Gear ..... Can it be Limiting ???

[syrian_vai]

Greeting brothers and mates in ibm , its nice to contact u again , i really do have this serious question i want u to help me to answer it , i have been playing guitar for almost 2 years and 3 months now , i know its a long time , but to tell u the truth i sucks , i am not happy to say this , but , i think its the truth , my idea abt theory is so obscure and vague , my tech is really not good at all , always repeating the same pentatonic licks over and over and over , always repeating the same harmonic minor ( wanna be shred-runs ) and always noisy ..... cant write anything , dont have any ideas but the ones i repeat ALL the time ( and i mean all the time ) , yesterday , this crazy thought came to me : is it i suck in tech cuz my guitar is not good ?? i have a yamaha pacifica ( not the japanese yamaha but its malisian cuz here in syria they are all from malisia ) the strings are kinda far from the neck , and they are not equal in distance ( between them and the neck , like the g string is higher than the D for example ) and i think its really not good this guitar , so i want u guys to tell me , the gear ... can it be limiting ???? if no , PLEASE HOW CAN I IMPROVE , i do exercise but i JUST CANT BREAK CERTAIN BARRIERS NO MATTER HOW I TRIED , can u advice me some dicipline , i would really appereciate it my friends !!

and another thing , i formated my pc so i lost the powertab program , where can i download it from ??? the only thing i can find on the net is a program with the name pt editor , and it like 14 megabytes , i know thats not it ,so where can i download PT program from ??????????????????


i am sorry for this loooooooooooooong message , AND THANK U A LOT FOR READING IT , thanx for ur time ...

take care of urself

[Milo]

If your Pacifica is the 112 Pacifica, your guitar is the best guitar under 300$. The problem that u have with your strings which are too high, u can easily fix it by lowering the six pieces in your bridge, that are holding the strings.. i did that with my 112 pacifica, and its very easy to play now..
by the way, how uch does your guitar cost in Syria? because everything in Syria is cheaper

[syrian_vai]

Dear Milo :

i think my guitar is 012 pacifica and it cost me 11000 syrian pounds ( around 220 $ )

and ITS NOT JAPANESE , its malisian , so what do u think ? ooooh and please can u help me with the other questions in my post ??? it would be great ( by the way where are u from man ???


thanx guys

[DemonSorcerer]

Nice Paganini pic, dude!!

To start this, you should try to obtain from what you have the best tone and playability...Tone and playability can 'push' your creativity and also, if you like your own voice, you'll always want to play your guitar, no matter if its price is bellow the 100 bucks...

I read that you have a poorly set-up guitar...this can be very frustrating, since it can really limit you a lot...i'd suggest that you should recheck and adjust the string action (the distance between the string and the fretboard) and lower/rise all the strings untill they're like 3mm far from the fretboard...remember that when the action is too low, you get buzzes, plus you can really lose tone, mainly because the string doesn't have any space to vibrate freely...

After setting the right action, check the distance between the pickups and the string...press the last string against the last fret, and check the distance of that little gap...it should be around 4 mm...raising the pickups to be too close to the string result as buzzes on the string, as well as intonation problems, mainly because the magnetic field tends to pull the string, altering the oscilation pattern of the string as it vibrates...lots of buzzes and false tones...

Afer all is done, now change the strings to a friendly gauge...i use 9's on my Strat and Ibanez Prestige, but i will switch the strat string gaue to .010...0.10 strings are still easy to play and give you a warmer, fatter, more powerful tone from your guitar...try changing the strings to that gauge and your tone will improve a lot. If you have problems with the bridge going forward, tighten the spring claw bolts and make sure there's a lil' gap between the rear part of the bridge and the body of the guitar...to set it right, play an open G and try raising it a whole step using the whammy bar...that way, your vibrato bar will be set up the right way...Be sure to recheck your guitar intonation after changing the gauges of the strings.

Other than that, you should check your amp settings...i like a bassy kind of tone, but that's just me...i just try to compensate the brighter Strat tone by adding some bass...but be sure to tweak your amp buttons until you find a tone that you like...

