Sharing my improvements on the guitar since last year.

Live free or die by the sword
Retired Forum Staff
✔️ HL Verified
💻 Oldtimer
Joined
Dec 1, 2001
Messages
7,416
Best answers
0
Location
North East Pennsylvania
Lost in space
Banned
💻 Oldtimer
Joined
Jun 24, 2004
Messages
2,497
Best answers
0
Location
Detroit, Michigan
it sounds good for a beginner, but if your going for a more powerful sound i would use your hand too dampen the strings around the power chord and make your stroke wider.

and if you get the money you should sign up for lessons. theres only so far you'll get on your own.
 
Live free or die by the sword
Retired Forum Staff
✔️ HL Verified
💻 Oldtimer
Joined
Dec 1, 2001
Messages
7,416
Best answers
0
Location
North East Pennsylvania
I guess you said what's on everyone's mind, seeing as there's 26 views and one comment.

Heh.
 
Now with Kung-Fu action!
✔️ HL Verified
💻 Oldtimer
Joined
May 13, 2004
Messages
1,761
Best answers
0
Location
England
New Member
💻 Oldtimer
Joined
Dec 21, 2004
Messages
2,417
Best answers
0
Musical Theory crap is when it helps to have someone teach you. And just minor players tips.

Technique and speed and what not you can learn mostly by your self, if your smart and have good practice habits and actually care to be a good player.

What are you working on right now?

edit

Thats a cool vox pedal. wah?

Your chord transitions are pretty smooth. Do you try to do leads?

Do you know any scales?
 
Last edited:
Live free or die by the sword
Retired Forum Staff
✔️ HL Verified
💻 Oldtimer
Joined
Dec 1, 2001
Messages
7,416
Best answers
0
Location
North East Pennsylvania
I can do a few scales, but not quick. I'll try and record some lead stuff I know later, admittedly, it's not much.

As for the vox, it's a combo amp. The AD50VT to be exact. 11 models, 11 pedals, 2 programmable channels and a footswitch to kill the effects and swtich between channels.

As for musical theory, I should point out that I can play Saxiphone, Clarinet and sing previous to picking up the guitar, so I can read music and know all the music theory I need to know plus more.
 
Lost in space
Banned
💻 Oldtimer
Joined
Jun 24, 2004
Messages
2,497
Best answers
0
Location
Detroit, Michigan
well, just be sure to correct your technique and sound when you play. lessons help because you have someone there to make sure your not developing bad habits.

random tip, btw. your pick controls the sound more than your finger does. you'll get different variances in sound if your picking mechanically (without much wrist movement) or picking melodically (alot of wrist movement). same with strumming.

of course, you should still make sure you have your finger as close to the fret below it as possible, as to get the best sound.
 
New Member
💻 Oldtimer
Joined
Dec 21, 2004
Messages
2,417
Best answers
0
Unless your doing some punky power chord things always try to use alternate picking.

Youl want to avoid the DOWN DOWN DOWN DOWN DOWN DOWN DOWN thing if you do that, I did when I first started. Its alright to do when your doing certain rhythm things but its a bad habit, and it ****s your wrist up :/

Try to learn the Minor Pentatonic scale, Major/minor, harmonic minor, those are pretty common scales.

"the" major and minor scale are the same, its just a matter of where your start out on the fret board, Modal crap which isn't something you need to know when your first starting, but its nice to learn later.

Find some good lead guitarists to listen to. Van Halen, Stevie Ray Vaughn, whatever your musical preferences may be and listen to what they do. Try to pick up on their phrasing and try to imitate it when your messing around with scales.

Theres no magic way to be a good lead player, it helps to learn some licks from songs you like to get you going though. To get good at it you just have to play and play, jam with friends, or try to play over backing tracks. I have a weird ear thing though so I have a problem playing with songs or to backing tracks.

Dont put your fingers too close to the metal frets when your playing, youl just deaden the note. Press firmly in the middle of the fret board.

When your practicing always try to have a goal at the end of practice. Like learn a certain part of a song, or learning a new scale position.

I dont know how your picking/hand strength stuff is. But what helped me alot was just playing every note on the fret board linearly, squeezing as hard as possible with my fretting hand and picking as hard and steady as possible with my picking hand. Play as fast as you can comfortably and slowly push it from there.

