Experienced Tone Seeker Posts: 203
Joined: 10-October 12
From: Swizerland
QUOTE (Todd Simpson @ Mar 2 2021, 01:34 AM)
NICE!!!! You got it Soldier!!!! This is a lick using the "strike once, hammer many" approach. It's using my fave scale, Minor, to work on being able to strike one note and hammer on the following two notes in a three note per string version of the minor scale. This drill requires not only being able to play the scale up and down all the strings, but also being able to alternate between striking and doing hammer ons. Being able to strike then hammer is a key skill in solo work. This drill is meant to hep build that ability. You can use this on any 3 note per string scale of course. I use this type of lick all the time in solos. When muted, it sounds almost like it's being picked the entire time instead of being legato. It is also easier to run the scale like this than to pick every note. It allows one to play faster than would otherwise be possible. See if you can use this technique in a solo against a youtube backing.
BTW: That is a killer looking Axe Soldier!! is that new?
GMC:er Posts: 25.297
Joined: 23-December 09
From: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Super congrats!! I didn't know you were a luthier!!! Can you give me a bit of background and process on this thing? Actually, maybe start a thread and show GMC this lovely axe and tell us a bit about building her? Maybe include a vid on her being played?
Experienced Tone Seeker Posts: 203
Joined: 10-October 12
From: Swizerland
QUOTE (Todd Simpson @ Mar 3 2021, 05:20 AM)
Super congrats!! I didn't know you were a luthier!!! Can you give me a bit of background and process on this thing? Actually, maybe start a thread and show GMC this lovely axe and tell us a bit about building her? Maybe include a vid on her being played?
I will prepare this thread... as soon as possible.
GMC:er Posts: 25.297
Joined: 23-December 09
From: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Sorry for the lag Soldier!!! feel free to hit me up if you notice I missed a Mission from you! I don't always get a notification for some reason! I always try to turn it around in 24 hours. If you notice it's not been reviewed in that time, hit me! I"m happy to hear from you
Onward!! Soldier this is AWESOME!!! Not only is your guitar just an amazing bit of gear. Your tone is great. On top of that, your playing is spot on . This has a TON of back and forth in it and your hands have adapted to the back and forth quite well. You zip forward and back with grace and style. You keep a solid mute, keeping string noise at bay, and hit very clean strikes without over committing to any one note. This is a key step on the path to shredding your brains out!!
This is very well played Soldier and you are ready for the next Step!!
GMC:er Posts: 25.297
Joined: 23-December 09
From: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Look at him go!!! Well Fought Soldier!! The first one is very clean. The faster ones are in progress of course but I can tell that you are very close to being able to play at that speed with precision. You are at that spot now where your fingers are leading you to the promised land of shred. You can probably almost sense that it's starting to come together and is just barely out of reach at full chat. The good news is, its very close!
Solid technique here Soldier and your tone is top notch. It's very tricky to find a good tone that has enough gain yet not too much. It's a battle to keep noise at bay and still have enough gain to allow the fingers to not need to overwork themselves.
What are you using for your guitar tone? is it a plugin or an amp or processor? It's sounding good. Your guitar is just amazing btw. Every time I see it I'm impressed by it.
The only issue I'm seeing is that your wrist and picking arm are tensing up a bit at speed. This is a natural response but something that must be fought against. Ideally, the pick hand should be loose and never tense up. tensing reduces precision/speed and endurance. Also, as you tense up, your wrist will start to lock in place and force you to "pick from the elbow" which must be avoided at all costs.
I would say try to lower your picking hand down a bit toward the center of the bridge. it's hanging a bit to high up near the E string. This will make it hard to mute all of the strings without using your fret hand to assist. Ideally, you should be able to use just your picking hand to mute all of the strings. This will become important as we get in to open string licks which don't allow for the use of the fretting hand to mute strings.
So for next time 1.)Stay Loose 2.)Pick from the wrist 3.)Lower your pick hand position a bit
Experienced Tone Seeker Posts: 203
Joined: 10-October 12
From: Swizerland
QUOTE (Todd Simpson @ Mar 28 2021, 01:25 AM)
Look at him go!!! Well Fought Soldier!! The first one is very clean. The faster ones are in progress of course but I can tell that you are very close to being able to play at that speed with precision. You are at that spot now where your fingers are leading you to the promised land of shred. You can probably almost sense that it's starting to come together and is just barely out of reach at full chat. The good news is, its very close!
Solid technique here Soldier and your tone is top notch. It's very tricky to find a good tone that has enough gain yet not too much. It's a battle to keep noise at bay and still have enough gain to allow the fingers to not need to overwork themselves.
What are you using for your guitar tone? is it a plugin or an amp or processor? It's sounding good. Your guitar is just amazing btw. Every time I see it I'm impressed by it.
The only issue I'm seeing is that your wrist and picking arm are tensing up a bit at speed. This is a natural response but something that must be fought against. Ideally, the pick hand should be loose and never tense up. tensing reduces precision/speed and endurance. Also, as you tense up, your wrist will start to lock in place and force you to "pick from the elbow" which must be avoided at all costs.
