Becoming one with the fretboard - Page 2

Taylor110 · #16 10-02-2003, 10:41 PM

Scales, arpeggios and interval exercises. Boring, but necessary.

815C · #17 10-03-2003, 06:13 AM

Maybe I'm a geek, but I actually enjoy working on scales, arpeggios, etc.

I swam NCAA in college and we'd have to hit the weight room pretty hard 3 or 4 days a week. The more weight lifting I did, the more I enjoyed it. Even though I wasn't in the pool, I realized how building my strength would make me faster when I raced - I'd visualize it while I was bench pressing, curling, or whatever. I knew I'd never bench press, leg press, or curl in a swimming meet, but the behind the scenes work outs would make me a better swimmer.

Scales are kind of the same thing. I"m never going to play a bunch of scales when I'm actually playing, but having spent time doing it will make my playing that much better. I have over 400 two octave scale and arpeggio fingerings I try to do each day. How many of these will I actually use when playing? Probably about 1% on any given gig. But the fact that I've forced my brain and fingers to do these exercises really enhances my playing - which BTW I try to keep very simple and melodic.

My practice routine is usually to go through the scales/arpeggios (which takes about 1.5 hours), and then turn off the music theory software in my brain and just write music from my heart & spirit. If I don't to the scales first, I notice a marked decrease in my creativity.

KTBB · #18 10-03-2003, 07:23 AM

Hi Guys, very insightful sharing...

Did anyone of you happen to purchase guitar videos, bks/cd to learn when you just started out learning guitar, has it been helpful?

eg. "A Guitarist guide to better Practicing (Pete Huttlinger)"
"A beginner's guide to chord position (Happy Traum)"

#19 10-03-2003, 07:25 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Lonny

Time and practice is a big part of this, I know. But, what has helped you to become one with your fretboard?

Are you kidding? Me and my fretboard argue all the time!

And my fingers...forget it! They never listen

~j~ · #20 10-03-2003, 11:51 AM

I've got this book and I like it a lot. You have to use it along with different patterns or whatnot don't play them in order that's silly. You could also search on the forum for posts by mapletrees or go looking through the playing & technique section for other helpful advice

Lonny · #21 10-03-2003, 02:23 PM

815C: Not only are you a Taylor-Holic, you're also a scaloholic. Do you do these from memory or from a list? I use Giuliani's 120 Right-Hand Studies (I've mastered about a dozen so far), and these have been very helpful when I then play other things for fun. My fingers do seem to have little brains of their own. What recommendations do you have for scale studies?

jeffrey · #22 10-03-2003, 02:58 PM

I have a pretty strict practice regimin as well, but I don't really practice scales anymore; no need to really.

I do practice patterns that challenge me though. I guess they could be considered scalar, but a lot of them are kind of nonsensical. It's just things that challenge my right hand picking and left hand dexterity.

That's where I spend most of my practice time now; technique.

RRtalpkr · #23 10-03-2003, 07:26 PM

I disagree with Bobhun, although he has some excellent ideas. What must be remembered is that there are two halves of the brain. One remembers lyrics, while the other remembers melodies.

Here's an idea that may help readers remember lyrics. Write or print the first line of each verse on the side of the G. that is pointed towards the chin when you play. (Memorize the chorus first.)

Then, if needed, you can read the 1st line of every verse when you need to--&, surprise, you'll probably be able to remember all the rest of that particular verse.

After several of weeks of this, you can peel off the "crib sheet."

Another trick is to practice a song you need to memorize 10 X every day. It helps!

Dan (Rio Rancho, NM)

gardner · #24 10-03-2003, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ~j~
I've got this book and I like it a lot. You have to use it along with different patterns or whatnot don't play them in order that's silly. You could also search on the forum for posts by mapletrees or go looking through the playing & technique section for other helpful advice

Where is Mapletrees?...

815C · #25 10-03-2003, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Lonny
What recommendations do you have for scale studies?

There are many good scale books for guitarists. Honestly though I have never used them. A good teacher (one who can actually play well AND communicate what he/she is doing) is what I'd recommend. I was blessed to study music at North Texas State for a few years when I was young and the download was overwhelming.

We all need to take some time to give our pursuit of mastering the guitar some thought. Many of us are willing to practice faithfully for how ever many years we have left in pursuit of making good music. But do we have a plan that helps us choose how we spend out time?

After my studies at NTSU came to and end, I sat there with many musical horizons in front of me. Which one would I pursue? I realized that many years of study and practice would be required for what was in my heart and I wanted to have a plan that made sense and had goals.

I knew the music I was wired to play - worship - would require some pretty good technique and a good knowlegde of the neck. So part of the goal I drew up was:

1. Play 3 octave scales (major, minor, harmonic minor, melodic minor [traditional], melodic minor [jazz], half step-whole step, whole step-half, whole tone, & chromatic) at 120 on the metronome (playing eight 16th notes a second).

2. Play twelve 2 octave fingerings of every mode of the major, harmonic minor, and melodic minor - and their corresponding arpeggios at 120 on the metronome.

3. Play sixteen different jazz/swing style chord voicings for the diatonic 7th chords in the major scale at 120 on the metronome (1 chord per click).

4. Complete items 1-3 in 1.5 hours.

The three items above would be the foundation of my technique and knowledge of the neck. It took many years to get there, but now I do this 1.5 hours of practice - and then spend the rest of my musical day writing, learning, playing, experiencing God's presence.

The point I'm trying to make is that we should all take 3 steps back and figure out just what we'd like to be playing 10 or 20 years from now and then put together a plan to reach that goal. Not everyone needs to know a bunch of scales - it just happened to provide me with a good base for how I worship God with my guitar. Maybe you would be better suited learning lyrics and chords to 2 new tunes each week? For me that would be waste of time (I sing like a cat in heat), but each of us has a unique gift and manifestation of the music in us.

This has been a long answer to a short question and for that I apologize. I guess I felt obliged to explain where I have traveled musically as it has been a long and costly road - one that I would not recommend others travel unless they have a specific musical destination in mind.

thunderhawk · #26 10-07-2003, 07:34 PM

I agree fully with your instructor. The key is to learn your modes, and pick up some music theory while you are at it (one and the same actually). An excellent resouce is Matt Smith's Chop Shop as is Yoichi Arakawa's [ I]Jazz Guitar Chords and Accompaniment[/I]. Finally, set up a good practice routine and stick with it (like 815c says) 1-3 hours a day of regimented practice even if broken up into 15-30 minute segments will work wonders. I also agree fully with what 815c said about jazz voicings--I can't emphasize the jazz voicings enough. Learn the jazz voicings, and you will open an entire universe of musical wonderment for yourself.