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Guitar help?


berni907

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SODA JERK, When you hit a note on a guitar string, it makes a vibration pattern. The vibration takes place in close proximity to the MAGNETISED pickup, and it interrupts the magnetic field in the same vibration pattern. This vibrating magnetic field is then "reproduced" in thin layers of wire that surround the pickup. The vibrations echo through the wires until they reach a simple circuit inside the guitar... and then obviously that's where the lead and amplifier come in... anyways, screaming into it won't work.

John W, thanks for posting something useful. I guess i'll give it a try. I'm just getting frustrated because I can't learn the songs I want to play. Maybe i'm just aiming too high? Who knows. Thanks for the advice man. I appreciate it.

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Been playing guitar for the better part of 7 years now. I believe i've gotten to a fairly decent level now, but recently I just don't have the patience to just sit and learn a whole song like I used to. I just get frustrated and bored and give up.

Anyone else ever gone through this?

Yes, apparently it's pretty common to reach and then get stuck at a "plateau". I think the trick is just keep trying new things, whether it's more challenging material, different styles or just focussing on some aspect which you've neglected before. I also think that if one is just playing for like 20 minutes a day, nothing goes anywhere. I find everything feels pretty rusty until I've warmed up for that long. Try and stick with it for an hour or two a day, most days.

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Never knew that... in my defence, it isn't something I would ever think of doing... Most ridiculous thing i've ever seen is someone drop tuned to Drop F. He used a bass string for his bottom string. Mental.

I've been on youtube the last few weeks looking at intermediate/advanced guitar lessons, but the guys piss me off. They don't explain things that well, they just play it at normal speed, play it a little slower and expect you to get it.

I'm sick of just playing scales over and over for hours and then try and make up a tune, and it sounds nearly the same as the last song I came up with.

I started learning some Dream Theater not too long ago, but the timing is just ridiculous sometimes, and Petrucci is superjesus.

I'm really into alot of instrumental stuff... reccommend me some songs to learn? Nothing too insane...

EDIT - instrumental stuff like satriani, vai, eric johnson etc... haven't heard anything new for a while that i've really liked though... i'm an awkward bastard, eh?

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Never knew that... in my defence, it isn't something I would ever think of doing... Most ridiculous thing i've ever seen is someone drop tuned to Drop F. He used a bass string for his bottom string. Mental.

I've been on youtube the last few weeks looking at intermediate/advanced guitar lessons, but the guys piss me off. They don't explain things that well, they just play it at normal speed, play it a little slower and expect you to get it.

I'm sick of just playing scales over and over for hours and then try and make up a tune, and it sounds nearly the same as the last song I came up with.

I started learning some Dream Theater not too long ago, but the timing is just ridiculous sometimes, and Petrucci is superjesus.

I'm really into alot of instrumental stuff... reccommend me some songs to learn? Nothing too insane...

EDIT - instrumental stuff like satriani, vai, eric johnson etc... haven't heard anything new for a while that i've really liked though... i'm an awkward bastard, eh?

I recommend you buy Guitar Techniques magazine, which is geared towards intermediate/advanced learners. They often do instrumental pieces (and all kinds of articles and lessons on loads of aspects of lead playing), and the music is accompanied by commentary on what is going on technically and harmonically with tips on how to play it i.e a lesson on how to play the song. Loads of well known technical guitarists have done instruction books/DVDs so you could just buy that of whoever interests you (John Petrucci has at least one). Guitarpro type software (I use the open source Tuxguitar) has a function to slow everything down as much as you want.

As far as instrumental stuff goes, if you're looking to get into learning it, start with Joe Satriani, who is for the most part pretty accessible. Surfing With The Alien should be fine for an intermediate player, and since he's so popular there's loads of accurate tabs and backing tracks on the net.

As for general listening recommendations, my favourites these days are Guthrie Govan and Shawn Lane. Satch, Vai and Paul Gilbert form a sort of instrumental rock holy trinity. Other rock players I like: John 5, Matthias Ekhlund (sp). If you feel like attempting some very technical, cerebral jazz fusion: Allan Holdsworth, Frank Gambale, Bret Garsed.

Think I'll leave it there for now 8-)

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I'll go get meself a few issues from whsmith or something. Thanks man really appreciate the advice. I don't think I could go for something as technical as Frank Gambale quite yet.

Can kinda play some little bits of surfing with the alien, but learning the whole thing would be awesome... just been on youtube and joe satriani actually has a video teaching you how to play the whole thing... sweet, gonna give it a bash. I'll let you know how it goes.

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Also bear in mind that if you're attempting something that is really stretching you're abilities, it's probably fine to get most of it down and noodle your way around anything that's just too difficult. With some exceptions (Steve Vai), the solos on instrumental guitar tracks are actually improvised. For example, all but one of the solos on Surfing With The Alien (album) were improvised and if you were to see Satch live he'd play another improvised solo loosely based around the same theme. That said, if you're learning stuff to improve your playing or absorb influences, it's a good idea to get as much of it under your fingers as possible.

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You've probably just reached one of those phases. I've had plenty of them. It's important to keep up regular focused practice if you wish to continue to improve. You need to cover a range of topics, not just scales.

If you find learning songs really difficult you probably should go back to something simpler and use it as an opportunity to get to grips with the rhythm side of things. The sort of stuff you mentioned you will only learn fluently if you are best friends with a metronome and really know how to use it properly.

Metronome for scales might improve your speed and basic timing but to actually learn rhythm properly requires you to use it when learning complex pieces of music.

Remember, nothing is ever too simple to be worth learning.

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You should really be looking to play live with a band. All your bedroom practise fret-wankery could go out the window as soon as you are on stage in Drummonds in front of 10 people. Playing in a band will also encourage you to make up your own songs and guitar parts instead of just copying others.

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