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Petrovsk Mizinski 
Prog Reviewer
Joined: December 24 2007
Location: Ukraine
Status: Offline
Points: 25210
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 Posted: March 14 2008 at 22:44 |
 MisterProg2112 wrote:
HughesJB4 wrote:
Last night, I played guitar from 9:40pm till 11:50pm, and well, I've got some good news on the progress report. At the start of the month, my alternate picking was at 220bpm in 16th notes (which is approximately 14.67 notes per second) and 150bpm in 16th note triplets (15 notes per second), and already too weeks later, I'm hitting 235bpm in 16th notes (approx 15.67 notes per second) and 160bpm in 16th note triplets (16 notes per second). A whole note per second faster in two weeks, I have never improved so fast in such little time. Normally it would take more than a month, to improve this much. This shred war is really motivating me and I'm spending more time on my chops and the results are really showing.
My alternate picking sucked even 12 months ago, now, it's finally really working, faster, and much cleaner than ever before.
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I've got a question for you..when you alternate pick do you have your index finger AND middle finger (along with your thumb on the back end of course)or do you just have your index finger and thumb, someone told me you pick a lot cleaner with your middle finger and index finger (and thumb on the back end of course)..I personally just have my index finger along with my thumb on the back end, I want to know if this is stopping me from improving more than I can. |
There are no rules dictating what fingers you use to hold the pick, as long as your technique for picking provides minimal resistance on the strings and you pick at the correct angle, your okay. You will notice soom more newbie players tend to wear down their pick pretty fast, because they hold their pick at the wrong angle, whereas I can use a pick for 2 months and it wont be worn down significantly. I personally use the thumb and index finger, so when I do sweep picking patterns that need a right hand tap, I can still hold the pick between the index and thumb, and tap with the middle and quickly revert to sweeping with the index and thumb with no hassles. Some people use the middle finger and thumb to pick, and tap with the index, and that''s perfectly ok to, just not the way I prefer to do it.
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Statutory-Mike
Forum Senior Member
Joined: February 15 2008
Location: Long Island
Status: Offline
Points: 3737
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Posted: March 15 2008 at 13:23 |
HughesJB4 wrote:
MisterProg2112 wrote:
HughesJB4 wrote:
Last night, I played guitar from 9:40pm till 11:50pm, and well, I've got some good news on the progress report. At the start of the month, my alternate picking was at 220bpm in 16th notes (which is approximately 14.67 notes per second) and 150bpm in 16th note triplets (15 notes per second), and already too weeks later, I'm hitting 235bpm in 16th notes (approx 15.67 notes per second) and 160bpm in 16th note triplets (16 notes per second). A whole note per second faster in two weeks, I have never improved so fast in such little time. Normally it would take more than a month, to improve this much. This shred war is really motivating me and I'm spending more time on my chops and the results are really showing.
My alternate picking sucked even 12 months ago, now, it's finally really working, faster, and much cleaner than ever before.
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I've got a question for you..when you alternate pick do you have your index finger AND middle finger (along with your thumb on the back end of course)or do you just have your index finger and thumb, someone told me you pick a lot cleaner with your middle finger and index finger (and thumb on the back end of course)..I personally just have my index finger along with my thumb on the back end, I want to know if this is stopping me from improving more than I can. |
There are no rules dictating what fingers you use to hold the pick, as long as your technique for picking provides minimal resistance on the strings and you pick at the correct angle, your okay. You will notice soom more newbie players tend to wear down their pick pretty fast, because they hold their pick at the wrong angle, whereas I can use a pick for 2 months and it wont be worn down significantly. I personally use the thumb and index finger, so when I do sweep picking patterns that need a right hand tap, I can still hold the pick between the index and thumb, and tap with the middle and quickly revert to sweeping with the index and thumb with no hassles. Some people use the middle finger and thumb to pick, and tap with the index, and that''s perfectly ok to, just not the way I prefer to do it. |
Thanks a lot! 
This is another reason why this shredding war is so great, you can pick up advice from other people that will make you an even better player.
Well last night I practice from when I got home from school (2:00) up to 4:20, then I went to lessons, working on some sweeping with my teacher. When I came home from that, I went straight to ice hockey (game, clinic, practice), 5:30 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. I did score 2 goals in our game, and the practice is always fun..the clinic was pretty much just shooting on goalies..not much skating at all...
