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GMC Forum _ Gabriel Leopardi _ Stinger’s Mastering Lead Guitar
Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Mar 13 2012, 03:23 PM
Hi Stinger!! Welcome to your http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_forum/index.php?showtopic=43110&st=20 thread!!
Could you please tell me a bit about you, your musical tastes, influences, strengths and weaknesses? I would need some videos of you playing rhythm and solo guitar, so please post your best material here. If you have some music or ideas of your own, also post them here. Also let me know how you think that I can help you and what are your expectations for our job. You can check the other Army's thread to discover the different modalities of this project.
The principles of our Army are:
+ Improve your technique
+ Make music and solos
+ Have fun
+ Destroy the enemy (hahaha not realy just kidding... )
Posted by: Stinger Mar 13 2012, 09:00 PM
Hi Gabriel,
thank you very much 
I'm Marcus, living in Germany, 26 years old, and an IT system professional. I am mainly a rhythm guitarist who wants to play a lead guitar, but without the progress I thought I'd make... I love hearing songs of bands like Metallica, Slayer, that kind of Thrash Metal, but I'm also a great fan of different bands like Queen, Deep Purple, even Eric Clapton etc.
I have two friends who are playing in a band and sometimes I play with them - however I wish I'd improve my skills more so that we could play a lot more together (e.g. improvising solos, but first of all playing solos properly...)
My strengths are mainly rhythm-oriented. Hammer-ons/pull-offs, slides and bends are more or less easy to play for me, but I have a greater problem with speed and precision though. Faster solos are always only possible to play until the fast part for me. Pinch harmonics are also a disaster 
The video thing is a problem, I don't have recording equipment here to make a video. However, I wanted to buy an audio interface to record some of my stuff. What would you suggest?
Mainly, I need someone to help me fishing out the right lessons in an order that makes sense, and someone who has a lot more of playing experience to help me with the techniques I haven't figured out yet. I'm not quite sure how this Army thing is working, so let me know what you would expect from a student as well
Regards,
Marcus
Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Mar 13 2012, 09:26 PM
Hi mate! Thanks for your introduction. The Army is basically a project to help GMC students to take their playing or composing abilities to a new level. I adapt the modality of work to each student so we can develop it together. The idea is that I give you assignments, lessons, exercises or anything to work on basing on your main goals (in this case Lead Guitar playing). It would be very important to at least hear you playing the exercises, it would be awesome if you can also film yourself at least with a webcam. This could help me to see your posture and hands movements and give some feedback about it. To start working I should hear your playing (you can use a cell phone of something) or you can tell me your level based on the lessons here at the site.
I also would like you to join some collabs at the site and help you with it, so if you finally get a recording interface we can also go for it!
By the way the first thing that I would like you to work is in this exercises:
http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_forum/index.php?showtopic=42825
Posted by: Stinger Mar 13 2012, 09:37 PM
I see. Well, I'll try to record myself with my mobile phone at first - (it makes full HD, but the problem is the sound I think). The interface is on it's way, so it could be possible to mix the video with the sound - if I can figure that out Collabs are a great think and I'm hoping to be able to participate soon!
I found the exercises you gave me a couple of days ago I'm on it now.
One question: What about "+ STRETCHING (check out the different movements in the video chat)"? Are the video files saved somewhere?
Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Mar 13 2012, 10:23 PM
That sounds great mate! I'll send you a PM now where you'll find video with the stretches.
I'll be waiting for your takes!
Posted by: Stinger Apr 10 2012, 04:24 PM
Well, I've managed to record some riffs I was working on... unfortunately it's not as precise as I wanted it to be, but I still have problems with the metronome/recording synchronization. Making a video is also a little challenge, still working on it.
[attachment=27067:First_recording.mp3]
Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Apr 10 2012, 07:12 PM
[attachment=27067:First_recording.mp3]
Hi mate, your playing needs some timing adjust but it's not bad. You palm muting sounds good. It would be great if you can record something using a backing track and I would also like to help you improving your tone. How did you record this?
Posted by: Stinger Apr 12 2012, 11:31 PM
Hi Gab,
I recorded it through my PC interface using a Boss GT-8, but the sound is still under development
What would you recommend as a backing track? Some cover songs that I play or just a drum beat?
Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Apr 13 2012, 12:40 AM
I recorded it through my PC interface using a Boss GT-8, but the sound is still under development
What would you recommend as a backing track? Some cover songs that I play or just a drum beat?
