I swear, in one of his other videos he spits some truth and throws some hard pills to swallow. The tone of his voice was so damn serious and it made my ass quit procrastinating, being lazy and got me to get shit done. For real. Its been 6 months and I've achieved so much with guitar and my life because of him. I'm thankful for this dude.
Claus, your explanation of the system of step by step practice is amazing. Your enthusiasm and commitment to make us better is much appreciated. Thank you.
What he says about making mistakes is astonishingly correct. I studied classical piano for years, and my professor gave me the exact same instruction: no matter what you practice, do it with the absolutely correct tempo and without mistakes, no matter how slowly you must go, even a snail's pace. Don't concern yourself with speed yet. Just make absolutely sure your tempo and notes are both perfectly accurate. This is because you're actually "recording" that sequence of notes into your brain so that it becomes automatic, exactly as he says in this video. Once you've got your "brain recording" down perfectly, then you can increase your speed to whatever you wish and your tempo and notes will still be perfectly accurate. This worked for piano; it works for any instrument. Great video; truly masterful instruction and advice. Thank you kindly.
That really jumped out at me when I heard it. At first I thought I misheard, because everyone makes mistakes, right? But instead of just powering through and ignoring the mistake like I normally would, the point is to slow down and only play faster when you aren't making mistakes. I'm less telling you that than I am writing it to commit it to my own memory.
Golf short game guru David Peltz: "Practice does not make perfect, practice makes permanent" said it even better. We crawl before we walk before we run, No?
Brilliant advice! Another practice tip that helps me - I always get a TON more practice time in when I unplug the guitar and take it to the most used part(s) of the house. I find I pick it up much more frequently than I otherwise would, even if only for 5-10 minutes at a time sometimes. But all the short durations add up, and I believe many shorter practice sessions are more effective than infrequent marathon sessions.
You are great, you have a great talent for teaching, don't stop making videos, you are helpful for every guitarrist who's got passion for learning but without money for paying classes, keep doing this!
This video, and taking it to heart, and putting it into practice, has been the single most helpful thing for me in my progress. The formula: create loopable exercise, play it slow enough to play it perfectly, and then play it while watching TV for hours. Play it at whatever tempo you can while making zero mistakes, do it a lot, and then occasionally do metronome work to try to increase speed. A simple and effective formula, Claus. Thanx, man. I am Shredward Scissorhands now! A true shredi knight!
I first heard Clause mention this loopable segment technique in his video about gaining speed through legato and super legato. It was then that I recieved the secret to speed that I had never been able to glean in all my years of playing guitar. This is the secret that other guitar teachers must know but are keeping to themselves Thank you Clause.
I thought that Troy Grady had killed the online guitar teaching genre with his incredible guitar tuition videos and I thought that it couldn't get any better. However, this might just be the best guitar tutorial I've ever seen. What a genius idea and I love the passion. Just brilliant!
Very cool to hear you advising people to practice this way. As a (now retired) band and string orchestra teacher I often recommended these practice steps to my wind and string students. Once they discover the power of this thoughtful repetition (not mindless and mistake ridden repetition) they really start to improve. I have also pointed out to them that there is a huge amount of transference one they have mastered one or two simple musical units or loops as you term them that make learning new patterns much easier. Also, I like that you de-emphasize the talent aspect of learning to play an instrument and focus on the practice and repetition which makes mastery possible. Much of the research that I've been hearing about lately (Malcolm Gladwell's "Outliers" book and "The Talent Code" by Daniel Coyle) is that professional level mastery of an instrument (or almost any other ability) requires about 10,000 hours of directed, thoughtful practice. Of course that's not for everyone but it's unfortunate that many people who begin learning to play an instrument sometimes think that there's some kind of special shortcut that will enable them to play like a professional without the investment in time. Excellent teaching and solid educational principles! I will send links to this video to the teacher who replaced me, now that I've retired, to recommend to my ex string students.
I've been looking for simple drills/exercises to help me build speed and accuracy and this one is perfect. Thanks for sharing this and for your superb teaching/explanation of it!
