Nah, I’m an ‘exervcise’ guy. Though I don’t ususally practice unmusical exercises (except scales. everybody should play scales). And I like usnig a metronome, though I use programmed drums more often.
Come on, it took me two years to get USX! ))
P.S. Aaand I’m not even near to Tommo or Troy in terms of technique… But I’m glad that you mentioned me in one sentence with them )
What did that look like, exactly?
Take me back… You hear an Ozzy song with a rippin’ solo - I’m talking when you were starting out. No way you can play it. Bits and pieces, much less than tempo; other parts, no way.
I’m not gonna believe you if you say that you just stuck to whatever was in eighth notes;) So what does it mean you “learned” the licks…??
In case I didn’t repeat the point enough in those threads, the “cookbook” progression I describe there is meant as a supplement to more “musical” practice, not a replacement for it.
I did pick up on that vibe. Don’t worry, I’m not abandoning my iTunes library; I won’t quit being musical. Somewhere on the web I saw a thing about being a “guitar student” vs. a “guitar player.” I think we all want to be players here, so I’m with you. I see the structured stuff, thoughtfully applied, as a means to that end.
I wasn’t really interested in the leads at that time, I wanted to know songs. I picked up on Randy’s fills though, but they weren’t all that difficult. Funny thing is I still prefer that legato thing. I never figured out Tony Iommi’s leads as I don’t find him an interesting lead player, and I never figured out a single Judas Priest lead other than Living after midnight. I had read somewhere that Randy said that it was more important to develop your own style, and his words were gospel to me, so that’s what I did and still do.
Ok, fair enough. Points for honesty. May I ask, have you developed your single-note (lead) play to the level of doing it in a band or performance context, or not so much?
Oh yes, I used to be semi-professional. I played in a great deal of bands, and did some recording and played many shows. I was also a tech at a music store and assistant manager for 15 years or so. I gave it up for a long time for various reasons, but I came back now with a new found fire, so that’s why I’m here. To remove the final roadblocks that prevent me from being professional level, which is going along swimmingly.
I see. So if you remember back this far, when you were in the early phases of playing and you were trying to copy a solo you liked… did you only play the bits of it that you felt you’d be able to nail at the recorded tempo, with not too much work? Or did play it all, whether or not you’d be able to pull off the whole thing at the recorded tempo?
I’d learn the parts as best I could by ear, or from tab and practice it until I could play it reasonably well.
That’s what I would have suspected. And it’s another reason I think that ‘excercisers’ can be at a disadvantage (vs. ‘noodlers’). Drills I was assigned had tempos attached. It kind of becomes a chore, like cleaning your room; you do the minimum to get by. That’s not a great way to learn.
I’m thinking of becoming a noodler:)
So do you think that by taking this lick to 80% of the recorded version, and that solo to 85%, and so on, you ultimately reached a point where you could handle the stuff you were copying at full recorded tempo?