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Post by jimbax on Dec 23, 2005 11:38:01 GMT -5
Look, I did the hours in front of the metronome sweep/hammer exercises and the shred heroics lessons too...In the last 10 years of playing live and recording really, I havent been able to use a 'shred' (pun intended...hehehe) of it...the gigs I've been getting have required simple 'melody' line, smooth bends etc...whenever I tried a 'shred' solo, people looked at me like...'are you kidding?'...then I would do a simple 8th note octave thing with a few bends and get:...'there ya go!' yeah!!' etc...  In Christian circles shredding is usually looked at as 'drawing attention to yourself'....so, unless it is absolutely necessary to the context of a Christian rock song (not the ones I play  ) No SHREDDING for me... that being said, it appears that alot of you guys play in shred bands...so...what do you think? Are you able to shred? |
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Post by Dirrty Craig on Dec 23, 2005 11:49:53 GMT -5
Personally I think if you have to make a distinction between shredding and just playing guitar how you want, than you shouldn't even try. Sorry. Seriously. If your looking at it like a sporting event and not just part of your technique than your missing the point.
If your trying to shove a 'shred' solo into anywhere it doesn't belong of course its going to sound bad, but theres nothing wrong with a fast run or something requiring some technique if it fits. Its also very exciting to the audience, at least the ones I play i front of.
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Post by TJ on Dec 23, 2005 11:53:29 GMT -5
^what he said
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Post by jimbax on Dec 23, 2005 12:00:36 GMT -5
Personally I think if you have to make a distinction between shredding and just playing guitar how you want, than you shouldn't even try. Sorry. Seriously. If your looking at it like a sporting event and not just part of your technique than your missing the point. If your trying to shove a 'shred' solo into anywhere it doesn't belong of course its going to sound bad, but theres nothing wrong with a fast run or something requiring some technique if it fits. Its also very exciting to the audience, at least the ones I play i front of. Yeah, you have the 'luxury' of playing in the style you love...the only time I get to loosen up...is when the praise bands I (was) playing in would do some 'intro or prominade jam' as people were coming in..then I can bust it out...but really, my style is WAY more old school than most of you guys...I believe you call it 'linear' I definitely play that way.. that's my point...it is VERY difficult to fit a shred solo in the style of 'Gilbert or Malmsteen' into a MODERN song context...you have to go back to the 80s big hair song style to do it convincingly...I never adopted the arps and wide interval approach as my main style because of it...I'd get beat down for 'showing off'...restraint is what most people want out of a guitar player these days....  |
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Post by Dirrty Craig on Dec 23, 2005 12:09:50 GMT -5
I have a buddy who plays in a church band 2 nights a week and does a classic rock/mixed covers band on the weekends. I would imagine it would be easy to overplay in a situation like that, have you considered putting something together to satisfy your other musial tastes, even if it was part time or once a month it would be gratifying for you.
see I'm the opposite, I like the overly technical Dream Theater style stuff and funk, blues etc I work on orginals at home and classical music.. and satisfy my rock/shred playing with my band..
I need it all and can't be happy with only one.
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Post by Hacksaw on Dec 23, 2005 12:21:06 GMT -5
Look, I did the hours in front of the metronome sweep/hammer exercises and the shred heroics lessons too...In the last 10 years of playing live and recording really, I havent been able to use a 'shred' (pun intended...hehehe) of it...the gigs I've been getting have required simple 'melody' line, smooth bends etc...whenever I tried a 'shred' solo, people looked at me like...'are you kidding?'...then I would do a simple 8th note octave thing with a few bends and get:...'there ya go!' yeah!!' etc... In Christian circles shredding is usually looked at as 'drawing attention to yourself'....so, unless it is absolutely necessary to the context of a Christian rock song (not the ones I play ) No SHREDDING for me... that being said, it appears that alot of you guys play in shred bands...so...what do you think? Are you able to shred? A law enforcement office told me once there is a time and place for everything.. LOL |
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Post by jimbax on Dec 23, 2005 12:22:20 GMT -5
yea, I have alot of irons in the fire so to speak...but, I am a working man with a non-musical job...I can put in maybe 1-2 hours a day on my 'chops' as they are barely on life support...we both know what a guy sounds like trying to pull off monster chops with no game...for me to (try to) keep up in that arena I would have to spend ALL my 'guitar time' strickly on 'Gilbert-esque' chops....I'm not into that style enough to make that 'wager'...and for where and what I play it wouldn't pay-off..so, I play 'within my ability' and try to improve as much as I can with the small amount of time devoted to that and the 'thought' that I can give music these days...I also play alot of acoustic and classical guitar too!...I have had over 20 people up here ask me for lessons...I can't! I would be working and coming home and giving lessons...PERIOD... weekends too!...maybe in a few years but not now...
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Post by Hacksaw on Dec 23, 2005 12:29:33 GMT -5
Jimbax! I know your pain! I too can only practice a hour or two, sometimes three, it takes a hour just to get it all going sometimes. makes me feel weak. then I do lessons tues and on thurs for couple of hours. which take time away.