I would say try to lower your picking hand down a bit toward the center of the bridge. it's hanging a bit to high up near the E string. This will make it hard to mute all of the strings without using your fret hand to assist. Ideally, you should be able to use just your picking hand to mute all of the strings. This will become important as we get in to open string licks which don't allow for the use of the fretting hand to mute strings.
So for next time 1.)Stay Loose 2.)Pick from the wrist 3.)Lower your pick hand position a bit
As for this one, you've got it sorted. You just..
LEVELED UP!!!
Onward!!! Sarge
Hello Todd
I use a Fractalaudio Ax FX 2 for my guitar sound. Play through KRK Rokit 10 speakers. I record these videos directly via the camera's microphone ...
GMC:er Posts: 25.297
Joined: 23-December 09
From: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Sounds very spiff!! That axe is resonant and the pickups work great in it. I've owned ROCKIT monitors and used them also as rull range stereo guitar cabs Quality is quite good especially coming through a phone!
QUOTE (Beat Zbinden @ Mar 28 2021, 03:12 AM)
Hello Todd
I use a Fractalaudio Ax FX 2 for my guitar sound. Play through KRK Rokit 10 speakers. I record these videos directly via the camera's microphone ...
GMC:er Posts: 25.297
Joined: 23-December 09
From: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
First off WELL DONE!!! I can see BIG GAINS which is what this is all about so Super Congrats on that!!! Your playing is precise and brisk! The only thing missing here is the metronome as your playing speeds up along the way. I appreciate the effort it takes to work up to that kind of speed! I would just like to hear each speed synched up to a nice click to make sure it's not drifting. Eventually you won't need the metronome at all. But for bits where you start slow and increase speed, it's tough for me to tell if each one along the way was not drifting as it's changing the entire time. it makes for a great demo of this lick! Just not a great mission video. If you would have played just one speed so I could just count the time in my head it would be fine.
Can you give me one more with a click at each speed? I can see you are starting slower and working up.
You've got good control and tone on this one Soldier!!
Sarge
QUOTE (Beat Zbinden @ Apr 5 2021, 08:38 AM)
Hello Todd
My lesson 27 I tried to implement your tasks from the last time ...
Play loosely More from the wrist Hand position a little lower ....
GMC:er Posts: 25.297
Joined: 23-December 09
From: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Well Fought Soldier!!! I did notice that you began to drift from the beat toward the end of the first riff. However, you played it on beat more than long enough for it to count for your badge up. Also the second drill sounded quite good and together they are more than enough to display your ability to play this type of drill These are "speed drills" soldier. They are symmetrical (the same pattern on both strings) so they don''t require a fret shift, meaning playing something different on each string. As a result, these types of licks (when you see them in bootcamp) are a chance for your hand to see how far you can push your speed until it starts to fail. So I"ll place these drills now and then along the way during your journey. When you see one, go for it!!
You did a very good job of putting the bits we worked on last time into play this time. That's progress and that's what I like to see! The next step awaits you Soldier and you are more than ready!!
As for this one. You just....
LEVELED UP!!!!
Onward!! Sarge
P.S. I was inspired so much by the pointy shape of your guitar that I had to get a pointy guitar of my own
Experienced Tone Seeker Posts: 203
Joined: 10-October 12
From: Swizerland
QUOTE (Todd Simpson @ Apr 12 2021, 04:05 AM)
Well Fought Soldier!!! I did notice that you began to drift from the beat toward the end of the first riff. However, you played it on beat more than long enough for it to count for your badge up. Also the second drill sounded quite good and together they are more than enough to display your ability to play this type of drill These are "speed drills" soldier. They are symmetrical (the same pattern on both strings) so they don''t require a fret shift, meaning playing something different on each string. As a result, these types of licks (when you see them in bootcamp) are a chance for your hand to see how far you can push your speed until it starts to fail. So I"ll place these drills now and then along the way during your journey. When you see one, go for it!!
You did a very good job of putting the bits we worked on last time into play this time. That's progress and that's what I like to see! The next step awaits you Soldier and you are more than ready!!
As for this one. You just....
LEVELED UP!!!!
Onward!! Sarge
P.S. I was inspired so much by the pointy shape of your guitar that I had to get a pointy guitar of my own
d
Very nice guitar Todd. The color style is impressive!!
GMC:er Posts: 25.297
Joined: 23-December 09
From: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
It's a tiny thing!!! I thought it was the size of your explorer! I remember it looked big on marty friedman. then I find out Marty is a foot shorter than I am I could use a pair of emg 56/66 in it as well!
QUOTE (Beat Zbinden @ Apr 12 2021, 03:47 AM)
Very nice guitar Todd. The color style is impressive!!
GMC:er Posts: 25.297
Joined: 23-December 09
From: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
NICE! This is sorted and ready to go. Your picking is tight and synched with metronome. I actually think there is a big more in your fingers if we reduce some of the picking. I want to offer up a BLACK OPS version of this Mission and have you do a pass with as FEW pick strikes as possible, mostly using hammer on/pull off, instead of picking every note. It may seem harder, it may seem way easier and faster. It will just depend on your hand.
Quality is quite good especially coming through a phone!
