playing review

i think we should, one at a time, review each others playing, ( i know i know over the net, it is kinda hard) but we should do this to know more about each others playing styles, etc. so i'll start with me.

Im 14, starting playing when i was 13. So far 11 months. In those eleven months, i've learned (mostly)

1. basic open chords
2. 7th and 9th chords
3. b7 chords
4. 7#9 Chords
5. Power Chords (5's)
5. Basic Music Theory
6. I know the A Major Scale exceptionally well, the G major scale pretty good, and the D Major scale im alright at ( i know, 2 fret rule, but still)
7. I can improvise some cool **** (even though i have this jazz sound that im trying to get rid of)
8. i can play about as fast as the song "Stash" goes, i could play the whole thing but it takes a long time to remember all of it.
9. i can name all the notes on the fretboard
10. I've learned quite a bit of songs, and learned some chords i've never known before (like a C6) and so on

Now, what should i work on? is it important to learn chords like sus2 and 4?

You seem to have a lot of theory down.

My suggestion would be to jam a lot with other musicians. Bassists, drummers, other guitarists.

The more you will jam, the more you'll be able to play with all kinds of people. Theory is good but is of no use if you don't apply it.

This is the biggest mistake I've ever done. I have good speed and have my own sound now(I think). The problem is that I have a lot of trouble playing with others. I've been playing ten years now, don't wait as long as I did.

So the bottom line is practice with others. As much as you can.

yeah, i do have quite a bit of theory down, except that i dont know how to read music yet ( i know what it is with the bass and treble clefs, but i didndt get into the read music part all that much, just a little).

should i learn that too? learn to read music?

Learn to read music. Tablature is great but it is inferior to music because of the timing factor. If you learn how to read music it will open a lot of doors for you.
And as far as playing with other people goes, you should definetly do that as much and as often as you can. It will help you with your timing and it takes music to a different level.

I think reading music is important. It will teach you not only to read music but also a lot about timing. Like Metalmanbc said, tabs won't teach you timing, only notes.

Also, I found that playing with a good midi file in the background is great for improv and timing. If you're like me with nobody to practice with, you can get descent improv exercise with a midi file. Most are free on the net so it's not too rough on the wallet. I'm a big fan of free stuff :).

Try to lay some of your tricks and licks on the track.

Just try out some different styles of midi files, blues, jazz, rock.

Hope this helps.

i want to learn how to read music - i know some of it from when i was playing saxophone in the ol' days - so how do i go about it? just practice practice practice? i like practicing scales and stuff but i think i'll die if i try to practice reading music...
-Daniel

When practising to read music, try to find pieces that you have never heard before, so that you can't go on what you hear. Only play any one piece twice a day, and every second day. In this way, you can help stop memorising the notes, and therefore defeating the purpose of reading it. It helps if you have a teacher so that they can monitor whether you are getting the music right, though, if you've never heard it.

Ok, let's check mine.
I play for about 20 months, but I didn't lean much theory so far, I think I'm still young for it. Here's the listing :

1) basic theory
2) all notes :)
3) major and minor scales and some blues scales
4) bbunch of complicated songs (Deep Puple and Rainbow at the first place)
5) i know major, minor, power and 7's chords and some sus, maj and so on...
6) natural harmonics (and artificial a little :))
7) i can't remember more... :)
...and I just remembered
8) basic Blackmore-style slide
9) precise bends

[Edited by Branislav on 03-24-2002 at 03:57 AM]

Incidents Happen, I suggest you learn how to count. Last time I checked "5" only occured once.

wait what?

no zeppelin, there are many ways to play a 5 chord. ****in smartass

LMAO... heheheh
no he means your numbering...
your written
1) then 2) then 3) then 4) then 5) THEN!!!!5) again!!!!...
lol... cool it there young fella...
I've just closed a year, and what have i learnt?
1)Major/ minor/ power chord, chord VOICINGS... so i can play them in loads of places on the frett board, up and across...
2)some good music theory. things like suspended chords, 7ths, 9ths etc etc
3)TAPPING :).. hehe.. getting better... it's quite speedy, but it's pretty boring to listen to after you've recorded it..
4)learnt to read music at first positions... although i'm still pretty slow... but I've got the ideas down...
5) harmonics (natural and artificail :D)
6) slide
7) violin bow on guitar... with lots of reverb and oversrive, you can get a real roar out of your gutiar... and it's very very cool for long sustained notes heheheh..
8) I'm starting to really get into styles, like proper blues (as in that john lee hooker / muddy watters sound)..
9) feed back with tremlo system tricks... OOOOOOH YEAAAAAH :D..
10) some odd sounding tricks.. a sound that's like chipmunks immating guns fire hehehe.. I'm gonna have to post that one
11) improved my timing ALOT... I've been jamming with my self on tape.. or with cds
12) learnt some great ethnic sounds... like how to manipulate the arabic scale.. and how to get an oriental sound of the major scales heheheh...

I need to learn to finger pick properly, and learn to play "proper" jazz.. not things that sound jazzy (ie lots flattened 7ths... i think)... and i stilll have the MAJOR PROBLEM OF NOT BEING ABLE TO SING AND PLAY AT THE SAME TIME.grrrr... even like 2 chord songs... my rythem goes off... or i involenterally stop singing... :(

ya

but a violin bow on ur guitar? you can't really count that

violin bow dont count ? sure counted when jimmy page
did it

Yeah, violin bow could be useful, it should be counted

thank you... it give the guitar a COMPLETLY different sound... I dont play like PAge... infact i sound nothing like him.... I do sound like Jonsi from Sigor Ros.. but he only uses echo and that's it... heheheh, but i have plans for more and more and MORE AND EVEN MORE EFFECTS!!! MWAAAHAAAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAA.... sorry
It's very odd using a bow... it's nothing like you first expect it... and it's difficult... depending on the speed of "the stroke", it can sharpen or flatten note (even open strings)...
Drop D tuning sounds cool... it actaully begins to sound like a cello... I'm gonna have to get some web space, and put all my sound clips up, everything from "Slide tapping" to the voilin bow... heheheh

To last two years have pretty much been exploration for me.

I stopped playing others music and started creating my own. You wouldn't believe how much my ear got better. I just focused on sounds. trying to improvise on different style of music.

I'm now ready for some theory again. I Learned about modes and chords and all the things I know how to do but don't know their names :)

yeah, i guess, the violin bow i guess could be pretty useful, but only if you get considerably good at it ( good enough to play it on stage)