GMC:er Posts: 25.297
Joined: 23-December 09
From: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
HALF YOUR SQUAD GOT KILLED Soldier, I appreciate your aggressive style, however, it's often tempting to try to sprint when a jog will do just fine. You start to drift from the metronome about 37 seconds in to the vid. Try to slow down a bit. This is not a shred drill, this is a precision drill. As you grow as a player, it will just become faster on it's own. For now, pushing it to far results in it not being precise, not being locked too the metronome, in short, being a pinch "off". Try once more but take it slower. You should feel in full control of the lick If not, you are trying to push it to far to quickly. The good news is your form is perfect!!!!
HALF YOUR SQUAD GOT KILLED Soldier, I appreciate your aggressive style, however, it's often tempting to try to sprint when a jog will do just fine. You start to drift from the metronome about 37 seconds in to the vid. Try to slow down a bit. This is not a shred drill, this is a precision drill. As you grow as a player, it will just become faster on it's own. For now, pushing it to far results in it not being precise, not being locked too the metronome, in short, being a pinch "off". Try once more but take it slower. You should feel in full control of the lick If not, you are trying to push it to far to quickly. The good news is your form is perfect!!!!
Sarge
Hey Todd,
You're right. I felt something was wrong but I wasn't sure what was it. One of the problems was that I had the metronome too low in volume (I'm using a click track on Reaper, it's the first time I do it) so I kinda lost the "click" reference. This time I tried a little bit slower, at 65 BPM (first time it was at 80 BPM).
I hope this one is better. Sometimes I feel I was rushing a bit but I tried to recover the click reference and play in time. I also feel more comfortable when doing palm mute on the lower strings.
Here is the video (currently uploading to Youtube):
GMC:er Posts: 25.297
Joined: 23-December 09
From: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
I'm sure you'll get it Soldier!!! Working out these details are why we are here! Also, I use a LOT of palm muting on unwound strings. It's harder than doing palm muting on the wound strings mostly because that's where we get most of our practice muting, since those are the "chug" strings. I use mute techniques in lead bits quite a bit much like Nuno and Paul Gilbert. It's the only way to separate notes at speed. Your hands will adapt as we move forward.
In terms of your palm mute, try to find a "center point" where you can keep a mute and strike the high string or low string simply by tilting your wrist. Try NOT to move the entire hand as you ascend and descend strings. This will pay off BIG TIME as you begin to play long scale runs that start on the low E and end on the high E half way up the neck.
You're right. I felt something was wrong but I wasn't sure what was it. One of the problems was that I had the metronome too low in volume (I'm using a click track on Reaper, it's the first time I do it) so I kinda lost the "click" reference. This time I tried a little bit slower, at 65 BPM (first time it was at 80 BPM).
I hope this one is better. Sometimes I feel I was rushing a bit but I tried to recover the click reference and play in time. I also feel more comfortable when doing palm mute on the lower strings.
Here is the video (currently uploading to Youtube):
GMC:er Posts: 25.297
Joined: 23-December 09
From: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Better! I can hear your fingers rushing just a pinch ahead of the beat, but you are still early in the process and this is something that will get better as time goes by. It's not enough to keep you from Leveling up! I did notice an issue with your palm mute. Your hand curves inward a bit so that your not muting the unwound strings with the right hand. This is something that is actually quite normal. Most folks mute the high strings with their left hand as they are playing. However, it's not a great habit. When you start playing open string licks that go from low E to High E and Back, you won't be able to use your left hand to mute the high strings. The result will be unwanted string noise. Try to use the heel of the palm to cover all of the strings. Even if you don't actually mute, holding the hand right above the bridge means you can quickly apply a mute at any time. Here is a photo showing this technique.
Try to keep your hand centered like this on the bridge. I noticed you are allowing the hand to drif up and down depending on which string you are striking. This is also normal, yet not a great habit. It's difficult to create better habits but it's worth it. It seems like you are having to use a good deal of picking pressure to strike each note. Ideally, you should use the minimum amount needed to activate the string. One way to do this is to use a pick that has a sharp point and no bend/flex. A pick width of 1.0 mm is a good idea as they don't tend to bend when hitting strings. If the pick tip bends, you have lost control of it, and now your recovery time to strike the next string is thrown off. Also, some folks use really heavy gauge strings, 10 or 11 gauge, in addition to round picks. This forces the hand to work twice as hard and makes articulating the pick very difficult. Resulting in timing issues. These are the types of things I like to deal with early on before a student gets up to level 50 and realizes that they just can't play certain missions due to bad habbits that are very hard to break.
Quick Questions
1.)What type/thickness of pick are you using?
2.)What scale length is your guitar?
3.)What string gauge are you using?
4.)How much gain/distortion are you using?
About pick pressure. Watch this vid for Mission 5 and notice how little pick pressure I'm using on the strings. My hand is very relaxed and and I'm covering all the strings with the hell of my right palm.
