Since this is all trial and error, and no one is looking at this besides me im going to try some new things. I don't like planning the time. As long as I spend atleast four hours doing this practice, and subsequent 2-3 hours playing/improvising I think i'll stick to my plan. I'm only adding 4 hours to my goal on the side, but that's ok. This blog will be deleted long before I reach 10,000 hours of practice (5-6 years? come on, I'll get in a routine that won't need this blog anymore by the 2000th hour) Anyways. The "***" means it needs to be everyday lick, the others can be interchanged as long as they pop up every once in a while. The order in which I do these is irrelevant too, I just want to make sure I do all them. I'll be posting the time I start/end/bpm on each for my own tracking.
a - Holy Wars - 130 is kinda sloppy
b - Mode 1 *** - 70 bpm
c - Bm AP Lick 1 ***
d - 5 String Sweep ***
e - Pentatonic Tapping xxx
f - It Dwells In Me Lick *** still learning this shit
g - 3 String Sweep
h - FtB Fast Lick - almost maxed this out
i - Free Bird Fast Lick xxx
j - Rhoads Lick xxx
k - Cowboys From Hell
l - No More Tears AP ***
m - Sweet Child of Mine fast lick *** - sloppy today
n - AP + String Skip lick *** - 100 bpm
o - Jump In The fire riff
p - Jump in the fire end solo
OK so I only practiced an hour today. Why? Because I'm a lazy fuck!
GET ON THE BALL ASSHOLE.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Day Dos
Today I'm going to narrow down the practice and spread it over more 20 minute intervals. start: 10:30 am
0:00 - 0:20 - Sweet Child O Mine lick 1 - 110 bpm
0:00 - 0:40 - No More Tears AP - 75 bpm
0:00 - 1:00 - 3 String Sweep - 95 bpm
1:00 - 1:20 - B Minor AP Lick 1 - 80 bpm
First Break
1:20 - 1:40 - It Dwells In Me - *
1:40 - 2:00 - Holy Wars - 125 bpm
2:00 - 2:20 - Mr Crowley Descending lick - 70 bpm (only 10 minutes because it hurts!!)
2:20 - 2:40 - Pentatonic Tapping - FUCK I hate tapping!
2:40 - 3:00 - FtB Fast Lick 1 - 120 bpm - Busted at 130
3:00 - 3:20 - The Four Horsemen riff - neat
3:20 - 3:40 - Mode 1 AP - 60 BPM - The stretch licks really really hurt my wrist ...(10 minutes only)
-second break
3:40 - 4:00 - Ap + String Skip - 100 bpm
**DID NOT COMPLETE*
/*4:00 - 4:20 - 5 String Sweep
4:20 - 4:40 - Cowboys from Hell
4:40 - 5:00 - Free Bird Fast Lick 1*/
4 Hours so far today. Hopefully, I'll attack some more when I get back from a lunch meeting.
0:00 - 0:20 - Sweet Child O Mine lick 1 - 110 bpm
0:00 - 0:40 - No More Tears AP - 75 bpm
0:00 - 1:00 - 3 String Sweep - 95 bpm
1:00 - 1:20 - B Minor AP Lick 1 - 80 bpm
First Break
1:20 - 1:40 - It Dwells In Me - *
1:40 - 2:00 - Holy Wars - 125 bpm
2:00 - 2:20 - Mr Crowley Descending lick - 70 bpm (only 10 minutes because it hurts!!)
2:20 - 2:40 - Pentatonic Tapping - FUCK I hate tapping!
2:40 - 3:00 - FtB Fast Lick 1 - 120 bpm - Busted at 130
3:00 - 3:20 - The Four Horsemen riff - neat
3:20 - 3:40 - Mode 1 AP - 60 BPM - The stretch licks really really hurt my wrist ...(10 minutes only)
-second break
3:40 - 4:00 - Ap + String Skip - 100 bpm
**DID NOT COMPLETE*
/*4:00 - 4:20 - 5 String Sweep
4:20 - 4:40 - Cowboys from Hell
4:40 - 5:00 - Free Bird Fast Lick 1*/
4 Hours so far today. Hopefully, I'll attack some more when I get back from a lunch meeting.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Day 1?