Hope this reply solves your problem...if you have more questions, feel free to mail me to demonsorcerer@hotmail.com...i'll give my best shot to help you and the rest of the community.

Greetings,

David

[wild_child]

hey syrian_vai,

I think Demon has covered all bases on how to fix up your guitar. But once you got it all set up, its 100% up to your own playing! remember, a bad worker always blames his tools ;)

Regarding where to get powertab, the powertab editor you were talking about sounds like the right program to me, but just in case, the site to download it from is here (http://www.power-tab.net/downloads.php).

[salsainglesa]

if you changue to a lighter guage the tension in the trus rod of the guitar will changue... so the arm will bend a little bit bawkards... and you will have to adjust everything all over again...
if you are about to changue gauge, first changue the strings, then adjust the trus rod and after that the height of the strings, because if you have lighter strings they vibrate in a longer bigger space...
check this page...
It will help you make your learning more efficent

http://www.projectguitar.com/

there are sections about set up... and you will learn about your instrument ;)

[syrian_vai]

Dears DS , Wild child ( let me call u Alexi my friend ) y usted salsa inglesa lol , thanx a lot for ur replies ( not forgetting dear Milo who first replied )

tell u the truth , i am really concerned abt my playing , i dont feel i am improving , and this is really depressing since my goal in guitar is to play like yngwie malmsteen ( which i really worship lol )

i have been playing for 2 years 3 months now , but i didnt have any specfiec discipline , i always solo over the same scale * amin* again and again and again ,

can u - u guitar shredders out there - give me a good discipline so i can obtain my goal as fast as i can ?

i know its a silly question but i am really desperate !!!


thanx again for ur help guys

[rmuscat]

can u - u guitar shredders out there - give me a good discipline so i can obtain my goal as fast as i can ?

but that is easy syrian vai ...

are you ready to lie on you death bed ... and use your last breathe to say you f*cked up all those years playing the A Minor scale? without ever pushing yourself a step further simply because you are lazy?

or DO YOU REALLY WANT to sweat till your last drop of blood so that last breathe would say "I think i did all i could to get where I wanted"?

It's really up to you if you want to die like a loser or not (definition of a loser is someone who does not reach HIS goals -- not others')

:D

i think i'm listening too much to Children of Bodom ... Alexi Laiho so darn incredible IMO.

[syrian_vai]

man u really shook the heck out of my lazy fat a** lol :D
but to tell u the truth , its NOT THAT I AM LAZY i swear , but its cuz i cant find the good arrows pointing toward the - and put 1000000 lines under this - toward the USEFUL EXERCISE , if u can just give me some ideas , i would REALLY LOVE TO SHOW THAT I CAN REALLY KICK THEM ALL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

thanx a lot for ur useful reply !!!!!!!! hope u can always encourage me like this thanx buddy

[rmuscat]

i'm always glad to help ...

i'm willing to help out more (where possible) and sure many people are too ... if you speak up where you wanna go .... let us know what you're up too ... what you think you can handle ... preferred styles ... what do you practice ... what you think are your main problems, where you want to go etc ... i'm sure many more people can help too!

define your long term goals, short term goals ... and your current status! (more to yourself than to us)

That's the first step

[DemonSorcerer]

Ok, dude!!

Wanna be Yngwie?? Yngwie Wanna be? hahahaha!!! just kidding, kiddo!!

There's an article that our dear friend Eric V wrote about neoclassical guitar playing...he covers everything, from the sweep picking arpeggios to the harmonic/melodic minor scales...once you get the idea of the harmonic and technical aspects of that style, i'd suggest you to put Yngwie aside for a few months -yeah, that's right...forget about Yngwie - and find some classical music that's challenging and difficult to play...I'd suggest Vivaldi's Four Seasons and also the Flute Concertos....some nice, virtuoso pieces there (Even Yngwie has his version of the "Il Gardelino", a slow movement out of the flute concertos!!)

