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Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Apr 5 2014, 06:50 PM

Hi friend! Welcome to our thread for working together. Here I will help you to design your weekly guitar plans, and follow your progress with feedback and suggestions. Please share here all the info that you think I should know about you.


Some specific things that I would like to know:

Name:
Age:
Playing since:
Influences:
Diary practice:
Audio or video recording possibility:
Main goals as musician:
Main goals in life:

How many hours per day can you dedicate to guitar?
What do you know about theory?

and please also post some videos of you playing.

Let's start rocking!! smile.gif

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Apr 6 2014, 04:14 PM

okay! my name is Logan Cross, I am 23 and been playing since about 13, but i dont spund like i have. my influences are KIRK HAMMETT, James Hetfield, Marty Friedman, dave Mustaine, Alexi laiho, Jeff Loomis, Matt Heafy, Alex Skolnic, AndyJames, all GMC Instructors, and many more along the lines of thrash and heavy metal!!!! daily practice, well im a full time student, with exams coming up very soon, part of the time i can practice for 1-2 hours or more seven days a week, and sometimes i can practice 1-2 hours or more 5 days a week, it really depends on the homework i have sadly I can upload audio just fine, i can actually upload some audio of me doing one of your lessons video im not sure, i play through my mac sp i can see if i can use the webcam and sync it with the audio! my main goals as a musician, this sounds far fetched but its been there since i was 13 haha, i want to to be a frontman in a thrash metal band and play an opening act for the Big 4 thrash bands. after that i want to be in the biggest metal band and be on the front cover of guitar magazines!! my main goal in life is to be a musican, even tho im not gonna make alot of money at first after school, i cant imagine not being able to live off of music.

There you have it friend!

very excited to be working with you!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Apr 6 2014, 05:41 PM

Hi Logan! Let me say that your post is very cool. I like your energy and how you set goals for your musical career. Let me say that everything you dream is possible with discipline and hard work. You can play with big bands, you can make your band big, you can live and pay rents with music and whatever you dream. But you need to focus and dedicate time to it.

The first step, before starting a band is to have a good overall guitar level, then compose great music and then the longer step,playing live, recording albums and making press to make your band known.

Audio files are ok for me, so please record yourself playing some lessons (1 rhythm and another soloing) and share it here to let me know your current level. Then we can start with your guitar plans.

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Apr 6 2014, 06:31 PM

i dont have a solo one recorded yet but heres a rocking MegaDeth lesson from the one and only!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Apr 6 2014, 07:29 PM

It sounds very precise. The main thing that I would try to improve on this one is your guitar tone. What did you use to record it?

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Apr 6 2014, 07:42 PM

thank you! i always try to practice them till no mistakes before i record! and it was Garage Band off of my mac, so it is extremely hard to get a good sounding guitar distortion do you have any suggestions ?

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Apr 6 2014, 08:02 PM

What about using Reaper (free multitrack) with any free VST amp emulator?

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Apr 6 2014, 08:40 PM

IS REAPER from garage band? id love to try it if its free cuz i am dissappointed with my sound

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Apr 6 2014, 08:42 PM

This is Reaper: http://www.reaper.fm/

And check this:



and this one!

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Apr 7 2014, 03:45 PM

gab, those videos were very helpful! i checked them out last night and i am going to try and download them today, i went out of town this weekend and diddnt take any homework with me so now it is my own fault that i may not be able to play my guitar today, but where there is a will there is a way! i will try to get that downloaded ASAP and send you a recording of your Sodom lesson and try to get a video with it too so you can better see where i am at with my playing!

thanks again for those links!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Apr 7 2014, 04:30 PM

Hi mate! Don't worry! I'll wait for the video. I'm glad to know that the links helped.

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Apr 7 2014, 05:05 PM

Thanks bro! just lettin ya know it all downloaded okay so from now on im hoping my tone improves a bunch!
Thanks again for this oppertunity!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Apr 8 2014, 02:57 AM

Cool! Can't wait to hear/see your new videos.