Ideally, the hand should not have to wear itself out just to play these drills. It should take minimal effort and thus allow you to focus on timing rather than on pick strikes. Only the very tip of the pick should touch the string for these drills. If you dig in to far, it will make the next strike that much harder as you will have to pull the pick back from the plane of the string. So we are looking for efficiency.
Let's Debrief!!!
MEDALS OF HONOR
*TRAVERSE: First thing I"m looking for is good String Traverse as it's a tricky thing. It's easy to stumble on it. You play it clean and confident. Well done!! *PACE:The Second thing I look for is pacing. It's tempting to rush or lag, and you are rushing a bit in spots, but it's something we will work on as we go. *ARTICULATION: The last item I look for is pick articulation. You are not picking from the elbow which is great. It's easy to stiffen the entire arm and elbow pick which is a bad habit and hard to break. I would suggest trying to reduce the overall range of pick motion just to keep things as minimal as possible which reduces the amount of time required to make the next pick strike. [/size] [size=4]You are ready to move on!!! You Just... LEVELED UP!!!
Sarge
QUOTE (LEO89PRIEST @ Oct 20 2019, 05:05 PM)
Hey Todd,
Thanks for your feedback and advices. I just uploaded the video
Better! I can hear your fingers rushing just a pinch ahead of the beat, but you are still early in the process and this is something that will get better as time goes by. It's not enough to keep you from Leveling up! I did notice an issue with your palm mute. Your hand curves inward a bit so that your not muting the unwound strings with the right hand. This is something that is actually quite normal. Most folks mute the high strings with their left hand as they are playing. However, it's not a great habit. When you start playing open string licks that go from low E to High E and Back, you won't be able to use your left hand to mute the high strings. The result will be unwanted string noise. Try to use the heel of the palm to cover all of the strings. Even if you don't actually mute, holding the hand right above the bridge means you can quickly apply a mute at any time. Here is a photo showing this technique.
Try to keep your hand centered like this on the bridge. I noticed you are allowing the hand to drif up and down depending on which string you are striking. This is also normal, yet not a great habit. It's difficult to create better habits but it's worth it. It seems like you are having to use a good deal of picking pressure to strike each note. Ideally, you should use the minimum amount needed to activate the string. One way to do this is to use a pick that has a sharp point and no bend/flex. A pick width of 1.0 mm is a good idea as they don't tend to bend when hitting strings. If the pick tip bends, you have lost control of it, and now your recovery time to strike the next string is thrown off. Also, some folks use really heavy gauge strings, 10 or 11 gauge, in addition to round picks. This forces the hand to work twice as hard and makes articulating the pick very difficult. Resulting in timing issues. These are the types of things I like to deal with early on before a student gets up to level 50 and realizes that they just can't play certain missions due to bad habbits that are very hard to break.
Quick Questions
1.)What type/thickness of pick are you using?
2.)What scale length is your guitar?
3.)What string gauge are you using?
4.)How much gain/distortion are you using?
About pick pressure. Watch this vid for Mission 5 and notice how little pick pressure I'm using on the strings. My hand is very relaxed and and I'm covering all the strings with the hell of my right palm.
Ideally, the hand should not have to wear itself out just to play these drills. It should take minimal effort and thus allow you to focus on timing rather than on pick strikes. Only the very tip of the pick should touch the string for these drills. If you dig in to far, it will make the next strike that much harder as you will have to pull the pick back from the plane of the string. So we are looking for efficiency.
Let's Debrief!!!
MEDALS OF HONOR
*TRAVERSE: First thing I"m looking for is good String Traverse as it's a tricky thing. It's easy to stumble on it. You play it clean and confident. Well done!! *PACE:The Second thing I look for is pacing. It's tempting to rush or lag, and you are rushing a bit in spots, but it's something we will work on as we go. *ARTICULATION: The last item I look for is pick articulation. You are not picking from the elbow which is great. It's easy to stiffen the entire arm and elbow pick which is a bad habit and hard to break. I would suggest trying to reduce the overall range of pick motion just to keep things as minimal as possible which reduces the amount of time required to make the next pick strike. [/size] [size=4]You are ready to move on!!! You Just... LEVELED UP!!!
Sarge
Hey Todd,
Wow that's a really complete feedback, thank you so much. I will really go deeper into it. In the meantime, I'm sending you the answers to your questions:
I want to clarify I have 2 guitars: 1. PRS SE Custom 24 - 7 string (Bb tuning, half step down) 2. PRS SE Torero - 6 string (Standard tuning)
1) What type/thickness of pick are you using? Answer: I use Jazz III grip (tension jazz) and Tortex. Material: Acrylic. Gauge is about 1.00 mm and 1.10 mm.