Another great try would be Paganini's Sonatas for violin and classical guitar...the solo violin parts are great, and are quite challenging. Don't mess with the Caprices, 'cause you'll get easily frustrated...not even Yng messes with the Caprices...he's mainly a Bach & Vivaldi lover - his music tells me so!! :P

Remember also to check J.S. Bach too...how could i forget?? He was the master of music, and he really rocks...check out all of his two part inventions for keyboard, his violin concertos, EVERYTHING you can afford!! I COMMAND YOU TO DO SO!!!

Other than Baroque classical music, i'd suggest you to check some Romantic classical music...Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven...some difficult pieces if yuo really look for them...Paul Gilbert has this version of a Mozart piano sonata ih his Alligator Farm album...

Well, i hope my suggestions help, my friend...good luck in your neoclassical training...now it's up to you...

David

[forgottenking2]

My advice is: If you have no idea of what you are doing and you have a guitar tech close by, HAVE A PROFESSIONAL SET UP YOUR GUITAR, even if it's just the first time, your guitar will play great and later adjustments will be much easier. As far as string gauge I'd say go with 008's until your fingers develop strenght then go up as far as you want in gauge (I used 008's for the longest time <at least 3 years> and got to where I could bend a perfect 4th before I started going up in gauges. I now use 11's in my straight bridge and 10's in my floyd rose equipped guitar, SRV used 13's, but that's just insane :p).

I hope this helps.

Regards,

[Milo]

for syrian_vay
(ana leubnani, bass 3ayech bi franssa)
btw, you should also focus, not only on solos, but also on dynamics and rythmic, because otherwise you get stuck when it comes to play rhythm with a drummer

[Los Boleros]

If you want to play like Ingwie, all you have to do is practice scale patterns of minor and harmonic minor up and down the neck, and learn to sweep arpegios, especially arpegios of the Dim7 up and down the neck. Every song you play must include the V7 chord.
Now if you want to learn to be a great musician, please ignore what I just said and work on you musical ear and phrasing.

[syrian_vai]

:D i'm always glad to help ...

i'm willing to help out more (where possible) and sure many people are too ... if you speak up where you wanna go .... let us know what you're up too ... what you think you can handle ... preferred styles ... what do you practice ... what you think are your main problems, where you want to go etc ... i'm sure many more people can help too!

define your long term goals, short term goals ... and your current status! (more to yourself than to us)

That's the first step

well my friend my first problem is understanding this ( if someone can expalin ) lets say i have this song which consists of A min , D min , E Major chords , how can i tell which Scales ( and modes ) are good to use while improvising ??!! this really confuses me , to know which scales are good over chord progressions .....

2- what should i do to not stuck on the same scale , i mean do u guys memorize a certain formula for each scale on each string ? or do u memorize finger positions , AND HOW THE HECK CAN SOME GUITARISTS IMPROVISE ARPEGGIOS ??? Whats the secret to it ??????? if u understand my pain ....

3- do u guys work on exercises from the net ?? or do u get tabs and learn on songs , whats the most - how shall i put - efficient way in ur opinion ?

4- CHORDS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! believe me or not this word CAUSES ME NIGHTMARES , i really know some basic rules like 1 3 5 to build a major chord bla bla bla . BUT I JUST CANT BELIEVE THAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO PLAY AND ARPEGGIATE WHILE CALCULATING THOSE RULES IN OUR MIND , man ITS IMPOSSIBLE ....... or isnt it ?!?!?!

5- my picking pick , is there any chance that it would affect ur playing if it wasnt sharp edged ( we HAVE A SERIOUS LACK OF PICKS IN SYRIA .. DONT ASK !!!!!

6- when i play i make a thumb-index circular movement , its really driving me nutts , is it wrong to play like this ?? i mean people usually pick fast using their wrists ....

