Self improvement help

[Couth]

Hey y'all,
I've been playing Melee semi-seriously now for about 2 months and I'm at that awkward stage in-between complete scrub nub and being considered "okay". I've always been very analytical, so I can pick up a lot of the mental game very quickly. My tech skill is pretty good when practicing alone, but when playing friends who are better than me, I feel like I revert back to "derp f-smash" Marth play. My friends try their best to point out when I'm rolling too much or when I should've wavedashed, but that's not their job, it's mine. My question is what should I do to step my game up and get out of this rut? I can only play with my friends at most once a week for like 3 hours at a time. What can I do alone beside practice tech skill and chain grabs against level 3's? Also, a little off-topic, but will practicing on a CRT make a difference? When I go to my friend's house, I can definitely feel the difference, but I usually get accustomed to it within 5 minutes. Thanks in advance.

 

[Darkly Dreaming Dexter]

Playing with your friends is a lot more effective than playing with computers in my opinion, so I'd try to arrange to play with some weekly. Anyways, if you don't have friends nearby like me, I normally just fight 3 level 9 computers, with no items, and friendly fire enabled, and it's done be some good.

 

[Lorenzo The Comic]

I hate Ganondorf.

 

[Darkly Dreaming Dexter]

I hate Ganondorf.

Vouch.

 

[EPsilon933]

will practicing on a CRT make a difference? When I go to my friend's house, I can definitely feel the difference, but I usually get accustomed to it within 5 minutes. Thanks in advance.

Do your friends have a CRT or an HDTV? If it's an HDTV, tell them to get component cables to cut the lag in half. If they have a Wii. Gamecube component cables are basically impossible to get/use

Play Street Fighter (3 3rd Strike) online. Fighting games are about making the right decisions. This game will teach you that aspect better than any other fighting game out there

 

[Couth]

They play on CRTs and cubes while I play on LCD and wii. I didn't know that there was a difference in wii and GameCube as well. Am I holding myself back by using this setup?

 

[SAUS]

They play on CRTs and cubes while I play on LCD and wii. I didn't know that there was a difference in wii and GameCube as well. Am I holding myself back by using this setup?

As far as I know, using a wii or cube doesn't matter. However, you definitely need to play on a CRT.

 

[EPsilon933]

They play on CRTs and cubes while I play on LCD and wii. I didn't know that there was a difference in wii and GameCube as well. Am I holding myself back by using this setup?

Perhaps I misworded something? There is no difference when playing on a Wii vs playing on a Gamecube. However, Wii component cables are easy to find. Gamecube component cables are hard to find an only the models made before 2004 have the gamecube component cable connector inputs

 

[Couth]

Perhaps I misworded something? There is no difference when playing on a Wii vs playing on a Gamecube. However, Wii component cables are easy to find. Gamecube component cables are hard to find an only the models made before 2004 have the gamecube component cable connector inputs

Oh! Okay sorry I misunderstood. Now that I reread your original comment, it makes sense now. My fault :/