PRESENCE - Volume 62
Inspiration For Guitarists
Lighten Up.
Two words.
That's it. That's the most important advice I give to guitarists. I've probably said these two words more than any other phrase in my thirty-plus years of teaching.
Lighten up.
I think of it as a mantra — a short phrase you repeat to yourself until it becomes automatic. And honestly, this is one mantra worth repeating every single time you pick up the guitar.
Here's what I mean: the lighter you pick and fret, the more nimble your hands become. It sounds almost too simple, but most players never really internalize it. They're working way too hard, and they don't even realize it.
Your Hands Are a Team
Here's something most players don't realize: your two hands are always working together. If you're choking up on your pick and attacking the strings, you can bet your fretting hand is clamped onto the neck with a death grip too. It's almost impossible to have one tight hand without the other following suit.
That means lightening up isn't just a picking thing or a fretting thing. It's both, at the same time. When you consciously release tension in one hand, the other tends to follow.
There's a Ceiling
You can only attack the guitar so hard before the sound stops getting louder and just gets harsher. There's a ceiling, and most players hit it without realizing it. Past that point, you're not adding power — you're just adding noise.
On electric guitar especially, you don't have to be the source of the power. That's what your amp is for. That's what your pedals are for. If you suspect you're playing too hard — and most of us are — try this: turn up just a little, then pick lighter. Bump the gain on your overdrive a notch or two. Let the gear do the heavy lifting.
The Sledgehammer Illusion
Think about those crushing, aggressive classic rock riffs. They sound like a sledgehammer hitting a wall. But when you look closely at the players behind those sounds, what you actually see is finesse. Light touch. Relaxed hands. The amp doing the work.
This is the cliché that actually applies to guitar: work smarter, not harder.
What Comes Next
Once you start playing lighter and letting your amp and pedals carry the power, something interesting happens — you realize how much control you now have. And with that control comes a new challenge: keeping things clean through string muting. But that's a conversation for another day.
For now, just try it. Next time you pick up the guitar, say it to yourself before you play a single note.
Lighten up.
You might be surprised how much better everything sounds.
— Dustin
PS — If you want help figuring out exactly what to focus on in your playing, that's what Office Hours is for. The first call is Tuesday April 21st at 1pm Eastern — and there are still spots available at the founding rate of $47/month.