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Switching to guitar, need some input


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Posted

Ok, lets see...i have 12 years of saxophone lessons under my belt...8 years of jammin on bass, and im wanting to switch to guitar now. I've been listening to a lot of metal lately, and i always have riffs coming into my head, that i think would sound killer, but i need to build up my chops, and brush up on my theory...

 

What kind of practice routines should i get into in order to get noticeable improvement in the shortest amount of time? Should i start with scales, chords, etc...? Picking exercises, synchronization, bends, etc...?

 

basically im wondering what you gurus recommend the best way to utilize my practice time. I normally have at least 1 hour a day to devote to practice, but most of the time, i just pick up my guitar and start playin with riffs i already have or have in my head, but i dont feel like that is the best way to get better quickly...I think if i had a set routine that i could practice every day, i'd notice my chops getting better quicker...

 

Anything you guys can help me with is greatly appreciated...

 

Bands i love, Trivium, Lamb of God, All That Remains, Unearth, In Flames, Soilwork, Killswitch Engage, Dream Theatre, Pink Floyd, etc...

 

Thanks guys and its great to be signed up here. Seems like there is lots of knowledgable individuals here, and i hope to learn a lot from you all!

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Posted

Please don't switch to guitar. There are waaaaaaaaaaaaay too many really BAD guitarists. I'd say stick with bass or sax. There is a plethora of guitar players out there. Your chances of being in a band and making it are greater if you arn't a guitarist. Bassists and sax players are in demand!

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Posted
Originally posted by red|dragon

Please don't switch to guitar. There are waaaaaaaaaaaaay too many really BAD guitarists. I'd say stick with bass or sax. There is a plethora of guitar players out there. Your chances of being in a band and making it are greater if you arn't a guitarist. Bassists and sax players are in demand!



I'm not doing it to be in a band or any of that, I'm doing it as a hobby...for myself...because i like to write music. I understand guitar players are a dime a dozen, trust me...and finding a GOOD one is not so simple...

I've done the band thing for years. I've played with so many damn people i couldn't even begin to count how many...haha! Its not to "make it"...again its for myself...

I'm not a 15 year old kid who just wants to impress people...I'm 23 years old graduating college in December with my Bachelors in COmputer Science. music is a passion of mine, and im not doing this for anyone else but myself.

So i'd still appreciate some guidance in the right direction... :)
But i do understand COMPLETELY what you are saying though...haha :)

Posted

Originally posted by ztevin


What kind of practice routines should i get into in order to get noticeable improvement in the shortest amount of time? Should i start with scales, chords, etc...? Picking exercises, synchronization, bends, etc...?

 

 

The fact that you know these are areas to work on shows that you probably have a good idea about how to go about improving these things.

 

What I tend to do for technique work is focus on whatever I feel most lacking with. If I fell that my picking coordination is suffering, I focus on this. If I feel that my chord vocabulary or ability to visualize them quickly is suffering, I focus on that.

 

 

I normally have at least 1 hour a day to devote to practice, but most of the time, i just pick up my guitar and start playin with riffs i already have or have in my head, but i dont feel like that is the best way to get better quickly...I think if i had a set routine that i could practice every day, i'd notice my chops getting better quicker...

 

 

Working on writting music is always good, and there's no reason that you have to keep it seperate from technique work. You could try to write a riff that is technically challenging for you to play as a means to both work on musicallity and improve your abilities.

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Posted

you said you like dream theatre. john petrucci's "rock discipline" video is pretty good, but that would be more for once you get the hang of it. learn theory but don't be afraid to teach yourself some songs you love too, that'll keep your interest

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Posted

Poparad has an excellent point (as always). Analyzing your own playing and figuring out where your weaknesses lie is the first step to organizing a productive practice routine.

I'd suggest getting some of Troy Stetina's books (http://www.stetina.com/lessons.html), Speed Mechanics is especially useful, but get other stuff as well. A good blues book/CD pack can help you with your bends, a good theory book can teach you scales and modes and how to use them. It's nice to have a small library of material to draw from - then when you figure out what you want to work on, you've got books available available to help you with it.

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Posted

I appreciate all of your input! Thanks guys!

I have a couple of Stetina's books, and i have the Petrucci dvd and book. I have quite a few books actually, but i just feel like i need a place to start. The petrucci stuff looks like great material, but that is more advanced than my fingers are right now. I'd love to be able to play that kind of stuff, but i think i need to work on learning the fretboard, and practicing scales/modes/chords first...because once i know that, i think i can apply the excercises to any part of the fretboard, and thats important to me. I want to be able to know where each note is at..are there any good exercises to learn the fretboard?

I'm sorry for my newbie-ish questions, I just have a new passion for this instrument, and i want my time working on it to be well spent :)

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Posted
Originally posted by Paragraph51

Just transcribe all your sax music to the guitar, and you do fine for lead playing, you'll figure it out easily enough.



You know honestly, i never really thought of that...but i have some really intricate (sp?) sax music, that i bet would be great exercises for guitar...

I was thinking about this post yesterday, and i think what im tryin to find is where i should start.

I mean, i can do power chords and all that, but i dont know where i should start my practicing...I dont feel like i need to start at the very beginning stages, but i know im not ready to jump right into arpeggios, and fast {censored} like that yet...basically im looking for a place to start my practice in order to not feel like im just beginning and not feeling like i'll never be able to "get it right"...anyone know what i mean? :D

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Posted

Originally posted by ztevin



You know honestly, i never really thought of that...

 

 

Don't listen to anything he says, he is notorious for giving inaccurate information and misleading recommendations. Beware.

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Posted

In fact you should not listen to red dragon.
He's one of the greatest assholes here.

If you want to learn soloing start with blues scale. That's where it begins.

But never lose your skill to play sax! It's a wonderful instrument.

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Posted

See, you just said not to listen to Red|Dragon, but you gave advice that he's given before. The wisdom is in what people say, not in who said it. We should be taking everything we read on the internet with a grain of salt, but just because you don't like the person who gives advice, doesn't make it bad advice.

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Posted
Originally posted by bardsley

See, you just said not to listen to Red|Dragon, but you gave advice that he's given before. The wisdom is in what people say, not in who said it. We should be taking everything we read on the internet with a grain of salt, but just because you don't like the person who gives advice, doesn't make it bad advice.



bardsley is an asshole. don't listen to him. listen to my advice instead. you really have to be careful with what you hear on the internet. not everything is true. experiment and investigate and see for yourself. everyone is different and will have different opinions, some are wrong, some are right. what im trying to say i guess is take everything you read with a grain of salt.

wait....wtf... :freak: :freak: :freak:

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Posted

Originally posted by bardsley

The wisdom is in what people say, not in who said it. We should be taking everything we read on the internet with a grain of salt, but just because you don't like the person who gives advice, doesn't make it bad advice.

 

 

You couldn't be more right!

What I was ment to say was about his latest reply about Paragraph51:

 

Originally posted by red|dragon

Don't listen to anything he says, he is notorious for giving inaccurate information and misleading recommendations. Beware.

 

Seems like those guys are in war or something. Both so full of theirselves.

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Posted

It it mating season or something? Is that why people seem to be getting worked up and doing the internet forum of gorillas beating their chests at each other?

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