Gabrielthorn progress thread

Show and Tell
#141

That’d be like a former middling University level sprinter (me) giving running advice to a pro circuit competitor (you).

Any advice I’d be giving would likely be redundant! Honestly, I’d say at this point, if you want to progress more (with some direction) find yourself a band or write some songs/covers and figure out what you REALLY need to work on for music you want to play/compose when it’s mixed together.

If you’re having issues tracking something after it’s been placed in the mix and you don’t like how it sounds, now THAT is a useful and beneficial problem area to work at. At the moment, nothing I’ve heard in that long list of clips needs work (as it sounds from those clips to my ears, your mileage may vary)

/shrug

This is not a criticism by the way, I’m jealous as hell of your aptitude and playing, keep shredding! Love it.

2 Likes
#142

I’m thinking you need to ditch the metronome for a bit and play along to the actual songs you’re wanting to play (like Erotomania). Get yourself into a situation where you have to hit a riff at tempo, no other way around it. I had to do that plenty in a band situation, which I think you haven’t had to do, right? You’ll likely be “sloppy” (at least by your standards) and uncomfortable, but the goal is to find your weakest point in the passage, work on it, and repeat.

3 Likes
#143

It doesn’t need to be a bucket list song at all, just a piece that has a challenging tempo, but within your limits and not too difficult to learn. To me, its all about bedding the technique in and being able to transition from say an easy melody and into the shred. You don’t even need to record it with anything special. The video setup you are using is fine, you are not trying to record an album or anything.

3 Likes
#144

My weakest points are clear in both Erotomania and Universal mind, hopefully they’ll get resolved by practicing and finding a more relaxed way to play those passages.

I have a very brief history with guitar, I’ve never left my room with the instrument so I have zero experience with playing in a band. I didn’t want to play with others without having a good technique.

#145

Do you have any recommendations?

#146

That’s a horrible mentality to have in my opinion. I started playing with other people as soon as I could, failing at punk songs. You learn a ton about music / yourself / others when you put yourself in that space.

2 Likes
#147

Plus it makes it abundantly clear what IS and is NOT important to sweat over. It’s (kindof) win win!

#148

Although I’ll cry a little when you nail it (jokes!), maybe something like Morning Star by Vinnie Moore. I started learning it after seeing Tommo cover it. Its a cool tune and around 120 bpm IIRC - its not difficult to learn, but my technique is not quite up to par… I suspect yours is!

You already have great technique. When this Covid shit is over, I would advise you to get out there in a band - it doesn’t have to be a racer-x tribute band! Even a classic/modern rock or metal band will give you the confidence and with your technique you would be able to cover the tracks that most don’t dare to!!!

1 Like
#149

I want to third and fourth what everyone else is saying: you are already more than good enough to play in a band. Just go for it! Once it’s safe to do, of course :smiley:

2 Likes
#151

I agree with you, but at least I’m considering playing in a band some day (it was never on the horizon before). So it’s an improvement in the mindset I think.

#152

That looks like an interesting tune (I’ve seen @tommo’s cover, it was amazing), but I’m not sure if I could pull that off. I’ll give it a try if I can find any decent sheet for it.

I’m thinking more and more about looking for a band after this pandemic madness is over …

#153

Thank you again for your kind words. The problems I have may disappear in a mix but I don’t feel confident playing the group of 4 licks, Erotomania, Universal mind and the pentatonic stuff. Maybe it’s just a matter of more practice time and it will click like the speed thing clicked recently - there’s a visible improvement for sure.

#154

To kill the evening boredom I’ve tried to tremolo pick at a much higher tempo than ever. I couldn’t sustain it for long at all, and I tried to play a simple 2 string lick, with not much luck.

Slowmo:

I also tried to play a 2 string lick on a lower tempo (but still much higher than my current maximum). I could definitely hear the “doubled” (and unintentional) notes here @Troy mentioned before (although on that lick it was intentional) where the fretting hand is changing position. Yes, this is far beyond my capabilities but 180 doesn’t seem impossible anymore, so 220 is the new dream.

Slowmo:

1 Like
#155

Interesting enough this thread got me playing Erotomania again, and I was about to record a video on the table tapping bit lol.

1 Like
#156

Here it is - although I probably don’t play it exactly like Vinnie does:

1 Like
#157

Wow, thank you for that, added to my list. Hopefully I’ll be able to play it one day. :slight_smile:

#158

I avoid the sweeps on the intro and dbx it - yours sound super smooth but articulate- great job

2 Likes
#159
2 Likes
#160

Great job you’ll be there soon :slight_smile:

1 Like
#161

Thank you @tommo. Those 3 string arpeggios are tripping me over constantly, especially the last one, I find it hard to reach the 12th fret with my pinky.