johnyere

Is speed on guitar developed naturally over time, or do you have to actively work towards it?

Or is it a combination of both?

Xter

It comes with practice and playing. Before you even worry with speed, focus on training your ear, that's more valueable then speed anyday.

__________________
Gibson Les Paul Custom (Aged White)
Custom Kramer Baretta
Custom Fender Strat
Epiphone Black Beauty
Epiphone AJ
Marshall JCM900 4201
Blackheart Little Giant
MXR Dist. +
MXR Six Band EQ
MXR Phase 90

ChemicalFire

Speed is a by product of good technique.

__________________

B&J

Speed is a matter of muscle memory. If you learn to walk the way to church, the first times you might take a wrong turn. After a while you can walk there without thinking, after a while you can walk there with eyes closed, and after a little while longer you can run there with your eyes closed.

Arpeggio X

To answer your question succinctly, it's a mixture of both. Time and experience allows you to hone your skills, making you faster as a result but really concentrating on proper form and technique will get you faster results.
Speed on the guitar is all about muscle memory and economy of motion. Read through the technique sticky in this forum to get some good tips on how to practice this, but in a nutshell, you don't want to be using more energy than absolutely needed either to pick a note or fret a note. It's fairly simple, but many people don't realise this.

EDIT: Freepower has many YouTube videos demonstrating damn good technique and how to build it. Check them out. Also, look up players like Rick Graham and Michael Romeo to see just how economic they have their movements, it's really something.

__________________
"2,000,000 NPS Whores" club.
Appreciating the beauty of music so fast it blows puny mortal's faces off.
Bow down to teh Shredzor!
PM La Qotsa if you want to join. No emotion? Pah!

JimDawson

@ Arpeggio X
Your Youtube link in your sig doesn't work.

__________________