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Posted by: Ben Higgins Jan 25 2012, 12:09 PM

GUITAR BUSHIDO: BEGINNER

Congratulations warrior for taking your first step on the path..

TASK 1 : Picking Hand Basics http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/Picking-Hand-Basics/

Before we start adding more to your plates I'd like you to gain some control and confidence with the picking hand. Rather than give you something with lots of fretting hand shifting, this concentrates exactly on the task at hand. Of course, you will nail this with ease which will get you ready for the next step

Your task is to record and upload a version of this lesson by Wednesday 1st Feb. You can upload takes before that date for feedback and help because this is intended to help you, not just be about completing tasks so use and abuse the thread as much as you need !

P.S. For every deadline that is missed, 1 finger will be broken. Enjoy !

Posted by: Praetorian Jan 25 2012, 04:00 PM

Excellent Shihan Higgins! Shall we upload into this thread or start our own?

Posted by: Ben Higgins Jan 25 2012, 06:36 PM

Hehe, I'm amazed at all the martial arts terminology all you guys know... unless you've been looking them up !

Yes please, upload takes into this thread. If you also want to enter any vids into REC as well, go for it and you'll benefit from other instructors feedback too

Posted by: Nihilist1 Jan 26 2012, 10:56 AM

Can I listen to the video, a metronome, or the GuitarPro tablature while I record it? Or do I have to do it based on memory? Also, is there a preferred BPM that you have in mind? Thanks Sensei!

Posted by: Ben Higgins Jan 26 2012, 11:08 AM

Ah, sorry I should have specified

What we would normally do is choose the backing track that you can play comfortably. Ideally, use the week to try and work up to playing at the same full speed backing as I do in the lesson but this isn't mandatory. I was saying in the other threads that I don't mind if people record their take at a slower tempo than the lesson, as long as they're benefitting from it with good technique.

To record your take, I would get the video up in the background, pause the main lesson so it's not interrupting and play along to one of the backing tracks which you can find on the right hand side. You can just use the sound captured on the camera as well, unless you prefer to record audio into software and edit the vid later. That's the 2 main ways of doing it, which people use in REC. Hope that helps

Posted by: Nihilist1 Jan 26 2012, 11:13 AM

Absolutely. Thanks!

Posted by: mad Jan 26 2012, 11:44 AM

Sensei Ben,
may I enter your temple and demonstrate my take on your first task, so hopefully I can keep my fingers..

Posted by: Sean_1234 Jan 26 2012, 11:50 AM

hey Ben, can anyone just jump in? Seems like fun!

Posted by: Ben Higgins Jan 26 2012, 03:18 PM

The first take from an apprentice ! May I say that the icy winds and snow have not taken their toll on you for your performance is triumphant indeed

Good, relaxed picking technique.. good timing. This is exactly the kind of thing I like to see. This track is a good way to start introducing yourself to slightly faster picking without going over the top. Perhaps spend the rest of the week trying to loop together longer sections of 16th notes to test your stamina



Yes Sean, go ahead !

Posted by: Ben Higgins Jan 27 2012, 08:11 PM

Hi Guys, how are you all getting along with the lesson ? Are you managing it ok ? If you need any help, just ask

Posted by: Praetorian Jan 29 2012, 01:03 AM

Ben - do you use the same tuning on all your lessons? I tend to be 1/2 step down 99% of the time.

Posted by: Ben Higgins Jan 29 2012, 10:26 AM

Yes, I'm annoyingly old school with my standard tuning ! If you're able to somehow transpose tracks down a semitone with software then by all means, feel free. I'm not sure what else to suggest apart from tune up another guitar especially for it and have it always ready. We won't always be using my lessons though so there may be times it's not standard tuning but I think it's going to be standard for the foreseeable future

Posted by: zoom Jan 30 2012, 04:23 AM

May I approach Sensei Ben? I bring offering of Picking guitar strings. I hope this does not offend you Calibrated awesomeness of ears.

