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Newer player - can you tell me some areas to focus on?

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  • #16
    Re: Newer player - can you tell me some areas to focus on?

    Originally posted by ICTGoober View Post
    Practice is learning the mechanics of playing, it's not playing music.

    I'm referring to learning scales, running finger and strumming exercises, etc. It's stuff we do, so we can then... play music.

    You are actually talking about rehearsing....
    To piggyback off this, as someone who has felt very limited by my playing, is in addition to learning scales also learn you modes. It will help a lot later when you start to write your own music. I fell into having a lot of my music using the same chords/key and eventually it felt like it was all i could write. If i had learned the basics earlier i honestly feel I would be much better than i was/am.
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    • #17
      Re: Newer player - can you tell me some areas to focus on?

      You seemed to nail the hardest part - that tapping/harmonic stuff. That part sounded great.

      I kinda don't like the beginning part of the solo in general. I'd do your own thing over that part, maybe keeping some of the original.

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      • #18
        Re: Newer player - can you tell me some areas to focus on?

        Originally posted by NoOnesFang13 View Post
        To piggyback off this, as someone who has felt very limited by my playing, is in addition to learning scales also learn you modes. It will help a lot later when you start to write your own music. I fell into having a lot of my music using the same chords/key and eventually it felt like it was all i could write. If i had learned the basics earlier i honestly feel I would be much better than i was/am.
        Once you know the major scale, you know all the modes. It's just a matter of learning to target intervals at that point.
        Join me in the fight against muscular atrophy!

        Originally posted by Douglas Adams
        This planet has - or rather had - a problem, which was this: most of the people living on it were unhappy for pretty much of the time. Many solutions were suggested for this problem, but most of these were largely concerned with the movements of small green pieces of paper, which is odd because on the whole it wasn't the small green pieces of paper that were unhappy.

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        • #19
          Re: Newer player - can you tell me some areas to focus on?

          Originally posted by GuitarStv View Post
          Once you know the major scale, you know all the modes. It's just a matter of learning to target intervals at that point.
          Sorry I didn't even see these later replies. I really need to work on that though. Unfortunately, I don't really know many scales or chords I've been focused so much on playing tabs or songs that I like that I really have neglected that. I need to get back to it. Especially since I can only practice for 1 hr 2 hrs max a day I tend to gravitate towards what I like playing which is the songs/licks. I will put some more discipline into this though. I know the G major scale, And the C Major scale run (From the video above), the e minor pentatonic, the open G chord, D, A, Em, and a few power chords and that's it lol.
          Last edited by chillytouch; 11-13-2019, 12:27 PM.

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          • #20
            Re: Newer player - can you tell me some areas to focus on?

            Sometime a real life meetup group can help, and of course, if you can, a teacher- who can set goals for you to achieve.
            Administrator of the SDUGF

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            • #21
              Re: Newer player - can you tell me some areas to focus on?

              Well, good news!


              You know a lot more scales than you think. If you can play the E minor pentatonic scale in open position, then you can play it at the 12th fret. If you can play it at the 12th fret you can move the whole pattern up or down a few frets to play in other keys. (Up three frets is G min pentatonic, down two frets D min pentatonic, etc.) So you actually know all of the minor pentatonic scales. But there's even more good news . . . you also know the notes of all of the major pentatonic scales too! E min = G maj. A min = C maj. D min = F maj, etc.

              The same holds true with your major/minor scales. The G major (Ionian) scale is also the E minor (Aeolian) scale. Now for something even cooler . . . modal theory! G major is also A Dorian, B Phrygian, C Lydian, D Mixolydian, and F# Locrian! To get the particular sound of a mode you would target certain notes in the scale while playing over a certain chord. So if you take your G major scale and play it over a G major chord, paying the most attention to the root (G), 3rd (B), and 5th (D) of the chord you'll get a happy, major sound. If you take your G major scale and play it over an E minor chord, paying the most attention to the root E, b3rd (G), b7th (D), and maybe the b6th (C) you'll hear a sad, minor sound. If you take your G major scale and play it over an Amin6 (or even just an A minor), paying attention to the root (A), b3rd (C), b7th (G), and the 6th (F#) you'll hear the dorian mode . . . minor, with a major 6th. Etc.

