• Been playing guitar for a while, need some direction
    11 replies, posted
As the thread title states, I certainly do. I've been at a standstill for a while actually, mostly because I can't find time to do some actual practicing because of school, but I'd certainly love to get back into it. More specifically, I'd love it if I knew what to get back in to. I've been a fantastic rhythm guitarist for the past year, playing for my jazz band and whatnot, but I'm looking to getting into lead guitar and working into getting better with improvising. Any tips fellow guitarists of Facepunch?
just listen to some great jazz standards and improvise on top of that, learning as you go with what you need to know. [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5ZzjMNgkZg[/url] this one even demonstrates the chords for you! get some inspiration for that fine standard by listening to Joe Pass: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XuLIQyMVPE[/media]
Learn all of your scales in all octaves. Learn the normal scales and the pentatonic. Those are probably the most useful. Once you know your scales, you'll find improvising to be very easy.
I love you Facepunch. Honestly didn't expect to get feedback so soon. Will look into this. After I finish my more school related stuff today. :v:
One other little thought, you can really get a lot out of learning other peoples solos. As in, take a solo that you really like that someone has played, and learn it exactly. I'm more of a blues man myself, and have noticed that the great blues players didn't just play scales really fast - its more about how they play and express the notes. Learning some great solos will probably give more insight into how these people achieve the character and expression that they do. Anyway sounds like you're doing pretty well with the jazz band and all that, good stuff :D
Well thank you, sir! I have taken that into account. More notes does not equal better. If anything, I've learned that it's more about the feel rather than the technicality. I love the blues as well, I think it sounds swank as fuck.
Start with improvising in the blues scale for all keys, you can find a bad ass backing track for every key on youtube and play along with that. Once you get that down, learn the penatonic patterns up and down the neck, including the blue notes and you'll be jamming along in no time. Then its pretty much just scales scales scales for the other moods of music you might want to play. Of course like others said, listen to others solos and such to get a feel for the music.
Thank you sir! This question is pretty general, but did any of you learn much music theory? And to what degree?
[QUOTE=PrivRyan;35338198]Thank you sir! This question is pretty general, but did any of you learn much music theory? And to what degree?[/QUOTE] Music theory is very useful and anyone who says it isn't is a complete douche. For guitar, it's handy to know different inversions of chords, what makes chords what they are (so learn the scales, know how to turn your C into a 7th or add the 9th etc), that kind of thing. Makes solos over a chord progression simpler, too.
I thought so. A lot of my guitar playing friends have different opinions. Some favor it, while the others disregard and rely on their own ability to hear. I, for one, love music theory, and think it opens up doors for me. Obtained a copy of Guitar Grimiore recently, possibly the most useful book regarding theory this turn of the century, so I'm gonna get crackin'.
Learn phrases and play with them to try to get different feelings out of it. For example, take a string of three notes and play them every possible way you can think of. It might help to have a list of emotions and to try to create that emotion. I'll write some more when I get back from work.
[QUOTE=Pepin;35354048]Learn phrases and play with them to try to get different feelings out of it. For example, take a string of three notes and play them every possible way you can think of. It might help to have a list of emotions and to try to create that emotion. I'll write some more when I get back from work.[/QUOTE] Awesome! Please do hurry back!
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