Greetings, disciples ! A day later than planned but here it is !
This lesson gives you some tasty licks and gets you playing them an octave higher and sometimes varying them to add interest and variety to your solos. There's a great opportunity to practise your vibrato and bending. In fact, the licks themselves are quite simple but Ivan's vibrato and bending is very accomplished which is probably why it's labelled as a level 4 but I think it's definitely manageable for you
Notice how he really digs his pick into the strings for those bends.. so after you've memorised the piece and are comfortable with it, see if you can work at injecting as much attitude as you can into the piece. 'Emotional content' as Bruce Lee would say
Enjoy, my friends !
Deadline is next Friday 2nd November or I bring the threat of a Bieber paint job back...
Learning Roadie Posts: 636
Joined: 23-March 07
From: Australia
Gee Ben I thought we were going to have an easier week this week. there's some full on nija bends and vibrato in there. Ivan is an awesome player his touch/vibrato wow! Really good.
Instructor Posts: 13.792
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From: England
QUOTE (zoom @ Oct 28 2012, 05:47 AM)
Gee Ben I thought we were going to have an easier week this week. there's some full on nija bends and vibrato in there. Ivan is an awesome player his touch/vibrato wow! Really good.
Well, think of this as the new easy !
You guys have made lots of progress so the new easy is a higher level than the old easy !
Learning Roadie Posts: 636
Joined: 23-March 07
From: Australia
Thought I would post my journey on practicing this piece.
Ok now I can play all the parts even at full speed.
Timing is a major issue for me. I really struggle to play through with correct timing and even vibrato. I try and play to slower backing track but I find this hard because you have to bend notes slower and with more control (even vibrato) My best attempts at the moment is playing with Ivan at full speed. I've started my backing and Ivan's video at the same time so I can record my take and play it back with backing. (hope that is clear. I have three tracks going at one time). I feel this is cheating though?
Lucky I can play this at full speed. If it was a faster song I might struggle to practice this way.
I know alot of instructors say practice slower. Which I agree with in regards to not being rushed with vibrato. But I find this hard quite often. Any suggestions
Instructor Posts: 13.792
Joined: 11-March 10
From: England
QUOTE (zoom @ Oct 31 2012, 10:37 AM)
Thought I would post my journey on practicing this piece.
Ok now I can play all the parts even at full speed.
Timing is a major issue for me. I really struggle to play through with correct timing and even vibrato. I try and play to slower backing track but I find this hard because you have to bend notes slower and with more control (even vibrato) My best attempts at the moment is playing with Ivan at full speed. I've started my backing and Ivan's video at the same time so I can record my take and play it back with backing. (hope that is clear. I have three tracks going at one time). I feel this is cheating though?
Lucky I can play this at full speed. If it was a faster song I might struggle to practice this way.
I know alot of instructors say practice slower. Which I agree with in regards to not being rushed with vibrato. But I find this hard quite often. Any suggestions
Ah this is interesting. No, I wouldn't call that cheating. Before internet made new ways of practising guitar possible, we all used to learn this stuff by playing along over the top of solos and songs etc.. sometimes it's the only way !
Well, the thing to remember is that the tempo of vibrato doesn't always have to coincide with the speed of the backing track. Some people believe you should do vibrato with a metronome and it should coincide with the beat but I don't believe that. It's a human technique not a robotic one. So, it doesn't matter if your vibrato is the same sort of velocity as it is when you play against the full speed backing track, as long as the timing of the phrases is relative to the slower speed. You should be able to move around, sliding etc in a controlled manner appropriate to whatever speed backing you're on but don't worry so much about vibrato velocity.
Learning Roadie Posts: 636
Joined: 23-March 07
From: Australia
Cheers Ben
Just one more thing thing to bug you with. I noted in last weeks task which I've put to REC that my main issue is timing. I do agree and it's interesting to note the more I listen back to that piece the more my timing issues stand out to me. I feel I have really improved overall but I want to be better. As a Sensei do you think I should be working harder on this or is it a normal learning issue and as my ears improve e.t.c so will my timing?
Is or was timing ever an issue for you? Or are you a metronome?
Instructor Posts: 13.792
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From: England
QUOTE (zoom @ Oct 31 2012, 11:17 AM)
Cheers Ben
Just one more thing thing to bug you with. I noted in last weeks task which I've put to REC that my main issue is timing. I do agree and it's interesting to note the more I listen back to that piece the more my timing issues stand out to me. I feel I have really improved overall but I want to be better. As a Sensei do you think I should be working harder on this or is it a normal learning issue and as my ears improve e.t.c so will my timing?
Is or was timing ever an issue for you? Or are you a metronome?
