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HELP!!! Guitarist in a rut

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  • HELP!!! Guitarist in a rut

    First off, I'd like to tell you how happy I am to find a Jackson forum. I've got 8 years of playing under my belt, but I sure don't feel like I'm the guitarist I should be by now. There isn't one song out there that I can't play. However, my skills at lead guitar is what makes me feel like I'm not the player I should be. There are many ways of trying to fix this that I have already tried. Private lessons are a waste of money, books that teach technique can only get you so far, and scales are not fun. Are there any particular songs out there that I should try to learn the solos to? Please don't tell me the intro solos to "Fade to Black" or "Sanitarium", as I already know them. I'm talking about full blown solos to improve technical and melodic skills. Any help that is offered would be greatly appreciated. Thanx.

  • #2
    Re: HELP!!! Guitarist in a rut

    I am horrible but the solos on Dream Theater's song Scarred are fast and melodic so those might help. But I seriously know nothing about soloing and am going to start lessons here in a couple of weeks. I have only been playing almosy 2 years now with no lessons on guitar. I just started learning every Iced Earth song and built up my rhythms, but I still suck horribly...maybe one day I might be able to do something good. lol.

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    • #3
      Re: HELP!!! Guitarist in a rut

      Try listening to different styles of music outside from what you normally play. If you normally play old Metallica, try and learn some Pink Floyd, or even some country. Applying different techniques to what you already have is a good way to expand as a player. I play death metal, and in addition to learning Cryptopsy and Suffocation songs, I try and learn some classic rock, blues and even jazz, just to get my own sound.

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      • #4
        Re: HELP!!! Guitarist in a rut

        Well...hate to tell ya... but...

        IF you really want to develop your lead skills to a fine, sharp point, you are going to have to sit down, and do some technical practice(with a metronome preferable).
        Yah, it's kinda boring sometimes, but..it's what all the great players did for the most part..they sat down and just practiced their ass off as far as technique goes.
        Get a copy of "Speed Mechanics for Lead Guitar" by Troy Stetina, and a metronome. That book also covers more than just the technical aspect...he also covers some melodic development..it's worth your time! I can assure on that!

        now as far as melodic stuff goes, I would suggest you learn solos by your favorite guitar players..I am a big fan of Billy gibbons, Alex Lifeson and Randy Rhoads. When I feel like I am in a rut..a quick referance to them usually helps. Not only am I reminded why I picked up guitar in the first place, it really inspires me to find my own voice like they did.

        And as suggested before, learn some new styles of music. Learn some jazz chords/leads, play some slow tasty blues, try some fingerpicking, etc..you just never know what you might find!


        And when it all gets down to it...crank the distortion, turn it up, and let that low E powerchord just rattle ya!!!!
        To this day, that still gives me a kick in the ass every time!

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        • #5
          Re: HELP!!! Guitarist in a rut

          If you've got enough technical knowhow to do most Metal scales and arpeggios and can run through them fairly quickly, practice playing those "boring" scales and arpeggios only playing every other note (1,3,5,7,9,etc). While you can build arpeggios from doing scales that way, it gets even more interesting when you do arpeggios that way.
          Another tip - instead of doing a scale like this:
          1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 (even tempo) or 12345678 (high speed)
          Try:
          1--234--567--8910-- (kinda like a waltz tempo where the extra dashes represent beats)

          Mix that up into different non-metal tempos (foxtrot, swing, blues, etc)

          This will really help you get a better grasp on melody and should bust you out of your rut, but if you're just too bored by technicality, nothing we recommend will give you the answer you seek.

          Newc
          I want to depart this world the same way I arrived; screaming and covered in someone else's blood

          The most human thing we can do is comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.

          My Blog: http://newcenstein.com

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          • #6
            Re: HELP!!! Guitarist in a rut

            record your playing and post it in the mp3 section, we will give you some nice feedback.. whhoooooaaaaa!!!... [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

            Good solid song to learn: Cliffs of dover by Eric Johnson

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            • #7
              Re: HELP!!! Guitarist in a rut

              if you've got good enough technique.. you just need to find your own personal playing style.. listen to lots of playing styles, see what motivates and influences you the most, just expand on what you know..

              [ May 04, 2003, 04:41 PM: Message edited by: Lev ]

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              • #8
                Re: HELP!!! Guitarist in a rut

                Pink Floyd's Echoes

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                • #9
                  Re: HELP!!! Guitarist in a rut

                  I would be curious as to what your goals are ?? Are you looking to be a note for note perfectionist in a cover band or looking to write your own music or both ?

