Nimrandir’s Musical Universe, for Gab's Army Options

[Gabriel Leopardi]

Hi Nimrandir! Welcome to your personal Gab's Army thread!
We have been discussed the direction of our work via PM and we agreed that we will combine technical lessons with collabs participation and composition. I would like to know your musical tastes here and also to see some videos of you playing solo and rhythm guitar. Also post any idea that you have created... maybe a song's part, a riff, a solo, a lick, something that could be our starting point.


The principles of our Army are:

+ Improve your technique
+ Make music and solos
+ Have fun
+ Destroy the enemy (hahaha not realy just kidding... )


Here we go mate!

[Nimrandir]

Hi Nimrandir! Welcome to your personal Gab's Army thread!
We have been discussed the direction of our work via PM and we agreed that we will combine technical lessons with collabs participation and composition. I would like to know your musical tastes here and also to see some videos of you playing solo and rhythm guitar. Also post any idea that you have created... maybe a song's part, a riff, a solo, a lick, something that could be our starting point.


The principles of our Army are:

+ Improve your technique
+ Make music and solos
+ Have fun
+ Destroy the enemy (hahaha not realy just kidding... )


Here we go mate!

Hi Gab!

My musical preferences can probably be divided into 3 very broad cathegories - instrumentals (rock/metal), metal music in general (especially power, symphonic, progressive and the likes) and orchestral music. But sometimes I find songs in other genres which I really enjoy, for example in trance/electronic music (can't name the genre for sure, I don't know their definitions ). Currently, my biggest influence as a guitarist is Andy James, I really like his style and technique . My other favourite guitarists are Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, John Petrucci, Paul Gilbert, Yngwie Malmsteen.. well, the default "shred set" . Some favourite bands are Dream Theater, Nightwish, Blind Guardian, Symphony X, Blackmore's Night. Oh, and I also really like celtic and "medieval" (don't know the exact term) music styles .

If I had (VERY roughly) to define my preferences with 5 songs, then the list would look something like this :








As for my own videos, I have only two of them on my channel, and one of them is a solo for GMC collab . The other one is this :

I don't have any other videos recorded, as I record them only for collabs, and those are the only two video collabs I've been in . So unfortunately I don't have any recordings of my rhythm playing (as a matter of fact, even no audio recordings of it).
Some of my own ideas can be found in this post from my thread with Cosmin (they are in GP):
http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_fo...st&p=569377
We're currently working on developing "smt2" .

And also a couple more "notes" : I've always wanted to make some arrangements for some songs (mostly tracks from old video games), but somehow never got to it.. It must be laziness . So that's one more thing I'd like to do . Also, I've never recorded any covers for songs (probably for the same reason ), but would like to do it . Actually I've been planning to start with this lesson for some time, but.. well, got lazy and plans stayed plans
http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/Dream_...-Overture_1928/

Sorry for this quite long (and still probably incomplete) introduction. Can't wait to start in the ARMY

[Gabriel Leopardi]

Hi mate! Thanks for this cool description about you. You already have a really good technique so the main goal for us will be set weekly jobs to fight with one of the main enemies of musicians.. "The laziness". We will be doing REC takes every week, join 1 or 2 collabs every month.
Do you think that this could help?

I checked that thread with Cosmin and you both are doing a great job with your original music. Do you want some help with any song in process? or maybe with the re-arranging project? I would like to know what you expect from our job together.

[Nimrandir]

Hi mate! Thanks for this cool description about you. You already have a really good technique so the main goal for us will be set weekly jobs to fight with one of the main enemies of musicians.. "The laziness". We will be doing REC takes every week, join 1 or 2 collabs every month.
Do you think that this could help?

Yes, this sounds great . Actually, I haven't posted a single REC take here, so it will be something new for me .

I checked that thread with Cosmin and you both are doing a great job with your original music. Do you want some help with any song in process? or maybe with the re-arranging project? I would like to know what you expect from our job together.

It would be great if we could do some composition/arranging together. I really need someone to monitor my progress, to help with advise and such things . For example in the past I was going to make an arrangement for this old track (but never actually got to it ):

It has very simple arrangements due to technical limitations of the platform, so I think there is a lot of space for creativity with this one . Please tell me what do you think .

[Gabriel Leopardi]

Cool mate! Let's start!
Regarding this week's lesson, I think that the one by Dream Theater that you posted could be our monthly goal, so please divide it in 4 and learn one of those parts every week. You should have learnt the whole tune in one month. Besides that we will choose one lesson for this week to be worked and posted at the REC. I was thinking on this lesson that combines power metal with neoclassical style. It's also a really cool etude for the right hand.

http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/solo-guit...soloing-lesson/

Do you think that you can learnt and record this one in one week?

