BACK With a question

Hey all its Elliott back from being very very busy. Anyways i have a question that can definatly be answered on here.

I need to improve my technique. Ive come to a crossroad where i can play and improvise and play the ideas in my head, execpt when i hear a fast lick and i choose idea #2. Im no shredder nor do i wanna be but i need to improve my technique and nows the time. I need to learn how to read music better (sightread) but thats something i can do on my own.

Heres my question.

Ive never been able to coordinate my hands together. Ive always had impecable coordination with sports or stuff like that Eye-Hand but not hand-hand apparently... SO i need help. I want to become more accurate with picking and fretting hands, having them work on the same page. And of course to increase my speed and accuracy. I know practice practice practice is the answer. But what do i practice?

Is there something specific you guys practiced to improve this coordination? I can rip 4ths because i practice those a lot. 3rds got shakey since ive been doing 4ths same with the chromatic. but i know all i need to do is practice those and ill get them. What i want is even though i can rip 4ths if you tell me to, in context of a solo i slip and my coordination is off..

So how do i improve my speed and coordination between my hands? What should i practice to do this?

Thanks all

Elliott

Elliott Dude!
Welcome home little buddy!
Hey, Casey put up a link to a Petrucci vid. While I was checking that out I took the time to look at some of his other lessons. If you get a chance check them out. There are some cool vids there that might be what you are looking for.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6IpGPlbliY&feature=related
Phipster

Check out this lesson: Finger Workouts

Start slowly with each, and gradually build up speed.

Rock on!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fYYKaLW3bA

Vinnie Moore-Speed, Accuracy, and Articulation(The other video I came across that I used exercises from).

Really pay attention to the chromatic exercises he goes over-I've been doing them as a warmup/practice thing and I've seen massive improvements in my speed picking already(only been a few weeks!)
*One thing I've been doing is taking the last exercise from the chromatic section Moore does(on the high e only) and moving back down to the low E(going through the other strings) using the same pattern-really helps the fingers get into a gliding motion up and down the neck.

Honestly man, even though you don't want to be considered a shredder-it still makes you feel good when someone tells you that you can shred XD

Use a 'nome too.

Really all I can say is give yourself time to practice these exercises thoroughly(say before school). It only takes about 10-15 minutes to do them, and you'll see massive benefits(especially if you do them as a warmup too). Also, don't forget to stretch out your hands properly before trying to play anything too taxing.

Thanks guys

i needed this, my technique, especially hand to hand coordination is lacking a lot. I jjust wanna play well enough to express my ideas. Im gonna be back on here too, gonna release some music

What I do is just practice every scale, arpeggio, practice excersize, warm up routine, etc. chromatically from the open to the highest fret starting on about 80-100bpm. Everytime you move up one fret, up the tempo by 5-10. I usually start off at 80 and do +10 up until i get to 200-210, then do +5 until im done. I play comfortably with little to no mistakes at 210, then i get sucky playing at those higher frets at like 220 lol. Then i do it backwards. this is when i do 2 notes-per-click btw. With 3 notes, I have a hard time getting up to like 200, im good with 4 notes until like 190.

this helps me a lot....hope it helps you if you choose to try it.