Technique ---> music?

After one year of playing (Very seriously!) i want to know something.
I have got alot of physical technique in my fingers (result of 4 hour daily practice) and i can do some cool stuff, but the things is this.

How do you turn technique into music, as i said i have got alot of technique down already, but i can't make it good sounding music. Is there a way to practice it or some lessons about ideas that i could review?

Would absolutly love if you gave me some attention on this?

(Im self taught by the way, only got help from this site and all you great folks. This site have given me so much! And im forever thanksfull! Guitar is my passion!)

Originally Posted by: caponi14How do you turn technique into music, as i said i have got alot of technique down already, but i can't make it good sounding music. Is there a way to practice it or some lessons about ideas that i could review?

Great question. Is there a specific kind of music you are trying to do?

I suggest going through the courses in that case:

http://www.guitartricks.com/course.php?input=rock1
http://www.guitartricks.com/course.php?input=rock2
http://www.guitartricks.com/course.php?input=blues1
http://www.guitartricks.com/course.php?input=country1

Or if it is classical:

http://guitartricks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=28987

If it is jazz go here:

Intro To Jazz Style Guitar
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=519

Jazz Ala Joe Pass Series 1
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=149

Jazz Ala Joe Pass Series 2
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=268

Jazz Ala Joe Pass Series 3
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=708

Chord Melody 'After You've Gone' Jazz Guitar Style
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=644

And other GT instructors also have some wonderful jazz stuff out there, too!

HP's solo jazz guitar lesson:
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=214

Bobby's Fingerstyle Jazz is a great series of stuff using some old standards:
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=235
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=238

And Gavin is a great player with great jazz lessons (dig that 12 bar with the walking bass line; good stuff!):
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=108
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=187

If it is acoustic fingerpicking, Lisa is great, go here:

http://www.guitartricks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=28291

All of those lesson have or lead to playing a tune in a specific style. Let us know how it goes!

Im aiming for the Rock N roll/Hardrock style (not metal)
But you know- Chunky power chords rhythms and riffs and that kinda stuff, even the fast soloing. Which notes to hit? how to approche a fast run (Im mostly into pentatonic stuff) Those things.

Im really trying my best, trying to make this stuff happen! It just seems like a big fat wall of bricks!

I want to make the music i want to play, being able to Jam it right off of my head.

How do i approche my goal?

Learning what Chris showed is very good stuff...but I will kinda say what I said before, learn other peoples stuff. Like a good craftsman, you need to be an apprentice. Learn the riffs and solos of all the great guitarists out there. You spend enough time doing that, yo will see why things worked. Almost every guitar player does this. Guitar playing is learning from other great players and when if filters through you eventually, you find that those guitarists you 'apprenticed' with by learning their songs fill in what you do. You learn from what they did and eventually those ideas turn into your own.

Would it be wise of me to fully complete level 1 and 2 of the rock style courses (even blues level 1 maybe?), before i suck in riffs and solos as you tell me to do Jeff?
Im just struggeling a little bit with the last chapter in Rock style, the one with the suspended chords and that stuff, but i will manage it...

Sorry if im just wasting peoples time on this page, i think im the record holder of threads on this website..... It's just like all the learning went really really fast in the beginning, but it kinda stopped some months ago, maybe thats why i ask so much.
And im sorry if it gets annoying, and a waste of your time. And i most certainly don't want to waste your time folks.

thanks for everything!

Originally Posted by: caponi14Would it be wise of me to fully complete level 1 and 2 of the rock style courses (even blues level 1 maybe?), before i suck in riffs and solos as you tell me to do Jeff?[/quote]
It depends upon your goals.

Jeff's advice is right on the money in your case. It is the next step after you learn the basics of technique, then you should learn songs and solos you love. Once you see how they work, you will have a way to understand how they were put together in the first place.

That will give you a basic understanding how to emulate it and thus start to do it yourself. :)

In this regard, I would go ahead and get some sheet music or books with songs by your favorite artists. But make time in your practice schedule to complete as much course material as possible. These things will only compliment and reinforce each other as you continue to work on them.
[QUOTE=caponi14]
Im just struggeling a little bit with the last chapter in Rock style ...

All learning is like that. Especially guitar.

You are bound to cruise for a while and then BAM! You will hit a wall for a while. You must simply stick to it, stay on it, do what it takes for you to make the next breakthrough in your skills.

And please don't ever worry about apologizing for asking valid, good questions! You aren't wasting anyone's time (your included) since you are clearly asking good, honest questions about how to better yourself.

Best of success! Keep working hard. :)

Here is the thing. You kind of went about it backwards in my opinion. Since you are probabily capable of playing extremely fast, you probabily are playing much faster then you can think about what you are playing.

I learned theory, and how to write beats BEFORE technique.

The problem I ran into was that all the **** sounded like it made musical sense, or cool or whatever, but It was absent of the details that made it really cool.

Your experience is completely different then mine so I can't offer better advice other then learning how music works. Two schools of thought apply to this. First learn music theory.

LEARN MUSIC THEORY FIRST.

Second (once you really master theory) then learn PRODUCTION THEORY.

