Zoom Guitar Mentoring Options

[Alex Feather]

Hi there!
I am happy to mentor you and help you to learn more about music and guitar!
I have a few questions before we will start!
-What are your goals?
-What is your weakness?
-What is your strongest point?
-Your favorite guitar players?
I am glad to have you on board and looking forward to start working with you!!!!

[zoom]

Hi there!
I am happy to mentor you and help you to learn more about music and guitar!
I have a few questions before we will start!
-What are your goals?
-What is your weakness?
-What is your strongest point?
-Your favorite guitar players?
I am glad to have you on board and looking forward to start working with you!!!!

Goals -
I would like to be able to play in a few different genres. Rock, Blues, country, funk and some drop tunings
I would like to make my own music create backing tracks and play over.
chord knowledge how to use interesting chords etc
Weakness -
Ear training I struggle with. For example even when singing (I like to sing also) I can't just jump into harmony's easily, I can't hear them. Timing. would love to be tight player. - Phrasing. - also disciplined practice routine. I tend to practice lesson here alot and not enough of the building blocks, thirds, sixth's, scales. Palm muting
Strongest points -
I've got a little bit of speed now and can pick up things alot quicker now. theory is not bad I like to understand theory first. I come from chord background as opposed to scale.
Favorite players -
Joe Bonamassa - Hendrix - Mark tremonti - Muris Varajic - Keith Urban - Many more.

[Alex Feather]

First of all I love your guitar players choice! Very very nice! Great and tasty players!
Since you have mentioned that you need to work on your rhythm, chords and backing tracks I think this something we can start with! I came up with a Blues backing track
There are two versions
1) with my guitar in it to give you ideas
2) Bass and drums only
For the second track I would like you to record your rhythm guitar and find a good groove that will fit the track!
What to do when you are recording rhythm guitar:
-Listen to the drums carefully and analyze what they are playing, try to find an accent that you can play from
You can play with a kick,snare or hi-hat, find the part that creates groove and play over it
-You can try playing with the bass and see how it will fit the whole song
-Jam with the track to feel it and try different ideas!
I would like you to come up with two different versions
Here is a chord progression
Ami7 - Dmi7 - Emi7- Dmi7- Ami7
And here are the voicings you can use!

Ami7


Dmi7


Emi7


It will help you develop your groove a lot! It helped me and changed the way I play!

Here are the tracks! TEMPO IS 102BPM
http://soundcloud.com/alex-feather-akimov/zoom-mentoring

http://soundcloud.com/alex-feather-akimov/zoom-mentoring-no-guitar

[zoom]

[quote] And here are the voicings you can use!

So Just stick with these shapes? Not other postions?

This is new for me. I guess I don't really listen enough to drums and bass.

I'm on it!

This post has been edited by zoom: Mar 23 2012, 01:25 PM

[Alex Feather]

I would start with those! We will add more later! I will teach you how you can record guitar and spread voicing so it will sound bigger!

[zoom]

Hope what I've done is ok? I really enjoyed just grooving over this. I tried all sorts of stuff. I must admit I love listening to a groove like this with nothing played overtop, just the groove!

Not fully happy with tone. Seems a bit muddy. Pulled out some mid's and upped the treble a bit. Tone is not my forte (alot to learn)

http://soundcloud.com/zoomify/blues-groove-1


http://soundcloud.com/zoomify/blues-groove-2

[Alex Feather]

You did a very good job!!!
The sound as you said a little muddy
What software do you use? I can help you out adjusting your tone!
Now let's do that! Take those two tracks and combine them together and try to develop the track towards the end!
Imagine that you have another player and you have to help him up to build up the track and bring it to culmination!
When you start don't make it too busy and start adding more and more as the track is progressing!
You are doing very well already!

[zoom]

You did a very good job!!!
The sound as you said a little muddy
What software do you use? I can help you out adjusting your tone!
Now let's do that! Take those two tracks and combine them together and try to develop the track towards the end!
Imagine that you have another player and you have to help him up to build up the track and bring it to culmination!
When you start don't make it too busy and start adding more and more as the track is progressing!
You are doing very well already!

Software I use is pod farm with a UX2 interface.
Setting on pod farm using = Blue Ballad
EQ settings = Volume max, Drive 4, Bass 4, Middle 5, Treble 8, Presence 3.5
I also have a Gate, Compressor, EQ, Delay, verb turned on.
guitar = Maton mastersound 503 on neck pickup coil split.

So just to make sure I understand. Put both tracks in mix (I'll have to change tone of one guitar). Then I'm not sure what you want
me to do.
Should I pan guitar tracks L/R.

