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GMC Forum _ Gabriel Leopardi _ Darren's Composing & Technique Workouts

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Oct 13 2014, 06:29 PM

Hello Darren! Welcome to our thread for working together on your goals as guitarist and musician.

I will share here some of your info and your goals as you told me via PM:

"I am currently working a pop-punk project that I am looking to finish, but I have ran out of ideas. This is the main reason why I signed with GMC today: to find some inspiration for new riffs

Short term goals:
- finish my unfinished demos and pick the best 12 for my pop-punk project's album
- begin ear training

Mid term goals
- transcribe simple songs by ear to notation
- write coherent and very catchy songs
- become more competent with chords

Long term goals
- become a competent songwriter (would like to produce with any band or act)
- learning to shred (Yngwie was the reason I got into guitar)

Here are my SoundClouds that somewhat showcase my current skillset:
https://soundcloud.com/sileightyband
https://soundcloud.com/letter-k (fairly old; some electronic stuff to ignore)"

Your goals are very clear so the direction of our work together is very defined at first. You should divide your guitar time between creation and technique practice. Then, at some point both will connect, but by now, we will work on two parallel roads.

I'm checking your ideas at soundcloud, and I can say that there is very solid material there. You have some amazing riffs there, and I can say that your ideas are even more powerful than pop punk. As this are very consistent ideas, I think that the thing that is lacking is working on structure to know what's lacking to finish the ideas. So, there first task for you is to share here 5 songs that you like in this style, and then I will tell you how to analyze them.

Regarding technique, I wonder if you could choose a soloing lesson that you consider at your level, record it and share it here. Just to know what's your current solo guitar level. Is this possible?

You could start with something like this:

http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/neoclassical_solo_for_beginners/
http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/solo-guitar/beginner-solo-in-d/

or maybe something more difficult, just what you think you can play at tempo.

Posted by: darren Oct 14 2014, 02:52 PM

Thanks a lot! Here are the five catchiest songs I could think of at the moment:

All Time Low - A Love Like War (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDbVY3gCJgg)
All Time Low - Break Your Little Heart (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsfXsOPvzdw)
Beforu - Breakdown (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jSuFBfyXlw)
The All-American Rejects - Move Along (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XleOkGsYgO8)
A Day To Remember - All Signs Point to Lauderdale -(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08PszRp2cBg)

I actually started on that first solo before posting here because it seemed like something I could get close to playing by the end of the week. Same for the other one too. I will start these after I get back from work tonight.

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Oct 14 2014, 09:41 PM

Excellent! I will wait for your video at the end of the week to start designing your guitar routine.

Now let's start analyzing the songs that you shared. The idea is that you find out the structure of the song (intro - verse - bridge - chorus - verse 2, etc) and analyze what happens on each part. The idea is that you write down the arrangments and what each instrument does, and also the theory behind, in other words the chord progressions and scales used (and also if modulation or any other harmony technique is used). You can create a table with the columns: Structure - What's happening? - Theory (Progressions and scales).

Let's start with one song, the one that you prefer from the list. It would be great if you can learn the chords by ear, as well as the vocal melodies to find out the scale used for vocals and lead guitars. I will help you with all the things that you can understand but try to do your best.

Ok?

Posted by: darren Oct 15 2014, 01:35 PM

I've got both of the solos ~90% memorized and began scoring out one of the five tracks.

I will finish the score tonight after work and upload it for review.

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Oct 15 2014, 03:47 PM

Great news! Thanks for the update.

Posted by: darren Oct 20 2014, 04:01 AM

Here's the tab I made for All Time Low's "Break Your Little Heart". I had a hard time with some parts of the vocals, the harmonized guitars, and drum fills.

I also wasn't able to get the solos recorded this weekend, so I will try for next weekend. Should I tab out the other tracks for this week?

all_time_low___break_your_little_heart.gp5 ( 54.67K ) : 38

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Oct 20 2014, 06:36 PM

Hi Darren! Congratulations on this great work! Transcribing tracks in this way is a killer training for your ear. Be sure that you'll be grateful in the future if you continue this analysis.

The next step would be to write down a table with the 3 columns with the analysis. (Structure, Arrangements, Theory) for this song, and post it here. It's important to analyse the relationship between chords, the tonality, and the notes choices for the vocals connected with the chord from the backing.

And then, off course continue with the other songs.

Keep on the great job!