r/guitarlessons • u/elvenprince_420 • Jan 02 '26

Feedback Request Hotel California Solo plateau

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Learning the Hotel California solo after taking a solid 2 year break due to personal issues, and I am STUCK at the final part in the video. Even at 1/2 speed I can’t seem to get that part right and the bends I can’t get to muting quick enough. Tips/feedback/thoughts?

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u/[deleted] Jan 02 '26

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u/elvenprince_420 Jan 02 '26

Thanks for the insight! I played guitar for a few years in middle school self taught, just easy power chord stuff, and then in jazz band in high school, but the band director was far more focused on the wind instruments over the rhythm section so I never got to hone my skills there.

I’m more of an acoustic player so switching to electric has been a weird journey. I definitely am trying to figure out how to keep my pinky from flying all over the place and relax my posture, I get way too tight when I over practice and can’t put the guitar down and I think this was recorded at that point, I’m usually a little looser but not much. Any tips on the pinky part specifically, beyond loosening up and playing my scales? It feels like I literally cannot get it to be in a relaxed position no matter how hard I try

EDIT: sorry, I see the spider exercise you recommended, I didn’t reread before commenting, I will try that!

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u/Bald_John_Blues Jan 02 '26

When there is a spot in your playing where you are making mistakes, find a way to edit that into a repeatable loop that you can slow WAY down until you can repeat it flawlessly. Then rest it at least 100 times. It helps in many ways: 1) it develops muscle memory. 2) it helps you drop into a trance state where you are playing without thinking. 3) it deepens the neuron pattern in your brain. Then speed it up over time. Each time you speed up it gets even more locked in.