A Modern Method for Guitar Vol 1 Pages 23 to 24

[wrbriggs]

Not pathetic at all Briggs. There is indeed improvement. Good job and stay with it brother. Noticeable improvement.

I'm not the best person to advise you on this as well but I'll throw some things out there related to your inquiry on tone. I could be wrong, but it sounds like you may be striking the strings close to the bridge, rather than higher up toward the sound hole. Mess around with striking the strings at different locations like above the soundhole, or just above the closest fret to the soundhole.

You will find a variety of tones all along the strings depending where your pick strikes them. Strike the high E string right next to the bridge, then gradually move up the string toward the sound hole. Listen closely as you do this. Strike the high E string above the highest fret on your guitar. Do this with the other strings. Then fret some notes doing the same thing but the key is to mess around striking the strings both very close to the bridge, then away from the bridge.

Another thing to experiment with is the angle at which the pick strikes the string. Strike the string by slightly turning the pick so that rather than the pick hitting the string flat on so to speak, it makes contact not on the flat tip of the pick but on the side end of the pick. This will soften the strike allowing the pick to glide/skip versus a pluck.

Experiment with both of these techniques a little bit but not at the cost of reading, counting, tapping your foot, giving the notes their full value and playing smoothly when playing a chord or an individual note.

As we are counseled to play slowly with a metronome, we are encouraged to find that speed does indeed come over time and I think a similar thing occurs with our understanding of techniques to alter tone.

How old are your strings? Always have a spare set of strings on hand or even two sets. Try some different size/brand set of strings as well. Wash your hands often, and wipe down your strings with a clean cloth after each practice session, or even in between.

I'm just an amateur guitarist and hope this is helpful. Good job again and have a good one.

Will

Thank you very much for the encouragement and advice, Will. I consulted with two people I know who have been playing guitar for many years, one of whom is a retired music teacher. They both told me the exact same thing you said about playing close to the bridge. My father-in-law (the retired music teacher) also suggested that I play the chords faster so they are less arpeggiated, and softer by changing my attack so that they don't overshadow the single notes of the melody. I'm going to give both of these a try as I move forward, but as you said, not at the expense of getting the correct notes and rhythms.

[fep]

Thanks man! Are these backing tracks made with BIAB? I need to look at getting that program I think. I was messing around the other day trying to solo over some chords and a big ole jet airliner flew over the top of the house. I didn't realize it at the time, but when I went back to listen to my rhythm part, the sound was apparent and a nice surprise on the rhythm track. Good stuff and it all sounds great.

Hey Will,

Yep those are done with BIAB, the RealTracks.

[ten left thumbs]

Hi Liarspoker,

No plans to travel just now, unfortunately that holiday cleared us out! But thanks for the offer.

Beautiful playing. I would love to master both fingers and pick.

You're making good progress and it's good to have you on board.

[Kojo27]

Good going - some tricky chord changes in there, but you got through them nicely. Greater smoothness and "effortlessness" will come quickly with practice. Do learn actual songs that have you changing chords. Bob Dylan tunes are great; folk music, early American music - though some might draw back from "Home on the Range," it is still a good exercise to learn it and others like it (Streets of Laredo, etc.) I'd hate for someone to say, "Hey Loren, play Home on the Range while my kid sings in this talent show," and I'd have to admit I couldn't play it.

But good going with the Leavitt stuff. He throws some tricky stuff at you. Your guitar sounds great, btw - what is it?

kj

[gxi1247]

Your guitar sounds great, btw - what is it?

kj

Funny you would say that. It is an $80 rogue rg-624 lefty. I bought it because I didn't know if I would stick with the learning the guitar. I never thought it sounded that good, because of the price, but maybe it does.

I keep seeing all of these nice Taylor and Martin guitars, and I am drooling over them.

I like the s6 seagulls.

[Kojo27]

Funny you would say that. It is an $80 rogue rg-624 lefty. I bought it because I didn't know if I would stick with the learning the guitar. I never thought it sounded that good, because of the price, but maybe it does.

Goes to show how some guitars are good for recording, some aren't. I had a $4000 Taylor that I didn't pay $4000 for, but it was terrible for recording. Have a $300 Yamaha that sounds awesome through a microphone.

Seagulls are great. Great quality, big sound.

[Clamps]

Hey everyone. I've posted the first solo on youtube. I need to figure out a better way to record - too much distortion holy smokes!

[Clamps]

hi again! I've posted the rhythm accompaniment exercises on youtube!

[Kojo27]

Page 9, Exercise 7, Lesson 2, Volume One Berklee Modern Method for Guitar.

I think I used the rest stroke for every note, even the chords (resting after the top note) -- this isn't easy, but I see the benefits already. Volume, tone, accuracy, dynamic control - to name a few. If you ain't resting, you're missing a lot. IMO.

BTW, this is my favorite guitar, a Loar LH-600 that I call "Aunt Bea." It's the only guitar I have that I'm "bonded" with. Y'all be seeing a lot of Aunt Bea.

[gxi1247]

hi again! I've posted the rhythm accompaniment exercises on youtube!

I can see why you wanted to go faster. You are smoking these lessons. Keep up the good work

[Clamps]

I can see why you wanted to go faster. You are smoking these lessons.

cool, thanks for watching. I've really been working on reading the treble clef for the past while!

