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Posted by: Todd Simpson Oct 25 2018, 06:38 PM

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!
QUICK TIPS TO PREPARE YOU FOR BATTLE
*Make sure you get both hands in the shot when shooting your video*Make sure you use a metronome for the first several Missions and that the metronome can be heard.*After you complete a mission, shoot me a PM and let me know it's ready and I'll give you a debrief! These are pass / fail, so if you pass you BADGE UP and if not, I'll give you some feedback and you head in to the breach once again.
*The first several missions are VERY simple. They are just to get you used to the bootcamp process.
*Most importantly, there is NEVER a speed requirement in bootcamp. I want you to push yourself to play as brisk as you can, but NEVER at the expense of precision. If you find you are missing a note here and there, slow down a bit. Speed is just a byproduct of precision so my goal is to make you a very precise player. At that point, speed just happens.

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 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, no points for speed, only points for playing in a precise manner as speed is simply a byproduct of precision) Shoot a video and post it as a reply to this post. Make sure to EMBED the video by clicking on INSERT SPECIAL ITEM above the smiley face and then you'll get a drop down menu. Click on INSERT YOUTUBE VIDEO and follow the instructions in the Pop Up Menu. 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! You will then proceed to Lesson #2 and so forth. Here is the link to the entire 400 plus Lesson Library. https://www.guitarmasterclass.net/wiki/index.php/Portal:Techniques

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

http://bit.ly/onetabmattsbootcamp

Practice!
Sarge

Posted by: onetabmat Nov 4 2018, 03:48 PM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Nov 5 2018, 03:31 AM

WELCOME TO THE FIGHT SOLDIER!!! Nice Axe!!! You attack this one with Verve and Aggression Soldier! As it should be! Let's Debrief!!
MEDALS OF HONOR
*MUTE: Well Done on your mute technique. You are doing it just right imho. Your palm remains planted and your articulating the pick with the thumb and first finger. Is this your normal technique or did you read me going on about this in a post somewhere? Either way, NICE!!!
*SYNCH: The point of this Mission is to test your hand synch and let me know if there are issues wit it. The Good News is that I don't see any issues. You have very tight right/left hand synch!
*PACE: Another aspect of this mission is pace. I want to see if you can play without rushing or lagging.

In short, you just.......
LEVELED UP!!!!

Posted by: onetabmat Nov 15 2018, 06:13 PM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Nov 16 2018, 01:56 AM

Well fought Soldier!!! This is clearly to easy!!! I think you'll burn through these early missions!! It won't start to actually feel difficult until maybe Mission 25!!! I am a lot more picky on these as it is BOOTCAMP after all. Let's Debrief!!
MEDALS OF HONOR


*PICKING TECHNIQUE: This one is all about solid picking and your picking is Solid!!!!
*MUTING: You are keeping the palm flat and articulating the pick with the thumb and first finger as God intended. Well done!!! It's almost like the forked tongue style. One fork of the tongue (the palm ) stays planted, while the other fork (the fingers/thumb) moves about.

*SYNCH: This Mission is a good chance to see if your playing will fall apart once we start bouncing around the neck. Good news! Solid as a rock.
You didn't even break a sweat soldier!! You just..

Sarge

Posted by: onetabmat Nov 22 2018, 08:47 PM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Nov 23 2018, 02:59 AM

MEDALS OF HONOR

*TRAVERSE: many of these Missions have a good deal of string Traverse (going between strings), and it's easy to trip up when traversing. It's something that takes practice to get right. You did a great job on the traverse in this mission.
*PACE: These Missions are also a great chance for me to see you over a distance of ground. The Missions that run up the neck sometimes make folks want to rush towards the end as their hand starts to wear out. Not you! Strong and steady.
*ARTICULATION: You continue to have very good pick articulation using your thumb/first finger to move the pick and avoiding the dreaded "Picking from the Elbow" syndrome. Well done!!! In short, you took on a large chunk of challenging Missions and just KRUSHED IT!!!!
! in other words you just.....
LEVELED UP!!!

Well fought Soldier!! You are ready for what's ahead!!
Sarge

Posted by: onetabmat Nov 28 2018, 06:39 PM

for some reason i was given a 4 badge for my 3rd, so just badge this as 3




5




6




7




8




9

Posted by: Todd Simpson Nov 28 2018, 08:02 PM

Impressive Streak Soldier!! You are seriously on a roll!!! Keep it up!!! Let's look at Mission 4. I knew you'd kill it so you are already badged up I'll include the badge here again. Let's Debrief!!
MEDALS OF HONOR
PINKY POWER-Well done on the use of Pinky Power!! Using the pinky is very important as it always could use a bit more work no matter how long one has been playing. Also, being able to stick the landing on a given fret with the pinky is the key to playing wads of cool licks, many of which are yet to come in Bootcamp!!
PACE-It's very easy to rush or lag on a lick like this. You are not rushing or lagging at all. Your pace is even and steady. This is one of the main things I'm trying to teach here in Bootcamp. Being able to control the pace of play is one of the marks of a great player. With that type of control, you can speed up/slow down at will, even in the middle of a complex passage.
ARTICULATION-Your pick articulation is very good here. This loop has non stop string traverse. If you have poor pick articulation, your pick will get stuck on a given string and ruin the entire thing. You are picking at a good angle and using the tip which is just as it should be. You had no trouble with this lick at all which is great!! This back and forth movement is the basis of Paul Gilbert's shred style. Being able to do it well will lead to great things in your playing. Keep this lick and see how far you can push the speed in your practice sessions!! This Mission is one for the books you just ... LEVELED UP!!!!

Sarge

Posted by: Todd Simpson Dec 1 2018, 03:39 AM

Well Fought Soldier!! You started off a bit loose, but you saved at the end. This lick is fun to play fast. You gotta be careful though that you don't let the thirst for blood make you so aggressive that you lose your hand synch! You've clearly got a good handle on this concept that we are working on in this mission though. Let's Debrief!!

MEDALS OF HONOR

SHEER AGGRESSION - I like the aggressive approach Soldier! Throwing yourself in to it!! That gets a lot of points in my book.

PINKY POWER The weakest finger is always in need of work. Great to see you giving it good whipping!!!!

MUTE BY DEATH With all the string traverse going on, bad muting will result is crazy amounts of string noise. Good news is your mute is spot on!!!

This lesson is clearly to easy for you Soldier!!! You are ready for the Blood and Guts that lay ahead!! You KRUSHED it and..

LEVELED UP!!!




Sarge

Posted by: Todd Simpson Dec 2 2018, 05:09 AM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Dec 3 2018, 04:30 AM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Dec 4 2018, 02:04 AM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Dec 5 2018, 07:23 PM

Posted by: onetabmat Dec 10 2018, 03:05 PM

10


11


12

Posted by: Todd Simpson Dec 11 2018, 04:32 AM

Mission 10 is a different lick than the vid posted in your take. I went ahead and graded lick 11 and badged you up. So you vid 10 needs another go but you killed 11!
MEDALS OF HONOR
*OBVIOUS SKILL: This lick is very tricky for some and you burn through it with no
issues. You didn't even break a sweat. Not even a contorted guitar face!!
*PICK ANGLE: The angle of the pick as it hits the strings is one of the critical
elements for any player. You've found a good angle and are getting very consistentpick strikes on everything you play. Nice!
*COMBO KILL: Many of these drills require many techniques to be applied at once.This is one of them. Requires solid muting, picking, traverse, and articulation. You'vemade great progress on all these.

In upcoming Missions, there are several drills to master for each Mission. I don't see these being a problem for you. Well played on this one. You just.. LEVELED UP!!!

Sarge

Posted by: onetabmat Dec 11 2018, 03:12 PM

10 should be correct video this time

Posted by: Todd Simpson Dec 12 2018, 02:09 AM

Truly Impressive Soldier. This lick is a real finger twister. Folks often struggle a bit on this. Not so with you. Per usual, calm grace under pressure. No wincing, no guitar face, just calm confidence. Nice. Let's Debrief!!
MEDALS OF HONOR
1.)LET'S TWIST: This is a true finger twister. It does a complicated bit of finger torture on the way up and on the way down. This is to prepare you for the full scale version of this lick which is yet to come.

2.)NEVER A MISS: Didn't miss a note. One miss and the whole thing falls apart, just like most of these. They are built to to make any mistakes stick out. No mistakes. Nice.
3.)PRECISION DRIVE: Your precision continues to increase with each and every mission Soldier. Keep it up!!!!
Very impressive work on this. You SLAYED it and ...
LEVELED UP!!!

