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Sabbz
Hi guys. Long time, no see. I joined up a few years ago, then went through a little financial trouble and had to resign, but I'm back. Anyway, I could use a little advice from the seasoned players out there. I'm in a helluva musical rut and need a good kick in the ass to get out of it. I've been playing for the better part of 25+ years, but never really took it seriously til my old man died about 8 years ago. Now though, it seems like I just twiddle around with the same old stuff. I know I could really stand to learn more 'musically' as far as songwriting theory and other back to basics stuff goes.

I lost my rig a few years back....Had major back surgery for the 3rd time and the doc said I'd never play electric again because of the surgery, so I sold my half stack, all my electrics, all my fx, etc. Then after the surgery, the doc said it wasn't as bad as he'd thought so hey, I was free to play guitar again. (Gee thanks after I sold my entire rig.) So now I have a decent acoustic and a decent electric and a subpar amp. But hopefully that'll all change in the next 6 months to a year.

Anyway, I'm primarily rooted in the Minor Pentatonic scale and the Harmonic Minor scale. Guess I need to learn some new scales. I definitely need to learn some new licks and stuff as well....I just need a starting point to jump into. Any help/advisement would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!
Adrian Figallo
Hey dude, it's great news that you are back on your feet and ready to rock, i really do feel happy for you and i hope your back gets stronger and you can play standing smile.gif

If you need to get back to the guitar, i recommend you take it easy, it may frustrating at first, when i stop playing the guitar for 2 weeks it feels weird getting back to it, so i kinda know how you feel.

here are some of my lessons:

for penta-easy stuff check:
http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/Angus-...-Billy-Gibbons/

to practice your groove and rhythm hand:
http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/Muted-...-Rhythm-Guitar/

to have a blast with a low tuning:
http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/Queens...he-Stone-Metal/

and for some classic riffing:
http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/The-Led-Zep-Groove/


i also recommend you get some takes to the REC program, now it's super easy to submit your videos, just check the top right part of the video for the POST YOUR TAKE button, enjoy the site!
Todd Simpson
Welcome back! smile.gif Todd here. I"m the Saturday Video Chat instructor (Sat @ 10PM GMT) and I'd have to suggest jumping in to as many video chat lessons and asking questions as you go. Also, the links Adrian put up are KILLER each of these lessons is really quite good and will help expand your playing. So I'd say do both. Start working through the lessons and going to the video chats. Before you know it, you will be making considerable progress. Above all......Practice! smile.gif

Todd
Nihilist1
Nice to meet you Sabbz!

I have been playing for 5 1/2 years and I can honestly say that the link I am about to post forced me to start over from the very beginning.

http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/Picking-Hand-Basics/

It helped me solve all of my right hand issues. Now I am pretty much just working on my left hand. It sucks ass, but I am learning to have the willpower of a god starting all over again. Patience means everything!
Gabriel Leopardi
Hey man! Welcome back! smile.gif

After checking some Major scale and modes lessons check out this cool series based on lots of exotic scales.

http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/search/exotic%20scales/?

MonkeyDAthos
Welcome man, i am glad you can play again biggrin.gif! and don't forget to train your ear also wink.gif
Ivan Milenkovic
Welcome back man, glad you joined us again! smile.gif

If you are stuck with the minor/harmonic minor scale, perhaps you should focus on chords/songwriting/arpeggios now? Every note out of that minor scale can build one chord, so it would be great if you could practice arpeggios to follow the chordal notes while playing, it will help you a lot.

Check out my Arpeggio Workshop Series for detailed explanations:

Cosmin Lupu
hey man! Welcome back biggrin.gif I guess we are new acquaintances, due to the fact that I wasn't officially around until November last year smile.gif well, i would be glad to help you broaden your skills and horizons as a musician and guitarist! And I'd be more than glad if you joined my video chat session this Thursday smile.gif we'll talk about articulation, based on emulating vocal lines with the guitar wink.gif loads of fun and skill honing!

See you at 8 o'clock London time if you're in!

Cosmin

PS: What kind of music do you enjoy listening to?
Sabbz
Thanks for all the suggestions! Looks like I've got some work ahead of me. As far as what type of music I listen to, it's a pretty wide range.....

I grew up listening to 80's - 90's Thrash and Metal. Mustaine had a fairly big influence on my rhythm playing. I love old Slayer/Pantera/Megadeth/Mercyful Fate, etc. Also love old Ozzy and stuff like that, dig the hell out of BLS. I'd have to say though that my absolute three favorite bands are Black Sabbath, Pink Floyd and The Doors. (Robbie Krieger is highly underrated IMO) So obviously I dig guitar driven Classic Rock, then on the other end of the spectrum, I dig old blues like Muddy Waters, B.B. King and Robert Johnson, so it's sorta all over the place.
Sinisa Cekic
Welcome back,man! In the meantime,GMC has much improved, and today you can find anything what you are interested in . smile.gif
Sircraigery
Hey man, I remember when you posted that thread on selling your gear. Felt bad for ya, but glad your back.

I also took some time off from guitar (to build a motorcycle), because I was also in a musical rut. Though, I do it every couple of years. It's always terrible for the first month or two until you remember how to play again HA HA!


What got me back this time? Mainly a couple bands that I started listening to thinking "that's an awesome riff, and it doesn't sound that hard". This time around I've mainly I've been playing Avenged Sevenfold, Bullet For My Valentine, Children of Bodom, and of course writing my own riffs. Your probably familiar with these bands, but incase your not here are a few good suggestions.

AV7X - Nightmare
BFMV - Your Betrayal
COB - In Your Face (youtube the live @ EMG TV version)

Hope that helps you out, and gets you back into the groove.
Daniel Realpe
Dude, about the musical rut...I was in one a few days ago. I was like, I can't really write anything, but I STUCK AT IT, even through the pain of playing just for the sake of it and to my surprise...I ended up creating a pretty decent track which I enjoy very much now...

So I guess sometimes you have to go through pain if necessary it can't always be pleasant creative ride in music.
Cosmin Lupu
QUOTE (Daniel Realpe @ Sep 23 2011, 02:08 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Dude, about the musical rut...I was in one a few days ago. I was like, I can't really write anything, but I STUCK AT IT, even through the pain of playing just for the sake of it and to my surprise...I ended up creating a pretty decent track which I enjoy very much now...

So I guess sometimes you have to go through pain if necessary it can't always be pleasant creative ride in music.


Daniel, back in 2007, I thought I WOULD NEVER EVER be able to write a whole song smile.gif so I perfectly understand what you're saying mate biggrin.gif
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