The "What did you work on today?" thread.

[Mark Wein]

Just a place to post what you've been practicing and see what everyone else is doing....I saw a thread ike this on another forum and thought I'd steal it

[hobo uncle sam]

Just a place to post what you've been practicing and see what everyone else is doing....I saw a thread ike this on another forum and thought I'd steal it

wow, this is a cool idea

[Mark Wein]

wow, this is a cool idea

I'm glad that I thought to steal it, then!

[hobo uncle sam]

Legato lick in E minor MW lessons

today is Oct. 29 it's my maybe first day at actually trying to work on it completely, I hope to post my mp3 progress on it

right now I remember where the notes are on the fretboard

[Mark Wein]

Since I've barely played in the last week I spent most of the day yesterday trying to get my alternate picking back on track. Probably more of the same today.

[hobo uncle sam]

Legato lick in E minor MW lesson

Oct. 30 2nd day. Put the metronome on 40 bpm, can get all the notes ok, speed has improved, but won't move up on the metronome yet, need to smooth out my playing more. No distortion yet, clear tone. What I may try to do is now remember the name of the notes, but not sure yet

[hobo uncle sam]

Legato lick Em MW lesson

Nov. 3rd it' my 3rd day at trying it. got down the fingering now, not as smooth as I want it. got the metronome at 55 bpm (wow)
but overall I see I've improved since day one

[mosiddiqi]

Most of my music time is currently taken up with writing songs. I did spend some time last night just playing along with Deep Purple's "Stormbringer" album for fun

I've also been working on tritones..I love that interval, so I've been over-using it in every lick/song I come up with.

[Mark Wein]

Believe it or not my biggest growth this week was from getting rid of my PodXT and just playing through an amp in my teaching studio. I'm coming to the realization that the modeler makes things too easy to sound good and when I go to play in a rehearsal or gig I can't make it happen through a real amp.

[mosiddiqi]

Believe it or not my biggest growth this week was from getting rid of my PodXT and just playing through an amp in my teaching studio. I'm coming to the realization that the modeler makes things too easy to sound good and when I go to play in a rehearsal or gig I can't make it happen through a real amp.

That's interesting...I only use my POD XT for recording..I do all my practice through a small Vox Valvetronix combo...also a modeller, but it does have a tube which certainly improves the "feel" of the amp. I was thinking about getting one of those small 1/2 watt tube combo's though...I have noticed that when I play through my bigger Marshall or Mesa amps..it's like I've found a whole new level of suck

[Mark Wein]

That's interesting...I only use my POD XT for recording..I do all my practice through a small Vox Valvetronix combo...also a modeller, but it does have a tube which certainly improves the "feel" of the amp. I was thinking about getting one of those small 1/2 watt tube combo's though...I have noticed that when I play through my bigger Marshall or Mesa amps..it's like I've found a whole new level of suck

Its not anything I've ever heard anyone talk about but I think that the modelers have enough compression that they "fill in the gaps" in my inconsistent picking. Having to sound good through a 25 watt SS Fender this week has bumped up my playing through amps in class....I'll be cusious what I sound like at rehearsal.

[mosiddiqi]

Last night I decided I really liked the sound of the Major scale with a b6. ...very sweet, slightly exotic sounding arpeggios can be built off that..I really liked the regular AMaj "Sweep shape" triad played in two octaves at the 12th fret with a bend from the 5th to the b6 at the end on the high E

It starts all happy and Major as you'd expect and then goes all dreamy on you.



I have no idea if this is useful to anyone, but I liked it.

[Mark Wein]

Last night I decided I really liked the sound of the Major scale with a b6. ...very sweet, slightly exotic sounding arpeggios can be built off that..I really liked the regular AMaj "Sweep shape" triad played in two octaves at the 12th fret with a bend from the 5th to the b6 at the end on the high E

It starts all happy and Major as you'd expect and then goes all dreamy on you.



I have no idea if this is useful to anyone, but I liked it.

