Hello Everyone. I'm new here. I've been obsessed with Pb's youtube channel since I found it a few weeks ago, then found all the videos and pdf's here. Amazing. Thank you Pebber! and all your crew. You are amazing, entertaining, inspiring, and obviously passionate about music and guitar playing. I was going to try "metal method" before I found you.
A bit about me. I'm 45. Picked up guitar at age 17. I started finger picking with tab books on acoustic at that time. mostly blues. Never learned any real technique or principals. My axe was stolen a few years later and I was about to join the Army so I just dropped it. Played a few times in the Army at the USO and when one of the chaplain assistants would come around during desert shield and storm we would play some alices restaurant and hippy stuff like that lol.
Well I picked it up here and there through the years but never really got serious. I probably just reinforced more wrong muscle memory and reactions than doing any real learning. About 5 years ago I picked up an electric guitar and amp and started trying to play with a pick. I learned some simple songs and played now and then when I could. I'm been using the monkey see monkey do method off youtube. Lately I've felt like I really want to study music and so that's when I found pb's music theory work shop video. I've watched it and done the circle of fifths, fourths ect.. on paper about 10 times or more now. lol. and watched hours of his videos. I've stopped playing anything and started just on the exercises for right hand and working on memorizing the staff note names. I'm going to order his dvd and start the daily practice modules once my form gets to the point i can move on from scalpel picking each string. that's still a struggle. then keeping my thumb behind the neck and just making the chromatic shape kills! I've tightened up the stap and that helps.
Any ways, Just wanted to check in with you all and say a big Thanks. so


A Big Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mac

Welcome to the forum. Seems like you are on the right track. Any questions, let us know.

Welcome to the forums, from a fellow noob!
Lots of interesting insights and opinions here!

Thanks. I'm usually more of a reader/lurker on forums. but I do have a few basic questions may be redundant but I can't find answers.

1. Should I always be plugged in to an amp? I mean If i'm just practicing my picking exercises with a metronome (that's all I'm doing right now) Should I always plug in? I'm thinking of getting a clip on amp 9v batt type that I can clip on my strap.

2. How uncomfortable (Pain) should I push through? Is it helpful or hurtful to keep exercising when there is a little soreness? as a side question, Do you guys use heat, cold or anything else for it? I mostly feel it in my tendons. I stretch them with Pebbers stretches about 100 times a day. I already feel stronger and better in the right places, and working on relaxing wile playing, but I was just wondering about how much is too much and if it's helpful to push through or hurtful.

Thanks
Mac

Well, I am gonna answer these questions. They are just my opinion, and I am in no way a representative of Pebber's. I'm merely an internet guitar enthusiast who, like you stumbled on to this site and Pebber's information and have decided to 'give it a whirl'. I am not an expert in any of the picking concepts he presents (Scalpel, wrist and Sarod) But I do play a mean guitar, and have a bit of experience with music so maybe my answers help; Take 'em with a grain of salt as surely there are more qualified persons here who can reply more thoroughly. I'll answer, and then I gotta get back to practice, hahaha



1. Should I always be plugged in to an amp? I mean If i'm just practicing my picking exercises with a metronome (that's all I'm doing right now) Should I always plug in? I'm thinking of getting a clip on amp 9v batt type that I can clip on my strap.
Naww, I personally don't think it matters. If you ARE gonna plug in, it's probably not a great idea to have an extremely high gain, processed, swooshing rat-a-tat-tat delayed type tone... When I practice I generally favour a clean tone, or a mildly overdriven one. Not being plugged in is fine, because you have to LISTEN to the metronome, and maybe even pick a bit harder so you can hear it better...


2. How uncomfortable (Pain) should I push through? Is it helpful or hurtful to keep exercising when there is a little soreness? as a side question, Do you guys use heat, cold or anything else for it? I mostly feel it in my tendons. I stretch them with Pebbers stretches about 100 times a day. I already feel stronger and better in the right places, and working on relaxing wile playing, but I was just wondering about how much is too much and if it's helpful to push through or hurtful.

Well, I'm no expert and I DO tend to push through a bit of discomfort (I'm really impatient...), but pain generally should mean 'stop'. Repetitive stress injuries are not cool, and the whole idea behind Pebber's stuff is zero tension. If you feel it in your tendons, you need to take a break... I would, and I'm a practice maniac. Work on something else and heal...

Pushing through some minor STRAINING is expected but I would not push through any PAIN. Stop! whenever you experience any pain.

welcome...