I leave this at your mat Sensei.

Posted by: Ben Higgins Jan 30 2012, 11:51 AM

Your offering is accepted and is appraised for its quality !

I noticed that you went straight to the 16th notes at 0:35 and skipped out the triplet part but it doesn't matter.. you decided to go for the hardcore speed approach !

All good.. you are ready to move forward. As your reward, you only have to do 50 push ups instead of the usual 100

Posted by: zoom Jan 31 2012, 12:41 PM

Dup! I stuffed that up.

I've got a history of stuff up 3/4 6/8 time. One example which comes to mind I when I was leading music team from church in a couple of song's the first one was 4/4 and 2nd was 6/8 time needless to say I stuffed the intro on the 6/8 and had to stop and start again.
I was quite new in this team and with 60 muso's and singer in front of you it's a wee bit embarrassing.

Ok I'm off to do my push up now

see ya

Posted by: Praetorian Feb 1 2012, 09:49 PM

Finally got my computer movie editor working again Ben!

Posted by: Ben Higgins Feb 1 2012, 10:52 PM

Hey Man - fantastic ! Great to see a vid from you

Your picking hand looks very relaxed. In fact it looks just like John Petrucci's hand

You even ended up going faster than the track itself.. but you've definitely got alternate picking sorted

Ready for Task 2 now.. you can find it in my instructor board

Posted by: MossRoller Mar 1 2012, 12:37 AM

Wow, it is freezing up here and the Temple Gates seem to be locked.
I'd like to try and catch up if it's fine with you.
I'm going to use this opportunity to attempt my first video upload in my first forum post.

Btw, I went ahead and broke 7 of my toes hoping you'll consider that an equitable sacrifice for 4 of my fingers and being late.

Posted by: Ben Higgins Mar 1 2012, 10:35 AM

Heeeeeeeeeey, welcome to the Temple of Guitar Bushido !

Let me congratulate you on a brilliant first contribution to not only the Bushido course but GMC in general.

Really good, relaxed picking technique there. That wrist movement is textbook stuff.

Watch out for slightly rushing ahead of the beat.. not massively but just enough to notice..

Apart from that, you had it nailed - I look forward to your next videos !

Posted by: Sunny Apr 20 2012, 08:43 PM

Gusts of wind are blowing snow through the open gates of the old Guitar Temple. Set of footsteps leading into the darkness inside are being slowly covered by the snow. In the shadows on the doorstep lies a lonely offering, an orb, glowing faintly.

The orb feels warm to the touch and seems to transform surrounding silence into a merry tune.
http://soundcloud.com/sc01sunny/phb01

My first recording, far from perfect but I suppose it's a start.

Posted by: Ben Higgins Apr 21 2012, 11:06 AM

At last, we have some Sun (ny) at The Temple !

Very good, young warrior.. your picking is very even but watch out for timing. In many places you were rushing the changes a little so you can relax back a bit more there, ok ?

Really good start to your journey.. you have taken the first, most difficult step.. now onwards !

Posted by: Sunny Apr 21 2012, 11:29 AM

Thank you for your kind words, Sensei. ^^

I learned a lot about picking and I pick way faster than I ever had. I will be working on timing, that's an old woe of mine.

Now off to task 2, but I won't forget you, task 1!

Posted by: carminemarotta Apr 24 2012, 09:31 PM

Ben
I am learning the lesson, I could not do more than 100 bpm, and even not perfect, need some tips in playiing it at full speed:



anyway, I am well ahead of the deadline that was one year to practice it, wasn't it?
Thanks in advance
Carmine

Posted by: Ben Higgins Apr 25 2012, 08:38 AM

Yo Carmine !

