I could use some tips...I Thought I Knew It All

[NorseWolf]

My dilemma....

I stared playing guitar 13 years ago, broke all the rules of good practice techniques. All I wanted to do was play fast, and thats what I worked at, with out starting out slow...lol.

Anyway, I haven't really played in about 5 yrs, and I could use some good tips on practicing. I tend to overwhelm myself with stuff to practice, and then never get it all done. I'm gettin a better by the day actually, have lotsa stuff to practice.

I also have never had a guitar teacher, but I'm good with theory.

What should I practice, or how many techniques, at a time. I have all the Art of Picking columns, and a few others. I have tons of scale patterns, or whatever, I can make any pattern I want, thats not a problem. I'm playing straight up and down 2 octave scales for now to get my fingers back in shape, and a bunch of other exercises.

Another thing...I have the poorest skills for writing tunes. I have nothing to show for 13 yrs, and I've never jammed but a dozen times with other players. You all are probably like...OMFG...lmao
So, here I am back in the saddle, and I'm not gonna think I know it all this time around.

I have to get it right this time...lmao, I'm a little embarrassed here...I also, ya'all ain't gonna believe this, have never played standing up, and damn is it gonna take some stretching of the hand...whew...surprised the heck outta me.

Oh well....I learned how to say no to drugs...lmao, now I must get my music back...

[Anubis]

This might not be the answer you wanted but ask yourself this.
Why do you play guitar?
Because it's fun right?
We all do..we love that instrument but sometimes it seems as many guitar players today are to worried about the technical aspect of things and forget the most important one which is making music.
Some things that it seems to me many guitar players forget is.

1. Good bending technique

2. Good vibrato technique.

3. The ability to play melodic and to create melodic phrases and not solos that sounds like technical exercises.
You can still shred and play fast but it must fit the song.

So if i was you i would learn some complete songs of bands you like.
And also get some backing tracks to jam over.
There are tons of jam tracks out there today.
Both free ones and things like this to mention one.

http://www.jamtrax.com/


But to answer you're first question.
We still need to practice.
I run through some picking,sweep-picking and hammer-on pull-off exercises each day maybe 1 or two hours.
Some days i don't do it at all.
The way i see things is that it is much more important to learn to jam over real backing tracks and make actual music then to spend many hours with a metronome.
And i can if i want to do exercises over a melodic chord progression to.
For example i use the program Band In A Box.
Sometimes i create a chord sequence and set it to maybe 140 bpm and then i play scale exercises and other exercises over that chord sequence.
I still use a metronome a few times a week though.
But i think it is more important to play a lot over real music then a metronome even though the metronome still has it place to.
One thing that have always impressed me are those pro-players like Brett Garsed,Robben Ford,Carl Verheyen and many others and their ability to improvise a great solo right on the spot.
That is what i try to achieve when i jam over chord progressions.
Learning to come up with good solos and melodys in no time.

Another thing that i think is important is to learn complete songs and build a repertoire.
Guitar players more then any other instrumentalists are masters of knowing 5 seconds of one song and not any complete song.

Since you seem to know scales and stuff it is time to use those scales to make music.
If you don't know modes yet that is a good place to start.
Ionian,Dorian,Phrygian,Lydian,Mixolydian,Aeolian and Locrian.
If you are not familiar with these already it is time for it now.
You must learn these and get the sound of each mode into your head.

Here's a link with good advices by John Petrucci that might be useful.

http://members1.chello.nl/~n.tiemessen/jp/lesson_01.htm

Just click on next at the bottom of the page to get to the next one.


When it comes to jam tracks here's some links i had.

http://www.musik.yaboo.dk/tracks/index.asp

http://www.midi-tab.com/

http://www.torvund.net/guitar/Backing/index.asp

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/pete.spaldin/mp3.htm

http://www.bluesblast.com/

http://www.thebluesbarn.com/

http://www.guitar-dominion.com/backtracks.htm

http://www.crossroads-guitar.com/ppv/msgs/MP3_check.htm

http://blueguitar.org/sounds.htm

http://www.cyberfretbass.com/jam-zone/index.php

http://www.guitarteacher.com/stage.htm

http://www.keith-moore.net/music/jam/jam.html

http://cyberjammin.com/phpnuke/html/index.php

http://homepages.tcp.co.uk/~runcible/midi/

http://www.guitarnerd.com/bkdirectory.php

http://www.hickoryshomepage.com/guitar.htm

http://home.swipnet.se/~w-54954/midi.htm

http://www.freeguitarvideos.com/


Guitar Pro has a lot of backing tracks in all styles to famous songs.

