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Author Topic: ...LETS TAKE A SOLO.....  (Read 2878 times)

Offline uriahsmusic

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...LETS TAKE A SOLO.....
« on: September 19, 2004, 06:37:43 PM »
...WHEN YOU TAKE A SOLO OR EVEN RIFF IN A PIECE OF MUSIC THERE ARE A FEW THINGS YOU CAN DO TO MAKE YOU SOLE SOUND BETTER!....
1. REMEMBER THAT A SOLO CANT SOUND GOOD IF YOU ARE NOT HOLDING THE STRING DOWN WITH CONFIDENCE!..SO WHAT DO YOU DO IF YOU HAVE A SHAKEY SOLO HAND?...I AM SO GLAD YOU ASKED!
TAKE A FEW MINUTES AND HOLD ON TO A NOTE!...SOUNDS SIMPLE BECAUSE IT IS!...
HOLD A SINGLE NOTE DOWN WITH YOU POINTER FINGER FOR EXAMPLE!
GET THAT ONE NOTE TO SOUND REALLY SOLID WHEN YOU PRESS IT DOWN...IT MAY NOT SOUND THAT SOLID AT FIRST WITH NO BUZZ OR RINGING...BUT IT WILL VERY SOON!...HOLD THE NOTE DOWN FOR 4 BEATS..1...2...3..4....DO THIS REPEATEDLY UNTIL THE NOTE IS CLEAR AS A BELL!....(THIS MAY NOT HAPPEN AT YOU FIRST SITTING..BUT BE PATIENT)
ONCE YOU GOT THAT ONE NOTE CLEAR...MOVE IT UP AND DOWN THE NECK ON THE SAME STRING TO SEE IF YOU CAN GET THE OTHER NOTES ON THAT STRING TO SOUND SOLID!....TAKE YOUR TIME WITH THIS!
NOW MOVE TO OTHER STRINGS AND DO THE SAME THING!

2. NOW DO THIS WITH YOUR MIDDLE FINGER..YOUR RING FINGER AND THEN YOUR PINKY!

THE BOTTOM LINE WITH THIS IS YOU ARE CONCENTRATING ON TRAINING YOUR HAND TO HOLD THE NOTES DOWN WITH ENOUGH PRESSURE TO KEEP THE NOTES SOUNDING SOLID!....THINK OF IT AS WEIGHT TRANING FOR YOUR FINGERS!
EACH FINGER..UP AND DOWN EACH STRING FOR 4 BEATS FOR EVERY NOTE ON THE NECK!....
DO IT WHILE YOU WATCH TV OR SURF THE WEB....

IF YOU DO THIS ONCE A DAY WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS YOU WILL SEE THAT YOUR INDIVIDUAL NOTES WILL START TO SOUND VERY HIGH QUALITY AND SOLID!...

Offline JayP5150

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...LETS TAKE A SOLO.....
« Reply #1 on: September 19, 2004, 08:59:17 PM »
I'd like to add to this, if I may...

Once you are comfortable with fingering solidly, like Uriah was saying, try this finger exercise to build speed and accuracy (this works both hands, too).

Start on the top (big E) string, and play the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th frets with those fingers (1st fret--1st finger, 2nd fret--2nd finger, etc.).  As you do this, concentrate on alternate picking with your pick hand.  1st fret pick down, 2nd fret pick up, 3rd fret pick down, 4th fret pick up.  Work this on all the strings, then do it backwards back to the low E string (4, 3, 2, 1).  If you do thi exercise everyday to the 5th fret and back you will see your fingers getting crazy-strong and your accuracy when going after a note will be off the charts.

If y'all read TAB, it looks like this (remember to alternately pick):

---------------------------------------------------1-2-3-4---4-3-2-1------------
-----------------------------------------1-2-3-4-----------------------4-3-2-1--
-------------------------------1-2-3-4-------------------------------------------
---------------------1-2-3-4-----------------------------------------------------
-----------1-2-3-4----------------------------------------------------------------
-1-2-3-4-------------------------------------------------------------------------

and so on.  You get the idea.  This isn't musical at all, but it's a great exercise.  Want to really build finger strength?  Do it without a pick--using all hammer-ons and pull-offs.  Pray for your pinky first, 'cause it'll be crying before you're done.

Hope that helps someone.

Offline E-Phrygian

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...LETS TAKE A SOLO.....
« Reply #2 on: September 20, 2004, 07:08:07 AM »
i've got this great song in mind for Alternate picking.

Before i learned to play this song, i can not alternate pick at all. I can alternate pick as much as i can play a wind instrument and believe you me, i suck at wind instruments BIG TIME.

The song is "Tears in the rain" by Joe Satriani. It's just a series of Arpeggios. Really cool to be able to play but it does require a little skill with your fret hand. But hey, this is what it's all about, practice, practice, practice!!!!

here's the first part of the song, so you get the idea, you can find the rest of the song through Google

3
   time, A minor, normal tuning
4


-------0-------------0-------------0-------------0----------
-----3---3---------3---3---------6---6---------3---3--------
---5-------5-----4-------4-----7-------7-----5-------5------
-7-------------3-------------6-------------7----------------
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------

(Repeat four arpeggios above)

---0---8---0---------5---------0---8---0---------5----------
-----6---6---------5---5---------6---6---------5---5--------
-----------------5-------5-------------------5-------5------
-7-------------7-------------7-------------7----------------
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------

-------0-------------0-------------0-------------0----------
-----1---1---------1---1---------3---3---------3---3--------
---2-------2-----2-------2-----4-------4-----4-------4------
-3-------------3-------------3-------------3----------------
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------

-------0-------------0--------------------------------------
-----1---1---------3---3------------------------------------
---2-------2-----4-------4----------------------------------
-2-------------2--------------------------------------------
-----------------------------0-2-3-----2---0----------------
-----------------------------------0-4----------------------

Offline JayP5150

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...LETS TAKE A SOLO.....
« Reply #3 on: September 20, 2004, 09:50:29 AM »
I think that's more like sweep picking.  If you're hitting the first three notes down, then the next three up, that's what it is.  Alternate picking is every other note, down, up, down, up.

Ever see Crossroads (no, not the one with Britney Spears in it)?  That guitar duel at the end?  The very last part that ralph Machio (actually, it's Steve Vai's overdub) plays, that's done with alternate picking.  that's the real high part that's basically a rip on Paganini's piece.

Sweeps are fun, too though.

Offline E-Phrygian

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...LETS TAKE A SOLO.....
« Reply #4 on: September 20, 2004, 11:52:53 PM »
oh yeah, you can sweep play that arpeggio, but with better acurracy it's better to Alternate pick it. Up down up down, it's better to alternate pick cuz you sometime you don't want the note to overlap each other. you pick a note then you let it die out before you pick the next note. Not sure if you can catch my meaning.

Yes i have seen the guitar duel from Crossroad (the one without britney spears) between Steve Vai and that kid. I have also found a tab for it on the internet, but it wasn't 100% correct. It was only the bit where Steve Vai was playing (i know that steve vai have written the entire thing) in the movie.
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