[Alex Feather]

Software I use is pod farm with a UX2 interface.
Setting on pod farm using = Blue Ballad
EQ settings = Volume max, Drive 4, Bass 4, Middle 5, Treble 8, Presence 3.5
I also have a Gate, Compressor, EQ, Delay, verb turned on.
guitar = Maton mastersound 503 on neck pickup coil split.

So just to make sure I understand. Put both tracks in mix (I'll have to change tone of one guitar). Then I'm not sure what you want
me to do.
Should I pan guitar tracks L/R.

Hi! Sorry I didn't explain myself right!
I want you to re record parts from both tracks and develop it
start slow and build it up towards the end!
This exercise will give you an idea about building rhythm guitar parts and develop your timing!
About your settings
I would suggest to add more presents and lower the volume
In your recording software you have an option to normalize the track it will bring up the volume and will help to keep clean sound
I found this little video you can use some ideas to adjust your tone

[zoom]

Hi Alex

Hope this is in the ball park.
I've pretty much kept blues 1 track and just added blues 2 in bits.
Thanks for tone tips. big improvement bring up presences and I also used the eq pedal a bit and changed the mid gain settings that helped a
bit also. (This is only on the blues 2 guitar)

http://soundcloud.com/zoomify/blues-groove-3

[Alex Feather]

Very groovy! I like how your sound improved! And you have some great ideas!!!
You have created a backing track for yourself!
Now the fun part starts!!!

What I want you to do is to take two pentatonics:
A minor


E minor


Use boxes I gave you!
And create your own licks by combining those two!!
Here is an example:


Here is another one:


This exercise will help you develop your own style and will help you combine two scales together and will add some new licks in to you playing!
It will be easier for you to memorize and use those because they are coming from you and you will feel comfortable playing them!
You can use a little overdrive or keep your sound clean!
Let me know if you need any help!

This post has been edited by Alex Feather: Mar 28 2012, 11:32 PM

[Alex Feather]

Hi Zoom!!!
I just wanted to check on your progress and see if you have any questions or need help with anything!
Let me know!

[zoom]

It's taken a while to get this done. Playing in that position gave me some challenges as well.

In the recording I've doubled the guitar which I think gives it a bit more bite but I've only copied and pasted. Not sure if this right practice to do?
Also you can hear phazer at beginning and end which I should have clean up. Just out of time at the minute and wanted to get this up.
finally I hope this is ok. I like it.

http://soundcloud.com/zoomify/blues-groove-4

[Alex Feather]

It's not easy but I'm glad you have a challenge! Means you are learning something new and make your mind think the new way!
I would suggest to record the double and try to match it exactly it will be a good practice for you and will help you improve your timing!
Let me know if you have any questions! I am preparing a new assignment for you do it will be fun! I'm excited!!!!

[Alex Feather]

Just wanted to follow up with you and see how are you doing?
If you need any help or have any questions!

[zoom]

Just wanted to follow up with you and see how are you doing?
If you need any help or have any questions!

Hi Alex. I'm assuming you want me to redo last take with a second track? I actually will have to work out what I played now. I've also been working on your sweeping arpeggio's.
Also been thing about diminished chords and how to use. Found this


Not sure what you've got planned for me next?

This post has been edited by zoom: Apr 10 2012, 08:08 AM

[Alex Feather]

That is cool that you are learning new things!
So here is your new assignment!
You started creating licks using A minor and E minor pentatonics

A minor


E minor


Now I would like you to add D minor pentatonic to it!

Use those three boxes:









Let me know if you have any questions!
You are doing very good and I can see your progress! Just keep it up!

[Alex Feather]

Hi Alex. I'm assuming you want me to redo last take with a second track? I actually will have to work out what I played now. I've also been working on your sweeping arpeggio's.
Also been thing about diminished chords and how to use. Found this


Not sure what you've got planned for me next?

Hi! Just wanted to follow up and see how is everything going? Do you need any help or have questions please let me know!
P.S. If you feel like you want me to add something else in your mentoring please let me know!

[Alex Feather]

Hi Zoom! How are you? I just wanted to see how are you doing? Do you have any questions or need help? Please let me know!

[zoom]

Hi Alex - Confession. I'm struggling with this task a bit. I'm finding it hard to play in these positions, which is a good thing but I'm not really happy with my results. I feel I'm just noddling.
Maybe I should watch some jazz/blues players to get some inspiration? Any thoughts?
I feel bad I havn't really got anything.