New Member, Intermediateish Player., Help setting my musical life straight!
Nahz
Dec 15 2014, 05:09 PM
GMC:er
Posts: 3
Joined: 15-December 14
Hey guys I just joined. Seems like a great site and im very excited to dig in.

The underlying reason I am here:

I have been playing guitar since i was 19. Im 30 now...yet even still i struggle with technique and direction honestly. I have always been an ear player. Learning the wrong way because I wanted to play fast as I was into black metal and only had an acoustic guitar haha. So now i find myself here, with the chops but a lack of technique and direction. Learning arpeggios and the thrash gallops has been ok..but its more of a scales thing i am missing. I know my G major and what not, I guess what im saying is I need some direction on how to tackle these beasts. I feel gimped and overwhelmed having learned so many small bits from here and there..

I want to clean up my act. Practice to a metronome, learn my scales and get my hand techniques shining.

Do i memorize every note of every scale? Are there tips or lessons on how to remember this stuff easier or is it 8 hours of metronomes a day? Thats ok if it is...a problem i have is when i get warmed up I like to just start thrashing out on my fretboard haha..its an attention deficit thing.

Any disciplinary tips or advice is so welcomed. I hear more mainstream guitarists like Jon Schaffer or Nergal (I know they arent very comparable) and I envy their precise attack and execution. This is where i should be and I am not. Thank you for reading this unorganized cry for help.

Looking forward to frequenting here.

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Kristofer Dahl
Dec 15 2014, 05:55 PM
GMC Founder
Posts: 18.745
Joined: 15-August 05
From: Stockholm, Sweden
Hey Nahz - awesome to have you here! biggrin.gif

Could you maybe give us a link to a track, solo or artist - representative of where you would want to take your playing? It doesn't matter if the track is way above your current level, I assume you signed up to get better...much better!

Also, could you give us a link to your current playing (audio or video) - so we can get an impression of your level?

Sorry for all the questions, but if we get this info from you - it will be much easier to help you out.

Again - great to have you at GMC!

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Nahz
Dec 16 2014, 02:14 AM
GMC:er
Posts: 3
Joined: 15-December 14
QUOTE (Kristofer Dahl @ Dec 15 2014, 04:55 PM) *
Hey Nahz - awesome to have you here! biggrin.gif

Could you maybe give us a link to a track, solo or artist - representative of where you would want to take your playing? It doesn't matter if the track is way above your current level, I assume you signed up to get better...much better!

Also, could you give us a link to your current playing (audio or video) - so we can get an impression of your level?

Sorry for all the questions, but if we get this info from you - it will be much easier to help you out.

Again - great to have you at GMC!


Hey! Thanks for the response!

I don't have anything in the ways of recording, as im just learning how to make this happen at home. The only thing paralyzing me is not know how to go about it, same with music. There is so much information out there its impossible to know youre on the right track.

I play acoustic and electric. Here are some examples I aim for.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEGUphTeDSM...786AC18564C14F8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BwHYh41NT4

I listen to a ton of stuff so naturally its hard to pick 2 but this is what i came up with. I hope this helps somewhat.

My problem is that my tremolos are good for about 30 seconds then i get sloppy. I need metronome work..but im not sure how to practice the many styles of this with a metronome. Also for acoustic those guys are just phenomenal and my main inspiration acoustically. Sweeping would be nice but just clean awesome sounding arpeggios would be good and with an eye to build them myself. I can sweep later. I need disciplinary scale work.

Thanks again.

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This post has been edited by Nahz: Dec 16 2014, 02:18 AM
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Todd Simpson
Dec 16 2014, 04:17 AM
GMC:er
Posts: 25.297
Joined: 23-December 09
From: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
You have come to the right place!! smile.gif I"m Todd and I teach our Weekend Video Chat Clinic and I"ve like to invite you out to jam/learn with us!!! IT's 8pm GMT sat/sun and always a blast smile.gif


Todd

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Monica Gheorghev...
Dec 16 2014, 05:55 AM
Learning Tone Master
Posts: 2.324
Joined: 12-July 13
From: Bucharest, Romania
Hi Nahz! Welcome to GMC! I'm sure you will love this place. See you around the forum smile.gif

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Kristofer Dahl
Dec 16 2014, 09:20 AM
GMC Founder
Posts: 18.745
Joined: 15-August 05
From: Stockholm, Sweden
Thanks Nahz, those were cool musical examples which I did not know about from before.

