Help: Your Advice is Seeked in Regards to '03 Campese Neo-Classical Riff

[Swift Fellow]

Hey there!
My first post on iBreatheMusic forums ever. Been visiting the forums and site a bit lately, and came across...shall we say, a snag in my guitar playing, and since this place simply rocks, I figured I'd ask you guys.

So, cut to the chase, I came across Mike Campese's January 2003 article, where he transcribed Pagannini's sixteenth Caprice onto the guitar. Great fun. (Link here (http://www.ibreathemusic.com/article/92).)

I started playing around with the riffs, and with practice got the music flowing. Then I reached this snag of mine. A famous one: speed. With it came technique uncertainties.

I've been able to play it fine at 100 or so BpM, 110 is a bit of a strain, and 120, I get the first half of it, then simply lose it.
At first, I thought it was simply a problem of practice, I needed to play it a bit more, let time handle the deal. Then, I thought...technique?

This is where you come in: How do you and how do you recommend playing the transcribed version of the Caprice? (i.e. fingering (LH), picking, techniques, practicing, etc.)

So far, I've bascially been doing this mess of alternate picking with some small sweeps, where they come rather "naturally". I played around with it a bit, but it just didn't sound right or was to awkward. I don't even want to mention my fingering. It's crazy. Anyway...

There you go. Any advice is welcomed with much sincerity.


I've been playing for about 8 months or so, so pardon my lack of any knowledge, any misunderstandings, any over-looking of obvious answers, and anything else that might be expected of a newb. :D

Thanks so much in advance!


~Swift Fellow~

[forgottenking2]

Hellow there fellow,

Welcome to IBM, about Campese's Caprice, I'd alternate pick the whole thing (I know a lot of people would sweep in some sections but I A. P. the whole thing) If you're straining at 110 bpm try 107 and see if you can play confortably there, play it about 5 times and if you feel at any point that you're pushing it, move down the metronome some more, play at that confortable tempo for a while (5 times is fine) and then move the metronome up 1 bpm and repeat the process. (I know it's slow, but that way you'll make sure you're REALLY confortable at whatever tempo you're playing at and you're not just chasing the metronome). About L. H. Just use bar chord fingerings and 3NPS shapes (Check Eric V's Scales for complete fingerings on those) and lift each note after you play it, you are going to have to "roll" your finger... that's kind of a tough technique to learn. I think Eric has covered that in his sweep picking article.

Well, I hope this helps.

Regards,

[Unhorizon]

HEY forgotten do you know if in Mike Campese's recording does he AP or sweep it?

[Swift Fellow]

Hey Forgotten, Thanks for the advice. I'll definetly check out those articles you mentioned, they sound really interesting, and try out the metronome "trick", but I dunno if my metronome has many "intervals" between 110 and 120. :-/ It's odd like that. I'll figure something out though, thanks again!

[Alan(Lost)]

Sounds like sweeps to me.

[davidvanhalen]

hey, i don't know if this will help but, keep in mind that u haven't been playn' for a long time, i'm tellin' you this because i have been playin' for a year and a half, and i remenber that when i had been playing for 8 or 9 months it was a very frustrating stage, it's the stage where u wanna stop playong easy songs and start playng your idols solos, so be patient and analyse the piece you are working from every point of view u can think of, that will save u a lot of frustration regarding technique, fimgerings, tone, etc

[Swift Fellow]

Hey DVH, that actually does help. Because when I think about it, it makes sense. I am getting kinda tired of playing easy songs, and am working on more solos, tapping licks, etc.

So, I guess that's something I should consider. Perhaps I should drop the song, or maybe "relax" on it a bit, and come back to it in a months time or so.

I'll def. take in mind what you've mentioned.

Thanks again man.

[szulc]

Paganinni is pretty ambitious stuff for anyone, let alone someone who has been playing less than 5 years. Be Patient! Progress slowly, use the metronome and bump it up slowly as long as it is clean. Except for times when you are trying to push it, never play it faster han you can cleanly execute it. Most people aren't ever going to try this stuff, and msot people who have been playing for many years will take quite some time to get it up to speed.

[rmuscat]

one question as a follow up to szulc's comments ...

you think there is a particular stage when someone playing guitar should ever start tackling paganini or if he's willing to be VERY patient should he start from the beginning anyway?

what are your views? i'd be especially happy to hear opinion from people who teach.

[rmuscat]

you think there is a particular stage when someone playing guitar should ever start tackling paganini or if he's willing to be VERY patient should he start from the beginning anyway?

can anyone help me with this? i'm seeing mike campese's article ... 2nd part of the etude.

At home i have the 24 caprices all filed on a shelve and everyonce in a while i open the file up and drool over them.

What i'd like to hear from someone is what's the best approach, wait until i have a number of years behind my back? or start working on them now slowly?

it's kinda an interesting feat to take for a lifetime....

or am i simply wanker considering to work through them!? :confused:

[phantom]

hey rob,

why wait?
even if you only take bits and pieces it is worth it!
there is no rule that says only play a caprice if you can get through it and
it will surely help your playing if you try something that is "beyond your reach".

[forgottenking2]

Caprice # 1 has some pretty cool Steve Morse-ish arpegios, I'm still struggling my way through that one... I think I can play it at 40 bpm (that's a little over half the optimal speed) and it still sounds pretty good, and it's a heck of an AP work out.

Besides the obvious honning of your chops, learning non-guitar music will also give you ideas that you may not have thought of otherwise, so even if you don't get it until you're 85 years old or something, your playing WILL improve along the way, so I think it's worth it.

[rmuscat]

thanks guys for your feedback ...

maybe i should do as you say anyway there are no rules or restrictions in this case, except me. it's pure fun and challenge.

I was always brought up with the idea that if you can't do something right then probably you're better off not doing it at all. But what the hell this is for me and ...

... I'm in no hurry anyway ... there's a lifetime to go :D

big thanks guys as usual :)