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!
MISSON #1
THE MISSION
1.)Your mission is to go all the way back to the very start. The base of the mountain.
Which you will play SLOWWWWWWLLY, very SLOWWWLLLLYYYY until you master it at a crawl (As You'll Do With Each Mission, and focus on left hand FORM! Make it 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) Shoot a video and post it as a reply to this post. 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!
After that, you will proceed to play each example in each mission and submit them all for MISSION DEBRIEF!!!
Here is your link your personal training ground/HELL!
Alright, Todd, here we go. This is just from having looked at the lesson shortly today. I wouldn't mind going even further back to 60 bpm, working my way up, but this was 80, 100, 120 and finally 130 bpm. There are some bumps in the road here and there, and with a little more practice I could surely be pushing it more:
Throw at me what you got, I don't mind harsh critique
EDIT: I played it a bit higher up the neck and jumping around in a pattern, but if you want me to I can throw a video up of playing it with F and F# on the low E. Or a random jumps video. Your call.
Todd Simpson
Sep 9 2013, 02:35 PM
BINGO!!!!!!! Soldier you just KRUSHED Mission One with a HIGH DEGREE OF PRECISION AND MALICIOUS INTENT!!!
Let's Debrief....
MEDAL OF HONOR
1.)Clean Strikes 2.)Even Pacing and Progression 3.)Good right hand position, planted on the bridge.
You Sir have just earned your first MISSION BADGE!!!!
In short Soldier, you just drew FIRST BLOOD and ... !!!!!!!LEVELED UP!!!!!!!!!!!
Alright, Todd, here we go. This is just from having looked at the lesson shortly today. I wouldn't mind going even further back to 60 bpm, working my way up, but this was 80, 100, 120 and finally 130 bpm. There are some bumps in the road here and there, and with a little more practice I could surely be pushing it more:
Throw at me what you got, I don't mind harsh critique
EDIT: I played it a bit higher up the neck and jumping around in a pattern, but if you want me to I can throw a video up of playing it with F and F# on the low E. Or a random jumps video. Your call.
Storm Linnebjerg
Sep 9 2013, 06:26 PM
Very nice, Sir! What's my next mission?
Todd Simpson
Sep 11 2013, 05:38 PM
Soldier, you will plow, fight and scrape your way through the examples in each and every lesson in my Bootcamp Training Series of Death.
You just completed MISSION 1, now on to MISSION (Lesson) 2!! These lower lessons have very few examples to master, once you reach a certain point much further on, you will need to master 6 or 7 examples for each Mission. But let's start small and work our way up!!!
Soldier, you will plow, fight and scrape your way through the examples in each and every lesson in my Bootcamp Training Series of Death.
You just completed MISSION 1, now on to MISSION (Lesson) 2!! These lower lessons have very few examples to master, once you reach a certain point much further on, you will need to master 6 or 7 examples for each Mission. But let's start small and work our way up!!!
You've got some really good precision/speed here soldier!!!!! I"m gonna push you a bit here and make you earn the crap out of it. Try this using DOUBLE PICK (slow down a bit if needed to keep it clean) and the DREADED (QUAD PICK - Four Strikes Per Note)
Knock this out and you've crushed it and will be ready to LEVEL UP!!!
Fair enough. I'll take the challenge in full stride and get it done tonight!
Storm Linnebjerg
Sep 14 2013, 01:57 AM
I'm not 100% sure if this is what you mean:
On the first round with single picking, I think I might have started not on the 1st beat with the metronome. Oops!
Todd Simpson
Sep 17 2013, 05:01 AM
BINGO!!!!! Soldier, after seeing your playing in the Collab I have high expectation and you just met them!
Let's Debrief....
MEDAL OF HONOR
1.)Doubles!!! Quads!! 2.)Solid Techniques on all fronts, right hand, left hand, picking, synch, nice! 3.)Keeping Good right hand position, planted on the bridge.
You Sir have just earned your SECOND MISSION BADGE!!!!
On the first round with single picking, I think I might have started not on the 1st beat with the metronome. Oops!
Storm Linnebjerg
Sep 17 2013, 03:40 PM
Here's lesson 3, Sir, singled, doubled and quaded!
