26

(9 replies, posted in Music Theory)

I will also post a question :  What to do so you can always improve technique and ear so you never discouraged and you feel that you improve.

I know the correct is practice, but the thing is how to practice ?

I devote at least 15 20 minutes to developing my technique and sometimes 15 to ear training in each practice sessions.  I also like to play with backing tracks to improve my phrasing. 

I must admit i don't practice song writing to much, i know my flaws and i know that i have to discipline my self in order to that.

How do you practice so you can have that sense of improvement ?

Paul

27

(13 replies, posted in Music Theory)

Another way i used to determine the key is simply take a passage and see of what notes is it made out of.

For this you must know, same as instructor told you, the guitar theory.

I simply take the notes and try to what mode, it is and build the tonality from there. This usually helps me.

You have to know the modes by hear and then everything simplifies a lot.

Paul

28

(24 replies, posted in Music Theory)

You can try everything you want if you ask me, music is about sound, not about rules (theory).  Indeed following theory will make sound good and in key, but i think it is easier if you see it like this: Your music, your ideas, your rules, if it pleases you go for it default/smile.

29

(13 replies, posted in Introduce yourself)

welcome cogs, hope you will like it here default/smile

30

(15 replies, posted in Newbie Section)

HAHA, i remember i got so angry one time that i couldn't play barre chords that i started to literally cry.  The solution is practice practice practice and in time you will make it. 

You should also devote some time to building left hand finger strenght: things such as scales or legato is very useful.

31

(11 replies, posted in Guitar Techniques)

As a metronome tip you should try this method which i call 3 steps forward, 2 steps back.

Select a tempo (let's say 60 bpm)  and play the passage you are practicing 3 times.

Then raise the bpm with 9 beats and play the passage only one time.

Then switch the tempo to 63 and play it 3 times again, then 72 n so on.

You get the idea you raise by 9 and play once and move back by 6 and play 3 times.

I recently discovered it and i am very satisfied with the results, just try and see.

Good luck,

Paul

32

(9 replies, posted in Newbie Section)

You can also check out my site if you are new to this, but same as olly said it is good to start with an acoustic.

My first guitar teacher had a saying: Every good bass player plays guitar very good. Start your basics with an acoustic because it is going to be very useful for you.

I personally had a period in my life where i started playing bass and as i studied and practice i came to the conclusion that the guitar offers you much more possibilities of expressing yourself and switched to guitar again.

Everything depends on what you feel and what do you put your attention on when listening a song.

I think you should make a list of you favorite songs search for the tabs and start working on them.

For example tears in the rain was one of my first songs learned and although it is quite hard for beginners i practiced it until i played it perfectly. default/smile

Think on your long term goal when learning a new song.

34

(4 replies, posted in Teacher Resources)

Troy's books are awesome.

I use Fretboard mastery a lot. I like the way it covers ear training. It is very productive and well organized. Th only issue is that it takes a lot of practice and you have to let the information seek in. But i is worth the price. I recommend that book to everyone is very good.  I like that it teaches you to use your voice when practicing ear training. Ear master pro doesn't do that, although it is good to practice with it too.

Another book of Troy that is used and still practice is Speed Mechanics For Lead Guitar. It focuses on different rhythm patterns, left and right hand exercises and has some amount of ear training. It is good for learning different guitar techniques. default/smile

35

(10 replies, posted in Introduce yourself)

Hey olly, thanks for creating this forum, i noticed that you like Skid Row. I alo like that band a lot.

If you said you like everything that has a solo on it, you should try some in flames, pantera, sepultura, at the gates and between the buried and me.

These are some bands tht i really like, especially Pantera default/big_smile (RIP DIMEBAG)

36

(7 replies, posted in Guitar Techniques)

The style if a guitarist can also be influenced by his or hers character and influence the way they look on stage default/smile.

It also depends on what difference are you talking about default/smile

37

(31 replies, posted in Guitar Techniques)

In the end everything resumes to being satisfied with the level that you currently have. Music is about playing, it doesn't matter how you play it as long as it sounds good and the crowd like it. default/smile

38

(8 replies, posted in Introduce yourself)

No. I am on a break now in which i focus in the site, improving on guitar and school default/smile.

39

(4 replies, posted in Favorite Guitar Sites)

The site is called www.guitarlearningtips.org

You can read the about me page for the full story default/smile.

This is like a passion for me, because i know how it was for me when i had many questions and i didn't had a place where to go and get them answered so that is what i want to do on the long run with Guitar Learning Tips.  I hope that you enjoy the information i offer you there and please offer me your feed back.

