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Posted by: Ben Higgins Jun 15 2012, 10:07 AM

Task 21: http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/solo-guitar/alternate-picking-16th-note-exercises/

Hey Guys, this week I want you to concentrate only on the 1st lick of this lesson. This is the lick that will be in the 1st video part. I've chosen it because it's a straight 16th note run and it fits nicely with the 16th note pentatonic ideas we've been looking at

If you can get 160 then great, but I'm going to set a minimum tempo of 130bpm !

I know you guys like hammering out these licks, because they don't take ages to learn and you can just spend the time getting better at it.. so I'll be expecting some decent participation on this Task, ok gentlemen ?

Deadline is next Friday 15th June or I will make survive for a week on nothing but water and tofu.

Posted by: Opetholic Jun 15 2012, 11:49 AM

Here is my take at full speed, 16th notes at 160 bpm.

Posted by: Ben Higgins Jun 15 2012, 12:15 PM

Man, don't you ever rest ???

Congrats, you have a Donut.

Seriously though, that was really tight and accurate - well done !

Posted by: Opetholic Jun 15 2012, 12:21 PM

Ummm now you make me feel bad I am on a break, it is time for me to get better
I was just lucky this week, this is the kind of thing I practiced so much, I would normally start to do this at this tempo and go up..

Posted by: gregc1 Jun 15 2012, 02:45 PM

Well that was quick.

On a side note, I didn't know how bad I actually suck at AP runs, especially the pentatonic ones. I think this will be easier than the last 2 (that I'm still practicing) so hopefully I can make a good showing here.

Ben, not to make excuses but I'm still slightly obsessing over finishing the last Vibrato task (Lavendell). That has also eaten a large portion of my time but I should have takes for all three of the AP tasks here fairly shortly however I'll warn you that they will not be nearly as fast as some of the other submissions.

Posted by: Ben Higgins Jun 15 2012, 04:07 PM

No worries Greg ! It's all good !



I was only kidding man You just couldn't resist the thought of a Donut- just admit it

Posted by: Opetholic Jun 15 2012, 04:54 PM

Hehe I just didn't want to spend another week at the Temple with only water and tofu

Posted by: maharzan Jun 15 2012, 05:06 PM

Wow, quick people.. Nice! I need to practice.

Posted by: DeGroot Jun 15 2012, 05:55 PM

The donut has been won before I've had a sip of coffee... I'm afraid tofu does not go so well with coffee

Congrats O That was tight!

This is the perfect lick that I need to be practicing and would like to finally get this down... I've always stumbled with string switching with these particular runs.

Posted by: Ben Higgins Jun 15 2012, 06:05 PM

No, I can't imagine Tofu and Coffee (Toffee ?!) really being a nice experience..

Posted by: maharzan Jun 16 2012, 06:15 AM

Heres my take.

Posted by: Ben Higgins Jun 16 2012, 08:57 AM

Nice one Dude !! You guys are tearing it up this week !

Posted by: Opetholic Jun 16 2012, 09:51 AM

All right Warriors, let's keep it tight this week and destroy this exercise and send it back to the depths of Hell it was summoned from Here is my take at 180 bpm.

Posted by: maharzan Jun 16 2012, 09:57 AM

Oh man!

Posted by: Opetholic Jun 16 2012, 10:01 AM

You will thank me by the end of the week Master Maharzan that is if we don't all get hurt But joking aside, we should warm up well for this one to reach the speed of light..

Posted by: HungryForHeaven Jun 16 2012, 11:20 AM

Is it ok if I play it backwards?

I could probably do around 145 on a good day, but there is something stopping me from reaching beyond that point when it's outside all the way. I don't know how you guys do it. For me, it takes FOREVER to move the pick over/across the string before hitting that string. It doesn't matter how much I isolate that very motion, there must be a trick which I haven't found yet.

Starting with an upstroke is only a temporary solution, of course, and I lose the rhythm slightly. But it's a lot faster for me.

Posted by: Ben Higgins Jun 16 2012, 01:03 PM

I remember that I discovered I had less problems with outside picking when I allowed my whole hand to move a bit more when crossing the strings. How do you do it ? Do you use the thumb joint to move the pick when crossing strings ?

If you keep the motion as small as when you pick on one string then that might be holding you back ?

Posted by: HungryForHeaven Jun 16 2012, 08:11 PM

I don't really move the thumb and index finger. I have deliberately avoided that, because I can't move my fingers back and forth nearly as fast as I can move my wrist, so I don't see how it could help much. But maybe it is the way to go. I'll try it at lower speeds.