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Apr 8 2014, 09:26 PM

Hey! im having trouble. i have the the audio recorded on Reaper and i have the video saved, but how do i transfer my reaper audio files to itunes so i can start the sync ?

sounds good though!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Apr 9 2014, 01:16 PM

Hi mate! You don't have to use iTunes, you need Movie Maker to sync audio and video. Go to the minute 7:45 of this video:

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Apr 9 2014, 03:28 PM

is there a movie maker for the mac? i only see windows movie maker when i search

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Apr 9 2014, 05:49 PM

I don't think so but here you have al list of free editors for Mac:

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/top-6-free-video-editors-mac-os/

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Apr 9 2014, 09:55 PM

and also check this link: http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_forum/index.php?showtopic=51799&st=0&#entry681731

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Apr 10 2014, 08:27 PM

the players wont open my reaper file idk wat to do



im pretty sure its my reaper program, i can only load the file there and i cant email it anywhere or anything. its a bummer

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Apr 10 2014, 09:49 PM

Hi mate. What's the format of your reaper file? Did you export the mix in .wav or .mp3?

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Apr 10 2014, 10:23 PM

yes i have, ive tried both, im stumped!
it just tells me that it has failed to load

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Apr 11 2014, 02:12 PM

mm ok, I'm writing a personal message now. Check it out.

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Apr 12 2014, 01:55 PM

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Apr 12 2014, 03:55 PM

Hi mate, thanks for the video! I wonder if you are exporting the audio mix to then import the audio file in Movie Maker:




The following file types are supported in Windows Live Movie Maker:

Windows Media Audio (WMA) files .asf, .wm, and .wma
Pulse-code Modulation (PCM) audio files .aif, .aiff, and .wav
Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) audio files .m4a
MP3 audio files .mp3


So if you export audio in any of those files you should be able to import it in Reaper.

Please let me know if it works.

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Apr 13 2014, 04:44 PM

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Apr 13 2014, 05:33 PM

Hi mate! That's a very good question and I think that you will receive different answers depending if you are asking it to a classical guitar player or to a high gain electric guitarist. When you are playing with a lot of distortion you have to be sure that you are muting the strings that you are not playing to keep a clean sound. If you don't do it, you will have noises everywhere and even some strings will start resonating by vibration as soon as the same note is played on another string. Just do the experiment, set your amp with distortion and play the free number 9 on the 3rd string (E note) and then mute only that string... you will notice that an harmonic of the note will be heard. It's string number 6 resonating because of the vibration of the same frequency... it's an acoustic phenomenon.

I recorded this video some time ago for a student and I think that it will give you some good tips about this:




Regarding the recording issues, I will wait for news about it.

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Apr 13 2014, 08:39 PM

thanks for the video!!

GOOD NEWS!! I FIGURED IT OUT! ill try and have some videos for you by tomorow or tuesday because i have alot of homework, but it works! i have to rerecord thats why it will take some days

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Apr 13 2014, 09:27 PM

Excellent!! I will wait for your video!

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Apr 15 2014, 08:38 PM

Gab whats up!?!?
i posted my video in REC! its so exciting!! the guitar tone sounds waaay better than when i was recording on garage band!

anyway here is the video again to put in the thread, this is about where i am rhythm wise
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPXDm4a2hbA&feature=youtube_gdata

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Apr 16 2014, 01:54 PM

Awesome!! You really improved your tone! I'm glad to know that the tips and links helped! I think that there is still room to improve your tone but this has been a great step.

I think that your guitar sounds like "far" when you play the rhythm sections. Maybe you are using too much reverb? Also, it's a bit noisy, I would try with a bit less distortion, and experimenting a bit with EQ. (Less treble? more mids?)

Your playing is very good on the take, I think that there are little sections (mostly the faster ones) where your timing could be tighter but it's not something very serious, just focus on it. I will go to grade your take at REC.

Congrats!!

