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Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Mar 14 2012, 05:36 PM

Hi Cassien!! This is your personal thread for the http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_forum/index.php?showtopic=43110&st=40&gopid=574393&#entry574393.

This is what you wrote there:

"Hi gab,
Private Cassien reporting for duty!

So, a bit about me, I'm 33, from France but I leave in Texas. I've been playing guitar on and off for about 15 years. I've dabbed into classical, electric and acoustic. I took half a year of lessons when I started and then that's about it.
I mostly screw around and come up with stuff. To give you an idea of my level I embedded two videos of stuff I came up with in the past few years. I haven't really learned any new music in about 10 years or so, and It's probably been a good 5 years since I've had a serious sit down with an electric guitar. So my technique is pretty limited, speed is could improve a lot, and I lack clarity in my phrasing (lots of empty string ringing when I play), and I'm severely limited in what I know.

As far as style goes, I enjoy pretty much everything, I tend to be more on the bluesy side when I solo, but I think that's mostly because the only scales I ever learned were the pentatonic ones.

Anyway, that's about it!
Glad to be on board,
C."

Could you please post the videos here, because they don't appear in the other thread...

Posted by: Cassien Mar 14 2012, 07:39 PM

I can't seem to be able to embed the videos through the "insert youtube" quick access.
Links to them below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0A7kXpVv-Fk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFO3d4J_w9g

Cheers
C.

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Mar 14 2012, 08:36 PM

Hi mate! Now I could see your videos! You have a really good timing which is a very important thing and also very groovy rhythm. We have to work on vibrato, alternate picking and legatos. Also I would like you to choose any of the active collabs to join. You can post your ideas for the collab here and after some feedback you can send your take.

Regarding lessons to work, I would like to see you working and playing this one:

http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/The_tasty_etude/

What do you think?

Posted by: Cassien Mar 14 2012, 10:26 PM

Hey gab,
sounds good, I'll work on that lesson. How do you usually do this? Should I post my progress once a week or so?
For the collab, I guess I can try the latest (Sinisa's). I'll have to figure out the electronics though...

Thanks
C.

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Mar 14 2012, 11:45 PM

I would be great if you can post a video of you playing this one in one week. Then we can decide if you can go for the REC.
What happens with the electronics? Do you need some help?

Posted by: Cassien Mar 15 2012, 12:37 PM

Hey gab,
I'll do my best for the tastystudy fro next week!
As far as the electronics I wasn't sure how to record stuff on top of the track and also having it separately. I figured out how to do that in audacity, I just record the guitar part from a simple microphone while listening to the track with headphones and then I can mix the two tracks or just have the guitar one by itself.

Cheers!
C.

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Mar 15 2012, 04:52 PM

Yes, that's exactly how you can do it. I use Nuendo for this. I put the backing track in one stereo channel and record my guitar in other one. Then I export a mix. After that I use Vegas to replace Video's audio and add the new mix synchronized.
This is the most professional way to do it. Other way would be to use the camera's mic, if your room isn't too reflecting and the mic is relatively good you could go for this option for the REC and assignments here.

Posted by: Cassien Mar 21 2012, 04:20 AM

Hey gab,
here's my take on the tasty etude:

http://youtu.be/vObb8WOAN8k

Let me know what you think!
Cheers
C.

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Mar 22 2012, 12:34 AM

Hi mate! It's cool to see your take on this one!! Some things to improve:

+ Timing: There are some sections that are played different compared to the original lesson and some melodies that sound a bit out of timing.. Concentrate on this and try to give it a more groovy feel.

+ Tone: For the next take try to get a tone more similar to the original lesson, the equalization is good but you could add some drive and also some delay.

+ Tuning: I think that your guitar is a bit out of tune, or maybe it's a calibration or old string issue. Check it out!

+ Last lick: The last lick is the faster and more difficult. Isolate the lick and practice it slowly over metronome.


The take is good! With this improvements it would be perfect. Keep on the good job!

Posted by: Cassien Mar 22 2012, 12:23 PM

Hey Gab,
thanks for the feedback.
I'll work on those things and will post another take.
Cheers
C.

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Mar 22 2012, 03:39 PM

Well, we should choose any other lesson to continue working. Have you been working on anything else?