That is excellent advice that so many overlook, I'm watching my grandson learn to talk and make sentences and he does it that same way ....perfect repetition . Great video, looking forward to follow ups
If I'd practice like that, raping that one same loop over and over in front of TV for hours every single day, my wife would have murdered me. Good thing we just got divorced. Woohoo!
I play every day for 5 or 6 hours. I practice mechanics as I play very long extended solos. I have been practicing almost every day for 50+ years. When I was married to my first wife there weren't any problems because she too practiced her instrument (voice). She didn't mind me having a solid body guitar slung around my neck because mostly I played tunes from our extensive set list. After that marriage my second marriage only allowed me to practice about an hour per day. Married twice 5 years each and have been playing guitar for nearly 60 years so my practicing hasn't really suffered. One thing I cannot do it do this post with my phone and practice at the same time. Peace.
Hey! AMAZING teaching man! you're the only one I have seen that teaches the "MENTAL" part of learning to play instead of just the skill... you teach how to THINK while you learn, that's the most important thing... and THAT's what I was looking for. I will keep seeing your videos, thank you very much bro!
I been learning since 1968 and I like the way you teach sir.You have closed some holes for me and classroom is valuable as solid gold.I will be recording Lead Guitar with Will Clausen for The Naked Picasso's Thank you for all your lessons!
Mr Levin speaks the truth on what makes talent. Calling someone musically gifted is just addressing the cognitive dissonance that arises when a human sees another human doing something they can't. So the diligence & discipline it took are downplayed in favor of some elusive gift, which someone is granted through genes, environment and luck. All of which are beyond our control. Its jealousy in the form of self conscious admiration. At least thats what I think.
Well Said Mike. I remember a famous golfer recalled story about a fan saying "I would give anything to be able to have a swing like that"....he turned to him and said quite accurately . " No you wouldn't" .... Good luck Mike...off to practice !!!
As a lifelong guitar player, this is wonderfully practical advice.. People HAVE to understand that focus, repetition and patience is the key to learning.. The formula is SO simple, yet people want everything right here, right now..
This is how i learned, by sitting watching a movie and playing over and over licks..( unplugged). It does work and it instill muscle memory which is crucial for speed development. Possibly the best lesson you will learn.
I have been playing for years, and still making mistakes while playing live shows. I have been told this a long time ago, NOW, I am going to apply the HELL out of it! :)
Nice lesson, I've played for 20 years and can blag jazz blues and rock and am pretty good at fingerstyle but I never got the speed down to shred speed. I can play fast, but shred is different, I'll be trying these tips each day
Makes a lot of sense. I've played things sloppy fast, then forced myself to play it real slow and find myself making the exact same mistakes, just slower. Now, playing slow, I can see why it sounded sloppy, so I can correct it. Also I've found that a metronome helps for more than simply keeping time. You can play much faster if the notes are evenly spaced apart. These things fascinate me as I learn and discover them.
Many years ago I attended a lecture and performance by Larry Coryell. He began by saying that he wasn't a particularly good guitarist, to which everyone laughed, of course. He then described how he had just completed transcribing a number of Bach lute (10-string) pieces for guitar. A daunting task indeed. He said it took him two years to accomplish this. He then stated that he has fellow players that he knows could have accomplished the same task in two months, but the difference between them and himself was that he was willing to put in two years while they are unwilling to put in two months. I took this lesson to heart; within all practical reason, you can do whatever you want, provided you are willing to put in the effort necessary for you to accomplish it.
Great video =] Can you show us a in depth vid of the cycle of fifths and what exactly is it/ how it ties to neoclassical phrasing? Everything I read about it is so confusing and the chart looks like a clock with so many smaller boxes which is overwhelming :(
would you recommend alternating licks a bit? sure you learn to play that particular pattern of one position at light speed. and from experience even that is SUPER helpful in your overall technique. however there will be plenty of patterns that involve switching from fingers 1 2 and 4 to 1 3 and 4, and certain economy picking licks that involve scale patterns that are connected by a mini sweep etc
Thanks for great video! I tried it about one month and it works, it really really works. Thanks man, you are great instructor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Man, I agree with every bit of this except ditching the metronome. I did that for years, just mindless repetition while watching TV or playing strategy games, and I never developed much speed. When I started taking those same rudiments and doing waves (i.e. 100bpm, 110, 120, 110, 120, 130, 120, 130, 140, etc.) and speed bursts (e.g. sixteenth notes with short bursts of sixteenth note triplets) with a metronome, my speed started improving dramatically. I think that without an objective measurement of your progress it's going to be very difficult to push yourself.