2) What scale length is your guitar? Answer: 1. PRS Custom 24: 25" 2. PRS Torero: 25-1/2"
4) How much gain/distortion are you using? I think I'm using about 70-75. I use a system sound (stereo speakers with a subwoofer) connected to my RP360XP pedal.
NOTE: To be totally honest, I have never paid too much atention into it: the kind of pick I use, and I don't even know what the scale length is. I guess is something that could really help me to grow as a guitarist.
GMC:er Posts: 25.297
Joined: 23-December 09
From: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Just asking some questions to see what kind of gear is being used You are in great shape. All of those bits work well for what we are trying to do. The only change I'd suggest (just a suggestion) is moving the guitar with 10 gauge strings to either a hybrid set with 99 gauge for the unwound and 10 for the wound, or just move to 9 gauge entirely. 10 gauge sets are not ideal for the kind of drills we are going to be doing over the next 100 Missions or so. Still, this is just a suggestion. You have to do what feels right for you.
Jazz picks are nice and thick and nice and pointy. Ultex does get a litle bendy once it heats up in the hand from being used, but it's fine. The issue isn't the gear. It's actually how you are picking. Your pick strike goes below the plane of the string which forces your hand to use more energy to pull it back out before making the next strike. Try to pick using just the very tip of the pick on these drills. Don't over commit to any one pick strike. Think of them as a flow of pick strikes.
Onward!! Sarge
QUOTE (LEO89PRIEST @ Oct 20 2019, 11:50 PM)
Hey Todd,
Wow that's a really complete feedback, thank you so much. I will really go deeper into it. In the meantime, I'm sending you the answers to your questions:
I want to clarify I have 2 guitars: 1. PRS SE Custom 24 - 7 string (Bb tuning, half step down) 2. PRS SE Torero - 6 string (Standard tuning)
1) What type/thickness of pick are you using? Answer: I use Jazz III grip (tension jazz) and Tortex. Material: Acrylic. Gauge is about 1.00 mm and 1.10 mm.
2) What scale length is your guitar? Answer: 1. PRS Custom 24: 25" 2. PRS Torero: 25-1/2"
4) How much gain/distortion are you using? I think I'm using about 70-75. I use a system sound (stereo speakers with a subwoofer) connected to my RP360XP pedal.
NOTE: To be totally honest, I have never paid too much atention into it: the kind of pick I use, and I don't even know what the scale length is. I guess is something that could really help me to grow as a guitarist.
Just asking some questions to see what kind of gear is being used You are in great shape. All of those bits work well for what we are trying to do. The only change I'd suggest (just a suggestion) is moving the guitar with 10 gauge strings to either a hybrid set with 99 gauge for the unwound and 10 for the wound, or just move to 9 gauge entirely. 10 gauge sets are not ideal for the kind of drills we are going to be doing over the next 100 Missions or so. Still, this is just a suggestion. You have to do what feels right for you.
Jazz picks are nice and thick and nice and pointy. Ultex does get a litle bendy once it heats up in the hand from being used, but it's fine. The issue isn't the gear. It's actually how you are picking. Your pick strike goes below the plane of the string which forces your hand to use more energy to pull it back out before making the next strike. Try to pick using just the very tip of the pick on these drills. Don't over commit to any one pick strike. Think of them as a flow of pick strikes.
Onward!! Sarge
Hey Todd,
Awesome advices. I will start working on them. I have a question, maybe a silly question actually, and maybe is a "language thing", as my mother language is spanish: what do you mean by wound and unwound strings? The unwound ones are the first 3: e, B, G strings? And the wound ones are the D, A, E (and so if it has more than 6 strings)?
GMC:er Posts: 25.297
Joined: 23-December 09
From: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Good question. The lower strings are typically called "wound" strings as there is a core that has the string wrapped along it's length. E, A, D are all done this way. G, B, D, High E, are unwound. You'll notice the unwound strings have a different texture to them.
Todd
QUOTE (LEO89PRIEST @ Oct 21 2019, 07:57 PM)
Hey Todd,
Awesome advices. I will start working on them. I have a question, maybe a silly question actually, and maybe is a "language thing", as my mother language is spanish: what do you mean by wound and unwound strings? The unwound ones are the first 3: e, B, G strings? And the wound ones are the D, A, E (and so if it has more than 6 strings)?
GMC:er Posts: 25.297
Joined: 23-December 09
From: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
P.S. if a guitar has more than six strings, it depends on if the extra strings are higher or lower than the regular 6. For any string lower than low E it's wound. For any string higher than high E it's unwound. Higher strings are typically un wound.
Todd
QUOTE (LEO89PRIEST @ Oct 21 2019, 07:57 PM)
Hey Todd,
Awesome advices. I will start working on them. I have a question, maybe a silly question actually, and maybe is a "language thing", as my mother language is spanish: what do you mean by wound and unwound strings? The unwound ones are the first 3: e, B, G strings? And the wound ones are the D, A, E (and so if it has more than 6 strings)?