Posted by: Cassien Mar 22 2012, 04:26 PM

I've been working on the Alternate picking prelude lesson you gave me through PM when I first joined. (http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/solo-guitar/one-note-per-string-alternate-picking-etude/.
It's getting better with the open string ringing (both my right and left hands fingers brush other strings than the ones played if I don't pay attention. I think that probably due to my playing classical and acoustic guitar only for the last few years. But it's getting better. It's got a bit of a sweep picking thing going on as well.

And I started working on String bending lesson: http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/String-Bending/. It's a fun interesting one with new techniques to me.

I've also been going through the Right hand basics lessons cause I really need it. http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/solo-guitar/right-hand-basic1/.

I'm down for anything else you think might be good.

I'm thinking of joining Alex's new Blues Collab as well.

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Mar 22 2012, 06:33 PM

All those things sound excellent mate! I love that Right hand basics series.... it's very effective to work on them. You will see a big result in your playing after some days of practice. I think that you already have many things on the way so I would like to just wait for your takes. I would like to see the picking prelude etude and also the first Right hand basics lesson. Also it would be great if you post your ideas for the collab that you selected. Let's work together on those things!

Posted by: Cassien Mar 24 2012, 11:18 PM

Hi gab,

so here are a couple of takes.

The first one from the Alt picking etude, it's at 170 instead of full speed. I'm not quite there yet and I'm still not comfortable with the part down the neck. I find myself in my way...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jR29l30vS0&feature=youtu.be

The second is the first Right hand exercise.Still working on that one too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9Skz2m67vc&feature=youtu.be

Let me know what you think.

As far as the blues collab goes, I'm still going through ideas. I have basically zero theory besides a few chords name, so I'm not sure how one usually proceeds with that. I kindda improvise for a while until something fits the backtrack.
I'll try and post a take of that manana.

Cheers

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Mar 25 2012, 07:35 PM

Hi Cassien! Thanks for the takes! As you said, the first one sound good but your hand still looks uncomfortable and that can be noted in the sound. You should continue working on this to play it more relaxed and fluently. Maybe we could go for any other Sweep Picking lesson to add more exercises and licks to train your sweeps, what do you think?
The Right hand technique exercise sounds good but I have one comment that is for both lessons. You are picking over the neck pick up and that gives you a particular tone that you get there, I would practice all this exercises picking closer to the central pick up where you get a more balanced tone and let the other extremes for the moments where you want to get a different tone. If you get to used to play there then you won't be able to pick wherever you want.

Posted by: Cassien Mar 25 2012, 11:45 PM

Hey Gab,
Thanks for the feedback.
I noticed the position of my right hand, I'll be more mindful of it during practice. But it does creep towards the neck if I don't pay attention.

I'll keep on working on those and I'm down for some more exercises for sweep picking!

Here's a take on the blues collab. Mostly improvised with some themes I'm thinking of going with. Not sure if I'm doing it right or not, so feedback greatly appreciated!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4hZe3sbT54&feature=youtu.be

Cheers!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Mar 26 2012, 07:35 PM

Great mate! Please check the Right Hand / Sweep Picking lessons that I gave in the Vchat sessions:

http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_forum/index.php?showtopic=42832

Regarding the blues solo, everything sounds in scale (except some bends that don't reach the correct pitch). I think that the solo is good but that you could work a bit more on phrases that make sense with each other, try to create melodies that make the people that heard the solo remember some sections after hearing it. In some sections I feel like if you were playing scales instead of phrases and melodies, does it make sense?

Posted by: Cassien Mar 26 2012, 09:30 PM

Cheers for the lessons, I'll work on them.
I'll try to come up with some kind of melody for the blues collab and I'll do another take.

Till then!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Mar 27 2012, 07:39 PM

Excellent! Please post everything here!

Posted by: Cassien Mar 28 2012, 02:41 PM

Hey gab,

another take for tasty etude, no effect, just want to see if I'm going in the right direction with it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tz3ep21j7I0

Cheers

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Mar 28 2012, 02:56 PM

Hi man! Congrats!! The take is excellent! You played it perfectly and with a very nice feeling. Good vibrato and perfect pitch bends. This would be a 10 for me if you post the take at the REC. Well done!

Posted by: Cassien Mar 29 2012, 11:48 AM

Thanks Gab! I'll try another take this weekend and post it on REC.

Posted by: Cassien Mar 29 2012, 01:03 PM

Here's what I'm thinking on going with for the Blues Collab. It's unplugged, and a repeat of the first 1/4th of the track, the rest would be based on variations of that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1Z2cDBPl6M&feature=youtu.be

Let me know what you think!
Cheers!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Mar 30 2012, 12:41 AM

Hi mate! It seems to be a very fresh solo with some original phrases , however I find very difficult to hear the backing track in this take so I can't analyse how every note sound over the chords. Could you add the backing to the mix?