Todd Simpson
Sep 17 2013, 11:07 PM
This is GREAT SOLDIER!!! But I've seen you SHRED in our Collab!!! I know you have more AFTERBURNER in that right arm!!!! You've got the picking down cold, I want you to push it to the edge just before you lose control of it. See if you can take your DOUBLE and QUAD pick Metronome speed HIGHER!!! Keep it tight, but push it fast enough to be at the very edge of your ability!!!
This is GREAT SOLDIER!!! But I've seen you SHRED in our Collab!!! I know you have more AFTERBURNER in that right arm!!!! You've got the picking down cold, I want you to push it to the edge just before you lose control of it. See if you can take your DOUBLE and QUAD pick Metronome speed HIGHER!!! Keep it tight, but push it fast enough to be at the very edge of your ability!!!
SARGE
+20bpm, at 240 bpm it begins to fall apart with the doubles and the quads. Just look at the face during the doubles!
Todd Simpson
Sep 18 2013, 05:55 AM
Now your talking Soldier!! I can see by the look of outright PAIN on your face that you are EARNING THE LIVING CRAP OUT OF IT!!!!
That's what I like to see!!! I knew you could push it a bit more Soldier, I knew you could do it!!!
Let's Debrief....
MEDAL OF HONOR
1.)Killer Doubles!! 2.)Killer Quads!!! 3.)Keeping Good right hand position, planted on the bridge.
In short, your technique remains very solid. I"m glad to see you pushing the envelope. This is where real progress happens!! keep DRILLING AND KILLING Soldier!!!
You Sir have just earned your THIRD MISSION BADGE!!!!
+20bpm, at 240 bpm it begins to fall apart with the doubles and the quads. Just look at the face during the doubles!
Storm Linnebjerg
Sep 21 2013, 04:53 PM
Double trouble!
Todd Simpson
Sep 25 2013, 07:10 AM
Good to see you earning the crap out of it Soldier!! I can tell from the look on your face that you are having quite the good time Earning it!!!!
Let's Debrief....
MEDAL OF HONOR
1.)Look at those Doubles!! 2.)Check those Quads!!! 3.)Maintaining a good right hand position through the entire Battle!
Soldier, I saw you fall off the wagon a couple of times toward the end, but honestly, that was well after you had more than done enough to earn your next Mission Badge!!! I know how fun these MULTIPICK workouts can be! It's hard to stop once you start! I can tell that you LOVE these things so the good news is there are plenty more!!!
In short, ...
You Sir have just earned your FOURTH MISSION BADGE!!!!
Slow it down a bit Soldier!!! I just want to see you play near the edge of your ability. Take the speed back so that you can play and feel confident, but it should not feel "Easy". You should be focusing and playing near the edge of what you can manage.
But I DO NOT want you to play OVER that edge to where you are not confident in your ability. I just wanna see you earn it!! Whatever speed that is, will be just fine
1.)Pushing the edge!! 2.)Very Tight Multipicking!!! 3.)Blood on the fretboard!!!
This is what I like to see Soldier!! You really are earning it!! You are playing near the edge of your ability and still playing with confidence and skill. Very nicely done on the picking and the right hand palm mute. You are gathering all the bits together and really making strides in your playing!
In short, ...
You Sir have just earned your FIFTH MISSION BADGE!!!!
A rough stretch of Danish autumn/winter time had loosing my grip a bit. I'm fighting back now though!
120, 140, 160, 180, 185, 180.
Todd Simpson
Oct 30 2013, 08:11 AM
Welcome back to the fight Soldier!!! I continue to be impressed with your playing. You have some really solid technique and I think you are going to make HUGE strides in your playing as you continue to work!
I think you have this NAILED and from your playing in Vid Chat I must say I think you are ready for the DREADED, FEARED and LOATHED.......
DOUBLE PICKED VERSION OF THIS CRAZY LICK!!!!!!
I could tell you wanted to volunteer for this Special Op but needed a bit of a push, so here it is!!!!!
1.)Play this lick at Speed using DOUBLE PICKING (every note, every single note, doubled)
You on the verge of DRILLING AND KILLING Soldier!!!
