How do you not mess up?

[wAvy]

Honestly? I've been playing for about 2 and a half years now and I mess up at least once or twice on any song I try to play all the way through. Is this just me, do I just suck balls? I can absolutely not understand how Dave and other artists don't choke through entire concerts.

Also, I've noticed that on my strumming arm, the shoulder starts to tire when I play sitting down. Maybe standing up, not sure. Is that wrong? I think I'm keeping my arm/shoulder tense while I strum, should I try to relax it?

EDIT: Sorry I think I may have posted this in the wrong forum, if so I apologize.

[emorokr12]

It sounds like you just need to practice and concentrate on the parts of the songs that you mess up on a little more. I know that may not be what you want to here but practice makes perfect.

And as far as your arm goes deffinately relax while you play, it shouldnt be a work out or strain for you to play. Also, when you strum do you strum from your elbow or your wrist. If you are using too much of your forearm(from the elbow) then this could cause you to tire easily as well as hindering your form.

[wAvy]

Thanks.

[lyrics101]

Play for a while, maybe two or three songs, and on the fourth song, pay attention to where your shoulder is. It shouldn't be moving toward your ear, tensed and hunched. Keep your shoulders relax along with your forearm.

Also, messing up? Beats me. Play the shit out of a song before you perform it. You should know it like the back of your hand, moving from part to part without even thinking.

[DrumsFoDaSoul]

Repeititon, Repeititon, Repeititon.

You must also realize that not everybody is perfect. There will be mess ups. Artists do it all the time. Some might be minute, but a mess up doesnt throw them off for the whole song. They get over it and recover. Its all about the recovery that matters.

[mattinbeloit]

Also, keep in mind that, in regards to artist like dave:

1. They wrote the song. When I write a song it usually is a formation of transitions that I have been playing around with that make sense to me. The songs I write make sense to me in regards to patterns and transitions.

2. They have been playing those songs longer then you have played guitar. It's kind of like learning stick shift. It's a pain in the ass at first but after a while you don;t even notice you are shifting. Dave has been playing most of those songs for like 15 years or so, much less the fact that he has been playing since he was a kid.

Don't let the fact that they are perfect discourage you. I remember thinking the same things after playing for 2 years. Don't worry about it. Everyone hits some spots during their playing career where they feal like that. Just keep playing and practicing, you'll get over it. If it makes you feal any better, I have been playing dave stuff for about 2 years now and I still mess up on stuff, that's life. It's all good, you can only get better.

[filmdude100cms]

practice

[Hydro120]

matt and Drums basically summed it up.

[castellar]

Repeititon, Repeititon, Repeititon.

You must also realize that not everybody is perfect. There will be mess ups. Artists do it all the time. Some might be minute, but a mess up doesnt throw them off for the whole song. They get over it and recover. Its all about the recovery that matters.

probably one of the best tips here. everyone messes up but dont make it noticable. i have played with people that mess up on a song and make a weird face or get mad and just start the part over again. then they ask me how i dont mess up as much even though i've only been playing about a year. its just becuase when i mess up i dont make it obvious, i just recover and act like it was nothing.

[mlb1399]

I think everyone makes mistakes but if you are doing it every time then there must have been something wrong with the way you leanred it. So many people are eager to try and finish a song that sometimes they overlook doing it properly. If you don't fix the bad technique or error you will always play it that way.

I suggest you slow it down and work on the part that you are having problems with. Slow the whole song down to a speed that you can play it perfectly. Once you can do that then start speeding it up. Continue to do that until you can play it perfect at the correct speed.

[Easy E]

Dave fucks up a lot. He forgets lyrics and chord changes and he's been playing for a long time. The casual listener doesn't notice because they don't listen to the song that closely. But if you listen and play along you'll notice it. Dave does have an incredible recovery ability, usually do a few muted strums until he gets back on the right note or do some scatting when he forgets the words.

Like it was said before, nobody is perfect, you are going to mess up, it's just all about smoothly getting back on track.

[c_tietze]

yeah the replies here are spot on

and if you're getting tight/tire in your shoulder it means your form is off and/or you're torque-ing up, meaning not relaxing enough, think pendulum

practice man, practice

dave fucks up all the time, everybody fucks up, it's the pros that fuck up and keep going and nobody notices

never stop, just never stop

[mlb1399]

A perfect example of Dave messing up badly would be Beyanora Hall 10-24-2 Bartender as he goes into the wailing part strumming the D to the G. Part of me thinks it is a chemical induced mistake.

[SaxMan123]

Dont worry, I always fuck up one of the turn arounds in Ants Marching and its annoying. Also I always screw up a couple of chords in Dancing Nancies cause I hit the wrong strings with my fretting hand.

Also on the Red Rocks CD from 96, LeRoi squeeks during one of his solos or intros, I cant remember. I think its on the first disk, I havent listened too it in ages.

[UCBEdge]

OP - Just so you know, youre not the only one who screws up on songs. I do it all the time too...and I've been playing off-and-on for 4 years now. So if you can take some solace in that, please do.

I agree with the other posters. I have two additions though:

1) I've noticed that the songs I've been playing the longest (3-4 years), I know like second nature. Even if I screw up on one, I just play right through it. Half the time, I dont even think I notice it (Dave doesnt notice every mistake he makes either...guaranteed). In any case, the longer you play the song, the less and less youll screw up.

2) More importantly: who are you playing for? If nobody, do you just play for fun? If thats the case then WHO CARES if you screw up or not? Youre the only one listening! As long as youre HAVING FUN when youre playing....does it really matter if you get every single note correct?

Put this into perspective and hopefully you wont worry as much.

I hope this helps.