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  #1  
Old 10-29-2014, 10:40 AM
CameronRK CameronRK is offline
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Default What are your technique aspirations?

As I was sitting down, trying to complete a homework assignment, I got to thinking: "What is it, exactly, that I'm working towards as far as my guitar technique?" To me, this was a bit of a strange question, because I often feel as though I just "play" for the sake of, well.. "playing." Anyhow, I personally believe that guitar playing should be combined with spur-of-the-moment exploration, as well as some intellectual guidance. Personally, I am working towards cultivating a close-handed right hand technique (i.e. David Grier, Chris Eldridge) as well as the ability to incorporate my middle and ring finger into my flatpicking, in order to achieve a somewhat syncopated, Clarence White coloration. Those two, by themselves, are enough to keep a man busy for a life time, so I'll keep wandering down that path until another road block presents itself. I'd love to hear yours!
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Old 10-29-2014, 02:36 PM
NilsG NilsG is offline
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I have recently played a lot of old-time jazz songs, interspersed with very old Irish tunes (O'Carolan). My technical goal is to master slow and not heavily rythmic tunes - be that Clapton's 'Layla' or Sean O Riadha's "Mna na hEireann", or, Mingus' "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat".

Also, if possible, to have fun while so doing.
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  #3  
Old 10-29-2014, 05:49 PM
grathan grathan is offline
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Not really technique related , but my biggest aspirations have always been there and may not ever be realized. They are singing in key while playing, and perhaps writing a song or two that I would be proud to present.


Other than that, perhaps getting over the fear of changing guitar tunings.

I'd like to spread around the fretboard a little more purposefully when noodling.

Also not technique related, but finding an online social outlet for inspiration. Like a group lesson or something.

Should probably learn to think about what notes I am playing instead of just hearing them too.
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  #4  
Old 10-29-2014, 07:21 PM
vlado vlado is offline
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Somehow I'm always few steps ahead with what I wish I could play then what I can play... Which is, actually, good, 'cause, I'll never get bored with playing for there'll always be something new I want to learn... But I suppose it's that way with most of us here, I guess nobody'll say "theat's it, I've learned enough!"
I can play most of the stuff that I listen to, being a Nick Drake and John Martyn fan, I discovered I can, using the youtube video instructions, easily learn most of their repertoire in 2 hour session per song. Then I need more time to master it, to perform it well, and, over time, to find my own way of doing it. But I'm still very far from being satisfied with my technical skills as a guitarist and even less with the improvisational skills. First of all, I'd like to improve my dexterity, my ability to play only what I want and not anything else... I remember how happy I was when I first learned to play "Blackbird" in more or less same way that Paul McCartney does, it was such an achievement, I played it for days out of pure joy of being able to do it... Now, some years later, I'd be so happy to be able to play some stuff that is a lot more challenging, like some early Michael Hedges' tunes, like "Layover" or "Two days old", that would seem to me as an top achievement nowadays.
Another thing I'd like very much to learn is using stuff like e-bow and a sequencer, so I could perform all by myself using both instruments that I play simultanuosly, acoustic guitar and fretless bass, and singing on top of it all...
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  #5  
Old 10-30-2014, 01:23 AM
Chin music Chin music is offline
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If I could play Simon & Garfunkel's 'A Poem on the Underground Wall', at speed and cleanly, I will have achieved a goal I set out about 10 months or so ago and, while I've made progress, still have a ways to go. I've had to re-build my right hand technique from the ground up and remove some bad habits that were causing to miss strings (especially my index finger on the G string) and at a speed higher than I'm ready for causes my right hand to almost oscillate and thus lose where it is in relation to the strings themselves. I'd compare it to the wheel of an automobile that perhaps is not fastened properly to the axle, and at higher speeds you begin getting vibrations like the whole **** car is going to break up. That's my right hand right now at a higher tempo than I can handle.

A Poem on the Underground Wall is really a simple pattern fingerstyle song with some embellishments. However, if I can get to that place where I'm playing a song like that one with a bit faster right hand tempo and playing it CLEANLY, then I will feel like I've reached a major milestone in my playing, and I'll have to choose a new goal to aspire to.

Fortunately I won't have to worry about the "what's next" dilemna for a while .
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Old 10-30-2014, 07:08 AM
Bikewer Bikewer is offline
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I've been at this since '75 or so... I can flatpick quite well and play fingerstyle quite well.....My current aspiration is fingerstyle jazz... Chord melody stuff.
I'd like to be able to arrange tunes well and to improvise freely. I'm at the point where occasionally I'll hit something that sounds really cool.... But half the time it's an accident.
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Old 10-30-2014, 07:24 PM
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TBman TBman is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bikewer View Post
I've been at this since '75 or so... I can flatpick quite well and play fingerstyle quite well.....My current aspiration is fingerstyle jazz... Chord melody stuff.
I'd like to be able to arrange tunes well and to improvise freely. I'm at the point where occasionally I'll hit something that sounds really cool.... But half the time it's an accident.
I just kind of "bump around in the dark" when I improvise also. It might be a good time to actually sit down and write down groups of chords structures that mix well together. Odd, but I've never really applied myself there in any capacity.
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Old 10-30-2014, 08:45 PM
TheGoldenWalrus TheGoldenWalrus is offline
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As far as my aspirations..... 2 words
David.
Rawlings.