your a dam good ,, great eceptional human and teacher god ive been doing this but logically i didnt know it , and now i will sharpen this technique bless you , i wish you a long life and the best of health .... you r a good human friend
Great videos! My picking technique and arm position have held me up in the past, could you possibly go into that? Your explanations make things very understandable
Awesome, been playing for 4 weeks and figured that out on week 2. Glad to know it's going to get me where I thought. ALso, intro to sweet child of mine is good one for this. Familiar to all, and never get tired of hearing it lol. Is simple enough, but not with out it's trickyness too.
The best guitar teacher on TH-cam..what a passion this guy has...hands down
I like the way Claus speaks clearly and succinctly without being condescending. Excellent teacher.
I swear, in one of his other videos he spits some truth and throws some hard pills to swallow. The tone of his voice was so damn serious and it made my ass quit procrastinating, being lazy and got me to get shit done. For real. Its been 6 months and I've achieved so much with guitar and my life because of him. I'm thankful for this dude.
Claus, your explanation of the system of step by step practice is amazing. Your enthusiasm and commitment to make us better is much appreciated. Thank you.
Brad Pitt and Elon Musk's love child is a decent guitar player.
Azpilicueta from Chelsea football club
Just cannot help but laugh aloud at this one 🤣
decent?! nah his a virtuoso man
Okay, You're Gay...we get it. It's not that big of a deal anymore but okay, we heard you.
@@SuiGenerisMan what the fuck are you talking about
What he says about making mistakes is astonishingly correct. I studied classical piano for years, and my professor gave me the exact same instruction: no matter what you practice, do it with the absolutely correct tempo and without mistakes, no matter how slowly you must go, even a snail's pace. Don't concern yourself with speed yet. Just make absolutely sure your tempo and notes are both perfectly accurate. This is because you're actually "recording" that sequence of notes into your brain so that it becomes automatic, exactly as he says in this video. Once you've got your "brain recording" down perfectly, then you can increase your speed to whatever you wish and your tempo and notes will still be perfectly accurate. This worked for piano; it works for any instrument. Great video; truly masterful instruction and advice. Thank you kindly.
"Stop Making Mistakes - otherwise, you are practicing making mistakes!" The video is worth it if only for this one thing.... but a great video!
Agreed. This one was inspiring. Don't make mistakes.
That really jumped out at me when I heard it. At first I thought I misheard, because everyone makes mistakes, right? But instead of just powering through and ignoring the mistake like I normally would, the point is to slow down and only play faster when you aren't making mistakes. I'm less telling you that than I am writing it to commit it to my own memory.
Golf short game guru David Peltz: "Practice does not make perfect, practice makes permanent" said it even better. We crawl before we walk before we run, No?
100%
I tell friends that ALL the time.
But the general theory he is explaining is wrong.
Brilliant advice!
Another practice tip that helps me - I always get a TON more practice time in when I unplug the guitar and take it to the most used part(s) of the house. I find I pick it up much more frequently than I otherwise would, even if only for 5-10 minutes at a time sometimes. But all the short durations add up, and I believe many shorter practice sessions are more effective than infrequent marathon sessions.
If being a guitarist doesn't work out for you you can always become a Metronome-impressionator.
You are great, you have a great talent for teaching, don't stop making videos, you are helpful for every guitarrist who's got passion for learning but without money for paying classes, keep doing this!
I want to learn how to levitate a guitar after taking metamphetamine.
Lmao best comment
You'll most likely take it apart and sell it if that were the case..
Take more metamphetamine
What you need is methamphetamine a ouija board a dagger a sacrificial lamb and.....
This video, and taking it to heart, and putting it into practice, has been the single most helpful thing for me in my progress. The formula: create loopable exercise, play it slow enough to play it perfectly, and then play it while watching TV for hours. Play it at whatever tempo you can while making zero mistakes, do it a lot, and then occasionally do metronome work to try to increase speed. A simple and effective formula, Claus. Thanx, man. I am Shredward Scissorhands now! A true shredi knight!