And about that NES tune.. I love it. I can imagine that same ideas played with power metal drums, some strings arrangements and an electric guitar. It's a good tune to start because it sounds like an 8 bit neoclassical song.
Let's start working... the introduction could sound like Rhapsody of fire. When the main melody starts, you can write the same drum groove that is played in the original tune as well as the bass lines. My suggestion is to start with the intro and one round of the main melody and then we can think on adding some original sections or variations. The first thing that I would do, as this is your first arrangement, is to find songs that could inspire you with the arrangement. What about some Rhapsody songs for the intro and maybe Dragonforce for the main melody?

[Nimrandir]

Cool mate! Let's start!
Regarding this week's lesson, I think that the one by Dream Theater that you posted could be our monthly goal, so please divide it in 4 and learn one of those parts every week. You should have learnt the whole tune in one month. Besides that we will choose one lesson for this week to be worked and posted at the REC. I was thinking on this lesson that combines power metal with neoclassical style. It's also a really cool etude for the right hand.

http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/solo-guit...soloing-lesson/

Do you think that you can learnt and record this one in one week?

That's a cool lesson! I've tried it now and can play all the individual parts at 120bpm straight away, so I probably can learn it at full speed in a week . Although the problem is that the next week is an exam week in my University, so I have limited time for playing guitar. But I will try .

And about that NES tune.. I love it. I can imagine that same ideas played with power metal drums, some strings arrangements and an electric guitar. It's a good tune to start because it sounds like an 8 bit neoclassical song.
Let's start working... the introduction could sound like Rhapsody of fire. When the main melody starts, you can write the same drum groove that is played in the original tune as well as the bass lines. My suggestion is to start with the intro and one round of the main melody and then we can think on adding some original sections or variations. The first thing that I would do, as this is your first arrangement, is to find songs that could inspire you with the arrangement. What about some Rhapsody songs for the intro and maybe Dragonforce for the main melody?

I actually never heard Rhapsody of fire *shame* . So I don't really know what kind of intro you have in mind . But I'll check them out.
My idea is to have a soft orchestral introduction, and then have a kind of explosion, introduce distorted rhythm guitar and likes.. I will try to find an example of what I mean .

[Gabriel Leopardi]

That's a cool lesson! I've tried it now and can play all the individual parts at 120bpm straight away, so I probably can learn it at full speed in a week . Although the problem is that the next week is an exam week in my University, so I have limited time for playing guitar. But I will try .



I actually never heard Rhapsody of fire *shame* . So I don't really know what kind of intro you have in mind . But I'll check them out.
My idea is to have a soft orchestral introduction, and then have a kind of explosion, introduce distorted rhythm guitar and likes.. I will try to find an example of what I mean .

Ok, let's go for that lesson for this week. Work it in your free time and post it here as soon as you have it mastered at tempo. Regarding Rhapsody's music, I recommend you to check their first 3 albums. In those years they were called just "Rhapsody". I have one song in mind but I can't find it now.. I will post it here as soon as I remember the name of it.

[Nimrandir]

Hi Gab!

Sorry for being inactive for some time, as I've mentioned this was an exam week in the University, so I've played very little guitar. But now it's over, so I can get back to practicing . I'll post an update on my tasks (power metal solo and arrangement thingy) during the next few days . I also think I'm going to take part in your Slash collab, as well as Sinisa's Fanatic collab. I've jammed to the backings a bit today, and I have some ideas for them (but now my fingertips hurt, because the calluses softened due to lack of playing ).

[Gabriel Leopardi]

Thanks for the update! It's great to see you practising again! I'll be waiting for your take on the lesson and some arranging ideas! Please post your ideas for the collabs here and I'll give you some feedback!

[Nimrandir]

Hi Gab!

Still not getting as much time for guitar as I'd like, but here's a rough idea of a take for Sinisa's collab (done it first as the deadline is 15th of March). My playing quality is quite bad, but I have an excuse of being very tired and sleepy . I'll record a take on the lesson in the next couple of days, but not sure if I'll be able to play it good at 100% speed (currently practicing at 90-95%).

As for the take, I'm certainly going to change the second part of .. the second part a bit . I think you can hear the place where I ran out of ideas . And imo the last fast ascending run should be more connected to the rest of the piece.

This post has been edited by Nimrandir: Mar 14 2012, 05:34 AM

Attached File(s)

 TapeDeck_2__Mar_14_03_54_47.mp3 ( 971.18K ) Number of downloads: 41

 

[Gabriel Leopardi]

Hi mate! Your solo and your playing are high quality as always! I also think that you should work on the second half because the solo starts to be a bit repetitive and without surprise. I think that some Blues Saraceno style playing could be cool on this collab... have you checked this lesson?

http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/funk_l...saraceno_style/

[Nimrandir]

I actually haven't seen this lesson . The problem is I know nothing about theory of fusion playing, so I probably won't be able to replicate this kind of sound . But at least I'd like to try to use that dominant 7 arpeggio, I think it could sound cool . So assuming I'm in key of A harmonic minor, the dominant chord would be E7, right?

