Hi everyone.
I’ve been playing guitar for 2 years now.
I know the following:
How the major scale works, natural minor and pentatonics.
I know about relative minor keys.
I know how chords are formed: sus, major minor and 7s. And i do know all the shapes for all of these chords in CAGED. Execpt G( i find it difficult to play and useless i guess)
I know 3 patters of major scales, natural minor, the classic pentatonic and major pentatonic (the relative) (i am talking about roots on the 6th string)
I would say i am intermediate although feel free to say otherwise.
I feel stuck as in i don’t know where to go next.
I love john mayer but as you probably know his music is pretty difficult.
I started getting into “playing what’s inside my head” and i have to say it’ll take sometime.
And i started learning and understanding my triades shapes all over the fretboard.
The ultimate goal ( even though huge, I’m aware) is john mayer level song writing.
How do i get there?
I guess the first question would be what are you doing with all those scales you have learnt ?
Knowing these scales is one thing. Applying them practically and making music, impros or even covers is another. Explaining your “hands on” ability would be beneficial to readers.
You’ve been playing the same amount of time as me Noobix, and I posted a similar question on my learning log. Not sure what to practice.
I think the challenge at around this time is that you know all the basics, but there is still so much to learn. The potential has opened up but direction is hard.
There is no easy answer.
What I have settled on (for now…) is a mix of stuff. Focus on learning songs. Learn a mix of stuff you can play somewhat easily and some things that are a bit out of reach. Do some technique practice too, work with a metronome and build speed.
John Mayer is a guitar god, doing mayer level songwriting is something most will never get to. Maybe pick one of his easier songs and learn it?
Take Richard’s advice learn songs. You like John Mayer. Justin has over a dozen lesson of John Mayer’s songs. You could start there and you will soon find out what you need to learn to play like John.
John also has videos on youtube teaching his techniques. Good luck and have fun just learning some of John’s techniques is very rewarding. Take it slow and get it right and it will become part of your personal style.
After 4 years of playing the guitar, I wish I didn’t know what to practice
Why don’t you try to transcribe parts of songs that you like, whether a chord progression or a melody line? Then you could use your existing theoretical / pattern knowledge in practice. You could spice all this up with some (interval) ear training.
Sounds like you’ve been putting the work in the last 2 years. Well done.
I suppose when you get past that beginner stage where you develop a broad set of basic knowledge and skills, its time to go deep, and develop increasing competence, which is vastly different to knowledge.
Challenge yourself in varied and interesting musical ways so you develop increasing practical competence with say, your scales, chords, triads, rhythm.
You want to play John Mayer songs? Using the knowledge you’ve gained so far, along with some research, make a very specific list of skills, techniques, concepts etc that you need to master in order to get to your goal. Which ones are you competent in? Which ones require development. There’s the basis of your practice routine.