7- Self-rating : believe it or not , i Dont know if i am acceptable on guitar or not , so do u have a certain list of FAQ that i could answer to determine my level ( lets say initial level or estimation ) on guitar ..... this is so important , cuz i want to see if i am good for a 2 years and 3 months ol' guitarist ... if i can call myself one :confused:

those are ONLY my INITIAL problems , if u didnt kick me out cuz i am such a nagging child :p i would love to ask u abt more ....



For Milo : 3ala Rasi Kil el shabab el libnanyeh , WLAK AHELEEEEEEEN YA KHAYEEEEEEE ..




DS :

i cant thank u enough for ur long reply ( which really costed u valuable time , and for that i am really grateful )

but can u suggest something for me , a peace u think its available on electric guitar , and it would really chop my technique ,
and please let be on Guitar pro4 ( if u know the program lol

thanx a lot my friend

ForgottenKing ( u are a king but sure not forgotten lol )

u cant believe if i tell u its REALLY unlikely to find a good tech for guitars here ,especially electric , but thanx a lot for ur advice


Los Boleros

muchas gracias mi amigo , can u give me some ( down-to-earth ) exercises lol to develop : 1- my musical ear
2- my way of phrasing



FINALLY A BIG THANK YOUUUUUUUUUU for all of u who are trying to help this poor arabian , thanx guys , really thanks

[Los Boleros]

Start in the key of F major and play the first five notes if the scale first up then back down. Sing each note as you play it. When you have it down so that you can anticipate the note with your voice before you play it, then move up to F# and repeat. Do this in every key until you reach you vocal limit. After that the next phase will be to do the same but with simple patterns:

E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D|-----------------------------------------------1---------------------------
A|-----1-2-4-2-1-------------------1-2---1-2-4----4-2-1-4-2-1----------------
E|-2-4-----------4-2-----------2-4-----4------------------------4------------

The purpose here is not building your voice, (although that is a great by-product), but to connect what you can sing with what you can play. To be able to say, "this melodie should sound like La, la, la, de da da doodle de doo", then strap on the guitar and play it.

[Los Boleros]

Buy song books by your favorite groups. Start with the easiest songs. Above each chord, write down the Roman Numeral that represents that chord within that key. Now force yourself to play that song in two other keys using only the roman numerals for a refference. Memorize your songs by their numerals, not by the chords. That way when someone says, "that's too high, can you bring it down a bit" you will say, " no problem".

Ultimately you should start remembering many different progressions by their Roman numerals. In this way, you will begin to recognise the similarities in so many songs. In time you will hear someone call out for a i-iv-VI-V7 in A minor and you will already know what that sounds like before you try it.

[Los Boleros]

Jamm along to a backing track in a familiar key and force yourself to play only two or three notes. You can play them in any order and for any duration but you can't play anything else. Only those notes that you have chosen. If you don't have any backing tracks, try using this stuff:
Backing tracks (http://www.thejimdaves.com/mp3.html)
For example on the first track, "Catharsis", in E major scale,Try the notes E, F#, G#
On the track, "1300 miles" in F# minor scale, Try the notes F#, G#, A

Also too, when you listen to music you like, spend more time learning to play the vocal melodies. They hold the key to phrasing!



That's all for now! Got to go make some money! See ya!

[rmuscat]

see why i love this place ... i left for 7hrs (band stuff) and i come back see all this expert help from the best guys on the board helping this kid out ... they barely left anything for me to say -- i'm kinda pulling back!

But since i played the as*hole initially i have to finish my job :D

I will refer directly to your questions maybe i manage to help you a tiny bit:


how can i tell which Scales ( and modes ) are good to use while improvising ??!!

You're kidding me right? Do you listen to what you play? Or you play your guitar unplugged with your ears listening to a record.


2- what should i do to not stuck on the same scale , i mean do u guys memorize a certain formula for each scale on each string ?

what does stuck on the same scale mean? do you know the scale all over the freboard? Did you try scale sequences? Interval Scales? Note/String Skipping? Do you make melodies? Do you give structure to your solos? Did you give a look at pagannini's caprice in the etudes section? studied it? analysed why it works and why the scales don't sound like scales?


