How do play guitar?

PhilR

PhilR

Studio Scapegoat
Feb 13, 2007
991
0
16
Nottingham, UK
www.stuckonaname.co.uk
Well at the ideal age of 30 I decided to start trying to get back into playing guitar with an emphasis on "knowing what I'm doing". Unfortunately due to the nature of the internet being a colossal digital landfill I'm having a shitter of a time finding good quality, no-bullshit reference material just by searching Google.

Somebody on this forum a while back posted a chart showing the note intervals on a standard fretboard along with a pretty concise explanation of chord theory which was pretty much the clearest explanation I'd ever come across before and that's kind of what I'm looking for. So if anyone has any good, simple resources for exercise patterns, chords, scales/modes and the like, then post 'em up here. I'm sure I'm not the only one that would appreciate it.

Also, I have taken 1 lesson so far but I think being as I'm playing in 2 bands as well as working full-time mixed shift patterns having one half-hour lesson a week ain't gonna get me too far unless I do plenty of homework, but then that's why I'm asking on here. :)
 
That would be good! I'm also trying to find some good theory stuff, I need to get better at all that because I don't know any music theory!
 
The chap I'm taking lessons (some of his stuff on [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ybvd6cD7Ck]youtube[/ame]) from had something to say about theory which went something like "musical theory for guitar is usually made to look more complex than it really is, mainly so classical players can act like smug twats" :lol:
 
A GREAT tool i use is Guitar Pro, the Scale finder is damn cool indeed.

For exercises i do(or did rather, I'm lazy ha) chromatic runs ascending and descending the fretboard, string skipping 3 note per string runs(1 string skipped, then 2 etc. ascending descending etc), Various arpeggio shapes.
Tabs at bottom.

I used to ALWAYS practice to a click on half speed on GP then step up to 3/4 then full, you will notice if you don't have it perfect when you try and up the speed.

here are a few examples of the exercises do.
String Skipping 3 note.
e|-------------------------------------------1-2-3
b|-------------------------------1-2-3------------
g|-------------------1-2-3------------------------
D|-------1-2-3------------------------------------
A|------------------------------------------------
E|-1-2-3-------1-2-3-------1-2-3-------1-2-3----

Chromatic thing
e|-----------------------------------------
b|----------------------------------------
g|----------------------------------------
D|------------------------------------------
A|----------------1-----1-2---1-2-3-1-2-3-4
E|-1-2-3-4-2-3-4---3-4-----4--------------
So on and so forth up and down, cool to do string skipped too.

Arpeggio(using generic C maj arp shape)
e|-------------12-15-15-12---------------------
b|----------13-------------13---------------
g|-------12-------------------12----------
d|----14-------------------------14--------
a|-15-------------------------------15-----
e|------------------------------------------
I never usually hit the turn around note twice.

Everything SLOW, i think that is the most important thing, aim for PERFECTION, fuck everything else.
You may not be able to play a 16th note sweep perfect at 170, but I'm sure you can do a quarter note sweep at 120 perfectly with minimal practice.

Id elaborate more and provide more exercises everything etc. but I'm extremely tired and writing this only makes me miss my guitar more :cry:

All of that can be combined into an epic string skipped chromatic arpeggio.
so many different variations of everything you really can never get bored( unless you're entering hour 2 of the same quarter note chromatic run at 120, but then you speed it up and you are like FUCK YEAH!)

hope my post helped, although I've no doubt everyone who reads this will already know it as it is the fundamentals to any guitarists practice.


Fuck i miss playing guitar :cry::cry:
But when i get home I'm going to shred my guitars necks to toothpicks :heh:
 
what about learning from a book?
i have bought Peter Fischers "Rock Guitar Secrets" some time ago and its really a well written book with alot of nice excersises., he also has written one for beginners, maybe you should check that out?

Of course the Internet provides tons of material for free, but when i speak for myself, i often get distracted from my execisewhen i´m learing in front of a computer with internet access :)
 
Whether you're an auditory or visual learner, instructional videos are great. I know a lot of them are available on sites like youtube broken up in clips, but I would HIGHLY recommend you buy them; they come with a book with the music notation (And tabs), and you can always watch them straight through instead of jumping around on internet clips.

Here are some videos I would recommend that really helped me with my chops and theory:

Joe Pass - Solo Jazz Guitar Insrtuction
Joe Pass - An Evening with Joe Pass
Joe Pass - Jazz Lines
Marty Friedman - Melodic Control
Marty Friedman - The Essential
Paul Gilbert - Intense Rock I/II
Paul Gilbert - Terrifying Guitar Trip
Frank Gambale - Modes No More Mystery
Frank Gambale - Monster Licks and Speed Picking
Frank Gambale - Chopbuilder - The Ultimate Guitar Workout
Shawn Lane - Power Licks
Shawn Lane - Power Solos

Aside from videos, I would also recommend Frank Gambale's books... they take a lot of work and practice, but it's some really heavy stuff if you want to get into theory more, as well as build up your chops. He explains stuff very well and it's really easy to understand. Just keep in mind that 1-2 pages of these books will take about a week to get through as there's a LOT of content to practice to really master the concepts taught.