There was of course breaks inbetween but still, I am tired  . After I sleep, I'm going to watch the avalanche game with my guitar in hand..and then at 7:00 tonight..roller hockey playoffs...
Edited by MisterProg2112 - March 15 2008 at 13:25
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Petrovsk Mizinski
Prog Reviewer
Joined: December 24 2007
Location: Ukraine
Status: Offline
Points: 25210
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Posted: March 15 2008 at 22:59 |
Yesterday was a fairly social day, so I only got in 3 hours, from 10pm till 1am. I was working on my wide vibrato again, just trying to get it more even and controlled, and of course, doing the usual alternate picking exercises I do and Legato stuff. I was told by a friend last night, that's perhaps not as proficient as me, that my legato has a very fluid quality to it which is what you really want to achieve with good legato, so I guess that means I'm getting good at it.
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Petrovsk Mizinski
Prog Reviewer
Joined: December 24 2007
Location: Ukraine
Status: Offline
Points: 25210
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Posted: March 16 2008 at 00:42 |
Oh and hey all you guys can you give us a progress report on your actual speeds you have achieved, like how I mentioned my alternate picking speed above?
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Statutory-Mike
Forum Senior Member
Joined: February 15 2008
Location: Long Island
Status: Offline
Points: 3737
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Posted: March 17 2008 at 15:04 |
I'm going to be giving my progress in a few days...more hockey...I've had it 4 days in a row (and I have another ice game tonight)...I'm barely able to get 3 hours in these days  .
It's a good thing I'll be continuing this after March as well 
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SpaceMonkey
Forum Senior Member
Joined: November 13 2007
Location: Philly Area
Status: Offline
Points: 197
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Posted: March 18 2008 at 04:56 |
Haven't been practicing lately. Either working reading or sleeping. Will definitely make up for it this weekend if nothing comes up all of a sudden.
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Petrovsk Mizinski
Prog Reviewer
Joined: December 24 2007
Location: Ukraine
Status: Offline
Points: 25210
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Posted: March 18 2008 at 05:08 |
SpaceMonkey wrote:
Haven't been practicing lately. Either working reading or sleeping. Will definitely make up for it this weekend if nothing comes up all of a sudden. |
When was the last time you had the chance to play?
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SpaceMonkey
Forum Senior Member
Joined: November 13 2007
Location: Philly Area
Status: Offline
Points: 197
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Posted: March 18 2008 at 07:00 |
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^Sunday morning
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Petrovsk Mizinski
Prog Reviewer
Joined: December 24 2007
Location: Ukraine
Status: Offline
Points: 25210
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Posted: March 18 2008 at 08:22 |
Today, I played for 2 hours. I'm concentrating more and more on working on 16th note triplets, as they have been a weakness of mine for a little while, as I got so used to play in 16th notes, but lately, my ability to play in 16th note triplets is really improving. The sweep picking is getting better as well and I'm even starting to get into the 5 string patterns now, starting off basic first off. Here's the one the one I'm doing (in A Major, but can transposed to any key of course)
E---------------------12h17p12
B-----------------14 -14
G--------------14 -14
D-----------14 -14
A --12h16 16-12
E--
The pain in the arse bit for me, is being able to roll your finger across the 14th frets of D,G and B, so the notes don't bleed together. Some people make the rolling across the strings movement purely from their finger, by distorting the shape of their finger to redistribute the pressure over the desired fret. Here's a useful tip. Use a motion from the whole arm instead of distorting the shape of the finger, to redistribute the pressure on the desired frets.
This technique applies to all sweep picking patterns where you encounter the same fret over consecutive strings.
Hope that made sense 
Oh, and just before I forget, try playing this in 16th note triplets, beginning at a comfortable tempo of perhaps 60bpm, but you can even do it in triplets if you want, again, at a tempo that is comfortable.
As for how you pick it, all down strokes, for the high E, what i like to do is down stroke on the high E string, hammer onto the 17th fret (the A note), pull off onto the 12th, so that way you only pick the high E string once, then for the remainder, just up strokes. Some people pull off on the 16th fret of A (C# note) onto the 12th fret of the A string, but the best and most economically way, especially if you want to sweep back down again and again, is to instead of pulling off onto the 12 fret, is to change to a downstroke for the 12.
This might seem hard at first, but it becomes second nature after a while.