3- do u guys work on exercises from the net ?? or do u get tabs and learn on songs , whats the most - how shall i put - efficient way in ur opinion ?

I use ANYTHING available. I transcribe, i look up on the web and i use books (my most precious resource i have to admit). Try speed mechanics by stetina or this book (http://www.raisingthebarre.com/About_the_book.htm). I'm pretty sure there are more.


4- CHORDS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! believe me or not this word CAUSES ME NIGHTMARES , i really know some basic rules like 1 3 5 to build a major chord bla bla bla . BUT I JUST CANT BELIEVE THAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO PLAY AND ARPEGGIATE WHILE CALCULATING THOSE RULES IN OUR MIND , man ITS IMPOSSIBLE ....... or isnt it ?!?!?!


You know what ... i don't use the formulae while playing. I use the formulae to find the patterns MYSELF (not on the web) then i learn the patterns. The important thing is to know what you are playing not how you get to it.


5- my picking pick , is there any chance that it would affect ur playing if it wasnt sharp edged ( we HAVE A SERIOUS LACK OF PICKS IN SYRIA .. DONT ASK !!!!!

Pick makes a difference but i'd attribute the user to tool ratio as 3:1 ... so 75% is your fault 25% is the pick's you bet! If you can't get good picks do what i did when i was a kid and didn't afford pics, i used to cut obsolete credit cards or phone cards using the shape of the pick i had. If i wanted thick pics i'd glue them together.


6- when i play i make a thumb-index circular movement , its really driving me nutts , is it wrong to play like this ?? i mean people usually pick fast using their wrists ....

I can't really tell about that, it's kinda works for me but not for you or vice versa. Search the forums i bet there there are TONS of stuff about picking we see a thread every week.


7- Self-rating : believe it or not , i Dont know if i am acceptable on guitar or not , so do u have a certain list of FAQ that i could answer to determine my level ( lets say initial level or estimation ) on guitar ..... this is so important , cuz i want to see if i am good for a 2 years and 3 months ol' guitarist ... if i can call myself one

Rate yourself against the masters. It's pretty hard to set lines for everyone, coz everyone is different. What if you find out that you are not where you should? you quit? is it really so important? Look forward, not sideways or back ... just ahead and run, one day ... you'll look around and you'll see some are behind some are next some are ahead. But it won't matter anyway coz if you keep staring you'll stay where you are.

FINALLY --- Find other guitarists and play ... a teacher, friend, better players (ideally), bad players ... play jam along -- you don't need expesive rig or equipment an acoustic guitar is enough, everything is optional and welcome. But you can work with the basics! Do it and you won't be sorry the amount of learning is incredible!


hell this was a tough post syrian vai! LOL well i inform you i'm no teacher so take my comments with a pinch of salt. I wish you all the luck so lay down what you wanna learn till next month and back to work/practice!

[Dommy]

To anybody and everybody who has trouble playing guitar, I'm going to recommend the same thing. William G Leavitts Modern Method for Guitar Volume 1.

Standard textbook at Berklee for years and years, very systematic and teaches you one of the most important skills you need to be a musician, reading music.

I guarantee that if you put in enough good work, your dexterity will improve, your ear will improve, and you will be on your way to mastering the fretboard. There is NO reason not to check out this book if you want a solid background.

[Len H]

Don't get down on yourself because you can't shred like Yngwie after playing guitar for a little over two years. Yngwie wasn't playing at the level he now plays at after two years of guitar either. I would recommend trying to learn some less challenging material, but pick something you would enjoy playing so that you will stay with it long enough to really learn it. This means not just hitting the correct note at the right time, but literally getting inside of the artist's head and feeling and understanding what is being played. If you have read about Yngwie, you know that his influences when he was starting out were Ritchie Blackmore and Jimi Hendrix. So you could work on, say "Voodoo Child" (Hendrix) and "Highway Star" (Deep Purple). These songs will get you out of the Am rut, and will teach valuable techniques as well. Highway Star in particular will force you to develop string skipping and alternate picking, two necessities if you want to achieve what you have stated.