Well, in all fairness to you guys who do the Bushido Tasks, you do manage to fit a lot of learning in with just 1 week but if you did have longer then yes, you could really knuckle down on the timing more.
I think timing is something that we can improve by just concentrating on it harder in practise. It can be worked on like anything if we practise it more.
However, I also think that if we're still trying to build up control in our fingers then that can also affect timing. I know from my own experience that when you're trying to fret something that is really new and unnatural to you, that your fingers can almost lose their sense of timing and move awkwardly. It's like the mind is willing but the fingers are not able to play ball just yet as they're still acclimatising to the new demands.
So I think timing is something that can be improved by both focusing on it on its own as an area of practise and also just by constantly honing your abilities which enables you to move your fingers with more control exactly where you want them and when
So, bit of both as always !!
But no, I've never seen it as a glaring issue.. if anything, I hear the fingers holding it back so I think your greatest improvements in regards to timing have come about by getting more strength and control in your fingers
still on this task, too. full speed is quite ok on this one, but I'm trying to throw in some more than half assed vibrato this time so gonna take my time till Friday to work on it (biggest problem for the moment are the vibratos on full tone bends) have started an additional trip through Ben's vibrato odyssey and it does a great job for this lesson (especially the 3rd part).
as for the timing, I guess most stuff really just needs some more time. I guess what also does help is after recording a take that sounds the best you can do, instead of just uploading it, to wait for 1 day and give it another listen after leaving focus mode for a night.
I also have a huge problem with that practice at lower speed routine (might be the main cause for many hours wasted on some licks where I just spent weeks trying it at full speed with a backing track not really making progress), but for now I try to force myself to start on the slower backing track and then slowly kicking up the normal backing track speed from 85% or sth. to full speed, even for stuff that seems doable on full speed right at the beginning.
Instructor Posts: 13.792
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From: England
QUOTE (BTrian @ Nov 1 2012, 02:01 AM)
still on this task, too. full speed is quite ok on this one, but I'm trying to throw in some more than half assed vibrato this time so gonna take my time till Friday to work on it (biggest problem for the moment are the vibratos on full tone bends) have started an additional trip through Ben's vibrato odyssey and it does a great job for this lesson (especially the 3rd part).
as for the timing, I guess most stuff really just needs some more time. I guess what also does help is after recording a take that sounds the best you can do, instead of just uploading it, to wait for 1 day and give it another listen after leaving focus mode for a night.
I also have a huge problem with that practice at lower speed routine (might be the main cause for many hours wasted on some licks where I just spent weeks trying it at full speed with a backing track not really making progress), but for now I try to force myself to start on the slower backing track and then slowly kicking up the normal backing track speed from 85% or sth. to full speed, even for stuff that seems doable on full speed right at the beginning.
I'm glad to hear you're working on the vibrato. Hopefully some of the stuff I said about adding your other fingers to the fretboard made sense to you ?
I think that's a good strategy to have so you can go back and listen again and see if there's anything you overlooked in the heat of the moment !!
It's annoying but we can't always rush out and start blazing straight away
Experienced Tone Seeker Posts: 540
Joined: 21-January 12
From: Florida, United States
Hey Guys! Sorry to bust in on you this week but I love the style of this task and thought I would give er a go. Oh yeah, and also the Warrior task is a hair burner.
Learning Roadie Posts: 636
Joined: 23-March 07
From: Australia
One offering coming up. I must say I love some of the bends and licks in this lesson. Great rock stuff. I can hear Angus Young. As I offer this up to scrutiny I feel it's not to bad. With more practice my bends and Vibrato will keep getting better. But as Btrain said tomorrow I may feel different.
Oh one thing at the end there's this delay going into the last lick. My head was saying don't stuff it up, don't stuff it up now and then I thought shit where do I go now Ha!
Just watched Ivan's lesson back and Now I'm aready not happy with my take
Instructor Posts: 13.792
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From: England
QUOTE (gregc1 @ Nov 1 2012, 10:21 PM)
Hey Guys! Sorry to bust in on you this week but I love the style of this task and thought I would give er a go. Oh yeah, and also the Warrior task is a hair burner.
Very tasteful G-Man !! This piece really suits your relaxed vibrato style.. I've nothing to criticise
Rules of The Temple are rules.. so you sir, have 1 Donut !
I'd watch your back though as I'm not sure Zoom will be pleased about you getting it just under his nose.. so I would keep on eye on any shadowy places in The Temple where he could be lurking....
QUOTE (zoom @ Nov 2 2012, 01:14 AM)
One offering coming up. I must say I love some of the bends and licks in this lesson. Great rock stuff. I can hear Angus Young. As I offer this up to scrutiny I feel it's not to bad. With more practice my bends and Vibrato will keep getting better. But as Btrain said tomorrow I may feel different.
Oh one thing at the end there's this delay going into the last lick. My head was saying don't stuff it up, don't stuff it up now and then I thought shit where do I go now Ha!
Just watched Ivan's lesson back and Now I'm aready not happy with my take
Oh Man, it's not as bad as you must think.. I'm impressed ! I guess I can see it from an outsiders perspective. It's like watching a different player to the Zoom that started doing Bushido Tasks all that time ago.. I'm serious, I'm not just saying that !
Ok, one thing I notice is when you put on vibrato, you kind of pull the note in a downwards direction so your hand stays pretty much vertical. It appears to take quite a bit of energy and your whole guitar sometimes moves. From a viewing perspective I would guess that it takes quite a bit of time to go into and out of the vibrato, due to the nature of your technique.. we could reduce that 'wind up' time by honing your technique a bit more.
Although it's producing the vibrato effect I think you could gain more control yet if you can get your wrist turning down and outwards a bit more, it also should help reduce the movement of the guitar.
You've probably seen this before but it might be a good time for a recap !
Timing wise, not bad at all. In some places, you shorten the notes a bit too much.. what I mean is that you come away from them too early. Possibly to prepare you for the next lick ?
Try and hand on the notes as long as you can, or as long as they need to sound, before changing to the next lick. This can be hard to break this habit but you've got to tell yourself 'Ok, hang on this one as long as possible before moving on..'
A lot of info to take in there.. but great work man !
Experienced Tone Seeker Posts: 540
Joined: 21-January 12
From: Florida, United States
Ben, hahahaha I hear you on watching my back. I felt like I was walking into the wrong neighborhood.
Zoom, just wanted to add to Ben's comments. I've been following all of the Apprentice tasks every week as well I have noticed you are absolutely a different guitar player now from when we started. I thought your take was damn good man.
I thought you nailed the ending fast part better than I did as I could not seem to do it cleanly without palm muting, and even then it was sketchy at best but all of your notes came through nice and clear.
Instructor Posts: 13.792
Joined: 11-March 10
From: England
QUOTE (gregc1 @ Nov 2 2012, 01:38 PM)
Zoom, just wanted to add to Ben's comments. I've been following all of the Apprentice tasks every week as well I have noticed you are absolutely a different guitar player now from when we started. I thought your take was damn good man.
I thought you nailed the ending fast part better than I did as I could not seem to do it cleanly without palm muting, and even then it was sketchy at best but all of your notes came through nice and clear.
There you go Z-Man ! Proof
QUOTE (gregc1 @ Nov 2 2012, 01:38 PM)
Ben, hahahaha I hear you on watching my back. I felt like I was walking into the wrong neighborhood.
didn't really finish working on those bended vibratos, so I just left them out. Turned out to be harder than I thought to do some constant movement while adding not the same force to the vibrato movement in with and against the bend (does that sentence make sense? )
Also really started to suck on the recording thing, so whenever I got through the harder parts quite well I would usually mess up the easier ones <.<. didn't have time to try further so here is one of my better takes (maybe don't mind the stuff that happened in the ending on those pull off lick thing, already did it better but it wouldn't fit into one take )
Learning Roadie Posts: 636
Joined: 23-March 07
From: Australia
Well they're kind words gregc1 because of that your back is safe. Lucky! Great to have you on board Greg any time you want to drop in.
Ben cheers for you comments also and also the tip on the vibrato. I completely missed that so Yeah I'm working on that now. And I'm totally inspired by how you let of steam! I'm sure no peguins where hurt in the recording process.
Btrain nice take mate. You had me thinking you where struggling for a minute. Yeah right
Instructor Posts: 13.792
Joined: 11-March 10
From: England
QUOTE (BTrian @ Nov 2 2012, 08:44 PM)
didn't really finish working on those bended vibratos, so I just left them out. Turned out to be harder than I thought to do some constant movement while adding not the same force to the vibrato movement in with and against the bend (does that sentence make sense? )
Also really started to suck on the recording thing, so whenever I got through the harder parts quite well I would usually mess up the easier ones <.<. didn't have time to try further so here is one of my better takes (maybe don't mind the stuff that happened in the ending on those pull off lick thing, already did it better but it wouldn't fit into one take )
still was really fun learning this one
and awesome job @ zoom and greg.
Nice work man.. not bad at all ! I would say the same thing to you about vibrato as I did to Zoom, to use the rotation of your wrist a bit more so that it gives you a more even vibrato sound. At the moment, you're relying on pulling the string straight down with your finger which is ok but it means that the string often stays 'bent' and sounds sharp. Your hand position itself is great, you don't have to change that at all, just learn to go between the classical hand position and being able to angle your wrist in certain places when you need to bend a string or do vibrato
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