http://www.mysongbook.com/


If you need good accurate tabs go for Power Tab.

http://www.powertabs.net/

http://www.beepworld.de/members12/guitar-steve/

http://www.angelfire.com/rock2/tablatures/

http://hairmetalguitar.ionichost.com/

http://www.solteka.com/powertabs/archive.html

http://www.mikesguitarsite.co.uk/

http://www.geocities.com/kisspowertabs/

http://www.timesmirror.it/powertab/

http://www.geocities.com/peve59/tabs.html

http://jreva.iespana.es/jreva/tabPT.htm

http://tonymacalpine.tripod.com/Transcriptions.htm

http://www.geocities.com/kisspowertabs/

http://www.guitarplayer.ru/notes/

http://www.angelfire.com/ia/ivan3/DokkenTablature.htm

http://www.geocities.com/winkken/TabRacerX.html

Finally here's a file with some shred licks in tab and with audio you and those who like to can have fun with :)

http://hem.passagen.se/zenix99/pglicks.zip

Right click on the link and choose "save as"

[EricV]

Hey there Norsewolf,

( hey Anubis, you put a lot of effort into your reply, very cool !!! I´m sure those links are gonna be interesting for many people here ... )

I do have a new article coming up about practising... some rather general advice etc.
In that one, I also talk about picking what you practise. Because, you´re currently kinda caught in what I call the "data overflow rut )... at least it sounds like it.
What I mean by that is that, these days, it´s rather easy to get a lot of instructional stuff... videos, books, instructional CD Roms, and of course, all those TABs, columns, articles and methods on the internet.
And the problem is that you have to choose something, and really work on it. Some of my students collect every piece of material they can get their hands on, and they never really get to practising something a lot, cuz they´re too busy weeding through all that stuff. If they do practise, they start with some exercise, then they get bored or go "Hey, I´ve got 6000 pages of more stuff !" and start skipping through those, playing each exercise a few times without actually focussing.
That´s one of the problems these days. What you should do is:

- Find out what needs work. YOu can find that out by checking out some articles to see what is necessary ( good bending technique, proper picking etc ), depending on what style you wanna play
- Then, find some ( SOME ! NOT ALL ! ) exercises for those techniques / aspects of playing.
- Then work on those. COncentrate on just like 2 exercises for each aspect ( i.e. Picking: work on the PG lick and its variations, and maybe a crosspicking exercise like some Steve Morse-lick or The Bash´s "SMRO" ) or technique
- Make up a schedule which includes work on all those techniques, keep some variety
- And, at the end of each practising session, put on a CD or jam track and use what you´re working on, apply it to a musical context.
- Even better, find some people to jam with ( if possible ) and apply to that context.

Last week, one of my students called me up to quit lessons. I was quite surprised, because I had considered her one of the most motivated students of mine.
We talked about it, and figured out that the lack of motivation she was suffering from was due to the fact that she wasn´t in a band.
I mean, for some people it´s motivating enough to work on their chops all day long. But sometimes, you need a kick, like i.e. playing with others, playing and working on songs.

Just some ideas... as I said, I´ll have that article coming up...
Eric

[Oceano]

That is the most important thing.

Why spend your time on something, if you are not going to use it in your music.

I used to practice a lot of things, just because I thought I had to. However, the more years of playig I had, the more I realized that there were certain things I was always playing, because these were the things I loved playing. Therefore, I pretty much stoped spending a lot of time practicing stuff I would not use in my music.

I my case, I used to spend a lot of time on my picking technique (alternate, sweep, economy), etc. However, over time I started to use my fingers (right hand) more and more (because I love tone you get), and now I play all fingerstyle (I can still shred with fingerstyle if I want to). This means, I work mostly on my fingerstyle technique, and things like legato playing, chickin pickin', a bit of classical finerpicking patterns, etc.

What I am saying is, that I don't practice every single style know to man because I feel that I have to, instead I practice what I love to play.

