Help!I'maRock!'s winter offseason woodshedding diary - mach II

Help!I'maRock! said:
i play a 50-105 flatwound set. so there's some pretty decent tension on the neck. the extra action isn't helping things. but when they're set up right, its the best feel you've ever gotten on a bass.

anyway, back to the Berklee Method. i corrected my mistake last night and have to work on the 2nd part now.
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cool. I usually play down a size (45-105 IIRC, it's been a while since I've restrung) but I might go 40-100 or something like that just to save my hands....
 
also, i've just validated buying the DVD. sometimes our eyes deceive us, and we play what we think the page says instead of what it actually says. i was playing G7 in two places that were clearly F triads. but i didn't hear that until i went to play with the DVD and found out i was wrong. now i have to relearn both of those parts and fix not only my mental mistake, but my physical mistake. which can be easier said than done.
 
ok, this is the part that i hate. page 21, dotted notes. the dotted half notes are easy. its the dotted quarter notes. i always screw up the count, and the 8th note that comes after it.

the dvd and cd won't give me any shortcut either. on the video, he's counting out loud in this piece instead of using the metronome like he normally does. and there's simply no track for this page on the cd. so the only thing to do is what the book says. count out loud as you play. because if you don't, you'll never get it.

i'm gonna work my ass off on this, and show it to my students this week as a real life reason why you need to count out loud when you are learning. because eventually, they're going to throw something relatively easy, like what's on this page, and you're not going to be able to get it if you aren't counting the rhythm.
 
Help!I'maRock! said:
count out loud as you play. because if you don't, you'll never get it. .
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I make my students count just about everything out loud at least once. Most of the time when they are "counting inside" they stop counting after a while and just start "feeling" their way through and then lose rhythms or drop beats. They hate it but it's the only way for me to really know what they are doing and it's the only way to ensure that they are really understanding what they are playing.
 
Mark Wein said:
I make my students count just about everything out loud at least once. Most of the time when they are "counting inside" they stop counting after a while and just start "feeling" their way through and then lose rhythms or drop beats. They hate it but it's the only way for me to really know what they are doing and it's the only way to ensure that they are really understanding what they are playing.
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i hate being a stickler. unfortunately, i'm really good at it. but here's a definitive thing that i can show them why it is important, and how i have my own struggles in improving. i just need to learn how to not be an asshole about it.
 
did it. but YOU HAVE TO COUNT OUT LOUD. otherwise, it's just not gonna happen.

next up, page 22. Etude #2. also a duet.
 
Mark Wein said:
I make my students count just about everything out loud at least once. Most of the time when they are "counting inside" they stop counting after a while and just start "feeling" their way through and then lose rhythms or drop beats. They hate it but it's the only way for me to really know what they are doing and it's the only way to ensure that they are really understanding what they are playing.
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Help!I'maRock! said:
did it. but YOU HAVE TO COUNT OUT LOUD. otherwise, it's just not gonna happen.

next up, page 22. Etude #2. also a duet.
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:msm:
 
Etude #2 is a perfect example of why the terms "rhythm" and "lead" are bullshit. we normally think of the top staff as the "lead" and the bottom as the "rhythm". but often times its the 2nd line guy who's got the harder part.

take pride in your rhythm work. it will make your leads not only easier, but you'll actually have something to say. as opposed to the lead guy who learned a whole buncha scales and uses them to spooge all over the song.
 
Help!I'maRock! said:
Etude #2 is a perfect example of why the terms "rhythm" and "lead" are bullshit. we normally think of the top staff as the "lead" and the bottom as the "rhythm". but often times its the 2nd line guy who's got the harder part.

take pride in your rhythm work. it will make your leads not only easier, but you'll actually have something to say. as opposed to the lead guy who learned a whole buncha scales and uses them to spooge all over the song.
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The distinction between lead and rhythm guitar is B.S. Either you play guitar or you don't.

Any good soloist is going to be a good rhythm guitarist, because at the core they are the same skill set. Eddie Van Halen is one example....guys like Satriani and Vai are also good rhythm players.

I think guys like Neil Young and John Fogerty are examples of players who might not be flashy soloists but can make something musical happen in a lead break.

No matter if it's a single note melody or a chordal part if its not in time with a good feel its not music.
 
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