Thats a cool sound...I forgot about that one...

[mosiddiqi]

Tonight will be the night where we listen to all the stuff I've recorded over the past couple of weeks on my Line6 Backtrack..which is a great tool...and decide if any of it is any use. I hate these nights

Once that's done, I'm going to work on alternate picking (a Steve Morse exercise which is HARD ) and then have fun with a Dom7 chord vamp type thing where I'll try and play "outside"..using the stuff I learned from a Don Mock book..melodic minor substitution ideas..and my ears hopefully.

I'll post any incredible insights tomorrow.

[hobo uncle sam]

Legato Lick E minor MW lessons

Nov. 6th 4th day at trying it

got the metronome at 50bpm and this time I recorded to keep track of my progress

your comments are welcomed

[mosiddiqi]

Well, that was a fairly productive evenings work. We reckon there's at least one song to be had out of all the bits I'd recorded over the last two weeks..so I'm quite happy with that. Once we've got this months recordingfest done, I'll put together a rough arrangement.

I then spent around 30 minutes on the Steve Morse picking etude..lots of string skipping and all played with strict alternate picking. Tough, but I think it's working for me.

Finished with jamming on the dom7 vamp...I'm finally beginning to "hear" how the melodic minor scale works..I'm hearing it now not so much as a "minor" scale..but just a way of generating altered sounds over Dom7 chords..that's a bit of a breakthrough for me.

So I tried it, up a fourth, up a fifth, down a whole step and up a half step over the vamp as suggested by the Don Mock book...very neat. I LOVE the "up a fourth" which is pretty "inside" but gives you that delicious b6 flavour. "Whole step down" is very nice too..giving you the spanish/latin flavoured b9 against the Dom7 chord.

Still getting my ears round the "Half step up"..which gives you all the altered notes..I think this works best if the Dom7 resolves to a I chord rather than staying static. I'll mess with this some more tonight...plus more alternate picking and there's a John Petrucci lick that I want to steal..so, I'll be slowing it right down and frowning a lot.

I absolutley LOVE playing guitar, just to be clear. Can't imagine not doing it.

I'll listen to you clip later at home Hobo!

[Mark Wein]

NO practicing for me yesterday. Today is band rehearsal and I have to review these songs by noon today:

> Good Times Bad Times
> Hotel California
> Let It Be/No Woman No Cry
> American Girl

[mosiddiqi]

NO practicing for me yesterday. Today is band rehearsal and I have to review these songs by noon today:

> Good Times Bad Times
> Hotel California
> Let It Be/No Woman No Cry
> American Girl

"Good Times Bad Times" is awesome..killer Page solo in that..poast clips!

[Mark Wein]

"Good Times Bad Times" is awesome..killer Page solo in that..poast clips!

I will when it sounds good. My voice is for shit this week (I've been fighting off being sick and not sleeping due ot sick kids) and I haven't put as much time into as I need...

[Jake S.]

Practiced my major scales yesterday. Gonna try to do that more today, if I get the time...

[mosiddiqi]

Legato Lick E minor MW lessons

Nov. 6th 4th day at trying it

got the metronome at 50bpm and this time I recorded to keep track of my progress

your comments are welcomed

Just got to work on making all the notes sound as loud as the first one Hobo!..it's tough, but keep at it. It's good that you're doing it with a clean sound..when you put the distortion on, it'll sound way smoother!.

We did a bit of work on our recordingfest entry..but in doing so, had an idea for an older tune that wasn't going anywhere and finished the whole thing!..long night. So, I might submit the "new" one or maybe both.

I didn't get to practice much as a result..just doodling along with the TV when we took breaks. I love improvising really inappropriate harmony or counterpoint lines to TV themes... Tonight, after dinner we'll be watching the boxing and then I'll do some more melodic minor work.

[Mark Wein]

last night I practiced a bit with the track for our recordingfest entry and ran some scales sans metronome just to play a bit.

