ShredAstaire Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 ....that my playing doesn't have a ton of finesse...I play mostly heavy rock/metal stuff so most of the time that's fine...though sometimes I need a little more... I beat the **** out of my strings and just wack em....anyone have any exercises/techniques you do to help you play lighter and with more finesse? Kind of a weird question... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmiJAMM Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 Try playing along with some slow blues backing tracks on YouTube. Really takes things down a notch and helps you work on your subtle, finesse game. Works for me. I like playing hard rockin' stuff too but it's nice and relaxing to slowwww things down a bit. You can close your eyes and get in touch with your inner blues artist. You might actually enjoy yourself in the process. Bm is very cool but there's tons of tracks in all keys. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UGiV7YLHSk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S t e v e Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 forget all that crap shred and just whack em!...i'm content that way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbreslauer Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 i bought a book called "Hybrid Picking for Guitar", ISBN 0-9774398-0-1. While i doubt i will ever be like Albert Lee (!), i think this has helped my picking control immensely. this is the link at amazon Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichCI Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 Shred, I come from the same background that you do. I find that playing along with different styles of music and experimenting with different right hand techniques for the purpose of obtaining different sounds helped my playing be more diverse. Also, I'm in a band with guys who have various similar but also different influences; we play mostly original music and the different styles coming together forces me to change things up a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KL Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 Do you have an acoustic guitar shred? If not then this might be a good place to start. You will notice that you get a better tone out of any good acoustic when you don't thrash it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShredAstaire Posted April 28, 2010 Author Share Posted April 28, 2010 Thanks for the tips you guys...keep em coming. Rich, yeah that's why I am trying to do some more jamming/collaborating with other folks with different styles...i think it helps too. With that all said, i'm self taught at guitar so I find it hard to get out of my "box" sometimes. Definitely improving though... And here's a weird thing....i found an old recording i did probably 8 years ago....and I did a solo on the song.....and it was pretty good!!!! Apparently I was better at solos 8 years ago than I am today. I guess I need to try again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmiJAMM Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 Btw - ShredAstaire is an awesome handle. Cracks me up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FirstMeasure Posted April 29, 2010 Share Posted April 29, 2010 When my leads start getting to fast, or I fall into that straight 16th and 32nd note groove that's hard to get away from, I try to phrase my notes like words in a conversation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAS44 Posted April 29, 2010 Share Posted April 29, 2010 If I'm trying to play soft I use my thumb. Not the nail just the thumb. If you go too hard at it, it'll hurt like a b!tch. I love the change in sound from the pick to that too (depends on my mood). It works for me at least. Then I'll go back to my pick and Ill automatically be going softer... Works for me <shrug> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Witmer Posted April 29, 2010 Share Posted April 29, 2010 What helps me is picking up an acoustic - and playing with a folk-style picker who uses a nylon string classical. The two guitars sound really sweet together, but only if I put the pick down and stop trying to rip things up, focusing instead on phrasing and dynamics. Maybe you have or can make friends with some well-seasoned musician? Road trip to visit Milod? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted April 29, 2010 Share Posted April 29, 2010 I'm heavy handed, and I'm very tough on picks and strings..... But strings seem to last about a year, then the intonation starts to go south. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freak show Posted April 29, 2010 Share Posted April 29, 2010 When my leads start getting to fast' date=' or I fall into that straight 16th and 32nd note groove that's hard to get away from, I try to [b']phrase my notes like words in a conversation[/b]. +1 I once saw an interview with Warren Haynes on the Gibson site where he said something very similar. His point was basically that a solo should be phrased the way a person speaks: with pauses, subtle variations in rhythm and changes in emphasis to bring out specific points. He also stressed the value of taking time to "breathe" while playing. Haynes said he learned this from listening to Jazz greats -- Coltrane or Davis, if I remember correctly. I don't know if this insight actually improved my poor playing, but it works for Haynes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AXE® Posted April 29, 2010 Share Posted April 29, 2010 The acoustic is your best friend when it comes to playing fast. It will humble you, as well as making you a more precise player. I quit trying for speed years ago, Yes I still can, but rarely do anymore. Feel and originality are the goal. I'm drinking so... LOLZ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmiJAMM Posted April 29, 2010 Share Posted April 29, 2010 I play my acoustic as much as my electrics. Always have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted April 29, 2010 Share Posted April 29, 2010 Well... Since my name got mentioned... <grin> I started with a real cheapie nylon - but besides the bare-finger folkie stuff, I also trashed the strings with poor quality flamenco which is a nylon string version of bangin' away "rock" or bluegrass on an electric or steel string. Here's a cupla thoughts, though. 1. Lower the action on one of your guitars and put on light strings. Be careful exactly where you set it up, but the idea is to have it set so anything much more than a light touch will buzz. Technically you still can get plenty of noise without a buzz, even on an acoustic steel string and flatpicking, playing closer to the bridge. 2. Try anchoring your pinkie onto a pick guard or whatever. You can't bang away very much if you're doing that. 3. Try bare thumb and fingers - thumb for downstrokes, a finger for upstroke. Be careful on this one, because it's difficult not to "claw" the string with your fingers. Fingerpickers of all styles, fingerpicks or bare fingers, learn not to claw the sting, but to stroke it and a bit of an angle. There are a bunch of descriptions of this usually taught in a classical guitar class or book that you may wanna look into. That otta be 'nuff to start. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S t e v e Posted April 29, 2010 Share Posted April 29, 2010 sorry guys but you are all wrong! this is the only way a guitar should be played... [YOUTUBE] [/YOUTUBE] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FirstMeasure Posted April 29, 2010 Share Posted April 29, 2010 +1 I once saw an interview with Warren Haynes on the Gibson site where he said something very similar. His point was basically that a solo should be phrased the way a person speaks: with pauses' date=' subtle variations in rhythm and changes in emphasis to bring out specific points. [/b'] He also stressed the value of taking time to "breathe" while playing. Haynes said he learned this from listening to Jazz greats -- Coltrane or Davis, if I remember correctly. I don't know if this insight actually improved my poor playing, but it works for Haynes! Exactly what I was getting at. And warren Haynes is a great example of Phrasing like a Conversation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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