              You have most of the theory building blocks you need now to play just about anything. Which can be kinda overwhelming. I'd suggest you start by simplifying. Learn to see arpeggio shapes on the fretboard, then start improvising using only the notes of the chords that are playing in the background. When you start to get a handle on this, then you start adding in additional notes one at a time to avoid being overwhelmed. Before you know it, you're using theory all the time without really having to think about it.
              Join me in the fight against muscular atrophy!

              Originally posted by Douglas Adams
              This planet has - or rather had - a problem, which was this: most of the people living on it were unhappy for pretty much of the time. Many solutions were suggested for this problem, but most of these were largely concerned with the movements of small green pieces of paper, which is odd because on the whole it wasn't the small green pieces of paper that were unhappy.

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              • #22
                Re: Newer player - can you tell me some areas to focus on?

                Originally posted by GuitarStv View Post
                Well, good news!


                You know a lot more scales than you think. If you can play the E minor pentatonic scale in open position, then you can play it at the 12th fret. If you can play it at the 12th fret you can move the whole pattern up or down a few frets to play in other keys. (Up three frets is G min pentatonic, down two frets D min pentatonic, etc.) So you actually know all of the minor pentatonic scales. But there's even more good news . . . you also know the notes of all of the major pentatonic scales too! E min = G maj. A min = C maj. D min = F maj, etc.

                The same holds true with your major/minor scales. The G major (Ionian) scale is also the E minor (Aeolian) scale. Now for something even cooler . . . modal theory! G major is also A Dorian, B Phrygian, C Lydian, D Mixolydian, and F# Locrian! To get the particular sound of a mode you would target certain notes in the scale while playing over a certain chord. So if you take your G major scale and play it over a G major chord, paying the most attention to the root (G), 3rd (B), and 5th (D) of the chord you'll get a happy, major sound. If you take your G major scale and play it over an E minor chord, paying the most attention to the root E, b3rd (G), b7th (D), and maybe the b6th (C) you'll hear a sad, minor sound. If you take your G major scale and play it over an Amin6 (or even just an A minor), paying attention to the root (A), b3rd (C), b7th (G), and the 6th (F#) you'll hear the dorian mode . . . minor, with a major 6th. Etc.

                You have most of the theory building blocks you need now to play just about anything. Which can be kinda overwhelming. I'd suggest you start by simplifying. Learn to see arpeggio shapes on the fretboard, then start improvising using only the notes of the chords that are playing in the background. When you start to get a handle on this, then you start adding in additional notes one at a time to avoid being overwhelmed. Before you know it, you're using theory all the time without really having to think about it.
                Just reading that was overwhelming but I get what you're saying haha. I need to study up on my theory.

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                • #23
                  Re: Newer player - can you tell me some areas to focus on?

                  Just an update:
                  I've been taking everyones advice and practicing a bunch. I think I am getting there. Sounds better to me at least (maybe more natural? 2:20). Idk why but I feel like the intro solo sounds bad too lol. Now more work to do on that!



                  Thanks for the help everyone I really appreciate it. I worked really hard at starting to add vibrato to the top of those bends.
                  Last edited by chillytouch; 11-16-2019, 05:20 PM.

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                  • #24
                    Re: Newer player - can you tell me some areas to focus on?

                    It's coming along!
                    Join me in the fight against muscular atrophy!

                    Originally posted by Douglas Adams
                    This planet has - or rather had - a problem, which was this: most of the people living on it were unhappy for pretty much of the time. Many solutions were suggested for this problem, but most of these were largely concerned with the movements of small green pieces of paper, which is odd because on the whole it wasn't the small green pieces of paper that were unhappy.

                    Comment


                    • #25
                      Re: Newer player - can you tell me some areas to focus on?