Based on your two posts, I will assume the following about you:

* You have a fast but fairly uncontrollable right hand technique (aka tremolo picking). This is typical for people who have death metal as an early inspiration

* You would like to get into soloing. Because you have had success building speed with your rhythm work - it might a bit puzzling why you cannot convert this technique to scalar/solo playing. Hence GMC!

Here is my starting advice for you - based on my assumptions above:
----

Bad news

The right hand technique you have developed will actually give you a slight disadvantage right now - because this technique has not been developed with focus on synchronisation between both hands (again typical for death metal). When learning to sync your hands you will likely face an 'inner paradox' where your mind tells you to speed things up even though you are not ready for it.

So during an initial period, you will do yourself a big favor if you treat yourself as a beginner technique wise. But fear not - the time you have already invested in your technique will eventually serve you later on - but not right now.

Good news

If my assumptions about you were correct, you have a lot of fun ahead of you.

I would suggest a practice routine where you mix 'technique-' and 'musical' practicing 50/50 - with a strict goal to get a REC take posted asap.

But before going into specifics I would like to hear what you think about my analysis so far, perhaps I am way off?

You are at GuitarMasterClass.net


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Darius Wave
Dec 16 2014, 09:43 AM
Instructor
Posts: 5.871
Joined: 29-November 12
From: Poland
Hello to our new friend smile.gif Kris gave You a lot of good feedback. I will just refer to some to some polish saying (not sure about the direct translation)..."the muscle unsed, disappears". What I mean by that...You can familiar with a scale but You won't make it useful in Your playing if You leave it for some time. It's important to try to constantly refresh the knowlegde. for example. Try to just simply jam over 12 tracks in each key to remind Yourself layouts of the scales. If You pass this, You might cought yourself noe being able to remind the notes when You need them.....six months later for example.

I think it has a reference to what happens at school exam. You learn to pass....but then You forget 80%of that. You load it to Your "ram" and get rid of it once the exam is done. That's not what should happen with playing guitar smile.gif

Of course...that would be a dream to just make things like this but we all have ur favourite styles and usually avoid some of "just because" practice " smile.gif

Anyway it's good to always have a target in each practice session to not let that time get wasted

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Cosmin Lupu
Dec 16 2014, 11:59 AM
Instructor
Posts: 22.808
Joined: 14-June 10
From: Bucharest
Hey mate smile.gif Welcome to GMC!

I have read through this thread and I think that with a proper training regimen and focus on the tasks at hand, you can become a proficient player and musician. I happen to like the acoustic side, you mentioned and I was thinking that we can start wotking together on developing your skills, if you would like that. Learning how to apply theoretical concepts, understanding rhythm and technique with the aid of GMC lessons, could be key to your success on this path smile.gif

All these being said, I would like to invite you to take a look over this thread here: https://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_fo...t=0&start=0

... and if you like the idea, please send me the answers to the questions you will find in there and we can start working together wink.gif

All the best,

Cosmin

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Nahz
Dec 16 2014, 10:14 PM
GMC:er
Posts: 3
Joined: 15-December 14
QUOTE (Kristofer Dahl @ Dec 16 2014, 08:20 AM) *
Thanks Nahz, those were cool musical examples which I did not know about from before.

Based on your two posts, I will assume the following about you:

* You have a fast but fairly uncontrollable right hand technique (aka tremolo picking). This is typical for people who have death metal as an early inspiration

* You would like to get into soloing. Because you have had success building speed with your rhythm work - it might a bit puzzling why you cannot convert this technique to scalar/solo playing. Hence GMC!

Here is my starting advice for you - based on my assumptions above:
----

Bad news

The right hand technique you have developed will actually give you a slight disadvantage right now - because this technique has not been developed with focus on synchronisation between both hands (again typical for death metal). When learning to sync your hands you will likely face an 'inner paradox' where your mind tells you to speed things up even though you are not ready for it.

So during an initial period, you will do yourself a big favor if you treat yourself as a beginner technique wise. But fear not - the time you have already invested in your technique will eventually serve you later on - but not right now.

Good news

If my assumptions about you were correct, you have a lot of fun ahead of you.

I would suggest a practice routine where you mix 'technique-' and 'musical' practicing 50/50 - with a strict goal to get a REC take posted asap.

