Here is a cool concept i want!


caponi14
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Joined: 09/29/08
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caponi14
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Joined: 09/29/08
Posts: 369
08/03/2013 7:55 pm
These last days i really thought about these things. I have tried to play alot of stuff i don't usually play. Like John Mayer and stuff. And it's actually helping me.
Moving the focus away from all the playing i actually already know but overthink too much.

I think it's my cure.. to just in periods go out of my way and play something different then Slash and all that ''rockish'' stuff. Most people would say i pretty much got that down good.
# 1
maggior
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maggior
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08/05/2013 2:39 pm
Glad you found something that is working for you. You don't want to get down on yourself...nothing good will come of it. The key is to find something to play to make you feel good about yourself.

If you find yourself struggling with this again, you might also seek improving your attitude about yourself outside of the guitar. Do something else that you enjoy that makes you feel good about yourself...whatever it is.

Regarding improving improvisation - I struggle with this too. I believe EVERYBODY does. I got through my barrier by going through the blues lessons, specifically the ones where Anders talks about and demonstrates phrasing. I still have work to do of course, but it's given me a new focus, a focus away from scales and notes. My solos still sound amateurish to my ears, but much less so than before. I have confidence now that if I was put on the spot to throw a blues solo together, I could do it and sound like I know what I'm doing. It's progress, which is all I can ask of myself.
# 2
cardmnal
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cardmnal
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08/07/2013 9:53 pm
Originally Posted by: haghj500Turn your sound off, watch the video a few times. Not having sound frees your mind from being awed by what you hear as you watch and just lets you watch.


Great advice!
# 3
Neal Walter
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Neal Walter
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08/08/2013 2:03 am
hey caponi14, there's a lot of great advice in this thread. To simply everything, Slash is really playing a bunch of blues licks strung together, and he knows a bunch! Also a key to his playing is his groove, he's not just playing licks but he's playing them in a groove that really fits. As an exercise, listen to the solo again and ignore the melody, just imagine all his licks as drum hits. This will give you an idea of what his right hand is doing rhythmically. It's not the end-all answer but it's a really good way to break down the bits.

Listen to how Slash changes what he plays as the chords change, you can tell it's deliberate. The concept of "chord tones" (taught here by Anders and others) really comes in handy has an overall concept and it can really change your playing. It sounds AMAZING when you hit notes that are in the chord underneath it, maybe you use this already, I'm not sure.

And don't discount your repeated note licks, these are great and I use them all the time. Slash does too here at 3:05, 3:16.

The "dorian mode" is something Slash takes advantage of too, you can create some fast runs with this one because the pattern is easy to play. Head on over to the Ultimate Scale Finder and check it out, it's very close to the pentatonic scale, just two more notes. Try F# Dorian, pattern 2. You can do some really nice "cheatin" with this one!

It's easy to down yourself, take stock of what you've accomplished and think of how many players in the world are also "not Slash"! :)

If all else fails, get some software and slow down this solo, I'll bet you're playing some of these licks already.
[FONT=Book Antiqua][FONT=Arial][FONT=Tahoma]Neal
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# 4
caponi14
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caponi14
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08/19/2013 11:10 pm
Thanks Niel, and yeah, your right. i AM already playing alot of these licks. There is just something im lacking. Variation and noteselection wise.. I actually think it's the target chord tone stuff. I never really got it down. I understand that after a lick i can land on a note from the chord that is being played underneath and it will sound cool.
But i can't really control it or get it into my playing (and Slash is just improvising that stuff there :confused: ) I don't really know how to practice or approach it correctly. What is the easiest way? is it easiest if i go check out what chords is in a particular piece, and then ''plan'' my lick escapes, or how do you do it?
I understand that he uses Dorian mode, blues scale and the pentatonics alot, Mixolydian sometimes... That i understand.
But identifying when to use it is somewhat a challenge to me? :(

I just really want the feeling that i can really make something up on the spot, that contains good variation and better note selection...
# 5
caponi14
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caponi14
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Posts: 369
08/19/2013 11:14 pm
Niel could you give me an example and point out a phrase in the video, where he uses the target chord note stuff, so i can actually identify when and how he does it. Maybe it will make better sense to me then?
# 6

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