Posted by: Cassien Mar 30 2012, 04:01 AM

Hey,
another one, it's quick and dirty and doesn't sound too good. But you should get the gist of what I'm going for.
I don't seem to find the right sound from my Korg pandora, though I haven't played with it much.

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Mar 30 2012, 05:25 PM

Now I can understand it more! I like the main motive of your solo. Maybe you could make some more variations or repeat it a bit less (mainly in the second half of the solo). I also think that your tone could be improve on this one, try to make it sound warmer. Add some bass or decrease the highs level. Regarding your technique, everything is played ok excepting some bends that don't reach the correct pitch.

Posted by: Cassien Mar 31 2012, 06:20 PM

Hey Gab!

Here's my latest take on the blues collab.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAjHXFfy0-8&feature=youtu.be

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Mar 31 2012, 09:29 PM

Hi mate! The solo is becoming more interesting but now I feel that you should work on making the connection between the ideas smoother. It would be also great if you can find a way to make your solo more intense in the second half, maybe more double string bengs with long vibratos, and some fast passages... something that makes the solo evolve a bit more. Regarding your technique I think that you have to work hard on bending. There are many of them that don't reach the pitch. If you still have some time, keep on working!

Posted by: Cassien Apr 1 2012, 02:26 PM

Hey gab,
I have a few more days for the collab, so I'll keep at it. Though I don't think I can play much faster, my technique is not quite there yet...

I have a question for you. I feel like I'm trying to tackle too many things at once. How would you recommend I organize my practice. Let's say I have about 1hr/day. Right now I'm working on a couple of courses, the collab and the first of your intense course. I'm just wondering what time allocation for each of those would be best for my overall progress.

Thanks!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Apr 2 2012, 04:28 PM

Hi mate! If you have one hour for practising I would divide it in 4 lapses of 15 minutes. As you are now in the process of improving your technique we will use more time for training than for creating music but then this should change...

1. Left Hand: You could use lessons 1 and 2 from the http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_forum/index.php?showtopic=42832.
2. Right Hand: Right hand basics lessons
3. Learning any musical lesson (like the Tasty Etude, we can select one together if you want).
4. Jamming, Improvisation, Collabs // Learning any new scale, chords.

Tell me what you think!

Posted by: Cassien Apr 2 2012, 05:40 PM

Thanks gab, that sounds great.
I'm still working on the "String bending" course and the "one note per string alternate picking" one too. I'll post a take in a few days for each of those so you can tell me what you think. But if you have any suggestion for a course that you think would be good for me I'm up for it!

Cheers!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Apr 2 2012, 06:36 PM

That sounds good man! Let's go for those lessons!

Posted by: Cassien Apr 4 2012, 12:03 PM

Hey gab,
here is where I'm at with the http://youtu.be/zcjyohg3Pa4 and the http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZh7QLGv5Ko&feature=plcp&context=C46920c6VDvjVQa1PpcFMio_-2KxE2zVP1B3InlgOGwJVHVZKJzxU%3D one.

Can I also post what I'm doing with your intense course? I'm not sure I'm doing it right and the ligatos are proving quite difficult for me. I'm not sure my left hand is positioned correctly...

Thanks

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Apr 4 2012, 04:16 PM

Hi mate! You are doing a very good job! The bending lesson is close to perfection, there are only two or three bends that don't reach the perfect pitch. I think that you could record a take for the REC. The other lesson is also good, all the notes sound clean and the timing is ok. I note that your right hand still need some more hours of practice to feel comfortable with the movement but in a few days you will be able to record a flawless take.

Off course you can post here your videos playing the ITC exercises!

Keep on the great job!

Posted by: Cassien Apr 8 2012, 04:10 PM

Hey gab,
I just finished and posted my take of Alex's Blues Collab on the collab page. Check it out and let me know what you think!
Thanks!
C.

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Apr 9 2012, 06:12 PM

Hi man! I like the final take! I think that if we compare your first one and this one, the improvement is very notorious! There are some bends reaching the half of the track that sound a bit weird there, but the overall is cool. Also the last bends don't sound perfect, I think that they don't reach perfectly the pitch. I like how you developed the melody in the second half. It really makes sense now.

