How can I increase my speed for cliffs of dover intro on guitar?

Question

How do others play the intro so fast?? Do they just keep practicing thousands of times! I need help its really annoying!

Answer 1

Favorite Answer

Eric Johnson is an amazing guitarist. I have seen him play that piece from about 10 feet away and was blown away at how effortless he made it look! Eric would be the first to tell you that his practice regimen included working out with a metronome and practicing scales and various exercises that helped him achieve his incredible abilities. That intro uses several techniques that he developed and worked on for many years before he ever wrote that song.

My advice would be to use a metronome and start very slowly at first. Practice it so you can play it perfectly at a much slower speed then move it up ONE notch. This will take several weeks if not months. Be patient and persistent. And yes he has played it thousands of times!

Source(s): G.I.T. graduate 30+ years playing/teaching http://www.youtube.com/user/gtarczar

Answer 2

To add to previous bits of great advice, I'd say to take the song on in small sections. Heck you can even subdivide sections into even smaller sections like this or that line. Master the sections, then piece together the sections into whole lines.

If you don't get it right away, take comfort that you're attempting to do some REALLY HARD guitar work Thus its gonna take you a while to get it down.

Good luck!

Answer 3

You have to practice at a pace that you can play without errors and do this every day until you develop a solid muscle memory for playing the song. While doing this every once in awhile just let loose and play at max speed eventually it will come together.

Answer 4

Slow it down to the point where you can do it perfectly. Play with a metronome. Build up speed.

Also, you do know that the lick at the very end of the intro is hybrid picked right?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15eu7ar5EKM

About 2:13 in... a lot of people don't realize that (probably because the very concept of hybrid picking is completely foreign to them)

Answer 5

well, to start off, don't rush it. take it slow cuz it wont happen over night. i have pretty fast fingers because i do lots of finger exercises and chromatic scales and arpeggios. soo, try some of that so you can get faster?

Source(s): me

Answer 6

you have to memorize it. The better you know it, the faster you will become naturally. After a point though, you need to practice to become even faster.

Answer 7

If you find out, let me know! What a great tune. Good luck.