I first heard Clause mention this loopable segment technique in his video about gaining speed through legato and super legato. It was then that I recieved the secret to speed that I had never been able to glean in all my years of playing guitar.
This is the secret that other guitar teachers must know but are keeping to themselves
Thank you Clause.
I've been playing for fifteen years, tried this for half an hour, and already a noticeable difference, feel like an idiot, awesome lesson!
This is the best guitar teacher on TH-cam by far..Keep up the great work.
I like your attitude. You're really inspiring and convincing.
I thought that Troy Grady had killed the online guitar teaching genre with his incredible guitar tuition videos and I thought that it couldn't get any better. However, this might just be the best guitar tutorial I've ever seen. What a genius idea and I love the passion. Just brilliant!
Very cool to hear you advising people to practice this way. As a (now retired) band and string orchestra teacher I often recommended these practice steps to my wind and string students. Once they discover the power of this thoughtful repetition (not mindless and mistake ridden repetition) they really start to improve. I have also pointed out to them that there is a huge amount of transference one they have mastered one or two simple musical units or loops as you term them that make learning new patterns much easier. Also, I like that you de-emphasize the talent aspect of learning to play an instrument and focus on the practice and repetition which makes mastery possible. Much of the research that I've been hearing about lately (Malcolm Gladwell's "Outliers" book and "The Talent Code" by Daniel Coyle) is that professional level mastery of an instrument (or almost any other ability) requires about 10,000 hours of directed, thoughtful practice. Of course that's not for everyone but it's unfortunate that many people who begin learning to play an instrument sometimes think that there's some kind of special shortcut that will enable them to play like a professional without the investment in time. Excellent teaching and solid educational principles! I will send links to this video to the teacher who replaced me, now that I've retired, to recommend to my ex string students.
+Ken Hurst Very well described. A great lesson for all aspiring musicians.
Yes I agree Ken. My friends at Catlett use these same methods when teaching the skin flute as well.
That's the ONLY way to attain speed in the fastest possible time.
Hit the nail on the head, as usual.
Nice one Claus.
Keep 'em coming!
Sensible, passionate and simply put. A superior piece of work.
I've been looking for simple drills/exercises to help me build speed and accuracy and this one is perfect. Thanks for sharing this and for your superb teaching/explanation of it!
That is excellent advice that so many overlook, I'm watching my grandson learn to talk and make sentences and he does it that same way ....perfect repetition . Great video, looking forward to follow ups
I was just chillin watching the vid, then he walks away from the guitar and it’s still in the same position and... I still haven’t recovered
A lot of what you're saying can be translated into advice for life.
That's what I love about learning guitar. I learn about everything
@blake. why cant we give that lad any more ideas
Nice metronome impersonation :D
@Juan2003gtr lol stole
Most amazing vídeo about guitar on TH-cam. Thanks for sharing it.
If I'd practice like that, raping that one same loop over and over in front of TV for hours every single day, my wife would have murdered me. Good thing we just got divorced. Woohoo!
Louis CK has a funny bit about divorce and how it's always a good thing lol. I recommend it.
CK rocks big time
Yeah my woman tells me to shut up, no matter how soft I pick two. We're still together, so my guitar skills suffer.
I play every day for 5 or 6 hours. I practice mechanics as I play very long extended solos. I have been practicing almost every day for 50+ years. When I was married to my first wife there weren't any problems because she too practiced her instrument (voice). She didn't mind me having a solid body guitar slung around my neck because mostly I played tunes from our extensive set list. After that marriage my second marriage only allowed me to practice about an hour per day. Married twice 5 years each and have been playing guitar for nearly 60 years so my practicing hasn't really suffered. One thing I cannot do it do this post with my phone and practice at the same time. Peace.
WHOOOSH
I knew Brad Pitt could act but had no idea he could shred.
+Sam August hahaha! This is actually how he got noticed :)
+Sam August dude hes Claus Levin
+Stefano Alfano LOL
+Sam August indeed...
