Printable Version of Topic

Click here to view this topic in its original format

GMC Forum _ Gabriel Leopardi _ Spiritcrusher's Neoclassical Journey

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Feb 21 2016, 10:10 PM

Hi mate, welcome to your mentoring thread!

Before we start please share all the info and videos possible to let me know more about you and your guitar goals.

Posted by: OsbourneOzzyFan Feb 22 2016, 10:54 AM

I'm a really big fan of progressive and neoclassical metal. My biggest inspirations are Michael Romeo, Petrucci, Malmsteen etc. I want to learn a lot of theory. I also want to learn more technique. What I'm focusing on right now is speed picking, where I play the same scales with a metronome.

Currently I only know very basic theory like the major and minor scale.

What I want first in this journey is to learn chord progressions and modes. I don't know what chords to use when I play a certain mode. I also want you to help me with my technique. I really want to achieve shred speed. My current picking speed is 72 bpm with 24th notes.

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Feb 23 2016, 01:45 PM

Hi mate, it seems that you've changed your nickname, don't you?

Ok, let's divide the workout in two: theory & technique.

For technique, we could start with a musical lesson to detect where are your weak points and then work on them. I have in mind something like this (you can choose the one that you feel more at your level)

http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/neoclassical_solo_for_beginners/
http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/solo-guitar/neoclassical-3-levels-intermediate/index.htm/

Regarding technique, you need to get into the theory behind chords, and progressions. The first step is learning about intervals, do you know the theory behind intervals? If not, check this out and let me know your questions.

http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_forum/index.php?showtopic=48905
Intervals practice: http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/Intervals-Etude/

Posted by: SpiritCrusher Feb 25 2016, 12:38 AM

I chose the harder lesson, but I still haven't managed to get it to 120 bpm. In this video I have reduced it to 105 bpm, but I had to make the video and audio seperately because I can't record with my webcam while using Reaper:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsrPGKRV9vs

And regarding to theory. I know about intervals. It's basically the distance between two notes. If I'm in doubt about an interval, I use this scheme, where I first count how many semi-notes there are between the two notes:

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Feb 25 2016, 02:39 PM

Hi mate, great stuff!

The first thing that you should try to fix is that line noise that makes so tricky to practice. I think that it can be related to your cable, try changing your cable, and also try setting your guitar tone with less drive. You don't need a lot of drive to have sustain. Just set it with the less possible just before you start to loose the sustain that you want.

Your playing on this lesson is good. You play everything at tempo. You have to be careful with unwanted noises, and adjust a bit your vibrato but you have a very good base.

It's time to start training your technique!

I think that this lesson can be a good follow up: http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/Triplet-Etude/

Regarding theory, what about harmonizing scales? Do you know the chords that you get by harmonizing the major scale?

Posted by: SpiritCrusher Mar 27 2016, 11:58 PM

First of all, the reason it took me so long to answer is because of my studying.
And I only managed to get the Triplet Etude to 120 bpm out of 150. I will post it in the REC-section when it's ready
But for now here it is:

Regarding harmonizing scales, I've found this link:
http://guitar.ricmedia.com/harmonize-major-scale-triads-theory-lesson/

From what I understood, it's when you make a chord (triad) from the root note. A triad is a chord consisting of three notes; the root note, 3rd note and 5th note. So with the root note C, we will have C-E-G. And if we move up to D, then it's D-F-A and so on.

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Mar 28 2016, 02:56 AM

Great! The lesson is on the right track. You need to continue practicing to clean everything, be able to play it tight and then faster. But this is a promising take, just keep working hard.

That's exactly how you can harmonize the major scale in triads and that's how you get a major tonality. These are the triads that you can use to compose a chord progresion or a song in a major key and then create melodies using that scale. The notes can be harmonized with 4 notes, and you get 4 notes chords (those triads + 7ths).

But before that, now that you know the triads. It's a good idea to learn the triads everywhere in the neck. Let's start with the major triads.

This lesson is based on C major scale but combined with all the inversions of C major triad:

https://www.guitarmasterclass.net/solo-guitar/ionian-mode-harmonized-with-triads/

You can start by learning only the triads.

Posted by: SpiritCrusher Mar 31 2016, 11:42 PM

I understand the concept of this lesson. He's basically playing a c major scale where he makes C major triads out of some of the notes.
Now I know that there are four types of triads; major, minor, diminished and augmented.
Here it says how to find out what type a triad is:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triad_(music)#Construction
When there is a triad like G-C-E, we have to make it into a 1rd, 3rd and 5th so we put the G at the end so we get this C-G-E. And all the triads in the lesson are C major triads just put in different ways like G-C-E and E-C-G.

