Hi Mirko!

Let's get started with the MTP!

As you already mentioned on the PM, please post:

- Musical preferences and background
- Favorite guitarists/bands
- What would you like to get out of the MTP program in general?
- More specific technical and theorical goals

Depending on your answers. I'll tailor the program to your needs.

If you want to add some specific comments, please do.

Hey Daniel,

Two years ago I had a really bad time and I was searching something new to do. On this time I started playing the guitar! In hearing and playing music I find something, that makes me really happy!
I was playing in a band for nearly one year, unfortunately I didn’t have enough time to do that any longer.

Influence:

The first bands I was listening to are the Foo Fighters, Nirvana, GnR`s, Blackstone Cherry, Red Hot Chilly Peppers, Böhse Onkelz and much more!
Now I’m listening to several Bands, I like almost everything with Guitar! Actually I like Slipknot and Stone Sour very much but also Joe Bonamassa and other Blues Stuff!
My liking changes every week sometimes...


My Playing:

I like playing almost everything. Like you can see in my REC-Videos, I try to do different things on guitar!
I tried to do Tapping, Pinched Harmonics, Speed Picking, but I’m still working on that all! Maybe I dont find my own style until yet.
My biggest problem is bending technique, I practiced bending very much, but it’s still out of tune.
At the moment I’m playing the Slash Style lesson because that contains much bending-technique. I hope I will be better soon!


My Goals:

I have soooo many goals, because I want to learn everything on guitar!

One big problem is the speed. A few weeks ago I tried to play Emirs SLOW rock solo and I was to SLOW to play!
That’s why getting faster is one important goal for me for the next months!

A big problem is the theory: Now I can play some lessons but I have no idea what I`m doing there!
Only thing I know is the pentatonic scale in A-Minor. I want to know all about my playing! Scales, chords, and all that stuff! But I don’t know where to start!

Like I told you, my bending-technique has to get better! I don’t know why I need so much work on that!

I have uploaded 5 lessons for REC, so maybe you see more things to work for me!

I reed your message for neurology and there was something about discover notes by ear! That sounds very interesting for me too! But I have no idea how to do that!
Ok, I think that’s the most important stuff at the time, I`m really looking forward to the next weeks!

A last goal for me is to speak better English, I hope my English gets better while writing with you!

All right Mirko!

Let’s start addressing some aspects you want to work on.

If you haven’t checked it, this thread on theory by Andrew Cockburn can clear a lot of things regarding theory:

Theory basics thread

Read Minor pentatonic for this week

and
First assignment: Due December 11th (Recordings on mp3 or video)

- Record and post the Slow bending lesson
http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/solo-guit...g-guitar-licks/

- Record and post rhythmic exercise from GP file

- Record and post speed exercise from GP file

- From the minor pentatonic thread answer: What are both the Pentatonic and the Blues scales particularly suitable for?

- Try this online application and see how you do with it. The relevant intervals in that link are: Prime, Major 3rd, Perf. 5th, Octave (I’m guessing you recognize what they are)

Ear training application

If you can get your hands on a better application like Sibelius Aurelia or Ear training master, that'd be good, but to start this one will do just fine. No assignment in this department yet, just see how you go.

For the REC lesson, is there any particular lesson you want to work on for this month related to what you want to work on?

If you have questions or comments please post them.

Hey Daniel,

i have started working on that stuff! its much fun! im very motivated to upload good videos for you!

ok, i have read the theorie stuff, both scales are particularly suitable for rock and 12 bar blues (im still trying to find out what 12 bar blues means).

i would like to finish the slash lesson if you think i should do! i thing i need 3 maybe 4 hours to fix it! i only have to become faster:

http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/solo-guit...h-style-lesson/

Hey Daniel,
here is the Speed exercise, i practiced with metronome, i think its 184 bpm, but im not sure, hope you like it...

hey, i have a question to the rythmic-exercise.
im not sure how to play it.
how should i touch/strike the strings? should i do up/down/up/down even if there is a break or should i move the plec in the breaks as well? (and get up/down/down/up/down for example)

i have seen on my speed-exercise video, that im doing a break with my right hand during the slides! is that ok, or should i do up/down/up/down there the hole time?

oh man, thats so complicated to explain that in english! Hope you understand what i mean!

oh damn, i havengt an ear for that... sometimes it sounds almost ok, but sometimes when i hear that it sounds terrible out of tune...

that's perfect! you have very good string bending control on this particular exercise,

let's move on to some demanding exercises,

I quite liked this one!

and that's a nice guitar, me and my friend agree

is that a PRS?



This is pretty good! it's perfect as well, I know we can focus on some more demanding exercises to improve speed,

Great!



The slash lesson is good for your rec assignment!

