shredding

[motorbrain3]

how long did it take you guys to really learn to shred?
i know its a general question and the amount of time you practice matters.

im just wondering in general

[DSS3]

Re: shredding

My chops really started picking up 4-5 months ago, I noticed it with an improved vibrato.

It's amazing how painfully obvious a persons vibrato can let you know if they're a good player or not.

I usually practice 2-3 hours on weekdays, and 4-5 on weekends.

[Endrik]

Re: shredding

It's amazing how painfully obvious a persons vibrato can let you know if they're a good player or not.


Amen to that

[David Dineen]

Re: shredding

learn to play with feeling. shredding is cool, but how many non guitar players are interested in yngwie's endless runs? concentrate on playing the right notes in time with a metronome. shredding will come.

[jjw]

Re: shredding

lol Yngwie has prob the best vibrato out there-and always plays the right notes in time and has plenty of feeling too

[petedz]

Re: shredding

[ QUOTE ]
lol Yngwie has prob the best vibrato out there-and always plays the right notes in time and has plenty of feeling too


[/ QUOTE ]

+1, but his songs are boring.

[Soap]

Re: shredding

Thats the problem with most shedders album/cd's.
After you hear the first 2-3 songs you have pretty much heard the rest of the CD. Why? Most shedders and I'm including myself too, have a problem with over complicating simplicity.
I've been guilty of throwing in or adding a slur of notes in a song when its not needed. Thus over complicating simplicity and inevitably changing the whole mood and direction of the song. I've learned, and it was a hard lesson to learn, less is more and can be rewarding to a song.

[diablomozart]

Re: shredding

learn from poker players...don't show everything you can do in one song...lol...d.m.

[shredmonster]

Re: shredding

Lots of good stuff here - I agree with most everyone. I was listening to Rusty Cooley for a while. Frencesco Ferrerri (or however you spell his name), George Bellas. And its true - after a few songs its boring.

I have played fast my whole life and worked on getting faster - Chris Impellitterri type speed I have worked on. I got the Michael Angelo DVD and when I got it I could tremelo pick at the same speed - following right along with the DVD.

But I have jammed over the past 10 years with a friend who sort of changed my thinking on this. He was into Michael Schenker. I found Schenker to be the most expressive and melodic player I have heard yet. His CD that he came out with in the year 2000 is great - can't remember the name. The tone and articulation and shear skill that Schenker commands is outstanding.

He does not have the blazing speed or arpeggio technique of some of todays players but his playing is much more moving and expressive than most IMO. And he executes with such perfection and precision.

Like vibrato? Listen to MSG or any Schenker stuff. Best vibrato in the business and this is not just my own opinion.
I have read many articles and inverviews who have also expressed this opinion.

So although I have many CD/s of guys playing at warp speed I found I now prefer to put in a Schenker CD over anything because it is more moving. He creates a collage or soundscapes of different sounds and ideas, uses various vibratos, tones, alternates speed and makes the music damn interesting. And every song is different - he is a great writer also. And his solos are very different.

So lately I have been trying to get more melodic and work on my vibrato technique which I know takes a long long time to develop.

But I think a great vibrato goes a longer way than blinding speed. When you need speed there is no substitute but it should only be one technique of many in ones arsenol IMO.

[jjw]

Re: shredding

You can tell how many years a player has under his belt by his vibrato.A few of the internet guitarshredders with webpages and cds(a downside to the ease of use of PC recording)can play scales quickly..and thats about it!!

NO phrasing-Dynamics-Timing-and normaly piss poor vibrato

I think people get bored of YJM because he has done SO MANY albums-the shock factor has long gone-if he only did a handfull of cd's then i believe people wouldnt slag him off as they do these days-he should have kept us wanting for more

Schenker is a cool Pent player with great vibrato-what ever floats your boat mate-give me Greg Howe or Brett Garsed over him any day of the week for breath taking musicanship

[shredmonster]

Re: shredding

[ QUOTE ]
Schenker is a cool Pent player with great vibrato-what ever floats your boat mate-give me Greg Howe or Brett Garsed over him any day of the week for breath taking musicanship

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Brett Garsed is one of my favorites also. I really like his style and original approach. Greg Howe is very good too.

I don't like to compare players really unless your talking about a specific technique.

As I mentioned Schenker is an older player and his playing is somewhat dated. But my point about him is his ability to move the listener because of his incredible execution of technique, his melodic style, and diversity of solos. And I have yet to hear a better vibrato and he has many variations of vibrato.

Great guitar playing is so subjective that I don't compare too often. I have Brett Garseds DVD and he is very good - just different style.

How do you compare styles - I can't. Each player is good at their particular style for what they do. How can one say for sure that Yngwie is a better blues player than Frank Marino when it comes to that style of playing?

And does the audience really care if a guy is playing major and minor 7th arpeggios, chromatic runs or pentatonic scales as long as they get their thrill from listening?

But if I had to pick which player had the ability to evoke emotion to the audience I would have to say it was Michael Schenker. Its the emotional aspect of a solo that I find the most interesting as I mature in my playing and listening.

But my bigger point is that speed alone is boring. Maybe not always to the person playing it but usually to the audience at some point. Better to be an emotional player me thinks.

[kmanick]

Re: shredding

I agree pure shredding with no feeling gets boring quick. I've been listening to Andy Timmons a lot lately and he tends
to be more tasteful than most of the other "shredders" out
there. He shows restraint and only really lights it up on
occasion, but his "songs" are much easier to Listen to, and he's got .... You got it "great vibrato"!
I just got Greg Howes latest "Extraction" great stuff there too.
Godd vibrato takes time to develop, listen to the blues and slow it down.
Robin Trower is a great one to listen too, as is Jeff Beck
It's much harder to play really well slow than it is to just shred. [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[Soap]

Re: shredding

[ QUOTE ]
It's much harder to play really well slow than it is to just shred. [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]
Agreed.
It forces you to really examine your playing.

[Endrik]

Re: shredding

I agree most of the stuff, but remember that shredders play with feel also, like Schenker, but it's just their thing.
I can listen to Rusty Cooley because he can write some badass rhythms and stuff. Can't listen to Francesco Fareri, becuase of many reasons.
And about vibratos, Schenker has a very good one, so has Lynch and DeMartini and that dude from Slaughter - Tim Kelly (R.I.P). But John Sykes, Yngwie and Marty Friedman has a really unique vibrato, those are really hard to do.

[lockenload]

Re: shredding

I'm srry for this very n00bish question:

How exactly do those virbratoes sound? Are they made by the whammy bar (Floyd, Kahler, whatever...) or with the left hand (from a right handed player point of view)? I can't shred. Would like to learn it. Don't have time to practise a lot cos I have school and also work for gear money.