This will be a schedule of 4 hours, and can be easily mix and matched with other licks in other places.
a:00 - a:10 = Bminor AP Lick 1 - 80 max bpm
a:10 - a:20 = Bminor 3 String Sweep - 85 MAYBE max bpm
a:20 - a:30 = No More Tears AP Lick - 75 MAYBE max bpm
a:30 - a:40 = 5 String Sweep G Maj? & Gm? (Research this) - Learning
a:40 - b:00 = It Dwells In Me Solo - learning (General)
b:00 - b:20 = Sweet Child o Mine fast pentatonic lick 1 - 90? max bpm
b:20 - b:35 = Mode 1(A Minor) 3nps AP lick - learning - First Part Down!!! HAH!
b:35 - b:50 = Pentatonic Tapping - learning (Part1) Omg that sounds terrible :(
b:50 - c:00 = FtB minor ascend - 140 max bpm
c:00 - c:20 = FtB Fast ending lick - learning / First half - 115 bpm
c:20 - c:40 = Alive - learning (General)
c:40 - c:50 = AP + String skip lick 1 - 95 bpm
---* 8:50 I'm taking a break because my wrist is very weak and sore right now *---
c:50 - d:00 = 3nps legato descend Mr. Crowley measure 113 - 50 ? max bpm
d:00 - d:10 = Freebird really fast lick Measure 91 - 82 max bpm
d:10 - d:20 = Freebird lick 2 measure 115-117 - 110 max bpm
d:20 - d:30 = Cowboys from Hell riff - 100 max bpm
d:30 - d:50 = Holy Wars riff - learning / Did not do.
Free time / improvising.
This post completes 4 hours. weeeeeeee
a:00 - a:10 = Bminor AP Lick 1 - 80 max bpm
a:10 - a:20 = Bminor 3 String Sweep - 85 MAYBE max bpm
a:20 - a:30 = No More Tears AP Lick - 75 MAYBE max bpm
a:30 - a:40 = 5 String Sweep G Maj? & Gm? (Research this) - Learning
a:40 - b:00 = It Dwells In Me Solo - learning (General)
b:00 - b:20 = Sweet Child o Mine fast pentatonic lick 1 - 90? max bpm
b:20 - b:35 = Mode 1(A Minor) 3nps AP lick - learning - First Part Down!!! HAH!
b:35 - b:50 = Pentatonic Tapping - learning (Part1) Omg that sounds terrible :(
b:50 - c:00 = FtB minor ascend - 140 max bpm
c:00 - c:20 = FtB Fast ending lick - learning / First half - 115 bpm
c:20 - c:40 = Alive - learning (General)
c:40 - c:50 = AP + String skip lick 1 - 95 bpm
---* 8:50 I'm taking a break because my wrist is very weak and sore right now *---
c:50 - d:00 = 3nps legato descend Mr. Crowley measure 113 - 50 ? max bpm
d:00 - d:10 = Freebird really fast lick Measure 91 - 82 max bpm
d:10 - d:20 = Freebird lick 2 measure 115-117 - 110 max bpm
d:20 - d:30 = Cowboys from Hell riff - 100 max bpm
d:30 - d:50 = Holy Wars riff - learning / Did not do.
Free time / improvising.
This post completes 4 hours. weeeeeeee
Licks & Explanations
Terms:
AP = Alternate Picking
BPM - Beats Per Minute
There's a lot of acronyms I made up because I'm lazy and don't want to type.
Licks:
"ZW AP 1" - I've been working on this lick for so long, I hate it. It's toward the end of the solo to the song "No More Tears" by Ozzy Ozbourne, and its Zakk Wylde's solo. It is extremely important that this be done with ALL ALTERNATE PICKING. The whole point of this lick is to develop AP chops, anyone can do that lick with legato. It gets its sound from the aggressiveness of the AP. There is 6 notes per beat on this lick, if you don't know what the 6 below the notes mean. Lick tempo in the song: 104
"It Dwells In Me" or "It Dwells In Me String Skip Lick" - something like that. I need to come up with definite names. This is one of Oli Herbert's licks from the awesome solo in the song "It Dwells in Me" (note: I don't give a shit about sentence structure and grammar anymore, don't judge me.) This too should be strict Alternate picking, even with the string skipping. For a quick example: on the second measure, the high e string is a down pick, then an up/down on the D and then an up on the G. If you are not used to this style, you should make it a point to slow it down and learn the correct way. Economy picking is great, but strict AP is another great tool you can put in your toolbox. Lick tempo in the song: 180
"Fade to Black Fast Lick" - this is the lick towards the end of the solo in the Metallica song "Fade to Black." This is lick you air guitar at parties (well parties cool enough to play Metallica.) It's not terribly hard. Lick tempo in the song: 140
More to come
AP = Alternate Picking
BPM - Beats Per Minute
There's a lot of acronyms I made up because I'm lazy and don't want to type.
Licks:
"ZW AP 1" - I've been working on this lick for so long, I hate it. It's toward the end of the solo to the song "No More Tears" by Ozzy Ozbourne, and its Zakk Wylde's solo. It is extremely important that this be done with ALL ALTERNATE PICKING. The whole point of this lick is to develop AP chops, anyone can do that lick with legato. It gets its sound from the aggressiveness of the AP. There is 6 notes per beat on this lick, if you don't know what the 6 below the notes mean. Lick tempo in the song: 104
"It Dwells In Me" or "It Dwells In Me String Skip Lick" - something like that. I need to come up with definite names. This is one of Oli Herbert's licks from the awesome solo in the song "It Dwells in Me" (note: I don't give a shit about sentence structure and grammar anymore, don't judge me.) This too should be strict Alternate picking, even with the string skipping. For a quick example: on the second measure, the high e string is a down pick, then an up/down on the D and then an up on the G. If you are not used to this style, you should make it a point to slow it down and learn the correct way. Economy picking is great, but strict AP is another great tool you can put in your toolbox. Lick tempo in the song: 180
"Fade to Black Fast Lick" - this is the lick towards the end of the solo in the Metallica song "Fade to Black." This is lick you air guitar at parties (well parties cool enough to play Metallica.) It's not terribly hard. Lick tempo in the song: 140
More to come
Background
I hope no one finds this thing really, but this is my daily log for my guitar practice. Anyway:
I'm a 25 year old guitarist with roughly 3 years experience under my belt and I'm kind of tired of being mediocre. I'm sure many in my boat wish they would have picked up the guitar LONG ago. Well, I must make up for lost time with dedicated and precise practice.
Goals?
My main goal is to develop rock and metal lead chops, whatever that encompasses. Alternate picking, Legato, Sweep Picking, Tapping, Advanced Theory, the list goes on.
Chops shouldn't be ones main goal, but I believe that is what will take up most of my time. I think its important to be able to play with other people and song write and stuff, but as for now my technique is very poor in my opinion.
How to achieve the goal:
Unfortunately there's no clear cut way, all I can hope for is concentrated, dedicated, and precise practice. To put a number on it: I've heard the number 10,000 hours is a good hypothetical "Excellent Guitarist" cut off. However, I believe that if you spend most of those hours in front of the TV strumming along to some chords, you're not going to get where you want to be necessarily.
I will try my damnedest to get in 40 hours of practice a week, roughly 5 years of practice. Hey I have a job... If I was in highschool I would have just played 8 or 9 hours a day all through it... hell I didn't do anything else anyway. 40 x 52 x 5 = 10400.
I will study my favorite guitarists solos and licks, and occasionally post them on here. Maybe get a video camera and share some stuff on youtube.
Good luck to myself and to all others trying to improve.
I'm a 25 year old guitarist with roughly 3 years experience under my belt and I'm kind of tired of being mediocre. I'm sure many in my boat wish they would have picked up the guitar LONG ago. Well, I must make up for lost time with dedicated and precise practice.
Goals?
My main goal is to develop rock and metal lead chops, whatever that encompasses. Alternate picking, Legato, Sweep Picking, Tapping, Advanced Theory, the list goes on.
Chops shouldn't be ones main goal, but I believe that is what will take up most of my time. I think its important to be able to play with other people and song write and stuff, but as for now my technique is very poor in my opinion.
How to achieve the goal:
Unfortunately there's no clear cut way, all I can hope for is concentrated, dedicated, and precise practice. To put a number on it: I've heard the number 10,000 hours is a good hypothetical "Excellent Guitarist" cut off. However, I believe that if you spend most of those hours in front of the TV strumming along to some chords, you're not going to get where you want to be necessarily.
I will try my damnedest to get in 40 hours of practice a week, roughly 5 years of practice. Hey I have a job... If I was in highschool I would have just played 8 or 9 hours a day all through it... hell I didn't do anything else anyway. 40 x 52 x 5 = 10400.
I will study my favorite guitarists solos and licks, and occasionally post them on here. Maybe get a video camera and share some stuff on youtube.
Good luck to myself and to all others trying to improve.
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