Techniques?

[Lola]

So I will be on a mission to spice up my soloing and improv work.

So far on my list ( I previously knew about this stuff but never implemented it into my playing!

Double stops
Scale cycling
Adding in the major pentatonic into my jams and then flipping to a minor or vice versa
Using my whammy bar for effects
Tapping

I want to be able to be as diverse as is possible!
I am sure there are more.

I am just trying to set up my practice repertoire so I can take advantage of all these things.

Can any of you add to this?

I really want to try playing when I get my hand back in operation Mar 27th. Just around the corner. Maybe not full bore but I would like to play a bit!

 

[veinbuster]

The things I most wanted to do without thinking:
Double stops (find as many as you can, not just the obvious 4th, 5th
Various ways to change the note: slide, hammer, pull off, bend, vibrato, trem - I came to love pinky slides
Find all the pause points in the pentatonic that work appeal to your ear - you have more options than just major or minor, even sticking to just those notes so you have nothing new to learn - just follow your ear through tension and resolution.

For an extra diversion. I had a lot of fun inventing my own pentatonic. Basically I just picked 5 random notes and then played them until I could make it sound good, which basically means finding which note is home.

 

[JasonE]

One thing I would recommend if you don't have one is to buy a looper. That way you can play a single chord and let it loop and then work through some of the things you are listing. You can also play a simple 3 chord progression in a key then work over that. I recommended this to every student I had when I was teaching. It is a very valuable tool and you get get them really cheap now. I have a little Ditto looper that I have used for this. It works great.

 

[Lola]

I am getting really IMHO(lol)good at legato or at least I was until the sh$t hit the fan with my hand. What encourages me to practice is if I put on a a spicy 12 barre blues in whatever chord. When I listen to that it just makes me want to sound different. To really push myself out of my comfort zone. Just don’t be afraid of making a mistake. I have to remind myself constantly that mistakes are beneficial to my learning curve It’s fun but frustrating getting better at doing that. Trying to find all those sweet spots. Was doing other stuff with my whammy bar. Trying to mimic Eddie’s elephant technique. Dives etc. Tapping. I have tried this stuff before but never realized how important tricks from my trick bag like these are.

I know that this mindset will take me to the next level of playing.

So I will kindly keep on asking questions pls and thx.

 

[Longneck Tenon]

So I will be on a mission to spice up my soloing and improv work.

So far on my list ( I previously knew about this stuff but never implemented it into my playing!

Double stops
Scale cycling
Adding in the major pentatonic into my jams and then flipping to a minor or vice versa
Using my whammy bar for effects
Tapping

I want to be able to be as diverse as is possible!
I am sure there are more.

I am just trying to set up my practice repertoire so I can take advantage of all these things.

Can any of you add to this?

I really want to try playing when I get my hand back in operation Mar 27th. Just around the corner. Maybe not full bore but I would like to play a bit!

I’m not sure what the nature of your injury was, but maybe just concentrate on some exercises building tension and release, linking and joining runs with triads and double stops. Start slow at first, speed will come later. And I know it sounds easy but try to think outside the box. And listen to everything! I’m finally starting to realize how important ear training is, and look for opportunities to throw in that flatted blue note that just energizes the entire solo. And play it all with emotion!

 

[Lola]

Waiting for the usual Thursday snow here in Wisconsin. Weird. We have gotten heavy snow every Thursday for the last several weeks. Sigh........

Actually my ears are my best feature. Lol for the most part I will put on a tune that I have never played and try to get the juste of it and then fine tune it. I really depend on my ears a lot. They tell me a lot!

 

[theDeepender]

So I will be on a mission to spice up my soloing and improv work.

So far on my list ( I previously knew about this stuff but never implemented it into my playing!

Double stops
Scale cycling
Adding in the major pentatonic into my jams and then flipping to a minor or vice versa
Using my whammy bar for effects
Tapping

I want to be able to be as diverse as is possible!
I am sure there are more.

I am just trying to set up my practice repertoire so I can take advantage of all these things.

Can any of you add to this?

I really want to try playing when I get my hand back in operation Mar 27th. Just around the corner. Maybe not full bore but I would like to play a bit!

Also incorporate and switch between these three things. The scales that you already want to use, chord tones and simple little “kid like songs”; simple little phrases. I’d also add staying away from the root in your phrasing to build tension. If you’re like me, I tend to return to the root too quickly. I guess it’s a comfort level thing; constantly returning to the anchor point instead of wandering around it.