[Clamps]

Page 9, Exercise 7, Lesson 2, Volume One Berklee Modern Method for Guitar.

I think I used the rest stroke for every note, even the chords (resting after the top note) -- this isn't easy, but I see the benefits already. Volume, tone, accuracy, dynamic control - to name a few. If you ain't resting, you're missing a lot. IMO.

I like your playing - it sounds good - what tempo are you going at? I know there isn't a standard bpm listed but I've always targeted each exercise for 90 - 120 bpm for practicing. I decided that 120 will be the tempo for each exercise that I post on youtube, in case anyone wants to play along...

[Kojo27]

I can see why you wanted to go faster. You are smoking these lessons. Keep up the good work

I wouldn't say "smoking" the lessons. One lesson and an exercise from another. YOU, however, are on page *what*? Way up there! Way to go, and your playing is solid as can be -- and man, you read well! (I don't. Yet.)

So, you plan to make the method a fingerstyle excursion, though Leavitt wrote it for plectrum -- not a thing wrong with that; you'll leave us pick players in the dust, though! One pick point, versus four fingers for plucking strings - jeez, no contest!

Kojo

[Kojo27]

I like your playing - it sounds good - what tempo are you going at? I know there isn't a standard bpm listed but I've always targeted each exercise for 90 - 120 bpm for practicing. I decided that 120 will be the tempo for each exercise that I post on youtube, in case anyone wants to play along...

I didn't see this post - sorry!

Thanks for the kind words. I was playing at 92 bpm, but probably should have shot for 120. The lessons I did last summer, dragging a few behind the original group (yep, they're here somewhere, all just audio) were pretty quick. I didn't have the dvd then and was playing a Breedlove guitar that is super comfy, so I hauled ass and think I might have put off some people (show off!), so this time around, I've vowed to obey the speed limit, so to speak.

Thing was, my sight-reading is so bad that, with the more difficult pieces, I was memorizing the parts through repeated playings, trying to record a take. By the time I reached comfort level with knowing the piece, I could play it at a higher tempo out of rote memorization. I'm not a fast player at all, but those were pushing it. I'm concentrating on sight-reading now. Read and play simultaneously.

[Kojo27]

I decided that 120 will be the tempo for each exercise that I post on youtube...

Are you *sure* you want to commit to a metronome speed for all these pieces - some of which, I am assuming, you haven't yet read? Do it if it turns yer crank, but some of these things coming up are intended as a slow, rubato (free rhythm) feel, and adhering to an arbitrarily chosen bpm might limit your expressiveness.

Just a thought. Any comments?

[gxi1247]

I got the DVD tonight, and watched part of it. I don't think I was doing the rest stroke correctly after watching it. Also I am not flicking or rotating my wrist, I was moving my whole arm. I tried to get a decent recording of the first solo tonight, but I am too tired. Maybe if there is time tomorrow

DVD is AWESOME by the way!! I can't keep up with him

[Kojo27]

I got the DVD tonight, and watched part of it. I don't think I was doing the rest stroke correctly after watching it. Also I am not flicking or rotating my wrist, I was moving my whole arm. I tried to get a decent recording of the first solo tonight, but I am too tired. Maybe if there is time tomorrow

DVD is AWESOME by the way!! I can't keep up with him

Some great players (Django what's his name...) and the guy (Ivor Mairants) who wrote the book "Perfect Pick Technique" - and Jimmy Bruno, who wrote, "The Art of Picking" -- they play from the elbow and use the whole arm. As long as you're relaxed, totally relaxed, this is, imho, THE way to play. Other ways work, too, but it's something I've read and thought about a lot - a big lot. It just makes sense, to me, a non bebop guitar player, that it should come from the elbow.

Could write a book here, but won't. Don't change if your way is working.

[gxi1247]

Could write a book here, but won't. Don't change if your way is working.

Maybe tonight I will record a YouTube video of me playing and post that. That way I can get some feed back from everybody on my technique. I don't want to form any bad habits.

[Clamps]

Are you *sure* you want to commit to a metronome speed for all these pieces - some of which, I am assuming, you haven't yet read? Do it if it turns yer crank, but some of these things coming up are intended as a slow, rubato (free rhythm) feel, and adhering to an arbitrarily chosen bpm might limit your expressiveness.

Just a thought. Any comments?

120 works pretty well for me! When I was taking lessons 10 years ago, we always aimed for between 90 and 120 bpm as a finished speed. I mean, when I'm learning a new exercise I start at 60, and move up by 5 bpm at 5-10 minute intervals. Up to 160, is a nice place to aim in my opinion. Now, I know that you were saying that I'd miss the chance to fully express myself with this, and I agree. If you check out the solo videos, you'll notice some expressive and non-metronomic playing!

[smokinguit]

Good job Michael-m. Keep it up.

[Langs]

This is the first time I'm making a new post after my hiatus and moving youtube account. Getting the movies right has been too time consuming, here's soundcloud:

Self critique: 72Bpm is waay too fast; decided to publish anyway because moving on is the primary focus, not perfection. Still feels bad in the stomach to post something this ugly: