Agility ! Flexibility ! All around natural player

[alanfc]

Every time I'm on the boards here and elsewhere, and I see posts of some wicked fast cool guitar playing on Youtube- I get in this intense practice mode, like learning the licks and trying to work up to speed.. after about 10 minutes of this I go "and I'm doing this for WHAT? "...

Its this sick funny vicious circle. I remind myself that my bands have few solos for me (in roughly half of the songs) and I don't care since I'm the only guitarist and the =whole song= is practically a solo for me. I play it however I want on any given day...

You do this too ??? Its not competitive necessarily its almost like 'catch-up'.
But I'm 40 ! Who cares right?? I mean do I have hours a day to practice like the teenagers ?? NO. Luckily I can laugh at myself and not get frustrated.

What matters is if the audience remembers our songs and wants to see us play again. And as far as individual playing and PRIDE go, what I'm really seeking is Agility and the flexibility to put whatever's in my head, into my hands. All natural, straight from my head. - - - Some players that I see as having this are Yitzhak Perlman (violin), Guthrie Govan, Stevie Ray V., Neil Schon.

Like training for the Decathalon rather than the Sprint. Like being the champ on the obstacle course rather than dead lift.
Do I make sense here.

So I ramble here, to ask you all-

What are some exercises or challenges you put yourself to, that you can share-

String skipping, going from rhythm to lead fills back to rhythm, messing with timing and playing off beats, etc...(for example one thing I do sometimes is practice Vocal melodies from pop songs or old standards)

so what do you think - -

?
THANKS

 

[Spudman]

I'm like that too. I want to be fast, but it just ain't gonna happen. So the way I challenge myself is to just try and play what's in my head, and it's not that zippy (thank goodness).

I do try to keep flexible by just playing what I know a little smoother and faster time and time again. The more I play consistently, day to day, the smoother and faster I become. Training.

 

[Robert]

Find your style. I am no shredder, I am no Pat Martino either. I am just me, and I try to play musical ideas my own way. Sometimes it doesn't sound great, but sometimes it clicks.

Being fast and having chops seems to be what most guitar players aim for. I say screw that. Find your own voice. Play something that makes sense to you. You will sound much better that way. Your playing will be more honest.

 

[Tone2TheBone]

During times like this pick up an acoustic guitar and explore standard acoustic stuff and tones. Explore different tunings and slide dem blues with yo bottle. Playing acoustic is a good workout for tone and chops.

Do you have Perlman doing Paganini's 24 Caprices? Try grabbing snippets of that to shred to during your humbled times.

Other than this I agree with my brethren here and say to play what comes to your mind and do it your way...and then do it different. Or plug in a good DVD or CD and play along ripping off great licks.

 

[Plank_Spanker]

I am not a speed player...................never have been. I've always aimed for smooth melodic runs and tricks on leads. I'm a "bender". I like to wring out the mojo.............................


That said, no slam on the speed freaks.............

 

[Spudman]

I say screw that.

Did you say that?

Oh my! Well if you don't avocate shred at least you more than make up for it with attitude. THAT is total rock-n-roll.R :R

 

[Robert]

Thanks Spudman! I think attitude is mojo important - you gotta be thinking along the lines "I'm gonna rip this up, my way". Then you'll sound good! Whether that means slow or fast, don't matter.

Especially in blues, attitude is pretty everything, isn't it? I mean, you'll sound the best when you're playing those 2 or 3 notes (repeatedly) with all the attitude you can dig up! Just listen to Albert King my friends.

Here's an exercise. Try to play a good solo with as few notes as you can. Is it easy?

 

[Spudman]

Robert...that is very well put. Thanks for making that point clear.

I remember reading an article/interview with Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top. In it he is asked about what it is he wants to achieve with his playing. He replies with something to the effect that he is looking for that one or two notes that really connects to the listener and gets to them. Just those one or two and that is all. He knows because he can see them respond either with a smile or their attention. That always stuck with me.

In my case I don't really try to do that one or two note thing like he does. It's more like that is all I want to play or can play. Besides, what you get paid to play these days they are only going to get a few notes. If they want more they're going to have to pay more, but that is a whole nuther thread.

 

[alanfc]

Thank you all indeed- I may have not written my question well enough...

I am not in despair and I have not lost my way,

rather,

I am looking to trade recipes, so to speak...

thanks

 

[Robert]

My recipe was - try to play a good solo with as few notes as you can. Try to play with emotion and attitude at the same time. It is a great exercise in itself.

 

[alanfc]

My recipe was - try to play a good solo with as few notes as you can. Try to play with emotion and attitude at the same time. It is a great exercise in itself.

yes thanks.

here's a link to a clip of a singer I just saw on another board... I'm working on playing his vocal melody with the same style for example, just for the challenge. I think I'm going to do more of this, go outside the guitar a bit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqBdtB5KWgI