putting this off for too long (shredding content)

[TheWinterSnow]

I have managed to put off practicing for so many years, as a result for playing for 10 years I should be leaps and bounds better than where I am at. Why haven't I gotten very far? Because I am self taught and up to a point its been difficult to find any online lessons and instructional DVD's on advanced rhythm playing and lead playing. Anything you can find on the internet regarding "shredding" is nothing more than chromatic scales and licks that already expect you to have some basics.

So I can't find shit on instructional, so please recommend me something, instructionals, DVD's web sites you name it I would be forever in your debt.

 

[JeffTD]

I'm completely self taught and have been playing just under 10 years - it can definitely be done, duder!

The Petrucci DVD and the Paul Gilbert instructional videos are what did the best for me. Also just learning a shit ton of tasty shred songs... Gilbert, Petrucci has his moments, Michael Romeo, Satriani, etc.

 

[TheWinterSnow]

I'm completely self taught and have been playing just under 10 years - it can definitely be done, duder!

The Petrucci DVD and the Paul Gilbert instructional videos are what did the best for me. Also just learning a shit ton of tasty shred songs... Gilbert, Petrucci has his moments, Michael Romeo, Satriani, etc.

yeah I know it can be done, I just need the right materials. I have an uncle who is an insane guitar player and he is all self taught. The Petrucci DVD is a little intimidating as he has much more difficult arpeggio and string skipping before going into scales and modes.

While that is cool having warmups, after I warm up I would like to have actual material to learn rather than just trying to create stuff with scales that I learned. My goal is to get my chops up so that I can learn solos from songs that I like. That is the same way that I got my rhythm chops up, I learned other band's songs and then used that material to write my own or at least to familiarize myself with scales, patterns and licks and even still my bang of lick "library" is lacking.

 

[Nebulous]

I'm in the same book as you dude. I started a thread just the other day about a similar situation I'm in at the moment.
For me it's a matter of going back to basics as I realised that I was playing way too tense, so I'm going back to slow speeds to concentrate on technique and to teach myself to play loose. You will never play fast if you're tight and have bad habits/ technique.

If you're like me and don't like practicing things for too long without getting better/ faster, start with learning some harder things to play slow as a warm up, then learn some intermediate material to play once you're warmed up. I preffer that way round as it means that I don't have to rush the hard stuff and then the easier stuff will be played better and you can play more of those songs so that you're not as bored because you're repeating yourself too much.

 

[amarshism]

Unfortunately it's just a natter of putting in the time with a metronome to build up
the technical chops. Define what you want to be as a guitar player before launching into
an unfocused regiment that will only serve to demotivate you.

 

[professorlamp]

What i used to do and still do , is make a song that is hard for you to play but not completely out of your reach, that way you're improving and its got a benefit of creativity/musicality
oh and get some jazz dvds

 

[Wisheraser]

www.chopsfromhell.com has some excellent exercises from guys like Francesco Fareri, Chris Broderick, and our own Mr. James Murphy. Check out the free Columns section.

 

[Nuno Filipe]

Dude Francesco Fareri sucks so hard.

Learn to play all kind of shit. The inspiration comes from there. There are techinques the seem very hard but they arent. A few years ago I was fascinated with fast guitar Arpeggios. Today I know how to do some skilfull Arpeggios and I dont use it. Ironic isnt?lol Well I dont use them in that shred way but it´s very usefull in composition to brake that predictable standards. I am in a time that I prefer a solo given with 1 or 2 notes but with feeling and in the right place that 3498756873465 notes with Arpeggios, tapping, alternate picking at 250 bmps and all that shit.

But note that I am not underestimating a good technique. She is really important. It´s also important to know all the shit that you can know to have option to choose what it´s better for you needs

 

[TheWinterSnow]

As much as I love the help, I hate to break it you you dudes, but most of the answered really wasn't what I was asking for. I can find warm up scales anywhere that will help with practicing scales. Problem is that doesn't make me better at leads, I need basic training on lead playing that isn't extremely beyond my level of playing (which is very basic at the moment).

Chops from hell is so unorganized and all the columns that I have read over the years require that you already know how to shred pretty hard, same thing goes for Mr. Fastfingers.

 

[Nuno Filipe]

As much as I love the help, I hate to break it you you dudes, but most of the answered really wasn't what I was asking for. I can find warm up scales anywhere that will help with practicing scales. Problem is that doesn't make me better at leads, I need basic training on lead playing that isn't extremely beyond my level of playing (which is very basic at the moment).

Chops from hell is so unorganized and all the columns that I have read over the years require that you already know how to shred pretty hard, same thing goes for Mr. Fastfingers.

So, learn a lot of maiden songs, all those harmonies and solos are quite easy and they will improve a lot your leading skills.

 

[Jind]

As much as I love the help, I hate to break it you you dudes, but most of the answered really wasn't what I was asking for. I can find warm up scales anywhere that will help with practicing scales. Problem is that doesn't make me better at leads, I need basic training on lead playing that isn't extremely beyond my level of playing (which is very basic at the moment).

Chops from hell is so unorganized and all the columns that I have read over the years require that you already know how to shred pretty hard, same thing goes for Mr. Fastfingers.

