Sustain, sustain, sustain....she who can be relied upon to say "sustain, sustain, sustain" until you don't need to hear it any more because she's already there saying it in your head. B)

Hopefully she'll come and tell you all of her secrets once she's finished saying "sustain, sustain, sustain" to kids for a few hours. Haha.

She knows of whom I speak. I'm sure it's no secret to most people.

Good luck. I'll be dropping in to look for said advice. you never can get too much sustain when it's called for.

Of course, you could also upload a video for review and ask the guru. ... I've just realized that you may not be 100% back in the program yet. But, if you've joined target again then give it a shot, we all need more advice on this subject.

M.

[dennisg]

I think clipping off notes is usually a matter of anxiety, that I'll never get to the next note in time, so I'd better leave early. But I think you answered your own question. Slow everything down until you can sustain the notes that have previously given you trouble. Once you're comfortable there, bump up the tempo slightly, and get comfortable there, too.

[hesser]

Haha, gosh Shel you're something else!!! :laugh: :laugh:

But of course, I have absolutely nó idea of whom you're talking about, I mean this woman sounds like a pain, sustain sustain SUSTAIN!!! :pinch: :S :whistle: :laugh:

michelew wrote:

I would again suggest palying against the album so you're not switching too early.

But in truth, this sounds like a problem/predicament for our very own superhero, the Master of Sustain, the Queen of Sustain, sustain, sustain....she who can be relied upon to say "sustain, sustain, sustain" until you don't need to hear it any more because she's already there saying it in your head. B)

Hopefully she'll come and tell you all of her secrets once she's finished saying "sustain, sustain, sustain" to kids for a few hours. Haha.

She knows of whom I speak. I'm sure it's no secret to most people.

Good luck. I'll be dropping in to look for said advice. you never can get too much sustain when it's called for.

Of course, you could also upload a video for review and ask the guru. ... I've just realized that you may not be 100% back in the program yet. But, if you've joined target again then give it a shot, we all need more advice on this subject.

M.

[Lavallee]

Hey Joe!

You've already got a few good comments!

And indeed, first things first, you got to SLOW DOWN, and I mean WAY DOWN. You don't have to do 'boring' excercises, but you could practice simple chord-changes and a simple picking-pattern like 'pimami' . And just go from one chord to the next SLOWLY. Make sure you got all the notes coming out sustained, make the change (go for the bassnote of course), hit the first beat of the next measure/chord and 'STOP RIGHT THERE' (Neil's words). Use your ears, did you hear any notes cut off? Make sure which ones were cut off and adjust. Focus on the note which is played last before going to the next chord, let thát one be the last to let go. If it sounds good, try playing without stopping, still going from one chord to the next.

So, REALLY slowing it down and of course leaving your fingers on the strings as long as possible (unless you use an open string to go to the next chord, but even then.) is some of the keys here. And make no mistake, slowing down is about PATIENCE, many many many musicians do nót have that patience. Especially when they've been playing for a while already. It feels like a step back, or they hear the original song (if they're playing one of course) in their heads and want to copy that same tempo. I can assure you, it WON'T work. It takes réally hard work to quit wrong habits or techniques. But the pay-off lasts for a life time. And trust me, give it a go for a few minutes, really réally slow and your fingers will be gratefull forever, because you fínally gave them a chance to do it right. When everything sounds just fine after a little while (funny enough, that's usually what it takes, a little while), then speed up a little.

If you're having trouble maintaining the same tempo, whatever tempo that is, use a metronome, although it's wise to use one even if you don't have any problems with that. But from my experience, when you play really slow, you get impatient and you speed it up anyway, so use it!

Alright, enough said for now :S ! A video to explain would be múch easier, then again, we have Neil for that!

Good luck!!

Ness

[michelew]

nesh16041972 wrote:

Haha, gosh Shel you're something else!!! :laugh: :laugh:

But of course, I have absolutely nó idea of whom you're talking about, I mean this woman sounds like a pain, sustain sustain SUSTAIN!!! :pinch: :S :whistle: :laugh:

michelew wrote:

I would again suggest palying against the album so you're not switching too early.

But in truth, this sounds like a problem/predicament for our very own superhero, the Master of Sustain, the Queen of Sustain, sustain, sustain....she who can be relied upon to say "sustain, sustain, sustain" until you don't need to hear it any more because she's already there saying it in your head. B)

Hopefully she'll come and tell you all of her secrets once she's finished saying "sustain, sustain, sustain" to kids for a few hours. Haha.

She knows of whom I speak. I'm sure it's no secret to most people.

Good luck. I'll be dropping in to look for said advice. you never can get too much sustain when it's called for.

Of course, you could also upload a video for review and ask the guru. ... I've just realized that you may not be 100% back in the program yet. But, if you've joined target again then give it a shot, we all need more advice on this subject.

M.

Is she a pain? No. Wise? ABSOLUTELY.

Ness you've got a great ear and a great way of explaining things. I always benefit from your experience and ways of relaying that, whatever form they take. Thank you. I had a suspicion you'd be all over this anyway.

It would be nice to have a sustain pedal. Yes??!

Shel

[heyjoe]

Hi all

Thanks for the replies and advice. Time for me to go get an online metronome, do some calming exercises, and slow down, and work on sustain, sustain, sustain and try to fix my breathing while I'm playing.

I'll post progress videos as things improve

Thanks

Joe