I want to play faster...

[thisISjoel]

Hey brootal shredderz!

 

Before I start let me say I know that the only way to get good and fast and clean is practice, practice, practice.

 

But what I want to know is a couple of things:

 

1. Easy arpegio patterns to get into sweeping

 

2. Exercises to practice moving up and down the neck

 

3. Cool scale/mode patterns to play that will help me move away from the blues scale.

 

Cheers guys!

[Music Calgary]

Just an addition -- don't forget visualization. To play faster one must also think faster, if the hope is to play well. Visualization really reinforces a kit of good stuff pure playing cannot.

That doesn't just apply to guitar, but in fact any skill. The easiest way to land a new skateboard trick for example is to visualize it for a day first...

[nighthawk15]

Just an addition -- don't forget visualization. To play faster one must also think faster, if the hope is to play well. Visualization really reinforces a kit of good stuff pure playing cannot. That doesn't just apply to guitar, but in fact any skill. The easiest way to land a new skateboard trick for example is to visualize it for a day first...

So like basically, have the movements for the next lick planned while you're playing the current one?

[Yngtchie Blacksteen]

Yes, you should always think ahead. It doesn't sound good when you suddenly pause during a solo because you're preparing your fingers for that big new sweeping lick you just learned. Your mind should think ahead of what the fingers are doing, and you'll soon notice that most shredders rely heavily on patterns and stuff they have studied until it becomes almost automatic. I can have conversations with people while sweeping through various shapes, what's hard is making all of those fancy licks sound good in a musical context. That's where a lot of people miss the boat, and it ends up sounding more like an exercise than music.

[thisISjoel]

Cheers guys!

 

I definitely don't want to be some tasteless shredder it would just be nice to have that speed there to use if need be or if a particular song calls for it. Also as a bit of a show boat thing in front of mates it would be cool.

 

Anyone got any cool patterns they use(d) for basic sweeps?

[mosiddiqi]

Here's a classic Aminor arpeggio that sounds good with a sweep picking technique:

|----------------12-17----|
|-------------13----------|
|----------14-------------|
|-------14----------------|
|-12h15-------------------|
|-------------------------|


Play it very slow with a clean sound and make sure that each note sounds separate and even. After the hammer-on, it's all down picked until the last note, which I then up-pick, pull off to the E note, and then sweep up all the way back..

The best teaching method I've seen on speed playing is Troy Stetinas "Speed Mechanics"..well worth checking out if that's your goal.

[Virgman]

Learn the major scale in all 7 positions in 3 note per string patterns.

 

Play them in 16th note triplets using a metronome.

 

Try to get up to 120 bpm at least. That's 12 notes per second and is pretty darn fast and will impress your friends.

 

That's a great place to start.

 

Then just work up some patterns of your own using the scale up and down the fretboard.

 

Here's an example of some scale runs I made up using both the C major scale and A minor pentatonic:

 

http://www.hotlinkfiles.com/files/1875369_lcoin/ShredRuns.pdf

 

These scales and runs are great for stretching your fingers out too.

 

Have fun and learn those scales.

[Virgman]

Here's some sweep arpeggios:

 

http://www.hotlinkfiles.com/files/1875370_utcgt/SweepArpeggios.pdf

[HeimBrent]

Hey brootal shredderz! Before I start let me say I know that the only way to get good and fast and clean is practice, practice, practice.

 

 

Who the hell told you that? The trick is turning up the distortion and volume, adding a huge bunch of reverb and delay, get a few beers, and the just let it rip. Works every time.

 

Edit: That beeing said. How the hell did I end up here? I though I was surfing the Effects-forum... Oh well. Cheers!

[thisISjoel]

Thanks guys. Some really good sugestions here.

[jonPhillips]

Thanks guys. Some really good sugestions here.

 

 

I like the one that mentioned getting a few beers in...

[ringo11]

To play fast and clean you must first learn to play slow/with precision.

[Music Calgary]

To play fast and clean you must first learn to play slow/with precision.

 

Naw, I get students in here all the time who can play fast metal very well, and cleanly -- but can't play well slow. The two are not mutually exclusive by any means.

 

As for visualization...

 

It takes many forms and means something unique to each person. What Tiger Woods does is different than what Eric Johnson does... But the result is the same.

 

So for example running through the cycle of fifths in your head while you're on the bus, or harmonizing scales in your head while you're eating lunch -- all these things generate huge gains in playing ability and it's something most great players have done at some point. The more you think about music the better you internalize it.