What about using a lesson in the style of the bands that you like? There are many metal lessons here at the site... what do you think?
Posted by: Stinger Apr 13 2012, 04:30 PM
Great idea, I'll try that!
Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Apr 13 2012, 04:39 PM
Do you have any ideas? Check Lian's or Ben's lessons!
Posted by: Stinger Apr 13 2012, 11:25 PM
I think I'll give Ben's Scorpions style rhythm lesson a try - sounds like I could do it with a few hours of practice. See you around
Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Apr 14 2012, 04:49 PM
Excellent! Please post your take here!
Posted by: Stinger Apr 20 2012, 03:52 PM
Hi Gab,
I have recorded a first take of the Scorpions style lesson. I still have problems with the timing, but unfortunately the backing track is only available at full speed. I'll post a more precise take, but for now here is the first version...
See you around.
Scorpions_style_rhythm_take1.mp3 ( 551.86K )
: 133Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Apr 20 2012, 10:37 PM
I have recorded a first take of the Scorpions style lesson. I still have problems with the timing, but unfortunately the backing track is only available at full speed. I'll post a more precise take, but for now here is the first version...
See you around.
Scorpions_style_rhythm_take1.mp3 ( 551.86K )
: 133You definitely have to work on this one at slower tempos. You can ask Ben for the slower tempos. Send him a PM and he will send them to you. You aren't still comfortable with this tempo.
Posted by: Stinger Apr 22 2012, 10:50 AM
I've asked Ben, he'll send me the file when he has found it
P.S.: The next takes will hopefully come with a video.
Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Apr 23 2012, 05:44 AM
P.S.: The next takes will hopefully come with a video.Great!
Posted by: Stinger May 7 2012, 11:36 AM
Hi Gab. Unfortunately I didn't have much time the last week, so I wasn't able to practice and record much. Here is another take of the Scorpions style rhythm at 100bpm. One passage is still breaking my neck, maybe I should try another lesson first... what do you think?
scoprions_style_rhythm_100bpm.mp4 ( 6.75MB )
: 125
Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi May 7 2012, 07:21 PM
Hi Stinger! That's not a bad take. Your timing is good, the problem appears in the faster AP parts. You should isolate those short scale fragments and practice them as a loop over metronome. We should definitely start working on another lesson but without missing this one.
Do you have any lesson in mind?
Posted by: Stinger May 9 2012, 11:50 AM
Do you have any lesson in mind?
I'll have a look at a not too difficult lead lesson, maybe something bluesy to begin with?
Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi May 9 2012, 01:23 PM
yes, a bluesy lesson could be a good option for starting. Ivan has really cool blues lessons at the site:
http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/instructor/Ivan-Milenkovic/
like this one:
http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/solo-guitar/blues-soloing-beginner/
Posted by: Stinger May 9 2012, 10:20 PM
http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/instructor/Ivan-Milenkovic/
like this one:
http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/solo-guitar/blues-soloing-beginner/
That's a nice lesson - I'm on it.
Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi May 10 2012, 08:50 PM
Cool! Looking forward your video!
Posted by: Stinger May 21 2012, 04:50 PM
Man, I have way too few spare time... but I'm practicing as much as I can.
Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi May 21 2012, 04:52 PM
Ok mate, thanks a lot for notifying! Keep me updated.
Posted by: Stinger May 29 2012, 06:54 PM
Still too little progress...
Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi May 30 2012, 03:47 PM
Ok mate, thanks.
Posted by: Stinger Jun 1 2012, 05:25 PM
OK, I am now almost through with learning the licks; the problem however is playing them precisely...
Your warm-ups are a mighty weapon, I can't play them longer than 30 minutes at 120bpm, but I feel that my fingers are acting better after practicing them.
Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Jun 1 2012, 06:10 PM
Your warm-ups are a mighty weapon, I can't play them longer than 30 minutes at 120bpm, but I feel that my fingers are acting better after practicing them.
hahaha yeah! they are very effective!
Posted by: Stinger Jun 16 2012, 11:56 AM
Hi Gab,
Now, I had very limited time to practice due to moving to another city. I am now practicing almost every day and will post some new videos soon. Sorry for my long radio silence, I really want to learn and practice hard, but life isn't always so nice to me Hope you didn't give me up, eh?
I'm playing mainly two lessons, the blues soloing beginner lesson and Dejan's little finger work-out.
