Glad you like it.

It's a great exercise no matter what speed you play it at. Relax and be patient with it.

Cheers and ask if you have a question, big or small! The only stupid question is the one that wasn't asked Now I sound like a fortune cookie.

This post has been edited by UncleSkillet: Sep 11 2009, 01:52 AM

Hmm, patience isnt my strong point!

I'm more like " I want it all and I want it now!"

But thats not the way to learn guitar, so patience it is!

This post has been edited by Boson: Sep 12 2009, 03:18 PM

Hi Jeff

Just to let you know where I am up to.

First vid - run through of pentatonic shapes - no real problem- except when I press the red button!

Vids 2 and 3 got at about 60bpm. Not cleanly yet but getting better. I started at 30 bpm and have been using the speed trainer in GP5, first time I have used this.

Still working on the rest.

I think this is going to be a long drawn out effort to get anywhere near Emirs speed, but thats cool#!

Thanks for picking out this lesson even though I am miles away from mastering it I do feel that it is helping already and I am beginning to find that I am more confident with pentatonic licks.

Just for fun I have been playing Wipeout by the Ventures, you are nearly as old as me so might remember it

Hopefully something for you to listen to at the weekend.

Sounds great Tony! Don't sweet the Red Button bro!. It happens to me and I would say most people here when they record at first. Focus the camera on your guitar and then know one can see you. You'll get use to it. Try and relax, go to your happy place and concentrate on what your playing. Maybe even loop the backing a few times (or what ever your practicing with GP midi). Web cam audio should be fine to. No need for a big production and then just cut out your best take when you edit the video and upload to Youtube. Make sure you leave a good blooper for me though. That will improve your grade!

There is much for use to learn and discuss with this lesson which is why I picked it (theory, linking the 5 boxes together, phrasing, octaves and just getting a better feel for using the whole neck). Once again don't worry about full speed, just play smooth and clean Tony. What ever speed that is that's fine. We got to start somewhere, so no worries bro.

I'm really looking forward to your upload

Hi Jeff,

Hope you are well.

I have bought a new webcam (Logitech 9000 pro as recommended by lots of GMCers)

So its now much easier to make and upload. So here are the firts two (they aint pretty!! ) Still experimenting with the cam and sound etc. These were recorded just with the cam mic so hope thats ok for our purpose

I have decided to learn the run shown in each of Emirs videos before I try to speed up.

This is great Tony!! Congrats, the Quickcam 9000 Pro is a nice one and your going to love it!

Your video/audio quality is fine for what we're doing so don't worry man, just keep it the same. We can tweak things later no problem.

Your playing is good so far. You have the pentatonic boxes memorized and your using the correct fingers to play each note. The last scale box you played in the first video you hit a few sour notes so watch that. You probably already new this though. Just something to mention.

I don't see any big problems with the 2nd one either. One thing I want you to think about though is your pull-off at the end of each lick. Right now they sound weak but this is probably because you just need to play the lesson more. Everything looks like it is coming together really nice so keep up the good work!

Assignment for next week:

Work on at least the next 2 videos in the lesson (videos 3 and 4). Upload 2 videos. One playing the boxes again, the other of you playing videos 2 - 4. I want you to play along with a metronome track in the background using quarter notes (one note per click) so find a comfortable tempo you can play at and still keep it clean. Pick a goal and challenge yourself some.

Here is a link where you can download mp3 metronome tracks to play along with if you don't have anything already.
http://www.reztronics.com/prod01.htm

Looking forward to your next upload and ask if you have a question!

Cheers Jeff.

Great advice thanks.

Hey Tony,

Go get the POD Farm VST FREE!

https://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_fo...c=30799&hl=

Regards to you and your family

Thanks for that Jeff, I have downloaded it but not played with it yet. Do you prefer it to Gearbox?

Video below is the pentatonic shapes at 200bpm.



I can do it at 250 but tend to screw up.

Been working on the lesson and have memorised it ofk and am beginning to work at speeding it up. Have to admit I am finding the pulloffs difficult.m Particularly in video 4. I can pick it fine but the minute I try to do th epulloff as in the tab I screw up!

Will try to get you a vid to look at real soon.

Dont know if enjoy is the right word but I recognise that it is helping my playing progress so thanks again for picking it out.

I will comment when I get home tonight from work. I can't listen right now.

Thats OK no prob.

I've done my days work and am here with the guitar and a well deserved glass of wine

This post has been edited by Boson: Sep 30 2009, 06:37 PM

Sounds good

One thing I forgot to mention. Make sure you activate the POD Farm VST using Line 6 Monkey with the Key they gave you. We'll discuss the other options this VST will give you and the ways you record using it. Just wanted to make sure you got it FREE and activated alright.

Chat later

Your making some real good progress with this. Tempo was good, not really to much else to say. Well there was one thing that bothered me. From 0:00 - 0:25 (your clock in the bottom left) you used the correct fingering (used your pinky). But from 0:25 till the end you didn't. You just started to use your first 3 fingers and no pinky. From the 9th fret all the way to the end.

