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Posted by: Ayen Sep 22 2007, 07:42 AM

Me and a friend were planning to play a Dragonforce song at an upcoming talent show. We've both been playing for about a year and a half now, and so far we haven't practiced much but its a definite possibility we could get it down by the time we get on stage. I was wondering though, has anyone here learned to play anything from Dragonforce, including the solo's? If so, how hard did you think it was?

Posted by: Iluha Sep 22 2007, 07:47 AM

From what I heard they actually sped up their solos... so I think it might be a tough task to learn their songs

Posted by: Ayen Sep 22 2007, 07:49 AM

Well, being a tough task is a given, but as I am now I've got nothing else to do but practice for 6 months. I really hope they don't speed up their solo's, because then we'd have to switch songs .

Posted by: Pavel Sep 22 2007, 07:50 AM

I have never seen a good cover of any of their songs....good luck with it!

Posted by: Ayen Sep 22 2007, 08:03 AM

Haha thanks Pavel, I'm actually reconsidering an easier song now, maybe tone it down to Yngwie.

Posted by: Dexxter Sep 22 2007, 08:09 AM

Haven't seen them play it good live either

Posted by: Robin Sep 22 2007, 08:11 AM

I havent heard them play it good in studio either.

Posted by: Pavel Sep 22 2007, 08:21 AM

Hey i didn't say it to turn you away from it...it's just to me that band is actually like cheaters in games! They can't play it live so i think a good thing to do would be to pick a better band and to really get people's attention while playing that concert by some good song. Doesn't have to be ultra difficult - better make a really catchy one - catchy even to a non-guitar-player. My 2 cents!

Posted by: Ayen Sep 22 2007, 08:32 AM

The thing that drew us to Dragonforce was originally how fun their things are to play, but if they can't play it too well live, there's no chance I can.

Posted by: shredmandan Sep 22 2007, 08:34 AM

My opinion
Find something else to play.You have been playing a year and a half and expect to play a Dragonforce song?I guess anything is possible but just beinghonest i thinkit would be a mistake to play infront of everyone something that some people can never play.They play insanly fast leads so how are you gonna pull that off even in the next year?I dont mean to bum you just straight up,it s a bad idea.There's so much more you can do to stand out and play awesome leads other than playing that stuff.

I dont really like Dragonforce,some of there lead is really amazing but the over all product of the band isnt something i can listen to.

Posted by: Ayen Sep 22 2007, 09:38 AM

I see, to tell the truth I really wasn't too enthusiastic about it. I would've ended up playing rhythm (or the Dragonforce equivalent.. ) the entire time. I actually wanted to play Fade to Black, but everyone else thought we could've gone so much better and faster

Posted by: shredmandan Sep 22 2007, 09:56 AM

Dude you dont have to play 300 bpm's already to be awesome.I think fade to black would be killer to do.There's all kinds of stuff out there to play that will still make you shine.Please dont take it like i was saying youCANT do something.I was just being honest as i havent looked at any of there tabs but know they play like 50,000 notes a minute .I've played for 11 years straight amd i wouldnt attempt to cover them.Good luck man and let us know what you decide

Posted by: Ayen Sep 22 2007, 09:58 AM

I'm going to stick with Fade To Black, or probably Orion, and just wait out the rest of them giving up on Dragonforce. Shouldn't be long, they're all extremely lazy.

Edit: And don't worry, I didn't take it as a put-down , I know GMC well enough to realize that most, if not all of the criticism coming from you guys is purely constructive.

Posted by: shredmandan Sep 22 2007, 10:13 AM

Orion is sweet to.I believe that right when the guitars really kick in at about 45sec its oneof the heaviest songs i have ever heard.Very good one to play as well as the solo's are not to difficult and you dont need a singer If your wanting to stand out at talent show and the dudes your playing with got the talent i'd go with orion.Just that heavy riff will get everybody going wild!!!!!

Posted by: Robin Sep 22 2007, 10:25 AM

SPEED IS NOTHING.

Posted by: The Uncreator Sep 22 2007, 10:37 AM

Regarding to whoever said they speed up solos, not true, there speed is not impossible, its very reachable in fact.

The only Dragonforce song i know including solo is "Dawn Over A New World", which is also my favorite.

Posted by: FretDancer69 Sep 22 2007, 12:49 PM

Orion is a great song, thats the song me and my band are practicing, i say, go for Orion!

Posted by: mattacuk Sep 22 2007, 04:20 PM

why not put your skills to good use and write your own guitar solo? just a though - people might really go for it

Posted by: Iluha Sep 22 2007, 07:48 PM

I didn't say it wasn't reachable, but they specificly eith speed it up, or record it in really really small parts, and then they can't really play their songs live. this applies to most of their songs, Dawn Over A New World is one of the exclusions.


Ayen, you should maybe even consider playing something "emotional" or just something really well known, like maybe Nothing Else Matters or Comfortbly Numb.