But before going into specifics I would like to hear what you think about my analysis so far, perhaps I am way off?


Thank you to everyone who posted in an effort to help me. smile.gif Everyone had wonderful advice and I must say I am very surprised at the attention my post had here. I did not expect such a vast amount of assistance. The information from all of you has already reinforced what i knew, reassuring myself that these are the adversities I face and the directions I must go; now without a doubt. Also, you have enlightened me with new information as well so I am more excited than ever to be here now. Thank you.

Kris, You are spot on. I have tried to 'start over' so to speak, a number of times..and at this point i think I am just struggling to stay focused. The 50/50 thing is something I try somewhat although it may be 30/70. I think I really need 85/15 right now. tongue.gif Everything you have said is true though, but even my left hand makes mistakes at times, because mostly I have put the guitar down more often than not lately. This makes me depressed. I usually notice a huge increase in my accuracy on both accounts after 3 days of focused practicing. Some techniques I am able to do are more-so bursts of adrenaline and not really conscious knowledge of what I am doing. I feel that this is important to note.

A favorite thing of mine to do is to play folk songs like Tenhi or Neun Welten through speakers and to solo over them so to speak. Not so much in a way that you may play (blues and what not) but just scale trailing and repeating melodies to make harmonies in the music. I don't know exactly what key it is in but I do know what sounds good and what sounds out of key. I can usually find some notes too. smile.gif

I will practice hard and make a take maybe with my phone or plug in some of my gear to try to learn to record with a DAW. I am wondering to myself..if I focus very hard to practice note for note all 12 keys in the major scale up to the 24th fret and back..will this help me and is it something worth taking time away from everything else i could be learning, to do this. Also, what is a good way to organize practices as to not overload my brain trying to cover each key a day.

Thank you all once again and I hope I am able to hear from you again sometime soon.

You are at GuitarMasterClass.net


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Kristofer Dahl
Dec 16 2014, 11:07 PM
GMC Founder
Posts: 18.745
Joined: 15-August 05
From: Stockholm, Sweden
QUOTE (Nahz @ Dec 16 2014, 10:14 PM) *
I am wondering to myself..if I focus very hard to practice note for note all 12 keys in the major scale up to the 24th fret and back..will this help me and is it something worth taking time away from everything else i could be learning, to do this.


If you feel this exercise would be stimulating to you - then it means it is the right thing to do. Make sure you practice to a steady pulse (metronome or backing track), lay below you your comfort speed so that you constantly can think about relaxing your hands, arms and whole body.

QUOTE (Nahz @ Dec 16 2014, 10:14 PM) *
Also, what is a good way to organize practices as to not overload my brain trying to cover each key a day.


This leads us into...

QUOTE (Nahz @ Dec 16 2014, 10:14 PM) *
Everything you have said is true though, but even my left hand makes mistakes at times, because mostly I have put the guitar down more often than not lately. This makes me depressed. I usually notice a huge increase in my accuracy on both accounts after 3 days of focused practicing.


...which might be the most important issue to deal with. Because: regardless of what you do when you practice/play, you will improve. However if you constantly find yourself putting the guitar down, how could you improve?

So - the best way for you to organize your practicing, is to find ingredients that make you constantly want to pick up the guitar (doesn't matter what you actually play when you pick it up). So if you got stranded on a desert island and had nothing else to do but to play guitar all day. What would you play?

When I got serious about practicing, I was convinced scalar/metronome playing would take me where I wanted. Because after 3 hours of metronome practicing I could actually see evidence of progress. However after a couple of days of such practicing I would feel so disgusted by the instrument I couldn't pick it up for a few days. I came to realize that if I ended my practice sessions by looping a slow blues backing track, the hours would fly away and next morning I would find myself looking forward to coming blues jam and practicing.

At the time - I saw those jam sessions as a necessary evil. Like a mind trick in order for me not to loose interest in my intense practicing (I still thought metronome practicing was what really mattered for me to reach my goal). Now, a decade later I am so grateful for allowing myself to just play music during those long sessions - because what I learned from jamming over those blues tracks is what I use today (even when i am not playing blues).

Whereas the technique stuff is mostly lost (like Darius said, it needs to be maintained) - and what remains will only sound good when placed in a musical context (like a blues jam).