I would say always use your pinky like in the lesson. That's how I do it. Some players never use there pinky when playing these shapes and it works for them fine like Yngwie, Marcus Lavendell just to name a few. But I have never seen anyone use one style up high and the other down low. It's seems like you would be counter acting what your trying to train your fingers muscles to do. Just train them to play one way or the other seems easier. Think about it and ask if you have a question.

How is the other upload coming along? It would help if I could at least see the problem your having with video 4 so I can help you fix this. Do you think it may have something to do with the different fingerings I mentioned above?

HI Jeff

Thanks for the feedback.


You make and interesting point about the pinky thing. I was aware that I did that but had never given it any thought, or identified it as a potential problem. I am conscious of trying to make sure I use the pinky but it does not come naturally. Dont think it happens on the upload but sometimes my left pinky's natural position is to hide behind the neck!! I know this is bad so I am trying to correct it.

I will get you an upload in the next few days, sorry its taking a while. Been busy but this is my priority for the next few days.

In Emirs videos he runs through each section slowly (correct me if I am wrong but I think he is at 60 bpm) he then goes into mega fast mode. How do you make the transition from one to the other? They sound so different!

Yeah, thats not a good thing. You really need to concentrate on fixing that. I don't think I could even play with my pinky behind the neck.



OK, looking forward to it.



I'm not sure what speed he is playing at when he plays slow or fast to be honest. The backing track text is cut off and expanding or contracting the side bar doesn't help, so I can't read it. I can shoot him a PM and ask if you want.

All I want you to focus on is learning the lesson and playing it at a comfortable speed for you right now. It is going to take practice to get it faster, and yes it does sound cooler played up to speed. Use the metronome like I have suggested before. We need to get the fingers on the left hand playing correctly with your right hand picking and pull offs.

Once we get past a few bumpy waves it's going to be a smooth sail from then on.

EDIT: I wanted to add this clip to give you a visual of why left hand position and fingering is important. Watch how his left hand is always the same (fingers) when he goes to play a lick. Also you'll see why your pinky is your friend.



This post has been edited by UncleSkillet: Oct 3 2009, 12:31 AM

Thanks Jeff

I have thought about what you have said and of course you are absolutely right. You have made me realise that I was developing bad habits!

I therefore am going to try to remedy this with your help! I think time spent now improving my technique will pay dividends in the future. Dont let me get sloppy!

I am in this for the long haul and so am going to have to learn to be patient as you have said.

So my practice agenda for the forseable future is as follows:

Ivans Petatonic Workshop Lessons 1 & 2

https://www.guitarmasterclass.net/solo-guit...ming-exercises/

https://www.guitarmasterclass.net/solo-guit...caged-patterns/

Target: To play both lessons through at 90bpm using correct fingering

Emirs Pentatonic Paterns

https://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/pentat...five-positions/

Target: To play full lesson through at 60bpm using correct fingering

And for fun, to keep the interest going, I like this lesson from Marcus

https://www.guitarmasterclass.net/solo-guit...entatonic-solo/

Target: To submit to REC and achieve at lease a pass of 80%


I also found these exercises for warmups and improving technique which I plan to use'






Do you think this is a suitable prectice agenda, please feel free to add to it or ammend it.


Cheers!

This looks like a good plan but I am concerned about you getting bored because of all these finger exercises. We are both in this for the long hale and we’ll get things rocking for you sooner than you think. If your going to put in this effort then it’s important for us to monitor your progress in small chunks. Plus we need to have some more fun mixed in so you can apply what you’re learning in a musical sense. We will cover all of the lesson you have picked but I have a few suggestions.

1.) Start with Ivan’s CAGED Pentatonic workshop Level 1. We won’t start the level 2 CAGED lessons till we’re finished with the first ones. There are 5 video lessons one for each CAGED position. Start with video 2 (1st one is just the Introduction). Each week I want you to upload your progress for the video section we are working on at that time. Goal is at 90bpm and if you struggle with the 16th note triplets we’ll work it out.

2.) Lets keep working on Emir’s lesson. Since you have had weeks to work with this on already, I want you to play it all the way through at a slow speed with a metronome. For each week that follows we’ll speed it up till you can play at full speed.

3.) For Marcus Siepen’s lesson are goal is 120bpm to start. That’s the slowest backing available. Pick 1 or 2 video sections each week and upload your progress playing along with the backing track. Each week (depending on your progress) we will add another section or 2 and then you will upload the whole lessons progress (from beginning to where your currently at). We’ll keep doing this till you can play the whole lesson at 120bpm. Then we will work towards 160bpm full speed.

As far as the other exercises you found on Youtube I’ll leave that up to you if you want to try those. I think with everything I suggested above you have plenty to keep you busy. We can always add these in later as exercises. Let me know if I missed something or if you have suggestions of your own on how you want to accomplish the goal you listed. If I feel like your getting bored at some point I'll throw something small and fun in to snap you out of it and keep you on track so don't have any worries.

Looks like we have a plan!

I'm onto it!

Speak to you soon

Quick update as I am away for a few days.

I have been practicing the shapes ensuring that I use correct fingering.

Just about ready to send you a very very slow run through of Emirs lesson though the pulloffs still cause me lots of problems.

Video will be uploaded on Mon eve,

Take care

Sound good man. Looking forward to your video. I'll focus on your pull-offs if there giving you problems and we'll get it fixed.