How come this solo is so hard for me?

The solo from Velvet Revolvers track called ''She builds quick machines'' Is really p****** me off.

Is it very hard, or is it my skill thats the problem here? It's a pretty fast one though.

Anyone?

Originally Posted by: caponi14
Is it very hard, or is it my skill thats the problem here?
Anyone?

seems the answer to both those questions would be "yes" if you cant play it, then it is very hard (at least for you) and if you cant play it then your skill is not to the level to allow you to play it. i guess thats slash playing it, he's no slob when it comes to shreding. just keep working at it, it will eventualy get easier and easier, eventualy you will master it, then you will have stepped up a level.

i'm really new at lead playing myself.. fairly terrible at it, but i was workin at a solo the other day and when i started i could hardly get a couple notes in without stumbling, but after a bit i was playing thru the whole thing at about half tempo and now i'm just trying ot get it up to speed. but when i get frustrated, i just go back to a earlier recording of when i first started it.

some times its good to think about about how far you've come, and not how far you have to go.

you have any software or tools that will allow you to slow a track down without changing the pitch? i've found that helps me out a lot.

Yeah, i have guitar pro 5.
And i also think it's helping me out alot, but there is just something thats annoying about that solo, because i can play other solos thats more fast than this one. but i don't know....

And yeah, i sometimes forget how far i have come in so short time that i have played. But i just want it SO BAD!!!!!

Thanks though

I don't know why, but i have a really hard time learning other peoples solo's if they are fast or with fast passages. i have difficulties linking together the notes properly when i have to keep timing and hit it right on the spot with the music... Do you know what i mean? it's not that i can't play fast, cause i can play pretty fast actually. As fast as those passages in the solos i want to learn, mainly Guns N roses, Velvet Revolver, Slash's snakepit that kinda stuff. But i have hard time linking them together with good/perfect timing, unless i improvise the fast stuff. Im pretty new at learning full note for note solos cause iv done improvisation for the most part (So im pretty good at that i think) But i find it strangely hard anyway.
I hope im making a little sense cause i would love some answers to this.

Or atleast thumbs up :(

There are no 'Thumbs Up' icons. How about this \m/ :)

I think you are describing a fundamental point. As someone once used to tell me, first you get good, then you get fast. In other words, it's easy to play fast, and hard to play well. ...relatively speaking that is.

I'm 46 with little practice time and less discipline. I despair of ever reaching the speed I would like, let alone playing as well as I would like. But that don;t stop me from trying. ;)

Slash is definitely a fun one to learn. I'd suggest learning a solo like this in the same way that you learn to play fast.

In other words, slow it down to a speed that you *can* play it correctly (and I mean perfectly). make a note of the bpm, or the speed, at which you can play it. The next day, do your warm up exercises, and get it 2 bpm faster. Spend about 10 min at a time doing it. Each day try to work it up 2 or more bpm, but only go as fast as your fingers will let you. once a week take a day off from the solo. This method will get you up to speed pretty darned fast, and you'll be able to play that solo like nobody's business. But you have to be consistent in practice, or you won't get very far.

Hope that helps. :)

I would say the hardest part of this solo is the rhythm. That is probably where your struggle is coming from. It isn't so much that you can't play the licks as it is that you are having trouble with the phrasing. Great open string stuff and bends here.

Simply take it lick by lick, take it slow, and have patience. It will come. But, focus on those rhythms as they are a little tricky. Good luck! :o

Originally Posted by: caponi14The solo from Velvet Revolvers track called ''She builds quick machines'' Is really p****** me off.

Is it very hard, or is it my skill thats the problem here? It's a pretty fast one though.

Anyone?

No matter what your skill level on guitar, any solo is going to be a bit tricky to learn exactly. Why? Because a solo typically reflects a guitarist's unique style, phrasing, nuance, and techniques. However, conquering a solo is fun and rewarding. It is just a matter of breaking it down, bit by bit. Take a particularly tough passage and slow it WAY down. Learn what it is, learn why you like it, what makes it so cool? Then, build an excercise out of that tough phrase: slowly build up the speed on that part, move it around on the fretboard, change the key it is played in, change the mode it is played in. Soon, you will not only find that you can now play that tough part, but now you have a cool shiny new tool in your guitar toolbelt, because now you understand it musically, and mastered it technically.

so by an exercise you mean slowing it down and just playing it over and over again, and moving it into different keys.

What do you mean by modes?

modes are like scales and intervals
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musical_mode
Can you figure out "the mode Slash built"

Yeah i know what modes are....
''Figure out what mode Slash build''

What do you mean by that?

From what I can tell you are describing an issue with transitions between licks or ideas in the solo and having it "flow." The best way to tackle this is not only learning the licks or individual phrases but by breaking down the places where there are transitions between them and take time to focus only on that. It's more like micropracticing where you may only be working on a shift between positions or changing strings but this type of practicing can pay off by closing the loop on why you may not be hitting certain areas within the solo when you want to.

Hope that helps you some and if you need me to explain it better I will.

All the best,
Joe

Originally Posted by: Joe PinnavaiaThe best way to tackle this is not only learning the licks or individual phrases but by breaking down the places where there are transitions between them and take time to focus only on that. It's more like micropracticing where you may only be working on a shift between positions or changing strings but this type of practicing can pay off by closing the loop on why you may not be hitting certain areas within the solo when you want to.

^ +1 to this. This is how I usually tackle fast and difficult stuff