Thanks for the tip, bro. I've been trying to put in a lot of time...well, as much time as time will allow.
I've hit a brick wall...
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Thanks for the tip, bro. I've been trying to put in a lot of time...well, as much time as time will allow.
i also suggest taking some lessons.a good teacher will cover all the basics needed to get you soloing and much more.when i say a good teacher i mean someone who doesn't just wanna take your money.someone who will give you a little hassle if you're not practicing your lessons.it's good to jam with others and there's a lot to be learned but having a teacher who is expecting you to progress somewhat on a weekly basis will only make you a better player.you can learn everything you need to know from a book or the internet but it takes a lot of self discipline.when i took lessons i took an hour a week and the lessons were broken up into different parts.we started off with chord progressions using open chords on only the first three high strings which he called top three chords.then moved into chords using the 2,3,& 4th strings or "inside chords". eventually we started mixing them all together.of course learning the notes on the fretboard and being able to identify them with the various chords over the neck helped with improv soloing which was another part of my lessons.learning scales and how/when to use & alter them over the chords and progressions.i play metal myself but i also like to write nice clean melodic stuff.i tend to think in minor scales when i write my solos for metal but playing major scales over some progressions especially melodic stuff sounds pretty sweet.theory is just a big jigsaw puzzle.everything fits together but you kind of got to know some of the rules before you can learn to break them.
If you're stuggling to come up with a riff, take a little baby guitar part and farm it. Riff farming is when you take a guitar part and take parts out of it, speed it up, slow it down, add notes and some effects or whatever. It's a fun concept to playing the guitar and usually works if you have a boring riff or anything that you can work with.
Experimentation is the best way to go. But, you need to get started which is why lessons are the best way to go.
I am 13 and have no problem with this (except, I feel the same thing might be coming). Luckily, I'm taking lessons so I can continue to play. I have learned so much from other songs that I tend to use the same techniqe in my songs such as harmony.
I'm big on metal so that's always cool to have the screaming harmony between those heavy riffs!
Whatever you do, don't get discouraged.
Experimentation is the best way to go. But, you need to get started which is why lessons are the best way to go.
I am 13 and have no problem with this (except, I feel the same thing might be coming). Luckily, I'm taking lessons so I can continue to play. I have learned so much from other songs that I tend to use the same techniqe in my songs such as harmony.
I'm big on metal so that's always cool to have the screaming harmony between those heavy riffs!
Whatever you do, don't get discouraged.
Eric F
My P is warm...and old
I could try to explain it in the way that makes sense to me, but I fear that I'll only make things more confusing. A good teacher can help you faster than anyone, and there is a ton of info in books and online. Take it slow and digest things one piece at a time as you understand it. At some point the light will go on and you'll see how the pieces fit.
I never thought I'd be taking advice from a 13 year old at the age of 34 (No offense!), but this is a great idea! I think I'm gonna try to find my old lesson books and modify "Mary Had a Little Lamb" into "Mary Sacrificed a Little Lamb."
As for getting discouraged, I think I passed "discouraged" about 20 miles back.
Eric F
My P is warm...and old
I never thought I'd be taking advice from a 13 year old at the age of 34 (No offense!), but this is a great idea! I think I'm gonna try to find my old lesson books and modify "Mary Had a Little Lamb" into "Mary Sacrificed a Little Lamb."
As for getting discouraged, I think I passed "discouraged" about 20 miles back.
Keep at it, man. You'll break through soon enough. We've all been there.
Purge
Traitorous Usurper
There's a lot of "learn some theory" and "take some lessons" going on here, and I mostly agree with all of that. But I remember part of the problem way back when was "where in the hell do I start?" Learning theory can seem like a pretty daunting task. I think a good place to start would be to learn the 7 modes in the key of G. (Incidentally, this was the focus of an ancient Satriani article that got me started into the foray of bush-league theory. And it worked out well.) You've got quite a few benefits for doing something like this:
1. It's a do-able enough task with an end in sight. You won't feel like you're trying to learn a bible worth of information all at once.
2. You'll get used to specific scale patterns, and you'll be more comfortable knowing where your fingers should end up going. At first, you might not know what the "next note" will sound like exactly, but at least you'll know for a fact that it will be in the right key.
3. Everybody plays in the key of G more often than not (horribly vague generalization, but I think you'll find this to be true of a lot of rock and metal)...so you'll already have a decent scale vocabulary without having to really move anything around.
