The Simple Reason Why You’re Not Getting Faster at Guitar
Struggling to build speed on guitar? Learn why your progress is stuck and how to fix it with a simple method to boost speed, accuracy, and clean technique.
Video lesson will be added on Aug 18, 2025
🎸 The Simple Reason Why You’re Not Getting Faster at Guitar
Hey, it’s James here from GoodGuitarist.com – and today I want to show you the real reason why your guitar playing isn’t speeding up the way you’d like… and more importantly, how to fix it.
Let’s get something clear right away:
Most players don’t plateau because they lack talent.
They plateau because they’re repeating the wrong movements.
❌ What Most People Get Wrong
If you’ve been playing for a while but feel like your hands are stuck in slow motion, you’re not alone. I dealt with this for years—and the problem wasn’t how fast I could go…
It was how well I was moving.
Most people try to build speed by cranking up the metronome and pushing through reps. But that often leads to reinforcing bad habits—sloppy finger lifts, unnecessary tension, and inefficient motion.
Let me show you…
🎯 Example 1: 5-6-7-8 Exercise (Speed Exercise)
Try this:
Play frets 5–6–7–8 on each string, slowly. Focus on:
- Smooth transitions between fingers
- Even volume and note length
- Avoiding “flicking” or lifting fingers too high
- Spotting any tension in your hand or wrist
This is a great warmup—but we want to move beyond finger drills and practice the stuff that actually happens when you’re playing real music.
🎯 Example 2: Chord Switching
Watch what happens when most people switch chords… they kind of hover their hand and then jump to the next shape. It’s inefficient.
Instead – train yourself to prep the next shape early.
Even if it’s slow at first, you’re building smart movement habits that will actually help you play faster and more fluidly over time.
✅ Practice This Way Instead
Here’s my 3-Step Method for Building Speed:
- Make It Sound Good
Play slow, clean, and consistent. Not just the right notes—but even volume, smooth rhythm, and clarity. - Watch Your Hands
Use your eyes to spot unnecessary movement. Keep it efficient and make it look good too. - Use Fast + Slow Metronome Training
- Start slow and get everything perfect (ex: 60 bpm for 5 minutes)
- Then try a slightly faster version (ex: 90 bpm for 1 minute)
- Observe what falls apart. Go back, refine it.
- Slowly raise both speeds: 60+90 → 62+92, and so on.
🔁 Bonus Tip: Micro-Movement Training
Practice smaller motions—like switching between two fingers, or moving one note across a string. These isolated movements will drastically improve your control and speed over time.
💬 Your Turn
Try these ideas in your next practice session and let me know how it goes in the comments!
Are you noticing tension? Are you prepping shapes earlier? I’d love to hear how it’s working for you.
🎓 Want More Help?
If you want more guidance on improving your speed, technique, or any part of your guitar journey, check out my All-Access Pass – it includes all my premium courses, plus exclusive bonuses and a private guitar community.
👉 Your All-Access Pass to Mastering Guitar
No more guessing. No more random YouTube rabbit holes. Just a step-by-step system that helps you get better—and enjoy the process.
Have a fun time practicing and I’ll see you soon!
– James
