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Old 11-12-2016, 05:58 PM
Mystery123 Mystery123 is offline
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Question What to practice to get good at scales/riffs?

I can strum few chords now but can't play even a short 10 note riff.
It feels like my hands freeze.
What to practice to get it in the head?
Thanks
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Old 11-12-2016, 06:22 PM
James_214ce James_214ce is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mystery123 View Post
I can strum few chords now but can't play even a short 10 note riff.
It feels like my hands freeze.
What to practice to get it in the head?
Thanks

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Old 11-12-2016, 09:53 PM
jseth jseth is offline
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(disclaimer: Careful! You are entering a deep hole...)

Ha!

Seriously, there are many ways to go about it... certainly learning melodies of songs you like is a great way to go, because, that's why you play guitar, right? To PLAY SONGS...

When I was 12 (1963!), my friends and I would spend hours figuring out all the little licks and runs we heard in the rock and roll of that era... I believe the first lick I learned was the lead-line from "Baby, Please Don't Go" (as performed by Them w/ Van Morrison) or "The Last Time" by the Rolling Stones... point is, copying other players who's riffs you like is a time-honored method of learning... EVERYBODY STEALS FROM SOMEBODY!

No matter how many scales you know and practice, sooner or later you will want to incorporate it into YOUR playing, so that it sounds fresh and fun... NOT like you're playing scales!

Making your fills and runs melodic is a skillset and an art that some have mastered and many continue to try...

One thing that works for me is "sing" the notes that I hear inside my head and then play them... takes a bit to connect with that part of your hand/mind connection, so start by playing a note, THEN singing it as you play it... when things are really flowing for me, it's a bit like that kid's game of "connect the dots", only in an aural sense!

Practice using your pick in an "up-and-down" alternating pattern, as that helps to economize motion while you play runs or licks or what have you... learning a few scales gives you some familiarity with certain sounds that make them easier to replicate when playing... working with a metronome so your sense of time and meter are highly accurate is bonus that will serve EVERY aspect of your guitar playing...

All of these things are a part of doing what you say you want to do... the more you work with them, the more comfortable you are and the less tendency to "freeze"...

You don't have to woodshed this sort of stuff for months on end before you can use any of it... you'll begin to fit things in to your playing right away... and then it just grows as you work with it, more and more.

Good luck! I hope this helps you...
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Old 11-12-2016, 10:05 PM
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Mbroady Mbroady is online now
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Hey Mystery123:

I think the key to riffing is "just keep doing it"
Are you able to record some basic chord changes. If yes, do a 5-10 minute loop of a simple 2 or 3 chord groove and just riff over that for a couple of weeks. You can add different groove loops as you improve. It takes time (maybe years) but just keep playing.
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Old 11-13-2016, 06:40 AM
SantaCruzOMGuy SantaCruzOMGuy is offline
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Learn zeppelin 2 and 4 riffs, then understand their key center and context. Chromatic notes (the wrong ones) can make all the difference, but they usually imply a different key/mode.

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Old 11-13-2016, 10:53 AM
Mystery123 Mystery123 is offline
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Thanks for comments

Will it help if I practice the pentatonic/chromatic etc. scales or just go straight to scales in a song of choice?
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Last edited by Mystery123; 11-13-2016 at 11:05 AM.
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Old 11-13-2016, 11:02 AM
Mystery123 Mystery123 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mbroady View Post
Hey Mystery123:

I think the key to riffing is "just keep doing it"
Are you able to record some basic chord changes. If yes, do a 5-10 minute loop of a simple 2 or 3 chord groove and just riff over that for a couple of weeks. You can add different groove loops as you improve. It takes time (maybe years) but just keep playing.
That's interesting concept.
I saw a youtube video where a guy loops a lot of different sounds and then sings.
It sounds like a band in just few seconds here:


I don't think my timing is perfect to do a loop of any kind now.
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Old 11-13-2016, 12:18 PM
Wyllys Wyllys is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mystery123 View Post
That's interesting concept.
I saw a youtube video where a guy loops a lot of different sounds and then sings.
It sounds like a band in just few seconds here:


I don't think my timing is perfect to do a loop of any kind now.
I like the big gray accordion standing under the window...
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Old 11-14-2016, 09:26 AM
SantaCruzOMGuy SantaCruzOMGuy is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mystery123 View Post
Thanks for comments

Will it help if I practice the pentatonic/chromatic etc. scales or just go straight to scales in a song of choice?
Do BOTH at the same time (rote memorize AND apply) u can take the memorize firther of you say the scale degree you are on as you play. For example, if you are playing thru mixolydian scale, 1 2 3 4 5 6 flat7 1

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