Sarge

Posted by: Todd Simpson Dec 13 2018, 02:44 AM

Posted by: onetabmat Jan 2 2019, 08:12 PM

13

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jan 3 2019, 09:35 PM

Well Fought Soldier!! This one is a real finger twister! Many a fine Soldier has fallen in the field while trying to conquer this one. You seemed to have no trouble at all! let's Debrief!!
MEDALS OF HONOR

*SYNCH OR SWIM: Your hand synchronization is much improved. This drill in particular is a good one to work on synch. Keep this drill handy as a warmup and try to add it to your routine. It will help your hand synch more and more as you go.

*PACE: Not rushing or lagging. This is crucial. If you can't play in a steady fashion, then it's impossible to control ones pace when one does wish to lead or lag during a guitar solo for emphasis.

*PRECISION: Without precision this lick falls apart quick. You have a good deal of articulate and precise playing going on here. Well done!!
In short you just..
LEVELED UP!!

Sarge

Posted by: onetabmat Jan 6 2019, 07:31 PM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jan 7 2019, 08:24 PM

This looks like Mission 15 Soldier. Not a big deal. Just one ahead. 14 is a single string sort of lick. Once more in to the breach!!

Sarge

Posted by: onetabmat Jan 9 2019, 05:46 PM

14

15


16

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jan 12 2019, 08:32 PM

Well Fought Soldier! This is what I'm looking for on this Mission!! A strong palm mute and good hand synch. This is a great hand synch drill. If your synch is off, even a little bit, the lick falls apart as I"m sure you found out when learning it. I found out for certain while writing it. I had to work hard on this one to play it like it sounded in my head. I was able to write it long before I could actually play it. You seemed to have no trouble at all!! Let's Debrief!!
MEDALS OF HONOR

*PALM MUTE-Very solid mute here. Without the mute, the open string just rings and creates a steady noise which ruins the lick. Not so here! Tight mute the entire time.-

*SYNCH- This is a synch drill. Any drift in synch shows up. That's the entire point of playing this. Good news is your synch is spot on!

*AGGRESSIVE STYLE- Leaning in to the fight like a Soldier!!!! I appreciate a bit of aggression!
In short, your synch has improved quite a bit! Well done indeed. You just ....
LEVELED UP!!!

Sarge

[
quote name='onetabmat' date='Jan 9 2019, 12:46 PM' post='765054']14

[/quote]

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jan 14 2019, 09:17 AM

Sarge

Posted by: onetabmat Jan 15 2019, 08:55 PM

17

Posted by: onetabmat Jan 15 2019, 09:23 PM

18

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jan 15 2019, 11:58 PM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jan 17 2019, 05:06 AM

Nice!! This is as close as anyone has ever come to playing this lick as written. You are struggling just a bit on the ascending bit which is understandable as I find it tough to play all the way up every string and hit every note and I wrote the darn thing. Your descending is quite impressive. Running scales this way adds to the "Shreddy" factor in just about any solo you play. You can use this same technique to run any scale you like. I'm just using the 3 note per string Minor scale because it's my favorite scale If you like the Harmonic Minor or Dorian, you can run those this same way if you use the three note per string version which you can map out using the scale generator. Let's Debrief!!!

MEDALS OF HONOR

DEXTERITY-This lick requires a dexterity to play at speed. It's that simple. Without a dextrous hand, this lick just won't work at speed. It will stutter and stop in parts which wrecks it. Good news is you have a very nimble touch which works well on this lick.
SYNCH-At speed it's very easy to lose track of which strike is to go with what note. Not the case here. You keep the notes and strikes married up. Nice!

MUTE-As this lick uses every string, muting is key. Without a good mute, it's a noise fest. Not so here. Solid muting keeps it very clean.

In short I"m very impressed. This is one of the most difficult licks so far and you did great. Score!!!! You just ...
LEVELED UP!!!!

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jan 18 2019, 05:21 AM

Well Fought Soldier!! This Mission is one that puts many Soldiers in a state of severe post traumatic stress. It has very little in the way of guidance so that the soldier will need to dig deep and come up with something on their own. You seemed to have no problem at all and that's great to see. Well played! Let's Debrief!!
MEDALS OF HONOR
VARIETY- You employ a wide variety of licks here. A broad range of techniques that are all brought together to service the needs of the solo. Nice!!

STYLE- Your style is appropriately intense given the backing. All of the licks work well and I notice that you chose several that reflect work in the Missions. Score!!

TECHNIQUE- A wide variety of technique on display as well! Hammering, scale runs, whammy, etc. All brought together to make a cool solo. Double Score!
In short you KRUSHED it. Great to see you just kill it!!!! There are a few spots where timing issues creep in, but nothing that made it not work. Well done. This is a major milestone in Bootcamp. You just...

LEVELED UP!!!!

Sarge

Posted by: onetabmat Jan 21 2019, 03:18 PM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jan 22 2019, 07:03 AM

NICE!!! This is a tricky one and many a soldier has fallen in the face of it. It requires a full FOUR NOTE PER STRING TAP and includes an open string so it's really a FIVE NOTE PER STRING TAP!!! This is the secret to being able to make it sound like you are playing at light speed. Once you get your speed up on this, it's 5 NPS rythm makes it sound like you are using a 5 NPS scale. It sounds blistering with only a modicum of efffort. It also works on every string!! keep this one in your practice routine. It works with any scale btw and on every string Let's Debrief!!
MEDALS OF HONOR
*TAPPING TO GLORY- 4 NPS tapping is not a simple thing. Add the open and it's 5 NPS tapping. Most Eddie VanHalen style tapping uses fretted strings only and 3 notes. So this is quite a bit more advanced. Well Done!
*PULLING FOR POWER-Pull offs make this lick what it is. Without the pull offs, the lick doesn't work at all. No problem for you. Great pull offs!
*QUIET AS DEATH-The open string is there partially to test your muting. Without solid muting, the string noise kills this lick. Not so here! SCORE!

Well played Soldier you just..
LEVELED UP!!!!

Sarge

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jan 23 2019, 08:51 AM

Posted by: onetabmat Jan 23 2019, 04:58 PM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jan 24 2019, 08:13 AM

This is a classic blues lick so it's very important to get this one spot on and right at 4/5 seconds, where it gets tricky due to the finger shift, you lose the note sequencing just a pinch. I think you are still rushing things a bit here. No points for speed, in bootcamp so you don't have to play it briskly. What's most important is that you learn to play this type of lick with the proper note sequencing so that you can apply this method of running a scale to any pentatonic mode that you like. This lick is much easier to play when using a straight standard scale. it's made MUCH more difficult by using the run up the neck which requires that awkward change on the B string. Slow it down just a pinch and keep it nice and steady and I"m sure you can play this. Once more in to the breach Soldier!!
Sarge

Posted by: onetabmat Jan 28 2019, 05:15 PM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jan 29 2019, 04:55 AM

Now your talking Soldier! This is a tricky bit. Especially with all the string traverse and sliding. It's worth getting right though. It's good practice for REC. There is a very low tolerance for almost getting things right in REC as you may have noticed. If one's playing is at all sloppy or not quite there, REC grading will require another pass. So working on your precision in Bootcamp is a great way to get ready for your next rec! Let's Debrief!
Well Fought Soldier!! You have a really good grip on everything in this mission. You are more than ready for what lay ahead!!!!

MEDALS OF HONOR
PICK OF DESTINTY Your picking is very clean and as a bonus you are not losing your palm mute! This is a very important skill that can take forever to get a handle on and you've got it!

MUTE OF DEATH You keep a good solid palm mute the entire time and don't let a lot of extra noise happen which is great to see! Being able to control the noises that happen and don't happen is key!

PACE WINS RACES Pacing is great as well!! You don't rush or lag during the entire bit.

You got it Soldier!! You are ready to move on! Well done on sticking with it!
In other words, you just ...

LEVELED UP!!!!

Posted by: onetabmat Jan 29 2019, 09:25 PM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jan 30 2019, 07:28 AM

I applaud your aggressive style here!! However, I fear aggression has won out over technique just a bit. The scale bit that is after the main rythm is very complex and will take some time to play at speed. You tend to rush in to playing these pieces at a brisk pace a pinch before being ready. These are challenging bits and take time to play at speed. They are meant to just teach you a very hard piece to allow you to learn it and then go from there and spend time achieving speed. It took me years to play this properly without missing notes. Being able to play it at all, any any speed, is a victory. Slow down a bit and play it note for note. Even if that means playing well below your normal speed. I can see that you can clearly shred. This pieces are designed to force you to slow down enough to learn complex patterns with precision so that when you get them back up to speed, they sound incredible. There are no points for speed in bootcamp though. Only points for precision. Miss a note, or a few notes, and it's got to be done again. These are graded much harder than quick licks but REC is graded even harder. Part of bootcamps purpose is to teach patience with yourself. Not rushing in to playing something at speed before your hands are ready. Had I not written the piece in question, I might not even know the difference. It's a blur of notes after the main rythm. Which is what this lick sounds like played fast. Having written it and played it thousands of times, I can hear each one of those notes when they are present or absent. Back off the pace a bit so that you can play the entire thing at a steady pace and give it one more go!