                  I think the suggestions everyone has made is for you to get to experience some other style influences to compliment what you already have more than learning any one song note for note.

                  Matt

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                  • #10
                    Re: HELP!!! Guitarist in a rut

                    I'd like to thank everyone for their input on my problem. At the same time I don't want to make anyone mad but I did ask for suggestions on SONGS to learn the solos to. So, having said that I definately thank Disco Dave for suggesting "Scarred" as I am on my way to learning every bit of that song cause it's pretty cool. However, I read the ESP guitar forum and someone in there had the same problem as me, so I got some good ideas for what the next solo to learn after scarred. Thanx again, keep Rockin' [img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

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                    • #11
                      Re: HELP!!! Guitarist in a rut

                      Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb" . My Favorite Gilmore(sp) solo!!!
                      Scott
                      Be without fear in the face of your enemies. Be brave and upright, that God may love thee. Speak the truth always, even if it leads to your death. Safeguard the helpless and do no wrong.

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                      • #12
                        Re: HELP!!! Guitarist in a rut

                        Comfortably Numb is my favorite guitar solo ever, but Echoes is my favorite Pink Floyd song. The middle section from where the whale noises end to when the vocals come back in is just blissful!!

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                        • #13
                          Re: HELP!!! Guitarist in a rut

                          yes it is ace, yes it is.


                          i prefer the live version better (heaver with the drums and cymbols)
                          Widow - "We have songs"

                          http://jameslugo.com/johnewooteniv.shtml

                          http://ultimateguitarsound.com

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                          • #14
                            Re: HELP!!! Guitarist in a rut

                            Learn anything you can handle from Scott Henderson.
                            www.kiddhavok.com
                            www.youtube.com/kiddhavokband

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                            • #15
                              Re: HELP!!! Guitarist in a rut

                              If the intro to Sanitarium is where you are at as a lead player you need to get back to basics. Here are my suggestions (they worked for me back when I was just a fledgling lead player)
                              Any solo by Ace Frehley
                              Anything off of Judas Priest- Unleashed in the East
                              Its a great album to work on your lead playing because Glen Tipton and KK Downing have very different styles and neither of them are very difficult to master.
                              Old Journey, Old Bon Jovi, Old Rush, Led Zeppelin, Ted Nugent, Aerosmith, Foghat, Pearl Jam, Quiet Riot, Cinderella,.
                              See a common thread????
                              Here is what you have to remember when trying to get better as a lead player:
                              If you hate to practice scales/modes or different picking excersises your only other option is to learn actual recorded solos.This is going to seriously impact your playing because probably around 99% of all the accomplished lead guitar players have sat at home with a metronome and practiced scales and modes until their fingers bled. I actually used to crazy glue my finger tips when the cuts got too deep. I would practice relentlessly until I got it. If I couldn't get it I would find somebody who could show it to me. You can learn from EVERY player you ever hear because every player has something about their playing that makes them unique and you can "borrow" their uniqueness and incorporate it into your own style. I am a sponge and I have been influenced by everybody. Most of us have.
                              There is really no new music that would be beneficial to you because the new music either doesn't have guitar solo's or they have virtuoso playing on them. In the late 70's to very early 80's most lead guitar players were at a level that was learnable by most guitar players. In the mid to late 80's everybody was either Malmsteen/Vai/Lynch/Demartini/ etc.. and if you weren't already great it would be very difficult to just start learning their solos. In the early 90's grunch started kicking in and the solo's were gone. They almost don't exsist in todays music. That is why you need to go back to the old school stuff.
                              Here are mandatory styles that you must at least know some of:
                              Stevie Ray Vaughan (straight up blues)
                              Ace Frehley (lots of pentatonic stuff)
                              Eric Clapton (string bending and will make you appreciate the value of "a few great notes" as opposed to shredding
                              Jimmy Page (classic blues based riffs)
                              Jeff Beck (exotic scales mixed with blues and fusion)
                              Rhoads (rock with a neo-classical approach)
                              Malmsteen (tje master of neo-classical shred)
                              Here is a video that will really help you with the fundamentals because a good foundation is the key.
                              Arlen Roth -Master of the Telecaster
                              This guy absolutely smokes and almost every riff on the video is playable and recognizable and most importantly---USEABLE!!! He isn't metal or heavy but if you seperate a great guitar solo from a song it doesn't sound like meatal anyway. Good luck and I hope I helped you a little. John G CAGE

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