brogh
Rookie Solder Flinger
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
|
Post by brogh on Jan 23, 2013 15:44:43 GMT -5
Hello to all
I have some questions about the learning/practice routine that you guy's use. Just for your reference i'm not that great player, but i can't stand bad sounding instruments, so my family is made of 2 guitars an 2005 52 AVRI telecaster and a Gibson 333, i can get whatever sound i like from these two guitars, and i LOVE to play trying to use as most as i can the volume and tone pots and the pickup switching, but as said i'm a learner and i actually do not play in any band due to worktime and the fact that i think i actually can't play in a band because on guitar ... i Suck at the moment LOL
The question arises because i've noticed somethig is going "wrong" with my learning practicing routine, here's what i "usually" do when i make my guitar practice session.
- 10/15 minutes of warmup sometimes more depending on how cold it is - 20/30 minutes of scales practicing major minor blues and sometime i throw something new in it - and then ... and here comes the point.
Usually i tend to load some backing tracks, (10 15) on a music player hit start, and then i just noodle over them, sometimes good sometimes bad, but i mainly tend to noodle and i'm not really learning any songs, sometimes i have the guitar on for hours but .... It's not that i can't play a tune, but using backing tracks i've noticed that that's the way it is. I'm a little bit sick of this "non learning" thing, and i want to get better, i'm gaining "technique" but not "music", hope you get what i mean.
Does anyone have some good advices on how to get out of this and make more music ? How do you "improve" ? What practice/learning routine do you use ? if we start talking about WHAT to learn, HA there are way too many things to .. and i can't choose if it's better to learn this or that ..
Thank's a lot
Cheers
|
|
|
Post by sumgai on Jan 24, 2013 23:15:47 GMT -5
bro, You may think you're putting the cart before the horse, but I think you're doing just fine. What you want to do is learn how to play over the backing of any tune, or nearly any tune. Learning how the original lead lines went, note-for-note, isn't necessarily bad, but there's a certain loss of spontaneity when you do that. IMO, your current method is probably going to get you further down the road, unless you want to join up with a 'cover' band that demands exactitude. As for how to improve, there are several ways, but in my book, there's only one best way - you go out and you find a jam session, and you start sitting in with players who are better than you. Mind you, it's nerve wracking and embarassing at first, but the old saying goes - "You never play any better than the people around you". That's why you seek out superior players.... given enough time and chance, you'll soon get to their level of playing skills. But coupled with your own style of soloing, you should stand out just enough to not only be accepted, but invited to other gigs/sessions/etc. Driving yourself like this is without a doubt the best way to get ahead. Call it "sink or swim" if you like, but I've yet to see a better method. HTH sumgai
|
|
|
Post by cynical1 on Jan 25, 2013 3:54:15 GMT -5
I have to agree with SG. You only get better when you play with better players. And we've all had the same feeling like one of Jerry's Kid's the first few times out. You don't learn to swim by reading a book...and no one ever died from a bad jam session...well, not literally...
And you never really stated where you wanted to go. As SG noted, are you looking to do covers? Is it just technical prowess?
I think playing to a backing track is a much better method then just learning someone else's tunes by rout.
One thing I did for a long time...and still do...is set a drum track off and just work a scale over it. Pick any scale. As a bass player I used to try and work out patterns or runs over it with the "scale for the day" until I came up with a few good lines. Then I'd try and work them into a song, or just jam with it until my hands cramped. The set timing made me make it fit, but the absence of any other instruments allowed me to stretch out as far as I wanted to. It also taught me to play within a pattern while improving my sense of timing.
I just started playing guitar about a year ago and find this method still works in developing my rhythm playing.
I guess the most telling question is are you having fun? Are you enjoying playing against a backing track? Do you find that hours slip by without notice and you look forward to picking up your guitar?
If you answered yes to the above then screw the nagging voice in your head that something is missing. You don't have to apply conventional regimens to your practice sessions. This isn't school and you will not be graded or found deficient for not suffering for your craft. Anyone with moderate motor skills can become an "accomplished" technician on the guitar or bass. To become a musician requires you to find your "voice" and believe in it.
Make sense?
