your way of learning something new

Joined: 15 Sep 2010 Posts: 973 Location: Rock Hill,SC

So I've been kicking myself trying to break away from playing the same thing & the same style. Mainly Metal & Rock sometimes Blues. I've wanted to take some Classical & Jazz Lessons but the best local teacher is way out of my budget right now. YouTube is ok for some things but learning something new from the start it is not. so i decided to check out JamPlay.com after Googling for a bit. Looked about had some good artist i knew & liked + lessons for styles from the start. So I signed up for a month to give it a shot & see if it's worth it in the long run. For $20 a month we'll see. What about you guys\gals? What do you do to further yourself as a Musician or do you prefer to be a one style player?

Joined: 21 Jul 2008 Posts: 614 Location: Yorkshire, England

I actually got fed up of playing the same old stuff a while back, ended up buying a tuition book of a few jazz tracks while at the local guitar store and really enjoyed learning them. I would definitely recommend trying something new. It was fun playing a different style of music to what I would usually listen to, I also noticed an improvement in my playing, it's worth giving a try!

Joined: 22 Feb 2008 Posts: 819

Im in the same boat guys. Trying to learn shred alternate picking .

Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 10:41 pm

I wasn't aware that alternate picking was related to 'shred'. I don't shred, but I've done alternate picking since 1964. Besides, I really don't know what you mean by 'shred'. My definition of shred includes sweep picking and tapping, but NOT alternate picking, which is required to do anything in a speedy manner. I can't do either (sweep or tapping).

Joined: 20 Aug 2008 Posts: 2182 Location: New York City

Play another instrument.

I got pretty bored with playing guitar.. all I did was shred and play metal. I became proficient at shredding and playing tricky songs, so it got massively boring. So I picked up a piano and decided to learn music theory and learn to play the classics. I'm still learning how to play piano, but as a result - have a new respect for guitars as a whole.

I guess the key thing here is to not limit yourself to one genre of music. If I didn't enjoy classical music and slow pieces, I wouldn't have been able to sway myself to play piano.

Joined: 21 Jul 2008 Posts: 614 Location: Yorkshire, England

60srocker wrote:

I wasn't aware that alternate picking was related to 'shred'. I don't shred, but I've done alternate picking since 1964. Besides, I really don't know what you mean by 'shred'. My definition of shred includes sweep picking and tapping, but NOT alternate picking, which is required to do anything in a speedy manner. I can't do either (sweep or tapping).

I suspect he was referring to economy picking, which is something else I've taken up recently. Its hard to get the hang of at first. Best way of getting used to it, I found, is to play exactly the same stuff you normally play but economy pick everything (its a lot harder than you might think). Also learning a few Yngwie Malmsteen runs helps. Economy picking is kind of a hybrid of alternate and sweep picking, so practising some sweeping is also useful.

Joined: 19 Aug 2008 Posts: 4622 Location: UP of Michigan

I play with other people.

Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 7:50 am

Guitar Backing tracks.

Joined: 09 Jul 2007 Posts: 340 Location: cali.

I might take lessons if I find the right teacher.
I think the chick from the Iron Maidens will do. Hehe
But seriously I am going to maybe audition an instructor !
If it is to spendy , books and cd's would have to do. Not really wanting to sign for a JC right now as that is more structured than I want to deal with.

Joined: 13 Feb 2004 Posts: 5603 Location: phoenix az.

I just turn off the distortion or play my banjitar i learn more from listening to other instruments then trying to learn some other guys licks.

Joined: 15 Sep 2010 Posts: 973 Location: Rock Hill,SC

I just want to be able to go anywhere & be able to play anything with anyone. That's why I'm trying new styles instead of expanding the ones I play all the time. Of course there is some things I could work on there but nothin that's hurting me if I don't. I'm happy with my sweeping & tapping & all that fun stuff but I want more. I've even bought a couple of thumb picks recently to try some bluegrass & fingerstyle blues. I'm not bored with the instrument I'm bored with me lol

Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 6:04 pm

NorthernMonkey wrote:

60srocker wrote:

I wasn't aware that alternate picking was related to 'shred'. I don't shred, but I've done alternate picking since 1964. Besides, I really don't know what you mean by 'shred'. My definition of shred includes sweep picking and tapping, but NOT alternate picking, which is required to do anything in a speedy manner. I can't do either (sweep or tapping).

I suspect he was referring to economy picking, which is something else I've taken up recently. Its hard to get the hang of at first. Best way of getting used to it, I found, is to play exactly the same stuff you normally play but economy pick everything (its a lot harder than you might think). Also learning a few Yngwie Malmsteen runs helps. Economy picking is kind of a hybrid of alternate and sweep picking, so practising some sweeping is also useful.

'Economy' picking is good, and everyone probably 'falls' into that as a consequence of learning alternate picking, but sweep picking is (to me) going up and down an arpeggio in one fluid 'sweep' up and down the fingerboard. I gave up on that years ago.

Metalfac3, enjoy learning something new! Do it while you can....

Joined: 22 Feb 2008 Posts: 819

60srocker wrote:

I wasn't aware that alternate picking was related to 'shred'. I don't shred, but I've done alternate picking since 1964. Besides, I really don't know what you mean by 'shred'. My definition of shred includes sweep picking and tapping, but NOT alternate picking, which is required to do anything in a speedy manner. I can't do either (sweep or tapping).

Think zakk wylde!! maybe you have a different idea of shred than i do..

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 11:25 am

to avoid this, although it tends to creep up sometimes i switcha round

playing classical on acoustic
switching out guitars, because every guitar gives me a different vibe
play my blues harp
try to emulate the way a sax phrases with guitar
listen to birds outside for melody lines/inspiration
use backingtracks+avoid the A ones Wink