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Cosmin Lupu
I was wondering smile.gif how fast (in hours spent) are you on nailing a GMC lesson, by this meaning:

- Understanding what you are playing - technically and theoretically
- Being able to execute things with flow and as good as possible at the slowest tempo available (slowest backing track)
- Bringing the lesson up to the original speed, keeping the execution as before - clean, in time, tight and expressive
- Recording the lesson for a REC take?

You'll probably pick your maximum level for certain for the involved difficulty tongue.gif but by this I'm trying to figure out how everyone's clock is ticking biggrin.gif

thefireball
I usually spread out the practicing over a few weeks.
derper
Since I'm generally dealing with something a bit tougher, and won't always have a ton of time to spend on it, I'll usually take a few weeks as well.
Cosmin Lupu
I am making a little experiment here smile.gif so as many answers as possible would be awesome biggrin.gif thank you guys!
GrindGuer
Well, I'm working on the lessons proposed by Ben (Intermediate tasks) and I need the week to be able to play the lessons full speed. I don't make any video right now, because it is more time to spend and it's time I’m not using to practice. As I have a job, a wife and a child, I don't have so much free time to spend every week, so I have to be productive. smile.gif
Ben Higgins
I'm not sure if I'm allowed to answer this as well ? smile.gif

For me I would say that I learn and memorise the whole piece really quickly (that's the easy part) but it takes me weeks to get it good !

It also depends on how much time I get to practise it and whether I neglect it for a week or two because of other things. I've still got a GMC lesson that I've been wanting to record for weeks now but I'm still not really ready ! wink.gif
Cosmin Lupu
QUOTE (Ben Higgins @ Mar 4 2012, 02:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I'm not sure if I'm allowed to answer this as well ? smile.gif

For me I would say that I learn and memorise the whole piece really quickly (that's the easy part) but it takes me weeks to get it good !

It also depends on how much time I get to practise it and whether I neglect it for a week or two because of other things. I've still got a GMC lesson that I've been wanting to record for weeks now but I'm still not really ready ! wink.gif


Why, of course you are tongue.gif and I think it's the same for me mate biggrin.gif
derper
Let me expand upon my original "short answer", as well as link to my thread I just started which also serves as an "answer" to this question. http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_fo...showtopic=43321



When I hit a GMC lesson, it breaks down into 3 parts (for me).

1. Memorization: For me, this is takes a bit. I have to memorize each part individually. The "Vivaldi" lesson is fairly short, so with my random efforts to work on it, I got the whole thin memorized within about a week. That's a week span, and maybe just an hour or less here and there. I play each "part" individually, slowly, and to a metronome.

2. "Glue it together"!: Now that the notes are memorized, I have to play the parts all together, slowly and to a metronome. Knowing all of the notes is really only half of the battle. During this "stage 2" you start to uncover the little things, such as changing position, hammer on's, slides etc...and how they can affect each other, when played in time (slowly even).

3. Crank it up to speed!: My favorite part. Now that I'm comfortable on the notes (part 1), AND I can play it through all parts at a slow speed (part 2) it's time to ROCK it up to full speed!


Finally, "how long" it takes me to get a piece up to full speed depends also on how much time I can dedicate to the piece. Sometimes it may take "a month", but I'm only sitting down and working on a piece about 3-4 times with dedicated effort. Sometimes it takes "2 months", but I don't touch it for weeks at a time. I'm sure it's the same for most of you. I love GMC, but I have 3 bands and a full time job, so many times I have to put the job and band work first. Bummer, because I love the stuff I work on here at GMC!!
spacebran
Wow, and I thought I was slow at learning these lessons! I generally take a few weeks to learn as well.
Cosmin Lupu
The process may seem slow but, as long as you nail the lesson from each and every perspective, I think it's worth the effort wink.gif and I think that putting it all together - point 2) in derper's presentation is the most focus demanding smile.gif
steve-rec-freak
Hi,

First I search for GMC Lessons covering all the techniques/sounds I want to learn/develop, which leads to a VERY long Bookmark list. biggrin.gif.

I try to play and practise up to 4 Lessons one after the other every evening for about 1 Hour at least. I love to have the opportunity to switch lessons at any point. But more as four lessons at once has been proved to be inefficient for me.
Balance Is the Key - as always. biggrin.gif

The Time I need to master a lesson varies. For example : I have a lesson bookmarked that I try to master for almost since I have been here. biggrin.gif But to play as precise as possible (and a lesson appropriate to my skills laugh.gif ) I would guess that I need approximately 3-5 days.
I break down the lesson the same way as -derper- described earlier :

QUOTE
derper Posted Mar 5 2012, 12:57 AM


When I hit a GMC lesson, it breaks down into 3 parts (for me).

