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Amazing what I don't know
I got my first guitar, a second hand acoustic costing £8, for Christmas in 1976. So that's, let's see 1, 2, 3 ,4 .................a lot of years ago. I made a promising start (this was something that I really wanted to do) but got side tracked onto bass after a couple of months as a good way of getting into a band. I later added keyboards to my armoury and so played either bass or keys (or both) in bands for a number of years whilst still playing acoustic guitar at home.
In 1988 I treated myself to my first half decent electric 6 string, a Fender Squire in LPB. I was looking for a gig as a guitarist but ended up joining a great band as bass player for the next couple of years. I relocated in 1990 and formed a band with me as guitarist but, after a couple of years, that folded and I ended up as keyboard player, with occasional guitars, in another great original band. That lasted for about 15 years before eventually running its course.
I then focussed on writing and recording on my own for a year or so, which really developed my guitar skills, before joining a covers band as lead guitarist in around 2008. For the last 10 years I've been playing covers, whilst occasionally working on solo material, and it's in this period that my guitar playing has developed. Some, deluded, people think that I'm now actually quite good.
Just gotta get to the next level; the arpeggiate a chord thing... pluck the root with the pick, and then pluck with the 2nd and 3rd fingers. It's hard.
More economic soloing.
Learning complete songs, and building up some kind of a repertoire.
Attemping to improve my singing - ok, so not particularly a guitar skill but still part of the whole making music thing.
I was devastated, and felt rendered worthless, when I saw Alan Murphy live with SFX. Then I recorded their gigs and obsessively copied him. Then Nuno had the same effect again. The big changes stopped then. I realised I was never going to keep up with the guitar virtuoso thing that was happening at the time and I focused on being a part of the band.
Home recording has helped me become acutely aware of how my sound fits in, for recording and live.
For the past ~30 years it's been subtle refinements. I like to throw in jazzy lines, in a rock blues context in the style of Robben Ford, but have no interest in going beyond that. My sweep picking has marginally improved and my picking has improved thanks to subscribing to Troy Grady.
I've played in fairly big bands over the years with keyboards and brass sections etc. Now I'm in a band with just vocals, guitar, bass and drums, so I'm learning to fill out the sound. I'm still learning but I don't expect my style wiĺl change much. There are still things to work on. For example, being as you started the thread, that reminds me that I'd like to get that highly percussive Meshuggah low string style that Drew @WiresDreamDisasters can do.
When i do pick one it will be something i learned years ago.. I am Lazy though so that dosent help.
1. You can't really get it in standard tuning. It just doesn't sound the same. Drop-C, Drop-B, or even lower if your guitar will manage it.
2. muting with your fretting hand and palm muting are equally important. Having other strings resonating is gonna ruin the effect.
3. Picking at a right angle to the string will give you the biggest attack on the note. But you can also pick at a slight angle to increase speed.
4. The most important thing really is to get the synchronisation between the two hands very tight. Particularly when switching between palm-muting and not palm-muting and then back again. I like to think of it kind of like a hihat being opened and closed. No room for error there.
At the moment I'm looking for:
* Hamer Watson, SS2, Vintage S, T62.
* Music Man Luke 1, Luke II
Please drop me a message.
I understand *music* a lot better than I did 18 months ago which is something of a shame as I can't guarantee that I'll be able to put it into practice, but I'm considering my guitar related options now in a more positive way.
Twisted Imaginings - A Horror And Gore Themed Blog http://bit.ly/2DF1NYi
Been playing consistantly 1-2hrs a day for the past 18 months. I’m now at the stage where I have enough technique to play most things, just not that well. I’ve started playing with other people in an organised group for amateur musicians and have a new teacher who is helping me on my lead. The hardest thing I find now, is knowing where to focus as everything needs improving and there’s new important things to learn at the same time.
Ohh and I’ve bought and sold 9 guitars in that time also.