control

a few weeks back i picked up a book a friend had on "guitar technique." i spent maybe 3 minutes flipping through it but noticed the author went on a minor tirade about slowing down to practice control. so i tried incorporating it into how i play a variety of things, and it really gives you a different perspective (nonlinear, of course) on what you're focusing on while you play. the biggest thing i noticed is that it helps get timing & rhythm down better, but it also lets you attend to stress that shows up where it doesn't belong.