Posted by: Cassien Apr 10 2012, 11:46 AM

Thanks gab! Thanks also for your guidance, loads of help you've been!

I have a question for the Gab's army's album, can I use a song I've got basic chords and lyrics for and work on it to make it the whole package or should it be a whole new thing? And, can we include vocals? I'm not really good at singing but I like the lyrics of that one.

Cheers!!!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Apr 10 2012, 06:10 PM

Hi Cassien! Yes! You can use whatever you want to record for it. The only rule is that if must be an original piece, not a cover.
Please post a demo or something here!

Posted by: Cassien Apr 11 2012, 11:11 AM

Hey gab,
so here's a few ideas for the army's song. I included a potential intro, and then the main riff and the chorus. And then maybe a second guitar with distortion ( like in the background...)
Let me know what you think.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0R1v8Rk1-w
Oh, and can we do vocals as well?
Cheers!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Apr 11 2012, 03:08 PM

Hi mate! I like those ideas! I think that you already have stuff to structure the whole song. Maybe then you can create a part C and a solo but let's structure this ideas. Do you have the possibility of writing midi drums and bass? What soft do you use?

vocals? Yes mate! Are you also a singer?

Posted by: Cassien Apr 11 2012, 03:32 PM

I don't have a software for drums or bass but I could get one. Do you have one that'd be on the easy side to use you'd recommend?

I'm no singer, I'm actually probably pretty bad at it but that doesn't stop me
I just have so lyrics I really like for this one. It really brings the whole thing together I think.

I agree with you I still need a solo and a bridge of sort.
What do you mean by part C?

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Apr 11 2012, 04:33 PM

Hi mate. I use a Nuendo to write midis and Edirol Hyper Canvas as VSTi. It includes many instruments like drums, bass, guitars, strings. It's not top level sampling but it does its job for demoing.

I call "part C" to what is also called bridge... it's the part that appears after the second chorus... it's usually connected with the solo and most of the times has lyrics.

Posted by: Cassien Apr 20 2012, 04:59 PM

Hey gab,

I just wanted to check in.I've been pretty busy at work so I haven't posted anything in a while.

I'm still working on the one note picking lesson, it's getting there but it's been challenging to get it clean and nice...

I also started working on http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/solo-guitar/little-finger-work-out/ cause doing your ITC exercises I realized how week my pinky is...

I'm also working on the http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/jazzy-blues-phrasing/ lesson. It's got some really good sounds and a couple of pretty challenging phrases.

I've also been spending quite a bit of time on Nuendo, setting up my system and trying to put together the drum track for the Gab's Army song. I'm simply plugging my guitar in my laptop's microphone jack through an adapter, probably not the best way to do it but that's what I have.

Anyway, I'll try to post some of the stuff I've been working on this weekend.

Cheers
C.

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Apr 20 2012, 07:06 PM

Hi Cassien! Everything sound great for me! Thanks for the update!

Posted by: Cassien May 8 2012, 04:45 AM

Hey gab!

I finally recorded a couple of the things I've been working on.

The first one is http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/Diminished-Responsibility/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69RD62IjtWc&feature=youtu.be

and the second is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hZA_s25BUI&feature=youtu.be. I've been working on for the past few months. Its getting there slowly but my right hand is still not comfortable...

I started practicing sweep picking for the http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/jazzy-blues-phrasing/ lesson, the second fast phrase is killing me. I'm still really slow at that. I'll try to post my take ont hat lesson later this week.

I'm still screwing around with Nuendo for the Gab's Army song. I'm trying to use ezdrummer for the back track. It's taking a lot fo time just to get a handle on the software. I'll try to post something when manage something decent.

Cheers
Cyril

PS: awesome for opening for Duran Duran with your band. that's really cool!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi May 8 2012, 05:23 PM

Hi Cassien! Thanks for the update! Those are really tricky lessons, but you are on the right track. You just need to keep on practicing them to master the faster sections and the bends. In the second lesson you say "One Note Per String Alt Pick" but you are playing it with Sweep Picking, what's the reason?
Regarding the Gab's Army Album song... can't wait!

Posted by: Cassien May 8 2012, 06:26 PM

hummm... I didn't realize I was doing that... I guess that's what I did naturally. I'll pay closer attention to what my right hand is doing and see if I can change that.

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi May 9 2012, 01:25 PM

It's not bad to play it in with Sweep Picking! I personally prefer this way, I was just asking because it seemed that the exercises idea was to train AP.