Sarge

Posted by: onetabmat Feb 4 2019, 04:47 PM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Feb 5 2019, 02:22 AM

BINGO!!! That's what I was looking for. I want to be able to hear each individual note during that fast back and forth bit. I knew you could play this with a bit more time in the wood shed!! let's Debrief!!
MEDALS OF HONORWell Fought Soldier!! This is a very tricky bit of playing. It's got two entirely different bits hooked up together which makes it very very tricky indeed. The first part is slow then the scale is double time. You play it at speed and nailed it!
Let's Debrief...

SILENCE IS GOLDEN is firmly planted on the bridge and you are starting to articulate the pick very well with a pinch of wrist and some finger action. Well done there!

PRECISION IS THE KEY This is a very good workout for either alt picking or econ depending on how you approach it it.

ARTICULATION: No unwanted notes and very even and deliberate pacing. Score!!!

In short, your hard work is paying off in spades and you are more than ready for the hurdles that away you in coming missions! ATTACK!!!

You just.....

LEVELED UP!!!

Sarge

Posted by: onetabmat Mar 29 2019, 10:14 PM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Mar 30 2019, 07:19 AM

Soldier, that's one of the best MISSION 22s I"ve seen. Ever. Thats the lick I've been trying to share for as long as I can remember. BINGO! You got it. That's the finger pattern and pull off pattern that makes this lick shred. Let's Debrief!
MEDALS OF HONOR

PULL OFF MAGIC: This lick only works at speed with the pull off technique well in hand. It's not easy to pull this lick off at this speed, with this level of precision. Nice!
REVERSAL: Backwards and forwards, no problem.

AGGRESSIVE STYLE: Full tilt without losing control.

You pretty much nailed it. This is another great lick for solo work. I use it quite a bit as it's one of my favorite licks. You can apply this to other scale modes as well. You killed it and just..
LEVELED UP!!

Sarge

Posted by: Todd Simpson Mar 31 2019, 06:11 AM

MEDALS OF HONOR
PINKY TRAVEL: Nice fret travel! Not only traversing strings, but traveling up the fretboard in a very smooth and precise fashion.

PACING: The pacing is nice and even and deliberate as it should be.

MUTING: VERY good job muting on this as it's one of those licks that is prone to cause string noise. You keep a good solid palm mute while using your thumb and finger to control the pick. It's the culmination of everything we work on in chat and it's coming together nicely!!!!

In short, you just ...
LEVELED UP!

Posted by: Todd Simpson Apr 1 2019, 05:30 AM

Yet another Victory March Soldier!!! None of this seemed to make you even break a sweat!!! Good reach, picking, it's all in there!!! Let's Debrief!!!

MEDALS OF HONOR

Congrats Soldier! You are knocking em down left and right!! Let's Debrief!! ...
BTW Such a lovely Ibby there, every time I see it

PICK AND HAMMER-ON: The "Pick and Hammer-On" is very important and you have a very good grasp here both ascending and descending.

MUTE MADNESS: Very good control of leaving your palm in one place and using your fingers to make notes. This is something I try to teach all the time and it takes folks quite a while to get the hang of it. You nailed it!

TIMING: Very tight and very evenly played. This is not easy to pull off on this lick and you used your PINKY!!

In short, you just ...
LEVELED UP!

Posted by: Todd Simpson Apr 2 2019, 05:41 AM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Apr 3 2019, 04:32 AM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Apr 4 2019, 04:56 AM

MEDALS OF HONOR
PLANTED MUTE: Easy to get string noise when traversing, good to see you muting well!

SYNCH ON POINT: If your hand synch drifts even a pinch, drills like this will let you know. Not a problem here.

TRAVERSELY: Being able to traverse frets and strings while making everything sound like it's being played on one string that's moving under your hand instead of your hand moving, is the goal and you nailed it

In short you are more than ready for what's next! You just...

LEVELED UP!!!!


Sarge

Posted by: Todd Simpson Apr 5 2019, 04:58 AM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Apr 6 2019, 06:22 AM

Another Kill!! You are really killing it Soldier!!! These are almost too easy for you!!!
MEDALS OF HONOR MR CLEAN: Clean muting/picking. Doing a great job managing the string noise that is very hard to escape in licks like these! Nice!

MR SMOOTH: Very smooth timing. It's often the case that these licks get rushed, dragged, but not by you!!

MR BOOYA! I like that you play with attitude Soldier!

You have really burned through these. I think you are in a good groove here. Keep it up!!

In other words you just..
LEVELED UP!!!

Sarge

Posted by: onetabmat May 31 2019, 08:57 PM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jun 1 2019, 09:02 AM

Well Fought!!!! You are on your way Soldier!!! You are clearly well prepped for the battle. Let's Debrief!

MEDALS OF HONOR
SYNCH OR SWIM This workout, like many of these, will help show you if there are any gaps hiding from view. The good news is I don't see any!!! Your hand synch is tight.

TECHNIQUE ON POINT Your right hand is well planted to prevent unwanted string noise, and it's doing a good deal of the muting. This is something else that stumps many players as they often rely on right hand muting which results in not being able to play certain licks without generating string noise.

STEADY AS A ROCK Keeping your pace from rushing or lagging, That's one of the hardest things of all. This is VERY important and you've got a really good handle on it.

You have the tools to go all the way Soldier!! Keep it up!! You just..

LEVELED UP!!!!

Sarge

Posted by: onetabmat Jun 2 2019, 04:14 PM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jun 2 2019, 11:52 PM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jun 4 2019, 05:08 AM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jun 5 2019, 05:39 AM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jun 6 2019, 12:02 AM

Wow! This is NOT an easy Mission. It requires focus and precision. You have wads of both.

MEDALS OF HONOR

MUTE You continue to impress with your solid planted palm on the bridge! This is the key to Thumb Articulation. Being able to keep your palm from moving and still move the fingers.

SYNCH MUTE This Mission requires the dreaded "Synch Mute", e.g. hand synch while doing a palm mute. This is key to my entire playing style.

TRAVERSING NOT TRAVESTY Perpetual Burn becomes perpetual Traverse! Miss one and you get to start over. No problem you never miss!!!
You are playing with confidence and precision. Keep it up!


LEVELED UP!!!!!

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jun 6 2019, 11:11 PM

HALF YOUR SQUAD GOT KILLEDYou've had a good run Soldier!! But sadly, this Mission seems to be one that requires another look. You have got the left hand going great!! You have good reach, good precision and good synch!! Now that BAD NEWS. Your RIGHT HAND is letting your squad down. This is an open string lick with traverse. The point of these licks is to show gaps in your palm mute. If there are gaps you will hear string noise and I'm hearing string noise. You've got to mute enough to prevent the other strings from ringing but not so much that you kill the notes you are trying to created.

In short, your palm mute needs a bit more polish on this one. Slow this down a pinch and focus on only letting the string you are working on ring through. The other strings should not be resonating. This is what makes this Mission tricky. You can do it Soldier!!

Posted by: onetabmat Jun 11 2019, 10:50 PM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jun 12 2019, 06:45 AM

Bingo! It just needed a bit more focus on the muting. I can tell that your fingers are more than able to play it. I'm guessing you were just burning through missions and may not have even noticed a bit of string noise. I grade these a bit picky. Quick Licks is more about just trying the lick. Bootcamp is more about precision. Let's debrief!
MEDALS OF HONOR
PINKY POWER Nice work there! You've got great reach and pinky control!

TRAVERSE THE UNIVERSE string traverse without any unwanted notes/noise. With open string licks, string noise is always something that comes up at some point.

RETRO ACTIVE Back and forth on the strings without missing the strike or finger. Nice! The back and forth can get confusing. Not so here!

You ticked every box I was looking for! Congrats!! you just..

LEVELED UP!!!!




Sarge

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jun 14 2019, 03:49 AM

You have a good roll going Soldier!! One thing I'd say to look at is using your pinky on fret 7 and lower. You start with the pinky but switch to the third finger in some cases. The more you can use the pinky, especially on the lower frets, the better! Once you get up past 12th fret work, the first 3 fingers can make more sense in some cases. But on the low frets, always try to use the pinky! Lets Debrief!!


MEDALS OF HONOR
*SYNCHING AND SWIMMING: You have good hand synch here which is great. Without good synch, this lick, and most of these licks, will fall apart.

*PACE STEADY AS A CLOCK: Being able to play at a steady pace is something many folks struggle with. It's easy to play certain bits quick, then tricky bits slow.