If you really want some basic stuff but geared towards metal in general, get the Troy Stetina stuff. Speed Mechanics for Lead Guitar, Metal Lead Guitar Primer, vol 1, and vol 2. I don't think you can go wrong with them. They are a good basis to work from and I find Troy's books to be well laid out and thorough.

 

[Nebulous]

If you're like me and don't like practicing things for too long without getting better/ faster, start with learning some harder things to play slow as a warm up, then learn some intermediate material to play once you're warmed up. I preffer that way round as it means that I don't have to rush the hard stuff and then the easier stuff will be played better and you can play more of those songs so that you're not as bored because you're repeating yourself too much.

As much as I love the help, I hate to break it you you dudes, but most of the answered really wasn't what I was asking for. I can find warm up scales anywhere that will help with practicing scales. Problem is that doesn't make me better at leads, I need basic training on lead playing that isn't extremely beyond my level of playing (which is very basic at the moment).

Don't practice scales then, pracitce solos that are hard at slow speed as your warm up, then move onto things at full speed which are not as hard.

 

[amarshism]

Develop the mechanics of your technique then.

 

[Force666]

 

[Wisheraser]

Dude Francesco Fareri sucks so hard.

Learn to play all kind of shit. The inspiration comes from there. There are techinques the seem very hard but they arent. A few years ago I was fascinated with fast guitar Arpeggios. Today I know how to do some skilfull Arpeggios and I dont use it. Ironic isnt?lol Well I dont use them in that shred way but it´s very usefull in composition to brake that predictable standards. I am in a time that I prefer a solo given with 1 or 2 notes but with feeling and in the right place that 3498756873465 notes with Arpeggios, tapping, alternate picking at 250 bmps and all that shit.

But note that I am not underestimating a good technique. She is really important. It´s also important to know all the shit that you can know to have option to choose what it´s better for you needs

I never said it was entertaining to listen to, just that they had good exercises, lol. Totally agree with you. Learning crazy "meedly meedly meedly" stuff is good for developing finger independence (something I still need an ass load of work on), but they're certainly not something to draw writing inspiration from.

So like pretty much everyone else has said, just learn leads from songs you like that are a little bit too hard for you. Play them slow at first. Then once you've absolutely mastered it at that tempo, gradually build up your speed.

 

[Nebulous]

Of cource some people may require lessons from a teacher with good technique as the interaction makes it more interesting and learning quicker. Just another option.

 

[TheWinterSnow]

So, learn a lot of maiden songs, all those harmonies and solos are quite easy and they will improve a lot your leading skills.

This! I will try to get back into the old school stuff that I used to listen to, Metallica and whatnot, will pick up on iron maiden, megadeth etc.

If you really want some basic stuff but geared towards metal in general, get the Troy Stetina stuff. Speed Mechanics for Lead Guitar, Metal Lead Guitar Primer, vol 1, and vol 2. I don't think you can go wrong with them. They are a good basis to work from and I find Troy's books to be well laid out and thorough.

will check it out. I want to stay away from books, other than the fact that I hate reading, even if I do read a book most of the time I hardly get anything out of it as I am a visual learner.

Don't practice scales then, pracitce solos that are hard at slow speed as your warm up, then move onto things at full speed which are not as hard.

this is where my whole problem started, when I try to play nothing but chromatic scale and diatonic scales all day and get really good at them, even when I try to learn solos from bands that I like, even as simple as most are, they are still over my head. I can play the songs slow, but as I speed up, I will hit a point no matter how much I practice it, I can't increase my speed. I have this maximum speed I can play before I can't think fast enough to stay ahead of what I am doing.

Develop the mechanics of your technique then.

I know this, I was more asking for materials/guides that would help me other than scale/rudiments which I already have.

THIS, I NEED THAT! All hail the pick of destiny!

Of cource some people may require lessons from a teacher with good technique as the interaction makes it more interesting and learning quicker. Just another option.

I am just a visual learner. I would love to hear which lesson DVDs are really worth checking out so that I can get into some of them.

 

[Wisheraser]

As mentioned earlier, some of the Lick Library stuff is pretty cool. Check this one out

 

[JMarz]

I'm completely self taught and have been playing just under 10 years - it can definitely be done, duder!

The Petrucci DVD and the Paul Gilbert instructional videos are what did the best for me. Also just learning a shit ton of tasty shred songs... Gilbert, Petrucci has his moments, Michael Romeo, Satriani, etc.

Yeah but you suck though.

 

[Jind]

Sorry to say, but if you don't want to read (aside from the fact that websites generally require that skill), an instructor is going to be your best bet. Quite frankly it's also probably going to be your best bang for the buck too. You will see much faster progress and increase in skill having someone monitoring it. If you have basic skills, an instructor can immediately work out a plan for you (as long as you find a good one.)

Take me for example - I searched for and found an instructor not far from me that fit my exact needs. I did not want an old fogy (older than me if you can believe ) strumming his acoustic and teaching me "Mary Had a Little Lamb". I found someone my age (once again older than many of you, but young enough that it's all metal all the time ), with the same interests (eerily the same), and was educated in the aspects I was most interested in harmony and theory. Having someone focus my effort helped immensely, even a half hour a week with someone monitoring it is the way to go. Seek and ye shall find my friend.