Well, I've been playing for 13 years (I'm 21) and I think I am getting to the edge. I mean that I tend to have more and more difficulties to first, get my licks cleaner, and second, to get them faster. I am practicing hard my arpagios (which is my biggest difficulties) etc. But! I was hoping that some of Chris Broderick fans who play guitar (Maybe I should have put this on the musicians forum..but) could help me with it. And even better, Chris Broderick's personnal advise would be hell on earth!!!!! :Spin:
How to perfect his guitar playing
- Thread starter {D|aBo|uS}
- Start date
Hey dude! Finally, another guitar related thread!
What exactly are you having trouble with? When you practise what do you see as being the problem? Answering that will help us answer your question more effectively.
P.S. I'm talking about your awareness of your hands; is one hand doing it's task fine while the other drags behind? To tell you the truth, the solution (almost always) is slow down. Playing slow is where you'll be able to determine the exact problem. While playing fast, you may notice that something isn't right; slowing down will tell you what needs work. Focus on that for a while, then slowly speed it back up.
What exactly are you having trouble with? When you practise what do you see as being the problem? Answering that will help us answer your question more effectively.
P.S. I'm talking about your awareness of your hands; is one hand doing it's task fine while the other drags behind? To tell you the truth, the solution (almost always) is slow down. Playing slow is where you'll be able to determine the exact problem. While playing fast, you may notice that something isn't right; slowing down will tell you what needs work. Focus on that for a while, then slowly speed it back up.
MetalSteph
Member
- Sep 14, 2001
- 1,695
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Kohlrabihaus
Minister of Silly Walks
hi,
for me my picking abillity had not changed for more than a year, just within 0 - 5 bpm. now i can paly the same shit about 20 bpm faster, within 2 weeks!!! it´s just like petrucci says on his dvd: sometimes you´ll hit the wall and you have to be really patience because one day, out of the blue, you´ll have it!!!!
another thing is playing licks from very different styles or unknown/ new fingerings, etc. will help you to improve- maybe just concentrate on working on your feeling, improvise a lot after some practice, as a reward so to speak. if you build up a mental problem- it´s the worst thing you can do!!!
another thing that helped me, personally, was, when i first added the classical guitar to my schedule. etudes helped to work on my left hand, which was effective as hell for my solo playing!!!! also it was a good reward to play the tunes, because it´s more fun, than playing scales and working on shops!!!!!
or, what is said about paganinni: he would play most of the time on a cheap and hard to play instrument, then when coming back to his good violine, he was even more impressing
i do this, too. for example: i play legato on my 7-string during the week, then at the weekend i take out my esp kh-2 it´so easy to play all the stuff that i was struggeling with over the week!!!!
hope it helps!!!
keep in mind, that muscels have to develope- it´s taking ages sometimes and the better you are, the harder it´s to push it even further!!!!( something i learned doing rpg´s, hehe)
for me my picking abillity had not changed for more than a year, just within 0 - 5 bpm. now i can paly the same shit about 20 bpm faster, within 2 weeks!!! it´s just like petrucci says on his dvd: sometimes you´ll hit the wall and you have to be really patience because one day, out of the blue, you´ll have it!!!!
another thing is playing licks from very different styles or unknown/ new fingerings, etc. will help you to improve- maybe just concentrate on working on your feeling, improvise a lot after some practice, as a reward so to speak. if you build up a mental problem- it´s the worst thing you can do!!!
another thing that helped me, personally, was, when i first added the classical guitar to my schedule. etudes helped to work on my left hand, which was effective as hell for my solo playing!!!! also it was a good reward to play the tunes, because it´s more fun, than playing scales and working on shops!!!!!
or, what is said about paganinni: he would play most of the time on a cheap and hard to play instrument, then when coming back to his good violine, he was even more impressing
i do this, too. for example: i play legato on my 7-string during the week, then at the weekend i take out my esp kh-2 it´so easy to play all the stuff that i was struggeling with over the week!!!!hope it helps!!!
keep in mind, that muscels have to develope- it´s taking ages sometimes and the better you are, the harder it´s to push it even further!!!!( something i learned doing rpg´s, hehe)
Well, the big problem is that I am getting a little too repetitiv. I mean that I tend to always play the same licks. I was more into fast playing scales, such as some of Chris' solos, and now I am trying to include arpagios into it. I think that my speed is ok, cause in some cases I can be as fast as Christ!!! But the shitty thing is that, as I said, I may need a little more imagination hehe. So, I understand that I should learn solos from many different guys, going from Chris to Satriani. Is there something else which should be good?
P.S. Thx for the welcome!
But the shitty thing is that, as I said, I may need a little more imagination hehe. So, I understand that I should learn solos from many different guys, going from Chris to Satriani. Is there something else which should be good?P.S. Thx for the welcome!
SickBoy
Croatian Panzer division
{D|aBo|uS} said:
I'd definitely recommend slowing down a bit then...
Slow playing makes you think more melodically, cause there's no million notes to fill the space, so you *have* to make it interesting melodic-wise.
Take any golden era Pink Floyd album (Meddle, Dark Side of The Moon, Wish You Were Here, Animals, The Wall) and learn from the master himself - Dave Gilmour.
Take for example songs like Time, Comfortably Numb, Shine On You Crazy Diamond and so forth, you'll find tons of emotion and absolutely no speed there.
If you manage to make interesting slow solos, I reckon there would be less problem when wanting to go berzerk up and down the neck.
The other guitarist I'd very much recommend listening to is Vinnie Moore.
He's really not your average shredder, he has insane skill, but uses it in most melodical way, even when going very technical and fast. Listen to the albums such as Meltdown or Mind's Eye, particularly songs like In Control, Daydream or Meltdown.
Need I mention Marty Friedman and his beautiful soloing in Megadeth, but especially on "Rust In Peace"?
Hey D|aBo|uS,{D|aBo|uS} said:
Everything said in this thread is so far is worth doing. My comment may be less helpful, I think you should practice without expectation. By that I mean if you practice only thinking about what you are trying to improve(ex. I notice my sixtuplets are not dynamically consistant, I will focus on that for practice), you will be much better off than if you are thinking about how good you should sound (how fast am I, how clean do I sound). I've found this leads to a relaxed practice session, and ultimatly realxed execution of what you are trying to do. I have had students in the past that want to be the best, having all the right influences and tutoring, but they ruin thier playing through that idea(sloppy and pourly executed), instead of just practicing to practice. I don't know if this is you or not, but I can tell you that I get caught up in that idea sometimes my self.
I hope somehow this reply helps, Chris.
Well, thx to you both, SickBoy and Christ. The two ideas are kinda different, but complete each other in a certan way I think. Trying to play slower, but without having a too big goal, such as being the best!! hehe! Thx, I'll try to focus on these two things.
hehe! Thx, I'll try to focus on these two things.