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Apr 16 2014, 02:03 PM

thank you Gab! i am terrible at tone so that will be a new goal i will set for myself! and i will take your advice on the settings, thanks again! i will try and get a lead one up for you today after class



also for jack white, any advice on the direction i should adjust my things? like i am really bad at finding tone

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Apr 16 2014, 02:41 PM

Hi mate. Well, Jack White tone is usually created with vintage combo amps. I would start experimenting with something close to Vox or Fender amps and then add an overdrive pedal like tube screamer (also emulated in the soft) to get a bit more gain. You can also experiment with a Fuzz pedal which is very used in that style of music.

Feel free to share samples here.

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Apr 18 2014, 04:01 PM

Gab! just letting you know im still alive haha i know i said i was going to have a video up by now, but i have gotten absolutely swamped with assignments! i have still practiced just no time to do anything for a long period of time! going home for the holiday weekend so hopefully i can get one up for ya so we can decide what i need to work on for my daily routine. just though id give an update! thanks again for all the help youve given me so far!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Apr 18 2014, 04:21 PM

hey mate! thanks for the update. Don't worry, I will wait for the videos to see how we should continue. Have a great weekend!

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL May 2 2014, 02:20 PM

Gab! it is taking me forever to get the lead video nailed at 100% i was wondering if you could give me a beginner type exercise to work on untill i nail it? it always right at the end like im thinking to ahead that i finally nailed it and then i mess up!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi May 2 2014, 07:38 PM

what's the lead soloing lesson that is giving problems?

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL May 2 2014, 08:53 PM

marcus siepen's pentatonic solo. its always either the legato part or the final part, always mess one up if i get te other correct

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi May 2 2014, 09:06 PM

do you have a video sample? you can send it by PM if you don't want to publish it here.

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Jun 16 2014, 02:33 PM

Hi mate, how are you? I was checking our mentoring thread and was wondering about you and your guitar practice. It's been a while since I have news from you and I'm curious to know what you are working on.

I think that it's time to start working seriously on your practice, to design some weekly lessons in order to adjust your guitar playing technique and start slowly your path to find your own voice in your playing. This is directly connected to improvisation and composition but requires of hard work and diary connection with your instrument.

So, what do you say? Are you in?

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Jun 21 2014, 06:53 AM

I am very in! i got caught up in work so my participation in the forums slowed way down but i have still been practicing!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Jun 21 2014, 09:45 PM

Great! Do you think that it's possible to record a video of you playing that Marus Siepen Solo?


We have to design a routine covering these topics:

Warming Up

Alternate Picking

Legato

Rhythm

Expression (bending, vibrato & dynamics)

Composition


How many time per day can you practice nowadays?

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Jun 22 2014, 02:23 AM

i try to practice at least once a day anywhere between 1-2 hours, i have to work tonight again but as soon as i find some time and sleep i will try and get that video up and recorded. still very excited about this!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Jun 22 2014, 09:04 PM

Excellent. I will wait for the video. If you have some free time at work or anywhere with the computer, check if you find some GMC lessons that you like and that fit on the categories of the suggested routine.

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Jun 23 2014, 12:49 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEWSPgQXOYo

i decided to show you what my limits are with speed and accuracy when it comes to lead. i set the metronome to 110. i usually can get 115 but for some reason today it wasnt happening.

The first to runs are from Lian Gabriel. the second two are from an Alexi Laiho DvD. i wish to shred like him one day on stage.


i look forward to your help "Coach"!!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Jun 23 2014, 02:33 PM

Hi mate! The video is set as private, I cannot play it. Could you please set it as visible?

Thanks!

