pick-o Bonito!
I’ve been noodling away for too long, so I kind of want to put an end to that and improve my technical ability by continuously doing some proper exercises for a while.
Right now, Ben Eller’s alternate picking exercise nicknamed “The Punisher” seems like a good candidate (as I’m not fit enough to have a go at Frank Gambale’s alternate picking course that @koptician suggested) but I would like to hear your opinions.
Also, I need an exercise that would help me improve James Hetfield-style fast downpicking. My forearm keeps locking up lately and cause me insane amount of pain, so I’m definitely doing something wrong and would like to get down to the bottom of it. All suggestions are welcome.
Another suggestion, freely available.
You have to give it time and be patient but consistent with it.
John Petrucci’s Rock Discipline.
You are either trying to turn me into a shredder or make me quit guitar altogether - and I’m afraid it’s the former! I genuinely fear that these exercises are a bridge too far for me, that I need something more basic, nearer my level… But I’ll give it a full watch and see where I’m at with this.
I still need some Hetfield exercises, please help! 
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Mate JP is a complete guitarist. That’s what my aim is to become.
As the great Guthrie Govan said when I asked him as a masterclass: you don’t have to play fast all the time, but having the ability to do so means it’s a tool you possess and use when you want to.
Hetfield, do you mean downpicking only? Then just get tabs for master of puppets and practice playing with downpicking only. Use a metronome
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I think that particular ship that has me playing fast has sailed a long time ago, so I’m trying to make the most out of what I have. After all, I only started learning the guitar a few years ago, well after turning thirty, mostly using YouTube clips and tabs. Now it’s dawning on me that I have to become systematic about it if I’m to make some tangible progress.
My particular goal is to learn to play rhythm guitar as close to possible to Hetfield’s style and perhaps solo as close as possible to pre-Screaming for Vengeance Glenn Tipton (solos from SfV on are mostly untouchable for me). High goals, I know, but I think I can do it in a few years’ time if I get my practice routine right.
I’ve started using a metronome a few weeks back, by the way, but I’d like to add stuff to my practice routine that would get me playing Priest and Metallica properly. Fast downpicking and alternate picking exercises seem like a must. However, you’re suggesting Rock Discipline but it looks like it’s a course meant for the next level of playing (sweep picking and legato, for example), am I wrong?
As for Hetfield, yes, I meant downpicking only, how to do it properly without my arm locking up. I can actually play Master of Puppets but it can’t last for long because I can’t relax my forearm and it starts hurting, so I’m definitely doing something very wrong.
That sounds like you’re tensing up when you try to play fast.
Firstly warming up and stretching you arms (just as going to the gym) really helps. Then do a proper stretch.of the arm, hand and fingers. Stretch fingers two at a time to make sure you don’t overstretch.
When you get up to a particular speed and get locked up…stop immediately and notice your body position, arm position and breathing. Actively working on relaxing and take a long breath in and breathe out slowly. Then go again, always watching out for excess tension. And make sure to maintain relaxed breathing while you play
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Wow! That’s exactly the kind of advice I wanted to hear! Thanks a lot, mate, I will follow this to the letter. To be honest, I only ever warm up the fingers, I never thought I had to warm up my arms and hands. Yeah, I’m a noob, I know. 
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You are most welcome mate.
You have to think of guitar playing like an athletic activity.
Also staying hydrated is important and having enough electrolytes so your hand doesn’t cramp.
I know you guys are going to laugh out loud at this, but my interest in actually learning an instrument came from being given a Rock Band set (PS3) about 13 years ago. Mrs and I used to play it endlessly, but I was always on drums. I introduced my brother to it, who also started on drums. He ended up buying a Yamaha electronic drum kit and a midi-controller to play on a more correct kit.
I still miss it. the guitar was soo hard for me. I was much better on drums and passable on bass.
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I tend to feel my arm tensing up when Im doing something new as I dont know it so well
Once i have it down i relax
Not at all! This is not that uncommon. A couple of my cousins picked up a real guitar after going through one of the incarnations of Rock Band
Normal. Just remember to stop when you notice this, shake out your arms, take a couple of slow, deep breaths, and start again.
Youve missed… throw the guitar at the wall…then… shake out your arms, take a couple of slow, deep breaths, and start again.
Always be kind to yourself mate 
I am at the point where I am considering giving up. Ill never be as good as I want - im not talking Slash levels but a what Id call a decent level.
I’ve been doing this 3.5 years now and still nothing comes easy to me. Its not enjoyable doing the simple things over and over and over for it still not to be what I deem acceptable. Im not one for looking how far ive come - but how far I have to go - and its a long road ill never reach the end of. I dont mind not reaching the end - even Petrucci said he was still learning - but Im just stuck in a load of traffic!
Its odd because when I meet up for a jam with my mates our routine is go in and warm up by banging out Cocaine (the song!), Teenage Kicks, Rockin in the free world, Running down a dream and Somebody (Bryan Adams). I don’t need to rehearse this songs so I don’t. I think I could not play them for 10 years and still know them. I don’t know why that is. I wish I did so I could apply it elsewhere.
But now I’m moving onto the next level - soloing and I’m utterly abysmal at it. My guitar tutor is doing his best but something just isn’t clicking with me. Its so disheartening doing an hours practice and thinking, well that was shit and so am I.
Since I had covid in Dec 2021 my brain hasnt been the same. I cannot concentrate on anything and if someone says shall we learn this song, I cant. I cannot focus on it so I do know the reason why I am struggling but also guitar never came natural to me - everything is a challenge and it takes me ages to get something down
So im taking a few weeks off and I know Ill miss picking up guitar but I need to decide if I want to continue as Im pretty sure a hobby is meant to be enjoyable and this is anything but.
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I’m not an avid follower of this thread, but hang in there Walshy!
To me it all boils down to what you want from it. If you are seeking to be a professional, and to get paid well for it, by all means keep pursuing technical excellence. But at that point, if it’s a slog, I would want to be paid well for it, as it sounds like work, not an enjoyable pursuit.
If the goal is something less than being a professional musician, I would take a break from it, as you are doing, and then come back to it. A break will do a world of good.
When you come back play the songs you love. Have a great time with your mates. Just those two things alone make it well worth it. Playing music with others. Having a good time with mates. That’s the good stuff right there.
Then hopefully as you rediscover your love, you will probably grow again in your playing level, as an outflow of having a bloody good time with it.
Hang in there but by all means take a break.
Obviously remember why you started but also appreciate that you’re able to actually put time into it and enjoy that simply for what it is; time away from all the bs and work shit we have deal with as part of a normal life these days.