Want to play faster? Move Less!

I used to take a martial arts class. One particular guest instructor was amazing. He was so fast that he could punch right through my guard before I could blink. He could also throw a kick that stopped on top of my shoulder instead of taking my head off. After several of these humbling encounters I managed to get a private session with him. He explained that while he did have some speed, the biggest difference between what he did and what I did was a LACK of motion. While I was bouncing around, trying to stay light on my feet and present a harder target, he was relaxed analyzing my rhythms so he could catch me off balance. Then with no wind up, no give-away-motions, he would attack.

The same idea holds true for guitar. Keep the fingers of your left hand poised over the fret board close to the strings. Takes a little practice, but it’s an essential technique if you want to play fast and accurately.

The right hand needs to stay anchored with the pinky on the pickup, near the sound hole, or the high E string; what ever works best for you. This gives a stable starting point; you leave it sometimes but always start and stop there and come back to it periodically during the tune. This doesn’t take much practice. I’ve seen some of the best “Aha!” moments in my students when they first tried it.

Eliminating excess motion makes you smoother, more efficient and more effective whether playing guitar or practicing karate. Pick up your guitar now and try it. You won’t have to get kicked in the head to learn it like I did.