Thanks in advance,

Paul

I know what i means to be uninspired and think that you have no talent to right quality songs (at least that was what i was thinking default/smile).

First of all think of song writing as a process, as a skill you have to practice in order to be good at it. It is like riding a bicycle: you fall a few times until you can ride it effortlessly.

Another important factor in my opinion is Ear training. I played metal for most of my guitar career and i came to the conclusion that it helped me technically very much, but i neglected my Ear training and the song writing phrasing frustrations started kicking in on my so i decided to start practicing it. After only 2 or 3 weeks i remember that my phrasing and ability to solo over backing tracks improved very much.

How much do you work on your ear training ?

41

(8 replies, posted in Introduce yourself)

Hey guys, thanks for the warm welcome default/smile

www.guitarlearningtips.org  This is my site. Hope you will enjoy it. I still have a lot to write but time heals everything, isn't it ?:)

42

(16 replies, posted in How to Start)

i usually focus on teaching him the notes on the fretboard.

The note values so that i can get hm used to playing with a metronome from start.

And i give him some relaxation exercises so he doesn't get into the habit of playing tensed.

My method is oriented on combining music theory, ear training and guitar technique. A song is a song, but with the theory behind it, you can then learn 1000 songs and composes some of your own.

Of course for the students that have the goal of being able to play their favorite songs and want to learn how to read tabs i have a different approach. 

But i always learn them note values at the first lessons. They are essential. Personally i can't  stand the videos where they count in up and down strumming when it would be easier to say that those are 8th notes and so on.

At least that is my opinion

43

(13 replies, posted in Music Theory)

To learn theory you have to apply it.  I used to do the same mistake, learn the theory but when it came to improvisation i was thinking what notes to play and i was afraid not to hit any wrong notes.

Just play a backing track and improvise.

REMEMBER: every wrong note you play is half step away from the right note.  So it is not such a big deal default/wink

Select a scale you want to learn and start using it over some backing tracks.  Combine the scales with some ear training and your set to go.

Read this article  about  ear training with intervals. It really helps. http://www.guitarlearningtips.org/ear-t … intervals/

44

(31 replies, posted in Guitar Techniques)

i used to suffer of the flying fingers syndrome default/smile).  I thought it was cool to raise my fingers as much as i can when i used my fret hand.  Latter i found out that this mean lower speed, weaker technique and in order to play fast you must keep your fingers as close to the fretboard as you can.

45

(5 replies, posted in Guitar Techniques)

Sincerely i love all techniques, it depends on the state i am in and what do i want to play.

Generally i love arpeggios (only that i have to practice them to get faster default/smile), bending, vibrato, slides, tapping....

Everything is nice if you know how to use them.

I saw that many people recommend that it is good to use all the techniques in your playing, so that your imagination grows.

46

(17 replies, posted in Guitar Techniques)

there are many scales. First you have to focus on pentatonics, major, minor and the modes. After you choose to learn a scale, you have to stick to it for a while, so that you can play it many variations so that you expand your fretboard visualization, and you are able to experiment with different things.

I started with the modes, so now i try to experiment with the pentatonic a lot. The scale sounds pretty cool and i want to learn it inside out like i did with the modes.

Instructor is right. You have to know first what do you want to acomplish with guitar playing. Without any goals set your have no direction and will never be able to make any suitable progress. First decide what you want and then we are going to tell you what you need to learn.

PS: You can check my site (it is the signature) about free lessons.

Goodluck

48

(8 replies, posted in Introduce yourself)

Hi to everyone, i am guitar player like all of you.

First let me tell you something about me,

i started playing guitar after i saw a dvd with Manowar. Although i not a big fan, that was the first dvd that i ever saw with the lifestyle of a rock band. I was amased, i liked their lifestyle and i wanted to do that someday: to release a cd and tour.  I started when i was 17 and after 5 years, and many learned lessons about guitar playing, i finally released a cd with a hardcore band and made a Romanian tour.

After that i decided to start my own site in which i want to talk about what i learned so i can help others do what i did. I personally don't believe in talent, i am sure that it definitely helps, but i believe in hard work. I didn't knew even how to hold the guitar in my hands when i went for my first lesson.  Now i know that everything can be achieved with hard work.

Feel free to look at my site and read the about me section default/smile.

I am looking forward to learning and sharing guitar playing secrets with you all.

Paul

49

(19 replies, posted in Guitar Techniques)

Same as olly, when i started to play i thought that if i play fast, i can play guitar well.

I thought this because of the music that i listened to. (metal)

Now i am personally working on ear training and phrasing, i think that is how you feel you play guitar, not by shredding random note so that you look cool.