*CLEAN AS A WHISTLE: This is a tricky pattern and requires string traverse and muting and synch. You may not realize it, but you are now using a HUGE amount of technique all at once.

You just..
LEVELED UP!!!!



Sarge

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jun 16 2019, 12:02 AM

MEDALS OF HONOR

*AGRESSIVE STYLE: Not only did you play the piece, you played your bits as well. You play with confidence which is what I'm hoping to see in this one. No timidity or reticence. Score!

*PICKING: Solid pick articulation is the second thing I"m looking for on this one. Your picking technique is quite good. Double Score!

*TECHNIQUE: Solid palm mute, precise picking, not rushing or lagging, all of your technique is on display. Triple Score!
You ticked every check box that I"m looking for on this mission. You are on a Roll!!
In short you just ...


LEVELED UP!!!Sarge

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jun 17 2019, 05:10 AM

MISSION 37 DEBRIEF!!!!!

MEDALS OF HONOR

*AGRESSIVE STYLE: This Mission is just begging for some aggression and you had it!!

*PICKING: You articulated the pick quite well with thumb and first finger. Score!

*TECHNIQUE: Solid palm mute, precise picking, not rushing or lagging, BAM!

HALF THE SQUAD GOT KILLED

I did notice that you were not using your third finger in some of the fast runs. Instead you were using your first, second and pinky. This is a habit that I"d like to see you overcome. Try to use your third finger and pinky when you play notes that are close together instead of u sing your third finger and pinky. It's an issue, but not enough to stop you badging up!


In short you just ...


LEVELED UP!!!



Sarge

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jun 18 2019, 04:11 AM

MEDALS OF HONOR
PICKING FROM HELL!: Solid Picking on this. One Shot one Kill!
HANDY SYNCHY! These bits require synch. You got it!
MUTE OR SHOOT! Just enough to control any errant string noise, but not so much it kills all the fun.

HALF YOUR SQUAD GOT KILLED
FINGER FAILURE: I notice (time index 47 seconds.) You are still letting your third finger do the worth that your fourth finger should be doing. You make it work, but I would really like to see you try to break this habbit if at all possible. It will open up your playing to new possibilities! It's not enough to keep you from badging up as you still make it work!


In short you just ....

LEVELED UP!!!



Sarge

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jun 19 2019, 02:32 AM

Well Fought Soldier I noticed you made good use of the Pinky which is what I was looking for. You ahve a bad habit of letting your second finger stand in for your third finger in some scale shapes. Also you sometimes let your first three fingers to the work even at the 5th fret where the pinky and third finger shoudl be involved. These are not good habits to have and will keep you from being able to play to your full potential which I think is very high! On to the debrief!
MEDALS OF HONOR

CLEAN AS GLASS: No glitches or misses. Each strike meets it's note.

SO TIGHT YOU COULD BOUNCE A QUARTER OFF OF IT: Right/Left hand Synch is very tight.

STILL STRONG Palm Muting continues to be a strength.

You have a couple of issues to work on soldier, I hope that we can work through them as we go! For now.

You just..
LEVELED UP!!!!!!

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jun 21 2019, 06:03 AM

MEDALS OF HONOR
LEFT HAND SKILLS THAT KILL This drill uses all the strings to make you traverse every single string. It's to see if you can keep a mute while traversing all of them.

RIGHT HAND SKILLS THAT KILLL These licks are designed to get you to strike then hammer without striking. Some folks get their strikes and non strikes mixed up and it's easy to hear when it happens. Not you! Spot on.

THAT SYNCHING FEELING This drill is also designed to show any gaps in right/left hand synch. The good news is, you don't have any!! If there are gaps it's easy to spot. You have really good right left synch.
HALF YOUR SQUAD GOT KILLED:

FINGERING: I'm still noticing that your using your first, second, and pinky, instead of first, third, and pinky, on many of the patterns. This is a hard habit to break. Try to see if you can break it in your next set of vids. It will open up your playing and speed like you can't imagine.

It's a small issue so for now you just....

LEVELED UP!!!

Sarge

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jun 22 2019, 08:46 PM

Good use of the Pinky! Well fought Soldier!
FINGER TRAVERSE: This has non stop string traverse to get you used to traversing every single string.

PALM MUTE: Keeping your hand planted while playing is a skill. Most folks just can't do it. You can do it quite well!!!

PICK ONCE HAMMER MANY: Your use of pick once, hammer many is very good and tightly controlled. It's a very powerful technique.
In short Solder, you just...
LEVELED UP!!!

Sarge

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jun 24 2019, 08:02 AM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jun 25 2019, 06:00 AM

Posted by: onetabmat Jun 29 2019, 02:55 PM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jun 30 2019, 01:47 AM

I GOT YOUR SQUAD KILLED

This is my fault Soldier. When something like this happens, it's not the fault of the Student. it's the fault of the instructor. I have not been clear on what I am looking for. Also I just noticed that the tablature is NOT available for download. You can see the image, but you can't download the guitar pro file so you cant hit play and hear what it should sound like. As a result, I think you are sort of guessing as to what I'm wanting and going with that. Yo are very close just based on the guess so kudos there!! However, neither lick is actually correct.Bootcamp is a bit more structured and disciplined and regimented and frankly more difficult than Quick Licks. I need to see each drill played as written at least one start to finish with a pause in between so that I know you have finished the lick. If you keep playing and run the licks together, it makes it much harder for me to tell if you have completed the lick or not. IN Quick licks, this is less of an issue.
I"m going to rebuild the GUITAR PRO FILE from Scratch so that you can download it and hear it played. At that point I think You'll get a better idea of what each drill is about. I hate to have you go back for a third one on this but I really want you to be able to play these pieces as subsquent pieces are based on things you will learn here. I"ll recreate the tablature and let you know when I"m ready.
Apologies Soldier. We will work through this!
Sarge

Here are the new Guitar Pro Files. They are in GP5 format. The BPM is set to 240 but drop it to 120 and it will be more recognizable. 240 is just to show you what it will sound like with practice. I"ll link these files to the MISSION 43 page as well so that future Soldiers can download them.

 43a.gp5 ( 2.25K ) : 808
 43b.gp5 ( 2.23K ) : 884

Posted by: onetabmat Jul 7 2019, 08:03 AM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jul 8 2019, 03:57 AM

Now your talking!!!! Well fought Soldier!! I know this is NOT an easy piece. It's got serious pinky twisting going on. Both of these make great warm up drills. They will let you focus on your pinky and give you a good way to work the crap out of your pinky!!
LET'S DEBRIEF!!
MEDALS OF HONOR


TRICKY PICKING: You nailed it Soldier. The picking on this is very very tricky indeed. Picking is the first thing I look for on this.

SPIFF SYNCH: One slip on hand synch and you get to start over, good news is, you never miss! Every strike is paired up with a note. Nice!!

TRAVERSE GALORE: This entire mission is one big String Traverse Drill. It gives your hand a chance to work through every string up and down. Well played!

In short, you FREAKING KRUSHED IT!!!!!!! and..

LEVLED UP!!!!

You are officially over the humb Soldier!!!
Sarge

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jul 9 2019, 08:41 AM

MEDALS OF HONOR
PICKED CLEAN: You have a solid hand synch with your picking, HOWEVER, I still see you using First/Third/Pinky for shapes that really call for First/Fourth/Pinky. I have noticed this in several videos and it seems to be a habit that is somewhat ingrained in your playing. It's not enough to keep you from leveling up, but it's worth trying to fight it Soldier!!

SMOOTH AS SILK: Not rushing or lagging, smooth and in the zone!!


PICKING WHILE MUTED: This is one of the hardest things both to teach and to learn. Super Congrats, you have managed it. It's at the heart of my very own style and you show a great deal of promise using it here!
You have this one down Soldier. I remain concerned about your use of First/Third/Pinky finger playing. It's a bad habit that I hope you can work through here in Bootcamp. For now, you just..

LEVELED UP!!!
Sarge

I saw your question about SWEEPING. What you did was sort of like sweeping. One can play an arpeggio without it being a sweep picking lick. Sweep picking is typically done using a series of down and up strokes. E.G. Sweep Picking. Dragging the pick along in one direction. There are some sweep picking drills in our upcoming missions. It's a technique worth learning to be sure.
In short you just ....

LEVELED UP!!!!

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jul 10 2019, 03:51 AM

MEDALS OF HONOR
PRECISION: Precision is key. You play with more precision each time. It's the first thing I'm looking for on this Mission. The speed will happen by itself if you just stay focused on precision! You do have to push it though as progress happens at the edge of ones ability. Not in the comfort zone.

