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Posted by: CathShadow Oct 19 2010, 06:10 AM

So, I'm playing "Pretty fly for a white guy"..

It's not really a tricky song at all to play.. easy chords, easy riffs etc.. Except I was for some reason having a lot of trouble in the faster slides at parts of the song...

Frustrated with myself, I was about to put the guitar down.. then I stopped took a breath and thought to myself: "I can do this - I've played other things the same or faster, what's wrong with me?"

Which made me relax, my hands relaxed, and I suddenly found I was playing smoother, and cleaner ..

So it seems attitude is very important..?

(btw. on a side note, any tips on getting a nicer slide? (my fingers seem to "stick" to the strings if I slide too much - or too quick.. like my hand is there and my fingers almost get left behind from friction )

Posted by: Azzaboi Oct 19 2010, 10:13 AM

I notice when I started to play something fast I was unsure on, I tended to overthink things and start to play harder rather than faster. I pressed down harder on the fretboard or dig in with the pick to get the aggressive sound but that is instant death for speed and playing smooth. I use to do this a lot when I first started the electric, even to the point of skinning the fingers, specially on power chord slides.

I later found out just chilling for a moment with what I like to jam or stopping for the moment can help me relax. Never play tensed up, if you do, stop!

As soon as you play lighter on the fingers and the pick and have smaller movements the better the playing, smoother and the easier the speed will come. Angle the pick slightly for a better attack. Mix in both hands for muting / palm muting with released accents and your got back the aggressive chucky metal feeling but much more controlled and in rhythm.

Tip for the slide - replace with new strings if old or at least ensure the strings are clean. There's two types of slides, one involves an extra grace note with no time of it's own (a quick slide in from anywhere) and the other is a value slide, in which the first note is held before sliding into the next note. Slide lighter, don't dig down as you slide.

Posted by: Bogdan Radovic Oct 19 2010, 10:35 AM

This is very important. Its in your head actually if you can or can't play something. If you stay positive take a minute or two pause and start again you should be able to reach your goals. But then attitude means a lot of things and reflects on how you play and with which feeling. That is one aspect if playing that requires special attention for sure.

Regarding slides, there you have to relax your hand in order not to put too much pressure to the strings while sliding. One neat trick is to apply GHS Fast Fret strings conditioner/cleaner. It will definitely make sliding easier (strings will get lubricated/greasy).

Posted by: jafomatic Oct 19 2010, 03:16 PM

The best thing about attitude is that it will --if allowed to run free-- help you to play something that still sounds good even when it is totally wrong.

Posted by: Mudbone Oct 19 2010, 03:28 PM

As far as slides, lean your finger a little less than perpendicular, away from the direction you're sliding to, and that should give you more leverage.

Posted by: CathShadow Oct 19 2010, 07:29 PM

Hmmm thanks for the help guys.. slides are sounding a little better... gonna use these tips a little more...

Posted by: Staffy Oct 20 2010, 12:42 PM

Play with attitude to me is playing something convincing, it doesnt have to be fast or perfect - as long as it tells the listener something. And then there's several moods that can be applied on a attitude as well, sad, slow, happy, aggresive etc. The ultimate would be to in-cooperate these emotions in different phrases that travels between moods and feeling.

This sounds a little far out, or?????

//Staffay

Posted by: Mate Nagy Oct 20 2010, 02:52 PM

No it doesn't sound out at all
This is almost the same way I feel about attitude and music . . .
Oh, and nicely said before guys

Posted by: Bogdan Radovic Oct 20 2010, 05:32 PM

This is spot on! Convincing is a great word for it. Its very possible to play/sing something "right" but for it not to sound good in a song. Usually the reason is that you can feel that the performer is not confident - there fore I don't get to believe in the line/phrase he is playing and it doesn't sound convincing. Now, you can always put your heart in it - and even if its the same notes - it will make a huge different to play it with proper attitude. Then "audience" will dig it too for sure...

Posted by: jafomatic Oct 21 2010, 05:19 PM

It sounds a little familiar.