That is all
Scott
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Old 10-31-2014, 07:42 AM
KarlK KarlK is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TheGoldenWalrus View Post
As far as my aspirations..... 2 words
David.
Rawlings.

That is all
Scott
To that end, here is the man himself, David Rawlings, showing how it's done.

As an aspirational goal, "ambitious" is an understatement.

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Old 11-01-2014, 04:08 PM
TheGoldenWalrus TheGoldenWalrus is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KarlK View Post
To that end, here is the man himself, David Rawlings, showing how it's done.

As an aspirational goal, "ambitious" is an understatement.

Ha, no kidding. If I'm going to shoot off a rocket, I might aswell shoot it toward the stars.
(the rocket referring to my aspirations, not my actual skill which is only comparable to a rocket when the rocket has exploded and all the little shards are laying about)
Scott

Last edited by TheGoldenWalrus; 11-01-2014 at 04:17 PM.
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Old 11-01-2014, 07:30 PM
EoE EoE is offline
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Two things I am playing a double neck lead and bass . one is independence on both the lead and bass doing hammerons . right hand playing bass while the left does lead... the other is playing duel solos on the bass and lead doing hammerons.
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Old 11-02-2014, 11:41 AM
Pitar Pitar is offline
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Writing can have objective goals but the most important ones to me are the (subjective) aural rewards of hap-hazard discovery. Developing fingerpicking dynamics lends much to it. Any technique, a word I use here to oblige the threads inclusion, is a misnomer for me. In any given melody I write there is no underlying technique, or style for lack of a better cataloging of what I tend to do.

A 3-5 triad song utilizing a basic fingerpicking pattern throughout loses me 60 seconds into the piece. That's so formulaic now it's like an unwanted common cold in music. Break that pattern and create for the listener a journey through dynamics and syncopated variety. You will not be hurt by it and if anything it will give you recipes to mix and match with.
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Old 11-03-2014, 12:14 PM
dgonz dgonz is offline
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I can play pretty much anything I want on my Strat, and do often. Chords, scales, speed, etc.

My current goal is to be able to play with the same effortless speed, on my acoustic. I'm getting there, and should be good this month.
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  #14  
Old 11-04-2014, 04:58 PM
pekes pekes is offline
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Hi again Cameron,

I've communicated with you before - as a big fan of Kenny Smith, whose technique I really admire.

Since you asked...I'd like be better at hybrid picking (combo flatpick + finger picking) but I've discovered that I can mimic that by just being a good flatpicker.

But ULTIMATELY...I want to play and sing as well as my YouTube friend, Kirby Swinemar (kirbyscovers on YouTube) I've never bought any of his tutorials because I can figure out everything he does just by watching him. He is a fantastic strummer and can cover almost any song all by himself. So he sings, incorporates bass lines, lead work and percussion through his strumming - a one-man band. Plus, he has no musical training.

I really admire people who can hold their own, all by themselves. The co-ordination involved, too me, is plenty to work on.

Cameron, I know you're a good player, and you're well on your way. I'd love to be able to solo like Chris Eldridge - but...what do think of this guy?

Have a look at the Christmas songs he covers...

http://www.learn-classic-rock-songs....ic_guitar.html
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  #15  
Old 11-05-2014, 11:43 AM
CameronRK CameronRK is offline
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Pekes,

Good to see you around! After watching a few of Kirby's videos, it is quite clear that he is an extremely talented gentleman. Since we are already on the topic of improvement, I'd like to say that Kirby's ability to, like you said, perform and illustrate a song with just his own wits is darn-right impressive as it is. To further that, he only uses techniques that completely compliment the song at hand, rather than using standard "guitar player habits" to haphazardly add motifs and riffs to blank areas that could have just done just fine with a few peaceful strokes, base lines, or simple melody lines. Although Bluegrass tends to be a bit of an audacious genre that often lends itself to flashy, improv solos, I aspire to achieve a Kirby-like approach, where a melody can not only be heard, but identified with the true color of the piece. It is often hard to transcend the mindset of being a guitar player and float away to the place where the guitar is just an instrument without a name and I feel as though this man has done this to a very strong degree; most likely inadvertently, which is all the more impressive.
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