This is a good effort. Your picking is quite even.. it's mainly the timing that needs work to make it sound better. Also, when you start playing the 16th notes in the last part of the lesson I notice some excess arm movement so that's something we can talk about in greater detail




Ummmmm..... I think there may have been a misunderstanding

Posted by: carminemarotta Apr 25 2012, 09:07 PM

Ben
do you have a list of all the Bushido lessons for beginner?

Thanks
Carmine

Posted by: Ben Higgins Apr 26 2012, 08:50 AM

Hi Carmine

1: http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_forum/index.php?showtopic=42684&st=0&start=0
2: http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/Inside-Outside-Picking/
3: http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_forum/index.php?showtopic=42938&st=0&start=0
4: http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_forum/index.php?showtopic=43060&st=0&start=0
5: http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/rhythm-guitar/basic-metal-rhythm/
6: http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/rhythm-guitar/rock-rhythm-with-triads/
7: http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/Classic-Punk-Ramones/
8: http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/rhythm-guitar/joe-satriani-style-rock/
9: http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/Bens-Land-Of-Legato/
10: http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_forum/index.php?showtopic=43711
11: http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/solo-guitar/pull-offs-lesson/
12: http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/String-Bending/
13: http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/Phrase-Book-Pre-Bends/

Posted by: MonkeyDAthos Apr 29 2012, 02:34 AM

Ben! well i haven't play the instrument for like 2 weeks now ._. and i want to polished my skills, so may i join the beginner (section) of the temple?

Posted by: Ben Higgins Apr 29 2012, 08:56 AM

Of course my friend, I would love to welcome you !

P.S. We've changed the name of the Beginner thread to the Apprentice thread now, so look for Apprentice Bushido Task 14 and get involved !

Posted by: Dieterle Nov 6 2012, 03:52 PM

Oussss Zenzai !

I had to take a step into your DOJO with shaking legs kind of nervous
and here is my Absolute Beginner Kata

Picking Hand Basic with a bit shaky start

Posted by: Ben Higgins Nov 6 2012, 04:40 PM

Yamae !!

Ok, Dieter.. time to look at the details. 0.25 to 0.38 was the best part because you were mostly in time here. In the other areas you were behind the tempo by a noticeable amount so I would either 1. Practise it slower or 2. Practise along with my main guitar track so you have another audio reference. I think that may be one of your main issues, in that you concentrate so hard on what you're doing that you almost block out the backing track.

On that middle part, starting at 0.38 I notice that you stay on the first note slightly too long and you play the rest at the right tempo. The first note needs to be the same length as the rest of them.. they are all 8th notes triplets

Now you may go and change out of your soiled Gi and get some water !

Posted by: Dieterle Nov 6 2012, 05:01 PM

Ousss !

Thank you Ben !

I drink a big bottle Water now and then going for exercising the Picking Hand Basic Kata


Dieter

Posted by: Christophe Nov 6 2012, 06:01 PM

I'm not Ben (for real ?! ) but I watched most of your takes since we are approximatively around the same level, and you always seem to be really nervous, calm down, be a little more relaxed, don't hesitate to do hundreds (with camera on all the time) of takes, then choose one out and post it on youtube, that's the way I process.

An other thing, you can press the space button on your keyboard to play a lesson (or a backing track) this way you have time to "prepare" yourself playing the lesson. You can also download the backing track (very easily nowadays, back in time you had to ask the instructor to send you the BT by private message), put a loop on Windows Media Player and the play.. ^^


Christophe.

Posted by: Dieterle Nov 7 2012, 08:58 PM

Hello Christophe and thank you for your information`s !

Yes it is kind of strange sometimes i play lessons easier with out recording on video and then when i decide to record
i am a bit uncomfortable .

I will try out your refers !

Dieter

Posted by: Ben Higgins Nov 7 2012, 09:39 PM

Recording definitely adds the pressure. I've been doing it for quite a long time now but it still gets to me from time to time.