So give that a shot. Find your 7 basic scale patterns and learn them in G. You'll be surprised at how much additional theory you can learn from doing this.
1. It's a do-able enough task with an end in sight. You won't feel like you're trying to learn a bible worth of information all at once.
2. You'll get used to specific scale patterns, and you'll be more comfortable knowing where your fingers should end up going. At first, you might not know what the "next note" will sound like exactly, but at least you'll know for a fact that it will be in the right key.
3. Everybody plays in the key of G more often than not (horribly vague generalization, but I think you'll find this to be true of a lot of rock and metal)...so you'll already have a decent scale vocabulary without having to really move anything around.
So give that a shot. Find your 7 basic scale patterns and learn them in G. You'll be surprised at how much additional theory you can learn from doing this.
antichef
pornk rock
haha -- "Old Kerry King Cole was a merry old soul..."and modify "Mary Had a Little Lamb" into "Mary Sacrificed a Little Lamb."
What everyone said, and also play until you break a string, and then keep playing for a while like that, forcing yourself to work around it. The forced genre switching has always worked well for me, too.
I have a book that covers the scales and modes (I don't even know what a mode is...
), so I'm working with that book right now. As for the scales, I'm sure I'll learn them in due time with a little bit of time put in.I'm also just going to sit down and "explore" the neck and see where it takes me. After being away from the instrument for so long, I seriously need to just take the time to refamiliarize myself.
Eric F
My P is warm...and old
There are 7 modes. Start with a C Major scale (C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C). The next "mode" uses all the same notes, but goes from D-D. Each of the 7 "modes" in the key of C use the same notes, but start at a different place. Each mode has a specific pattern of half-steps (notes 1 fret apart) and whole steps (notes 2 frets apart). Start with a Major scale (doesn't matter what key) and play it over and over again, forwards and backwards, until it's automatic. Speed doesn't matter, it will come later on it's own. Focus on playing clean, and build your muscle memory. Once you have it down, maybe make up some little melodies or riffs using only those notes.
If you don't know already, start learning how to find notes on the fretboard. Start with the E string, then the A string, etc.
If you don't know already, start learning how to find notes on the fretboard. Start with the E string, then the A string, etc.
Ah, ok. I got it now. Thanks!
structered lessons aside i still think one of the best things i've ever done for my own playing ability and for creativity was buying my old drum machine.nothing can make the simplest rythm come alive like a basic beat.i've spent tons of money on amps,guitars,& effects but the drum machine was by far the best tool i've ever had.not only will it improve your timing but it can also help you break out of a rut by just turning it on & playing along to a variety of beats.before you know it ideas will be flowing & you'll be inspired to write.
How true this is! I'm still trying to figure out how to operate the keyboard I got my wife for Xmas. It can apparently record up to like 4 layers of tunes. Once I can get the thing to record a drum beat, I can sort of play along to that and I think it'll definitely help something come alive...just like you said.
Eric F
My P is warm...and old
I'm happy to help. I hope I started turning on the lights a little for ya!
+1. Playing along with a drum track - even a simple one - is a fantastic tool for reinforcing good timing, and can make even simple exercises a lot more fun.
The additional bonus is that a drum machine won't drink all your beer and eat your last slice of pizza like a real drummer.
The amp I have is a Line 6 Spider Jam. That can play songs, drum tracks and has lots of built in effects. It's a great amp so I never grow tired of it.
I advise care. Fool around with that keyboard too much and you may find yourself becoming more interested in music theory and songwriting, and less apt to spend time practicing those scales on the guitar. I speak from experience.
legionserial
New member
I found this website to be incredibly helpful on the theory side. I'd advise keeping a notepad nearby and take notes. Don't know about anyone else but I find reading something, and then writing it out myself in my own words really helps with remembering stuff.
The edges of my PC screen are covered in little notes and pointers, like chord scale, modes, and intervals for a few scales I took a liking to, that I've taped up. I spend most of my spare time (sadly) looking at a PC screen, so I figured it would make sense.
Another very important thing that I found when I was learning theory, was to learn the major scale and its intervals like the back of your hand. That helped me pick up the concept of modes very, very quickly.
The edges of my PC screen are covered in little notes and pointers, like chord scale, modes, and intervals for a few scales I took a liking to, that I've taped up. I spend most of my spare time (sadly) looking at a PC screen, so I figured it would make sense.
Another very important thing that I found when I was learning theory, was to learn the major scale and its intervals like the back of your hand. That helped me pick up the concept of modes very, very quickly.