[mosiddiqi]

I'm playing around with this minor type arpeggio with a Maj6 a lot this evening..just trying it everywhere...this is it in A:

I do this a lot, take one small thing and try it over every type of chord to see what flavours it generates. Lot's of fun. What's interesting is that even where it doesn't really work..you can get away with it because of the "contour"..if that makes sense..it sounds like you meant to play it..at least that 's what I'm telling myself.

[Mark Wein]

I'm playing around with this minor type arpeggio with a Maj6 a lot this evening..just trying it everywhere...this is it in A:

I do this a lot, take one small thing and try it over every type of chord to see what flavours it generates. Lot's of fun. What's interesting is that even where it doesn't really work..you can get away with it because of the "contour"..if that makes sense..it sounds like you meant to play it..at least that 's what I'm telling myself.

Isn't that a minor 6th? A C E F# A C

[mosiddiqi]

Isn't that a minor 6th? A C E F# A C

I get confused with terminology, theory flai.....I was thinking in terms of the Major scale...where the F# would be a Maj 6..but yes, it's just an Amin6 arpeggio

[hobo uncle sam]

Legato lick in E minor MW lessons

it's Nov. 10th and maybe my 5th day at it. I'm now at 63 bpm on the metronome, wow! gett'n there. speed is getting faster, I think it's mostly now that I am pushing myself more , but still trying to playing it with some type of feel and rhythm to it. anyway I feel a little better about my progress since day 1

next post I'll put a sound clip ok I just did, this lick is not all that easy

hey mos, thanks for your comment

[Mark Wein]

Legato lick in E minor MW lessons

it's Nov. 10th and maybe my 5th day at it. I'm now at 63 bpm on the metronome, wow! gett'n there. speed is getting faster, I think it's mostly now that I am pushing myself more , but still trying to playing it with some type of feel and rhythm to it. anyway I feel a little better about my progress since day 1

next post I'll put a sound clip

hey mos, thanks for your comment

The big thing is just to keep the rhythms consistent.

[hobo uncle sam]

I just posted a sound clip in the above thread of the Em stuff


I can say for one thing it is a tuffy, but I think I'll still keep it at 63 bpm for the time being

[Mark Wein]

I just posted a sound clip in the above thread of the Em stuff


I can say for one thing it is a tuffy, but I think I'll still keep it at 63 bpm for the time being

All I can suggest is that you want the hammer ons and pull offs to be louder.....it'll get there.

[Mark Wein]

For me it's been more focusing on my picking as usual. I had to learn some stuff for the recordingfest entry and today will be a blog entry.....

[mosiddiqi]

Mark, have you checked out the Pebber Brown vids on YT (I can't post them from work)...I found them very helpful in "unlocking" my wrist which really helped get me started to having better technique.

[Mark Wein]

Mark, have you checked out the Pebber Brown vids on YT (I can't post them from work)...I found them very helpful in "unlocking" my wrist which really helped get me started to having better technique.

I'll look for them today!

[Jake S.]

Mark, have you checked out the Pebber Brown vids on YT (I can't post them from work)...I found them very helpful in "unlocking" my wrist which really helped get me started to having better technique.

Link when you get home?

[parrotheada1a]

Believe it or not my biggest growth this week was from getting rid of my PodXT and just playing through an amp in my teaching studio. I'm coming to the realization that the modeler makes things too easy to sound good and when I go to play in a rehearsal or gig I can't make it happen through a real amp.

I think this is almost the same as switching string gauges up or down a couple thou or so. If you have been playing with heavier strings for awhile, going lighter seems to make some things easier, like bending. Likewise, if all you've ever played are ultra thin strings, doing almost anything in a thicker gauge is going to feel tougher.

[Mark Wein]

I think this is almost the same as switching string gauges up or down a couple thou or so. If you have been playing with heavier strings for awhile, going lighter seems to make some things easier, like bending. Likewise, if all you've ever played are ultra thin strings, doing almost anything in a thicker gauge is going to feel tougher.