NOISE CONTROL: Open string licks require good palm muting. It's a delicate balance between too much and too little mute. You strike a vey solid balance. Despite using some distortion, I don't hear any unwanted string noise. Very well done on that. Adding gain makes any extra string noise show up and requires muting to be on point!

DEXTERITY: You play both licks with precision and dexterity making fine use of the weakest finger, THE PINKY! Developing PINKY POWER is just critical. Great to see you playing with the pinky on lower frets instead of trying to stretch the third finger! Also, You are avoiding using the first/second/pinky combo of fingers in places where first/second/pinky is better suited. Score!


In short you just...

LEVELED UP!!!

Posted by: onetabmat Jul 14 2019, 03:30 PM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jul 15 2019, 12:10 AM

You have come a long way in a short time Soldier!! You had obvious talent from the start and now you've forged it in to a weapon!!! Let's Debrief!!
TIMING TIMING: The first thing I look for in this Mission is TIMING. Are you playing spot on the beat and keeping solid count of time. No rushing, no lagging. Any mis steps in timing gets you sent back to the woodshed. The good news is your timing is solid as a ROCK!! Make that solid as a RAWWWWWWWWWKK!!!!!

[b]PRECISION PRECISION:[/b] As the old saying goes, speed is just a byproduct of precision. The second thing I"m looking for here in this Mission is to see how precisely you play. Is it sloppy? String noise? Unbalanced? Nope! Solid as two huge RAAAAWWWWWWKKS!!!

PICKING AND OR TAPPING: The last thing I'm looking for is your ability to pick and tap. These are two very very very different skills. One needs both. A fluency in picking and tapping is key to able to transition between these elements in a lead. More good news, your picking and tapping are TOIGHT as a drum.

I want to congratulate you Soldier! Your discipline and skill have served you well. Very few people ever make it this far. You are in the deep end of the pool and you are killing it!!!! Also, bonus points for dat saweeeeet Ibby!!!
In other words you just....


LEVELED UP!!!!

Sarge

Posted by: onetabmat Aug 11 2019, 12:19 PM

45, was missing


47 was missing


49

Posted by: Todd Simpson Aug 11 2019, 10:57 PM

Great to see you back in the Fight Soldier!!!! This Mission is designed to really stress the importance of the pinky. I went back and looked at the lesson and I just now added some text above each drill saying to use THE FIRST FINGER AND PINKY ONLY on the hammer on drill, and FIRST FINGER, THIRD FINGER AND PINKY ONLY On the scale type drill. I apologize that this was not more clear. For any work below the 12th fret, always try to use the pinky if possible.

MEDALS OF HONOR

*SOLID PINKY WORK ON THE WARMUP: You play the warm up drill very well and had a strong showing for the pinky!
*SOLID TIMING ON THE WARMUP: No rushing or lagging on the warm up drill. Nice!!


HALF YOUR SQUAD GOT KILLED

*ABANDONED THE PINKY: Right after the warmup drill, you switched to trying to stretch the third finger out to the job meant for the pinky. On the Second and Third drills, Try to use the pinky for the hammer section and the First, Third and Pinky for the scale type drill.
*MIND THE GAP: 45A is written with no gap or pause between the ascending and descending bits. It's written that way because it's very very hard for the brain to reverse gears and not lose track of which fingers are going to what frets. The brain wants to stop and reset. This is something that this drill is designed to help you work through. Once you have it, you will be able to to do descending and ascending runs back to back with zero pause/gap. I think you can handle this. It may take a few repetitions.


In short, you start strong Soldier!! A few old habits creep in and should be addressed before moving on. I had badged you up through this Mission after you had pointed out the badging had become out of order. I'm glad you found this one was missing though as it's got some crucial elements that your hand needs in order to play what's coming!
ONCE MORE IN TO THE BREACH SOLDIER!!!

Give me one more vid. The first part you don't need to play again, it's great. The next two parts, just play with pinky and then first/third/pinky, and no gap.

Sarge

Posted by: Todd Simpson Aug 18 2019, 11:03 PM

WELL FOUGHT SOLDIER!!! The first lick is a bit of a modification and actually makes the lick harder to play when done your way you points up on that. The way it's written goes to an open string to allow your hand to reach but played with a fretted string requires way more reach. Probably should have written it that way as a challenge or offered it as an option. Nice work! Your second one made use of the pinky which is what I like to see!! Let's Debrief!!
MEDALS OF HONOR

CLEAN EXECUTION: Despite the flurry of picking, I don't hear any random string noise. You keep everything high and tight and well muted!

ASSASSIN GRADE PRECISION: Speed is a byproduct of precision and your playing in a very precise manner here.

SYNCH, SYNCH, SYNCH: In this one, you can't miss one strike without it being very obvious. Good news is you don't miss strikes!

LEVELED UP!!!
Sarge

Posted by: onetabmat Aug 22 2019, 08:01 PM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Aug 23 2019, 05:44 AM

Well Fought Soldier!!! This one has much better hand synch. There is always room for improvement with hand synch since we are only human and not machines. Still I can hear a vast improvement. To wit, let's Debrief!
MEDALS OF HONOR

RIGHT HAND CONTROL: Without good right hand control, the pull off bit starts getting soaked in extra string noise. Your right hand stays firm and helps kill any unwanted noise.

FINGER POWER: Being able to do Hammer ons is the entire point of the first two bits. Good news is you have developed some very good finger power. You killed it!

PRECISION IN TRAVERSE: The third bit is non stop string traverse in a very tight pattern. Miss one note and the entire thing starts to falls apart. As there are no gaps in the timing, one off note sticks out. What I'm looking for here is hand synch and tight timing and BINGO!!!
In other words
YOU KRUSHED IT!!!!

No badge up this time as this is a Makeup Mission but WELL FOUGHT!!!
Sarge[color="#FF0000"][/color]

Posted by: Todd Simpson Aug 24 2019, 06:34 AM

Posted by: onetabmat Sep 6 2019, 07:45 PM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Sep 6 2019, 09:03 PM

MEDALS OF HONOR


PUSHING TO TARGET: This is a tricky Mission. Being able to tap and go all the way to the open string, and reverse gears and come back, is just not easy. Well Fought!!

PRECISION REIGNS: There are no gaps per usual. Even on the open string. You have to play the open as if it were fretted which can be tricky. Being able to add open strings in a multi finger / multi note tap is advanced work. NICE!!

PULLING TO OPEN: You gotta pull the last note off or the open string doesn't make any noise. Without that, it falls apart. Well done!!!

You just...

LEVELED UP!!!



Sarge

Posted by: onetabmat Sep 27 2019, 08:06 PM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Sep 28 2019, 02:34 AM

These licks are all CRAZY hard to play with one hand which is the point of this Mmission. To over work your left hand to make it grow

Let's Debrief!!
TUFF BY DESIGN: This lesson is designed to make you work your bum off in terms of your LEFT HAND. It forces you to play a complex, reversing, pattern, using only the power in your fingers. NO PICKS ALLOWED once you get past the first bit. No worries, you've got finger power! NICE!!!
THUMBLESS: One of the hardest things for some folks to get a handle on is playing without their thumb connected to the neck in any way. Some folks can do it, some folks really struggle. Either way it's not natural, especially at first. Once you get it, it's a great way to reduce the pressure from your hand and focus on the fingers. You seem fine with thumbless, awesomeness!!

PRECISION: These Missions are all about precision. Especially in a lesson like this where even one mistake will blow the entire thing. There is nowhere to hide when you can't pick, and you can't even use your thumb!! Any mistake is glaringly obvious. Good news, you don't need the pick!!

I realize how awkward these drills feel. Alien almost. No Thumb on the neck? No Picking? What's next ? Playing upside down? I throw this stuff at you guys to force your hands to adapt. You adapted well!
In short Soldier, you just....

LEVELED UP!!!!

Sarge

Posted by: Todd Simpson Sep 29 2019, 02:59 AM

Well Fought Soldier!!! You are on a ROLL!!! These licks are clearly not a problem for you. You have all the bits needed to play them well in hand.

let's Debrief!!
MEDALS OF HONOR
PRECISION: First thing I'm looking for in 51 is precision. No precision means no passing. An increase in precision is an increase in speed, nice.

FOCUS: Second thing I need to see here is focus. Are you focused on each note? Or bluring through them? Your focus is good. Never missed a note. SCORE!

TIMING: Lastly, how is the timing? Rushing? Lagging? Never lagged or pushed. DOUBLE SCORE!

In other words you just ...
LEVELED UP!!!!! * I have not given many of these out. Much Congrats!!

Posted by: Todd Simpson Sep 30 2019, 04:15 AM

Great job on yet another tricky bit. Playing the Harmonic minor scale in 3 Note Per String fashion requires a good stretch and good pinky control. Without these, it just falls apart. Well played!