Slash is a bending master

The way you are doing your picking on the video is perfect, there's no problem on doing the slides. That's the point on doing that type of picking on one string.

About the rhythm exercise, the point is to do it without the guitar, trust me this will help your rhythm a lot. So record the figure on the GP file with your clapping hands. If you feel comfortable do it with your voice as well with syllables like "Taa" or "Paa"

The point is to be locked with the metronome, to place the claps on the exact time when the click is, or on exactly half the time, as the figure requires it,

Hi Mirko,

I’m very pleased with your work on the first assignment!

Let’s move on with the second:

Second assignment: Due December 17th /2009

- Record and post Rhythmic exercise attached on GP file with clapping hands with a metronome.

- Record and post Speed exercise number two perfectly executed. The goal is to get it at the tempo written but it’s more important that all the notes are clean and secure, so record at the desired tempo to achieve this. Alternate picked starting on a down stroke.

- Record and post Bending assignment. These bendings are taken from the song ”You could be mine” by GnR. I just wrote each lick individually, not in the actual tempo of the song, you have to play them as they appear in the song, the intro part. Use the actual song to record over it. Notice that you must bend two strings (2,3) to get that particular sound. Careful with that rhythm, can be tricky.

Feel free to make questions or comments!


Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment

did you read any of the theory material? do you have any questions regarding that?

Hi Mirko!

Could you do the first rhythmic exercise I attached on the GP file? let me know how that went,

hey daniel, i though that is that easy, so i havent got to practice that much. i did a video today, and i watched it after making, and i was frightened how muhc i was out of time! i really have to pratice that very much this week! i hope to make a video tomorrow!

the new stuf is great! the dopple-bending is very hard but sounds very cool and i love that speed stuff!

sorry, one date too late:







Hey,
yeah its a prs! its a prs se custom! i love that guitar, wasnt very expensive, but i is really a great guitar, easy to play, looks very cool and it sounds great! unfortunality i havent the gear to record my guitar with software, so you cant hear it in "real".

i played the slash lesson today for a while, i think it was very optimistic to believe i could do a rec-video with that. sadly it is to hard for me, i would need to much time to get that licks clean and fast, so i think we have to search a new lesson for the rec-board!



yeah, i readed the stuff about the pentatonic scale and the blue scale! i needed much time for that, because i had to read other stuff before to understand (indruduction to scales).
i havent a question to that, i think i understand what i read there, but i have to learn the scales on the fredboard now! i know the 5 pentatonic boxes but i have to learn the blue notes!

hey, im thinking about doing that lesson for rec, do you think that would be a good choice?

http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/D-Minor-Bending/

The rhythm exercise is very well executed! great! you have a good sense of rhythm, we'll keep on building it up.

At the end you did an extra bar that is not written on the exercise. The bar lines with the two dots mean you have to make the exercise twice only.

Now, for the second rhythm exercise. It is on 4/4. In an even time signature there's always natural accents. In this case they fall on 1 and 3.

The 1 is a very strong accent and the 3 is a more mild one. 2 and 4 are sort of passive pulses.

So for the next assignment, accent 1 and 3.



I think it's an interesting piece of music that can help you develop your bending technique quite a lot. It's good for the REC assignment!

yeah, i regognized that... i started to repeat the whole thing one more time but after the first clap i thought: "hey, its enough!" and so i stopped!

hey, when im playing the spped exercice my pinky hurts! i havent enough strenght to play it for a while, after repeat it one more time (180 bpm) i need a break, because of my fingers...
do you think thats normal or is it possible that i do something wrong?

Hey, here is the bending lesson. i dont like it very much, but i have to upload a video today and thats the best i can do right now... that double-bends are really hard stuff. its unbelievable how much time i need to practice that little lick!

wow, im trying to make the speed-video, but i tried two times to make a video, but they wasnt good and now i have to wait 5 minutes to get my power back in my pinky...

ok, here is my best take....




i need one day longer for the rythm-exercice, im sorry!

It's nomal, the ring finger and the pinky share a tendon, that's why it's a more demanding exercise.

It's all a matter of practice. When I first started I never used my pinky, then I realize I needed it for some specific parts so I started slowly getting it in shape and now it feels normal. But I have to say you will always have to make a little extra effort when using that finger and the ring because there's that physical aspect in there.

But don't worry keep on practicing like that, and eventually you'll feel comfortable, just don't go to fast because you can hurt yourself.

Let me know of questions or comments!

Hi Mirko!

For the third assignment we are gonna keep on working on the speed, bendings and also rhythm:

* Third Assignment: Due December 29th

- Record and post rhythm in the GP file attached. Notice it is on 2/4 time signature. This time signature uses two beats. One strong and one weak like bouncing an imaginary ball. So accent the first beat and don't accent the second.

- Record and post bendings in the GP file attached. Blues licks that make a bigger phrase.