A rough stretch of Danish autumn/winter time had loosing my grip a bit. I'm fighting back now though!
120, 140, 160, 180, 185, 180.
Storm Linnebjerg
Oct 30 2013, 05:16 PM
This is not the face of boredom, it's the face of extreme concentration. I start to lose it around 120 bpm, if not before. Right now after having played it a hundred times, I lose it around 110 bpm already. This video is at 115, 117, 119, 121 bpm.
Todd Simpson
Nov 2 2013, 04:23 AM
Well fought Soldier!!! I can tell you played this until your fingers bled!!! I can see you played this so much in fact your brain stopped feeding information to your face!!! That's earning it!!!! You had a couple of small blips here and there but that's small potatoes Soldier!! You KRUSHED IT!!! Let's Debrief!
MEDAL OF HONOR 1.)GoodClean Strikes No SLOP, pure KILL 2.)Double Pick The downfall of many a bootcamper! 3.)Great hand synch Right and Left in Perfect Killing Grace!
This is not the face of boredom, it's the face of extreme concentration. I start to lose it around 120 bpm, if not before. Right now after having played it a hundred times, I lose it around 110 bpm already. This video is at 115, 117, 119, 121 bpm.
Storm Linnebjerg
Nov 13 2013, 06:46 PM
Here's the next lesson at 130 bpm with singles, doubles and quads. That is the highest I've been able to push it to.
Todd Simpson
Nov 16 2013, 06:20 AM
NICE!!!! This is some fine playing Soldier!!! You have great precision, your picking is very synched up, and some brisk speed!!
I think you are ready to spread your wings a bit Soldier!!! Take everything you are doing and move it around the neck. Try playing this bit very low on the fretboard to force our pinky to come in to play and feel the stretch!!! Then play in the middle, etc. In short, bounce around the neck to show you can "stick the landing" leaving no gaps in between each run through of the bit. Make sense? Play it at 12th, then 5th, then 1st fret, etc.
Aye, Sir! It's on! I shall return from the battle in victorious style!
Storm Linnebjerg
Aug 20 2014, 04:31 PM
Here's a go at it:
Todd Simpson
Aug 20 2014, 07:41 PM
DRILLING AND KILLING!!! Soldier you are EN FUEGO!!!!!!!! As a bonus, you are playing an 8 string guitar with a long scale length, making all of this more challenging. WELL DONE!!!! Let's debrief.
I applaud your aggressive style and playing Soldier!
MEDAL OF HONOR 1.)Nice Streeeetch!! 2.)Perfection on the picking 3.)Aggressive style and tone
to put it simply, you just.....
!!!!!LEVELED UP!!!!!!!
*Bonus Honors: In recognition of your effort, you have been awarded the "Precision" mark with cluster (Legion of Honor) on your Badge.
Man, I did not and do not enjoy this one on the 27"!
Todd Simpson
Oct 23 2014, 09:28 PM
Nicely Done!!!! Soldier, you are simply on a rip and shred mission from beyond!!!! I love it!! Keep it going!!
That had to be a challenge on thhat 27 in scale neck!!!! But you pulled it off with flying colors!!!
Let's Debrief!!
MEDAL OF HONOR 1.)Perfect Timing! 2.)Aggressive Picking! 3.)Solid Palm Muting!
to put it simply, you just.....
!!!!!LEVELED UP!!!!!!!
CONGRATS!!! Solder, you are ONE LEVEL AWAY FROM THE DOUBLE CHEVRON!!! Very, Very, Very few folks have made it this far. Usually Soldiers fall away right at mission 12. I have high hopes that you will fight through it Soldier!!
Really struggling with this one as an avid alternate picker:
Todd Simpson
Jul 5 2015, 10:13 PM
WELL FOUGHT SOLDIER!!! ECON PICKING can be a serious struggle of the damned at first. But it's worth it!! You've got really good technique here and really good timing and I like your guitar too
However, I know you've got WADS of fight in you that we are not seeing in this video so in addition to the ECON version, I want you to DOUBLE and yes TRIPLE PICK this to show your AGGRESSIVE STYLE!!!!! You've got the ECON bit nailed!!!! ONCE MORE IN TO THE BREACH!!!