I don't think I agree that its the same thing. I play on 11's, 10's and 9's interchangeable throughout the day on different guitars and it doesn't make that much of a difference to me. I think the modeler actually fixes some of the velocity differences in my right hand attack through compression while I'm not actually doing anything to my playing (other than possibly going backwards in skill).

Yesterday I worked on the Hendrix version of the "Star Spangled Banner" for my gig next month. Other than the whammy stuff its pretty easy. The trick will be getting a convincing sound at a volume appropriate for the occasion.

[Jake S.]

Right now, working on this for my youth group tonight...Stupid MWGL keeps getting me off track.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J95rAr0gOFU"]YouTube- By Your Side - Tenth Avenue North[/ame]

[mosiddiqi]

Here's one from Pebber Brown..there's quite a few of them:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8kBtEhM4eU&feature=related"]YouTube- SAROD picking explained 1/2[/ame]

By working on the thumb/index finger movement he talks about....my wrist suddenly started working!..I don't know if that's how it's supposed to work, but it worked for me.

[Mark Wein]

Here's one from Pebber Brown..there's quite a few of them:

YouTube- SAROD picking explained 1/2

By working on the thumb/index finger movement he talks about....my wrist suddenly started working!..I don't know if that's how it's supposed to work, but it worked for me.

Thats pretty cool. I don't think I would play that way all the time but after messing with it tongiht its given me a little more fluidity...

[mosiddiqi]

Thats pretty cool. I don't think I would play that way all the time but after messing with it tongiht its given me a little more fluidity...

...what I do now is pretty much play everything from the wrist..but on really fast bits like, say,..the 16th note run in "highway star" which is at around 166 bpm IIRC..the thumb movement comes in and my arm is totally relaxed. Still working on it but I can hear/feel it working and my tremelo picking has improved a lot as a result too. It used to really frustrate me when people said "just pick from the wrist" and for the life of me I didn't know how to do that..I thought I was missing some bones/muscles or something

[Mark Wein]

...what I do now is pretty much play everything from the wrist..but on really fast bits like, say,..the 16th note run in "highway star" which is at around 166 bpm IIRC..the thumb movement comes in and my arm is totally relaxed. Still working on it but I can hear/feel it working and my tremelo picking has improved a lot as a result too. It used to really frustrate me when people said "just pick from the wrist" and for the life of me I didn't know how to do that..I thought I was missing some bones/muscles or something

I've gotten the "wrist" part of it finally happening pretty well in the last few weeks but this is something different. I'm not sure that I would give up the sound I get with the wrist style but the Sarod thing is another texture that I'l like to have available.....

[Mark Wein]

http://blog.markwein.com/2009/11/12/...d-picking.aspx

[mosiddiqi]

I'm really glad those vids were useful for you Mark..you've given me a lot of stuff over the last year that's really helped me out...

I had the afternoon off work today and took the opportunity to try out an exercise. I guess we've all tried the "improvise using one string only" thing...which is fun. What I wanted to do was to write a 1 minute piece of music using 3 strings only. The E, A and D in this case. It had to sound like there's bass/melody/rhythm going on and could stand on it's own. So, I came up with this:

http://www.box.net/shared/31rdy8hjnp

I think what I learned in doing this was how to develop a melody and be aware of the possibilities within a restricted framework if that makes sense!...it's very simple, no technical challenge here really, but it's a fun thing to try and do.

[hobo uncle sam]

Legato lick in E minor MW lessons

Still working on it. I notice that my left hand, the fingering always to seem to be in a crunch like position on the fretboard. Not sure if this is the cause for the notes to loose its punch as I hammer on down the fretboard with the 3rd and 4th finger. What I am trying do now is drop my wrist down (maybe how classical players play). I hope this will help me with the hammer ons.

Any suggestion on how I can get more strength on using my fingers using the hammer on would be appreciated

[mosiddiqi]

Legato lick in E minor MW lessons

Still working on it. I notice that my left hand, the fingering always to seem to be in a crunch like position on the fretboard. Not sure if this is the cause for the notes to loose its punch as I hammer on down the fretboard with the 3rd and 4th finger. What I am trying do now is drop my wrist down (maybe how classical players play). I hope this will help me with the hammer ons.