Play until it hurts, if your hand doesnt start to hurt your not getting stronger.

Did you go to a music school or take formal music theory classes pertaining to an instrument, because if you didn't theres tons and tons of ridiculous music there to be learned.
 
Lost in space
Banned
💻 Oldtimer
Joined
Jun 24, 2004
Messages
2,497
Best answers
0
Location
Detroit, Michigan
Unless your doing some punky power chord things always try to use alternate picking.

Youl want to avoid the DOWN DOWN DOWN DOWN DOWN DOWN DOWN thing if you do that, I did when I first started. Its alright to do when your doing certain rhythm things but its a bad habit, and it ****s your wrist up :/

Try to learn the Minor Pentatonic scale, Major/minor, harmonic minor, those are pretty common scales.

"the" major and minor scale are the same, its just a matter of where your start out on the fret board, Modal crap which isn't something you need to know when your first starting, but its nice to learn later.

Find some good lead guitarists to listen to. Van Halen, Stevie Ray Vaughn, whatever your musical preferences may be and listen to what they do. Try to pick up on their phrasing and try to imitate it when your messing around with scales.

Theres no magic way to be a good lead player, it helps to learn some licks from songs you like to get you going though. To get good at it you just have to play and play, jam with friends, or try to play over backing tracks. I have a weird ear thing though so I have a problem playing with songs or to backing tracks.

Dont put your fingers too close to the metal frets when your playing, youl just deaden the note. Press firmly in the middle of the fret board.

When your practicing always try to have a goal at the end of practice. Like learn a certain part of a song, or learning a new scale position.

I dont know how your picking/hand strength stuff is. But what helped me alot was just playing every note on the fret board linearly, squeezing as hard as possible with my fretting hand and picking as hard and steady as possible with my picking hand. Play as fast as you can comfortably and slowly push it from there.

Play until it hurts, if your hand doesnt start to hurt your not getting stronger.

Did you go to a music school or take formal music theory classes pertaining to an instrument, because if you didn't theres tons and tons of ridiculous music there to be learned.
playing in the center of the fret slightly dampens the tone and makes it harder to push down on the string.

your finger tips WILL hurt, but its not good if your wrist/hand does from picking too hard or too much. thats a good start for carpal tunnel.

i dont mean to be an ass, but a musician should know that. pain is great when your working out, but not when your striving to learn delicate finger-work. you DONT want your hand to hurt.
 
New Member
💻 Oldtimer
Joined
Dec 21, 2004
Messages
2,417
Best answers
0
I mean your muscles. Use common sense. If your wrist hurts your doing something wrong.

And make sure your fretting hand doesnt look like an L when you play.
 
Live free or die by the sword
Retired Forum Staff
✔️ HL Verified
💻 Oldtimer
Joined
Dec 1, 2001
Messages
7,416
Best answers
0
Location
North East Pennsylvania
I didn't start yesterday but thanks for the tips anyway. :)

As for the scales, as I've said, i know a blues scale, a scale a freind showed me, and a major pentatonic one.

I'm learning licks from songs I like and know now, because it's easier for me to figure out what needs to be done. I have jammed with freinds, and they have shown me some stuff, the only thing I do wrong that's a bad habit now, is that I put my guitar on my left leg and play across the torso. It's extremely comfy when I play a V, but my Strat can cause my hands to go numb if I rest my arm on the body that way.

I do intend to take lessons, but when you are 32 and supporting a family, you need to make due with what you have and put the family first. I've invested a lot in the guitar and amp, but I can't invest a lot going forward into lessons, especially in terms of time. I work full time from 3pm to 11:30pm, so finding a place that has my hours has been challenging. Luckily I have freinds that play, and my brother in law plays, so I've been getting tips all along and making the breakthroughs on my own.

It'll take time, but I'll get on it.
 
Now with Kung-Fu action!
✔️ HL Verified
💻 Oldtimer
Joined
May 13, 2004
Messages
1,761
Best answers
0
Location
England
I can do a few scales, but not quick. I'll try and record some lead stuff I know later, admittedly, it's not much.

As for the vox, it's a combo amp. The AD50VT to be exact. 11 models, 11 pedals, 2 programmable channels and a footswitch to kill the effects and swtich between channels.