1. Memorization: For me, this is takes a bit. I have to memorize each part individually. The "Vivaldi" lesson is fairly short, so with my random efforts to work on it, I got the whole thin memorized within about a week. That's a week span, and maybe just an hour or less here and there. I play each "part" individually, slowly, and to a metronome.

2. "Glue it together"!: Now that the notes are memorized, I have to play the parts all together, slowly and to a metronome. Knowing all of the notes is really only half of the battle. During this "stage 2" you start to uncover the little things, such as changing position, hammer on's, slides etc...and how they can affect each other, when played in time (slowly even).

3. Crank it up to speed!: My favorite part. Now that I'm comfortable on the notes (part 1), AND I can play it through all parts at a slow speed (part 2) it's time to ROCK it up to full speed!



cheers,

S.
coffeeman
I'm taking about one week, as Ben says the easy part is to learn it, but it takes me a lot of practice to take it as the original.
derper
Obviously, it can vary per lesson as well. The first lesson I started practicing, I may NEVER get up to full speed! (Check Muris': "Country Picking Advanced" to have your face-melted!)

Right now I'm working on Cosmin's Vivaldi Winter Arpeggios. Still a rather "intense" piece, but it just fits more within my current skill set. I'm about 6hrs total into practicing it, and can probably submit a rec under 10 hrs total practice time, me thinks. We'll see....
Cosmin Lupu
QUOTE (derper @ Mar 9 2012, 03:37 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Obviously, it can vary per lesson as well. The first lesson I started practicing, I may NEVER get up to full speed! (Check Muris': "Country Picking Advanced" to have your face-melted!)

Right now I'm working on Cosmin's Vivaldi Winter Arpeggios. Still a rather "intense" piece, but it just fits more within my current skill set. I'm about 6hrs total into practicing it, and can probably submit a rec under 10 hrs total practice time, me thinks. We'll see....


wink.gif Gabe! Gabe! Gabe! Gabe! biggrin.gif
Sam Young
Considering I only started playing yesterday... probably not very fast! laugh.gif
Cosmin Lupu
QUOTE (Sam Young @ Mar 9 2012, 09:04 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Considering I only started playing yesterday... probably not very fast! laugh.gif


Oh cool man! You are fresh and untainted biggrin.gif let's see how it works for you - would you like to pick a beginner lesson which you like and we can go through it together? smile.gif

all the best

Cosmin

Ben Higgins
QUOTE (Cosmin Lupu @ Mar 9 2012, 05:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
You are fresh and untainted biggrin.gif


Not for long !!! ph34r.gif
RobinDutchZHero
Well, also very new, so not sure. But, what I do now is, I've picked 3 lessons and learn them all at slow speed. That means really little step by little step, to remember all the notes. Really, to a stranger this must look like I can't play at all tongue.gif

Then, I try to speed them up a bit. I'm busy with these 3 lessons now (they're Todds, lessons 4, 5 and 6) and play them every day for like an hour in total. I have to say that I play a bit faster now. Sometimes I need to stop for my fingers to get some rest.

I think I will be ready for record in one more week maybe?

But really I'm maybe not so ready for this question after all tongue.gif
Cosmin Lupu
QUOTE (RobinDutchZHero @ Mar 12 2012, 08:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Well, also very new, so not sure. But, what I do now is, I've picked 3 lessons and learn them all at slow speed. That means really little step by little step, to remember all the notes. Really, to a stranger this must look like I can't play at all tongue.gif

Then, I try to speed them up a bit. I'm busy with these 3 lessons now (they're Todds, lessons 4, 5 and 6) and play them every day for like an hour in total. I have to say that I play a bit faster now. Sometimes I need to stop for my fingers to get some rest.

I think I will be ready for record in one more week maybe?

But really I'm maybe not so ready for this question after all tongue.gif


Hey Robin smile.gif of course you are ready - everyone of us is learning at his own pace, so this question is directed towards all of us wink.gif looking forward to seeing your progress smile.gif and if you need help, I'm here for you

Cosmin
thefireball
Cosmin,

I tend to tackle the lesson as a whole. I don't completely master all the parts, but I want to feel like I am progressing. To stay motivated, I just move on to the next section. Sometimes I have to come back to something later. Or maybe sometimes I will learn the "cool" part first. As in your Djent - Time Signatures lesson, I learned the rhythm part before the alternate picking part. It was really cool.

I might say that I use my ear the most in learning a lesson, and the tab to reinforce what I am hearing. To learn with your ear...I would say that is a very good thing. Right? We are musicians after all. smile.gif \m/

-Brandon Burch
Marcus Desaiha
QUOTE (Cosmin Lupu @ Mar 3 2012, 03:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I was wondering smile.gif how fast (in hours spent) are you on nailing a GMC lesson, by this meaning:

- Understanding what you are playing - technically and theoretically
- Being able to execute things with flow and as good as possible at the slowest tempo available (slowest backing track)
- Bringing the lesson up to the original speed, keeping the execution as before - clean, in time, tight and expressive
- Recording the lesson for a REC take?

