Would you recommend this for someone with desent guitar skills, but little theory skills. I can play relatively complicated songs off tablature but looking to basically gain the ability to pick up my guitar and jam with other musicians.
I think the course targets beginner to intermediate guitarists. If you're beyond that stage and just looking for the theory, maybe some sort of resource focusing just on the theory rather than developing guitar playing in conjunction with theory would work for you? It probably depends on what level you are at and what you are looking to learn though. I started off being good at strumming chords and able to play basic to intermediate tabs and have found the course pretty good (I'm about halfway through), but it sounds like you might be a bit further along than me on the playing side.
Don't be afraid to go to some open mics and ask to play along with guys, just say your new. Jamming with a band is an amazing experience and it's amazing how much you learn.
So at what point would you say someone is ready? If you can play rhythm to a 12 bar blues backing track (drums and bass on the backing, not mimicing another guitar) in a couple different styles (straight, swing, shuffles, etc) in different keys, with a selection of different chords and voicings, is that the time to get out there? Is it acceptable to show up and only want/be able to play rhythm?
So at what point would you say someone is ready? If you can play rhythm to a 12 bar blues backing track (drums and bass on the backing, not mimicing another guitar) in a couple different styles (straight, swing, shuffles, etc) in different keys, with a selection of different chords and voicings, is that the time to get out there? Is it acceptable to show up and only want/be able to play rhythm?
I've been playing for 4 years and joined a band last summer. After jamming for like 6 months we finally did an open mic and I was soo nervous. But I had a few beers and just went and did it. I caught a bug and now all I want to do is play. I realized I probably could have started doing them way earlier.
Lead guitar takes a while, so yeah, you'll probably want to just play rhythm ( I love playing rhythm )
Here we are at our 2nd open mic at the Shamrock. I think there were 4 other musicians there and a handful of drunks. Honestly, no one is going to judge anyone and if they do, #### 'em!
Recording quality is poor and there were a few hiccups. First song, a grand total of 2 chords, and 3 chords in the second.
Would you recommend this for someone with desent guitar skills, but little theory skills. I can play relatively complicated songs off tablature but looking to basically gain the ability to pick up my guitar and jam with other musicians.
If you want something you can do at home on your own, learn you basics (Pentatonic or any scale you like) and download or search for backing tracks on Youtube (in various styles and keys) and try to improv along with them to make something that sounds decent. Easiest way to see if you have any knack for it at all because everything that you play that sounds wrong will sound VERY wrong.
Everyone else is saying you have to get out there and play with people and I agree with that, but I also get where you are coming from, where it is intimidating and you feel like you really got to prep and shore up your own knowledge first. I'm in the same boat.
I think of myself as a guitar player who mostly improvises (I never really learn songs or read tabs, I just go and play by myself to try to make interesting things that I like) but I also am not really comfortable enough with my own skills to jam with other people.
If I write a solo in GP5, other than actually playing it and then uploading on Youtube, how can I let others hear/see what I wrote. I wrote a little shred solo for an ending of a song and I want to get opinions. There is no way I can play it at the speed I want it.
Upload the guitar pro file. Most tab sites have them for download too.
Or just upload the sound clip of GP5 playing it itself or maybe take a videocapture of your desktop while GP5 is playing.
The real ghetto way is record your screen with your camera or phone.
I think of it as math in process, and art in execution.
Oh I agree, but his post felt to me like he was trying to disect theory that he couldn't possibly understand (or at least it's relevance) because he doesn't have a tactile experience of the theory functioning in a song out loud.
I think he just has a bit of stage fright I think.
Oh I agree, but his post felt to me like he was trying to disect theory that he couldn't possibly understand (or at least it's relevance) because he doesn't have a tactile experience of the theory functioning in a song out loud.
I think he just has a bit of stage fright I think.
You don't need to swing totally in either direction. Some people might enjoy and be able to attempt painting the Mona Lisa off the bat but some people learn better and are more confident if they can paint by the numbers first.
Everyone can understand music theory as long as they can hear the notes regardless of the instrument. I would actually probably prefer learning music theory on the piano first because it's easier and more logical seeing the roots and chords first and then transfer over that to the guitar.
I know I am definitely not confident jamming with anyone but I don't have much experience in that.
I second just getting out there and playing... I started playing due to boredom, and started my first band 8 months later. I can sit down with a song to learn for 8 hours but will learn it better once I am jamming with my band. I have played on Telemiracle, had numerous radio interviews, and have just started a new band where I bought a bass for the first "practice"
its nerve racking the first time you play with someone, but even a couple buddies drinking beers and goofing around is awesome
Old Band:
Short vids of new band.