This is the same priniciple I used for the 3 string patterns, is that for the lowest note in the arpeggio, you use a downstroke, which allows you change shapes more readily, and to just be more economical overall.
Edited by HughesJB4 - March 18 2008 at 08:33
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Statutory-Mike
Forum Senior Member
Joined: February 15 2008
Location: Long Island
Status: Offline
Points: 3737
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Posted: March 19 2008 at 14:57 |
Well, I will be going into my friends neighbors studio and a few days to record some of my solo stuff I've been writing, should be fun
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Petrovsk Mizinski
Prog Reviewer
Joined: December 24 2007
Location: Ukraine
Status: Offline
Points: 25210
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Posted: March 19 2008 at 19:54 |
MisterProg2112 wrote:
Well, I will be going into my friends neighbors studio and a few days to record some of my solo stuff I've been writing, should be fun |
Oh that's awesome . Can you give us a brief idea/description of what it might sound like?
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Statutory-Mike
Forum Senior Member
Joined: February 15 2008
Location: Long Island
Status: Offline
Points: 3737
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Posted: March 20 2008 at 20:52 |
HughesJB4 wrote:
MisterProg2112 wrote:
Well, I will be going into my friends neighbors studio and a few days to record some of my solo stuff I've been writing, should be fun |
Oh that's awesome . Can you give us a brief idea/description of what it might sound like? |
Well I've got the basics for 3 songs so far...
the first song is roughly around 4:30 and sounds a bit like something Malmsteen would write, it's got a classical sort of edge to it like some of his music does.
the second song is about 9 minutes long and it doesn't remind me of anything I've ever heard before, it's truthfully a bunch of chaos and random riffs thrown around but not so random that they don't work together, it really is my "masterpiece" of the 3.
the third song has a bit more of a Satriani vibe to it probably around 4 minutes, it's got that really catchy "hook" to it, a couple not so complex power chord riffs, the hook, and a shreddy solo (not as good as Satriani's though  )
Unfortunatley I wasn't able to go in yesterday or today but I will be going in tommorow, saturday, and monday...also tuesday if I need the time.
I'm going to improvize all the solos in the studio of course, (that's where all the inspiration comes they say )
Hopefully everything goes well.
Edited by MisterProg2112 - March 20 2008 at 20:53
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Petrovsk Mizinski
Prog Reviewer
Joined: December 24 2007
Location: Ukraine
Status: Offline
Points: 25210
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Posted: March 20 2008 at 23:22 |
MisterProg2112 wrote:
HughesJB4 wrote:
MisterProg2112 wrote:
Well, I will be going into my friends neighbors studio and a few days to record some of my solo stuff I've been writing, should be fun |
Oh that's awesome . Can you give us a brief idea/description of what it might sound like? |
Well I've got the basics for 3 songs so far...
the first song is roughly around 4:30 and sounds a bit like something Malmsteen would write, it's got a classical sort of edge to it like some of his music does.
the second song is about 9 minutes long and it doesn't remind me of anything I've ever heard before, it's truthfully a bunch of chaos and random riffs thrown around but not so random that they don't work together, it really is my "masterpiece" of the 3.
the third song has a bit more of a Satriani vibe to it probably around 4 minutes, it's got that really catchy "hook" to it, a couple not so complex power chord riffs, the hook, and a shreddy solo (not as good as Satriani's though )
Unfortunatley I wasn't able to go in yesterday or today but I will be going in tommorow, saturday, and monday...also tuesday if I need the time.
I'm going to improvize all the solos in the studio of course, (that's where all the inspiration comes they say )
Hopefully everything goes well. |
Sounds cool  I tend to improvise my solos too, but sometimes I find myself using the same licks take after take, I may even end up composing the solo instead, just depends on the vibe really.
Obviously, tell us when you are done, and post them on the Forum, or where ever, I'd love to hear the stuff
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Petrovsk Mizinski
Prog Reviewer
Joined: December 24 2007
Location: Ukraine
Status: Offline
Points: 25210
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Posted: March 24 2008 at 00:26 |
A little progress report here. Compared to the start of the month, my string skipping has improved a fair bit, speed-wise, as well as less string noise when skipping noise.
My 5 string sweep picking patterns are coming along nicely as well.
