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Hi all . . . I've heard a number of really exceptional players on this forum, and I know that at least a couple of you could give me some advice on playing better. There are a couple of things that I know I need to improve on . . .

1. Speed - I've tried working on my speed with a metronome for the last year or so. Every day I practice scales (and scalar sequences) for about 20 -30 min on just playing cleanly, and am up to doing quarter notes at 106 BPM, but can't push the tempo much past that before I start to miss notes/lose control. I know that I can play faster . . . but I can't seem to do it in time.

2. Theory - I'm tired of soloing with pentatonics/Aeolian/Ionian scales. I've been working on my understanding of intervals and when I practice everyday I set aside a few minutes to go over the scales listed above and say the intervals aloud (like 1, b3, 4, 5, b7) while playing them. I want to learn to apply different modes and play 'outside', but whenever I try, it just doesn't sound right. Even just getting away from that 'sounds like everyone' type of solo that I usually seem to throw off. I know that my knowledge of thoery (and maybe solo construction) needs a boost, but I'm not sure what to learn.

3. Actual soloing - I have a tendency to solo over classic rock, reggae, blues style progressions the most, and I don't ever think out my solos beforehand. I might go over the chord progression, and think about what scales to use over certain chords, but I don't actually plan anything out. Is this bad? Will this hold me back? I also have trouble following fast chord changes, and much prefer just staying in a single key and roaming up and down the fretboard. When I'm following changes I can't seem to get out of my little four fret box position without getting lost . . .

4. Notes on the guitar - I figure that I'll have to learn every note on the fretboard at some point . . . but this is such a daunting task that every time I try I give up after a couple of days from boredom.

I want to be able to solo in reggae/rock/funk/blues/jazz, (sort of in that order). I know that there are a lot of fantastic players out there, can any of you give me some pointers or suggestions for my problems that I've run across?

Why not find a pvt teacher that plays the way u like?

Allow me to be the 1st to say.... try this site!!! its awsome from : localhost/by our very own Mike7771, its got everything you need


Originally Posted by seafoamerWhy not find a pvt teacher that plays the way u like?

Well, being the broke-ass engineering student that I am . . . (just about to graduate in three weeks) I don't really have the kind of money to afford a guitar teacher. . . I'm up to my ears in student loans and stuff, and It'll be a few years before I can spend any money . . . I've always wanted to get a good guitar teacher though . . .


Originally Posted by ChaceAllow me to be the 1st to say.... try this site!!! its awsome from : localhost/by our very own Mike7771, its got everything you need Hey, thanks a lot! . . . that seems to be a pretty good site . . . I guess I'll just go through the lessons on there for the next couple of months before I go begging for more knowledge . . .

Let me see if I can help a bit.

First modes and chords. All modes are just degrees of the scale that your in. For instance, lets take the C Major (A relative Minor) scale since it has no sharps or flats. To play a mode, just start at that note say D in this case, and just play to its octave within the scale. So for this example you would play D, E, F, G, A, B, C, D. That's the Dorian mode in the C Major scale.

C, D, E, F, G, A, B

1st note is C, its Major, and your Ionian Scale Mode.

2nd D is a minor chord and minor mode withing C Major. In this case its D Dorian.

3rd. E again is a minor chord withing C Major and also a minor mode. E Phyrgian.

4th. F is a major chord within C Major and a major mode. F Lydian.

5th. G is a major chord as well and a major mode. G Mixolydian.

6th. Your relative minor. A minor chord, A Aeolian scale.

7th. Is your dimished mode/scale. B Dimished.

Soloing over chords is in theory simple but there's a lot of variables. But basically this is how it goes. The corresponding Major/Minor Chord goes with the corresponding Major/Minor scale. So if your in C Major and playing an E Minor chord, you'd play an E Phyrgian scale over that, G Major (again staying in C Major), you'd play a G Mixolydian etc. No you don't have to play the whole scale, sometimes you can imply a note, just play the triad (root, 3d, 5th), for that mode, play its pentatonic notes etc., there's lots you can do and its kind of hard to explain it here. You're best bet is to experiment and find what sounds best. But that's the basic idea behind it.

As far as writing your own solos, this is the best advice I can give anyone. Play your own leads over songs. Yes its okay to learn other's leads and licks and solos. Yes some songs have very memorable melodies/solos that you really won't want to change. (think intro to Sweet Child o Mine or solo for Crazy Train) But you should compose and play your own stuff. Yeah it may sound bad at first. But its the only way you will really learn to write your own leads.

Since you know the Aeolian and Ionian scales, your almost there as far as knowing your way around the fret board. The fact that you say sometimes you get lost indicates to me that what you haven't seen yet is how they connect/interconnect all over the board with each other and the other modes. You should always know what notes/chords your playing over etc., but there are certain patterns to the entire diatonic/pentatonic scale set that do not change. The only change is the position on the fret board relative to what key your in. Let me see if I can dig something up and/or send you something in tab.

Sweet! Thanks for the advice . . . and I really would appreciate anything that you could send me too. I have really been focusing on playing lead for the last few years, and have seen some steady improvement . . . but I've been in a slump for the past few weeks (of course all of the coursework and exams that are coming up since this is the end of the semester aren't really helping me either )

If you want to focus on speed and technique, john petrucci's books are stellar. quot;rock disciplinequot; and quot;wild stringdomquot;. Easy to read, organized, and great exercises. I get a great deal out of them.