Back to School.

Alnico

Jesus.

had the last 5 weeks off the guitar dealing with some serious health problems and i've gone to pick it back up this weekend just gone.

I am fucking awful at this !
It's ALL gone until i pick the books up again and it starts to come back.

Most players know this but if you didn't previously realise, DON'T do this !
Even if you just revise what's important to you for one hour per day, play every day FFS.

I've got weeks of work now just to get back to where i was, which wasn't really that far in yet.

Bollocks !

Back to square one.

Nikko

You mean you are going to have to play with that lovely new amp every day? Dammit! Stay strong brother

Alnico

Nikko said:

You mean you are going to have to play with that lovely new amp every day? Dammit! Stay strong brother

Yeah, see your point but the problem is it's so good and so fucking loud that all the mistakes are really obvious.
Good for learning, good for inspiration, bad for mojo and people who have to walk past our place !

Nikko

It will come good, im sure. I keep telling myself that I HAVE to do some sort of practice every day, but in reality, it isn't always possible. Pisses me off a bit to be fair. Im absolutely positive that my playing would be a lot further along if my home life was different (not that id change it for the world).

Keep plodding.

close2u

Re-learning things you've overlooked.
Learning things you could  should have learned.
Consolidating things you've half-learned.
Un-learning bad habits.
Yes, I get where you're coming from.
Try:
http://www.justinguitar.com/en/BC-199-Consolidation.php
http://www.justinguitar.com/en/IM-000-IntermediateMethod.php
http://www.justinguitar.com/en/PR-010-PracticalMusicTheory.php
http://www.justinguitar.com/en/PC-000-Practice.php
http://www.justinguitar.com/en/ET-000-EarTraining.php
http://www.justinguitar.com/en/TE-000-Technique.php
http://www.justinguitar.com/en/BL-400-EssentialBluesLeadGuitar.php
http://www.justinguitar.com/en/BL-600-AllOverBluesLeadGuitar.php
http://www.justinguitar.com/en/BL-500-BluesLicks.php
http://www.justinguitar.com/en/SC-000-Scales.php

Alnico

Right.
After successfully not dying and having regained some health, i'm getting back to daily practice again.
As well as going back to where i left off and revising what i did so far with theory, i've put together this list of YT lessons from Tim Pierce and Andy at Pro Guitar Shop. I call it a 'Jam Session Toolbox' in as much as once you know these songs properly and can play them like that, you will find picking other songs up a lot easier and the skills you learn in these songs will help play loads of others.
I'm sure a lot of you already know about these YT lessons but if you don't or if you like some of the songs on my 'Guitar Practice' playlist and you want to use it for collated reference, here it is. Enjoy.

colourofsound

Do you have an iPhone/iPad? Because this is ace:

http://www.guitarnoteatlas.com

An app written by Chris McQueen of fusion mentalists Snarky Puppy. A nice interactive reference book if ever there was one.

Alnico

I've got an iPhone 4s with a tiny screen but i'll give it a look,

Thanks.

fendergibson

Just signed up to say thanks for this inspiring post. I don't know what your health problems are....I've suffered lower back problems and know what pain is.....especially how it messes with playing guitar etc

just to say, I love this thread - inspiring cheers

Alnico

fendergibson said:

Just signed up to say thanks for this inspiring post. I don't know what your health problems are....I've suffered lower back problems and know what pain is.....especially how it messes with playing guitar etc

just to say, I love this thread - inspiring cheers

Hey thanks man,

My health problems seem to be behind me now but it went from agonising pain (no concentration level at all) to "You might die", neither of which or anything in between was very inspiring but coming out of it has been and getting some brand new gear (Mike Landau Deville and a PRS Santana in November and an American Pro Strat at Christmas) made me fall in love with playing again and actually want to pick it up again.

If anyone goes through shit in their lives and doesn't want to play, it's cool. It works the opposite for some people and i used to be one. After a bad day i would play my heart out and feel better. These days when i feel bad i can't even look at it but i'm pushing myself into it now and finding that i do enjoy some of it on bad days. Each to their own, if you don't want to play, don't. No one's going to shoot you for it but i found that using a dedicated folder for printouts and notes means that i can leave myself a note to remind me where i last was, maybe like the minutes of a meeting.
I find that helps me a lot because if it's a few days or a week between playing i forget what i was working on and what i'd achieved so the notes help me get back there and often help me jump further again.