DO NOT learn production theory first cuz if your like me, you will get bored with music theory to quickly before you can learn it after your start thinking like a producer.

I didn't hear you say you are in a band or jam regularly with anybody. In my opinion there's nothing like playing with others to learn and make music. I am self taught and I learn a lot by jamming and playing with other musicians.
Mikrob

Originally Posted by: mikrobI didn't hear you say you are in a band or jam regularly with anybody. In my opinion there's nothing like playing with others to learn and make music. I am self taught and I learn a lot by jamming and playing with other musicians.
Mikrob

This is the truth. You got to remember tho that sometimes this can back fire. If you play with a destructive player (or whatever.) It did on me at least. I played with some guy who ended up damaging my perspective. Mother ****er.

Hi Hamberg,

Just out of curiosity, what happened? How did playing with someone else negatively impact your perspective?

I would tend to agree that playing with other people is usually a great way to get beyond straight-up technique, and get more into the musicality and feel of the music. The whole is generally greater than the sum of its parts.

Anyone else have an opinion on this?
-Lisa

I just want to play the music i want to play, i really hope i will achieve it some day. It's my biggest wish! and im willing to dedicate my entire life learning it.

It's a newfound passion for me.

If you want to play the music you want to play than do so, and don't let anyone stop you. In my experience, the only thing that gets...bothersome is the ego...but that shouldn't stop you. Regardless of whether a player you are playing with has a good or bad attitude, or a solidified opinion on their good (or bad as the case may be) techniques, you can always learn what to do and what not to do. Everything including guitar and who you play with is trial and error.

...and never be surprised where you are going to learn stuff. I used to show friends just learning how to play some basic chords and things and they often had some lick or something that I learned from them in turn. Maybe it was a Karma thing. :)

Originally Posted by: LisaMcCHi Hamberg,

Just out of curiosity, what happened? How did playing with someone else negatively impact your perspective?

I would tend to agree that playing with other people is usually a great way to get beyond straight-up technique, and get more into the musicality and feel of the music. The whole is generally greater than the sum of its parts.

Anyone else have an opinion on this?
-Lisa

Six Months.

Their timing was so bad that I lost a feel for a natural transition in the arrangment. Their perspective on progressions didn't help either, I forgot how to do a cadence. The consistant 8th note beat, I lost sense of my style. He insisted that I used all down strokes. The guy was a dumbass.

Originally Posted by: HambergSix Months.

Their timing was so bad that I lost a feel for a natural transition in the arrangment. Their perspective on progressions didn't help either, I forgot how to do a cadence. The consistant 8th note beat, I lost sense of my style. He insisted that I used all down strokes. The guy was a dumbass.

Ouch. Of the few lessons I ever took, I had an instructor that we very rigid to the point where I felt like I was going to be indoctrinated in to his cult. Weird. I remember that he said 'Now we're going to teach you your style'. What? I thought even then, in my formative playing, that a style come along with time. So, I ran as fast as a could from this dude.

So, your story is pretty odd. That dude had opinions....just not good ones. Do you ever feel like you still haven't shaken that?

I personally go by using technique as a color palate to the paintbrush that is my music. I have got many colors under my belt and I use them to paint a good picture. You just have to think about what you are playing as you do so. Think about the sound you want to come out of your guitar and make it happen. Take that garble of noise and make it into something good.

But what the hell, this is the first time I've posted something on here so what would I know.

Originally Posted by: LisaMcCHi Hamberg,

Just out of curiosity, what happened? How did playing with someone else negatively impact your perspective?

I would tend to agree that playing with other people is usually a great way to get beyond straight-up technique, and get more into the musicality and feel of the music. The whole is generally greater than the sum of its parts.

Anyone else have an opinion on this?
-Lisa

Good question, every time I play with somebody else, I pick up on their style just a little bit. But then again, you do have to play with someone who is BETTER than you in order to get the full effect.

the harmony blend by Kevin Taylor, isnt really that good of an piece , I cant even see the strings that well and it really doesn't explain how its done that well. Could be better.

Originally Posted by: JeffS65Ouch. Of the few lessons I ever took, I had an instructor that we very rigid to the point where I felt like I was going to be indoctrinated in to his cult. Weird. I remember that he said 'Now we're going to teach you your style'. What? I thought even then, in my formative playing, that a style come along with time. So, I ran as fast as a could from this dude.

So, your story is pretty odd. That dude had opinions....just not good ones. Do you ever feel like you still haven't shaken that?

I haven't shaken it completely yet, but its comin back around.

W.T.F. Teach you your style??? He would have to know how you think. I mean he would have to be able to read your mind to do that...

Originally Posted by: caponi14After one year of playing (Very seriously!) i want to know something.
I have got alot of physical technique in my fingers (result of 4 hour daily practice) and i can do some cool stuff, but the things is this.

How do you turn technique into music, as i said i have got alot of technique down already, but i can't make it good sounding music. Is there a way to practice it or some lessons about ideas that i could review?

Would absolutly love if you gave me some attention on this?

(Im self taught by the way, only got help from this site and all you great folks. This site have given me so much! And im forever thanksfull! Guitar is my passion!)

Just try to practise using a backing track!