Shameless plugs!!
Last edited by stang; 03-14-2012 at 12:47 PM.
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I second just getting out there and playing... I started playing due to boredom, and started my first band 8 months later. I can sit down with a song to learn for 8 hours but will learn it better once I am jamming with my band. I have played on Telemiracle, had numerous radio interviews, and have just started a new band where I bought a bass for the first "practice"
its nerve racking the first time you play with someone, but even a couple buddies drinking beers and goofing around is awesome
I'm at the point where I can sit down and learn a song after hours of practice and I can play along with someone else's music. I can even write my own simple music, but it's more of a trial and error process. IE This note sounds cool, after I play it with that note.
I'd like however eventually be able to just walk into any band already playing and be able to ad lib music that works with them. Be able to play solos on the spot just by listening to what the rhythem instruments are doing. Based on what I do know about theory, I just don't see how I'll be able to do that without a much deeper understanding of theory.
Basically, I want to be able to hear musicians playing. Recognize what key and scale they are playing in and then play along with them. I think it would also vastly improve my ability to learn new songs. Instead of having to memorize the new songs, I'd be able to predict what notes are going to be played next based on my knowlegde of theory rules.
I've played with a few people who have very strong ears and theory backgrounds and it makes a world of difference. I have several friends who can hear the first few notes of a song and can then play along with it. That's where I'd like to be eventually.
It just depends what sound you want. You might as well ask what do you think about playing with long nails or playing an acoustic versus and electric or with the bridge or the neck pickup or with a hollow body or a solid body or with strumming or picking or muting, etc.
I can't get the same sound without a pick but my coordination is definitely better for some things and some without. Just do the ol' hold the pick between your unused fingers when you need to use them and bring the pick back when you need it.
If I could grow my nails long, I've seen/heard some classical guitarists with really long and thick nails do amazing things on acoustic and electric in other genres that sound way better than anyone with a pick.
The lessons on the Justin's Guitar page are very good. Just starting with learning the chords now, and it hurts like hell.
Also having a tough time getting proper finger placement so that the keys all strum the right way. I guess that comes with time. I can only play about 5-10 min at a time before I have to stop.
The lessons on the Justin's Guitar page are very good. Just starting with learning the chords now, and it hurts like hell.
Also having a tough time getting proper finger placement so that the keys all strum the right way. I guess that comes with time. I can only play about 5-10 min at a time before I have to stop.
I have short fingers and they are all single jointed. There are a ton of chords (especially barre cords) that are simply impossible to play nomatter what people say and I have to live with that and adapt to that.
The pain does go away, I can tell you that. It's not just callouses like beginners have but your skin on the playing hand just gets tougher overall while you develop flexibility and hand strength. Just have a guitar handy wherever you are and pick it up all the time.
The lessons on the Justin's Guitar page are very good. Just starting with learning the chords now, and it hurts like hell.
Also having a tough time getting proper finger placement so that the keys all strum the right way. I guess that comes with time. I can only play about 5-10 min at a time before I have to stop.
The lessons on the Justin's Guitar page are very good. Just starting with learning the chords now, and it hurts like hell.
Also having a tough time getting proper finger placement so that the keys all strum the right way. I guess that comes with time. I can only play about 5-10 min at a time before I have to stop.
The fingers definitely toughen up after practicing for a while. Even just a couple of minutes a day for a few weeks will help that.
1. Lee Ranaldo & Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth) It's hard to imagine where we would be without Sonic Youth. It's unlikely another smart post-punk band founded around the same time — Big Black, the Meat Puppets — could have delivered us from hardcore's fury quite the same way. What would indie rock sound like if Sonic Youth's sublime din hadn't enchanted and derailed all the college rock bands of the mid-'80s? We would have only been left with a bunch of sanguine Feelies rip offs, never having the chance to divulge a crush via careful mixtape placement of "Shadow of A Doubt."
1. Lee Ranaldo & Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth) It's hard to imagine where we would be without Sonic Youth. It's unlikely another smart post-punk band founded around the same time — Big Black, the Meat Puppets — could have delivered us from hardcore's fury quite the same way. What would indie rock sound like if Sonic Youth's sublime din hadn't enchanted and derailed all the college rock bands of the mid-'80s? We would have only been left with a bunch of sanguine Feelies rip offs, never having the chance to divulge a crush via careful mixtape placement of "Shadow of A Doubt."
That whole article is one giant troll
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