Continue to explore and learn about theory, and then apply it to your playing. Don't become limited to what others play either. Make up your own riffs and exercises in different keys, and challenge yourself to play today what you couldn't play yesterday or last week. Remember progress is a series of steps, not leaps; aiming too high too fast can overwhelm and lead to discouragement.

As for the question of gear making a difference, absolutely. Have your guitar set up properly with a fresh set of strings by someone who you know does a good job. Find a pick you are comfortable with that suites your style; I recommend heavy picks of 1mm thickness or more for rapid alternate picking, sweeps, and string skipping. I actually prefer the #358 small teardrops sometimes called jazz or mandolin picks in extra heavy gauge. I hope this helps. Good luck.

Len

[Los Boleros]

As far as gear goes....... I think that if you have a guitar that is working, you can spend alittle time to make it better and you are fine. It's not the gear, really it's not. Of course making the action alittle easier will feel better but it's no excuse. Personally I have many guitars and when I practice, I tend to grab my worse guitar to get a real nice work-out.:D The guitar I practice on the most is a beat-up Silvertone 3/4 acoustic with the action more than a 1/4" high at the 12th fret. Ouch! It makes my better guitars feel that much better.

The mechanics of playing guitar are probably one third of it. Another two Thirds of it is mental and another third is heart.

Wait, that's 4/3's........ what ever, it sounds right though.

[fortymile]

get away from theory for a while. if you cant write, youve got to feel your way and get your brain out of it.

[syrian_vai]

guys , i really really really thank u a lot from the bottom of my heart ( i dont know if they use this expression in english , we sure use it in arabic :D )
thank u a lot for ur encouragment , and please los boleros keep on giving me good ear exercises .. and that was a real tough answer rumscat , man u really do like heavy metal LOL

i want to give a special special thanx and hi to len H , who - with his calm reply and really nice advices - really lift up my spirits , so i want to ask this favor of him : can u please read my post of my 7 initial problems , and try to tell me abt ur opinion in each one of them ????? u really helped me with ur last reply , so i think u can really ease the stuff up , man ALL THE MASTERS ARE GIVING ME ADVICES i am really embarrassed ...... again thanx a lot Len and i am really waiting ur next reply

los boleros , can u tell me abt arepeggios and chords improvising ? and another thing ......if we have those 3 chords a min , d min , e major , how can we tell which scales , ( and which modes too ) are good while improvising over them ???? this really confuses me , so if u can explain to me with some detail IT WOULD BE AWESOME

thanx a lot all of u , i cant thank u enough guys

take care

[Los Boleros]

los boleros , can u tell me abt arepeggios and chords improvising ? and another thing ......if we have those 3 chords a min , d min , e major , how can we tell which scales , ( and which modes too ) are good while improvising over them ???? this really confuses me , so if u can explain to me with some detail IT WOULD BE AWESOME
Ya know, I think you are trying to obsorb too much too fast. Don't worry dude, I am not going anywhere. If you want my help, work on what I gave you already, ask questions about that, and in a week or so we can try something else.

[Len H]

Syrian Vai,

I am glad my previous comments were of some help, I will now attempt to answer your 7 questions:

:D

well my friend my first problem is understanding this ( if someone can expalin ) lets say i have this song which consists of A min , D min , E Major chords , how can i tell which Scales ( and modes ) are good to use while improvising ??!! this really confuses me , to know which scales are good over chord progressions .....

Let's start out with the chords you present here, Am, Dm, and Emaj. The triads of these chords are Am: A, C, E Dm: D, F, A Emaj: E, G#, B. These notes, A, B, C, D, E, F, G# make up the A harmonic minor scale, so this scale would work. You could also play the A natural minor scale or D Dorian mode over the Am and Dm chords, and switch to the A harmonic minor scale over the Emaj.

2- what should i do to not stuck on the same scale , i mean do u guys memorize a certain formula for each scale on each string ? or do u memorize finger positions , AND HOW THE HECK CAN SOME GUITARISTS IMPROVISE ARPEGGIOS ??? Whats the secret to it ??????? if u understand my pain ....