Happy Trails
Cynical One
|
|
|
Post by sumgai on Jan 25, 2013 12:21:55 GMT -5
Anyone with moderate motor skills can become an "accomplished" technician on the guitar or bass. To become a musician requires you to find your "voice" and believe in it. Beautifully said, +1. And signature material to boot! ;D Right up there with the 'Your band is an albatross' quote. ;D brogh, the take-away here is, until you define and set your goals, you're wandering around aimlessly. Make those goals, and start working towards them. In fact, having both long- and short-term goals (the ones that can change more often, comparatively speaking) is not a bad idea, it'll help to keep your focus sharp and on-track. HTH sumgai
|
|
|
Post by ijustwannastrat on Jan 27, 2013 1:52:51 GMT -5
When you say you practice scales, what do you mean? Do you play them straight 1 ,2 ,3, 4, 5, 6, ,7 ? Or do you play with them? I know I almost never play scales straight, I simply can't handle it. I try to find small little licks from solos that I like, then build around the licks, trying to use different notes in the scale that aren't your classic rock pentatonic. An example is the really quick 3 note sweep at the 10 second mark in this video: Sultans of Swing. I try to find different ways to play that lick, and how it can be implemented into various scales, chord forms, etc. Another thing I do when I practice is try to sing the lead vocals of a song on my guitar. I get bored when you can't sing a solo, and one of the easier ways I get to that point is to play the vocal part. It kind of helps me slow down, and try to use some common techniques. I'm constantly trying to improve my phrasing Is there something specifically in your playing that you want to improve? I guess if you are just talking about being more creative and musical, my only advice would be to not censor yourself. I know that I used to constantly stop playing something if it wasn't great sounding. Even now, I find myself not playing something because it sounds off, but I try not to stop. I've stumbled across a couple cool sounding things to play by putting up with the ugly. Take all this with a grain of salt, I probably don't know what I'm talking about.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 27, 2013 5:54:01 GMT -5
We are in 2013, right? with millions of youtube videos, practice videos, lessons, etc... I grew up in Greece (and still do ) in the 80s when eddie van halen or yngwie malmsteen (or even the solo from "My Sharona" or the fast lick on the sultans of swing like ijustwannastrat mentioned, just seemed magic. There was no way to decrypt the technique not even the practice route which leads to the wanted result. But luckily we are in 2013. It took me 4 straight years to just play by own some hard rock-metal 1980->1984, and some practice 1985-1988 to become fluent in the thrash metal riffing. Well, my nephew learned to play all that and even more in just two years. I dont know if i can attribute this to the theory that the newer generations are just a better species, or is it the plethora of input, experiences, internet, etc... I think today you can learn whatever you want just by using online sources. Just find something to really like. Why don't you buy some educational video from your favorite players? Also some mags back then (guitarist, guitar techniques, etc...) used to have nice CDs with good backing tracks. I'm a little bit sick of this "non learning" thing, and i want to get better, i'm gaining "technique" but not "music", hope you get what i mean. Does anyone have some good advices on how to get out of this and make more music ? How do you "improve" ? What practice/learning routine do you use ? if we start talking about WHAT to learn, HA there are way too many things to .. and i can't choose if it's better to learn this or that .. Thank's a lot Cheers You hit my exact problem. So you wanna make music. Lots of people do! Few can, without copying someone else! My advice (i still can't do that) : a) go and compose on any instrument *except* the guitar. You muscle memory (as Cyn had called this) will lead you to where your fingers wanna go, not your heart/mind b) try to find non-rock influences. SOAD for instance, had so much success (even if technically they were inferior to Slipknot or Disturbed) because they had that oriental-armenian touch and this fantastic vocal voice!
|
|
|
Post by sumgai on Jan 27, 2013 15:06:44 GMT -5
wanner hits in very nearly on the head, and he didn't even know it. Linking to Mark Knopfler was the key. In essence, listen to the first half of that video (or to any other version of SoS). Note the short riffs or licks between the lyrics. Make sure you note them well, there'll be a test in a moment..... Now listen to the solos after the mid point. Hear anything familiar? (Hint: yes, you did.) IOW, nothing new here folks, but please, don't move along, just sit back and enjoy the encore of all those between-the-lyrics phrases. That's right, all Knopfler did, and all most accomplished players (of any instrument) do is combine several short riffs until it comes out as a long riff. From that we learn a couple of things: a) Go for that in-between phrase. It may not sound like much on its own, but then again, ask yourself - why did that guy stick those three/four/five notes in there at just that point? b) Take a song and learn all the in-between phrases. Learn them well enough to play them without conscious volition.... they're just automatic. c) Now hang them all together, in the same order as they appear on the song. I'm not talking about the recorded solo, I mean just the in-between phrases - play them all together, as if they were the solo. (At this point, don't worry about the backing chord arrangement.) d) So the backing chords got in the way, right? Well, wouldn't this be a good time to re-arrange the phrases so that they coincide with the chords? (Hint: yes, now's the time for some re-arranging.) e) Practice this "new" assemblage as if it were the original solo. f) Now compare what you're doing with the original solo - hear anthing familiar? (Hint: yes, you do.) g) For extra credit, learn the original solo, then take it apart and find all the phrases from in between the lyrics. There may be some phrases missing, but you get the point. h) Now re-assemble all those parts and pieces with your own re-arranged phrases. Presto! You've just duplicated the Dicky Betts method of how he learned to play Duane Allman's parts, when he had to take over the lead guitar chores. Summary: All riffs of more than two notes consist of shorter riffs. Period. Start short, work towards longer. Progress at a comfortable rate. End of lesson. HTH sumgai
|
|