As for musical theory, I should point out that I can play Saxiphone, Clarinet and sing previous to picking up the guitar, so I can read music and know all the music theory I need to know plus more.
You have the big brother to my amp, the AD30VT :).

http://www.all-guitar-chords.com/guitar_scales.php That'll help you get the shape of the scales. The fact that you've played other instruments is great, and the fact that you know all the theory is even better.

One question, what Guitar do you use?
 
New Member
Joined
Feb 23, 2006
Messages
515
Best answers
0
Try to not stick to hard rock and metal only, try everything, ranged from 50s rock and surf to blues and rock-blues. You'll pick up a lot of neat techniques along the road and actually learn scales rather well this way.

I once started with hard rock and metal as well, but I found myself stuck at one point and felt like I couldn't play guitar at all. I then swapped to surf and 50s rock for a while and now I feel like I've learned a lot more and play a lot cleaner.

So in short, my message to you would be: try to play a lot more different styles that don't depend on heavy distortion, I believe it'll help you a lot.



PS: if you want to play -really- comfy while sitting, try an offset guitar (Jaguars, Jazzmasters, Mustangs, Musicmasters, and so on).. They're frigging sweet to hold while sitting (and feel normal while standing, mind you).. Only downside is that you'll have to put new PUs on them if you want the heavier sound, but i'm getting a neck P90 for my Jazzmaster in sept).. Other downside is that they don't look "metal" :p

PS2: Road of Lords sounds like a catchy tune, though I can't seem to find any tabs of it or any info at all on this song.. Own creation?
 
Last edited:
Force Pit Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2007
Messages
495
Best answers
0
OOOOO BARACUDA

I love you for playing that song.

Sounds good to me man, keep up the good work. :)
 
New Member
💻 Oldtimer
Joined
Dec 21, 2004
Messages
2,417
Best answers
0
V's are awsome they just arent comfy to play sitting down. Crazy upper fret access though. And lets face it, when your holdinf a flying v, you just feel awsome.

I'm buying a Laney gh50l head. I've got a carvin 4x12 cabinet but its huge and hard to carry around, so I bought a krank rev jr 1x12 speaker cab. Sounds nice and its small so I like it.

Im using a 400$ish Ibanez RG, with a zakk wylde overdrive pedal.

Your probobly smarter than me but I hear that if you want to be a good lead guitar player to study jazz.
 
Live free or die by the sword
Retired Forum Staff
✔️ HL Verified
💻 Oldtimer
Joined
Dec 1, 2001
Messages
7,416
Best answers
0
Location
North East Pennsylvania
I'm using a Starcaster by Fender, which is essentially a Chinese made triple coil strat made very cheaply. It sounds great with the right amp.

As for road of lords, it's the theme song to the last set of Hokuto No Ken movies.

Here's a longer clip of it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krBd_3cQKTc

I do actually play other things, that's just what I had posted. Though the vast majority is metal. I'm actually planing on learning blues style stuff, as the amp has a great clean channel and my triple single coil is begging for some flavor.
 
New Member
💻 Oldtimer
Joined
Dec 21, 2004
Messages
2,417
Best answers
0
Learn some stevie ray vaughn, hes got some sweet blues stuff, fun to play as well.

some jimi hendrix songs are good bluesy tunes as well. abunch of songs off the ultimate experience album are good.

as for as sweet blues licks go check out SRV's version of little wing and voodoo child.

he does alot with 1 4 5 progressions. claptons got some cooler chord stuff to check out, I'm not a massive clapton fan though.

Check out anything paul gilbert, mr big, racer x.

Do you know what 12 bar blues and a 1 4 5 chord progression is?
 
Now with Kung-Fu action!
✔️ HL Verified
💻 Oldtimer
Joined
May 13, 2004
Messages
1,761
Best answers
0
Location
England
The 12 bar blues are a simple chord progression. You know about the 1st, 4th and 5th notes in a scale. It basically revolves around them.

1st chord (4 bars), 4th chord (2 bars), 1st chord (2 bars), 5th chord (1 bar), 4th chord (1 bar), 1st chord (2 bars). This is the most basic version, feel free to find a more complex one. In A, your 3 chords are A, D and E.

Listen to Johnny B. Goode by Chuck and you can really hear when the chords change.

I've got a Fender Telecaster myself, £300. Try toying with other guitars in a music shop to see what you like. At the rate you're going, you'll outgrow your guitar.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Top Bottom