Hey Emir,
I want to thank you for providing me this fabulous opportunity to be your pupil. I'm pretty sure I'll enjoy this journey with you. I hope I'll find all the time needed to work.
1. About me and my musical background
I'm 36, live in France and teach math in a school. I'm also an amateur free software developer : http://www.pyromaths.org.
I've been playing guitar for 16 years now. But I'm really not satisfied with my playing (who is anyway). I've got some technical basics but can't really improvise a solo. I think I've been most of the time studying technic and not enough playing music.
I've been playing in a metal band for a year or so and in a progressive band who did Dream theater covers (which were awful I must admit).
2. Favorite guitarists
I enjoy a lot of different styles. I've started listening to Pink Floyd and Dire Straits and love David Gilmour and Mark Knoppfler. Then I started to listen to metal music and guitar heroes. I love John Petrucci (in Dream Theater, not fan of his solo album), Steve Vai, Greg Howe and Guthrie Govan. I also listen to some Jazz and love John Scofield, Pat Metheny and Al Di Meola.
3. Favorite music style
Depending of my mood, I can listen Between the burried and me, Pat Metheny, Mozart, Pink Floyd. Except electronic and pop music, I think I love a lot of different styles.
4. What I expect from the MTP
I'd like to learn my fretboard, how to construct a rhythmic and a solo that can fit to it, and eventually some technics. I would like to know what to play when I have a guitar and a listener. Which is the aim of music, isn't it ?
I also wish I can play a piece tastefully. I usually play the notes but it's like I can't put any emotion in it.
Hope this is a correct introduction. If you need any more information, ask and I'll try to answer.
Can't wait to hear from you.
GrindGuer, aka Jérôme (J-Rom in english)
Hey Emir, don't know what's going on here. Hope you're allright.
I'm working on your lesson http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/ap_etude_in_am_triplet_feel/. It's really difficult to me, but I'm improving. I made a recording of it at 127 bpm last night. If you could comment it to tell me what's to improve before I try to push the tempo, it would be really appreciated.
Hope to read from you soon...
08mars2010.mp3 ( 562.27K )
: 167
Hi and sorry for being away for too long. Thank you for the introduction. I've heard your take on my AP lesson. I think it sounds great. This could be your first REC take which you have to submit once a month during this MTP program. Make sure that everything is AP.
In order to learn fretboard and improvise solos I have a program which I covered with previous MTP students. Lets start with major scale patterns in 5 positions all over the neck.
Here I am explaining the first 3 positions of the chart and you can figure out the other two. Later we will make a good use of these patterns.
This is how Dexxter did it. He made a drum loop and played over it. It would be nice if you can do the same.
So this is your first assignment and I will open the new assignment thread where you can post your final work. Keep this one for disscussion and practicing.
Hey Emir,
I'm really excited to begin my work with you.
About the AP lesson, I'm far from being able to play it full tempo and I don't think I'll manage to do it at the end of this month. It's insane at 170 bpm And yes I play it all using alternate picking.
Here is the chart that I want you to play. Start from the top and read from left to right. First you play A major in position 5, then you play C major in position 4 etc... When you finish you move to the next row - A major position 1 etc... You should play the whole thing with no stop Make a backing with these chords in order: A, C, D, F, G and play. If you prefer you can only leave drums like last time.
Good luck
That's a fast reply ! This is going to be far more difficult. Do I have to know the root of each pattern and know where to find them on the fretboard ?
I find this really tough ! So many things to think at the same time : the next chord, the root note, the pattern. And it's really long to play, so many possibilities to make a mistake... I thought I couldn't do it. And finally, I start to see the light at the end of the tunnel !
Hopefully, I will be able to make a record next Tuesday.
Is that OK if I just know the root of each pattern on the two first strings ?
Hum. OK. But the question is : do I have to know where is the A on the 3rd string ? Because I can (almost) play the grid you gave me, but I know the notes A, C, D, F, and G only on the 2 first strings. I tried to play the same grid but starting on the D string. I'm totally lost and can't play it at all... So, should I spend time on this right now, or do you think I should do it later ?
Thank you so much for your time. I'm learning much more right now than in the 10 past years.
Hi GrindGuer,
Just wanted to sneak in as I have gone through this. At first, this lesson is very daunting and that chart scares away a hell of anybody. I was too. I got confused about what that chart was but eventually did sit down and started knowing the shapes. Yes, SHAPES is what you will need to know to play this well. I already knew the notes on my fretboard but then I had to always stop for, like, 2 secs before I could confirm the note I was hitting. If you remember shapes and the root notes, this is really not that hard. Interesting part of Shapes in guitar is you can move it anywhere (any root note you intend to start with) and just play that shape. So, its not as hard as learning keyboard or other instruments.