Frank Gambale Technique Book Part I (BOOK/CD)
Frank Gambale Technique Book Part II (BOOK/CD)
(Available here: http://www.frankgambale.com/books.php)

I would also recommend any instructional videos by these guys if you like the ones above:

Steve Morse
Michael Lee Firkins
Vinnie Moore
Joey Tafolla
Jason Becker
Tony Macalpine
Richie Kotzen
Eric Johnson

Notice how I didn't mention Yngwie or Petrucci? Their videos are full of licks, but most of them are only good in the context of their own styles of playing and don't really offer much theory wise. I would put those two at the very bottom of the list.
 
ubersyntax said:
Whether you're an auditory or visual learner, instructional videos are great. I know a lot of them are available on sites like youtube broken up in clips, but I would HIGHLY recommend you buy them; they come with a book with the music notation (And tabs), and you can always watch them straight through instead of jumping around on internet clips.

Here are some videos I would recommend that really helped me with my chops and theory:

Joe Pass - Solo Jazz Guitar Insrtuction
Joe Pass - An Evening with Joe Pass
Joe Pass - Jazz Lines
Marty Friedman - Melodic Control
Marty Friedman - The Essential
Paul Gilbert - Intense Rock I/II
Paul Gilbert - Terrifying Guitar Trip
Frank Gambale - Modes No More Mystery
Frank Gambale - Monster Licks and Speed Picking
Frank Gambale - Chopbuilder - The Ultimate Guitar Workout
Shawn Lane - Power Licks
Shawn Lane - Power Solos

Aside from videos, I would also recommend Frank Gambale's books... they take a lot of work and practice, but it's some really heavy stuff if you want to get into theory more, as well as build up your chops. He explains stuff very well and it's really easy to understand. Just keep in mind that 1-2 pages of these books will take about a week to get through as there's a LOT of content to practice to really master the concepts taught.

Frank Gambale Technique Book Part I (BOOK/CD)
Frank Gambale Technique Book Part II (BOOK/CD)
(Available here: http://www.frankgambale.com/books.php)

I would also recommend any instructional videos by these guys if you like the ones above:

Steve Morse
Michael Lee Firkins
Vinnie Moore
Joey Tafolla
Jason Becker
Tony Macalpine
Richie Kotzen
Eric Johnson

Notice how I didn't mention Yngwie or Petrucci? Their videos are full of licks, but most of them are only good in the context of their own styles of playing and don't really offer much theory wise. I would put those two at the very bottom of the list.
Click to expand...

+1
Great post.
I like all those books/DVD's

I would also add Rusty Cooley's and Michael Angelo Batios DVD's.
 
STINNETT said:
Here is a thread where I posted a fretboard interval map that I made and talked about chord construction:

http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/andy-sneap/465364-like-create-weird-guitar-chord-shapes.html
Click to expand...

That's the one I remember, it's pretty good.

Books I'm trying to avoid primarily because I'm a total skinflint.

One general workout I'm doing at the moment is

Code: 
E|---------------------------------------------1234--
B|---------------------------------1234----1234------
G|---------------------1234----1234----1234----------
D|---------1234----1234----1234----------------------
A|-----1234----1234----------------------------------
E|-1234----------------------------------------------

Both downstroke and alternate picking, in both direction. I'm also trying to spend at least 15 minutes before work on basic scale patterns. I'm trying to get some use back out of my 3rd finger as with playing bass for so long I almost always used my pinkie due to the stretches involved and now it's a hard habit to break of using it for every third note.

I'm not really looking to become any kind of crazy shredding lead player as to be honest that kind of stuff bores the living shit out of me. But I want to increase my general fluency to a decent level.
 
Really, I'd say as long as your technique is solid, all you need to do is just play a lot! I'd say the most important thing is to make sure the side of your palm is parallel to the bridge at all times; it can be tempting on the lower strings to kinda arch your wrist back when picking fast, but RESIST THE URGE :D A lot of players (myself included) anchor their pinky somewhere around the bottom of the bridge pickup to always keep their wrists at the correct angle
 
Metaltastic said:
Really, I'd say as long as your technique is solid, all you need to do is just play a lot! I'd say the most important thing is to make sure the side of your palm is parallel to the bridge at all times; it can be tempting on the lower strings to kinda arch your wrist back when picking fast, but RESIST THE URGE :D A lot of players (myself included) anchor their pinky somewhere around the bottom of the bridge pickup to always keep their wrists at the correct angle
Click to expand...

Yupp
 
Another great free resource is the "riff of the week" youtube video blog that Dave Weiner (Steve Vai's band guitarist) does. He can shred and he teaches a lot of theory behind whatever riff he's showing off. They vary in style as well to keep challenging you. Check it out...

http://www.youtube.com/user/riffoftheweek

http://www.daveweiner.com/Home.html

PS... is it immature of me to still giggle every time I say his name? :lol:
 
Metaltastic said:
Really, I'd say as long as your technique is solid, all you need to do is just play a lot! I'd say the most important thing is to make sure the side of your palm is parallel to the bridge at all times; it can be tempting on the lower strings to kinda arch your wrist back when picking fast, but RESIST THE URGE :D A lot of players (myself included) anchor their pinky somewhere around the bottom of the bridge pickup to always keep their wrists at the correct angle
Click to expand...

I assume you mean that you shouldn't roll your wrist back towards you so that the fleshy part under the thumb doesn't rest on the body or strings? Is that right? Can you please elaborate?

I have a tendency to pivot more towards the heal of the palm as opposed to the flesh on the pinky side of the palm. This doesn't seem to cause me any problems but that doesn't mean there is not a better way. I've heard that you should only pivot from the pinky side of the hand but never a reason why.

It is hard to find good clear instructions on right hand pick position and technique.
 
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