Posted by: fkalich Sep 22 2007, 08:11 PM

It can be nothing, or it can be something, if well used. The best in my view, play very slowly at times, as well as fast.

I don't care for a band like Dragonforce, find them pretty unidimensional, music with no soul, just a showcase for how fast these guys think they are. Might as well watch Robots shredding.



I think he is better off with DragonForce than Comfortably Numb. I have not heard a good cover of that, pretty hard to really capture something like that, and not sound pretty artificial. There is a reason that is near the top all time list of solos, it is not just the song, it is the player primarily.

Posted by: The Uncreator Sep 22 2007, 09:54 PM

With the exception of the bad quality videos from handheld cameras that make any concert look horrible, when i saw them live they did a great job, they nailed the solos right on, i just wish they would mature a bit a get over the "Im gonna get wasted every night BEFORE a show!!!" thing.

Posted by: Robin Sep 22 2007, 09:59 PM

Indeed!


Oh btw, I guess I should have said "Speed means nothing", becuase it dont. What I mean with that is that playing fast doesnt make you better. I'm not saying that shredders arent good, but if you only practice speed, your playing will sound horrible.

BB King kicks every shredders ass in the whole world with playing 3 notes imo. Its not how fast you play that matters, its how it sounds. And if someone can play fast, with some melody and make it sound good, then thats excellent.

Posted by: Juan M. Valero Sep 22 2007, 10:05 PM

Yeah, I think it's too dificult even for the own Dragonforce...

(I don't like Herman Lee, his playing is dirty and he cannot play live what he recorded in the albums... sorry if somebody doesn't like my opinion )

Posted by: The Uncreator Sep 22 2007, 10:23 PM

^Like i said before, if Herman Li matures a bit he could nail the solos live, but, untill then....

Posted by: SLASH91 Sep 22 2007, 11:02 PM

Yeah, dude. I think that Fade to Black or Orion would be incredible songs to play. Like every one else said, You dont need to play at 300 bpms to have an impressive song.

Posted by: FretDancer69 Sep 23 2007, 12:55 AM

why cant Dragonforce play their solos live? I dont get it. Is it because they get wasted or because they suck? i dont understand.

Posted by: The Uncreator Sep 23 2007, 02:46 AM

Because they get wasted, watch them play sober, there really good, very good actually, Hermans solo at 3:39 is beautiful

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkuGfzNziBw

Posted by: Pavel Sep 23 2007, 02:59 AM

This is better but still not even close to studio records.

Posted by: Owen Sep 23 2007, 03:02 AM

Thats an official video from Dragonforce, it will be overdubbed for the quality.

Posted by: Ayen Sep 23 2007, 03:25 AM

That sounds so familiar Uncreator, what song is he playing at 3:39+?

Posted by: mattacuk Sep 23 2007, 04:21 AM

Herman Lee uses sound enhancment pedal In all honest i think Herman lee seems a really nice chap! not saying hes the worlds greatest guitarist but i try to see the best in eveyone!

Posted by: The Uncreator Sep 23 2007, 04:25 AM

Probabaly because hes not using his whammy pedal, its just his guitar into in amp, no effects.



I very highly doubt its overdubbed, you can hear small parts where harmonics dont sound out right, and where he hits his strings for "Noise" or when he misses his volume knob to turn the volume off. small stuff like that, I think you can watch it and tell its not overdubbed, to me, its obvious it isnt.

Posted by: steve25 Sep 23 2007, 05:51 AM

The problem with speed is that sometimes quite often, too often in fact melody is replaced with speed. People think if they play extremely fast that it's good, never mind that it sounds crap. Dragonforce will be hard to cover especially in the time. Also playing extremely popular songs can be risky because peoples expectations will be high on it, as it is a really popular song. Best to go with something that's equally good, entertaining and not too difficult to play for you

Posted by: FretDancer69 Sep 23 2007, 06:37 AM

yeah, that was pretty good. Its sad that they get wasted before shows like you said.

Posted by: The Uncreator Sep 23 2007, 06:48 AM

Maybe theyll change someday.

Posted by: JOhn Sep 23 2007, 06:56 AM

i think every one is a little hard on them just because their famous. They really aren't as bad as every makes them out to be.

Posted by: The Uncreator Sep 23 2007, 10:42 AM

They really arent, this same thing goes with other bands who catch alot of hell, fact is, Dragonforce have established a wide fanbase and presence in a short amount of time, so obvioulsly there doing something people love.

Im glad my experiences with Dragonforce have all been fantastic, even the live shows

Im looking forward to many more years of Dragonforce!

Posted by: Pavel Sep 23 2007, 05:19 PM

So much about tuned guitars:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUKlbjIwFss&mode=related&search

Posted by: Owen Sep 23 2007, 05:55 PM

That sounds truely awful.

Posted by: botoxfox Sep 23 2007, 06:53 PM

I don't like Dragonforce's music. To me it's like a metal version of eurodance.