Hi Trey! I am glad that you have decided to join my mentoring program!
Before we will start I have a few questions!
-What are your goals?
-What is your weakness?
-What is your strongest point?
-Your favorite guitar players?
Happy to have you on board!!!! Looking forward to start working with you!

Well my ultimate goal is to start a band in college but I want to learn to shred. However, I am not necessarily looking for this from you. I'm looking to learn vibrato and blues techniques that can be incorporated into metal. I would also like to learn music theory so I can gain a better understanding of how to incorporate what you teach me with things that I create.

My favorite guitarists would be Mr. Paul Guilbert, Alexi Laiho, Michael Paget and Adam D.

Strengths, I can grasp a concept easily.

Weakness, it takes me a while to actually get my left hand in synch with my right sometimes. I tend to rush things quickly and I think it shows. My vibrato is also not the best.

Thanks Alex!

Awesome! I can definitely help you out with anything you have mentioned!!
Let's start with a simple exercise that will get your hands synced together!
It does miracles and will boost up your technique very quickly!!
Make sure to practice it slow using a metronome and have a full control over your hands!
Slower you do it better results you will get!
Here is the tab!

E ||---------------------------|----------------------------------------|
B ||---------------------------|----------------------------------------|
G ||o5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5----|--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5----|
D ||o--------------------------|----------------------------------------|
A ||---------------------------|----------------------------------------|
E ||---------------------------|----------------------------------------|


----------------------------|---------------------------------------|||
----------------------------|---------------------------------------|||
--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5----|--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--o|||
----------------------------|--------------------------------------o|||
----------------------------|---------------------------------------|||
----------------------------|---------------------------------------|||


-------------3--3----------|--------------3--3----------|
-------4--4--------4--4----|--------4--4--------4--4----|
o5--5----------------------|--5--5----------------------|
o--------------------------|----------------------------|
---------------------------|----------------------------|
---------------------------|----------------------------|


--------------3--3----------|--------------3--3---------|||
--------4--4--------4--4----|--------4--4--------4--4---|||
--5--5----------------------|--5--5--------------------o|||
----------------------------|--------------------------o|||
----------------------------|---------------------------|||
----------------------------|---------------------------|||


-6--3----------------------|--6--3----------------------|
----------4--6--3----------|-----------4--6--3----------|
o------5-----------5--3----|--------5-----------5--3----|
o--------------------------|----------------------------|
---------------------------|----------------------------|
---------------------------|----------------------------|


--6--3----------------------|--6--3---------------------|||
-----------4--6--3----------|-----------4--6--3---------|||
--------5-----------5--3----|--------5-----------5--3--o|||
----------------------------|--------------------------o|||
----------------------------|---------------------------|||
----------------------------|---------------------------|||


-6--3--------------------6--3----------------------|
----------4--6--3-----------------4--6--3----------|
o------5-----------5--3--------5-----------5--3----|
o--------------------------------------------------|
---------------------------------------------------|
---------------------------------------------------|


--6--3--------------6--3----------------|
--------4-----------------4-------------|
-----------5--4--3-----------5--4--3----|
----------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------|


--6--3--------------------6--3----------------------|
-----------4--6--3-----------------4--6--3----------|
--------5-----------5--3--------5-----------5--3----|
----------------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------|


--6--3--------------6--3---------------|||
--------4-----------------4------------|||
-----------5--4--3-----------5--4--3--o|||
--------------------------------------o|||
---------------------------------------|||
---------------------------------------|||


-6--4--3-------------------------------------------|
-------------------6--4--3-------------------------|
o---------7--5--3--------------------7--5--3-------|
o---------------------------6--5--3----------------|
----------------------------------------------6----|
---------------------------------------------------|


----------------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------|
--------6--5--3-----------------------------3--5----|
--5--3-----------------------------3--5--6----------|
-----------------6--4--3--3--4--6-------------------|


-----------------------4--6--8--3--4--6-------------|
--------------4--6--8--------------------3--4--6----|
-----3--5--7----------------------------------------|
--6-------------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------|


--6--4--3-------------------------------------------|
--------------------6--4--3-------------------------|
-----------7--5--3--------------------7--5--3-------|
-----------------------------6--5--3----------------|
-----------------------------------------------6----|
----------------------------------------------------|


----------------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------|
--------6--5--3-----------------------------3--5----|
--5--3-----------------------------3--5--6----------|
-----------------6--4--3--3--4--6-------------------|


-----------------------4--6--8--3--4--6------------|||
--------------4--6--8--------------------3--4--6---|||
-----3--5--7--------------------------------------o|||
--6-----------------------------------------------o|||
---------------------------------------------------|||
---------------------------------------------------|||

Guitar Pro
Click to view attachment
Let me know if you have any questions!

Dang! I like this workout! I'll be spending a lot of time on this!

Give me a day or so. Then I'd like to get some video lessons in.

Awesome! I am looking forward to your take! This workout is very good and it will help you very very fast to develop better technique! Let me know if you have any questions!

Hi I just wanted to see how are you doing and if you need any help or have questions! Please let me know! I have a new assignment for you as soon as you are ready!