 

Here's a very simple exercise which will increase your note awareness. We're going to harmonize scales in our head.

 

So let's do C Major since it's easy to think about...

 

So we'll start with diatonic thirds. So start on the root C, now think of the third -- E. That's a Major interval. Now go to D, and it's third -- F. That's a minor interval. Continue to E and G (minor) F and A (Major) and so forth, all the way up and then all the way back down.

 

No rush. Take your time.

 

Next time you're on the subway just turn on your iPOD, sit back, and visualize your scales slowly -- you'll get faster and faster at it. Besides, the ride home goes a lot faster when internally engaged -- and your note awareness will improve, guaranteed.

 

Once you've done thirds then do it in diatonic fourths, fifths, sixths -- ninths, sevenths, whatever... Invert them too. Visualize the fretboard in your head. (try to hear the notes as well, but don't put pressure on that aspect of it)

 

When you consider the formulas for the individual modes it's all quite simple, i.e. all the scale degrees will have a Major second except the 3 (phrygian) and 7 (locrian). And all the scale degrees will have a perfect fifth except the 7 (locrian). And all the scale degrees will have a perfect fourth except the 4 (lydian), etc, etc, etc.

 

In other words if we wanted to harmonize a C scale "a fifth above" all the intervals we find will be perfect (C/G, D/A, E/B, F/C, G/D, A/E) except for the seventh degree (B/F) which contains a diminished fifth. So to play that ascending on guitar we would play a "root-fifth power chord" on C, D, E, F, G and A but then for the B we would play a tritone.

 

The quicker and easier way is just to remember is that Locrian is the only mode with an altered 5 and occurs on the seventh degree of the major scale.

 

Don't get bogged down in all that though, just keep it simple and do it everyday. I promise you that you can increase your guitar playing skills immensely without having a guitar anywhere near you by using these techniques, i.e. "play in your mind'. If you apply the stuff you're thinking about later at home you should find yourself discovering a great many wonderful things.

 

Also an awesome way to reinforce song learning. Go over the riffs and chords in your head -- they will stick in there like glue. Your confidence will increase and your song playing will follow suit.

 

Most important thing to remember? Have fun. Seriously. Sounds like half-baked motivational therapy but it ain't. Frustration profits no one. Above all else music needs to be fun. I'd way rather hear a happy busker play than a miserable concert violinist any day.

 

4 last tips on playing fast:

 

1. Ultra-even playing is just as lame as sloppy playing. Remember to maintain phrasing and rhythm even when you play fast, i.e. like Vai, Satch, et al. You're making music for humans, not computers.

 

2. You need to frame fast playing within something unfast or it won't sound fast. If you play fast all the time people become enured. Steve Morse is a master of slowing things down then speeding them up and sending you home feeling like you've just been part of something very important. Always remember to maintain contrast, dynamics, and drama -- a little goes a looooooong way. When great fast players like Buckethead, Jason Becker, EVH and Eric Johnson lull you to sleep with a beautiful harp-sounding passage and then carry you off on a breakneck ride it means something artistically. Much better than the guys who's right hand sounds like a hummingbird caught in a tin can.

 

3. Always leave them wanting more. Never leave them wanting less.

 

4. Never forget or underestimate the importance of tip number 3.

 

Rock on.

[Annoying Twit]

Learn the major scale in all 7 positions in 3 note per string patterns. Play them in 16th note triplets using a metronome. Try to get up to 120 bpm at least. That's 12 notes per second and is pretty darn fast and will impress your friends. That's a great place to start. Then just work up some patterns of your own using the scale up and down the fretboard. Here's an example of some scale runs I made up using both the C major scale and A minor pentatonic: http://www.hotlinkfiles.com/files/1875369_lcoin/ShredRuns.pdf These scales and runs are great for stretching your fingers out too. Have fun and learn those scales.

 

 

I'm not trying to learn to shred, but have been trying your scales.

 

However, I'm not sure about the fingering. Most of the fingering seems straightforward, as the three notes spans about four frets (e.g. --5--7--8--). But occasionally more (e.g. --3--5--7--). In the latter case, I've used the first and third fingers for the --3--5-- and the pinky for the --7--. Is this advisable?

 

Also, my guitar only has 22 frets, so the scales take me right up to the top note. When the fret board starts getting compressed, should I compress the fingering a bit? E.g. --18--20--22-- played with first, second, third fingers instead of first, third, fourth?

[Music Calgary]

In the latter case, I've used the first and third fingers for the --3--5-- and the pinky for the --7--. Is this advisable?

