Hello everybody on the Forum,
My name is Larry Corban. I’ve been playing since I was 9 years old, got into practicing guitar seriously at 15 upon discovering Eddie Van Halen, Yngwie Malmsteen, John McLaughlin, Al Di Meola, and Allan Holdsworth but everything they played always felt technically out of my reach. I started to get into playing straight-ahead jazz because it was “technically easier to play.” I found players like Wes Montgomery, Pat Metheny, Jim Hall, and Grant Green much easier to transcribe. I realized that they were using other mechanisms besides technique to tell their stories to create the drama of engagement that makes for a great listening experience: Wes’ use of chords and octaves to make solos interesting rhythmically where he’s displacing the one of the measure by setting up a hemiola with the rhythm section along with endless melodic invention, Jim Halls’ ability to twist the harmony by sideslipping in and out of the chord changes is like listening to a Piccasso painting in motion, Pat Metheny’s soaring melodic invention is stark in it’s simplicity especially in the early years of his career, and Grant Green’s pocket is so swingin’. I had found ways to get around my lack of shredding technique. As I got better at playing straight-ahead jazz, Pat Martino and George Benson than later John Scofield, MIke Stern, and Wayne Krantz were really the guys I used as guide posts musically!
Fast forward a couple of decades or so…A musical director at a Broadway show that I was subbing on had a complete meltdown on me! I was ready to throw in the towel. Done! I asked myself the question: Is there anything left on the guitar before I quit that I still want to learn? The answer came back as learn the first five Van Halen records and Yngwie J Malmsteen’s Rising Force note-for-note!
Now with the advent of YouTube with all the “how to videos” available and my own ears developed over years of experience, I was able to make some headway on the Van Halen and Yngwie material!
That rekindled excitement got me psyched enough to make a record called Emergence with Harvie S, James Weidman, Steve Williams, and the great Jerry Bergonzi for 4 cuts available at www.larrycorban.com/store. I have 5 CD’s available at www.larrycorban.com and at all available outlets.
Now that I found Cracking the Code, I’m hoping it can help my right hand picking skills move toward a smoother, more effortless precision. The guitar still feels like a fight. When I perform, I’m drenched in sweat as if I’m plowing a field or digging a ditch. Ideally, I would like to transform make my guitar technique into something that’s there like furniture in the house so I can listen to the music like it’s my favorite record!
I’ve taken lessons here and there but I’m more or less formally self taught. I went to music school but learned to play through on the job training after I graduated by backing up singers, cruise gigs in showband and with jazz trios, cabaret shows, musical theater (Broadway and Off-Broadway), cover bands, weddings, reading big bands, fusion big bands, you name it as well as leading my own groups which were primarily three piece bands: guitar, bass and drums. I studied with Vic Juris for six months in 1993, I took one lesson with Pat Martino in 2003, a few lessons with Wayne Krantz between 1997-1999, and preparing for what the next gig is.
I’ve checked out the Pickslanting Primer and a few videos on wrist rotation. I’m new and am still getting my feet wet with all the videos that are available. It’s a treasure drove of information! Thank you Troy!
I can play my scales, but it feels like there’s a speed limitation. I have to alter the shape of my right hand to get to the shred speeds. Eventually the hands tense out. It starts with the right and then it turns into neck/shoulder/mid-back tension that I need to dissipate by doing Yoga/stretching.
I feel that my technique at 155 bpm and higher basically Mahavishnu Orchestra tempos is hit or miss. I’m really not sure what I will sound like until I start playing. I had situation in a recording session where I had to scrap a tune and rerecord it at home because I couldn’t cut the tempo live in the studio with the band.
Thanks again Troy for setting up this website and forum! I look forward to working on slaying this dragon!
If you have questions or anything specific you could use feedback on as you go, post here any time!