Getting better, but still no superstar =(

[DaTT]

I posted back in August This thread about my learning to play guitar. I have surprised myself in the sense that I have not given up. i still like to "play" and can play bits and pieces of many songs....I should really learn a whole song, but whatever.

Some of my favorites to play are Paranoid, War Pigs and Iron Man. I can nail everything but the solo's I still haven't gotten around to taking formal lessons, just internet ones.

I recently discovered Drop D tuning, I rather enjoy playing around with that, fairly simple to make quick little riffs that sound decent.

Currently learning ONE by Metallica.

 

[silverpig]

Learn the blues minor pentatonic scale. You'll be able to play a lot of solos if you learn that. It doesn't take very long.

 

[aplefka]

Yeah solos are all about scales.

At this show I went to the other week the opening band's lead guitarist played this solo that was in the wrong key for half of it on their final song and it sounded like shit.

 

[Trogdor91]

I'm also teaching myself to play, messing around with a old crappy electric since liek october, but only really practicing/playing since Christmas when I got a decent acoustic.

I'm still not great,but I have improved so much its amazing. Black Sabbath songs are awesome, easy to learn.

The riff from In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida is easy to play if you are looking for some new stuff. I know I'm always struggling trying to find new riffs to play that are still withing my skill range. Also, Free Fallin by Tom Petty.

How do you like that Ibanez? I have to get me an electric and i'm looking for something in that price range. I don't have a big guitar shop nearby so I'm trying to see whats good before I go to one so I can hopefully try them and buy it in one trip. Fender Standard Mexican Strat is also in that range.

Last thing I have to say is check out http://www.myguitarsolo.com/index.html
Has some cool licks to learn and they have all of the scales so you can practice.

 

[DaTT]

I love my Ibanez. I can mess with the tremolo on it tons and it never goes out of tune. I like the weight of it and it sounds good. I recently paired it up with a Marshall 30dFX

 

[DaTT]

Biggest problem I have is I find my pinky has a little mind of its own.

 

[Rock Hydra]

Do you have a metronome? If not...it's a wise investment for helping you keep time.

 

[spittledip]

Originally posted by: DaTT
Biggest problem I have is I find my pinky has a little mind of its own.

Do basic technique exercises up and down the neck. Here are some examples

 

[spittledip]

Originally posted by: aplefka
Yeah solos are all about scales.

At this show I went to the other week the opening band's lead guitarist played this solo that was in the wrong key for half of it on their final song and it sounded like shit.

it helps to have an ear for music Alot of guitarists are pure finger technique and no ear.

 

[DaTT]

Originally posted by: spittledip

Originally posted by: DaTT
Biggest problem I have is I find my pinky has a little mind of its own.

Do basic technique exercises up and down the neck. Here are some examples

Awesome, I'll try that after work today. Thanks

 

[Fritzo]

Originally posted by: silverpig
Learn the blues minor pentatonic scale. You'll be able to play a lot of solos if you learn that. It doesn't take very long.

QFT

I would HIGHLY recommend learning how scales work, but there are 5 patterns you can learn for the minor pentatonic scale:

http://www.cyberfret.com/scale...r-pentatonic/index.php

The blues version of the scale has a flat 3rd, 5th, and 7th note. Since most rock is blues based, all of your guitar heroes use the blues scales for their soloing. There's a gillion Youtube videos on the subject. Once you learn the patterns above, it takes away a lot of the note for note memorization of soloing.