Why Practicing Slowly Doesn't Improve Your Speed
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When guitar players try to build speed, the usual advice is simple - "start slow and gradually increase the tempo". It sounds logical, but it doesn’t always work.
The problem is that many technical issues only show up at higher speeds. A motion that feels smooth at 70 BPM might completely fall apart at 120 BPM. Slow practice can hide the exact problems that stop you from playing fast.
Instead of slowly creeping up the metronome, it helps to practice at a few clearly defined tempos.
Three Speeds That Matter
Every exercise or riff has three useful practice speeds:
Slow
Medium
Fast
Each one trains something different. The exact numbers will depend on the difficulty of the phrase. A challenging lick might feel slow at 60 BPM, while an easier one might feel slow at 90 BPM.
What matters is quickly identifying the three ranges.
Finding Your Practice Speeds
You can usually figure them out in about a minute.
Slow speed
Raise the tempo until you reach the fastest BPM where your hands still feel completely relaxed. Your picking hand should feel loose and effortless. That’s your slow speed.
Fast speed
Now push the tempo higher until you lose the beat. Then bring it down slightly until you can stay with the metronome again, even if the notes aren’t perfectly clean. That’s your fast speed.
Medium speed
Your medium tempo sits somewhere between the two. It should feel playable, but slightly demanding.
Practice Them Separately
Each speed builds a different skill:
Slow speed builds relaxation and control
Medium speed improves coordination
Fast speed exposes mechanical weaknesses
Here are some great alternate picking exercises that you can use to identify your weak spots.
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