Posted by: Dieterle Nov 7 2012, 10:16 PM

Hellole here my evening try

Posted by: Ben Higgins Nov 8 2012, 11:53 AM

Morgen Dieter. Ok, this one was better for the fist half. Somewhere in the middle during the 8th note triplets it went behind again. Have you tried tapping your foot when you play, to keep you in rhythm ?

Also, for the last half where it combines straight 8th notes and 16th notes.. maybe try slowing that down with a metronome. The faster 16th notes are not coming through properly. You're either not fitting them all in or they sometimes turn into 8th note triplets again.

Try tapping your foot to see if it helps you stay in time.

Also, it would be interesting to hear from Christophe or any other guitarist who can read this thread.. what helped you guys build a stronger sense of timing ?

Posted by: Christophe Nov 8 2012, 12:23 PM

I don't know if it's very common, I guess it's specific to each of us, but to get a stronger sense of timing I just play hundreds and hundreds take of the lesson I want to learn, this way I can memorize perfectly (almost ^^) where the notes go, when it comes to hard section I slow it down around a half (with no metronome just to get the "feeling" of the whole thing) until my fingers get used to, then speed up gradually.

I'd recommend to every begginer to practice Emir's lesson : http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/neoclassical_solo_for_beginners
which is really a PAIN to play the notes in tempo. Thanks to vibrato you can "count" the length of each note easily. The bend on D note of the B string is really hard to get it right.

Posted by: Ben Higgins Nov 8 2012, 12:42 PM

Cool, thanks for the input C-Man

I developed my timing mainly by just playing with other people. I only knew a few chords so I had no choice but to play and synch in with others. I count myself lucky to have had that experience.

If you don't have the opportunity to play with other players who already have a developed sense of timing then it can be harder to develop. Being able to tap your foot along to the beat is perhaps the most universally acknowledged way to develop internal timing

Posted by: Dieterle Nov 11 2012, 08:05 PM

Hello Ben !

Here my answer for the question you made about my REC .

I recognized that i have to stop to think about it - after learning what to play - get more into my heart thinking,

and try to play with feeling what didn`t work the whole time but thats the way for me i should bring into my guitar study

and by time it will work .


I use the picking hand lesson for warming up now then i try to make a record to listen by myself and hear and feel the mistakes

with closed eyes,

in between when i feel uncomfortable i do tensho kata from now on, helps me to take things easier.


Today i started with inside outside picking and it is a very interesting lesson too !

Dieter

Ben and of course use my food to tab with !!!!

Posted by: Ben Higgins Nov 11 2012, 08:26 PM

Dieter, that's really cool to hear. It all comes down to feeling !

Posted by: Dieterle Nov 14 2012, 09:38 PM

Hello Ben !

Here my try from inside outside picking - feels a bit strange

around 80bpm

Dieter

UUPS and SORRY should have post it in Guitar Bushido 2

Posted by: Ben Higgins Nov 15 2012, 11:07 AM

Morgen Dieter !

Sounds pretty good. At the moment, the click track is a lot faster than you (can you hear it when watching the video back ?) so I think you have the click set too high, maybe try lowering it by 10bpm

The picking and note separation are good !!

Posted by: alexpabue Nov 19 2012, 09:07 PM

HI Ben.

Instead of choosing lessons to REC program without any order i will try to follow the Bushido Course.
I will post the videos here and in the REC forum.

I'm from Spain, sorry for my poor english!!!



Task #1:

Posted by: Ben Higgins Nov 20 2012, 10:43 AM

Hi Alex, I do believe this is your first ever post in the forum !!! (not including REC takes) Congratulations

Now, the Task itself.. you played it brilliantly.. absolutely perfect. Really relaxed picking hand and great timing

One thing.... you start on an upstroke which is very unusual. Although you made it work, I would advise you to always start a picking lick on a down stroke. When playing riffs you're going to be starting on a down stroke most of the time so it makes sense to keep consistency when playing solos so that's the only recommendation I would give !