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Statutory-Mike
Forum Senior Member
Joined: February 15 2008
Location: Long Island
Status: Offline
Points: 3737
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Posted: March 24 2008 at 13:27 |
Still working on the recording thing, my computer has been acting up so I haven't been on the forum in a couple of days
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Petrovsk Mizinski
Prog Reviewer
Joined: December 24 2007
Location: Ukraine
Status: Offline
Points: 25210
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Posted: March 24 2008 at 13:46 |
^Ah, that explains why this thread had seen a bit less action lately
I've got some news actually, some friends and I, we are going to do a little band project for a while. We are going to do a Heavy Metal instrumedly.
It consists of parts from Hangar 18 (Megadeth), the song Number of the Beast, Powerslave, Tornado of Souls (Megadeth) and Hallowed Be Thy Name.
This should prove a good challenge, perhaps not so in terms of shredding, but in terms of riffing ability, time and tempo changes.
Edited by HughesJB4 - March 25 2008 at 11:10
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Petrovsk Mizinski
Prog Reviewer
Joined: December 24 2007
Location: Ukraine
Status: Offline
Points: 25210
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Posted: March 25 2008 at 06:52 |
Today we tried out the instrumedley, but our drummer had not had the chance to play drums in a few days, suffice to say he was a bit rusty.
We also ran through my arrangement of Buckethead's Soothsayer, which always proves somewhat of a challenge being in Bb minor.
While I didn't really sit down and really go through many technical exercises today, being able to jam with my buddies was cool, especially when I showed my bass playing mate the Lydian mode, and a chord progression to play while I soloed over the top. I never really get the chance to jam much while playing in modes like these, so it was good to be able to shred away in a certain mode and get more to grips with the patterns I could use in certain modes, and what notes to land on at specific times, plus also forcing me to use different arpeggio shapes than what I might normally use |
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Passionist
Forum Senior Member
Joined: March 14 2005
Location: Finland
Status: Offline
Points: 1119
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Posted: March 25 2008 at 07:07 |
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Well guys, seems we're nearing end with this, the last week has started.
Personally I'm not satisfied with my efforts. I quite soon realised I have no interest in hours of shredding practise so I've been playing random songs and composing, a bit more than usually though so I suppose I've done something for it, this including the recording job I'm doing for this aquintance of mine. But at this point I must raise a hat to people like Mr. Petrucci who really can put a whole day into something such dull. I'm happy with what I've got even though it means I'm way slower than most :)
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Petrovsk Mizinski
Prog Reviewer
Joined: December 24 2007
Location: Ukraine
Status: Offline
Points: 25210
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Posted: March 25 2008 at 07:36 |
Well take into account, us other guys, have been shredding for quite a while now. When I first started to learn to shred, of course it was very very boring, but I learnt to see the benefit of the hard work.
After a while, practicing, becomes second nature, no longer a chore, and this applies to practicing shred guitar as well.
A big fundamental of learning to shred, is not to just see it as cold mechanical practice, but to see how these devices can be used to allow yourself to become more free to express yourself.
It's up to you obviously as to what you do with the guitar in the future, but ask many other shredders like myself, and they will tell you, that they learnt to see beyond simply playing fast, and saw its potential to express emotions you simply can't by playing slowly.
Edited by HughesJB4 - March 25 2008 at 11:09
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Certif1ed
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: April 08 2004
Location: England
Status: Offline
Points: 7559
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Posted: March 25 2008 at 10:32 |
Heh! I'm lucky to get an hour of an evening to practice in - but there are some good tips here I'll be stealing to improve my speed.
Talking of useful devices, I'm quite hooked on the DVD "50 Killer Metal Licks" from Lick Library (stop laughing...). I'm finding that combining these licks with scale/arpeggio practice makes practice more interesting, and adds nice twists to what could otherwise be predictable soloing.
At the moment, I don't so much shred as softly tear - but bearing in mind the last time I saw a guitar teacher was when I was 11, and that I only started playing lead out of necessity, I think my Nigel Tufnel impersonation is coming on nicely. I'm currently working my way up to Mick Box... 
Rhythm's a different matter - I learned all of "Master of Puppets", "Spreading the Disease" and "Reign in Blood" within weeks of their release (before I was married and actually had the time), and my band covered tracks from these, "Surf Nicaragua", "Peace Sells..." and many other speedy albums of the time in our live sets.
As with lead, rhythm is mainly about learning patterns and picking techniques - the feel for the rhythm only comes after you've cracked those 
Anyway - good to see musicians working hard and getting results.  |
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