You'll probably pick your maximum level for certain for the involved difficulty tongue.gif but by this I'm trying to figure out how everyone's clock is ticking biggrin.gif


-1. It is very hard to say, it all depends on what level of difficulty the song/sequence is. But I would say pretty fast, the theoretical and technical part is the easiest part, being able to execute it is a whole diffrent story though.

-2 To do it right away slow after examining the sequence in question? Sometimes, it all depends on the level or difficulty of course.

-3 weeks, months, if it is difficult enough, and something completely new to my "playingstyle library".

-4 Never ready to do that, I'm never satisfied with my playing sad.gif

It might be worth mentioning for your little experiment that: What I do in my free time in life has a huge impact on how fast I learn things on the guitar. If I just sit at home and practice by myself without any recording or rehearsing during the weeks it goes alot slower to progress. But If I have a full on studio schedule where I record guitars every day, and rehearse in between thoose hours my learning process is boosted about 40%(Wild guess of course, but my gut tells me it should be around 40% wink.gif ). I guess it all has to do with how focused I can get when I record compared to when I'm 100% relaxed at home "Just practicing" even though I really try to focus and do my best. Its a mystery! biggrin.gif
vdcraats
For me it depends on the difficulty level offcourse

I'm working on 'guitar loves piano 6' by Piotr difficulty 4

- took me about 5 hours to play it slow
- It will take me about 6 hours to get it at full speed with mistakes
- To play it for a recording that will take me about a week I think

So in total about 10 days. Depending how much I play offcourse. I have another life next to guitar playing biggrin.gif

- Arthur -
ElHombre
What I master the most in advanced technique would be me sweeping which came very naturally to me.
My tapping and alternate/economy picking is not as good in comparision to my sweeping
Cosmin Lupu
QUOTE (thefireball @ Mar 13 2012, 02:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Cosmin,

I tend to tackle the lesson as a whole. I don't completely master all the parts, but I want to feel like I am progressing. To stay motivated, I just move on to the next section. Sometimes I have to come back to something later. Or maybe sometimes I will learn the "cool" part first. As in your Djent - Time Signatures lesson, I learned the rhythm part before the alternate picking part. It was really cool.

I might say that I use my ear the most in learning a lesson, and the tab to reinforce what I am hearing. To learn with your ear...I would say that is a very good thing. Right? We are musicians after all. smile.gif \m/

-Brandon Burch


An you are right smile.gif I use my ears first hand and then the tab to see if I got everything right, the thing is that when I'm sorting out classical music for instance (Mozart Rocks stuff) I have to come up with a combination between the actual phrases played by the main violin or other solo instrument and my own ideas - so sorting out what is played there will come first and tweaking it, afterwards.

The thing is that ears helped me a lot - if you will take a peak at what Guthrie has to say about tabs for instance, you'll end up realizing that they are only meant for backing your ears up and not used as a main tool, from a certain point onward. When my ears were not that accustomed to picking up things from recordings, I was relying on tabs most of the time, but I was very frustrated by the fact that most of them were inaccurate and there is NO RHYTHMIC notation in them usually which is one of the main reasons for which I couldn't figure out things from tabs. I must admit that I was so into sorting the songs out from tabs, that I have completely forgotten that I could've used my ears instead smile.gif



QUOTE (vdcraats @ Mar 13 2012, 03:10 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
For me it depends on the difficulty level offcourse

I'm working on 'guitar loves piano 6' by Piotr difficulty 4

- took me about 5 hours to play it slow
- It will take me about 6 hours to get it at full speed with mistakes
- To play it for a recording that will take me about a week I think

So in total about 10 days. Depending how much I play offcourse. I have another life next to guitar playing biggrin.gif

- Arthur -


10 days is a very good timing Arthur smile.gif
thefireball
QUOTE (Cosmin Lupu @ Mar 14 2012, 02:40 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
When my ears were not that accustomed to picking up things from recordings, I was relying on tabs most of the time, but I was very frustrated by the fact that most of them were inaccurate and there is NO RHYTHMIC notation in them usually which is one of the main reasons for which I couldn't figure out things from tabs. I must admit that I was so into sorting the songs out from tabs, that I have completely forgotten that I could've used my ears instead smile.gif


It was my frustration in the inaccuracy and no rhythmic notation of tabs that drove me to use my ears. smile.gif
Cosmin Lupu
QUOTE (thefireball @ Mar 14 2012, 04:14 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
It was my frustration in the inaccuracy and no rhythmic notation of tabs that drove me to use my ears. smile.gif


Well, for instance, my best friend used to learn everything by ear - he was a Dream Theater fanatic in his college years and he had learned a serious amount of Dream Theater songs - not for note - afterwards, making his own backing tracks (so he figured out the other instruments as well) and played with Petrucci's precision over them laugh.gif Well, all this tremenedously tedious routine, transformed him into a very versatile orchestrator and player - he is my bandmate in Aria and I have learned a LOT from him during the last 5-6 years.

