I can't get any faster

[ApeDosMil]

Alright I'm trying to learn how to shread, but I think I know why I never got into it before. I can't seem to progress at all or If I am, its at the rate of a dead horse walking. I've been doing this riff for months.

E :---------------12-17-12-|---------------------|
B :------------13----------|13-------------------|
G :---------14-------------|---14----------------|
D :------14----------------|------14-------------|
A :12-15-------------------|---------15-12-------|
E :------------------------|---------------------|

This is what I'm trying to do fast but I just can't seem to do it. I can only go at a slow speed. Is there any other scales you guys would reccomend?

[TheSteveMan]

Re: I can\'t get any faster

Well, if you want to learn to sweep, I say walk, don't run.
After a bit of practice I can play the arpeggio that you have listed straight up and straight down just fine, but I can't do anything interesting enough with it that I consider usable, so don't feel alone.

As for the "walk, don't run" thing, here's a thing to try--
Play the same arpeggio there, but only the top three strings-- it works out to be a nice triplet arpeggio. Learn that, a major arpeggio, diminished arpeggio, and whatever other interesting shapes you can learn on just three strings.. or even TWO strings if you need to start there, though I feel three makes more sense for simple sweeping most of the time.

Hope that helps you get started!

[Chameleonfong]

Re: I can\'t get any faster

What's your definition of fast?

[Sunbane]

Re: I can\'t get any faster

I hate having play sweeps and arpeggios, and I've never learnt how to do them fast. I typically just do scale runs in alternate picking, like this:

<font class="small">Code:</font><hr /><pre> |----------------------------------------------------------------------||
|--8-10-12-10-8-10-8----8----------------------------------------------||
|--------------------11---11-9-11-9-7-9-7---7--------------------------||
|-----------------------------------------9---9-7b(9)r7----------------||
|---------------------------------------------------------10--7--------||
|----------------------------------------------------------------------||
</pre><hr />

[Firebird V]

Re: I can\'t get any faster

Yep. Slow it down Pick it as clean as posible. Than slowly speed it up. Pick it as clean as possible. Repeat process. I would keep at the same speed for a week or so and then move on if you are ready. Are you using a metronome?

[JC_Denton]

Re: I can\'t get any faster

HMm this is a mior arpeggio , imo teh easiest shape. Dowload some sweep picking vids, maybe youa re doing somthing wrong. Good sweeper with many instructional vids(free) www.justinjohnwakely.com

[Baum83]

Re: I can\'t get any faster

[img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]
Guy's a member on here.
Just practice, practice, practice... I thought I'd never be able to pull off that kinda stuff, but some day I just happened to be able to do it. More or less. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]
Also, be worried that what you play is not fast for speed's sake, but also good... I'm in a rut where I can wank a few arp shapes for hours on end, but with little musical value.

[jjw]

Re: I can\'t get any faster

Just take your time mate and play it smooth and clean.If you rush it it can sound raked(no bad thing in itself)learn the triads(major/minor/diminshed)in all their positions on the neck.Learning arps is great as they show you your chord shapes across the whole neck
when you know the triads then add the 7ths/9ths,ect
work on seq 4ths-playing triplets-and adding the other scale colours to the arps to add extra textures.
I dont think i have any arp vids on my site now-but there are a few other vids that include them amongst others.
Yoour best bet is to check out www.chadcoggin.com
he is a good friend of mine and an amazing musician-you will find many lessons there to improve your skills
I am moving away from instrumental so chads site is way better

[Soap]

Re: I can\'t get any faster

Well, here it goes.
I'm not an authority on sweeping arpeggios, nonetheless, sweeping arpeggios do take some time getting use to. For some alittle sooner than others and vice versa. The basic "things to remember when learning to shred, including sweeping arpeggios, even just playing in general.