Or it could all lie in the pick stroke prior to the outside stroke - maybe one has to accentuate or exaggerate the motion of the previous stroke, make it longer, to be better prepared for the next stroke.

I don't think I keep the motion too small. The total range of motion should be at least as wide when inside picking, right? With outside picking, it SHOULD be easier to minimize the range of motion, since you don't need to move the pick further than just past the string before striking it. With inside picking, I believe it is easier to use a more uncontrolled motion after striking the string.

Oh well.. I guess I'll have to record myself with a high-speed camera and analyze every move I make, every breath I take.

Posted by: DeGroot Jun 16 2012, 10:42 PM

160bpm.

I'm starting to make some changes that are helping me with this outside picking. I used to only play runs with either inside or economy picking when changing strings.

Posted by: Ben Higgins Jun 17 2012, 11:11 AM

Sounding good D to the G !!

What changes have you been making ?

Posted by: DeGroot Jun 17 2012, 03:41 PM

Hehe...Thanks Sensei. Before I was using just my wrist and thumb to change strings and AP. My forearm and elbow would stay locked down, so when it came to higher speeds it just wasn't smooth. I went back to the drawing board and was reminded here of the old MAB instructional video... you know, the "keys to the lamborgini" stuff. I can tremelo pick fast on one string, so it was just a matter of applying the same motion to changing strings and just getting it to sync up. I've been drilling all kinds of AP lessons for months, so its been a process.

Posted by: maharzan Jun 19 2012, 04:18 AM

Hi Ben and all fellow Ninjas,

I would like to thank you all specially Ben and Opetholic and all who pushed the latest (last 2) tasks above the limit. That actually really helped my AP quite a bit. I was learning Mojo Oro lesson by Muris for the last month and the push from you guys really helped me do it. Sorry about the off topic entry but I really wanted to thank you guys.

Here is my take:



Thanks,
Chandra

Posted by: gregc1 Jun 19 2012, 04:38 AM

Dude. Thats insane!

All 3 of you guys (Chandra, degroot, opeth) look so smooth and effortless playing that speed stuff. Super jealous.

I'm nowhere close but seeing these inspires me to try and reach the same level.

Posted by: maharzan Jun 19 2012, 04:44 AM

Thanks greg. No one really cares about shredding (unless you are the best). The solo you came up with in that collab, oh man! Thats music and that matters. Good job!

Posted by: Opetholic Jun 19 2012, 06:31 AM

Hey Chandra, wow man that is one hell of a lesson take!! Congratulations. You are eating up level 9 lessons while I struggle with level 5 ones How long did it take you to learn that one and master it?? I wonder if it is within my reach.

Posted by: DeGroot Jun 19 2012, 07:32 AM

That sounded incredible! Way to go, Chandra!

Posted by: maharzan Jun 19 2012, 08:35 AM

Thanks Guys. I had been practicing this for around a month. I have tried a lot of hard lessons before but its been probably a year I haven't practiced level 7 or above lesson coz I wanted to go back to basics and master vibrato/bends/melody etc. The last weeks or so, I have done short licks that would revisit my AP, 2 with Todd and 2 with Ben. You guys really pushed it hard. I could do this lesson at 150bpm and after 2 weeks I got to 160, but 170 was a real push. Then you guys came in challenging to do things at 180bpm. I even pushed further 190! then 170 felt easy peasey!

I really owe this one to you guys. It should be doable since you are posting the best takes here.

Just to add, I couldn't do 120bpm 16th notes when I joined GMC. Well I sort of gave up guitar 16-18 years ago coz of that. So, its been a real hard work 2-3 years here at GMC (the last hasn't been that hard though). Lot of wrist/arm pain/ left hand issues, still have sync issues. Its no magic.

Posted by: SirJamsalot Jun 19 2012, 08:52 AM

Man, you guys really set the bar high Since I've been trying to improve my hand-stretch / reach to the low E, I decided take a different approach by doing this lesson standing up, and guitar strapped as low as it will go haha. I set the metronome at 90 BPM to help me hear the landing notes for each 16th. Ug. It's a good workout. oh, and something I noticed - my thumb wraps over the top due to how low the guitar is, but when I reach the D string, I have to move my thumb behind the neck - but because it's strapped so low, I can't easily assume the classical position where the thumb is center neck - instead,my thumb is actually parallel to the neck - how odd... but it works for me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yq9A0FrmJOA

Chandra - that's rad! Great take. While you're learning all these great lessons, all my time is spent learning cover songs with virtually no solos whatsoever :/ But I'm slowly moving into that terrain. You da man

Posted by: maharzan Jun 19 2012, 08:56 AM

Thanks Sir!