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Jun 23 2014, 02:43 PM

ye i will!! one sec!

herre ya go!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEWSPgQXOYo

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Jun 23 2014, 04:44 PM

Great to see you playing! Well, based on this video I can say that you already have the basics to become the guitarist that you are want to be. Now it's time to push your limits with intensive practice. These are some things that you need to have in mind:

- Right hand movement: Be sure that the movement starts from your wrist and elbow and not from your fingers. Sometimes I feel that you are moving your thumb and index while you play.
- Synchronization: I notice that sometimes your picking is not perfectly synchronized with your left hand. This is fundamental to keep your playing clean and clear.
- Economy of movements: In order to gain more speed you have to focus on doing the less movement possible with both hands. Try to keep your left hand fingers closer to the frets.


Let's start working with this routine:

Warming Up (7 minutes)

massages and stretching (http://youtu.be/1XsLRQFV7rY)
http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/Picking-Arpeggios/


Alternate Picking (20 minutes)

http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/Alternate-Picking-Basics/
http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/Alternate-Picking-Workout-2/


Legato (20 minutes)

http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/Bens-Land-Of-Legato/


Rhythm (20 minutes)

http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/Slayer-Simplified/
http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/rhythm-guitar/slayer-style-advanced/

Expression/bending, vibrato & dynamics (20 minutes)

http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/solo-guitar/neoclassical-3-levels-beginner/


I don't know your current Rhythm level so I shared two possible lessons, please let me know which one is more adequate to your level.

What do you think?

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Jun 23 2014, 05:00 PM

the most intense rhythm level i did was my REC Submission of your Sodom Style. you gave me a 9 out of 10

these lessons fit perfectly! Finally i have an actual time structure for each technique! i felt i got a little better just from looking them over! thanks so much!!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Jun 23 2014, 05:31 PM

ah excellent, so your current rhythm level is around 5/6. The advanced Slayer lesson will fit great.

Great to know that you feel more organized now. Please tell me how the routine feels after the first day of practice.

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Jun 24 2014, 06:47 PM

the practice routine is great!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Jun 25 2014, 02:05 PM

Excellent! Please keep me updated and share videos if it's possible. Thanks!

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Jun 29 2014, 02:59 PM

i know this wasnt part of the plan but my buddy let me borrow the beard and it matched the lesson!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjrnvqVww10

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Jun 29 2014, 07:51 PM

hahaha epic beard man!! It looks great!! It's a pity that the guitar is very low in the mix, I cannot hear details to give comments but it seems to be played very good.

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Jul 1 2014, 10:24 AM

Thanks! I am in need of some guidance today. VIBRATO. Marcus has a fantadtic vibrato that I want to recreate so bad!! What would be a solid way for me to get that time of emotion in my bends???

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Jul 1 2014, 02:42 PM

Hi mate! vibrato is fundamental for playing solos with feeling. It's a technique that can feel a bit unnatural at first but then you understand that it's basic to give life to a phrase, and even to some chords. Vibrato must go with the groove of the track, so once you have enough strength to do it, I recommend you to practice it over different backing tracks and different music styles.

Check out this lesson: http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/Bens-Vibrato-Odyssey-5/

Learn it, read the info and let me know if you have questions. Also, please post a video of you playing the technique.

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Jul 2 2014, 04:13 AM

That is a great lesson to really help me get a base! Thanks!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Jul 2 2014, 02:31 PM

Sure! Try it and let me know how you feel the technique.

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Jul 16 2014, 02:29 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhbdzAKB9dY&list=UUi63XVTmzZth8wrtknn8_IA


i recorded both guitar parts cuz original backing track diddnt have any guitar

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Jul 16 2014, 03:00 PM

Hi mate, good job putting both guitars together. I think that you played the riffs good, there are some little details that could be tighter but the overall is very good. Be careful with timing when you play 16th notes with palm muting (like in the ending pattern). When both guitars play unison riffs, I hear something weird regarding tuning. There are 3 some possible reasons for this that I will share here and you should try to discover what's the problem:

- Maybe one of both guitars is a bit out of tune.
- You are doing too much strength while pressing frets and this make some notes sound out of tune.
- You are picking strong and your strings are thick enough to support it.

Your guitar playing is getting better every day, but in order to get professional sounding takes, you have to focus on details like timing and pitch which are less notorious but fundamental to mark the difference. Keep on the hard work!

