Don't fail me now fingers!

[quitter]

I will be brief. I have been playing guitar for years, never really that serious except for early on. I just haven't played that much in the last five years. Here's what I think my problems are...I have no natural rhythm, I press too hard on the strings (major tension), and when I try to play scales I suck and I trip over myself. Please no comments about practice, practice. I think that is obvious, but I am doing something wrong. For ex. lets say I was playing a scale (three notes per string)so...top string (down-up-down) 5th string (up-down-up) 4th string (down-up-down) by the time I hit the 4th string I have lost control of everything. I can play the top two strings as fast as anyone (well not anyone), but when I add the other I mess up.
I have heard that a metronome will help and I just started using it today. Am i just supposed to use it for scales? Oh, I guess my other quesion is..Do you have any advice? Please if you don't know what you're talking about don't waste my time and spare me any trite comments. Oh, I lied about being brief! Thanks if you can help

P.S. I know about practcing slow and correctly and then gradually speeding up and I did that for years and never got any faster

--Scott

[eische]

hmm, ok you don't want to hear about practise, so I don't have to say anything about those topics concerning correct grips and messed up picking,

but yes, you may use a metronome at whatever you play - scales included, although you will normally use it for songs...It should add, what you suppose yourself to lack - timing and rhythm.
Btw: everyone has a natural rhythm, that is your hardbeat. Try to listen to it and unless you don't have any serious troubles with your health you will have a perfect 4/4-beat right inside you...

[55'gibby]

lock yourself in a room, put on P diddy and crank it up. listen to it for days without sleep, or relief... oops, sorry not the "I want to commit suicide" forum.

a metronome, if you feel your rhythmically challenged, is a must when you play (what ever you play). you will find the more you use the metronome the better you rhythm will become. also look at the first fret section here and make sure your mechanics are correct (you know, like how are your hand positioned, are you sitting straight, is the guitar in the right position for you etc, etc... ). you may also need to do some hand exercises for strenght, flexablity, dexterity.

I hope you didn't take this to mean practice, practice, practice.

[bones98]

try doing hammer on maybe for 5 minutes non stop for each finger.
For example

-----6h8------------5h7---------6h8--------------
---------6h8-----5h7--------6h8------------------
-------------6h8--------6h8---------6h8-6h8-6hp--
-------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------
HAmmer with your third finger on ths tab

and keep going and built you distance farther the more faster you get,
try use the whole fret board while hammering,
so far doing this I'm able to keep up with Iron maiden's
Number of the beast solo,

soon one day you'll be like ZAkk Wylde
or maybe get his phone number and ask if he can give you some pointers