Let's Debrief!!!
MEDALS OF HONOR


SYNCH: Looking for Synch here. No Synch means no pass. Great to see you getting so comfy with hand synch. This is something I've seen folks really struggle with and you seem like you are really getting a good handle on it. SCORE!!

MUTE: Always looking for the mute. No mute is also no pass. Just enough palm mute. Too much, and you squash all the tone, too little, and you get too much ring and notes are not distinct. You are not pressing too hard or light. Nice!

TRAVERSE:Massive traverse here, every string. Yet another area where folks really struggle. This Mission is built to show you any gaps in your traverse and / or your mute. The good news is your technique is on point!

In other words you just..

LEVELED UP!!!

Sarge

Posted by: Todd Simpson Oct 1 2019, 06:59 AM

Well Fought! No problems here. I'm gonna have to make harder Missions! Actually, those are on the way!
MEDALS OF HONOR

*MULTIFINGER POWER: Switching fingers in less than a beat and keeping pace. Nicely done!

*PACE CAR: Being able to play at a steady pace is key. It's the secret sauce to eventually playing at any speed you want for as long as you like.

*CLEANLINESS IS NEXT TO GODLINESS: Pick and Played clean as glass. Super Nice!

You just..
LEVELED UP!!!!

Posted by: Todd Simpson Oct 2 2019, 05:37 AM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Oct 3 2019, 02:21 AM

WELL FOUGHT! All the way up and all the way down. This is a great way to work on finger control and traverse. Keep it as a part of your warm up!
MEDALS OF HONOR

TENSION IS DEATH: Playing with too much tension restricts precision, speed, and endurance. Great to see you playing with a light touch!
PINKY POWER: I've seen folks try this with the first three fingers only. It's quite a lot of work doing this with the first three. It's not a great way to go about it. You have a really good command of the weakest finger and it's great to see.

MINIMUM WAG: If you let any one pick strike go to far from the string, you increase the amount of time needed to make it back to the string and it can throw off timing.

I do notice that you are having some synch issues between your picking and fretting hands but it's not enough to keep you from leveling up and going on to the next mission.


You are ready for what's next you just..
LEVELED UP!!

Sarge

Posted by: onetabmat Oct 13 2019, 09:05 PM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Oct 14 2019, 04:16 AM

The whole point of this one is to see if you can put some licks together with a backing and congrats you can!! You did rush a couple of the licks, a couple could have been cleaner, and you didn't use the backing track created just for this lesson. It's a quicker backing so it's a bit of a bear to play these licks like I do in the video. Still, you accomplished the main goal. To be able to play a solo over the backing and make it sound like MUSIC!! Which is the whole point of all of this! Well done.

Let's Debrief!
MEDALS OF HONOR
VAN HALEN WHO? Open String Tapping is never easy. Well done!

TRAVERSAL OF FORTUNE: Scale inversion using every string? Nice.

LOW GAIN HIGH YIELD: Playing with somewhat low gain as you are doing means you can't hide behind distortion. Well played!One of the more tricky bits in bootcamp since it's all about doing what's way harder than playing just a drill. It's about playing music. Soldier you just....


LEVELED UP!!!!

Sarge

Posted by: Todd Simpson Nov 4 2019, 06:41 PM

I usually like a bit of distortion but now and then it's not possible. Sometimes a clean tone is best for a given situation. Let's Debrief!
MEDALS OF HONOR

PINKY POWER PREVAILS Firstly I'm looking for good pinky control. You use the first three fingers on the first but but bring out the pinky on the upper frets. Without a strong pinky, things fall apart. Good news is your pinky is point!

STREEEEETCH The Second thing I"m looking for is how good you can stretch. I'd have rather seen the pinky instead of the first three fingers on anything below the 7th fret, but you made up for it on the high frets. You have developed a good stretch technique solider. keep it up! It wills serve you well in the wars to come.

TRICKY BITS Lastly, the scale inversion licks are just flat out tricky so I"m looking at precision. Playing in "Threes" as we are doing here is complicated. You've got it in hand though! Try it on other scales that you know. It's a great way to approach any mode. Well Fought! You just..

LEVELED UP!!!!

Sarge

Posted by: onetabmat Feb 8 2020, 06:47 PM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Feb 8 2020, 09:38 PM

Great work! I think you skipped 112 which is the one that this one is sorta built off of.
https://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_forum/index.php?showtopic=60621&st=0&p=773707&#entry773707

Posted by: onetabmat Feb 9 2020, 12:07 PM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Feb 10 2020, 04:17 AM

It looks like you skipped the rest of the lesson? You did part 1 gret! But don't forget the other bits below it?
https://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_forum/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=23517

Here is our own Adam playying through all the parts.

Posted by: onetabmat Feb 10 2020, 09:10 PM

Posted by: onetabmat Feb 10 2020, 10:31 PM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Feb 11 2020, 05:13 AM

I"m putting the backing track mp3 and the backing Tab as well as the other drill that I think seems to be missig from your vid. It's a descending harmonic minor scale. I"ll have fran update the wiki. Here are the files including the tab for the one in your vid. Just add the second one I"ve changed the wiki to ask for the rythm to just be played on one string which is more than plenty. You can practice using part B to solo over the rythm backing but it's just for fun, not required for the Mission. I just need the backing as written and the second drill as written and your good!

 58BackingMix.mp3 ( 2.85MB ) : 419

 58_Backing.gp5 ( 1.88K ) : 430

 58b_HarmonicBy3_Full.gp5 ( 2.17K ) : 403


Sorry for the confusion!! You are kicking ass and taking names Soldier!!
Sarge

Posted by: onetabmat Feb 11 2020, 08:52 PM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Feb 11 2020, 10:51 PM

Nice!! This is exactly what I was hoping for. The rythm part can be very tricky on the fingers and you nailed it on several strings. Impressive!! Also, the harmonic minor pattern is already hard to play just as a scale, then I made it even harder. You didn't even flinch. NICELY DONE!!!
You just..
LEVELED UP!!!!

Posted by: Todd Simpson Feb 18 2020, 01:24 AM

MEDALS OF HONOR

*PICKING VARIATION: It's not easy to mix and match double and triple strikes in the same riff. You have zero problem at all with it! Impressive. The whole point of this lick is to try to trick your fingers into stumbling by throwing double/triple note groups. You were not even phased. Nice!

*PINKY POWER RETURNS: Your pinky is on point here yet again!! It's great to see the weakest finger is not the weakest link!!!

*STEADY AS A ROCK: Pace is smooth and even with no rushing or lagging, just as it should be. Some folks really struggle on this Mission. Seemed almost easy for you!

You just..
LEVELED UP!!!

Sarge

Posted by: Todd Simpson Feb 19 2020, 06:47 AM

PROGRESS!!!!!! Let's Debrief!!

PINKY POWER: Well done on using the tiny finger without a pick! This is crucial to this Mission. If you can play without a pick, then the pick becomes a tone choice. So you can play pretty much anything you want with just one hand. Now you just decide whether you want more attack and use a pick or less attack and don't use one!
PACE: You may notice I mention the pace quite a bit. It's yet another crucial element. Being able to play with consistent pace is truly the key to being able to shred at top speed. Unless one can play with consistency, one can never play well at speed. Your doing just fine!
PRECISION: Hitting all of these with enough power to make a note without hitting the wrong fret is not easy. Nice! You are moving at a good clip as well!!

You are on a ROLL Soldier!!!!
You just..
LEVELED UP!!!

Sarge

Posted by: Todd Simpson Feb 20 2020, 07:16 AM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Feb 21 2020, 06:03 AM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Feb 22 2020, 07:52 AM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Feb 23 2020, 06:16 AM

The picking pattern is the tricky bit here and you have it down! I would like to see all your fingers at work instead of just the first finger doing most of the word, but I didn't specify that in the lesson documents so that's my bad not yours. Onward@
MEDALS OF HONOR
ZERO NOISE: Any string noise sticks on on single string work as you are only wanting to hear one string. Sympathetic vibrations of the other strings can ring unless muted. No such issues here! Nice.
TIGHT SYNCH: Spot on right and left hand synch. They are locked in!

CONFIDENCE IS HIGH: You are playing with the confidence of a seasoned pro, I sense no hesitation in your playing at all. Score!

keep it up!!
In other words you just.....

LEVELED UP!!!

Posted by: onetabmat Feb 23 2020, 01:15 PM

Posted by: onetabmat Feb 23 2020, 04:47 PM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Feb 24 2020, 12:05 AM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Feb 24 2020, 05:50 PM

FINGER TWISTING: This is roughly based on a Paganini. Google him if you are not familiar with his work. He was a composer whose work is often used by neo classical players. Well done on playing this. It's a bit of a finger twister!
TRAVERSE: This one is non stop string traverse. Without the ability to traverse, one is stuck. You have no trouble with it at all. Impressive!
TIME: Smooth as glass and like clockwork! No lagging or rushing. Score!