Any suggestion on how I can get more strength on using my fingers using the hammer on would be appreciated

That will definitely help Hobo .. apart from that maybe try just some single string hammers/pulls using each finger in turn with your index finger It takes time, but your strength/consistency will improve. As you get stronger move it to all strings and positions. I forgot to put in the pull offs below, but they should be like so: 5 h 6 p 5 h 6

[CENTER][/CENTER[/URL]]

[hobo uncle sam]

That will definitely help Hobo .. apart from that maybe try just some single string hammers/pulls using each finger in turn with your index finger It takes time, but your strength/consistency will improve. As you get stronger move it to all strings and positions. I forgot to put in the pull offs below, but they should be like so: 5 h 6 p 5 h 6

[CENTER][/CENTER[/URL]]

thanks mos

I'm not for one giving up when I like to do something " learning to play the guitar is one of those things "

[requiem156]

So, I played around with the Sarod idea for about an hour this morning before work, and I can pretty much say that it's no joke, or at the very least that it's a good fit for me. I'm a player that tends to unconsciously tighten my shoulder when I'm picking fast, even though most of my movement is from my wrist, but the Sarod approach seemed to remove a lot of that. I had 3 nps patterns up to 184 bpm (16ths) pretty effortlessly once I was warmed up. So - thanks, mosidiqqi.

[mosiddiqi]

So, I played around with the Sarod idea for about an hour this morning before work, and I can pretty much say that it's no joke, or at the very least that it's a good fit for me. I'm a player that tends to unconsciously tighten my shoulder when I'm picking fast, even though most of my movement is from my wrist, but the Sarod approach seemed to remove a lot of that. I had 3 nps patterns up to 184 bpm (16ths) pretty effortlessly once I was warmed up. So - thanks, mosidiqqi.

Cool! ...I wish I'd known about this years ago...that's always going to be the case though I guess..

[Mark Wein]

Legato lick in E minor MW lessons

Still working on it. I notice that my left hand, the fingering always to seem to be in a crunch like position on the fretboard. Not sure if this is the cause for the notes to loose its punch as I hammer on down the fretboard with the 3rd and 4th finger. What I am trying do now is drop my wrist down (maybe how classical players play). I hope this will help me with the hammer ons.

Any suggestion on how I can get more strength on using my fingers using the hammer on would be appreciated

Check these out and see if they help:

http://markweinguitarlessons.com/ind...d=60&Itemid=39

http://markweinguitarlessons.com/ind...d=65&Itemid=39

So, I played around with the Sarod idea for about an hour this morning before work, and I can pretty much say that it's no joke, or at the very least that it's a good fit for me. I'm a player that tends to unconsciously tighten my shoulder when I'm picking fast, even though most of my movement is from my wrist, but the Sarod approach seemed to remove a lot of that. I had 3 nps patterns up to 184 bpm (16ths) pretty effortlessly once I was warmed up. So - thanks, mosidiqqi.

Cool! ...I wish I'd known about this years ago...that's always going to be the case though I guess..

Whats funny is that the first night I had the Sarod thing working pretty well and then yesterday all day I struggled with it, to the point that I had to think about my normal "wrist" picking...for me it'll probably take a few weeks of going back and forth before I get both interchangeably...

[mosiddiqi]

Working from home this afternoon......which means more practice time

So, I did some of the usual 1,2,3,4 alternate picking drills...and then realised that 1,2,3 is actually more of a challenge as your pick direction changes every time you cross strings...1,2,3,4,5 is also fun...quickly shifting your pinky for the 5th note on the way up and your index finger on the way down. If, like me, you've become used to 1,2,3,4..these two can be surprisingly hard!

[Help!I'maRock!]

i learned how to play "Run to You" by God Street Wine.