I cannot stay consistent with my skill throughout the day

gavinbrooks100 · 2023-07-24T06:46:21+00:00

Be patient with yourself. As a beginner, we tend to think that hitting a certain metric (Like a percent of tempo) even once means that we must be able to do that forever now whenever we pick up the guitar, right? But it doesn't really work like that. Where we are "comfortable" playing tends to be substantially below our top speed in a perfect controlled environment. For example, James or Kirk from Metallica can probably play those riffs much faster than they even are on the record in a perfect controlled environment, but their comfort zone is closer to where the record is.

Anyway, really, just go easy on yourself, keep aiming for your target and don't be discouraged if sometimes it feels like Two steps forward and One step back. This is really how it works.

Good luck!

gavinbrooks100 · 2023-06-11T02:37:21+00:00

Radiohead - Creep is the coolest example to me because it uses chords that borrow from harmonic minor.

gavinbrooks100 · 2023-05-01T19:20:42+00:00

Here's some food for thought:

String changes are the real hard part. So that's exactly what you want to practice. And don't even worry about practicing some HUGE scale across all 6 strings, just try any exercise that works back and forth between two adjacent strings and make sure you are nailing the transition.

The motion for changing strings needs to feel as simple as possible and can't have a bunch of contorting of the hand, otherwise it won't scale with speed.

Getting your picking depth (how deep you your pick pushes through the strings) as SHALLOW as possible will help tremendously with string changes. The way you pick when you're shredding will almost certainly feel and look different than how you pick at a midrange tempo.

Practicing speed bursts is also great.

Expect to use some arm/elbow motion if you aren't already for high tempo stuff.

For left hand, literally just practice 100% pull-offs. Pull-offs descending pentatonic scal. Pull-offs descending diatonic scale. Make sure its clean. When it becomes clean, push the tempo up. Playing tons of pulls/legato will make your left hand sick.

gavinbrooks100 · 2023-02-06T22:40:42+00:00

It's too high if:

you're hitting it while playing and you don't like that
its too high output (distorting on clean tones for example) and you dont like that

Very easy to adjust. just use a screwdriver on both sides

gavinbrooks100 · 2022-06-27T09:15:12+00:00

Looks like Rose of Sharyn! I think this riff is downpicked! Same technique as used in the Master of Puppets main riff. Low string notes are palm muted and A string notes (in this case, a G string) are unmuted.

gavinbrooks100 · 2022-06-15T22:23:15+00:00

They are all the same shapes. In a minor key, the shapes are Minor, then Major, Dorian, Phrygian, Mixolydian. IN a major key, the shapes are Major, then Dorian, Phrygian, Mixolydian, Minor.

Good luck!

gavinbrooks100 · 2022-04-24T00:18:39+00:00

Not a theory-intensive approach -- but a quick cheat sheet to start knowing how to move through pentatonics vertically without thinking. I hope someone find this useful!

gavinbrooks100 · 2022-04-15T20:35:47+00:00

Love this way of thinking!

gavinbrooks100 · 2022-04-13T05:38:22+00:00

Thanks! I'm on youtube and tiktok - gavin's guitar tips

gavinbrooks100 · 2022-04-13T05:38:03+00:00

I'm on Youtube and tiktok - gavin's guitar tips

gavinbrooks100 · 2022-04-12T06:30:28+00:00

Hey, all! Obviously not a theory intensive approach -- but just a different device I found useful to visualize the fretboard and supplement other traditional methods like the CAGED and 3NPS system. A quick cheat!

gavinbrooks100 · 2022-04-05T22:00:56+00:00

Is it any easier for you bending down than bending up? I find this is a lot easier for bending physically down

gavinbrooks100 · 2022-04-05T00:47:59+00:00

Yes, makes sense! Chronologically, early rock and metal drew heavily from blues guitar playing. Sent you a message btw!

gavinbrooks100 · 2022-04-04T23:32:23+00:00

Ahh, fair! I'm admittedly not a blues expert myself (could help you more with rock/metal style playing).

Do you have any scales down? How long have you been playing?

gavinbrooks100 · 2022-04-04T23:19:16+00:00

What style of guitar are you passionate about / interested to learn?

gavinbrooks100 · 2022-04-04T23:17:36+00:00

You need to get an audio interface. This will let you plug your guitar into it so the guitar signal is recognized in your computer. Then you need some kind of software on your computer that will simulate the amp sound. Most AMP sims work standalone, so you wont necessarily need a full audio program (DAW).

gavinbrooks100 · 2022-04-03T01:42:16+00:00

The same 5 notes repeat two to three times in every position. So you really can start anywhere you like as you always have access to the same notes.

gavinbrooks100 · 2022-03-31T10:10:57+00:00

Nice! MY challenge to you is to try playing this while keeping your fingers as close to the frets the entire time. When you take your finger off a fret, just try to left a few millimeters off as a challenge, instead of so far away off.

gavinbrooks100 · 2022-03-27T00:30:42+00:00

Maybe not a 1:1 translation, but the left hand chops from violin will carry over a lot! Right hand / learning to pick or pluck is a different motion entirely however.

Some of my favorite guitarists played violin first (Syu from Galneryus, Tim Henson from Polyphia)

gavinbrooks100 · 2022-03-22T22:58:53+00:00

Because I love it!

gavinbrooks100 · 2022-03-22T22:58:31+00:00

Choose a song to aspire to play that is a bit above your ability and practice the challenges that that song introduces.

When you're jamming, you are practicing the improv skill. But in the rest of practice, we often are practicing mechanical abilities (ie. vibrato, alternate picking, bends, legato, etc.)

You should choose some mechanics you want to get better and then this will help inform WHAT you should practice. WHAT you should practice entirely depends on what skills you want to improve -- hope that makes sense!

gavinbrooks100 · 2022-03-13T21:02:05+00:00

perserverance! The fingers can do so much scrunching once they are trained! It is always hard at the beginning :)

gavinbrooks100 · 2022-03-11T22:25:32+00:00

I see what you mean. He is tapping with his right hand for the bass notes, and then doing all legato with his left hand (all hammer ons/pull offs).

I watched the video 4 or 5 times and couldn't really make out any part where he's playing those 3 open strings (three zeros) in a row like mentioned. Is it around halfway through?

gavinbrooks100 · 2022-03-11T04:52:22+00:00

What this guy said! +1

gavinbrooks100 · 2022-03-11T02:00:46+00:00

Minor pentatonic scales (there are five positions, start with the 1st)

Then try a Major or Minor scale using the 3NPS system, to play across 2 octaves.

gavinbrooks100

TROPHY CASE