 

According to some really great teachers it's individual and also contextual. Either way you are using your pinky for the highest note -- the only question is whether to use ring or middle finger for the center note. Consensus seems to be try the middle and see if that works for you -- and if not use ring. Either way you should try and use your pinky for the top note whether spanning 4 frets or 5.

[Annoying Twit]

According to some really great teachers it's individual and also contextual. Either way you are using your pinky for the highest note -- the only question is whether to use ring or middle finger for the center note. Consensus seems to be try the middle and see if that works for you -- and if not use ring. Either way you should try and use your pinky for the top note whether spanning 4 frets or 5.

Thanks.

It's possible with either finger, but feels more comfortable with the ring finger. Repeating --3--5--7-- as an exercise over and over produces a stretching feeling in my hand. I'll try it on my bass ... oh, on the bass it felt better using the middle finger, now it feels better using my middle finger on the guitar too I think I need to play this about 1000x on both instruments to see how it feels over time.

[Music Calgary]

It's possible with either finger, but feels more comfortable with the ring finger.

 

Then by all means do that for now -- you may change your mind later. The key of course is the quality of the sound you achieve.

 

I like middle but I use ring for certain shifts. Good to become adept with both but settle on one as a general habit.

 

I've seen some folks who even ascend with middle and descend with ring -- and were great sounding guitarists, so... Bottom line is that the middle finger is strong and easier to control -- but the ring finger can be quicker or more comfortable at times and it's always good to work on your ring finger as it is the weakling of the family.

[thisISjoel]

Wow...reading through this thread I realise how little I have learned about the guitar in the seven years I have played. I will certainly be implimenting the advice and working on a more structured practice routine. Thanks heaps guys.

[Virgman]

I'm not trying to learn to shred, but have been trying your scales. However, I'm not sure about the fingering. Most of the fingering seems straightforward, as the three notes spans about four frets (e.g. --5--7--8--). But occasionally more (e.g. --3--5--7--). In the latter case, I've used the first and third fingers for the --3--5-- and the pinky for the --7--. Is this advisable? Also, my guitar only has 22 frets, so the scales take me right up to the top note. When the fret board starts getting compressed, should I compress the fingering a bit? E.g. --18--20--22-- played with first, second, third fingers instead of first, third, fourth?

 

 

Whatever is comfortable for you.

[ringo11]

IM saying one of the worst approaches to practicing/learning guitar is the attempt to play everything fast. And we've all been there done that. (Remember, IM talking practice here not playing/giging.) It creates poor timing,flawed coordination, improper technique etc. I believe the better approach is to continuously cocentrate on proper technique which means to slow down, no distortion and delay. Even better to play unplugged.
Attempt to be as technical as possible in your playing/learning as early as possible in the learning curve.
just my opinion, but its based on 30+ yrs of playing

[jonPhillips]

Here's an example of some scale runs I made up using both the C major scale and A minor pentatonic: http://www.hotlinkfiles.com/files/1875369_lcoin/ShredRuns.pdf These scales and runs are great for stretching your fingers out too.

This is really sweet. Took me just over half hour to learn it properly (3nps has always been a weak point of mine), but it's now 'officially' my new warm up run. It'll stay that way until I can hit cleanly and consistently at 140bpm or higher.

I can transpose this baby into different keys, but d'you have any others like this Virg?

[benzem]

Just an addition -- don't forget visualization. To play faster one must also think faster, if the hope is to play well. Visualization really reinforces a kit of good stuff pure playing cannot. That doesn't just apply to guitar, but in fact any skill. The easiest way to land a new skateboard trick for example is to visualize it for a day first...

True. It works

[Virgman]

This is really sweet. Took me just over half hour to learn it properly (3nps has always been a weak point of mine), but it's now 'officially' my new warm up run. It'll stay that way until I can hit cleanly and consistently at 140bpm or higher. I can transpose this baby into different keys, but d'you have any others like this Virg?

 

Why not make up your own?

 

Get a layout of the scale or scales and make up a pattern.

 

Be creative. Use GuitarPro or Powertab if you have it.

 

Now you have a reason to learn your scales!

 

You can also rearrange the patterns within the ones I gave you.

 

I'm too lazy to do more.

 

[johnfrusciante]

strum faster.

[speedpicking]

Check this out if your interested in developing speed.

http://www.speedpicking.com

We have a free demo for you to try aswell which is here:

http://www.speedpicking.com/demo.php

Regards

Speedpicking.com