[Anubis]

Eric Vandenberg said something very important that is so true.
Today we have what i call the information society.
We are flooded with information and it is impossible to even take in half of it.
The same goes for guitar playing.
Just like Eric said there are tons of books,tabs,Video etc available.
Back when i started to play guitar in 1981 there wasn't even decent tabs available and good instructional books was very hard to find.
The good thing about that was that i had to work really hard on the things i had but on the other hand there was a lot of information i couldn't get that i needed.
So i don't want 1981 back even though it did have some advantages.
Anyway here i am today in 2003 and the situation is quite different.
I can't even count all the books,videos and everything else i have today.
Today i can handle them but there was a time a few years back when i was very confused cause i had so much information to study and i really didn't know where to start or what to start with.
The thing is you must choose something and really work hard on it.
For example.
This day and for the next 3 weeks i am going to study modes.
Now it will take more then 3 weeks to learn the modes but at least it's a start.
Study the E Mixolydian mode for example.
Learn it all over the fretboard.
Write down chord progression in E Mixolydian and jam over them.
I use Band In A Box for things like that.
This was just an example you can chose any mode you like or any other scale like the Pentatonic or whatever.
The important thing is that you really learn something new and not just work on things you already know.
Every new thing you learn will sink in after a while.
I usually go back to things i study after a while and repeat many things.
So try to follow Erics advice and don't forget the most important thing...have fun :D

[NorseWolf]

Well, it would fall into the catagory of info overload...lol. The habit sorta comes from using meth, !@#$$%%^. I'm ashamed to have put my guitar down for such a long time.

First, you guys did put alot of effort into your replies, particulary the first one, I was blown away. I dug up 2 jam trax books I have had for ever. I have a few other books also, what i can't say....is "I know these books"....:confused: :( . But i can say I have enough material to work on.

I'm gonna pick just a few things to work on at a time. I did the same thing back when I started. I had my guitar in my hands for 18 hrs a day for 2 yrs. Finally my friends were like..."Dude, it's 1992..."lmao...I was learning Matellica, Megadeth, and that was it...now today all I know is some of those tunes and some Iron Maiden.

So, with that, I still haven't got to most of those sites, but I have the list printed and am gonna use it, I'm gonna go and learn just whatever feels kool at the moment.

As far as the techniquesm and what to learn, I think...some picking, and some speed practice (cause my primary interest is metal) and tune practice.

Learning scales, I was thinking of taking this week for Ionian, next week Dorian. I thought about that the other week, think it would work out well. Consdering I need to learn triads, and all that stuff. In this Jam Trax I have, it's Blues, there all all the chords used in the back, so I need those too, just because i don't know them, and they need to be learned so i know what they are.

As far as my intersts in music, and learning what I like, I need to be much faster...lol. I know, I know.
My intersts include a broad range of the music spectrum, lota people are like "Dude, what are you listening too?"...
I like classical, Like Beethoven , balh, you know all those, some "today classical guitarists would be, Sharon Isbin, Ana Vidovic. They are both really good.
And then the Blues really kicks, I sometimes am not sure about wether i like metal more or not...and some friends got me hearing like pop and new age techno occasionally, it's actually kinda cool hearing alot of stuff, then your imagination is much Bigger when it comes to ideas.

Anyways, I blabbed alot...lol, sorry you guys have helped me out tremendously, mlike i said i never had taking formal , or any lessons for that matter and never got into a good practicing disciplin. Now with more opinions than just my own...lmao...I may get some where.
I gonna try and get into Berklee College of Music Fall 2004, and need to prep for that as well.

Wait, is there any thing i can do for stretching my wrist for standing, other than just playing and using my other hand for stretching it?
You guys thanks and take care.

[NorseWolf]

Maybe this will help for some specific tips. If you can bear to sit through, it's from about 2 weeks ago. I was working on a couple riffs at the time and variations. Pretty much sloppy and, blah blah, after about 5-7 yrs without playing. I been working on some new things here too, and wasn't too shabby.

It's a jam to see were I'm at with things that I been working on,
11 minutes long.

Thanks again for all your guys help, and this web site, I wouldn't be where I'm at today without it.

A little off the subject...
Did you guys know Avril Lavignes album is Platinum 5x over and still selling? Damn, she does have a pretty good voice though, I have seen mass footage of her when she was younger, and wow....excellent voice control and a little range too.:D

[NorseWolf]

forgot to attach this...this will be the third time I've tried to attach this....:mad:

[NorseWolf]

I'm beginning to lose my patience....it wont let me attach the Mp3, without taking me to this page can't be displayed, and then , without the file, it works fine....

Sorry...I'll have one for ya...:mad: :mad: :mad:

[EricV]

How big is that MP3 ?
Eric

[NorseWolf]

I seen the maximum size they can be, and it's 10 times to big...lol, it's 10 milion bytes. Maybe I'll make another shorter one after a week or so.

[furiousnewf]

Send it to me, and I'll put it on my site!

Later