Back to the Basics

[Gobbo]

ok, so i consider myself to be inexperianced at best when it comes to music. i can pull a dozen chordes, and i can pick a dozen lines. building? well ive changed strings once, and a battery to a paddal of mine... oh, and i buffed out a scratch once.

so here i am, playing some music. i thought to myself "it would be nice to know some really basic blues, country and/or jazz riffs". then it hit me. ask someone who might! so can any of you wizards out there help me out? much apreciated

[jbkim]

I like the country licks here. For jazz, learn all your arpeggios and phrase around the chords. Learn all the scales/modes. I'd practice key changes around ii min7-V 7-I maj7 turn-arounds. Good site for basic music theory here. Blues? Maybe someone else can post something .

[Gobbo]

oh mah gawd. you know what, i think its time for me to invest into some lessons.

[Southpa]

I'm due for a change myself. Been playing for nigh on 30 years and am not really even close to being as "good" as I could be. I've been thru so many stagnation plateaus. I know LOTS of songs but getting really sick of playing pentatonics and the same old crap. Never been in a band but I've jammed with lots of people. I recently met up with a buddy from school and hes really into classical flamenco and gypsy style music. Hes doing very well for the 2 years hes been at it but has difficulty playing MY music. So I figure, what the hell, its time for a change, I'll go his way. So now I'm relearning the natural scale and picking up on songs by The Gipsy Kings etc. I refurbished my old no-name classical guitar and playing it with a flatpick ala Gipsy Kings.

But heres a bit of advice, every time you figure you are getting sick of the same old music and style of playing try something different. I've dabbled into all kinds of stuff and that helps towards being a more well-rounded guitar player. I'm talking about things like slide playing, alternate/open tunings, fingerpicking etc.

Someone once asked me, "How do you recover from hitting the wrong note when playing in public?" My answer, "Do it a couple more times and people will think its JAZZ."

You can go anywhere and ask the same questions but I'm sure you will get the same answers. Like the lost pedestrian who asked a street busker, "How do you get to Carnegie Hall?" Answer: "PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!"

[Reaper]

try playing by ear...

[Speedy McFeely]

get a good book on improvisation. learn your scales and modes all over the neck. get some hotlicks videos, you can learn how the pros practice and go about things that way.

and practice, practice, you only learn and get better through practice. practice and playing are two different things. set aside an hour for practice: ie scales modes and such, then spend an hour playing: ie songs, solos, or just jamming. alos play with other musicians who are better and more knowledgable than you, it will make you want to play better.

there is a lifetime of music knowledge and theory and litterature out there, goto the local bookstore and get some, or take a music theory class.

good luck.

[Gobbo]

...or take a music theory class.

thats exactly what im going to have to do. theres so much theory out there that every basic player should know.. but i dont. i have technique to a good start, and a tuning ear, but theory and putting theory to use is a weakness of mine thats huge.

on a differant note (no pun intended =P) i found some of the basic riffs to go off of. im going to have to dive into scales... thats right... i havent even touched scales lol.

[canuckguitarist]

Coen is the blues guy around here mostly...but heres a little bluesey thing I like in some of my solos...(note: this isn't in any specific key, just transpose it until its where you want them )

|-------------5--------------8------------------|

|--------5----------/10-------------------------|

|---7b------------------------------------------|

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[Snork]

i reccomend lessons. the best gift that you can get your playing plus it keeps on givin!

[jbkim]

Hmm... we're offering advise now instead of style licks? Practice with a metronome and record yourself occasionally to track your progress. I've said this before on this forum. The machines won't lie. It'll keep you humble... and hungry for more, if ya know what I mean .

[Snork]

i like recording the 12 bar blues and playing with it. try practicing your times, like shuffles and 3/4s .....etc thats what i do. plus practicing for a long long time. the reason i'm better than people who have been playing for 12 years. i keep the guitar in my arms from the time i get up to the time i go to bed. i stay up every night until 2 o clock in the morning practicing. i think that practicing is the best way to get familiar and comfortable with it, however you should really check out the teachers available. you can learn a lot fast and get incredible.