General Music Chat

i think you should check out glens playing before you decide that his advice would lead to an improvement

Josh - don't worry about the pissy old drunks here. Just keep playing.

Josh there are so many sources of teaching info on the internet, chose songs that you like, go to youtube for videos, I mean I am old, I used to slow down records to learns stuff, you guys today have it so easy, if you want to learn a song you just look it up, kinda takes all the work out of it.

People mention timing get some sort of metronome and play to it at various tempos, I use a drum machine at time and just plug in whatever pattern is there and just play to it, changing tempos and stuff.

Another suggestion slow down to build speed, play things real slow so you really feel what you are doing and then gradually increase the speed.

Josh there are so many sources of teaching info on the internet, chose songs that you like, go to youtube for videos, I mean I am old, I used to slow down records to learns stuff, you guys today have it so easy, if you want to learn a song you just look it up, kinda takes all the work out of it.

People mention timing get some sort of metronome and play to it at various tempos, I use a drum machine at time and just plug in whatever pattern is there and just play to it, changing tempos and stuff.

Another suggestion slow down to build speed, play things real slow so you really feel what you are doing and then gradually increase the speed.

my biggest problem is that I dont know what solos are "easy" without SOUNDING easy. I listen to 70's- 80's hard rock/ metal, so if you could give me a few "easy" solos that would be great!

Josh, Crazy Train Randy Rhoads is a classic, Whole Lotta Love Page thats a classic.

If you want easy then study ZZ Top, mainly blues.

I think you should research the blues pentatonic scale, and its different postitions on the fretboard, this is what I got my basis for everything from. Its a movable scale for any key, not that Im that great, but if I sit in with someone and dont really know the song but identify the key, then I can play over the top and make it sound like I know what Im doing, this scale is good for heavy hard rock, I got one listen to Living After Midnite, its in the E pentatonic scale, just research this scale, its a good start.

You need to try to learn songs that you like, whatever they are, take your favorite song, look it up on youtube and I guarantee you someone has a breakdown of that song, its easy.

These days even an old fart like me will look at these lessons if I need to know a new tune, its too easy, compared to listening and fumbling thru it.

Josh, playing lead takes a lot of practice. You have to learn to pick single notes as opposed to strumming chords. Learn the blues scale and practice picking through scales. Like the guys already said, there are a ton of videos out there to get you started. Go slow and don't get frustrated. Practice, practice, practice and then practice some more.

Josh,
A lot of people gave some good advice here, mine may be as good as anyone else's or maybe not.

I'm self taught.

I played rhythm guitar for almost 20 years before officially doing any lead work. I was happy with rhythm for a long time until playing lead became a necessity in a band I was in.

Anyways... What I quickly found was that I didn't have "chops" magically. I just like you, tried to learn scales and thought that would lead me to great leads, but it didn't, in fact, it was the opposite effect. I was just going up and down scales with no real idea of phrasing. Phrasing is EVERYTHING.

If you listen to the masters like Gilmour and Clapton, you realize neither are speed demons, but are still considered gods among guitarists, simply because of their phrasing.

So how does that help you? Well, when I started teaching guitar, I forced my students to do a solo, starting with only two notes, 1 step apart. Bend em however you want, but you only get those two frets on that one string.

Now tell a story with two notes That's phrasing in a nutshell.

If I can do it, anyone can. It's basically about learning to walk before you learn how to run. If you just learned to walk yesterday, and you try and run, you will look like a retarded kid running.. same with guitar. Start simple and work your way up. It's the best way, especially if you are self-teaching.

But believe me, there's nothing worse than watching someone solo when they still are working out rhythm and timing. It's painful.

Josh, playing lead takes a lot of practice. You have to learn to pick single notes as opposed to strumming chords. Learn the blues scale and practice picking through scales. Like the guys already said, there are a ton of videos out there to get you started. Go slow and don't get frustrated. Practice, practice, practice and then practice some more.

^^ Great advice.

The scales that you would often find in modern guitar driven music would include: Pentatonic Minor and Major (Blues/Rock), Major Scale (Ionian), Natural Minor (Aeolian) and Melodic Minor (Jazz etc.). There are multitudes of info, fingerings and graphs you can find on the internet that you can practice with a metronome. Again, being a lead guitarist takes time and countless hours of practice. My top players like Guthrie Govan, Al DiMeola and Tony MacAlpine all practiced religiously. Practicing with a metronome at a slow tempo will help your finger independence and alternate picking. This would be a good place to start.

Don't forget, lead guitarists get all the chicks also.