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Aug 15 2014, 09:32 PM

Hey Gabe! can you tell me a good way to learn and understand key signatures? if i know a little about it i think it will help me write better music,
thanks!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Aug 15 2014, 09:48 PM

Hi mate, how are you? What do you exactly need to do? Writing scores? Or you refer to tonalities?

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Aug 16 2014, 04:03 PM

i dont actually know, i met the guitarists of NekroGoblikon after a show 2 days ago and he told me when he started to understand key signatures everything just kind of came together and made writing a little more creative. and i am good i been pracyicing good and hard!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Aug 16 2014, 04:34 PM

Well, key signatures refer to "accidents" (flats or sharps) that appear at the beginning of a score and it indicates the tonality in which the song has been written. It's a language code to indicate which notes from the song will be played sharp or flat by default. It's really good to know because this means that you will know the tonality and scale used on a song, and also it's a tool to write your own music. But, I don't see how you can become more creative, so maybe the guy was referring to any other thing...

Check these graphic with the key signatures for every key:




Here you have some useful threads about this topic:

http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_forum/index.php?showtopic=4363
http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_forum/index.php?showtopic=3160
http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_forum/index.php?showtopic=48699


Please let me know if this clarifies the concept.

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Aug 16 2014, 04:44 PM

creative was a wrong word i think "more structure" it was a late night and i drove 3 hours to see them haha i was boggy. thanks i will dig deep into these!!!!!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Aug 16 2014, 04:47 PM

hahah now we are talking. Yeah, this sounds more reasonable. Check out those thread and let me know if you have questions about this topic.

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Aug 18 2014, 04:23 AM

hey Gabe, how much do YOU practice everyday? Im just curious because your skill level is running at about a 50/10.

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Aug 18 2014, 04:31 PM

Hi mate. I've been playing guitar for 21 years. When I was a teenager and there weren't too much responsibilities I used to play 8 hours each day. This happened until I was 21, when I decided to dedicate time to composition and production of my band's song. The time was reduced to around 3 hours for practice. Nowadays I practice around that amount, sometimes more, sometimes less, but the good thing is that I work with my guitar, here at GMC, and with my band so I usually have my guitar in my hands many hours. It's not real practice, it's music playing, but that's the main goal after all.

I think that practicing 3 hours every day but wisely, with an effective routine, you will see good improvements in your playing. The main thing is to practice every day, that's the key.

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Aug 18 2014, 04:35 PM

that is incredible. for the 8 hours a day, did you break up each technique into 2 hour segments ?

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Aug 18 2014, 05:05 PM

I wasn't very obsessive with organization in those days but I used to do these things when I was around 15:

- Practice some Yngwie Malsteen songs: Far beyond the sun, Vengeance, I'm a Vicking.
- Practice Blues Saraceno Never Look Back song
- Practice some Steve Vai and Satriani's songs.
- Paul Gilbert Licks: Alternate Picking exercises, string skipping.
- Play along with my favorite songs: I used to listen to music with my guitar, learn the songs while I listen and jam solos over them.
- Sweep Picking practice: Demon Driver, Preludio Obsesivo (Rata Blanca)
- Vinnie Moore clinics licks: Mostly for alternate picking and legato.
- Play along with Maiden's songs.
- Practice Zakk Wylde style pentatonic licks.


I was studying with a shred guitar teacher who used to give me technique exercises and licks every week and I learn them and practice hard to be able to master the licks for the following week.

When I was around 17 years old, I started to study guitar improvisation with a fusion/jazz guitarist who taught me all the secrets behind modes, and using triads and arpeggios for improvising. In those days I added improvisation practice (around 2 hours) to my diary practice.
I also started to play on a professional power/progressive metal band (Damnation), so I used to practice the songs every day for many hours. I noticed in those days that I was lacking some rhythm skills to I focused on it.