The work-out is a nice lesson and I can play it at full speed, problem is that my little finger stops working after 2/3 of the song... guess that's the catch with the LITTLE FINGER work-out . On slower speeds I can play it multiple times without problems, so I'll increase it carefully.
I have a few issues with the blues soloing lesson since the lick at the end of it is a litte hard to play, and it is even harder to play the right timing if you play it slowly.
The exercises are getting better, I play them everytime before I start to practice the lessons.
Also, I'm playing (or trying) for whom the bell tolls from Metallica. It's ok, but during the solo at the beginning of the song I sometimes skip a string accidentally. There are just six notes and I fail, that sucks
That's it so far, I'll grab my guitar now. See you soon!
Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Jun 16 2012, 06:31 PM
Ok! Thanks for the update mate! Don't worry about this...your army thread is still open for you so I will be waiting for some videos to give you feedback regarding those lessons...
Posted by: Stinger Jul 5 2012, 03:17 PM
Now that the Vain glory collab is finished, I'm on the lessons again
Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Jul 5 2012, 03:36 PM
Perfect! Thanks for joining the collab! I will give you some feedback with the final mix.
Posted by: Stinger Jul 17 2012, 05:19 PM
Hey Gab,
here is my problem child. I think I should really practice another lesson before I get back to that one, I have a hard time playing it, especially the two fast passages, the one in the middle and the one at the end, are not that easy as I thought. Sometimes one part works, then I screw up the other one -.-
Blues_soloing_beginner.mp4 ( 5.38MB )
: 90
Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Jul 18 2012, 04:37 PM
here is my problem child. I think I should really practice another lesson before I get back to that one, I have a hard time playing it, especially the two fast passages, the one in the middle and the one at the end, are not that easy as I thought. Sometimes one part works, then I screw up the other one -.-
Blues_soloing_beginner.mp4 ( 5.38MB )
: 90Hi mate! yes, you are right, your hands are not all the time synchronized. We have to work on AP exercises. Let's go for this series!
http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/solo-guitar/right-hand-basic1/
Posted by: Stinger Jul 19 2012, 05:27 PM
http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/solo-guitar/right-hand-basic1/
Sounds good, thank you!
Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Jul 19 2012, 05:39 PM
Looking forward your take!
Posted by: Stinger Jul 20 2012, 11:20 AM
...aaand here's the first:
right_hand_basics_I.mp4 ( 2.56MB )
: 115Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Jul 20 2012, 07:05 PM
Great job! Keep on increasing the tempo!
Posted by: Stinger Jul 21 2012, 12:54 PM
Will do!
Here's the next one:
ap_ex_1b.mp4 ( 5.05MB )
: 74Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Jul 21 2012, 06:21 PM
It's going very well mate! Keep on working!
Posted by: Stinger Jul 25 2012, 12:07 PM
Hey Gab,
Since I am ill lately, I have problems to practice and record due to horrible headache - I am lying in bed most of the time, so there is a slight delay before my next posts will show here.
Greez,
Marcus
Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Jul 25 2012, 02:48 PM
Since I am ill lately, I have problems to practice and record due to horrible headache - I am lying in bed most of the time, so there is a slight delay before my next posts will show here.
Greez,
Marcus
Hi Marcus, thanks for the update, I hope that you feel better soon!
Posted by: Stinger Jul 30 2012, 07:05 PM
Hi Gab,
here's a new one, I'll try to increase the tempo now. Also, I will continue with the next AP lesson.
ap_ex_pt3.mp4 ( 2.63MB )
: 73Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Jul 31 2012, 06:47 PM
here's a new one, I'll try to increase the tempo now. Also, I will continue with the next AP lesson.
ap_ex_pt3.mp4 ( 2.63MB )
: 73It's ok but try to make the right hand movement smaller to be able to play this faster in the near future.
Posted by: Stinger Aug 6 2012, 07:14 AM
Hi Gab,
I'm making progress with speed and precision. Unfortunatley, I am on a business trip this whole week, so I won't be able to practice and post anything until Friday.
Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Aug 6 2012, 03:32 PM
I'm making progress with speed and precision. Unfortunatley, I am on a business trip this whole week, so I won't be able to practice and post anything until Friday.
Ok mate! Thanks for the update. Have a nice trip!
Posted by: Stinger Aug 13 2012, 05:44 PM
Hey Gab,
Thanks
The trip was ok, however it became longer than I expected. I'm on the lessons again now.
Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Aug 14 2012, 05:30 AM
Thanks
The trip was ok, however it became longer than I expected. I'm on the lessons again now.Cool!
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