Guitar Players…Get a Balanced Guitar Practice Diet September 28, 2006
Posted by Chee Shan in : General , add a comment Tag:General, guitar exercises, guitar player, guitar practice, guitar technique, learn guitar, learn how to shred, shred guitarDo you have a wide variety of things that you practice. Or do you like to binge? (You know…the type of player who practices sweep picking for a kazillion hours a day but only know three chords)!
Having a balanced practice routine is essential if you want to become a versatile guitarist. If you just practice one or two things, sure you’ll get great at those things…but you’ll be weak in other key areas.
In this lesson you’ll learn how to create a practice routine that is well-balanced and will help you work towards your ultimate vision of how you would like to play.
Video community Unleashed at ShredGuitarNow.com! September 21, 2006
Posted by Chee Shan in : Uncategorized , add a comment Tag:guitar videos, lessons, metal, music community, online guitar videos, rock, shred guitar, video community, video sharingThe agonising wait is over!
I’ve always felt that guitarists/musicians, especially those starting out, lacked a central community showcasing only the BEST videos online. Other video sharing sites online are cluttered with misspelled names of artists and individuals claiming that they are someone else. It’s time to change that.
With regular contributions from fellow musicians, this will be the #1 Video Resource online for guitarists! I didn’t put too many videos online, lest it become a personal “My Favorites” folder, so I’ll need the music community’s help in this.
Visit the video page here. Or you can also access it from the top menu.
Catch you on the inside.
LATEST UPDATE: Video page to go ‘Live’… September 20, 2006
Posted by Chee Shan in : Uncategorized , add a comment Tag:guitar, learn guitar, lessons, shred guitar, videoIt’s nearly done…
Yes, the video page which many readers have requested is due to be launched in the next few days.
It’ll be a video community by guitarists, for guitarists! You’ll determine how popular the site will be… without your contributions, there’s NO WAY that site will ROCK!
Stay tuned for more details…
P.S. I can’t wait to let you guys in!!
How to Play What you Feel September 18, 2006
Posted by Chee Shan in : Uncategorized , add a comment Tag:how to play what you feel, improvisation, music, theoryMany students think that being able to play what you feel is difficult. They believe you must have years and years of training in improvisation and theory.
The truth of the matter is that playing what you feel is easy when you understand what feeling is. Feeling is not emotion, yet it contains emotion. For example, If I’m in an ecstatic state of happiness and rush over to the piano and play, what I am doing is tapping off of the emotion.
To play what you feel does not require high or low emotional states. On the contrary, feeling is always with us and to just sit down and play is all that is required. Our feeling is what comes out of us in the moment. It lies in wait but is always there. Think of freewriting as an analogy. To put pen to paper and just write what comes to mind, the writer is expressing feeling. Emotions may come up during this process, but they gradually return to the pool of feelings from which they came.
To play what you feel requires nothing more than being present at the piano and having a little skill in being able to improvise. For example, in creating Lesson #35: “Moss Garden” certain decisions were made in the beginning. The sound was determined (pentatonic). Chords were chosen and a technique was chosen too (broken chord).
With these decisions out of the way it becomes a matter of playing around with the possibilities. And from this playing comes a music that is not forced or willed into being. On the contrary, feeling is allowed to be expressed normally and naturally. It becomes an easy thing to do, just like freewriting.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Edward_Weiss
Sweep Picking Part 7 September 16, 2006
Posted by Chee Shan in : Sweep picking , add a comment Tag:6 string, exercises, fretboard, jason becker, learn, lessons, malmsteen, metronome, shred guitar, sweep pickingAnd the MEGA 6 string sweep!
S-L-O-W!!
Trusting a Music Site to Download and Burn Free Music
Posted by Chee Shan in : General , add a comment Tag:download music, file sharing, free musicTrusting a Music Site to Download and Burn Free Music
By John Rivers
File-sharing programs are the most controversial way to download and burn free music on the Internet, but file sharing has never been more popular. Programs like KaZaA, Limewire, Ares, Shareaza, WinMX, iMesh seem to be the most popular for gathering totally free music to download. Lawsuits by the music industry have slowed some of the illegal sharing of pirated music, but there are new file-sharing programs that use methods to allow users to be anonymous.