Good question, but I think it boils down to knowing your fretboard and being aware of the notes in each scale. Learning patterns helps a lot, since so much is training your fingers to go where you want them to. After your patterns become automatic you can actually start to think about what you are playing.

3- do u guys work on exercises from the net ?? or do u get tabs and learn on songs , whats the most - how shall i put - efficient way in ur opinion ?

Try different ways, what works for me may not be the answer for you. I did find copying others is good, but inventing my own riffs and exercises helped me the most.

4- CHORDS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! believe me or not this word CAUSES ME NIGHTMARES , i really know some basic rules like 1 3 5 to build a major chord bla bla bla . BUT I JUST CANT BELIEVE THAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO PLAY AND ARPEGGIATE WHILE CALCULATING THOSE RULES IN OUR MIND , man ITS IMPOSSIBLE ....... or isnt it ?!?!?!

Take your time here, it takes a while for all this information to settle in. It is like learning a second language, you learn little bits and pieces, but it just takes time for you to really become comfortable in the new language.

5- my picking pick , is there any chance that it would affect ur playing if it wasnt sharp edged ( we HAVE A SERIOUS LACK OF PICKS IN SYRIA .. DONT ASK !!!!!

Try as many picks as you can, you may find that you can use pretty much any pick without prefering one over the other, or, like me, you may find that there is a particular type that gives your playing a boost. I do think a stiff heavy pick allows the most control.

6- when i play i make a thumb-index circular movement , its really driving me nutts , is it wrong to play like this ?? i mean people usually pick fast using their wrists ....

There are many different picking styles that work, and circular picking is one of them. Just be careful that you are not too tense when picking fast, because the smooth motion is replaced by a stabbing motion that is inconsistent and slower. I can't say if circular picking is right or wrong for you, that is for you to discover yourself.

7- Self-rating : believe it or not , i Dont know if i am acceptable on guitar or not , so do u have a certain list of FAQ that i could answer to determine my level ( lets say initial level or estimation ) on guitar ..... this is so important , cuz i want to see if i am good for a 2 years and 3 months ol' guitarist ... if i can call myself one :confused:

Try not to put too much pressure on yourself. Keep trying to improve and become a better guitarist this week than you were last week....believe me this can be a frustrating instrument to play. One thing you will discover is that there will be good days and there will be bad days, try not to let the bad ones ruin what you are setting out to accomplish. I believe you can succeed because it is clear from your thoughts and questions that you have the desire. Remember, it is slow at times, but it seems anything worth doing is hard work.

Len


those are ONLY my INITIAL problems , if u didnt kick me out cuz i am such a nagging child :p i would love to ask u abt more ....



For Milo : 3ala Rasi Kil el shabab el libnanyeh , WLAK AHELEEEEEEEN YA KHAYEEEEEEE ..




DS :

i cant thank u enough for ur long reply ( which really costed u valuable time , and for that i am really grateful )

but can u suggest something for me , a peace u think its available on electric guitar , and it would really chop my technique ,
and please let be on Guitar pro4 ( if u know the program lol

thanx a lot my friend

ForgottenKing ( u are a king but sure not forgotten lol )

u cant believe if i tell u its REALLY unlikely to find a good tech for guitars here ,especially electric , but thanx a lot for ur advice


Los Boleros

muchas gracias mi amigo , can u give me some ( down-to-earth ) exercises lol to develop : 1- my musical ear
2- my way of phrasing



FINALLY A BIG THANK YOUUUUUUUUUU for all of u who are trying to help this poor arabian , thanx guys , really thanks

[syrian_vai]

los boleros ( boleros means the mexicans ?? excuse my weak spanish lol )
i am working on what u gave me , i really like the backing track idea .....lol and u are right i am trying to absorb 2 much ...

