Techniques / theory discussion

[Lord Tim]

OK!

We have quite a few musicians here and there's always questions to be asked and knowledge to be gained.

This thread isn't about proving how big your musical dick is, so don't spout 3 pages of modal theory unless it's relevant to the question you're being asked and flaming and going severely off-topic won't be tolerated. This is a thread for legitimate help/learning.

Naturally, it's open for all instruments and voices, so ask away, folks!

[petrucci_dude]

Yay.

Tim, you can pick pretty damn fast. How did you build up the speed in your right hand? My alternate picking is pretty damn shit because of my right hand and occasionally the lack of coordination between the two.

[Keeper of the Seven Cheese]

I personally reccomend the MAB and Gilbert videos. I think they help me alot.

LT you look like you move your arm alot when you do your psycho solos. I do this too actually when picking above 240bpm semiquavers.

Atm I am working with my gaytar to get better but it's just really not good seeing as though I can go at least 50 bpm faster on a good guitar and cleaner too

[Lord Tim]

I move my arm a lot live to make it look harder than it is! Seriously, you'll see me using all kinds of terrible techniques when I play on stage because I want to make it as entertaining as I can first and foremost. No one rememebers a slightly fluffed note or a bit of string noise, but they do remember that guy who was playing that "ridiculously difficult" looking solo.

When I started, I did the WORST thing you could do - I picked fast and hoped my fingers lined up with the picks. That was the single most stupid thing I could have done and that still comes back to haunt me now.

I had to completely break down my entire technique after a year or so and start again from scratch, playing slowly along to a drum machine and making sure my picking was accurate. By that time, the damage was done and I had to really struggle to break out of my bad habits.

So let that be a lesson to everyone who is learning now: learn properly from the start and don't try to play faster than you're actually capable of playing - it will fuck you up for the rest of your musical life!

[petrucci_dude]

Yeah I try not to go any faster than my maximum speed. In terms of accurate strict alternate picking my max speed would only be about 120bpm played accurately. But there are SOME lines I can play that are around 150-160bpm accurately. I mean, it all depends on the line and the feel of the song too, like I can play parts of Paradigm Shift by LTE and that's at 210bpm roughly.

I have some Paul Gilbert videos/instructionals Dougie, but I haven't sat down and gone through them properly yet.

Lately I've been breaking down my technique and playing very slowly (ca. 60bpm) just to see if I am using the technique in the right way and stuff.

[Celestial-Todd]

Damn straight... one thing that pisses me off is watching kids (and some older folk) try to play drums "as fast as Joey Jordison" (for example). No technique, just bashing away and tiring out after about 10 seconds

I've gotten into many conversations with young blokes at the Drum Factory (since I'm practically there every second weekend haha) who's dream is to play loud and fast... most don't believe Paul (works in the store) when he says that I can blast and double bass at 230bpm and up, one even said I didn't look like I was enjoying it because I wasn't flailing away.

I told him I enjoy being able to play at that speed for nearly an hour

[petrucci_dude]

I think more people should also start getting into jazz, at least the theoretical/lead side of things. It's really helpful even to those people writing metal.

[Celestial-Todd]

You should try to keep your mind open to all styles... even ones that have no obvious practical use in your style of choice. For example, I love trying to emulate Johnny Rabb's techno-style drumming. Does wonders for your finger work (as he has the best fingerwork technique in drumming)

[Lord Tim]

You should have an open mind, but at the same time, don't just get into stuff because someone tells you it should be good for you. That other style may annoy you so much or you could get so hung up on trying to learn something alien to what you want to do that you lose focus or stop enjoying playing.

[Keeper of the Seven Cheese]

I think people should get into jazz if they like it, sure it's a whole other world but if you don't like it then why put yourself through the pain. I will say to a Jazz player next time. You need to get into metal.