These file-sharing programs are also called P2P, or peer-to-peer programs. Unlike the old Napster network that ran all exchanges through a central server, this totally free music download software, using P2P networks connects users directly to each other allowing them to download and burn free music.
It should be mentioned that file-sharing programs are not illegal in themselves, and their creators like to point out their many legitimate uses. Some unsigned bands use the file-sharing networks to distribute their music through free music downloads and many organizations use them to exchange documents.
Many people are confused about what is legal.
* Are there places to download and burn free music on the net?
* Can downloading music put you at risk for legal action?
* Is file-sharing legal?
It’s no wonder people are confused, because the Net is full of legal music download sites advertised as “napster replacements” which are 100% legal. Sites like Mp3 Advance, DownloadShield and MP3 Music Subscription are just a few that offer much more than just music downloads. The vast majority of totally free music download programs shared on P2P (peer-to-peer) networks like KaZaA, Limewire, Ares, Shareaza, WinMX and iMesh violate copyright laws because the music was posted without permission of the artist or label.
Since it’s impossible to determine which free music downloads may be legitimate, the only sure way to stay legal is to avoid these type file-sharing programs altogether.
What is clearly illegal is unauthorized copying of commercial music. These totally free music downloads usually means songs that are made from CD’s and then put on the Net by individuals who haven’t sought permission from the artist or music company. What do copyright laws allow? To put it simply, you may make a copy of your own CD for your personal use. That means you may record it to a cassette tape or rip it to MP3 files. You may not, however, give this copy to another person. Many people believe that if no money is involved, then no law has been broken. This is false. Whether you give the copy away or sell it, this is still a violation of copyright law.
John Rivers has been involved with music for over 30 years as a student, performer and teacher. His site The-NetGuide-for-MusicDownloads.com helps individuals to find safe and legal Music and Movie download sites. Subscribe to “NetMusic News” and receive Free music downloads each month.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Rivers
Sweep Picking Part 6 September 15, 2006
Posted by Chee Shan in : Sweep picking , add a comment Tag:5 string, exercises, fretboard, jason becker, learn, lessons, malmsteen, metronome, shred guitar, sweep pickingAfter you have done the 4 string sweep, you can start attempting the 5 string sweep and then the MEGA 6 string sweep! (ok if you have a 7 string guitar.. then looks like your learning curve will have to be extended =P)
Of course, with all the exercises, be sure to move up and down the fretboard, because you might go mad just listening to the same notes over and over again, together with the clicks from the metronome. You have been warned.
Here’s a 5 string sweep.. once again.. SLOW please! And employ string muting too!
Sweep Picking Part 5 September 14, 2006
Posted by Chee Shan in : Sweep picking , add a comment Tag:learn, lessons, music, shred guitar, sweep picking, yngwie malmsteen, youtubeHere’s a clip of Yngwie Malmsteen playing “Far Beyond the Sun”!
Enjoy!
Master Quality Demos That Sizzle!
Posted by Chee Shan in : General , add a comment Tag:General, music recordings, quality demos, recordings, sound engineerMaster Quality Demos That Sizzle!
By Tom Gauger
As a former talent booking agent with the William Morris Agency and founder of ReelMusician.com, I can tell you that reviewing demos can be both a curse and a blessing. Even as demos pile up on the desks in A&R offices and music industry professional’s office floors as well, I can almost guarantee that the vast majority of demos 1) won’t have a chance, 2) don’t get listened to, at least by the major A&R folks and not through a pres-screening process utilizing college interns, and 3) it might not even be the music itself, but the packaging and marketing colors, etc that are used for the artist press kit that result in the artist contract denial. What makes for a master quality demo? What makes for a master quality demo that will get listened to? These are great questions and I can tell you that a host of folks will have all kinds of ideas and suggestions; I will consider some gut level thinking and ideas that I have mentally compiled through the years that I’ve always felt would be an asset not only musically, but from a marketing perspective as well. Hopefully there will be some nugget of truth that you can capitalize on to further your music career and song demos
As we begin to look at master quality demos and what makes them up, what are your goals and ambitions? The reason I am asking this is because not only does it help to mentally prepare you and help you set goals for your career, but it also helps set the blueprint for where and what your demo ought to be sounding and looking like. There is a big difference in submitting your demo to A&R folks and to the club owner trying to gain playing gigs. But regardless of where you are submitting your demo, you have to exude a professionalism and character of not only your music, but in the credibility of the act as well. That last statement is critical. If your act is perceived as credible with the ball rolling and with some key elements in place, you are much more likely to be 1) reviewed by the actual A&R director and 2) any enthusiasm might snowball down the halls of the record company ultimately landing you a record deal.