Lesson learned? Of all those 1000s of hours, the only ones that really mattered were the musical ones. And I am so glad I allowed myself to take the time, even though I didn't really understand the importance of it...

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Darius Wave
Dec 17 2014, 11:12 AM
Instructor
Posts: 5.871
Joined: 29-November 12
From: Poland
Blues is very often underated by many players at the beginner stage (I'm not judging, just sayign the fact). It seems less effective than speed picking, sweeping, arpeggios etc....but....when You try to play an exact copy of a advanced blues solo, You'll see how much is going on there especially with outstanding range of dynamics and details. It's really worth tryin even if You do not play to become a blues player. AS Kris said - it will simply affect Your playing in all kind of styles.

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Kristofer Dahl
Dec 17 2014, 11:57 AM
GMC Founder
Posts: 18.745
Joined: 15-August 05
From: Stockholm, Sweden
QUOTE (Darius Wave @ Dec 17 2014, 11:12 AM) *
Blues is very often underated by many players at the beginner stage (I'm not judging, just sayign the fact). It seems less effective than speed picking, sweeping, arpeggios etc....but....when You try to play an exact copy of a advanced blues solo, You'll see how much is going on there especially with outstanding range of dynamics and details. It's really worth tryin even if You do not play to become a blues player. AS Kris said - it will simply affect Your playing in all kind of styles.

This!

In your case Nahz, the equivalent to jamming away the nights over a blues backing, might be this:

QUOTE (Nahz @ Dec 16 2014, 10:14 PM) *
A favorite thing of mine to do is to play folk songs like Tenhi or Neun Welten through speakers and to solo over them so to speak. Not so much in a way that you may play (blues and what not) but just scale trailing and repeating melodies to make harmonies in the music. I don't know exactly what key it is in but I do know what sounds good and what sounds out of key. I can usually find some notes too. smile.gif


I would say this is pretty much exactly what I used to do, just in a different musical style.

You are at GuitarMasterClass.net


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Todd Simpson
Dec 18 2014, 01:32 AM
GMC:er
Posts: 25.297
Joined: 23-December 09
From: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Todd here again smile.gif I'd like to invite you to join my SHRED BOOTCAMP!! Where we focus on precision/speed/right hand technique/hand synch/etc. smile.gif Just shoot me a PM and let me know if you want to join! Here is a link to all the lessons in the BOOTCAMP!

http://bit.ly/twtgmc


Todd

QUOTE (Nahz @ Dec 15 2014, 12:09 PM) *
Hey guys I just joined. Seems like a great site and im very excited to dig in.

The underlying reason I am here:

I have been playing guitar since i was 19. Im 30 now...yet even still i struggle with technique and direction honestly. I have always been an ear player. Learning the wrong way because I wanted to play fast as I was into black metal and only had an acoustic guitar haha. So now i find myself here, with the chops but a lack of technique and direction. Learning arpeggios and the thrash gallops has been ok..but its more of a scales thing i am missing. I know my G major and what not, I guess what im saying is I need some direction on how to tackle these beasts. I feel gimped and overwhelmed having learned so many small bits from here and there..

I want to clean up my act. Practice to a metronome, learn my scales and get my hand techniques shining.

Do i memorize every note of every scale? Are there tips or lessons on how to remember this stuff easier or is it 8 hours of metronomes a day? Thats ok if it is...a problem i have is when i get warmed up I like to just start thrashing out on my fretboard haha..its an attention deficit thing.

Any disciplinary tips or advice is so welcomed. I hear more mainstream guitarists like Jon Schaffer or Nergal (I know they arent very comparable) and I envy their precise attack and execution. This is where i should be and I am not. Thank you for reading this unorganized cry for help.

Looking forward to frequenting here.

You are at GuitarMasterClass.net


Don't miss today's free lick. Plus all our lessons are packed with free content!

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Cosmin Lupu
Dec 18 2014, 10:07 AM
Instructor
Posts: 22.808
Joined: 14-June 10
From: Bucharest
Hey mate smile.gif Kris and Darius have given you very important suggestions that if followed, will definitely improve your playing. All you need to do is begin and be consistent about it. Write us and by all means, if you have the time, take a look in the thread I have posted a few posts back wink.gif

Since you mentioned the fact that you want to record, I thought this might be of help:

You are at GuitarMasterClass.net


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