[Gabriel Leopardi]

Well, I was talking mainly about the phrasing and the rhythm. In the case of this collab, the tonalities are G minor and A minor so you can't use the Mixoldydian or the dominant arpeggios because both are major. In the case of this backing track, minor scale and pentatonic minor with blue note are the best choices. Here he uses those scales:

[Nimrandir]

Well, I was talking mainly about the phrasing and the rhythm. In the case of this collab, the tonalities are G minor and A minor so you can't use the Mixoldydian or the dominant arpeggios because both are major. In the case of this backing track, minor scale and pentatonic minor with blue note are the best choices. Here he uses those scales:

Hi Gab!

Now I want to learn that song! It sounds really cool . It's hard for me to imitate his style as I don't have much (any) experience in it, so my new version of second part probably doesn't contain this style even remotely. But here it is anyway . Don't know if it became any better . One thing I'm going to do for sure is change the opening phrase, as I don't think it fits well.

Attached File(s)

 TapeDeck_2__Mar_15_18_27_32.mp3 ( 590.42K ) Number of downloads: 39

 

[Gabriel Leopardi]

Hi Gab!

Now I want to learn that song! It sounds really cool . It's hard for me to imitate his style as I don't have much (any) experience in it, so my new version of second part probably doesn't contain this style even remotely. But here it is anyway . Don't know if it became any better . One thing I'm going to do for sure is change the opening phrase, as I don't think it fits well.

Hey Nimrandir! I like the new version! I find it better. I think that with a better opening phrase and some work on the last part of the last phrase you will have a really cool solo. There are some Saraceno's vibes on this one. Check out all his music because his playing is simple and very inspiring. I have two lessons in his style.

http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/solo-guit...eno-rock-licks/

http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/solo-guit...raceno-lesson2/

and also you have these two ones that has some of his ideas:

http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/funklo...2_country-funk/

http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/delay-...le-of-saraceno/

[Nimrandir]

Hey Nimrandir! I like the new version! I find it better. I think that with a better opening phrase and some work on the last part of the last phrase you will have a really cool solo. There are some Saraceno's vibes on this one. Check out all his music because his playing is simple and very inspiring. I have two lessons in his style.

http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/solo-guit...eno-rock-licks/

http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/solo-guit...raceno-lesson2/

and also you have these two ones that has some of his ideas:

http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/funklo...2_country-funk/

http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/delay-...le-of-saraceno/

Hi Gab!

Here's yet another version . I don't know if it's better than the second one and which one I really should focus on, they all seem not good to me . Some work should be done with the last part, at least need to practice that a bit.

Attached File(s)

 TapeDeck_2__Mar_16_18_02_49.mp3 ( 634.9K ) Number of downloads: 36

 

[Gabriel Leopardi]

This new one sound cool! I would change the first lick, the second part of the second lick (after the muted Saraceno style notes), and the melody that appear after the double strings lick. With those parts adjusted this will be an epic solo.

[Nimrandir]

Hi Gab!

Well, since I've already missed the deadline for the collab, I decided not to make Sinisa wait even more and recorded "as it is". I actually again redid most of it and I think the result is worst of all I've posted . But anyway, it was good experience . Now I can get to work on Slash collab! (after my fingertips stop hurting ).

An update on power metal lesson : here are two takes on 95% speed (only the second part with all the shredding ). It's only audio, I'll post video takes soon . It's not perfect, but I think I'm getting there .

Attached File(s)

 Power_Metal_95p___1.mp3 ( 435.63K ) Number of downloads: 40
 Power_Metal_95p___2.mp3 ( 431.56K ) Number of downloads: 40

 

[Gabriel Leopardi]

Hi man! The takes are really good! I think that this is a 9.9! It you adjust the timing that 0.1 (that is nothing!) you will have a superb take man. I think that we are ready for working on more difficult stuff.

Regarding the collabs, don't worry about not being 100% happy with the take, the idea is to gain experience with recording and composing, it's part of the learning. I'm sure that Sinisa's comments will help.

[Nimrandir]

Hey Gab!

Sorry for being inactive for some time, but at least I've got some good news : I got my Bachelor's degree in mathematics at last!

I'm going to try and get the lesson up to speed as soon as possible, and then start with the arrangement thing at last . Somehow those last 5% of tempo are proving really tough.