ZakkWylde8th December 2008GOD I needed this lesson so badly!
Ian Bushell8th December 2008Hay ZakkWylde!
Glad the lesson will come in handy:)
....gee you don't get to say that everyday haha;)
AlexLion8th December 2008Ian you rule! Even one string playing is so melodic
and this lesson will help me very much with my left hand:)
p.s.- why some frets of your guitar looks blue, is this a problem with video player or just blue lights used?
Ian Bushell8th December 2008Thanks AlexLion, much appreciated:)
Hmm... the blue frets are probably my fault, used daylight for this lesson but it was quite cloudy and overcast when i recorded....could be it. My curtains are blue might be a reflection, unsure. Thanks for pointing it out though will look into it.
fkalich8th December 2008Anymore, when I see a lesson from you, it is like a kid in a candy store to me. I am pretty darn sure it is going to be something special.
fkalich8th December 2008Wanted to add, it is not just or primarily the techniques. I can see what you are doing here. It is the swing of your play, your rhythm. That is so important, even though it is easy to quantify exactly what gives a person so much life in their play. But when we hear and see it, well it helps me to reach for it, even if I am not doing what you are doing exactly here at this time.
Sergio Dorado8th December 2008Very accurate! This lesson works as a exercise,as a study and as a theme! This is really great!
berko8th December 2008Awesome workout, Ian!
Btw, i wanted to ask about your left hand position. I've seen, that in your sweeping lesson (and now here) when it comes to playing on the high B and E strings, you usually put your thumb (of the left hand) to the middle part of the back of the neck and you reach up to the strings from below. Your hand seems very relaxed when doing so. When I play, the neck lays in my palm between index finger and thumb.
So my question is whether you prefer this style and that's why you choose to play like this, or did it develop naturally.
Thanks in advance and keep up the good work. 
Kristofer Dahl8th December 2008Absolutely stunning exercise Ian! 
Jose Mena8th December 2008Awesome tune, very musical exercise, with this exercise doesn't get boring
Nazgul8th December 2008Wow, this is not only helpful, this lesson also rocks extremely hard!
Awesome, Ian!
Trond Vold8th December 2008What a great lesson! You make it sound so smooth and easy 
Dejan Farkas8th December 2008This is awesome, well done 
besip8th December 2008Niceee!!!! will be bookmarks
Kuba Szafran8th December 2008Ian, that's amazing! Really great lesson:)!
Muris Varajic8th December 2008Great exercise Ian!! 
Piotr Kaczor8th December 2008Useful, interesting, musical - all in one
Awesome Ian!
Adel Alsayed8th December 2008very great!
oh new drums i see, superior 2.0 i guess
kaznie_NL8th December 2008Nice workout! I think it'll get you tired!
Capt.Z8th December 2008So cool 
Jad Diab8th December 2008Great lesson Ian, keep rockin' 
Wilska8th December 2008that's awesome Ian! thanks a lot, much needed
Pedja Simovic8th December 2008Awesome lesson Ian !
Ivan Milenkovic8th December 2008Awesome exercise Ian, great job mate 
Hisham Al-Sanea8th December 2008fantastic Ian.very nice exercise
Bogdan Radovic8th December 2008Wow really awesome workout lesson Ian! Fun and useful!
DaniHel8th December 2008Great lesson!
I have a Horizon also, and it has JB on the bridge and 59 on the neck. Im not liking the 59 that much i will probably switch to a jazz pickup. On your videos you usually use the bridge pickup for solos. What pickups does your horizon have?
Ian Bushell9th December 2008Thanks for checking out the lesson and the kind feedback. Glad you like it:)
QUOTE (fkalich @ Dec 8 2008, 11:37 AM)
Anymore, when I see a lesson from you, it is like a kid in a candy store to me. I am pretty darn sure it is going to be something special.
Hay fkalich,
Thanks for both posts I really appreciate that and i'm happy that you enjoy the lessons:D
QUOTE (Nazgul @ Dec 8 2008, 02:46 PM)
Wow, this is not only helpful, this lesson also rocks extremely hard!

Awesome, Ian!
Thanks alot Nazgul, glad it will help:)
QUOTE (berko @ Dec 8 2008, 01:05 PM)
Awesome workout, Ian!
Btw, i wanted to ask about your left hand position. I've seen, that in your sweeping lesson (and now here) when it comes to playing on the high B and E strings, you usually put your thumb (of the left hand) to the middle part of the back of the neck and you reach up to the strings from below. Your hand seems very relaxed when doing so. When I play, the neck lays in my palm between index finger and thumb.
So my question is whether you prefer this style and that's why you choose to play like this, or did it develop naturally.
Thanks in advance and keep up the good work.

