General Music Chat

I've seen some players who get so tangled up in musical knowledge that they can't really play without sitting down & analyzing every little note. That's no way to go, imo

Couldn't agree more.

Close your eyes and play. Don't think, play.

Scales belong on fish, I leave them there. Never practiced a scale in my life, (except major scales to learn sax in high school, and then only because it was required...hated every minute of it...) I wouldn't know a ionian from a phrygian from a delorean scale. I play what feels right and leave it at that, no need to analyze it, put it under a microscope...turn the knob all the way to the right and play...

http://www.guitarshredshow.com/

If you want GOOD info on scales and modes.

And actually MR.Fast Finger is Steve Vai.

Just look at the lessons and enjoy it. I generally copy the tab and break it all down. I don't use it all, but it is a detailed explanation of what is and what isn't, no opinions or conjecture.

good advice... listen to steve vai... look at the scale/shapes he will suggest as an example... (all three notes per string)... look at his 10 hour workout... lots of playing scales by skipping intervals... 3rds, 4ths, 5ths... etc.

one can only go so far with feel... and one can only go so far with knowledge... find your happy medium - your voice.

It also depends on how you wanna play... if you wanna play like steve vai you are def going to have to learn scales... if you wanna play like bbking... you can get by with the pentatonic scale alone - for the most part.

again, there are only 7 patterns in western music (and these seven can be condensed down into one simple pattern that repeats ie- 3 notes per string)...

with these seven patterns learned you can instantly play any key -any mode - in any position - blind folded. I'd like to insert a bunch of example scale shapes but this site is not designed to make it easy for you...

one thing you might try is getting your ear used to the mode...

play a g7 bar chord(bar the third fret all the way across... ring finger on 5th fret of the a string, middle finder on fourth fret of the g string)

now play g mixolydian in position...
on e string 3rd, then 5th then 7th fret
on a string 3rd, 5th, 7th
then d string 3rd 5th 7th
then g 4,5,7
then b 5,6,8
then e 5,7,8

-that's one of the seven patterns... note the three notes per string... the root note is the lowest note on the e string(3rd fret) which coincides with the lowest note in the chord (also the root of the chord (g))

a fun practice might be to play the chord (g7) and add in random notes from the scale - they will all work... so reach that pinkie finger to the 5th fret of the high e string while holding down the rest of the g7 chord... we just made a polychord!
let me know if any of this makes sense...[/img]

This video should spell it out for you man.. As far as I'm concerned, Steve Vai is the most knowledgeable guitar soloist in the world.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDx6dtr2T50

It's good to know your scales, but don't put a whole lot of stock in them. Phrasing your scales to speak is much more important.

Peace.

Hey I finally got around to watching that, turns out I had watched it a couple of months ago lol. Good stuff, but Vai is really on a different planet than I see myself on. I agree with his points on phrasing, which is a huge part of soloing.

However, since I've learned a few scales and modes and have been working on how to apply them, I'm starting to latch on much faster and be able to hit far less sour notes when soloing to new rhythms. There's something to be said for at least learning the basic scales.

Unfortunately for me, phrasing can't be taught. I really need help in that department. I pulled down the soloing demo I did cause after I listened back, I realized how piss-poor the phrasing was.

Dude, shut up and play guitar!!!


Dont post stuff that you arent proud of

vai's approach to phrasing is about as good as it gets IMO...
look at the 10hr workout...
better yet just apply the technique:
practice any scale playing intervals...
play the notes in the pattern in this order to get thirds down...

1,2,3
2,3,4
3,4,5
etc
etc

then skip every other note...
1,3
2,4
3,5
4,6
etc
etc

then fourths
1,2,3,4
2,3,4,5
3,4,5,6
etc

learning these intervals tunes your ear, will increase dexterity, improves pick technique, helps you cement in the shapes.

ie g mixolydian in thirds... (think three note groups)
e------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
b------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
g--------------------------------------------------------------4----4-5-------------
d--------------------------------------3----3-5--3-5-7--5-7----7------------------
a--------------3----3-5--3-5-7--5-7----7------------------------------------------
e-3-5-7--5-7----7------------------------------------------------------------------

or, you could say screw it, & get a set of bagpipes, & just go frikin nuts...
st the least, you'll attract some attention..

and, the scale isn't really an issue either..

Dude, shut up and play guitar!!!


Dont post stuff that you arent proud of

dude.. I was really tired when I recorded it and it honestly sounded better when I posted it lol. The next day I listened to it and was like eek that sucked lol.

I'm at work right now so all I can do is talk about it

Unfortunately for me, phrasing can't be taught. I really need help in that department. I pulled down the soloing demo I did cause after I listened back, I realized how piss-poor the phrasing was.

I learned from Iron Maiden --- breakyour solos into digestable blocks. Play a lick or run, let it sink in with the listener, play another.
David Gilmour does this to an even greater degree.

I learned from Vai and Santana --- Hold a conversation. Let the single notes be your voice. Kind of ties into the digestable blocks idea.
If someone never stops talking, and there are constant words a flowing, I tune them right out.
So talk. Sing 'mother F'er' in your head, then try to play it like you sang it in your head on the guitar. (thanks Santana).

Little excercise that has nothing to do with scales or modes:
(Not mine -- From a Satriani article a loong time ago. i think he got it from some jazz cats)

Play a note on your guitar. Now try to sing that note. Match it as close as you can.
Play another note, pause, sing that note. Etc.
After youve been doing that for awhile, turn the process around --
Sing a note. Find the note on your guitar, and play it. Repeat.
The more you do it, the less time it takes to sing a note, find it on the guitar, and play it. Or vice versa.

Why all of this madness??
1) It will help your ear quite a bit.
2) It will help you to become a passable singer if you are borderline.
3) You can reach a point where you dont worry so much about scales and modes, and move into the world of 'Sing it your head, play it on guitar'.

I dont think there are better examples of phrasing than conversation or singing a random tune.
Of course, I'm no lead guitar wiz or anything. But this stuff has helped me.

I'll revisit the Modes thing later.

Wow Shredd, That poor bastard just should give up and go home.
Maybe tomorrow will be a better day.

Check this out Sans..

You are not alone. Even Kirk from Metallica feels our pain sometimes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=546KjKMB9kw&NR=1

Actually... if you get to where youre just doodling with leads all the time, and get away from that type of riffing or rythm playing, youd be suprised what can trip you up.
Many a time ive had something that should be simple trip me up. Sometimes your brain just blips, or the rythm is something that youre not comfortable hearing, etc.
I think this type of thing happens to most all of us. Its just that most of us dont roll cameras at all times and ship it out for the whole world to see.

Also, for haters, try to play that riff first before forming an opinion. (Especially up to speed)

Dude, I wasn't hatin on the poor bastard, I was sharing his pain. Some nights the best thing I can do is put my guitar on the rack and have a beer.

Oh, that wasnt aimed at ya sans - just a general outburst of mine because I read a bunch of dummy youtube comments on it.


Some nights I feel the same way. Except one night, instead of hanging it up I threw an acoustic to the floor and stomped the crap out of it.
(Just a cheapy garage sale guitar though. My sisters actually )

Man, I did that to a tennis raquet once. I sure felt better after. I did however look rather foolish.