Lmao
Hey! AMAZING teaching man! you're the only one I have seen that teaches the "MENTAL" part of learning to play instead of just the skill... you teach how to THINK while you learn, that's the most important thing... and THAT's what I was looking for. I will keep seeing your videos, thank you very much bro!
“Just go do the work and you’ll have the skill”. There’s your real lesson, folks. This applies to every single thing in life.
I been learning since 1968 and I like the way you teach sir.You have closed some holes for me and classroom is valuable as solid gold.I will be recording Lead Guitar with Will Clausen for The Naked Picasso's Thank you for all your lessons!
Thank you so much for just teaching me without trying to sell me something. Your channel is pure gold
Mr Levin speaks the truth on what makes talent. Calling someone musically gifted is just addressing the cognitive dissonance that arises when a human sees another human doing something they can't. So the diligence & discipline it took are downplayed in favor of some elusive gift, which someone is granted through genes, environment and luck. All of which are beyond our control. Its jealousy in the form of self conscious admiration. At least thats what I think.
Well Said Mike.
I remember a famous golfer recalled story about a fan saying "I would give anything to be able to have a swing like that"....he turned to him and said quite accurately . " No you wouldn't" .... Good luck Mike...off to practice !!!
Very well said! I may steal this....
You had me at cognitive dissonance
Excellent teacher
As a lifelong guitar player, this is wonderfully practical advice..
People HAVE to understand that focus, repetition and patience is the key to learning.. The formula is SO simple, yet people want everything right here, right now..
This man got it right!
Excellent candid vdo and the 3rd point is also wonderfully explained
you really are a master teacher! i get excited and inspired ....your philosophy works for me many thanks....
thats the best advice on developing and improving your picking and playing technique for fast results
You must be a sight to see on your train rides. Keep up the great work!
Thank you for playing before talking and I only watch 2-4 hours of tv per night
great mouthtronome skills. useful, clear information. thx!
Great video. Quick version starts at 8:39.
This has a LOT of parallels with drumming, the same things that people like Jojo Mayer, Benny Greb and Steve Smith reccomend. Well done sir.
Refreshing hearing a dude shred without a tone that drenched in distortion
Dayyyyum. LOVE the Fender Select Strat.
Good course surrounded by an encouraging and optimistic mindset. Thank you very much
That is the most gorgeous Strat I've yet seen! Thanks for the video! EXACTLY what I needed where I'm at in my learning! Cheers!
Great videos, I am watching this in 2021 and I must say I have not found a single channel yet who teaches even those little techniques. Amazing Sir!
i thought he had a strap. when he stepped away i was tripping
Great tutorial and video! Very encouraging and helpful!
Thanks :)
This is golden! No quick fix no bullshit this works 10000000%
This is how i learned, by sitting watching a movie and playing over and over licks..( unplugged). It does work and it instill muscle memory which is crucial for speed development. Possibly the best lesson you will learn.
I have been playing for years, and still making mistakes while playing live shows. I have been told this a long time ago, NOW, I am going to apply the HELL out of it! :)
Wow, you make for a damn good metronome!
Very similar to Steve Vai's meditation lesson I read years back. You presented it in a cool and fun way! Awesome!
I never watch TV. During the evening I usually practice guitar. Now I can practice guitar while I'm practicing guitar.
im so glad ive watched your video.......... honestly you are the best online teacher for me. thank you so much for your service sir.
So I can learn to shred while watching the Simpsons? Wow I never would have guessed. Love this guy.
I really do appreciate this lesson. This is gold.
Nice lesson, I've played for 20 years and can blag jazz blues and rock and am pretty good at fingerstyle but I never got the speed down to shred speed. I can play fast, but shred is different, I'll be trying these tips each day
This is a brilliant idea! Just make sure you're listening to your body and resting when you need to. Carpel tunnel and rsi's are real!!!
Makes a lot of sense. I've played things sloppy fast, then forced myself to play it real slow and find myself making the exact same mistakes, just slower. Now, playing slow, I can see why it sounded sloppy, so I can correct it. Also I've found that a metronome helps for more than simply keeping time. You can play much faster if the notes are evenly spaced apart. These things fascinate me as I learn and discover them.