dear Len : allow me to call u dear , because u really helped me a lot , i really loved ur posts ( man u should be an instructor , u do have the attitude for it )

i would like to know abt ur CV as a guitarist , how did u start , how many years have u been playing guitar , who is ur fav artist , what did u do at first , ur schedule , ur practice routine when u started .... it would really be an inspiration .....

another thing : between my music idols , yngwie malmsteen , and marty friedman are the MOST 2 musicians who can really make me abt to cry when i hear them , my question is : Friedman uses Japanese scales , so i was wandering if u guys have a pt tab for some rock/metal tunes that contains japanese influenced music , and if someone has the song Rio ( on true obsessions ) in a good tab for , can u tell me where i can download it from !!?!?!

what do u think abt marty friedman guys ?? i would love to know ur opinion

take care ya all

[Los Boleros]

los boleros ( boleros means the mexicans ?? excuse my weak spanish lol )
i am working on what u gave me , i really like the backing track idea .....lol and u are right i am trying to absorb 2 much ...
Actually a Bolero is a Latin Romantic Style of music usually in a minor key and with a certain Bass rhythm. The word "Los" kinda means "those" as reffering to more than one masculine. So Los Boleros is a made up phrase meaning "Those Boleros Playing Dudes". You can find an example of Boleros beats on your casio keyboard.

The three excersises I gave you are pretty deceiving. If you start doing this kind of stuff now, you will be a much better musician in the long run. Talk to any older musicians and most of them will say that they wish they had started this kind of mental practice when they were younger. Do alittle each day.

Work on ear for melodies..........5 minutes
work on ear for progressions.......5 minutes
work on phrasing......................10 minutes
I know this may seem boring to you so I am prescribing it in small doses. This will still leave you alot of time for working on other stuff.

[Len H]

Syrian Vai,

It really makes me feel good to know that my posts have helped you out. I see you have some questions, so I'll do my best to answer....

"i would like to know abt ur CV as a guitarist , how did u start , how many years have u been playing guitar , who is ur fav artist , what did u do at first , ur schedule , ur practice routine when u started .... it would really be an inspiration ....."

Well, let's see, I decided to start playing guitar just before my 15th birthday, back in the summer of 1977, so I have been at it for 27 years and a few months. I took regular lessons for a while and learned sight reading, theory, scales, chords, and other basics. I knew I wanted to play "heavy guitar" so I really worked on my pentatonic blues scales and learned them all over the neck. This was very useful for: 1)Learning the fretboard, 2)Developing feel and technique for soloing and 3)If you know these scales you are prepared to play most of Jimmy Page's Led Zeppelin solos. So that is what I did. It was then that I started to listen to Deep Purple, and discovered the playing of Ritchie Blackmore. The "Made in Japan" live album really showed how masterful he was, it had a huge impact on me. His work in Rainbow was even better, take a listen to "Gates of Babylon" and "Stargazer". I also loved Michael Schenker's work with UFO and MSG, I learned most of the songs on the "Strangers in the Night" live UFO album. The Scorpions early work with Ulrich (Uli Jon) Roth was another favorite (listen to "Sails of Charon"); if you can find Uli's new CD "Metamorphosis" it is a real treat, Vivaldi's Four Seasons on electric guitar. These three guitarists were my foundation in my first few years, and then Yngwie came out in 1983/84. Another big influence. Having listed these four, I don't necessarily try to play everything they do note for note, but rather take inspiration from their work and try to put my own twist on it.

As for my schedule and practice routine, I really never played 8+ hours a day like some do. I would say I did play maybe 2 hours a day for my first couple years, but nowadays I usually don't go for much more than an hour (married, job, 2 kids...) but I find this is enough time to make improvements, but there are opportunities to think about music without having an instrument in your hands. Besides, I believe playing technically demanding music for hours on end can actually wear down your muscles like an athlete that overtrains. And I really never had a strict regimented schedule, I would just play and try to find different riffs, melodies, sounds and so on. One thing I did do that I would recommend is to get in a band, or at least get together with other musicians to jam. It is probably the fastest way to improve yourself when starting out. And it is a lot of fun, too.

Len