In other words you just...
LEVELED UP!

Posted by: Todd Simpson Feb 25 2020, 06:04 PM

This Mission has drills that have very little to connect them. It's meant to confuse the hand. I used this trick quite often. It didn't throw you off one bit. From Blues licks to single string licks, you had zero problems. NICE!

Let's Debrief!

MEDALS OF HONOR

FORM IS ON POINT: First thing I look for on this is form and your form/technique is quite good. You have come a long way and I look forward to seeing how far you take it!

TIMING IS ON POINT: I think you are developing your internal Metronome! The second thing I look for on this is timing. Any rushing or lagging kills it. You don't rush or lag. SCORE!

NOISE FREE: MUTE GAME IS STRONG. No random string noise, or unwanted notes. NICE!

KILLING IT SOLDIER! You are ready for tricky bits as you near triple digits.

You just...

LEVELED UP!!

Sarge

Posted by: Todd Simpson Feb 27 2020, 12:43 AM

I'm going to change this mission to include the second set of Tablature. It's a bit confusing without it.
 68b.gp5 ( 1.76K ) : 377

Posted by: onetabmat Mar 2 2020, 08:06 PM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Mar 3 2020, 02:54 AM

SEQUENCE: The first thing I'm looking for is that you get the sequence of notes. You did a great job keeping the sequence tight. Score!

PICKING YOUR BATTLES: Secondly I"m looking at your picking. You keep tight synch. Miss a single strike and each lick falls apart. You are getting really good at never missing a strike. Nice!

MUTE OR SHOOT: Good muting skills are crucial in this one. Really crucial because of the open string work. Nice!

Well fought Soldier! You are ready to move past both of these Missions and on to the next!

You just..

LEVELED UP!!!!




Sarge

Posted by: Todd Simpson Mar 5 2020, 08:19 PM

Good catch on 73b! Each time there is a double note, it's the time to shift up your entire hand position to play the next section. Here is the updated file.

 73_Bfix2.gp5 ( 1.93K ) : 357

Posted by: onetabmat Mar 12 2020, 08:06 PM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Mar 13 2020, 03:38 AM

Well Fought Soldier!! This one is all about the "PINKY SLIDE" Being able to slide up the neck with the weakest finger is something some folks just never wrap their heads around. You don't seem to have any trouble with it at all. NICE! I"m testing you out of the gap of lessons and restarting you at 73. You clearly have the skills needed to move forward. Let's Debrief!!

MEDALS OF HONOR

PINKY SLIDE: The toughest part of this Mission is the pinky slide and you manged to keep it smooth and clean.

PINKY POWER: You have a strong control over the weakest finger. You stick the landing and keep going like a trooper!!

TRICKY BITS: These bits are tricky and especially the part with the double note where you have to slide up. You had no trouble at all. NICE!!!

You clearly have these drills in hand and are ready for what's next!!!

You just..

LEVELED UP!!!

Posted by: Todd Simpson Mar 29 2020, 09:01 AM

Sorry for the lag Soldier! I hoe you and yours are staying safe! This virus thing is getting crazier every day. Let's Debrief!

MEDALS OF HONOR

PINKY SLIDE: If the pinky is weak, the pinky slide won't work. You've gotten a much stronger pinky since you started all these drills and it's great to see! This is an advanced technique to be sure and you nail it. Score!

MULTI PICKING: Secondly I want to see strong multi picking without losing the picking pattern. It's easy to drop a strike or add a strike during multi picking but you don't fall in to that. It's nice and clean. Double Score!

SHEER AGGRESSION: Your fingers are just going for it which is great to see. There is no timidity or holding back. Keep that up! TRIPLE SCORE!!


In short, SUPER NICE! You just..

LEVELED UP!!!

Sarge

Posted by: onetabmat Mar 29 2020, 01:35 PM

70.



71.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B9Uqno-nYIp/?igshid=ujz4fpmwy6ie

Posted by: Todd Simpson Mar 30 2020, 03:00 AM

Looks like these got lost in the shuffle Soldier but good to see you are going back for them! No Soldier Left behind! You've already badged up beyond these but it's a good chance to work on some very handy bits! Let's Debrief!!

MISSION 70/71

STAMINA: The first thing I'm looking for on this is Stamina. Does your hand get tired half way through the drill and start to drop notes? NOPE!! You don't even break a sweat. Nice!

TECHNIQUE: Secondly, even if endurance is on point, if technique is sloppy, it's gonna fall apart. The good news is your technique gets better each time I see you do a Mission so no worries there. Score!

AGGRESSIVE STYLE: Nothing at all timid or too restrained about the way you jump in to these Soldier. I like to see that. You make the guitar in to your weapon!!

This one is SORTED!!!!!

Well Fought!!!

Posted by: onetabmat Apr 1 2020, 05:43 PM

72.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B9WFPJVHjdZ/

Posted by: Todd Simpson Apr 3 2020, 03:49 AM

Please upload to youtube and do the usual embed. That way folks can see it right here without having to leave and go to instagram. Also it will remain part of your track record here.

Sarge

Posted by: onetabmat Apr 3 2020, 05:59 PM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Apr 4 2020, 06:48 AM

72 is Perfectt! You got the tapping and the pinky and everything in place. I know it's a make up lesson and as such can't be badged but you did an KILLER job on it. It's just the one lick on many strings but keeping it clean is tough all the way down and you kept it clean as glass!!

Your first BADGE MISSION back in 75 starts out very strong and even the bit pinky stretch lick is working! Until you push it a bit far in the same take and it sorta falls apart. I'm all for doing a "pushing it" take at the end of a vid, but combined with the same take to be badged, it ends up looking just like a missed take. The good news is you can reach that pinky stretch!! Maybe slow down just a pinch on 75 so that each note is clean and clear and then to a "crazy fast attempt" at the end or put a bit more repetition in and play the fast version clean as glass. I think you are about ready to wrap this. That lick gets tricky at speed, but for your badge take it does not have to be fast. Just clean and precise. You are on a Roll Soldier!! Once more in to the breach!!

Sarge

Posted by: onetabmat Apr 14 2020, 05:12 PM

Posted by: Todd Simpson Apr 15 2020, 04:59 AM

Much better! This is what I'm talking about. The second lick is tricky but you got it!!

MEDALS OF HONOR

PINKY POWER: Firstly I wanna see your pinky! his one is all about pinky power and you really stick the landing! This is impressive just by itself. Score!

REAAAACH: Secondly I wanna see you reach!! This one requires a big stretch and you nail it!!!

TECHNIQUES O PLENTY: Lastly, this is a wad of techniques in one. All of your previous work leading up to this is on display. Muting, hand synch, strikes, it's all there.

This is a tough bit and you nailed it! You just.



Leveled up!

Posted by: Todd Simpson Apr 17 2020, 06:10 AM

NICE!!! Soldier you are on a ROLL!!!! These are the tricky bits before you break TRIPLE DIGITS!!!!! Impressive work here.

Let's Debrief!!


PICK ARTICULATION: You are doing a very good job articulating the pick. Poor articulation means failing this drill. The good news is your picking is on point!!!


DUAL MUTE: Using both hands to mute is important when playing these licks. Learning when too use the elft vs right hand to mute is cruciial. Sometimes one hand or the other isn't in place to mute so being able to use both is key.

SYNCH: Without hand synch none of these licks work. You may have noticed we focus on A LOT on Synch. Hand synch is the very foundation of Shredding. Without it one simply can't play fast with precision. The gooodd news is you have great hand sych!

You got this one sorted Soldier. Well Fought!!!!

You just.,.

LEVELED UP!!!

Posted by: Todd Simpson Apr 19 2020, 12:13 PM

TECHNIQUE: This one is packed with wads of techiques that all have to be done properly in order to pass. Good news is your technique is on point!

AGGRESSION ON POINT: I always like to see a players fingers just go for it with confidence and that's what I'm seeing here. NICE!

STYLE COMING THROUGH[/b]: You are taking these licks and making them your own which is what I love to see. These are just a starting point after all to get you to explore your own creativity.

In short, you KRUSHED IT per usual and ..

LEVELED UP!!!!

Posted by: onetabmat May 11 2020, 08:28 PM

Posted by: Todd Simpson May 11 2020, 10:29 PM

Good to see you back in the fight Soldier! Looks like you didn't have much trouble with these which is a good thing!

Let's Debrief!

MEDALS OF HONOR

NOT TENSING:First thing I'm looking for is "tensing up". It's instinctive to tense up when playing something one is not certain about or when playing a bit brisk. Sadly, this is THE WORST thing one can do. Fighting this instinct takes time and practice. Score!