One of the rare videos which is closest to the reality, and actually contributes something
Muchas gracias Amigo. Muy interesante tu video. 👍🏿
Many years ago I attended a lecture and performance by Larry Coryell. He began by saying that he wasn't a particularly good guitarist, to which everyone laughed, of course. He then described how he had just completed transcribing a number of Bach lute (10-string) pieces for guitar. A daunting task indeed. He said it took him two years to accomplish this. He then stated that he has fellow players that he knows could have accomplished the same task in two months, but the difference between them and himself was that he was willing to put in two years while they are unwilling to put in two months. I took this lesson to heart; within all practical reason, you can do whatever you want, provided you are willing to put in the effort necessary for you to accomplish it.
when he started making metronome noises I got tripped out so hard
+Dillon Wijay CORRECTED* what tripped me out more was when he stepped away from the guitar
Great lesson - the enthusiasm shines through.
Brad, I love all your lessons.. you are better teacher than actor.. send my regards to angelina! :D
The best guitar teacher on the web,no question.
You actually explained what Steve Vai says about playing slow to get fast. NIIIICEEEE!!!
Thanks for your passionate delivery ,it made me want to practice
My loopable exercise is watching you on repeat, you are amazing
Great video =] Can you show us a in depth vid of the cycle of fifths and what exactly is it/ how it ties to neoclassical phrasing? Everything I read about it is so confusing and the chart looks like a clock with so many smaller boxes which is overwhelming :(
beautiful sounding Strat!
Love this ! Guy has passion for the topic and speaks wisdom.
This is gold if u want to be a beast on guitar claus u the best teacher on you tube ty
Claus I love your passion and upbeat approach to teaching guitar!
would you recommend alternating licks a bit?
sure you learn to play that particular pattern of one position at light speed. and from experience even that is SUPER helpful in your overall technique.
however there will be plenty of patterns that involve switching from fingers 1 2 and 4 to 1 3 and 4, and certain economy picking licks that involve scale patterns that are connected by a mini sweep etc
This is exactly what I needed to hear. Thanks my friend!
Another well thought out lesson Claus. Thank you! I'm on it.
Is it helping now 6 yrs later?😄
I appreciate your videos and the time you take to put into them. Thank you.
what a great passionate teacher..
Thanks for great video! I tried it about one month and it works, it really really works. Thanks man, you are great instructor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The mouth metronome is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen.
Man, I agree with every bit of this except ditching the metronome. I did that for years, just mindless repetition while watching TV or playing strategy games, and I never developed much speed. When I started taking those same rudiments and doing waves (i.e. 100bpm, 110, 120, 110, 120, 130, 120, 130, 140, etc.) and speed bursts (e.g. sixteenth notes with short bursts of sixteenth note triplets) with a metronome, my speed started improving dramatically. I think that without an objective measurement of your progress it's going to be very difficult to push yourself.
your a dam good ,, great eceptional human and teacher god ive been doing this but logically i didnt know it , and now i will sharpen this technique bless you , i wish you a long life and the best of health .... you r a good human friend
Thanks man this is the best explanation ever.
Great videos! My picking technique and arm position have held me up in the past, could you possibly go into that? Your explanations make things very understandable
This guy is great !!! Amazing tips so simple but very very effective!!!
very nice man, you gave me a path to folow up.
Thanks very much!
this guy is inspirational!
Great ideas! Thanks for your time and expertise!!
Should I have surgery to remove the ligaments that limit the movement of my left hand fingers so I can reach the same number of frets you do?
This is incredible, your channel is amazing.
Awesome, been playing for 4 weeks and figured that out on week 2. Glad to know it's going to get me where I thought. ALso, intro to sweet child of mine is good one for this. Familiar to all, and never get tired of hearing it lol. Is simple enough, but not with out it's trickyness too.
It also works well with a scale to build up precision
This man is a great teacher!
You're good, very good, don't stop. Thanks!
This guitar floating in seemingly floating in mid air is blowing my mind man.
Hello, Claus.
How that guitar holder you use in the video is called? What model? Thanks.
This mindset is basically awesome, thanks a lot!
Your Fender sound awesome
How does George Benson technique compare to yours? What are the disadvantages that you know of George Benson's vs yours?