Your take is awesome. I need to do that too. Haven't stood up for playing.

Posted by: SirJamsalot Jun 19 2012, 09:06 AM

I read the part in your post about wrist problems. Just a forewarning - I've been standing alot for perfomances, so my wrist is somewhat accustomed to that angle, but when you first start, strap high and work your way lower over time - it can be a wrist killer. I have to stretch my fingers back every so often when playing this low!

Posted by: maharzan Jun 19 2012, 09:59 AM

Great tip. will do that.

Posted by: Opetholic Jun 19 2012, 10:00 AM

Sorry Ben for abusing your thread like this but Chandra inspired me so much that I wanted to see how difficult this lesson is. I learned the first section of it and here is a take at 160bpm, slower than original.. Maybe we should do this as a Warrior Bushido task, it is a nice AP exercise... Maybe I should give this lesson a go after I pass my level 6 and 7 lessons I just failed on a lesson by Ben

Posted by: maharzan Jun 19 2012, 10:46 AM

C U can do it!

Posted by: Opetholic Jun 19 2012, 11:03 AM

Thanks Chandra you have been a great source of inspiration for me I will try it once I am done with the lesson I am working on..

Posted by: Ben Higgins Jun 19 2012, 11:32 AM

Yeah, man I just saw this in another thread ! WOW !



Very impressed with how little your picking hand moves.. it looks so effortless !



Another impressive display ! What do you mean about failing on a lesson.. which lesson ?

Posted by: Opetholic Jun 19 2012, 11:47 AM

I submitted my take on the Iced Earth Style lesson. It seems like I have some timing issues. I studied the lesson again and prepared another take. Once it is final that I fail, I will post the new take. Hopefully that's ok Can I PM you my new take so you have a look?

Posted by: Ben Higgins Jun 19 2012, 12:21 PM

Oh.. I actually gave you a 9... I was surprised when I saw the other votes but I guess we all hear different things that we pick up on

Posted by: gregc1 Jun 19 2012, 02:26 PM

Hey, hey. Let's not get crazy here.

Posted by: maharzan Jun 19 2012, 02:43 PM

Ha! I like that.

Posted by: Ben Higgins Jun 19 2012, 03:02 PM

Yeah.. someone could get hurt !

Posted by: Ben Higgins Jun 22 2012, 10:07 AM

This was one hell of a Bushido response this week. Really pleased. I hope that you got your fill of AP licks because there's going to be a change of pace next....

Posted by: Opetholic Jun 22 2012, 10:09 AM

Neeeee.. We want more AP I need to get my 3rd finger stronger

Posted by: Ben Higgins Jun 22 2012, 10:55 AM

Trust the Higgins !!

P.S. AP licks are everywhere.. you can do as much of it as you want

Posted by: Opetholic Jun 25 2012, 12:49 PM

Hey Ben and Chandra and the rest of the guys,

Here is my take on Mojo Oro Part 1. What do you all think??

Posted by: maharzan Jun 25 2012, 01:53 PM

Wow, that was pretty quick. It sounds great. Just 2 places of wrong notes I think. You should really get a good recording setup so it sounds clearer and you can find out any flaws.

Posted by: Opetholic Jun 25 2012, 01:55 PM

Thanks Chandra for the feedback. Yea I am aware of the two note mistakes I wonder if I should still put it in the REC zone

Posted by: Ben Higgins Jun 25 2012, 01:58 PM

Very good take, Mert.. you make it all look quite easy !

Posted by: maharzan Jun 25 2012, 02:02 PM

If possible, you could re take this and get a 10!

Posted by: Opetholic Jun 25 2012, 02:05 PM

Thanks Ben Hehe but it is easy No I am kidding, it is pretty damn demanding... I think I will put it in REC in spite of the two wrong notes


I am not that ambitious I end up making small mistakes no matter how much I record it. It is also quite a long piece.. This was one of the best takes so I will stick with it.

Posted by: DeGroot Jun 25 2012, 06:24 PM

I knew I heard Mojo Ojo echoing out of some cave.

Man, that is some impressive picking

Posted by: Opetholic Jun 25 2012, 06:32 PM

Hehe yea I was hiding in a cave from Sensei and The Godfather, I knew they would eventually find me
Thank you your picking is quite impressive itself

Posted by: Ben Higgins Jun 25 2012, 06:51 PM

We already knew where you were... we see all..