Hi Berko,
Firstly thank you:)
With regards to my left hand position,
I'll find things in my technique i want to better, and always look for the most relaxed way to do it.
So over time it is something that has developed both naturally and through trial and error.
I find playing this way leaves my hand really relaxed (which i think is very important),
there's less friction between your hand and neck when doing any kind of position shift. making transitions smoother and faster.
I find by placing my thumb that way it leaves the thumb as a pivot point for the rest of your fingers allowing alot more stretching capabilities in any postion.
There are alot of benefits in my opinion, this particular hand positioning may or may not work for you.
What is important though, is wheteher you're using picking, sweeping, legato etc. Your hands stay relaxed and don't tense up.
Breathing is also a key factor to staying relaxed, i don't in any way suggest classes hahaha
Just breathe! I see alot of students struggle with a big run for example purely because for some reason when they try and do it they don't breathe or breathe irregular and hard which automatically is going to add to the tensing up because there is no oxygen happening.
I use to do that to, and when i became aware of it i really found by simply breathing normally it relaxed alot of aspects in my playing where i'd usually tense up.
Hope that helps
QUOTE (DaniHel @ Dec 9 2008, 01:42 AM)
Great lesson!
I have a Horizon also, and it has JB on the bridge and 59 on the neck. Im not liking the 59 that much i will probably switch to a jazz pickup. On your videos you usually use the bridge pickup for solos. What pickups does your horizon have?
Hi DaniHel
Thanks and great to hear:)
I' might be wrong but i'm sure my pickups are the same as yours i haven't done anything to this guitar, It's stock.
Yeah i use the bridge pickup alot for the rock/metal and solo's etc.
Between The coil tap and other pickup selections i use for other styles i have found this guitar to be quite versatile.
The neck pickup i find works way better for cleans and light drives rather than a main selection.
So i'll just use the bridge pickup mainly and roll off the volume knob for solo or rhythm.
Try rolling off the tone a little on the neck pickup for a jazzier tone, But if it's not working for you shop around:)
Hope that helps
Gerardo Siere9th December 2008That was a very creative etude.
Emir Hot9th December 2008Awesome playing and composition
Marcus Siepen9th December 2008great lesson Ian
Alejandro Pinero9th December 2008Very good exercise!!
Thanks for this Ian!
Nazgul9th December 2008The part starting at 0:16 is just ... !!!! what the ... !!!!
This chord progression rules.
Gabriel Leopardi9th December 2008Excelent exercice! Good job!
Sinisa Cekic9th December 2008God job man, i like it !! 
Ian Bushell10th December 2008Thanks for stopping by to check out the lesson! Glad you all like it:)
QUOTE (Adel @ Dec 8 2008, 04:19 PM)
very great!
oh new drums i see, superior 2.0 i guess
Thanks Adel,
Yes you guessed right:)
QUOTE (Nazgul @ Dec 9 2008, 08:41 PM)
The part starting at 0:16 is just ... !!!! what the ... !!!!

This chord progression rules.
Thanks Nazgul:)
Nemanja Filipovic10th December 2008Wow,that was fast and clean.Great playing mate.
berko10th December 2008Thanks for your reply, Ian!
It was really interesting to read about the breathing issue! I've noticed it too, when trying to boost speed or maintain a long run evenly that I get tensed up and my breathing gets uneven.
I'm gonna work on that then!
That was a huge help to make me conscious about this, so thanks again!! 
Toni Suominen11th December 2008Great work Ian! 
Ian Bushell14th December 2008It's a pleasure Berko!
It will take some getting use to if you have been playing for longer than a couple of months,
'cause it develops like a bad habit!
Hang in there will make an obvious difference with time. practice and patience:)!
MigeZ27th April 2009This is very useful
nice way to build some stamina 
Alexiaden9311th May 2009Wow, this is perfect for me ... in a year or so ! 
Ian Bushell8th June 2009Tahnks for checking out the lesson
@Alexiaden93 - start out slow and you'll get there quicker than you think!
DanielBottari16th November 2009Thats awesome man, legato is one technique I really need to work on. Got this one bookmarked until i nail it.
Daniel Realpe28th April 2010Very nice workout for legato, and sounds very good
thefireball7th January 2011Gosh! He's not even picking! amazing! You hardly picked. 