[Fernandes_Sustainer]

For your experienced folk out there... im looking for some new ways to improve my soloing technique. Im into a lot of harder stuff and I just love how some of these guys can shred... In terms of technique... ive got most stuff down pat... I need to work on some of the more advanced techniques such as tapping... but im sure that will come over time... basically im just looking for a push in the right direction. Anyone know of any good scales that I should be focusing on? maybe some riffs that I could practise to gain the speed needed to shred?

Any info would be greatly appreciated...

Brent

[Fernandes_Sustainer]

anybody?

[Fernandes_Sustainer]

Anything to do with soloing and improving in that department... theres alot of stuff here on the board thats good for fingerpicking, sliding and playing chords... but nothing souly based around soloing/shredding

[Kirk Lorange]

Hi FS.

There are two approaches to soloing: scales and chords.

To my mind and ear, soloing should be melodic, should tell a story. The best way I have found to achieve that end is to keep very careful track of the chords of the tune you're soloing to. The chords are the tune in a very basic sense, and the strongest melody always has and always will consist of chord tones, those notes that make up the chords as they come and go.

Scales are the other way. They never, ever worked for me, so I can't say mch about them, how to use them, how to manipulate them. They always sound like scales to me; not only that, there is very rarely just one scale that will work over the whole tune, so you need to loook at several ... way too much for me to think about.

There are those, however, who actually see and hear scales to be the solo. I hear this often in high speed shredding, where the player is simply playing scales up and down, or a certain mode. To me, this is not soloing, it's just playing scales. For those players, I guess my advice would be 'learn all the scale and modes'.

If you're into melody, then chords are the easiest, quickest way there. The trick is to see chords not as little localized clusters of notes, but as one long matrix of notes that stretch the length of the fretboard. That, of course, takes time, but once you can do that, you can literally see the infinite melodic possiblities waiting to be realized. Chords automatically sift away non-essential notes and highlight what I call 'boss notes' ... the good strong notes. Chord tones.

My book PlaneTalk describes a very simple succinct way of seeing the fretboard as a whole, so if you feel you're ready for that stage, check it out at http://www.thatllteachyou.com

[si16]

Hi Brent, it's not that anybody is being rude, it's just that very few, if any, of the regulars are into shredding, scales and the like. Many of the members are here because of Kirk's instructional book Plane Talk. This book is not a technique/speed builder, it focuses on a more melodic style of playing concentrating on chord tones rather than on scales. modes, etc. However, Neilsonite, a regular here who is a guitar instructor, believes that it will be of benefit to players of any style.

Sorry I can't answer your original question, but there are a few shredders here who will hopefully give a few pointers.

[slejhamer]

Following up on Kirk's good advice, I know a couple of speed freaks who practice arpeggios rather than scales. (Well they do both, but they say arpeggios are more interesting for solo work.) So learning chords is essential for that, and Kirk's book might indeed help.

Also check out Troy Stetina's "Speed Mechanics for Lead Guitar" book. He's got some really good books for rock and metal styles. I use his "Total Rock" book, which is more of a general rock orientation rather than metal/shred, and I think it's very good. Just stay clear of his DVDs - poorly designed in my opinion. http://www.stetina.com/lessons.html

[Fernandes_Sustainer]

Thanks for the feedback guys...

[737blues]

There have been some pretty good articles in magazines like Guitar One & Guitar Tech over the past few months, mostly featuring CD demo's by players who are generally acknowledged as top shredders. I know that has the drawback of needing to pay for the info, unless you have a really good library, but I do think that would be your best source for technique. Good luck!

[LeeB]

This site has a section dedicated to Heavy Metal so you may find it helpful.. perhaps
http://www.guitarnoise.com/metal.php

[nocat]

Pick a scale, any scale and practice playing it using a metronome.
Gradually increase the BPM until you can play it so fast that it will make
Yngwie Malmsteen cry...!!! :o)

[delondcosta27]

Originally Posted by nocat

Pick a scale, any scale and practice playing it using a metronome.
Gradually increase the BPM until you can play it so fast that it will make
Yngwie Malmsteen cry...!!! :o)

lol
hmm besides the scales and chords there is the way you pick..........sweep,alternative,economy picking can make a scale u thought u cod play fast b4,be played even faster
im also gettin interested in shredding so im tryin to learn acid raing by dreamtheatre.........im good with double hand tapping more or less so most of the solo was OK and the rest of it i will work on to get it more up to pace............but my problem is tht intro how does he get it so chunky sounding??does he palm mute or is it distortion acting in?someone help me with tht!!!!

[Donovan]

I think it's the guitar/amp combination as well, but I certainly think there's some PMing going on there. I agree, sweet crunch. Acid Rain is not one of my fav's tho, despite the lightning guitar work there. Gratz to you for pulling some of that stuff off

Besides, I actually thought it was a Liquid Tension Experiment song. Not too weird if you come to think that project is compromised of 3 of DT's members. Check out other songs of LTE as well. Another Dimension must be one of my fav songs from them. It's just so plain - WEIRD - with all those time sig and theme changes going on, but it still find it to be quite cool and somehow coherent. Biaxident, Universal Mind, Kindred Spirits, Paradigm Shift, When The Water Breaks. All excellent songs and excellent craftmanship

Freedom of Speech is also very cool, it starts out real smooth and warm, but contains some nice riffing and soloing as well along the song. Osmosis, nothing really stunning technically, but what an atmosphere. That really relaxes me. Wow, enchanting, you really got me started on them again. Also for the people who're not really into the heavy stuff, listen to Hourglass and State of Grace. Sweet and tender

[delondcosta27]

yeah iv heard some of their other songs....their all well versed musicians.....and they blend their music extremely well.....like acid rains 2nd solo has a sond of blues in it and kindred spirits starts off as heavy metal and goes on...lol....im eager to know wut your fav song is currently.......