Guys,, Guys,,, You are giving some great advice, ,, but this is too a kid that has been playing for 11 months. Probably never payed for one lesson. Can't even name the notes on one string. Admittedly stated he has no clue about musical theory. Has NO music posted. Is basically a newbie guitar player asking questions that are way over his head.

And personally, is just another offensive little troll.
I don't really care.... I doubt he does. He finally has someone to talk too.

Don't forget, lead guitarists get all the chicks also.

Oh yeah,,,
I bet you do!

pretty sad,
this kid buys a guitar plays hard falls in love with it;
decides to go on the net a find someone who shares his enthusiasm
and what dose he find?
some filthy, drunk, bitter old fat man named Glenny j
man It is a cruel world
ain't it?

truth be told the kids probably already better than glenny after one year.

You really assume a lot .

When you learn how to play guitar, come back and give some advice.
When you learn how to play music, come back and give some advice.

Now I know this may be difficult,,,, Remove one or both hands from your personal parts, find a musical instrument, use the same stroking motion, and with the same vigorous practice, in no time at all the only stains you will be leaving around,,,, will be in our ears.

You really assume a lot .

When you learn how to play guitar, come back and give some advice.
When you learn how to play music, come back and give some advice.

Now I know this may be difficult,,,, Remove one or both hands from your personal parts, find a musical instrument, use the same stroking motion, and with the same vigorous practice, in no time at all the only stains you will be leaving around,,,, will be in our ears.

well I guess we now know how you came by your talent!

I have to say I think someone's over reacting. This kid has posted nothing I see that is "pissy" or "whiny" or "smart assed", he has responded surprisingly well compared to most 17 year olds I've seen online, and the first thing someone does is misinterpret a comment and start bashing.

Second, I doubt if this is GLambert, nowhere near the same language and whiny attitude. He's only been playing a year, I don't expect to see any music posted yet...

Sorry, but I think someone is out of line here..

OK Josh, you have some good advice. See what you can do with it. Maybe I can expand a bit...

Always remember the thee P's

Practice
Practice
Practice

I think it was Kramer who mentioned trying to see what you can do with just two notes. Another idea is to try and see what you can do with only one finger, and one string. That's it. One string, one finger. You'd be surprised. That's one of the things I did long ago, still do at times.

Find a copy of Neil Young's "My My Hey Hey." He did acoustic and electric versions, the acoustic may be better for this. Pretty simple, but not your typical rhythm work. Work on it till you can play it in the dark. (You can use this for lots of things too), but this is a fairly easy guitar part that also makes you learn how to use your fingers and move them to different positions constantly same as when you do leads. It's kind of part lead, part rhythm. Lets you work on finger coordination and working pick and fingers together.

You can find other songs like that. Pink Floyd "Welcome to the Machine" would work. when i started practicing in the dark, I was much more advanced than you, 15 years playing, but I worked on Peter Frampton's "Penny for Your Thoughts" in a completely darkened room. Can't see your hand a foot in front of your face dark. I worked on that one, Stairway to Heaven, several other tunes I already knew, but in total darkness. In that environment your hands learn to remember where the frets are without looking.

Note a lot of this is also finger picking. I'm a big fan of finger picking. I started learning it because every time I dropped a pick onstage I was lost. Had to run back to the amp and grab another one. (they didn't make those spiffy pick holders for mic stands then, back in the dark ages...lol) So I started finger picking and playing in total darkness, so I wouldn't have to look at the neck any more. I also wanted to see what it was like to try and play without being able to see...Roy Orbison, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles...made me wonder...what's that like?

A lot of other good stuff has already been covered. Pick out something easy and play along with it. Slow things down. (very good one there, I don't know how many times I've played a 45 rpm record at 33rpm) Definitely work on timing. Metronome, drum machine, play along with commercial recordings...whatever, but develop good timing.

As far as easy stuff to begin on, a lot of ZZ Top stuff is not complicated, the first two solos I learned were Stairway to Heaven and Clapton's "Bell Bottom Blues". I wanted to figure out how he did what I later found out were pick harmonics, which Billy Gibbons turned into an art form. Then I went on to other things...Penny For Your Thoughts, Allman Brothers tunes, and a lot of other things.

Another thing I always liked to do is find an open mic and sit in. OK you'll have to wait a while for that, they won't let 17 year olds into most clubs...but find some people and try to get together and just jam. Whatever comes up, try it. So what if it falls apart halfway through. Do you think any band you can think of started off doing entire, complete songs from day 1???

Get an acoustic. Acoustic will give your fingers some great exercise, and it's totally different from electric. It also makes you play clean and distinct. Once you can master clean and clear on an acoustic, you can switch to electric and make it sound good. I always warm up for gigs on an acoustic.