Hey Alex! I'm ready whenever! It's been a really busy week which is why I haven't really been in contact much.

Hit me with what you got!

Perfect! Let's start to get get into improvisation a little bit? What do you think?
Here is the backing track that you can use to practice your assignments!
http://soundcloud.com/alex-feather-akimov/blues-mentoring
It's a standard I - IV - V blues progression in E
So the chords are: E7 - A7 - B7
I would like you to jam over it and get use to the feel and the groove!
For now I would like you to use E minor pentatonic in this position:






Let me know if you have any questions or need help!

Hi I just wanted to follow up and see how are you doing? I have a new assignment ready for you! Let me know!

Hey Alex, sorry it's been a while. It's been a busy few weeks.

I'm planning on working on getting a feel for that scale and hitting you with a jam track soon.

Stay tuned

I do need to ask though?

How exactly do I do this? I know that sounds like a dumb question.

But I can't get a feel for the scale. I'm trying but it's just weird. I don't get what to really do to make it sound good, how to link the scales, etc.

Hello! I am glad you back!
The way you do it is very easy just play the pentatonic in the positions I gave you! Try to start by creating some melodies and play less at first! Just be melodic instead of playing too much! For now we will be using only one pentatonic so there is no scale connections just yet! Let me know if you have any questions or need help!

Hello! I juts wanted to follow up and see if you have any questions or need help with anything! Let me know!

Well, here it is. I'm not very proud of it but I'm not incredibly disappointed by it.

I've never done a jam track and I'm not very familiar with Blues playing so this is a big first for me. I've also never really known how to use scales to make a solo so I guess this whole using scales thing is also new to me.

http://soundcloud.com/trey-deschamp/blues-e-pentatonic-freestyle

I'm excited to hear what you have to say so that I can better improve my playing.

You did a very good job! I would like you to start adding different ranges and octaves also try to develop your solo by playing less and building up gradually!
Let me know if you have any questions or need help!

I have a few questions actually:

1. How exactly do you go about building a solo? (I want to give this another attempt before we move to anything else)

2. How do you know when to add different parts of the scale? (I was kind of confused as to when it was the appropriate time to play notes)

3. How do you know when to utilize a scale and when to scratch a scale? (for this take I use only scale 2 and 3)

Thanks Alex!

By the way,

thanks for that 10 on my REC take, it's my first 10.

1) Have you heard about Question and Answer technique? This is the best way to start building a solo! We can work on it a little bit more and I can explain you in details if you want!
2) You can use any notes anytime from the scale I gave you! All you have to do is create melodic phrases (licks) based on your feelings and ideas!
3) I am not sure what did you mean?

1. I learned Question and Answer from your video chat the other day!

2. Got this question answered.

3. I mean when do you know a scale is appropriate to use over a backing track and when one isn't. For example, you gave me 3 scales to use, but I only used two. The first scale didn't do it for me. I'm not sure if I made the right decision in scratching that scale and was wondering if you could tell me how you pick and choose scales.

bump

I wouldn't suggest scratching the scale I gave you away! The idea is also to get your ears use to different sounds!
In order to figure out the scale you need to know the theory that's where all the scales and notes are coming from!
If you would like we can get into it a little bit more!
Let me know!

I think the best thing for me, before we start is theory.

Could you teach me music theory basics? (notes, ways to remember notes, scale patterns, etc.) I'm not trying to get to complex in one step, I just think it'll make this easier for me. Hopefully over time we can add more theory over time.

Thanks Alex!

Sounds good! Let's start by leaning the neck first!
it might seem very complicated, but it's not as hard as it seems!
Let's simplify it!
First and sixth strings are the same and after 12 fret everything is starting over!
So all you need to learn is 5 strings up to 12 frets!
Here is the trick!
First I want you to learn all the dots and open strings!
Open strings are easy to remember if we will use a little rhyme starting with a low E
Eat
All
Day
Get
Big
Eeasy

So for now I want you to memorize this:


To speed up the process play a note and call it out loud and than check if you are correct!
Don't go any farther just yet! Let me know when you feel comfortable and I will show you what to do next!

Awesome! I study this for a day or so and get back to you. I pick up concepts like this easily.

Great! Let me know when you are ready and I will post a new one right away! We have about 6 more to go!

I got it down perfect!

Awesome! So now let's take it to the next level!
That's what I would like you to do:
Take open strings and learn the same notes on the rest of the neck
Find it on every string!






Let me know if you have any questions or need help!

Hi! I just wanted to follow up and see how are you doing? Ready for a new challenge?

Hey Alex,

Sorry I haven't been so active within the last month. School started so I've been busy.

Right now I'd like to continue on with these theory lessons. They are really helping me. I know you said you had a few tasks for me with these theory lessons so I'd like to continue with them.

Awesome!
So here is what we will be doing!
I will be explaining a new theory subject once a week or every other week and will be giving assignments based on it!
Theory questions

- Harmonize G major scale
- Build A7 chord
- Write ii - V - I chord progression starting with Cmi7
- D mi7 - Bb - Gmi - F What key this chord progression in?

Let me know if you have any questions or need help with anything!