Nowadays my practice is based on technique training, and expanding my musical horizons. I'm learning some fusion licks, practicing with my acoustic guitar, some Argentinian folk stuff, etc. The idea for this year was polishing and expanding. I'm also dedicating a lot of time to composition, for my band, for gmc lessons, and also some extra stuff for parallel albums or ideas.

I consider very important to have a notepad with all the goals and things progress that will be your guide to be focused on the things that you want to master. If you don't have a plan, time goes by and you don't get profit of it. I still have my notepad and write on it every day.

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Aug 18 2014, 05:13 PM

noted noted aaaaand noted!! its about that time for me to pick up my guitar and run through the lesson plan! awsome video gabe and thanks for all the help and advice! i start school again on Monday and i will be actively seeking a Thrash/Power metal band myself!! i will keep you updated on how that goes

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Aug 18 2014, 05:14 PM

Nice! What's your current routine? Do you have it planned?

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Aug 18 2014, 05:42 PM

i do! its the one that you designed for me!it guarentees me at LEAST an hour and a half a day!!!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Aug 18 2014, 05:53 PM

Ok, nice to know that you'll work on this one. Please let me know how the first day goes. Keep me updated!

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Aug 21 2014, 08:20 PM

Gabe! hello! i was wondering if you could give me a powermetal course??? with the song sample i wrote that was the most fun ever making cool folkish sounding melodies! i would love to know what scales are commonly used! and i know your the guy to ask!! also i have some exciting news!! my friend is the drummer for the band Hessler, and in November hes going on tour again in Canada and is coming up through michigan near where i go to school, he said if i have a band and a few songs by November hell try and throw us in the opener!!! i thought that was the coolest thing ever!!!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Aug 21 2014, 09:30 PM

Hi mate! Exciting news!! I think that this is a great opportunity that you don't have to miss. Are you playing in a band now? Do you have some songs in progress? What's your statues regarding that show?

About the Power Metal Course, off course I'm in! I've been playing and analyzing Power Metal music for many years so I can really help you with this. We will organize the course in 4 modules:

Module 1: Tonalities & Scales used in Power Metal songs.

Module 2: Rhythms & Techniques used in Power Metal

Module 3: Structures & Arrangements

Module 4: Creating a Power Metal song




What do you think?
Please also tell me what concepts you know about tonalities, scales and chords...

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Aug 21 2014, 09:35 PM

i know nothing but i am motivagted to learn!! and not at the moment i move up tomorow and i will be posting wanted posters for musicians all over that dang campus lol! i do have a small sample for you that i made ill upload it! its rough, it was in E flat on new strings, its muddy BUT the idea is there!! i also play it now in Standard tuning so it sounds much much better!!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Aug 21 2014, 09:57 PM

Ok, so before we get into Power Metal, wee need to work on some basic concepts that are used on most the Power Metal songs.

- Major Scales
- Minor Scales
- Pentatonic Scales

I know that it can be bit boring at first but trust me and you will slowly become a Power Metal master.

Check out this positions, have you ever heard about the Caged System?

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Aug 21 2014, 10:00 PM

Gabe you have my FULL trust. i have heard the term before, and does it have something to do with the circle of fifths? i dont really unerstand either term but i would like to, what do i learn after that?

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Aug 21 2014, 10:27 PM

Ok, this are moveable scales based on open chord shapes. The term CAGED refers to open C, A, G, E and D chords that will be our guide to find the different scales. Check out this article: http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_forum/index.php?showtopic=2984.

And also check out this thread about Major scales: http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_forum/index.php?showtopic=47641


Read all that stuff, learn the C major shapes that I shared in the previous post and try the notes over this backing track.
http://youtu.be/oJhwfKOAkKw

- Notice how each note sounds over the backing,
- Try to get the feel of the scale.
- Sing the notes while you play them
- Listen to music and try to identify songs that use Major Scale for solos or vocal melodies.

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Aug 21 2014, 10:28 PM

thanks Gabe! ill keep you updated

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Aug 21 2014, 10:30 PM

Perfect! Feel free to record your practice and post it here.