                      Originally posted by GuitarStv View Post
                      It's coming along!
                      Thank you, I have been looking for some other non-van halen stuff to practice as I've been mainly practicing this, the intro to 5150, ain't talkin bout love, dance the night away, and 316.

                      I came across the song "I'm alright" by Neil Zaza. Never even heard of him before, guess I'm under a rock. But, man that song is beautiful.

                      Do you think at my level I may be able to get that intro down (the opening 30 second riff)? I Would really love to dive into that.

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                      • #26
                        Re: Newer player - can you tell me some areas to focus on?

                        Yeah, you can do that intro with some practice no problem. That riff sounds fun to play, it's mostly just arpeggiated 8th notes and the occasional triplet pull-off. Watch carefully how he hooks his thumb over the top of the guitar to get the leverage to do the wide vibrato on the intro riff note: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QadSVWXF_ks

                        I'd strongly encourage you to learn some scales/modes so that you start to figure out why he's playing the notes that he's playing. This will help you in remembering songs as you learn them, rather than simply memorizing locations on the fretboard for your fingers to go (which is what I spent way too long doing while learning to play guitar).




                        Check out Satriani's song 'Crush of Love' too. Seems like the kind of tune you go for, and has a lot of opportunity to practice your vibrato on held notes.
                        Join me in the fight against muscular atrophy!

                        Originally posted by Douglas Adams
                        This planet has - or rather had - a problem, which was this: most of the people living on it were unhappy for pretty much of the time. Many solutions were suggested for this problem, but most of these were largely concerned with the movements of small green pieces of paper, which is odd because on the whole it wasn't the small green pieces of paper that were unhappy.

                        Comment


                        • #27
                          Re: Newer player - can you tell me some areas to focus on?

                          Originally posted by GuitarStv View Post
                          Yeah, you can do that intro with some practice no problem. That riff sounds fun to play, it's mostly just arpeggiated 8th notes and the occasional triplet pull-off. Watch carefully how he hooks his thumb over the top of the guitar to get the leverage to do the wide vibrato on the intro riff note: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QadSVWXF_ks

                          I'd strongly encourage you to learn some scales/modes so that you start to figure out why he's playing the notes that he's playing. This will help you in remembering songs as you learn them, rather than simply memorizing locations on the fretboard for your fingers to go (which is what I spent way too long doing while learning to play guitar).




                          Check out Satriani's song 'Crush of Love' too. Seems like the kind of tune you go for, and has a lot of opportunity to practice your vibrato on held notes.
                          Will do. This Thursday at my lesson I'm going to tell my teacher I want to spend more time on learning the notes/how to know what key someone is playing in, etc. I'm getting better now at matching the tone with the fret but I can't come up with the note off the top of my head quickly. I have to sit there and count half steps down the frets if that makes sense. I will check that song out too!

                          Thank you very much again

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                          • #28
                            Re: Newer player - can you tell me some areas to focus on?

                            Ended up finding this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_LSt9Qz81Y&t=533s

                            This was exactly what I needed. It is the tutorial for the notes but he also explains what the chords are and how they relate. Perfect for me.

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                            • #29
                              Re: Newer player - can you tell me some areas to focus on?

                              I've always found that learning theory seems to work best by bits of it as they're applied in songs you like. You can eventually get any song down by learning the places on the fretboard to play, but once you understand why your hands are going there you start to become a musician. Then you can apply the same techniques and ideas to your own compositions and soloing.
                              Join me in the fight against muscular atrophy!

                              Originally posted by Douglas Adams
                              This planet has - or rather had - a problem, which was this: most of the people living on it were unhappy for pretty much of the time. Many solutions were suggested for this problem, but most of these were largely concerned with the movements of small green pieces of paper, which is odd because on the whole it wasn't the small green pieces of paper that were unhappy.

                              Comment


                              • #30
                                Re: Newer player - can you tell me some areas to focus on?

                                https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PzM7riPCg4

                                well, got the notes down. now just gotta clean it up and make it sound good!

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