 Mad Guitar Mentoring |
GMC Forum > Discussion Boards > VINTAGE GMC > Community Activities and Tutorials > Ask an Instructor > Alex Feather  |
 Mar 22 2012, 05:34 PM
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#1
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 Instructor  Group: GMC Instructor Posts: 4.332 Joined: 21-November 11 From: Los Angeles Member No.: 14.398  |
Hello Mad!
I am so happy that you have decided to join my program! 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 looking forward to start working with you! -------------------- |
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Mar 23 2012, 02:26 PM
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#2
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 Experienced Roadie  Group: Members Posts: 383 Joined: 27-December 10 From: Germany Member No.: 11.900 |
Hey Alex,
thanks for picking me up  These are my goals for this mentoring: - get a better acoustic guitar player - get into some jazz theory/playing - making my own backing-tracks my weakness: Fast chord switches, especially when using 4 fingers on the fretboard, barre-chords strongest point: the last weeks I made good progress regarding rhythm playing and 'faster' alternate picking (thanks to Cosmin and Ben) my favorite guitar players/musicians (in terms of the direction I want to go here) are: - Andy McKee - Erik Mongrain - Brent Hinds (Mastodon) - Buckethead |
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Mar 25 2012, 03:34 AM
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#3
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Instructor Group: GMC Instructor Posts: 4.332 Joined: 21-November 11 From: Los Angeles Member No.: 14.398 |
Perfect!!!
Let's start with your chords first! I have created a little exercise for you! It has a few cool chord changes and they are switching fast! You can start practicing this exercise very slow and than increase the tempo when you feel comfortable! It will help you with bar chords in no time! You will see progress in a few days and it will never be an issue ever again!!! Here is the track! http://soundcloud.com/alex-feather-akimov/chords-mentoring Here is the tab E |--1--------------5--------5--------3L----------3----| Here is the GP file! 
Chords.gpx ( 23.33K )
Number of downloads: 31This exercise is a little tricky! Please feel free to ask me any questions! This post has been edited by Alex Feather: Mar 25 2012, 05:31 PM -------------------- |
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Mar 25 2012, 12:36 PM
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#4
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Experienced Roadie Group: Members Posts: 383 Joined: 27-December 10 From: Germany Member No.: 11.900 |
Thanks! I'll put this into my daily practice routine.
But the GP-file is missing.. would be helpful for practicing slow! |
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Mar 25 2012, 05:32 PM
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#5
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Instructor Group: GMC Instructor Posts: 4.332 Joined: 21-November 11 From: Los Angeles Member No.: 14.398 |
Great! Just added a guitar pro file! Let me know how your practicing goes!
Also I would like to know your practicing routine! Just write me your schedule and what you are working on! -------------------- |
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Mar 26 2012, 08:04 AM
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#6
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Experienced Roadie Group: Members Posts: 383 Joined: 27-December 10 From: Germany Member No.: 11.900 |
Thanks! But unfortunately I'm still using GP5 - could you please export it into that format? I'm planning to get the latest version though, but for now I get everything what I need out of GP5..
My practice schedule: First 10 minutes: For warmup I use one of these patterns (don't know from where I got them, but I tabbed them once and since then I play along with GP or a metronome)
Warmup1.gp5 ( 6.3K )
Number of downloads: 17
Warmup2.gp5 ( 7.13K )
Number of downloads: 20
Warmup3.gp5 ( 1.96K )
Number of downloads: 16I do some stretching afterwards 20-30 minutes I'm chosing a lesson I have to work on for my mentoring (last one I did was the ramones lesson from gabriel, uploaded yesterday) next one will be the rhythm lesson by marcus siepen (Cosmin mentoring) - I already uploaded a take a few days ago, but I should work on that some more and record another take.. 5 minutes working on a different lesson: atm funk rhythm (Cosmin mentoring) need to get that down to improve faster rhythm playing.. When I have some more time (normally that's the case), I do some alternate picking excercises or work on another lesson. Whenever I can I grab my acoustic and play something and try to sing along (->only when I know nobody is around me  ) atm chords from the C major scale. Or I'm just trying to play melodies I have in my head...
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Mar 26 2012, 07:07 PM
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#7
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Instructor Group: GMC Instructor Posts: 4.332 Joined: 21-November 11 From: Los Angeles Member No.: 14.398 |
Here is GP5 file!