Last practice was Wednesday, note reads.....

"Major/Minor scale up and down neck - E
Circle of fifths

Little Wing - Tim Pierce lesson YT
Time - comp + clean - no drive/delay to hear and get bends accurate

Hendrix solo's often follow key changes. Find out how and why."

Get a folder and an A4 pad and keep as many notes as will help you, whatever makes sense to you.
Revision cards, whatever works - every time you play is like an exam. You have to remember stuff so whatever system works for you, work out what that is and employ it.

I know a guy who plays chess and sees the fretboard in the same way he does a chess board and the moves on it.
Whatever makes sense to your brain, do it but always be doing something towards remembering what you've learnt and repeating it again and again.

"Amateurs practice until they get it right. Professionals practice until they can't get it wrong"

fendergibson

One thing that really helped me break out of the old minor pent noodling over everything was major scales and particularly the modes.

One of my fave songs - Flying in a Blue Dream - when I first heard it I knew it was different to all the other songs and it got me deeply into Satch and Vai.

Anyway, I then learned it was basically a masterclass in a mode called Lydian and a whole new world suddenly appeared on my fretboard !! All these tasty notes with just a major scale who'd have thunk it !

Learning the modes and learning where they are in relation to the good old minor pent box will spice things up no end.

Theres a great thread in the theory section I think which explains everything perfectly, cheers

Alnico

Here, watch this........

It matters not whether you like the style or the song, if you want to break out of the bedroom and play in any kind of ensemble, you need to see this.
It's Daryl Hall (From the 80's) and a group of VERY good musicians who appear to be called 'Train'.
The way that no one single instrument is overplayed and yet each adds to an incredible overall sound is THE mark of professionals.
That is what you're aiming for if you want to be part of a great sounding, tight band. No matter what style you play, the subtlety of your playing and the restraint through the song is what stands out. Great songs and great sounds are built in layers and not everyone plays all of the time, that last part is crucial.

None of this equipment is mega high end and it's not exactly trucks and trucks full of it either but the timing, accuracy and overall awareness of the song as a whole and the overall sound is just like watching ballet, it's perfect.

Nothing in this about how to play things on a guitar but everything about how to play a guitar in a live band with no digital tricks or studio magic to help you, just pure and perfect practice and simply nailing it, every one of them.

I hope you enjoy this.........

Alnico

............and from the same series, here's how to make a really awkward song that's often murdered by most who attempt it live, sound really great and look really easy. 
It is really easy in essence, all they're doing is sticking firmly and resolutely to their own part and knowing when any significance is required. You hear people talk about "Sitting in the mix" all the time, this part of what they mean.

The sheer enjoyment of the faces of these people is also a massive factor in how good it sounds.

Alnico

Hahahaha

From the same series.............

Enjoy !

Alnico

Fuck yes !

Here's a well known tune, it's a classic but again forget whether you *really* like it or not, pick one of the two guitar parts and play it like they are.
The amazing thing about songs like this is how the other instruments come in and out seamlessly and intuitively step forwards and backwards in the mix, not only in levels but also in playing style, attack etc.

This is also a great warm up piece before any gig.
This and Green onions by Booker T and the MG's.

Enjoy and get your guitar out, tune it in to the music by ear, tune each string to the same offset point on your tuner (Or just do it all by ear) and play along. It's not difficult to play but keeping the rhythm correct all the way through isn't the easiest thing in the world if you're learning to play so don't be intimidated and see if you can play along. 

Here's the lesson first to get to grips with how to play it, then the jam session with Daryl Hall's band to play along with.

Enjoy. 

Alnico

..............and check out the look on everyone''s faces when the last beat of the song fades out !

That's why we do this.
That look is what it's all about, right back to medieval times.

People come together, play music and be happy.


Hmm,.......................Come together..........?

That would make a good lesson !
Wouldn't it ?
It's got great rhythm and it's a really strong beat, something you can *really* get stuck into..........


** I'm getting an HD Video camera soon so this thread will be far less typing and YT links and more of me playing and trying to show how to figure out these songs. Not strictly lessons from me, more like watching me try to learn them and watch it go from fucking rubbish to(hopefully) develop into being able to play the song. I also have to master video editing or it will be boring as fuck so give me a chance and i'll do my best.