NOT ELBOW PICKING: [/b]Secondly I am always looking for the dreaded "elbow pick". Picking from the elbow is a cardinal sin IMHO. The good news is that you never make that sin. Death to elbow picking! Double Score!

NOT RUSHING/LAGGING: . Lastly, as always I wanna see you not rushing or laggin. Folks often don't lock to the beat, even if that beat is just their own internal metronome. Some folks never develop an internal metronome. So you can hear them rush/lag when no drums/click is present. Your sense of rythm was good from day one and now it's even better. TRIPLE SCORE!

You just..

LEVELED UP!!!

Sarge

Posted by: Todd Simpson May 14 2020, 12:09 AM

This one was clearly no problem for you soldier!!! You are approaching the very rare TRIPLE DIGIT MARK! Things get a bit tougher on the "SECOND WAVE" but you are more than ready!!!

Let's Debrief!!

MEDALS OF HONOR

CLEAN AS GLASS: First thing I wanna see is clean playing. Good strikes, no flubs, and BAM clean as a whistle!!!

QUIET AS DEATH: Your palm muting just keeps getting better. You are able to mute and lift with great efficiency which provides a great sense of dynamics to you playing. Not everyone can mute like this so I'm glad to see you can!!!

MEMORY MAN: You have done a great job at memorizing all of these licks and playing them back. It's a very good skill to have. The licks will start getting longer and you should be good to go!!!

You krushed it Soldier!

You just..

Onward!

Sarge

Posted by: Todd Simpson May 15 2020, 12:47 AM

Look at him go!! Nicely done on this one Soldier. The single string work is very important imho. Being able to keep string noise down and keep synch and keep time is a great warmup and makes a handy solo lick!! let's Debrief!!

MEDALS OF HONOR

GRACE UNDER PRESSURE: The first thing I'm looking for is to see if your am is TENSING. Resisting the instinctual urge to tighten up, pick from the elbow with a tense arm, bear down to hard when playing briskly, fret to hard when traversing, etc. are all things that can really destroy ones ability to make progress. Your arm is NOT tense which is great. You've got a relaxed control which is great to see.

TRAVERSING THE GAP: Secondly I wanna see smooth fret traverse! There is a lot of fret traverse going on in this Mission and you have no problem with it at all. The single string lick can be trick as it changes shapes as you traverse. Some folks find this very tricky. Not you!!

PINKY POWER TO THE MAX: Lastly I wanna see a strong pinky! Fretting, hammering, shifting, and making use of the weakest finger. That's usually when the pinky fails, Not for you! Pinky Power!!

KRUSHED IT and..

LEVELED UP!!!

Onward!!
Sarge

Posted by: onetabmat May 25 2020, 02:26 PM

Posted by: Todd Simpson May 25 2020, 07:30 PM

Video 81 is private so I can' see :

Todd

Posted by: onetabmat May 25 2020, 08:12 PM

Posted by: Todd Simpson May 25 2020, 10:30 PM

Nice!! The first lick can feel odd to play as I took the middle notes out! You didn't have any trouble at all!
Let's Debrief!!

MEDALS OF HONOR

SPICE OF LIFE: They say variety is the spice of life so I varied these licks a bit from our normal fare. Lot's of moving parts going on. You handled them all.

TECHNIQUE ON POINT: Technique is solid as a rock. Synch, picking , muting, NICE!

AGGRESSIVE STYLE: I like how I can feel you pushing the edge of your ability. You never push to far, never slip up, but you are always pushing the edge a bit. That's where progress happens. At the very edge of our ability.

You KRUSHED it Soldier and ..

LEVELED UP!!!

Sarge

Posted by: Todd Simpson May 26 2020, 08:01 PM

Huge stretch is no problem! NICE!! Let's Debrief!

MEDALS OF HONOR

TECHNICAL PROWESS: You've fought your way up to this point Soldier!! You've earned it. Your technical ability is clear. You never miss.

LIKE A CLOCK : Timing is everything. You have developed a very good sense of TIME. This is crucial for any player who wants to be a great player.

MEMORY MAN: Soooooo many moving parts on this one. Not to mention the HUGE stretch. It would be easy to mix these together and forget a note here or there. Not for you!!!! You never miss a single one. You memorized every lick and played it back perfectly.

You ticked all the boxes that I'm looking for on this Mission. You are ready for the Missions coming up after 100.

You just...

LEVELED U!!!

Sarge

Posted by: Todd Simpson May 30 2020, 07:24 AM

Soldier, I see a few things that give me pause on this Mission. For one thing, you have developed the habit of using your pinky then second finger instead of using the fourth finger which is right next to the pinky. This is what is causing you to slip up a bit on the first drill. Because the frets are very close, using this odd finger placement is causing your fingers to get in their own way and reducing your precision. I know you can play riffs that are more complicated than this one and you could play this one perfectly with a bit more practice. But for sight reading it, it's good enough. However, I would suggest you try to fight this habit as it's not a good habit to have and it's going to get in your way. Also, the last lick is intended to force your hand to make a large stretch so that you are almost forced to use your pinky. You don't use the pinky, you use the first and third finger. This is a natural thing to do of course as the third finger is stronger than the pinky. But, in future missions, if there is more than a 3 fret stretch, make sure to use the pinky and not the third finger It's more difficult to be sure, but it's meant to be more difficult so that you train the pinky and don't get limited to using the third finger.

Let's Debrief!!

MEDALS OF HONOR

PINKY TO THE RESCUE: Good use of the Runt Finger on the first drill. But, using your second finger instead of your third finger is getting in the way of being able to play licks like this one.

PENTATONIC PROGRESS: The Pentatonic Shapes are critical. They are the foundation on which all Rock playing is built. It's good to see that you are getting very comfortable playing these shapes!

TRAVERSE TIL YOU DROP: You are doing really well on your string traverse, but try to switch to using pinky/third finger when two frets are right next to each other and use the pinky for long stretch licks.

You are ready for the next Mission!

You just. LEVELED UP!!

Attachments are not working so I"m using Google Drive for the Badge.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Tr0UoZpwywV7RvSU2etnCVliY01T0JRy/view?usp=sharing

Sarge

Posted by: Todd Simpson May 30 2020, 03:03 PM

Here is the COLLAB BACKING I was talking about. I took a crack at it.

https://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_forum/index.php?showtopic=60977&view=findpost&p=777866

here is my take!

https://soundcloud.com/techniqueswithtodd/ez-bass-jam

see what you can come up with!!

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jun 1 2020, 08:28 AM

You clearly have these licks in hand Soldier! The bad news is I still see you doing that thing where you use the pinky and second finger in sequence instead of the pinky and third finger. This is something that is getting in the way of your precision and progress and I hope you can fix it in the next set of vids As for now, let's debrief!

MEDALS OF HONOR


PINKY POWER :Very good to see you using the pinky. It can't get enough work as it was born the runt of the litter. If you can sort out that one thing where you use the second finger paired with the pinky you'll see huge gains.

STAGE LEFT: A really good palm mute with the left hand is crucial to keep string noise at bay. It will become even more crucial once you get to the mythic triple digit barrier!

SYNCH AND SWIM LIKE A CHAMP: Per usual, no space between notes means any mistakes are glaringly bad. That's the purpose of making really long traverse drills. To see if your synch will just wear out and start to fall apart. Good news is you You have very good synch. I could see you working through these drills as the video progressed. It's good to see how your hand adapts and gets better in a very short time.

You have this one sorted Soldier.

You just..

LEVELED UP!!!

Attachments function still not working so I'll link to your new badge!
https://www.dropbox.com/s/5ljefn51p3nuemb/matty.jpg?dl=0

Onward

Sarge

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jun 2 2020, 09:25 AM

Well fought Soldier!! This one has a lot of moving parts and the tapping bit at the end is a bit insane. You didn't have any trouble at all with it! It's got a bit stretch, and you nail that and you use the pinky! It's built to almost force the hand to use the pinky. Yet some folks still try to use the first and third finger even when stretching from first to fifth fret. I'm glad you are not! Well done Soldier!!! Let's Debrief!!

MEDALS OF HONOR

PERFECT PACE: Pacing traps are everywhere in this one and you didn't fall for any of them!! It's built to trick your hand in to playing the bits that are easier much faster than the hard bits. But you keep it smooth and even. Score!

SINGLE STRING MADNESS: Your fret traverse on the single string is impressive. You hit every note and keep good time. Double Score!

PINKY POWER: Creat use of the PINKY!!! It's the key to soooo much in terms of becoming a better player. You got this one down Soldier. You just..

LEVELED UP!!!




Onward!!

Sarge