But let’s get back to your demo. At ReelMusician.com we compile demos for songwriters and for jingle singers trying to break into the jingle singing market and I can tell you from experience, that it’s difficult to create a master quality demo when the song itself is not master quality song demo material. So be honest about any material you are recording. Is this top 10 if given the chance, or is this a filler, b side song? Yes, you can take a fair song and make it “listenable” to with a great production, but it still reasons that a fair or b side song cut is still a fair or b side song. You look back through the years at songs that held your attention and were almost mesmerizing and this is before the onslaught of incredible and affordable recording gear. These songs were just plain great songs even without the slickest of today’s recording abilities.
As you record, don’t rely on a bunch of “recording tricks” or padding type effects that detract and try to uphold an otherwise fair song. Many individuals with a lot more authority can speak about effects, etc than I, but I will say that less is more, and you ought to be concerned about the quality of the song and production utilizing all effects that are needed and not just effects thrown in there without reason or cause.
Who are using for players on your demos? Obviously if you are a band you are recording your whole group, but if you are a solo act or a writer creating master demos, then consider a couple of options. If money is not an object, then go for the whole rhythm section and keyboard pads, etc. One thing that you need to know and understand is that it is better to use fewer players who are just incredible, than to have the full rhythm section with less experienced players or players that just can’t support your song. I remember years back when I was first starting out before all of our TV and radio credits, that for the sake of having a full sound I compromised the overall production for players, while more affordable, not as seasoned and consequently my productions were not as strong until I learned that valuable lesson. And even today, I will choose to use a first string guitar or piano player in lieu of a full rhythm section on projects if that’s what the song and production call for. Always get the best musicians – It always pays. These players oftentimes have ideas and broaden your production and bring incredible artistical elements that you wouldn’t have thought of - Which leads me to my next point.
Keyboards are incredible and there is a vast array of sounds and pads that can be used to create all kinds of emotional tones in your music, but don’t get caught in the, “I have a keyboard, mic and computer syndrome. Your music will suffer. You want the creativity of other players. They bring the musical magic that most of us, quite honestly, aren’t creative enough to capture, but with their experience, and talent, they are able to deliver not only incredible rips, but a professionalism your demo might not never otherwise of had. Utilize the best players possible whenever you can. I can tell you that our demos at ReelMusician.com sound incredible because of our effort in obtaining the best players – Get the best!
With a few moments left, let’s look at some important final notes and ideas. Don’t get discouraged after recording a song you thought would turn out differently. You know, without sounding cliché, productions and songs do getter with time and practice. Always look at money spent on demos as schooling. Where would you go to learn the lessons you just learned? – From a textbook, of course not. Keep at it; be honest about your writing and productions. Continue to learn from great writers and producers. Listen to great classical writers as well and broaden your next pop ballad string arrangement. Don’t be afraid to try new ideas. Get the best players in an affordable, yet quality studio, and hopefully you’ll start recording the next top ten hit!
Mr Gauger is a former talent booking agent with the William Morris Agency and founder of http://www.ReelMusician.com You may contact the author at tgauger@reelmusician.com Free e-books “The Jingle Singer’s Guide,” and “Secrets To Great Song Demos,” may be downloaded at http://www.ReelMusician.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_Gauger
Sweep Picking Part 4 September 13, 2006
Posted by Chee Shan in : Sweep picking , add a comment Tag:arpeggios, jason becker, learn, lessons, malmsteen, rolling, shred guitar, sweep pickingAnother important technique in sweeping arpeggios is “rolling”.
Place your index finger over 2 strings (i.e. B and high e string) on the 10th fret (for eg.). You’re gonna have to pick the B string, then mute it with the same finger, and then fret the high e string with the same finger too.
Just repeat this exercise over and over again to master ‘rolling’.
Then…try this out, making sure you “roll” the 5s.