Check out some of his playing:





thefireball
QUOTE (Cosmin Lupu @ Mar 15 2012, 03:08 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Well, for instance, my best friend used to learn everything by ear - he was a Dream Theater fanatic in his college years and he had learned a serious amount of Dream Theater songs - not for note - afterwards, making his own backing tracks (so he figured out the other instruments as well) and played with Petrucci's precision over them laugh.gif Well, all this tremenedously tedious routine, transformed him into a very versatile orchestrator and player - he is my bandmate in Aria and I have learned a LOT from him during the last 5-6 years.

Check out some of his playing:



That's Cezar!! smile.gif He's good!
Cosmin Lupu
QUOTE (thefireball @ Mar 15 2012, 01:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
That's Cezar!! smile.gif He's good!


Yeahah biggrin.gif
Dinaga
QUOTE (Cosmin Lupu @ Mar 3 2012, 03:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I was wondering smile.gif how fast (in hours spent) are you on nailing a GMC lesson, by this meaning:

- Understanding what you are playing - technically and theoretically
- Being able to execute things with flow and as good as possible at the slowest tempo available (slowest backing track)
- Bringing the lesson up to the original speed, keeping the execution as before - clean, in time, tight and expressive
- Recording the lesson for a REC take?

You'll probably pick your maximum level for certain for the involved difficulty tongue.gif but by this I'm trying to figure out how everyone's clock is ticking biggrin.gif


This is a great topic mate! biggrin.gif

It doesn't take long until I memorize the notes and the fingering I decide to use. As for theory, unfortunately I don't think about it that much, I learn stuff "on the fly", which means that if I play a particular new scale or mode lots of times, eventually I'll become familiar with it biggrin.gif

As soon as I learn all the parts of the song, it doesn't take long to combine all the pieces together at 50% speed. That's the easy part - except if I have to learn a completely new technique used in the lesson (like in Muris' Oriental Shred lesson - took me a while to learn the grace notes, which are all over that lesson! smile.gif )

Bringing the lesson to the original speed - this takes most of the time... Depending on the speed/difficulty/motivation/spare time/health issues tongue.gif it can take from few weeks to a few months!

Recording the lesson - weeeell, the night I *DECIDE* to record the lesson is the day I'm definitely gonna do it, so after a few takes I usually get it done, but in some cases it can take a few hours (warmup, bloopers etc) tongue.gif I often rush it because I'm too scared my battery will run off and not recording the video the exact day I wanted to record it is very depressing biggrin.gif
derper
I've had the same camera battery issues... just got a new(er) one. A Nikon Coolpix with rechargeabe battery pack (included) for only $50 on local craigslist. Now I can just "keep it rollin" while looping my attempts. A great method, to aviod "red-light-fever". Thanks for THAT pointer!! wink.gif
Cosmin Lupu
QUOTE (Marcus Desaiha @ Mar 13 2012, 03:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
-1. It is very hard to say, it all depends on what level of difficulty the song/sequence is. But I would say pretty fast, the theoretical and technical part is the easiest part, being able to execute it is a whole diffrent story though.

-2 To do it right away slow after examining the sequence in question? Sometimes, it all depends on the level or difficulty of course.

-3 weeks, months, if it is difficult enough, and something completely new to my "playingstyle library".

-4 Never ready to do that, I'm never satisfied with my playing sad.gif

It might be worth mentioning for your little experiment that: What I do in my free time in life has a huge impact on how fast I learn things on the guitar. If I just sit at home and practice by myself without any recording or rehearsing during the weeks it goes alot slower to progress. But If I have a full on studio schedule where I record guitars every day, and rehearse in between thoose hours my learning process is boosted about 40%(Wild guess of course, but my gut tells me it should be around 40% wink.gif ). I guess it all has to do with how focused I can get when I record compared to when I'm 100% relaxed at home "Just practicing" even though I really try to focus and do my best. Its a mystery! biggrin.gif


Good points man - for me it goes a bit the same smile.gif if i have to learn something difficult and challenging just because I want to, I tend to lengthen the process, but if for instance, I have to play that piece in a concert or prepare it for GMC in some way, I am focused to get it moving fast and good! smile.gif
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