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Posted by: Todd Simpson Jun 18 2012, 12:29 AM

Welcome to SHRED BOOTCAMP! I'll be your Drill Instructor! And I do mean DRILL! As in a large power tool used in slasher films and Paul Gilbert concerts. Here is were you EARN THE LIVING DEATH out of your fingers and break through any speed bumps/barriers to become a MASTER CHIEF of Shred!

THE MISSION

1.)Your mission is to go all the way back to the very start. The base of the mountain.

LESSON 1. http://bitly.com/gmclesson1

Which you will play SLOWWWWWWLLY, very SLOWWWLLLLYYYY until you master it at a crawl (As You'll Do With Each Mission, and focus on left hand FORM! Make it SUPER PERFECT!). Speed it up bit by bit until you feel your ready to take it to WAR (Any speed, it's up to you) Shoot a video and post it as a reply to this post. I'll then offer a constructive and brutally honest critique.

THE AFTERMATH

Upon nailing the crap out of lesson one at a speed you didn't think possible, and playing it a clean as a freshly waxed floor, you will be given your first insignia of Rank in BOOTCAMP!

Here is the link to your own PRIVATE HOUSE OF PAIN!...Er I mean.. SHRED!

http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=44875&view=findpost&p=590668

Practice!
Todd

Posted by: ringmar Jun 19 2012, 11:35 PM

Yo Shred Master!

First video of me trying lesson 1. 160bpm. I'm struggling going from low strings to higher ones at speed. I think it's because you have to go from upstroke on a lower string to downstroke on a higher one. (Ie. moving from Low E string to D string.)

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jun 20 2012, 03:58 AM

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! THE ENEMY HAS BEEN LAID TO WASTE!

Well played Soldier! Very good on the picking, control, etc. Nice!

KILLER ELITE
-Clean pick strikes
-Good planting of the hand on the mute
-Consistent movement
-Good Speed

The only bit that I didn't love was alternating the strike pattern now and then. But it seemed to work for you and that's what it comes down to in the end. Ideally, you should be able to start with a down stroke, say on the low E, strike four times, and as the last stroke (fourth) will be an up stroke, you can head to the next higher string (A string) with a down stroke. But if it works for you, then Bingo!

ON TO THE NEXT MISSION SOLDIER!

Todd

Posted by: ringmar Jun 27 2012, 12:48 AM

Hi Todd. Here is my lesson 2 video. I played 8th notes with metronome at 210.

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jun 27 2012, 01:10 AM

Well done Soldier! Is that your home studio BTW? And spiff guitars! An Ibanez in the last vid (A prestige?) and a Petrucci in this one. Score!

MEDAL OF HONOR
-Good Precision
-Clean Strikes
-Spiff Speed

BINGO! Congrats Soldier! You just LEVELED UP!

Posted by: ringmar Jun 27 2012, 01:12 AM

Yeah that;s my home practice room in the basement. I can practice late at night while the family is sleeping, even play my drums! The ibby was something I just had bought (it was an RG2560 Japan thing they had on sale from $1499 down to $810 + tax) but returned the other day.. was nice but not my thing. The JP6 is the one I scored today (see my post in CHILL OUT forum)

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jun 27 2012, 01:16 AM

Nice! It's great to have your own recording space. Looks spiff as well! Keep it up!

Todd

Posted by: ringmar Jul 24 2012, 02:54 AM

Here is my lesson 3 150bpm video. Tonight was the first time I tried it at 150. Looking forward to feedback.

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jul 26 2012, 02:50 AM

Well Fought Soldier! I can't help but notice how good your right hand technique is getting. Relaxed yet controlled. Good pick angle as well! Soldier! YOU JUST LEVELED UP!

MEDAL OF HONOR

1.)Clean Strikes (Great right hand work)
2.)Great right/left hand synch (Practice shows through in a fight!)
3.)Aggressive speed

Nice!

Posted by: ringmar Nov 9 2012, 02:17 PM

Ok I'm back on this stuff... at least for a bit. Here is week #4 and #5. Metronome is at 210, but I'm not 100% sure I'm in sync with it. Also, I noticed some muting issues on week 4... help here? Mute with my picking hand better?


#4



#5

Posted by: Todd Simpson Nov 13 2012, 02:02 AM

Welcome back to the fight Soldier! Let me tackle this one mission at a time. #4 is a fine effort, but I must say I did notice some synch issues. Don't feel you have to push the metronome to far before it's time. The speed will almost happen once the precision/synch is in place.

RELOAD SOLDIER! And take another pass. Also, give me a better shot at your right hand in the frame and I can diagnose any trigger finger issues! Do a few slower versions and post those so I can see you build up!!!!