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Apr 1 2016, 02:14 PM

Exactly! That's the concept behind the lesson. You get all the different inversions everywhere in the fret board and connect it with the major scale. This is a great way to understand the whole fretboard see clearly strong notes from a scale and chord. You'll find lessons from the same instructor harmonizing all the modes from the major scale. Learning all these series will give you all you need to know to be able to improvise over any backing.

Posted by: SpiritCrusher Apr 8 2016, 09:20 PM

So how exactly do I know when to use them and to what chord progressions.
How do I easily learn and remember those modes?

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Apr 9 2016, 09:21 PM

You need to learn harmony and theory in order to identify the tonality behind a chord progression. We have a lot of info about this at the theory board. It's not anything that you'll learn quickly, you need to get into different harmony concepts, and then into modes. After that, analysing chord progressions is what will make you be able to identify them smoothly.

Check out this thread: https://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_forum/index.php?showtopic=47852

Posted by: SpiritCrusher Apr 28 2016, 07:22 PM

I have sent you a pm about my wishes

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Apr 29 2016, 01:49 PM

Ok!

Posted by: SpiritCrusher May 1 2016, 09:14 PM

Okay, so I was thinking if you could give me small tasks and split the information into small pieces because it's too big of a mouthful for me if I have to learn all the modes at once or something like that. And I don't know how to apply it on the guitar, which I thought if you could help me with.

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi May 2 2016, 09:48 PM

Sure mate. The first step should be to get into Major tonality and scales (Ionian mode). This is the first mode and it's the root for everything so knowing it perfectly will help you to understand everything else.

Are you in?

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi May 3 2016, 04:22 PM

Ok mate, here is a more specific plan for this week:

My suggestion is working on this lesson that will clarify the major scale based on Caged System:

https://www.guitarmasterclass.net/solo-guitar/knoweth-thy-major-scale/

and improvise over this one:

https://www.guitarmasterclass.net/solo-guitar/ionian-improvisation/

You can off course use some of those licks as starting points and reference but the idea is that you develop your own phrasing over it.

In one week I'll expect from you:

- know how to play major scale in the whole fretboard related to the chord shapes.
- and improvisation over that backing.

Deal?

Posted by: SpiritCrusher Sep 7 2016, 09:26 PM

I've been learning the five scale systems with the CAGED system, and it helped me learn to improvise better. But my impro mostly consists of going up and down the scale. I am aware that I often accidentally play the F# note on the 2nd string, and that my bends could be better.

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Sep 8 2016, 01:36 PM

Hi mate! That's a great first step! Now you need to incorporate more licks and tools in order to make your improvisation sound better.

What you are needing there is:

- More rhythm changes
- More silence between phrases.
- More defined phrases.
- Structure.
- Target chord tones.

Here are two lessons that I suggest checking:

https://www.guitarmasterclass.net/solo-guitar/beginner-solo-in-d/
https://www.guitarmasterclass.net/solo-guitar/major-pentatonic-scale/

The second one is based on Pentatonic Major, which contains 5 notes from the Major scale, and it's a great tool to get different lines.

In order to get out of playing the scale up and down, the trick is to play different intervals and sequences.

https://www.guitarmasterclass.net/solo-guitar/alternate-picking-thirds/

Posted by: SpiritCrusher Sep 10 2016, 08:18 PM

I've tried playing in E minor now, and actually I like it much better than Am.
I've been trying some of your tips, like using different intervals, like the octaves at the ending, and I also used techniques like the pedal point and string skipping (although didn't sound like I hit the right tones).

So what can I do next?

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Sep 11 2016, 11:38 PM

Good! You feel more comfortable with minor scales. I think that it's because your meta and neoclassical influences. I recommend you to check some improvisations from your favorite players in order to get ideas on how to structure and also licks that you could borrow, and use as a base for creating your own licks.

Also, check out this lesson: https://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/Developing-a-melody/

Posted by: SpiritCrusher Feb 6 2017, 05:24 PM

Hey, I've been trying to create melodies and improvise based on them.

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Feb 7 2017, 04:29 AM

Nice! I can hear improvements here! Well done! The next step would be to start adding some other concepts into your improvisation. I think that you could get into arpeggios and the following the chords idea.

It would be a good idea to learn major and minor arpeggios in 5 different positions and start playing over chord progressions following the chords with the different arpeggios, then combine it with scales.