Chords.gp5 ( 3.78K )
Number of downloads: 23You have a very nice and organized practice routine! I can suggest adding pentatonics into it It's very simple you have to learn every pentatonic in every position and start playing them as an exercise! You can use alternative picking! My idea of practicing is more things you can combine together better it is! So you can do pentatonics and alternative picking at the same time! I am not sure if you have all pentatonic shapes E |----------------------------|--------3--6--3-------------| Here is GP 5 file
G_minor_pentatonics.gp5 ( 8.76K )
Number of downloads: 23Let me know if you need any help! -------------------- |
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Mar 26 2012, 08:43 PM
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#8
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Experienced Roadie Group: Members Posts: 383 Joined: 27-December 10 From: Germany Member No.: 11.900 |
Wow! Thanks man!
Yes, I know all the shapes - but putting these into my warmup routine is definately the best I can do! I'm starting right now and let you know the progress! |
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Mar 26 2012, 09:44 PM
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#9
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Instructor Group: GMC Instructor Posts: 4.332 Joined: 21-November 11 From: Los Angeles Member No.: 14.398 |
QUOTE (mad @ Mar 26 2012, 07:43 PM)  Wow! Thanks man! Yes, I know all the shapes - but putting these into my warmup routine is definately the best I can do! I'm starting right now and let you know the progress! Sounds good! This is a mechanical routine you have to get it to the point when you don't think when you are playing! It will take some time but you will be rewarded in the end!!! -------------------- |
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Mar 26 2012, 09:50 PM
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#10
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Experienced Roadie Group: Members Posts: 383 Joined: 27-December 10 From: Germany Member No.: 11.900 |
Noticed that! I just played through the patterns again without a doubt and I was able to play the part with E/D and then D/A strings in no time - but for don't think about it while playing, I'll need a few days ....
right now I'm struggling with the chords-excercise
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Mar 27 2012, 01:12 AM
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#11
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Instructor Group: GMC Instructor Posts: 4.332 Joined: 21-November 11 From: Los Angeles Member No.: 14.398 |
QUOTE (mad @ Mar 26 2012, 08:50 PM) Noticed that! I just played through the patterns again without a doubt and I was able to play the part with E/D and then D/A strings in no time - but for don't think about it while playing, I'll need a few days .... right now I'm struggling with the chords-excercise I am glad to hear that! Chord exercise is fun! Ha! It will help you a lot!!! -------------------- |
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Apr 1 2012, 11:27 AM
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#12
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Instructor Group: GMC Instructor Posts: 4.332 Joined: 21-November 11 From: Los Angeles Member No.: 14.398 |
Hi! I just wanted to follow up and check on your progress!
So you have any questions or need help with something please let me know! -------------------- |
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Apr 3 2012, 04:29 PM
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#13
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Experienced Roadie Group: Members Posts: 383 Joined: 27-December 10 From: Germany Member No.: 11.900 |
Hey Alex, thanks for checking! Well, I'm always using the new horizontal pentatonic runs in my daily warmup-routines (it's getting more and more fluent - good feeling!) And trying to get the chord changes up to speed.. When I'm going to play them faster, I have difficulties to fret the entire chord (higher strings are not ringing) but I think that's just a matter of practice hours ;P
At first I played the chords with a different strumming pattern, just to get the feeling for faster changes.. I'd like to start with some jazz theory as well, if you don't mind... |
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Apr 3 2012, 05:42 PM
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#14
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Instructor Group: GMC Instructor Posts: 4.332 Joined: 21-November 11 From: Los Angeles Member No.: 14.398 |
QUOTE (mad @ Apr 3 2012, 03:29 PM) Hey Alex, thanks for checking! Well, I'm always using the new horizontal pentatonic runs in my daily warmup-routines (it's getting more and more fluent - good feeling!) And trying to get the chord changes up to speed.. When I'm going to play them faster, I have difficulties to fret the entire chord (higher strings are not ringing) but I think that's just a matter of practice hours ;P At first I played the chords with a different strumming pattern, just to get the feeling for faster changes.. I'd like to start with some jazz theory as well, if you don't mind... I am glad you seeing the progress! It takes time but you are on the right track so look at it as a long term investment! Let's start with some Jazz!!! All Jazz is based on II-V-I so if you will learn how to play over those changes you will learn to play over anything! To play over changes and sound good you have to play chords tones! Chord tones is a sequence of the notes that chord is made of! Here is a new backing track http://soundcloud.com/alex-feather-akimov/ii-v-i-jam What I want you to do is to get use to this track and jam with it! The chord changes Emi7-A7-Dmaj7 So let's analyze those chords and find chord tones! Emi7 - E-G-B-D A7- A-C#-E-G Dmaj7-D-F#-A-C# The most important chord tones III-VII So when you are jamming I want you to start landing on the chords tones every time A7 comes up! Try to land on III or VII but if you can't any of Dmaj7 chord tones will work! Let me know if you have any questions or need some help! -------------------- |
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Apr 5 2012, 09:27 AM
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#15
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Instructor Group: GMC Instructor Posts: 4.332 Joined: 21-November 11 From: Los Angeles Member No.: 14.398 |
Hi! I just wanted to follow up and see how everything is going and if you need any help or have questions!