Posted by: ringmar Nov 16 2012, 03:55 PM

Lesson 4. Metronome at 170, 190 and 205. Let me know how I'm doing please... SIR!

Posted by: Todd Simpson Nov 17 2012, 04:13 AM

Soldier let me say I can see great things starting to happen in your fighting skills! I can see you have been putting in time at the range! After watching your Mission Vid, it seems the first bit is where you have a couple of issues that I"m sure you can fix quick. About 10 seconds in, see if you can hear the slight gap between picking and fretting on the pinky notes in the pattern. It's not a huge gap at all, we are talking milliseconds, but the point of the Mission is critical "Synch" so I have to ask you to dig deep! And fight through the pain to play the slow bits only one more time with GUSTO!!!!

Posted by: ringmar Nov 17 2012, 04:20 AM

Thanks Todd. I can hear it now. I'll work to get rid of it.

Posted by: Todd Simpson Nov 20 2012, 07:13 AM

You can eat what you KILL!!!!! Soldier you are SOOOOOOOOOOOO freaking close!!!! RANK UP!!!!


Todd

Posted by: ringmar Nov 20 2012, 01:28 PM

I'm slowing this down and working up. Here it is at 140. Not expecting a badge here.. just some good critique.

Posted by: Todd Simpson Nov 21 2012, 12:48 AM

Thanks for shifting the camera, now I can see your pick hand! I think I see where some soldiers are taking the bullett. Looking at your right hand, your picking technique is just a tax exaggerated for this type of lick. Training the pick hand to economize motion, reduce motion, use as little physical motion as humanly possible is one of the BIG steps in nailing licks like this one. Take a look at my pick hand in this video, notice how it's wagging all over way up and below the string when moving slow the gets much smaller/tighter when things speed up.

Try to use the "Speed Up" pick approach, while still playing slow at about 140. Make sense? don't twist the wrist, minimize motion. Here are your marching orders.

1.)PUT YOUR LEFT HAND BEHIND YOUR BACK
2.)Focus entirely on your right hand.
3.)Alternate between HIGH E and B focusing only on using as little motion as possible.



Shoot a vid of this and hit me back!!!

Todd

Posted by: ringmar Nov 21 2012, 04:54 AM

Thanks Todd. I'm away from my guitar for 2 weeks (family trip then business trip). I'll get back on this when I return.

Posted by: ringmar Nov 21 2012, 10:31 PM

Analyzed my picking based on what you said. AHA! I know the problem. The pattern (on highest 2 strings) is pick 5 times on high E, 5 times on the B.

Picking: DOWN UP DOWN UP DOWN on E then UP DOWN UP DOWN UP on B

The transition from DOWN on E to UP on the B is a bit of a distance and if I exaggerate it even further like you said, the end of my DOWN pick is too far away from the B string to get the UP pick done in time!

I'll work on it SIR!

Posted by: Todd Simpson Nov 22 2012, 12:15 AM

BINGO!!!!!! Deconstruction is a wonderful thing

Todd

Posted by: ringmar Nov 2 2013, 02:35 PM

Ok so after quite a hiatus from here I'm back. Last gig with cover band tonight for a while (taking hiatus). We're opening for a KISS tribute band .. they do full makeup, KISS signs.. the "Ace Frehley" even plays guitars he bought from the REAL Ace Frehley.

Anyhow.. Todd please comment on the following. #4. Couple takes at different speeds (sorry about the bit of noise in the middle when I changed speeds.)

Posted by: Todd Simpson Nov 5 2013, 04:36 AM

Welcome back to the fight Soldier!!! Your playing here is quite good!! Let's debrief!!!


*Good posture and position all around. Including your grip and pick position!
*Good pick strikes and very even/consistent striking, nice!!
*Good overall tone and musicianship.

In short soldier you played this really darn well!! So well in fact that I want to TURN UP THE HEAT!!!

Soldier, here is your SPECIAL DUTY ASSIGNMENT.

*Tackle this fight again and do one pass with DOUBLE PICKING (pick twice per note) and one pass with QUAD PICKING (Pick four times per note)

*See how far you can push the speed before it falls apart!!!

Fight On Soldier!!
Sarge

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jul 30 2014, 05:33 AM

SOLDIER!! Sarge here Time to get BACK TO THE FRONT and pick up the fight!! You seem to have backed off a bit at the DOUBLE PICKING. Don't be thrown off Soldier!! I see some real potential in your playing! You can handle the Doubles!

Sarge

Posted by: ringmar Jan 11 2017, 05:25 AM

Todd can I start up again? Been a couple years.

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jan 14 2017, 05:14 AM

By all Means!!! Forge ahead Soldier!!

Welcome back

Todd