- Record and post speed assignment in the GP file attached. This exercise uses a symmetric scale that is constituted by a whole step and a half step. Go up to the fastest possible but always clean.



* Fourth assignment: Due December 30th

- Post and submit REC assignment to REC submissions.

If you have any questions or comments please let me know!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, i thought i have to do the bends like that... so much senseless work... damn...
the way you show on the video is much more easy! it sounds much better on your way...

sorry, much to late. here is the rythm assignment2! im not sure if you can hear the 1 and 3 accent there, i havent much feel while clapping my hands.

here is my REC-Video, im not sure if i should post it or try to get a better take! now im working on the speed stuff and that great bending lick from your song!

what do you mean?

You requested the exercise Do you mean it's hard? take for steps at a time and let mw know, no worries!



good job, tight with the metronome! that's the point!

Still for the next assignment you should REALLY exaggerate the accent. To achieve that you can do the other notes that are on the weaker beats really quiet, then the accents will exalt naturally.







all right! good take BUT!

You first have to make sure you are in tune! if you notice you are slightly out of tune. Before you record these takes make sure you take 2 mins to get in tune, every time you play as well! in the long run you'll get used to play out of tune and that's very bad.

Maybe that'll take care of the bendings tuning problem by itself. Another thing you can do to work on that is to make the bendings FAST. Reach the next note very fast just to practice. That might help you develop the right feel in your fingers as to where the right pitch is at.

hey, here is the speed picking assignemnt, it isnt really clear, i hope i can make a better one tomorrow, but i havent that much time today and tomorrow and i have to do the bending and rythm stuff to and that is much work!



thats the bending lick, that video isnt my assignment, im sure i can make a better one, but i have a question to that: is it ok to bend the string with the ring finger? becaus i havent enough power in the pinky to use it for that!

Ok, here is the bending assignment: hope you like it!

here is the rythm assignment, now some claps are REALLY weak... ^^

Hey Daniel,
today i did another video for the REC-Programm, i tuned my guitar before so i hope you like it! ^^ there are a few mistakes in it, but i think for a level 3 lesson its good enough to pass!

Ok, im waiting for new orders chief!
(doesnt mean that i havent something to practice at the moment, i realized that i cant play the speed exercice from last week at the same speed like i did a few days ago, so i have to practice all that stuff one more time!)

http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_fo...showtopic=32899

Thanks for the videos!

- Regarding the speed exercise, overall you have very good control of both hands and there are no sync problems. The only I would point you to would be on the ascending part on the B string, when you shift to the next position make sure you land on the right note. Sometimes it came out sloppy.

It has to become a mechanical type of exercise, you don't even have to think about it, you just replicate the same pattern on a different part of the instrument. That's the point of it.

For new exercises we are gonna do some more unpredictable patterns so you don't get stuck on doing these square type of things.

- The Rhythm exercise is great! You have the accents really present and that's the point of it. I hope you know have a better understanding and feel of the 2/4 time signature. We'll continue with these next month. Everytime more challenging of course.

- The bendings assigment is great too! You CAN and actually it's way better to do the bends with your ring finger. Myself I never use the pinky for that particular case.

Now there's a little adding I would do to the lick. Bend the A slightly on the G string when you go down.

Also do the harmonics on the D string. I know that's something you were having trouble with. I would want to help you with that. We can discuss that on chat for some minutes if you'd like.

Mirko's December REC submission

* All right Mirko! You did great this month! I'm really happy with your work.

For the start of next month I would like you to review what we've done and tell me what would you like to focus on. Also I think it would be interesting to do some assignments involving the style of a guitarist that you like.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Hey Daniel,
many thanks!

Ok, the speed exercices were really great for me. i think im really much faster than before and i practice them only 3 weeks. i did never before such exercices, im enjoying that very much because i see my skills growing up!

The bending stuff is really hard for me, i have to practice that more hours then you can imagine! But its also great and i have to work on that much more!
The problem with the bending lick and the pinched harmonic is the gain! If i had enough gain for the harmonics, the lick sounds terrible in my ears, so i lowered the gain and i cant play a pinched harmonic. i thought the bendings are more important then the harmonics and i didnt had a video with good bends AND harmonics!
But we can involve some harmonics in the next exercices!
short before we start with MTP i tried a lesson with pinched and i worked on that many days very hard without much success! *g*

the rythm stuff is a little bit curious for me, but i like it! I trust you that its important for me!

I love the new creed album! i have two ALTER BRIDGE and three Creed CDs at home, so maybe Marc Tremonti would be a good choice to involve. but im not sure how to combine tremonti with that stuff i want to learn! But he used much pinched harmonics on the new songs!


wish you good new year!

thanks for mentoring me vey much!!!!
im really glad to have a teacher like you!