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Apr 15 2012, 08:39 AM
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#16
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Instructor Group: GMC Instructor Posts: 4.332 Joined: 21-November 11 From: Los Angeles Member No.: 14.398 |
QUOTE (mad @ Apr 3 2012, 03:29 PM) Hey Alex, thanks for checking! Well, I'm always using the new horizontal pentatonic runs in my daily warmup-routines (it's getting more and more fluent - good feeling!) And trying to get the chord changes up to speed.. When I'm going to play them faster, I have difficulties to fret the entire chord (higher strings are not ringing) but I think that's just a matter of practice hours ;P At first I played the chords with a different strumming pattern, just to get the feeling for faster changes.. I'd like to start with some jazz theory as well, if you don't mind... Hi! How are you? I just wanted to check and see how is everything going! Do you have any questions or need help with anything? -------------------- |
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Apr 25 2012, 07:38 AM
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#17
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Instructor Group: GMC Instructor Posts: 4.332 Joined: 21-November 11 From: Los Angeles Member No.: 14.398 |
QUOTE (mad @ Apr 3 2012, 03:29 PM) Hey Alex, thanks for checking! Well, I'm always using the new horizontal pentatonic runs in my daily warmup-routines (it's getting more and more fluent - good feeling!) And trying to get the chord changes up to speed.. When I'm going to play them faster, I have difficulties to fret the entire chord (higher strings are not ringing) but I think that's just a matter of practice hours ;P At first I played the chords with a different strumming pattern, just to get the feeling for faster changes.. I'd like to start with some jazz theory as well, if you don't mind... Hi! I just wanted to see how are you doing and if you are ready for a new challenge? -------------------- |
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May 2 2012, 06:20 AM
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#18
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Instructor Group: GMC Instructor Posts: 4.332 Joined: 21-November 11 From: Los Angeles Member No.: 14.398 |
Hi! I have a new assignment if you are ready!! Please let me know!!
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May 10 2012, 08:06 PM
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#19
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Experienced Roadie Group: Members Posts: 383 Joined: 27-December 10 From: Germany Member No.: 11.900 |
Hey Alex!
Sorry, but I was somewhat busy in the last weeks - not able to pick up my guitar any time  ..But I'm 'restarting' right away. Surprisingly I was able to keep up the speed when warming up with the pentatonics, but I have the same problems when speeding up the chord-changes.. Can you provide me the backing without you playing the chords - or better: do you have that backing in lower bpms - if not, no problem, I continue using GP (although it's kinda boring )?I'll try to improvise over your jazz backing ASAP! |
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May 10 2012, 09:33 PM
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#20
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Experienced Roadie Group: Members Posts: 383 Joined: 27-December 10 From: Germany Member No.: 11.900 |
ok - here's something I came up after a short time of jamming.. I didn't take much attention on landing on specific notes at first, but after I jammed a little bit and I got a 'nice and easy' melody going on that sounded good to me, I recognized that these are mostly the notes to head for (if I'm not wrong..)
Did a few mistakes but all in all hearable (warning: don't get asleep while listening )http://soundcloud.com/mad-gmc/mentoring-alex-ii-v-i |
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