Question for Chris....

[Shredfiend]

Quick question.....

Just wondering what you have found to be more beneficial overall to your playing.......doing a lot of improvising and coming up with your own licks and lines or figuring out a other players lines by ear, transcribing and what not.

Just wondering if I should maybe focus more on improv and developing my own licks or maybe start doing more transcribing.

 

[JazzIII]

Good question. I'm curious to hear Chris' answer too.

For me, I'd say do it all. Transcribing will inform other areas of your playing. It'll give you insight on how other players use the basic materials (scales, arpeggios,different techniques etc...) to play the things that make YOU like them. You don't have to do it everyday, but regular transcribing sessions WILL improve your improv...so long as you APPLY what you learned into your own style.


Kel

 

[Chris_Broderick]

Hey Shredfiend,

It depends on what kind of player you want to be. With that said I believe that there should be balance between these so that you are always looking at how to improve the most. Example: If I wanted to be able to play something I techinically couldn't, then I would focus a little more on exercises. If I found I were in situations that I needed to be able to improv I would focus on that. Two side notes,
1.
When I transcribe songs (currently Racer x scit scat wha, Chet Atkins, Micheal lee Firkins) I am not only looking for how to play thier riffs but what makes them so cool. An example of this: I was checking out a few songs of Meshuggah's. Not to be able to play the guitar part but to see what different polyrhythms they were putting over the top of each other, so I took notes on that.

2. A lot of players that are really good can be difficient in some of these areas simply because they are never in a situation that warrents the work. Things like sight reading and improv come to mind. If you want to be a versitlie player you should work on all of these things.

I know this wasn't a simple strait forward ansewer but I hope it helps a little.
Chris.