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GMC Forum _ PRACTICE ROOM _ Observations About Your Playing
Posted by: Ben Higgins Aug 14 2012, 01:04 PM
I was tracking some rhythm guitars earlier and when I went to track the second guitar, as I was playing along I noticed that my first guitar track was slightly in front of the beat now and again. I've noticed this before. So I tracked the 2nd track and then went back and re-recorded the 1st guitar track so it was more in line with the second.
So that's an observation I've made about my own guitar playing. My 1st takes have a tendency to rush in front of the beat but the 2nd take is more relaxed.. so it makes sense for me to re-track to my 2nd take.
What observations have you noticed about your own guitar playing ?
Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Aug 15 2012, 01:57 PM
It happened to me as well and I tend to do the exact same thing as you Ben 
Posted by: Max Sokolov Aug 15 2012, 02:39 PM
I work on minimizing this "feature" a lot, but still have this problems with complex rythms..
Practice, practice, practice...
Posted by: PosterBoy Aug 15 2012, 03:21 PM
Mainly that it sucks
Flashes of great musical ideas that I fail to finish off, either because of technique or lack of knowledge (I can start to minimise that latter, if composing rather than improvising).
A lack of variety in my phrasing (mixing up rhythms and note durations) as well as the length of phrases (though this is starting to improve)
Posted by: Ben Higgins Aug 15 2012, 03:22 PM
Flashes of great musical ideas that I fail to finish off, either because of technique or lack of knowledge (I can start to minimise that latter, if composing rather than improvising).
A lack of variety in my phrasing (mixing up rhythms and note durations) as well as the length of phrases (though this is starting to improve)
Woah, well I wouldn't say that !
Well, keep using our collective knowledge to your advantage and lesson the 'suck-ness' in your playing
Posted by: PosterBoy Aug 15 2012, 03:33 PM
Ben you weren't sitting with me when I was working on the Modern Pop Collab! Recording is such a humbler. I must record more!
Posted by: WeePee Aug 15 2012, 04:12 PM
Many my recorded demo / ideas are played better.
I.e. Sometimes when comparing guitar takes I choose the demo ones and insert them into song. Not always of course 
I read months ago that famous Michael Monroe used some of his demo singing in his new album.
He said that some parts sounded better than the new ones. He didn't get right feeling in the different studio. An American mixer didn't like the idea of using demo stuff so Michael replaced him to Finnish guy and he managed to do the job.
Posted by: gregc1 Aug 15 2012, 04:22 PM
Recording is a bear for me too. I'm inching up on 20 videos now and am just starting to get comfortable. Forget improvising though for longer than 20-30 seconds or so.
The thing I notice the most are unwanted noises and my timing, with timing being the most glaring. It's not really confined to ahead or behind the beat, just off in general. I'll think I have it down but without fail I'll end up going back and playing along with the instructor a few more times to hone it in better.
The extra noises get me too sometimes. I rarely notice them while I'm playing but hear them in playback. Occasionally they sound good and I would consider them and bit of "subtle texture" but usually it's just a string ringing or getting bumped.
Posted by: Alex Feather Aug 15 2012, 05:15 PM
When I started to work as a studio musician I had to re learn how I play and feel about the beat! It was the most complicated thing ever! I didn't learn it the right way from the beginning so it was much harder!
Posted by: Ben Higgins Aug 15 2012, 09:57 PM
Don't worry man.. when I'm sitting down and knowing I got to record a solo, I come out with some dire attempts too, believe me !
He said that some parts sounded better than the new ones. He didn't get right feeling in the different studio. An American mixer didn't like the idea of using demo stuff so Michael replaced him to Finnish guy and he managed to do the job.
Yes, that happens a lot.. bands often use demo takes as they could never replicate the magic again. I think it's a totally valid thing to do
The thing I notice the most are unwanted noises and my timing, with timing being the most glaring. It's not really confined to ahead or behind the beat, just off in general. I'll think I have it down but without fail I'll end up going back and playing along with the instructor a few more times to hone it in better.
The extra noises get me too sometimes. I rarely notice them while I'm playing but hear them in playback. Occasionally they sound good and I would consider them and bit of "subtle texture" but usually it's just a string ringing or getting bumped.
In all honesty, timing is something I've never needed to criticise with your playing, that I can remember
But we notice a lot of things in ourselves too, we're always our worst critics
Posted by: derper Aug 15 2012, 10:10 PM
For me, I play live frequently shows and strive to improve there. I have done studio sessions, and many more soon to come.... but I feel like that goes pretty well, and I leave the "recording" to the "recording guys" and just focus on my playing.
When I look back at EMULATOR shows, I feel like I occasionally "rush" the tempo unknowingly. Luckily, our drummer is a champ (he has his own signature model Vic Firth stick!) and he can hold it down regardless. But I've improved that by relaxing and LISTENING to the music around me more. That is HUGE!! I was told that about using a metronome... "Gabe, you need to start using a metronome. You have pretty good natural timing, but a metronome will teach you to LISTEN more. For example...." Best advice ever.
Posted by: The Uncreator Aug 15 2012, 10:11 PM
I much prefer creating as I am to performing. I would love to perform, but my true passion lies in creating and not performing. The thought process, the writing process, the recording process, the mixing process, the mastering process. it all fascinates me, its an organized art form that has an interpretive science behind it allowing amazing creative freedom.
Posted by: Marcus Siepen Aug 16 2012, 08:43 AM
I also suffer from this "need" to re-record my first takes. My problem is not even timing, I just play better when I am doubling myself, I guess it has to do with how the song feels to me. When I record my first rhythm guitar there are no other guitars there yet, so everything feels kinda empty to me, so even if I might nail the timing and everything perfectly fine, my feel and interpretation most likely will not be as strong as when I am recording a second take, doubling the first one. That's why I re-record my first takes mostly, works fine for me.
Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Aug 16 2012, 10:15 AM
Very well said man, I think we all tend to need a bench mark in order to involve groove and interpretation in a take. I am curious if for people like Steve Lukather for instance - I know he is also famous for the tremendous amount of studio work he has done - things work in the same way.
Posted by: Ben Higgins Aug 16 2012, 10:32 AM
There was a period of time where I was jamming with just a drummer and we'd just take it all over the place. He'd also start these long, crazy fills so I had to listen hard to determine when the fill would end to make sure I hit the beat at the same time as him. So I had the same kind of 'listening' revelation as well. I always considered myself a good listener but obviously not quite good enough !
Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Aug 16 2012, 11:01 AM
When I was younger, I used to spend a lot of time with a drummer friend, which was at an astronomic musical level in comparison to me and I always liked to jam with him, because he lead the jam and I learned a LOT by trying to follow. It was frustrating a lot of the times, because I simply felt LOST in a conundrum of grooves, odd metrics and crazy fills. But hey, that's the way to learn A kick in the butt and you're on track!
Posted by: Marcus Siepen Aug 16 2012, 02:13 PM
Jamming with other musicians is awesome and you can learn a lot from this :-)
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