Ok Matt, here we go with new MTP rules. You will be required to submit 3 assignments in October, all on weekly basis.

1st assignment is due on 17th of October.

I want you to upload audio and or video take of yourself improvising using chord tones and arpeggios. Backing track is II V I in D major taken from my lesson on GMC.
Upload as many takes as you want until 17th but make sure that you improve and make it sound as musical as possible.

Here is the backing track at 150bpm looped and let me know if you have any questions!

Pedja

Ok, should I carry on doing the 4 choruses: root; root and 3rds; root, 3rds and 5ths; root, 3rds, 5ths and 7ths approach yeh?

Also here is a solo I recorded just after the old thread was locked.
Click to view attachment

This is best one so far Matt. Keep on working on that approach but also keep in mind that you should practice improvising. In other words just let go of the rules (specific choruses) and try to make melodies with those arpeggios. That is what I am expecting in the final assignment.

Here's two more improvs. The first one is just a solo, the second one follows the 4 choruses system.

Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment

It is started to sound musical definitely. Pay more attention to phrasing. Avoid doing syncopated rhythms if you can't place them on right spots.

Here's another solo. All critique on how to improve it is very welcome. Also, could you give me the unlooped full speed backing?

Click to view attachment

Here is a backing. Great work with last improvised take. Best one so far!

Thanks

You welcome Matt. How is preparation for final take going?
Your deadline is tomorrow

I was out all day today so I didn't have much chance to practice, I will prepare tomorrow though, and make a film in the evening.

Ok Matt. We will start with new assignment on Sunday but before that upload your final take tomorrow. Video would be great!

Here's my final solo.



I just want to say I really enjoyed this assignment, and I feel I've made a huge improvement from not being able to solo with chord tones at all, to this, and I will definitely keep working at this sort of thing outside the MTP now.

Very nice work Matt. I especially enjoyed the part towards the end of your solo when you played from bottom to top arpeggios. I want you to try to this more and more in future when approaching soloing with arpeggios. Overall good work, I am satisfied having in mind you couldn't play any arpeggios a week or more ago.

New assignment will be posted tomorrow most likely so stay tuned!

Matt here is your 2nd assignment for this month. Assignment is technique based and we are focusing on Sweep picking now.

2nd assignment due October 26th.

- Work on 5 sweep picking examples, record them (audio and/or video) and post them here.
- Use tempos provided in Guitar pro file as a guide for final tempo. I want you to record examples in your best tempo without mistakes!

Let me know if you have any questions!

Here is a thread where you can find these examples demonstrated by me

http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_fo...st&p=434165

Pedja

Sweeping is my favourite technique so this will be a nice assignment. About the tempos though, I will try and get them up to those speeds that are written in the music, but why are some of the easier exercises slower, and the harder ones faster?

Great to hear that Matt!

Tempos I wrote in Guitar pro are very rough estimation of what you could be doing. I recorded with click exercises the way I felt like recording at that moment. Important thing is to master the technique, understand the sweeping motion and do your best with tempos for each of the 5 examples.

Let me know if you have any questions Matt

In exercise 3, should I follow your fingerings, or can I use just my index finger, which seems easier to me?

The purpose of exercise 3 is to do exactly that - learn the finger rolling technique for all 4 fingers. This is why I want you to use the fingerings I used

Ok, do you have any advice though for rolling the little finger because I find that really difficult.

It is actually the same approach as with other fingers. The problem is you never (and we haven't in general) used pinky for rolling technique. This is why you should do exercises at very low tempo until you get the clean sound for all of them and right notes. With speed increase you will notice how your fingers will readjust to it also

Yesterday I got the exercises into my memory, so I thought I'd post a recording as a starting point. They're not very fast and they're not particularly clean, but I though I should post something to try and improve from.
Click to view attachment

I am glad to hear you got them under your fingers already. You need to lower tempo for particular exercises and focus on them. Exercise 2 4 and 5 in particular need to be played slower before moving the tempos. Exercises 1 and 3 are on right track!

Ok, thanks for your feedback. Atm I'm going to play them all very slowly and get them completely clean, then I'll try and up the tempo.

That is exactly what I would like you to do. You still have couple of days to do the work so do your best and record best possible tempos at that moment.
When we finish this assignment keep in mind that you should keep working on these exercises and move tempos always in order to improve. One week of practicing won't be enough for anything

Here's another take on the exercises at 90, 110, 140, 110, 130, up from 80, 100, 100, 100, 120 yesterday.

Here's the exercises all up 10bpm from yesterday so at 100, 120, 150, 120 and 140. I know they're not entirely clean so I'll keep practising them slowly as well as trying to get them faster.

Click to view attachment

Matt please slow them down until you have it 100% clear. I can hear you are muting a lot at faster tempos and some notes are omitted. Please work on it!

Do you think I'm doing this on all of them or is there any more than others?

Exercises 2 and 4 in particular need more work than others in that area Matt.

Ok, they're the ones I was having really difficulty getting up to tempo.

I would rather you play them slower and in time then rushed with mistakes. So drop the tempo down and play them at your comfortable zone

Just noticed that we are passed the deadline. Would you like me to post a final video before we move onto the next assignment?

Yes, please do that Matt

Ok here's my video. I decided to play them at 100, 110, 110, 150, and 140. I will keep working on these and I look forward to the next assignment.

Ah Matt, I am not too happy with how you did this assignment. You should have dropped the tempo down and played it all in time. I know these examples sound cool when played at faster tempos but idea here is to get the technique down and have them all to sound perfect. You will need to keep working on this technique. I will post your last assignment for October tomorrow most likely so stay tuned.

Matt we are moving to your 3rd assignment for this month. We will focus on triads this time !

3rd assignment is due on 4th of November.

- Record a full lesson of mine Triads in a major scale part 1.

Here is a link for the lesson HERE

Let me know if you have any questions!

Pedja

Ok, I'll post a take today. Could I have the backing though?

Sure thing here you go Matt

Here's my first attempt at it.

Click to view attachment

Nicely done Matt !

Is there anything you think I should work on or should I just REC it?

REC it please and in the meanwhile start working on bending lesson of your choice!

http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_fo...showtopic=31657

There's the REC topic, and I'll go hunting for a bending lesson.

I've decided to work on Stephane's Jimi Hendrix Style Bending lesson. Also could we do some Jazz and theory sometime?

Good choice for bending lesson. I was going to recommend Muris's or Kristofer's but this is good as well
We shall work on Jazz theory and harmony in November no worries.

I just hurt my ring finger like i did with my little finger a while ago only not as bad since i can still use the others, so could we do some theory or composition assignmetns for the next week, and I'll pick up this bending lesson again as soon as i can.

Sorry to hear that Matt. I hope it will get back to normal soon. I will close this thread now and open a November one for you. Very well done with the assignments, you really put your time and effort into them!