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Aug 23 2014, 03:56 PM

Gabe! i feel like i have a good basic understanding of the building of major chords and the CAGED C part of CAGED system, BUT...

W H H W W W H lets say i start at the C note. is the C note the first W that i move a WHOLE from and start it as a D note, or is it the starting C note??

Question Number 2!!! about the CAGED system!! ( which i am digging by the way, very cool concept)

when i move the shape up to play the D scale with the C shape, if i move it up the neck 2 more frets is it playing the E major scale ? actually it is, i was reading a little as i was typing this and made sense to myself, the C chord shape moved up the neck has the D root note making it the D major scale in C shape, same with the E major scale, and so on and so on

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Aug 23 2014, 04:22 PM

Hi mate, you have something wrong on your post, this is the correct combination of whole and half notes to get a major scale:

C (W) D (W) E (H) F (W) G (W) A (W) B (H) C


and about question number 2. Yeah, this are movable chords. Check out this examples with the shape that you are asking:





Is everything clear?

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Aug 23 2014, 05:04 PM

thank you!

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Aug 24 2014, 01:51 AM

Gabe, on part 1 of the caged system, it says that we can play the scale of D using the shape of C, and in the diagram it shows the same pattern except on the second string, it plays one less note, why is that? it is stumping me, its making me second guess on playing the other scales with this shape

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Aug 25 2014, 12:47 AM

Hi mate, yeah, the diagram is missing that note, don't worry, you have to add it, because the shapes are always the same.

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Aug 25 2014, 01:13 AM

oh my thank you so much it was confusing the crap out of me, i was doing that at first before i noticed the missing note, THANK YOU

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Aug 25 2014, 02:14 PM

No problem mate! It's important to go deep with this stuff so I'm proud to see you focused.

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Aug 25 2014, 03:46 PM

ive met a possible bassist already as well!! this weekend he has to go back home and grab his bass so im hoping that will work out!!!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Aug 25 2014, 03:59 PM

Awesome! Congrats!

What can you tell about him?

- Does he seem to be a nice/easy to work with person?
- Can you feel a connection with him? Do you have a great time when you meet him?
- Does he have similar musical tastes?
- What about his equipment?
- Experience? Any previous band? If yes, why does he left it? it not, why not?

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Aug 25 2014, 04:15 PM

he seemed really laid back, super cool dude, we talked about music very easily with each other and had the same taste in some metal, he leaned more toward the death metal scene, but hey, why not incorporate some of those elements in our music? his equipment all i know of right now is that he has a 4 string and a 5 string bass, and he used to play alot but stopped a little and wants to get back int playing music pretty heavily. which is GOOD so far!

theory question, again on the CAGED system, do the shapes ONLY work with those chords? or can i go up one fret from the E to an F ? did i miss the answer in the article? i read it twice

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Aug 26 2014, 05:20 PM

This sounds great mate. I was asking just to let you know that there are many important aspects that you need to have in mind when you choose your band mates. Having a strong connection in a band is essential to make good music together. When you know your band mates, you are able to understand what they are going with each ham, when to lead and when to follow.




Exactly! the cool thing about this shapes is that they are movable. You have to identify the root of each shape and move as I did it with C shape in the previous graphic.

Please let me know if this concept is clear and share with me diagrams or tabs to check if you are doing it right. Ok?

Also, we can meet at the chat-room to check this. Send me a PM.

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Sep 3 2014, 12:24 PM

wed have to make an appointment haha because we have a crazy time difference!

im pretty confident with the information so far now

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Sep 3 2014, 01:34 PM

Hi mate, I'm not sure about your city but we don't have a big difference with Argentina:

Time difference between USA and Argentina is:

+1:0 hours
Current time in Washington DC, USA is:
Wed, 03 Sep 2014 08:33 AM


Current time in Buenos Aires, Argentina is:
Wed, 03 Sep 2014 09:33 AM

I'll be doing a Vchat today at 16 hs (Buenos Aires), so it means that it will be at 15 hs (USA)...

