Etude's

hello all,

Lately I have been really digging the Etude lessons i've been finding on the site and so I've come up with a few questions regarding them...

firstly, what exactly defines an Etude? I have noticed they always sound rather classical

and secondly... how would one go about writing their own.... ?... without it sounding too much like other ones or sound like your ripping anyone off....because they do tend to rely on certain patterns and notes yes?

oh well hope someone in this vast guitar knowledge base can sort me out :-)

cheers

-Tom

Improvisation

hi there,

got a question for yah

I've been going through your mode workouts and all that for a while now... right, and you do your modes over your triads and what not... but I was wondering... what do you use scale-wise if you want a heavier background sound? say if you wanted to play power chords or a fast chugging style riff underneath? do I use some of the notes of the mode for the riff in the background? or are there other scales for this I am unaware of? oh well mate,
hope I explained that clearly enough... hope you can help out
thanks for your time,

----tom

Dragonforce Soloing Style Lesson?

Hi there,

ever since first hearing them when their second album came out I have been totally amazed and mesmerized by the soloing efforts of the guitarists in the power metal band Dragonforce...
The whole computer game sounding solo's that Herman is right into and the harmonizations between guitarists and basically everything that makes it so magical... I would like to know how they do it all... if possible ;-)
so if anyone knows what i'm talking about or has any ideas about techniques they use or modes etc they use...
that'd be just awesome...

thanks for your time,

-tom

How To Identify Modes Easily

Hi all,

basically... I'm new to this whole theory thing... and I see lots of differences in the way instructors have their scales represented on their lessons.
for instance some have a box type diagram which is reasonably simple and others have nearly like a full fretboard of notes and it looks so confusing like how can you ever make a scale out of all that... (do I just play any of the notes from the ones shown?) back to the main topic...I notice the root notes scattered throughout, but they're really for keys ha? not to I.D. if its a phrygian or a lydian or a something else...
so... my question is... what are the identifying features of the modes which make them stand out from one another...

lol, hope this isn't a really dumb question and I hope someone out there understands my rambling...
thanks for reading... hope you's can help

-tom

What The? I Didn't Know I Could Do This O_o

hello all at GMC! it's great to be here and it's just awesome to find something like this exists! it's honestly like a dream come true for me haha well anyway, a bit about me I guess then.
I'm originally from New Zealand, if you haven't yet been to this lovely country I suggest you put it on your to do list for stuff for places to go before you have to leave this world ;-) such a nice place!
Now though, I'm living in Perth which is in Western Australia... I'm a welder there, hoping to get qualified soon too... earn some decent bucks and buy myself some decent gear.
Been playing guitar for quite a while now, probably a decade I'd say... and to be honest, it makes me sad because when I started out I could instantly see I had potential and I was naturally quite a lot better than my friends who took it up at the same time... But I never took it up seriously and learned the ins and outs of it like I had always hoped I would (yes, I'm an extreme procrastinator) I do love the guitar though and I love to play it and I think it's possibly when I'm at my happiest just jamming along by myself... so here I am gonna do it right this time and master that s***.
OH yeah forgot to mention, I've been in death metal bands since I pretty much picked up my guitar but since moving to Perth I have pretty much been cut of from that whole scene and all my friends too :-( ....in a way though it has been good because it has allowed me to kind of wake up a bit more and become more aware of harmonies and the get back into the music that inspired me to pick up my first gat years ago and now I feel so accomplished when writing a beautiful piece with feeling and soul, don't get me wrong though cos I still listen to a bit of down right dirty metal... but who's to say you can't appreciate both ;-) or even combine them... well anyway... I'm going on now... sorrrrrryyy heh

fave bands and musicians

Blind Guardian
Iced Earth
Demons & Wizards
Dragonforce
Pantera
Testament
(old) Sepultura
Megadeth
Rush
Yngwie Malmsteen
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Joe Satriani

to name but a few. Plus, I also a whole heeeeap of other metal bands including death metal , technical death, power metal, thrash and everything in between (and beyond) you name it... and I'll most likely know it ;-)

bye for now y'all!