Figure out the notes on each string, each fret (if this is too hard, you can just remember the root notes for now, others will come in time) and remember the 5 shapes. Thats the key.
Just sharing my experience and hope it helps.
Thanks,
Chandra
Thank you to both of you, Emir and Chandra.
I will learn those notes on my fretboard. It seems to be a very long work. But I'll do it. I've started yesterday night trying to play the first row of the chart starting from the D string. It seems I had figured out what your answer would be That's really tough. But you're right, it seems so important. But I don't think I'll be able to do it in one week. I have to work on the Rec, your assignment, and take care of my family and my job But I'll do it !
Frankly GrindGuer, You SUCK!!! Awesome take there but why all the panic in here?
Well done.
Thank you all for your kind words. It makes my day !
My English is probably not good enough to explain what my problem is. As I said, I know the shapes quite well. When I play the chart, I know where the A, C, D, F and G are on the low E or A strings and I figure out what shape I have to play. That's what i have done for the video, and that's what the exercise was about.
But I don't know where the A is on the D string, G string and B string. So if you ask me to do the same exercise starting from the G string, I need to think for about 5 seconds for each chord. Quite useless... Is it clearer ? Not really sure
Thank you Emir. I won't have much time today either. So don't worry. And I still have a lot to do.
Assignment 3:
This one is a bit more tricky.
1. Produce backing track with the following progression:
Am | Dm7 | E7 | Am |
Am | Dm7 | E7 | Am, C#7 |
F#m | E | D | A, C#7 |
F#m | E/G# | D | E7 |
A (major) |
One chord between the bar lines ( like |Am| ) presents one bar in 4/4. Two chords like | Am, C#7 | present each chord half a bar.
2. Play all 16th notes and move through the positions. As many positions as you can.
3. Tempo is your choice, doesn't need to be too fast.
4. The track doesnt need to be complex. Just one drum loop with root bass notes and chords on the keyboard or guitar.
5. Write down which modes you are playing over each chord. Each chord belongs to a different major scale mode. For example you will start with A aeolian over Am chord, then move to D dorian over D minor 7 and E mixolydian over E7. Play C#7 arpeggio over C#7 chord (only 4 notes). The rest you work out. While it is obvious that you are in C major scale in the first section I want you to think of the modal root of that chord. If you want to start from the A Aeolian position 1 you will realize that you are actually playing 5th position of the C major scale but you should think of A root.
6. Produce a video and submit in the assignment thread.
Good luck.
Hey Emir,
I feel a little bit scared by this new assignment. I think I miss some theory. So I have a couple of questions :
There we are This assignment can help you start thinking of modes much more and develop your modal knowledge while improvising.
This is a quick tip:
Dorian and Aeolian are minor modes but when you have Am as your root and Dm7 after that, it is obvious that you are actually in C major scale but your modal root is A minor. If you count your modes from the C root you will realise that your A minor is your aeolian mode and Dm7 is your dorian. Regarding E7, yes it is mixolydian from A major but it this case it's an exception because that chord is borowed from A harmonic minor scale (5th mode) so it is a dominant chord and you need major 3rd in it. The perfect choice would be Phrygian Dominant mode (the same as phrygian but with the maj 3rd) but since we're not doing harmonic minor modes you can play mixolydian as that's the closest to what we need. Easier way is that you play E7 arpeggio notes only over that chord (E, G#, B, D). If you play pure phrygian mode that wouldn't work as it is the minor scale (has minor 3rd) but the chord itself has major 3rd. The same you can do over C#7 - play only arpeggio notes over that bit and you'll be safe.
OK. Another question : with Am and Dm7 it could also be F major scale (A phrygian and D locrian I think). Am I wrong ?
Is the problem of the B flat with the E7 (who has a B ) ? I seriously lack of theory to understand all this. Do you have any reference I should read (on the Internet or a book) ?
Is the second part A major scale ? F# aeolian, E mixolydian, D lydian and A ionian.
Here is what I came to :
You wrote out correct answer. Now we need the music I need to you improvise using those scales and connect as many positions as you can. You don't have to start each scale from the root. Just play any random melodic lines using these scales.
Check how Maharzan did it in 16th notes. You can play 8th notes that will be ok.
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