1. Keep fret hand as close as possible to the fret board.
2. Learn to shred cleanly, don't be sloppy. Bring us to number 3.
3. Learn the stuff(alternate picking, sweeping, apeggios and etc.)slowly and cleanly first. Little bit at a time work your speed up. This in itself is very important. Don't put the buggy in front of the horse. Do it right, work your way up to a satisfying and gratifying speed.
4. Some things(techn)will come much easier than others.
Don't get discouraged stick with it.
5. Download some very helpful and entertaining videos, it can open doors to your playing. Yes, there are some that aren't worth ten cents, then some are really insightful and useful.
6. This may seem alittle off the subject but still important part of playing in general. Have good Chord knowledge. It helps when writing songs. A well written song stand the test of time. It never goes out of style, each generation picks up on it. It a song is poorly written even a good solo won't save it. A well written song may NOT NEED a blazing solo. The song itself is first and most important. This can start with anything from just fiddling around with no intentions to be productive, to intentionally sitting down to write, watching a movie and etc...anything that can inspire and get the creative juices flowing.
7. IMO and others will differ, a solo or lead is a little tiny composition/song in itself. Let your soul and heart surface and come through. A flurry of notes may be useful here and there, but to play with conviction and soul, those notes gotta mean something to ya. You gotta feel it, man, feel it. Let your soul get touched and awakened so it can speak with each note. Not talking about showing off ro flare or flash. Reach me, touch me, speak to me with your playing. Make me smile, laugh, cry, inspire me when you play. If you can do that to others with a song or solo, thats what its all about.

Videos: Not in any particular order, just listed that way.
1. Michael Angelo's "speed Kills".
He's a good instructor/teacher and this video is highly recommeded.
2. Marty Friedman's Melodic Control".
Marty's alittle arrogant/cocky but a good teacher nonetheless. Another one strongly recommeded. Good stuff.
Mostly focuses on and explains soloing.
3. Paul Gilbert's "Intense Rock" video...the first one.
It by far the better of the two. Its an "all in one" type video. He covers alot of stuff and explains all of it very clearly. Good stuff.

[TheSteveMan]

Re: I can\'t get any faster

I have mixed feelings about Speed Kills...
I've seen some of it and there are some nice licks and good technical pieces in it, but the "music" part of it pretty much sucks, IMO. I'd use it as an exercise but not as musical inspiration.

Edit-- By the way is Paul Gilbert's vid only available on VHS? I want it but I don't have a VCR in my room...

[Newc]

Re: I can\'t get any faster

Get a DVD/VCR combo - they're cheap now.

[jgcable]

Re: I can\'t get any faster

Use a metronome or a drum machine. Play everyday. Start at a speed where you can pick every note clean. Keep increasing the tempo until your shredding. It takes a while. If you get frustrated, walk away.
BTW.. not to discourage you but.. not every guitar player is destined to be a shredder. I have been giving lessons for many years now and I have found that true shredders and soloists are more rare than you would think. There is nothing wrong with playing nice tasty creative solo's. Its not about the quantity of notes but the quality. I don't believe that of course... but its probably true. For me, its all about the NPS. (notes per second).

[shredmonster]

Re: I can\'t get any faster

There are other posts in this topic on sweeping and circular picking. I would look them up.

[Shawn Lutz]

Re: I can\'t get any faster

[ QUOTE ]
Use a metronome or a drum machine. Play everyday. Start at a speed where you can pick every note clean. Keep increasing the tempo until your shredding. It takes a while. If you get frustrated, walk away.

[/ QUOTE ]

+1

that is all it is really, you don't need a million experts to tell you [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] Just do it

[diablomozart]

Re: I can\'t get any faster

funny thing about sweeping...mine got much cleaner when i stopped trying to play them fast...yes your left hand may be blazing but your right hand should be a very relaxed movement...and the right hand doesn't seem to have to go nearly as fast as the left to do them...find the speed your left hand is comfy with...practice cleanliness and synchronizing the speed of your hands...and then work from there...arps dont have to be warp speed to sound really cool...d.m.