quote:
Originally posted by simonlock
Bob I was 18. I was playing Steve Vai,Metallica, Joe Satriani and Yngwie type songs. Even then I improvised a lot but the most I knew about making music was the major/minor and pentatonic scales. I used some of what I knew from songs and mostly my ear to come up with things I wanted to hear.I could play fast but it wasn't terribly musical. Certainly not like the level of craftsmanship you've achieved Bob. I'm still miles from there. However it was crazy speed. I don't have any recordings as at the time I had nothing to record with and computers were still Ataris and such. It was basically such a dramatic change in skill level that I was immediately thrilled that i was finally getting "there". Wherever that was at the time for me.
When I hit record on anything be it a computer recording or video I lose about 30% of my ability and about 50% of my creativity. Nothing flows. I think what i need to do to record is loop record and then spend a lot of time going through the material. I figure if I play long enough I'll stop caring that someone or something is listening.
Simon
Vancouver,BC
Hey Simon,
I wasn't trying to be critical at all. I was just making a personal point that for me, having that feeling doesn't always equate to playing well. Sometimes it does, and sometimes it doesn't. In general, I lose about 30% - 50% when I hit record too. I realized that a long time ago, so for me, I always sound better when it's just me sitting there and playing, and I know that I've always gotta be on top of my game to get as much out as I can.
Probably like that for most people, so it's kind of humbling to know that all of the artists people love and want to emulate are 30 to 50 percent better than we ever hear!
Anyway, not sure there's science here. I think Paul hit it with tactile memory, and it's probably that memory that controls the Type 2 muscle fiber. So, the age old regimens of practice, practice, practice - with some sense of discipline - is a good one.
My advice (to everyone)... learn the major scale in every position on the guitar. Then link the positions, and play them. Learn it backwards and forwards. Learn it by playing every other note. Now every third note. Now 1, 3, 2, 4, 3, 5, 4, 6, etc. NOW learn it in double stops.
From there, anything is possible. Once your fingers know that inside and out, it's such an easy leap to the minors, diminished, augmented, chromatics, etc. It's just that it takes hours of rote playing. And rote playing can be done with minor mental attention. I watch TV while running scales as fast as I can and reading email and the Parker forum. There's seldom a time when I am typing here, that it is not being done by reaching over the top of one of my Parkers.
Anyway, that's the secret, from what I've discovered. Give it 4 hours a day - 3 1/2 running scales, and the last half having fun. If you want to have more fun, take it up to 5 hours a day.
Bob
1997 Parker Fly Concert Burnt Butterscotch • 1999 Parker Fly Artist Custom Hardtail Butterscotch • 1998 Fly Classic in Transparent Dark Blue • 1998 Fly Classic in Cherry Red with DiBurro Roland Mod •
http://bobmartin1111.com