We do have a heavy metal Church here in town,. Called Guts, come on down jim I will get ya on stage :-)
How much practice do you guys get in a day?
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Post by Dirrty Craig on Dec 23, 2005 12:46:30 GMT -5
I havent touched my electric since that gig I told you guys about 2 Sundays ago. I have played my nylon string twice in the past week.
Typically I'll go days between practicing then I'll hit it hard for 3-4 days prior to a gig, maybe 2-3 hours a day... then I'll go a week without playing at all. I'm not very disciplined.
I've got a big NYE gig so I'll be hitting hit hard starting monday.
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Post by jimbax on Dec 23, 2005 13:02:24 GMT -5
I spend the BULK of my time...(even right now...) learning new 'worship tunes' as I have been standing in front of a congregation with an acoustic guitar and 'leading' worship...for the last three years...there are a lot of 'interesting' contemporary worship songs being written these days...I am trying to learn to sing too...so, always learning...I've always been surrounded with pro singers in LA and now I have to sing lead...THE HORROR! I have this 'Brett Manning' CD lesson thing that is helping me alot...
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Post by motrock on Dec 23, 2005 18:46:29 GMT -5
Most muscians around here don't want to play with me cause I have done the shred thing. I used to jam with people and pull out the EVH/ Lynch licks and everyone would just look at me like I was stupid. Its really funny, people around here look at the older shred......even classic rock blues style licks as an inferior style. The band intructor for a local high school around here is about 8 year older than I am. He got mad at me once. He said that I should never play that stuff cause all I am doing is showing off and making an ass of myself.
A mentor so to speak, told me that I should stick to my guns, and never give up on what I love. And I love to play good tastefull rock/ hard rock/ metal. This mentor of mine said he had respect for me cause I had not let the modern cult make me jaded. And I won't. I do what comes natural for me. If my licks sometime sound like early 80s rock/ hard rock, that is where my heart is. Right now I have the Iron Maiden, Def Leppard, Richie Sambora, and Journey thing going on!
I am really starting to get in to the Brittish side of rock!
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Post by shreder75 on Dec 23, 2005 20:02:18 GMT -5
I don't practice..I learn new songs when I need to, and the rest of the time? I just play..play play play...
if it sounds good I stick with it..if it sounds like schit, I re work it..to me, it's as simple as that..I used to practice....I don't anymore....it's not a job..I'm not like an Yngwie or lynch or vai who practice and play EVERY FRIGGIN DAY WHETHER THEY WANT TO OR NOT!!
when I'm noodling I tend to play faster..why? well, why not..it's good for the finger coordination and I know it'll be there when I needit...but if you check out any of the leads I do in my band, I rarely do anything super fast..why? cause I don't think I'm that fast..and b) I do what serves teh song best =)
that being said, if I could play as fast as a gilbert or angelo, or impelletiri, I bet you I'd be doin' taht...lol
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Post by jimbax on Dec 23, 2005 21:09:13 GMT -5
I don't practice..I learn new songs when I need to, and the rest of the time? I just play..play play play... if it sounds good I stick with it..if it sounds like schit, I re work it..to me, it's as simple as that..I used to practice....I don't anymore....it's not a job..I'm not like an Yngwie or lynch or vai who practice and play EVERY FRIGGIN DAY WHETHER THEY WANT TO OR NOT!! when I'm noodling I tend to play faster..why? well, why not..it's good for the finger coordination and I know it'll be there when I needit...but if you check out any of the leads I do in my band, I rarely do anything super fast..why? cause I don't think I'm that fast..and b) I do what serves teh song best =) that being said, if I could play as fast as a gilbert or angelo, or impelletiri, I bet you I'd be doin' taht...lol I have a 'daily' routine that I do strictly for 'orientation, strength, and accuracy' it is a combination of picking exercises and lagato stuff...a few very simple major and minor scale arpeggios and some wide interval stretches...actually I have a nylon string beater guitar at work and I do the exercises there at breaks and at lunch....when I get home from work I can focus on strictly playing guitar and not warming up...I am much more comfortable playing this way... |
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Post by Dirrty Craig on Dec 23, 2005 22:33:07 GMT -5
Thats a great way to do it. I've been gradually trying to get into a routine like that. Very good method of keeping things together. I never seem to 'lose' much, whatever I got seems to stick with me. The clips of mine you guys have heard pretty much represents me on any average day. I can sometimes do alot more and sometimes I'm sloppy-er.
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Post by motrock on Dec 23, 2005 22:59:30 GMT -5
I practiced about 4 times today. I pretty much learned a couple of songs. In And Out Of Love by Bon Jovi, Fast As A Shark by Accept, and Stranglehold by Ted Nugent. I have found that it is good to just put on a cd and solo over the whole song. I am trying to learn how to play with more feeling, and get better at vibrato.
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) No SHREDDING for me...