 

[Lola]

I have 1 4 5 chord progression for the blues but is there any other I should know about? The 1 4 5 has served me extremely well so far.

I am preparing to blow me away! Just a matter of fear I guess. I should of been doing this a while back.

Actually my first goal will be to play an EVH tune besides Running with the devil!

There’s so many intricate techniques of his to be learned. I watched a video on some of his legato runs. He picks the first note and then hammers on the second and third notes. If you go through a scale run like this it does sound pretty amazing and quite Eddiesque.(new word Idk)

 

[JasonE]

I am getting really IMHO(lol)good at legato or at least I was until the sh$t hit the fan with my hand. What encourages me to practice is if I put on a a spicy 12 barre blues in whatever chord. When I listen to that it just makes me want to sound different. To really push myself out of my comfort zone. Just don’t be afraid of making a mistake. I have to remind myself constantly that mistakes are beneficial to my learning curve It’s fun but frustrating getting better at doing that. Trying to find all those sweet spots. Was doing other stuff with my whammy bar. Trying to mimic Eddie’s elephant technique. Dives etc. Tapping. I have tried this stuff before but never realized how important tricks from my trick bag like these are.

I know that this mindset will take me to the next level of playing.

So I will kindly keep on asking questions pls and thx.

Practice is where the mistakes are supposed to happen. Don't ever worry about making mistakes while practicing. In fact, that is where you should be stretching out and trying out everything that comes to your mind. Some of it will sound terrible but that is how you learn to not go there during a song with the band... I have seen people play completely out of key on purpose then tie it back in and it sounded very cool. Nothing is off the table.

 

[Lola]

Practice is where the mistakes are supposed to happen. Don't ever worry about making mistakes while practicing. In fact, that is where you should be stretching out and trying out everything that comes to your mind. Some of it will sound terrible but that is how you learn to not go there during a song with the band... I have seen people play completely out of key on purpose then tie it back in and it sounded very cool. Nothing is off the table.

I hate making mistakes even when I practice and even at rehearsal. But your attitude is the correct one to have and that will benefit me greatly. If I make a mistake at home practicing I can’t rest until it’s perfect. I have to remember there is always tomorrow. I am frustrating myself.

This is my kind of dedication!

 

[jak3af3r]

I have 1 4 5 chord progression for the blues but is there any other I should know about? The 1 4 5 has served me extremely well so far.

Start working on 2- 5 1 it'll open up more melodic lines and because 2- and 4 have chord tones in common, some of your lines in 2- 5 1 will work in the 1 4 5 when you get to the 4.

You can also treat the 1 4 progression as a 5 1 and use altered extensions (b9 #11 b13) to create tension on the 1 that resolves by half step when you get to the 4.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

I hate making mistakes even when I practice and even at rehearsal. But your attitude is the correct one to have and that will benefit me greatly. If I make a mistake at home practicing I can’t rest until it’s perfect. I have to remember there is always tomorrow. I am frustrating myself.

This is my kind of dedication!

I.Will. Never.Get. Sweep Picking. Nailed.

And ya know what? I’m fine with it. It’s like f@cking magic tricks or algebra, I’m never gonna find myself in a position to have to use it.

 

[Lola]

I.Will. Never.Get. Sweep Picking. Nailed.

And ya know what? I’m fine with it. It’s like f@cking magic tricks or algebra, I’m never gonna find myself in a position to have to use it.

I get your saying. I will NEVER be able to have the speed for shredding or being super fast but I don’t really care. I have to focus on the techniques that are pertinent to my goals.

 

[Lewguitar]

So I will be on a mission to spice up my soloing and improv work....

....Can any of you add to this?

For me it's very important to hear a melody inside, slow down and try to play that rather than memorized or habitual licks.

I practice scales only so I know where the notes I'm hearing inside are located on the fingerboard.

We all have habitual patterns that our fingers automatically play.

But hearing beautiful melodies inside and then getting my fingers to play them, instead of playing notes that my fingers automatically go to, is what's important to me.

That's being creative.

 

[Lola]

Usually what I do is put on a backing track and sing my solo to whatever key it’s in. I find singing(yes I sound like a dead cat) creates so many ideas in my head. Creativity is easier for me. Then when I am satisfied with an idea then I try to implement it on my the fretboard.

 

[jxe]

this is fairly technical.

 

[Lola]

this is fairly technical.

Making me dizzy!

 

[Alnus Rubra]

this is fairly technical.

Private Stock skills right there.