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Sep 3 2014, 03:31 PM

oh well thats awsome!! i just was going by the websites time that i posted and it was 9 hours ahead of me so i got confused haha.

i dont know if ill be able to make that today, if i cant when is your next one so i can move some stuff around and get in on that??
practice has been ongoing, ive been playing lately at a minimum of 3 hours (thats not including the studying of theory) and 3 days ago i played for 6 hours. LIFE IS GOOD GABE

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Sep 4 2014, 01:55 AM

Hi mate! Nice to know that life is good!!

You can check the front page to see when all the next Vchats will be done and you can use this http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converted.html?p1=77&p2=136&iso=20120407T1500 to convert time. The site works with London Time.

My next Vchat is scheduled for the next Wednesday.

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Mar 7 2015, 03:20 AM

Gabe! hello! it has been a long time! my computer had a virus and it took me forever until i could get it fixed, i did not quit guitar haha. but good news my friend i found a band and we play metal music!! here is our facebook page!! https://www.facebook.com/InvertedTruth

you should like it so you can get all our updates! the lessons and practice routines you gave me helped alot and when i tried out i did just fine! we have some songs up on the profile for you to listen to! i am ready for more lessons as well now that my computer is fixed

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Mar 7 2015, 04:23 PM

Hi mate! Congrats!! I'm listening to your songs there and I can say that you sound really professional!! I like the guitar riffs, and the vocals! I'm a big old time fan of In Flames and I can hear a big influences of them. These are killer news!!

What are the plans with the band? After some rehearsals and based on the band's goals, what do you think you need to work on guitar?

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Mar 7 2015, 04:29 PM

theres always going to be me wanting to sound cleaner, i dont know if i am being over critical on my playing, and now that i am officially in a band i'd really like to learn more about song writing so i can help more with writing, I have contributed a riff here and there for our recording but I would really like to take just a riff further and turn it into a song.

and thank you! our goals is to be a big band and play as many shows as we can! just what i was looking for when i first introduced myself to this thread!
P.S. In Flames is one of our favorite bands

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Mar 8 2015, 04:45 PM

Those are two great goals. Both technique and composition require practice and I think that both are connected at some point, also with your ear which is the responsible of making the connection between your mind and your guitar smooth. When we work on bands where the main composing work is done on the rehearsal room, we must be fast to transpose to guitar the ideas that come to mind.

This is why I consider that learning songs by ear, analyzing songs (structure, theory, arrangements) and composing songs and music parts frequently is the way to go.

So to start it would be interesting to analyze a bit some songs that you like, and also that you post here some compositions or ideas that you've been recording lately.

Finally, please post here some video playing to let me see how is your technique nowadays and to see what you should work.

Ok?

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Mar 8 2015, 04:50 PM

ok!

the recording may take me a few days to get up for i am vehicle hunting, but I've been heavily into Sylosis and Wintersun the past few months. we are actually working on a folk metal song now. I will be quick as possible in uploading a video for you

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Mar 8 2015, 05:15 PM

Perfect! Looking forward it!

Posted by: Drag0nz&meTaL Mar 10 2015, 02:41 PM

[quote name='Gabriel Leopardi' date='Mar 8 2015, 04:15 PM' post='707724']
Perfect! Looking forward it!
[/quote

Its going to be at least a week and a half, a the cable where my guitar plugs into in my Apogee One interface broke and i had to have a new one ordered, but i bought a 10 watt Orange amp to help me out while i wait. Josh Middleton from Sylosis uses Orange but i cant get the sound he has, my new ibanez is also using songle coil p90's instead of hummbuckers, should i buy hummbuckers?

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Mar 10 2015, 05:08 PM

Hi mate. I think that it can be a mix of two things. Double pick ups usually sound bigger and with more gain and single coil ones. But the main difference can be the Orange Model, does he use dual terror?