Slash_5's Rock Riffing Etudes, for Gab's Army Options

[Gabriel Leopardi]

Thank you for your feedback Gabriel! I am here to learn and improve. so I will continue to work hard :-)
do you have any tipps on how to improve the just downstrokes technique and getting the speed or is it just a matter of time practicing it at slower tempos?

yes, the only way to practice this is just playing over a drum loop or metronome. Start with a comfortable tempo and then increase it.

[slash_5]

Hey Gabriel!

I'm still working on the Strokes Style Lesson to get the speed. In the meantime I composed another song. And I have some theory questions if it's ok for you.

The chord progression of the song.

Intro: Am - C - Em - G
Verse: Am - Em - Am - Em
Pre-Chorus: C - Em - C - G
Chorus: Am - C - Em - G

The key should be Am. I laid down some melodie lines with the A minor Pentatonic Scale or chord inversion / triplets respectively. And I tried to focus to start and end the licks on the strong notes of the chors I'm playing over. But what other options do I have to solo over the chords above? A Aeolian, C Major?

Thank you for your help.

Marco

[Gabriel Leopardi]

Hi Marco. You're right, the song is in A minor so the most obvious choice would be to jam using A Pentatonic minor and A minor (or A aeolian). Another mode that could work over this progression is A Dorian. You can also follow every chord playing its pentatonic scale, its arpeggio (or triad) and also playing the following modes over each chord:

Am: A aeolian / A Pentatonic minor
C: C Ionian / C Pentatonic major
Em: E Phrygian / E Pentatonic minor
G: G Mixolydian / G Pentatonic Major/ G Dominant Arpeggio

[slash_5]

Hey Gabriel!

Here's another take on this lesson. I spent some more time on it. I know that it's not perfect yet. But do you hear some improvements already? :-)

http://soundcloud.com/marco-wyss/indierock-the-strokes-style

Marco

Hi Gabriel!

I finally managed to record the Strokes Style Lesson. I tried to focus on the tipps you gave me in the last lesson (staccato, higher strings). But I have trouble getting the fast licks at the end right.



What do you think?

Marco

[Gabriel Leopardi]

Hi Slash! Good job! Your timing is good on this take. The most important parts to fix are the solos because the notes sound a bit cut. The reasons could be two: 1. You stop pressing the fret to soon or 2. You are muting the notes with your right hand. Which do you think that is the reason?

[slash_5]

Thank you for your answer great mentor!

Which part do you mean exactly?

I think it's the first option. Probably because I'm lacking in speed to get to the next fret I release to previous note too early. I have to focus and improve on that.

Hi Slash! Good job! Your timing is good on this take. The most important parts to fix are the solos because the notes sound a bit cut. The reasons could be two: 1. You stop pressing the fret to soon or 2. You are muting the notes with your right hand. Which do you think that is the reason?

[Gabriel Leopardi]

Thank you for your answer great mentor!

Which part do you mean exactly?

I think it's the first option. Probably because I'm lacking in speed to get to the next fret I release to previous note too early. I have to focus and improve on that.

At 00:32 and 00:50.

[slash_5]

At 00:32 and 00:50.

Hey Gab!

I recorded another take of this lesson. I tried not to cut the notes this time. check it out.

http://soundcloud.com/marco-wyss/indierock-thestrokes-take-2

cheers

[Gabriel Leopardi]

Hi man! This take is much better than the previous one! The notes are longer and the licks sound smoother. One important comment that I have is that the riff starting at 00:15 and the licks at 00:50 should sound even tighter.

[slash_5]

Hi Gabriel!

I finally managed to record the Strokes Style Lesson. I tried to focus on the tipps you gave me in the last lesson (staccato, higher strings). But I have trouble getting the fast licks at the end right.



What do you think?

Marco

Hey Gabriel!

I finally managed to record another take! I still have troubles to reach the speed of the fast licks near the end. What do you think?



Marco

[Gabriel Leopardi]

Hi mate, it's a good take, but it still has some things to fix to be perfect. There are two important things to improve, the first one is your timing, you are not playing tight every part, try to practice it at slower tempos until you feel comfortable with the technique. The other thing is your guitar tuning, it's a bit off.