This thread will be used for your individual assignments and discussion

Hi Ben,

This is just the same post as present in the practice agenda (your latest assignment that you are currently working on ).

Assignment #4

Lesson
I would like you to continue with the lesson you have started with some time ago during the MTP test phase with Kris: Alternate picking in thirds.

I would like you to be able play all 4 patterns now, up and down all six strings, from this lesson at 80 bpm. You don't need to get it down at 100 bpm at this moment. The most important things to achieve currently are:

1) Continue working on your alternate picking technique (try to avoid the economy picking you did during the test phase ).

2) Further improve playing with correct rhythmic feel, playing with a beat.

3) Memorizing all 4 patterns which Muris is using in this lesson.

For playing advices I could only repeat what Kris already mentioned before to you, and please be sure to warm-up before doing these exercises due to the figher stretches.

Once you have memorized all 4 patterns, I would like you to look into the notes you are actually playing.

The first 2 patterns are from the C major scale (C, D, E, F, G, A, and the last 2 patterns are from the C minor scale (C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb, C). Please try to remember where the root note © is located in all those 4 patterns.

At this time I think it is also very good if you try to work a bit more on your theory. By memorizing these 4 scale patterns (these patterns are called - 3 notes per string patterns) you are already working on that. I would highly recommend you to take a look and thoroughly read the following Theory Lessons's from Andrew on the Wiki:

Major Scales 101
Natural Minor Scale
3 notes per String lesson and Enforcer's excellent lesson on 3 notes per String

If you don't get the part where they are talking about 'modes' don't worry too much. I will surely work with you to explain all these things in due time (e.g. during a chat session).

The main goal for these theory lessons, is to recognize the 4 '3 notes per string patterns' (out of 7 patterns that actually exist) you memorized in this lesson. During the next assignment I would like you to work on the 3 remaining patterns in order to have the full picture. At that time I will also explain further how you could use the knowledge of these 7 patterns in your playing.

Deadline
It would be great if you could upload a video by the 22nd of February. And please let me know how you are progressing over the week.

Extra assignments:
Please keep doing your warming-up exercise (the arpeggio minor/major triads) during all days. In addition, don't forget to regularly practice all the previous lessons I gave to you briefly each day. You can make it into a kind of practice schedule.

Good luck mate!

Cheers
Roger

Ok Roger...I'll get it up this weekend!

Ben

Great, looking forward to it Ben!

How is the lesson going Ben?

Slowly Roger...I am terribly sorry this is taking so long. My guitar is now in the shop, as it was starting to sound like CRAP so I am having it setup for the first time. Also, with the loss of our pet, I have been spending a lot of my free time with my girls so the guitar hasn't been played as much as I should. I promise to get it up soon...this has been a crazy time lately.

Thanks for the update Ben, good luck with getting your girls back on track and looking forward to a take when you are ready for it

Roger, got the new assignment and have been working on the alternate pattern in the Muris lesson. It is a bit more challenging! I have got it down going up the scale...and am now working on going back down again. Will get it up this weekend hopefully!

Great!

Roger, the new video is up that you requested!

Thanks!

Roger, I was just notified that I have to leave in an hour and will be assigned in Utica for 5 days. I will be home for the weekend then sent back out there for 5 more days. I will get the video posted when I get home this weekend.

Ok no problem Ben!

Roger, the Group Assignment is uploaded in mp3 form!

I saw it, and gave you some comments

Now, given the fact that we are already quite a while working together in the MTP, I would like to suggest for a change that you select your next lesson which you like to work on.

Let me know which one you choose, so I can give you some tips on how to tackle it

Cheers
Roger

Sounds good Roger! How about one of these lessons?

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

http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/solo-guit...-tune-beginner/ (this one sounds really cool!)

http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/solo-guit...ou-should-know/ (keeps to the same theme as we have been doing)

Anyone of these would be fine with me!

Thanks again Roger!

Ok, lets hit the Rock Tune of Muris

What about you trying to play the first 32 seconds of that lesson at a backing which is comfortable to you (100 bpm?) to start of with.

Following that I can give you some advices on what to improve, before doing the 2nd half of the lesson? Let's go for it to fully get this lesson REC program ready for the future, OK?

A couple of points:

Most importantly, you should be working really hard on the bending (check all bends you have to do by playing the bended note, followed by the actual note after that... do this many times in order for you to make sure you stay in pitch all the time!).

2nd thing to focus on is the vibrato. It's better to play it with a strong but slow vibrato than a shaky and nervous very frequent vibrato... keep that in mind whilst practicing.

Good luck Ben, and feel free to upload your take (even if it's not perfect yet), so I can give you some advices along the road.

Cheers
Roger

Awesome Roger! This seems the most ambitious of the lessons so I am looking forward to tackling it! I will start with the first 32 seconds for now as you suggest. I hope to have my camera squared away soon...I think the heads need to be cleaned.

Ben

Hope you are having a good time on vacation!!!! I have realized that I SUCK at bending notes!!

Thanks Ben, am enjoying it a lot. And no, you definitely do NOT suck at bending notes at all, it just needs some finetuning and getting used to it. Just practice it every single day seriously for several minutes and within a couple of weeks you will never say again that you suck at it (its definitely not easy, but just compare my bending before I started the MTP with Muris compared to now ... its so many miles from were I started (time is your biggest friend here ).

Roger,

I was planning on putting up another take of the Rocking Tune beginner tonight...but my fingers went to hell from too many takes! I started playing it sloppier and sloppier. I am afraid I have hit a wall here...my recent takes don't seem to be improving on the last ones. Not sure what the problem is!

I am keeping at it though!

Ben

I've hit many walls already and the good thing is that sooner or later they always break . Keep at it, but feel free to work on the group assignment a bit more in between or if you have any other things you would like to develop we can find also a suitable other lesson as well.

Cheers
Roger

Thanks Roger! I would like to keep at this one until I get it right...at least the section that we are doing now!

That's the spirit. If you need any help advice whatsoever just shoot!

Cheers
Roger

Roger, I am hanging my head right now. I just can't nail this thing. The ironic part is...I PICKED THIS LESSON!!!!! I am just not getting any smoother at this lesson right now and I am about at the end of my rope with it. I don't know what I am doing wrong...I just can't seem to play it clean not even one time. Maybe we can come back to it down the road...but I am ready to smash my guitar!! (not really! )

No worries Ben, what about focussing on the latest group assignment for a while, and/or joining one of the collabs of David Walliman and work together towards a nice take for that? The Master the minor scale collab is using the A minor scale (=C major notes), so that should be doable for you.

In the meantime, at least keep playing the lesson at least a couple of times during the week (and you will see it gets better in a while ).

Cheers
Roger

Will do Roger! I started messing around with the Group Assignment last night.

Thanks for understanding!

Ben