Troy Stetina HM Lead Guitar

[Cygnus X1]

I'm tired of myself.
I can play,by ear, classic heavy metal, rock, blues, classic rock, whatever.
I got stuck in about 1981. I refused to pick up EVH, because I had invested so much time to get to "Life in the Fast Lane", or whatever. I knew every damn guitarist on earth would be tapping away, and I refused to have any part of it. So, I killed my own learning by stopping.

So, I picked up "Heavy Metal Lead Guitar Volume 2" by Troy Stetina.
I skipped V1 because I already knew basic theory and had classical training, to a point. I let this book (and tape) lie for the last ten years or so.

So, question: Has anyone else used this method?
And, at 45 years old, with 30 plus years of pentatonics and majors under my belt, should I even bother? I have spent three weeks getting through the modes, and exercizes, and find I'm still at half speed! Arg!

[Soap]

Your a Rush fan, right?
Have you learned YYZ yet? Especially the solo?
How about the solo in free will or the whole song Xanadu, or Tree's or Broons Bane?
Learn these excellent Rush tunes first, if you don't already know them.
Alex is a great writer and player and when you grab a hold of what Alex is doing,
it will take your playing to another level. Granted everybody is entitled to his or her opinion, but imo, Troy is only half the guitarist Alex is. I love playing Anthem, Bastille Day, Working Man, Spirit Of Radio, Broon Bane and so on...
Theres alot to pick up from Alex.
Just my two cents bro.
I'm a huge Rush fan too.

Nothing wrong with the pentatonic or majors, don't sell these short or think less of them.
Great tools for soloing and writing bro. Great vehicles for expression.
You don't have to shred or sweep to be a darn good player and writer.
You sound like your in a rut.
Ruts aren't bad nor do they mean one can't play.
Go play Wi, PS2/3 or Xbox, go shoot a gun or bow, throw a PC together or watch a good old movie.
This mood will pass.

[Cygnus X1]

Yes, I can play YYZ, and La Villa Strangiato. They fit into what I had already learned, and far away from the minor pentatonics that I keep as a too-regular diet. But it's not inherent, it's a note-for note deal, no real understanding of how he got to that point.
I'm at least glad I got a little bit of the classical, white key based major notes, then
on to the augments, and diminished before I dove into Deep Purple and whatnot. It was a pleasant surprise when I went to Black Sabbath, that Iommi was using old modes to create some awesome riffs. I know I got into the box shaped pentatonics because it's so damn easy, but it became a really bad habit. That si what I'm trying to break. I have not played a blues based solo in the last four weeks. It's hard. It's literally learning all over again. I'm just wondering if I'm wasting my time.

[thebeggar]

I can't really comment on whether you're wasting your time or not but I periodically flick through HM Lead guitar no1 and find it enjoyable learning Troy's solo's. I don't worry too much about the theory. So I guess the question is do you find it enjoyable. If not then maybe you are wasting your time.
That's my one and a half cents anyway

[Soap]

One is never wasting his or her time building and adding to their arsenal.
I went through a phase years ago exposing myself to the modes, and it was somewhat insightful and I got alittle from it. Basically, I view the whole "mode quest" as a different approach to phrasing/note selection. I didn't really see it as anything more than that. To each their own, but thats how I see it.

I actually benefited more, as far as soloing is concerned, determining if this piece is in a major or minor key, and going from there with it. I rarely drew much from the whole mode quest when approaching soloing. I enjoy the 3 note per string scales, pentatonic, a quick surge of speed and then backing off to create or highlight a feel, an ocassional but very basic sweep to add or create a direction or mood,
the basic soloing mandatory stuff one learns when learning to solo (hammer ons, pull offs, bends, pinched and open harmonics and etc...) It may take me anywhere from 2-4 passes at it before I decide what I want to do.
So, the things I enjoy and do well I stick with those. Everybody is different.

I'm happy with my approach to soloing and playing. It works for me and I rarely get into a rut that some experience.
Even though I am my worst critic I still don't take myself to seriously to where I create an unhappy experience and environment for myself to play in. I learned for myself, its so unproductive to force something thats suppose to be organic. Meaning, in due time it will all come together when its suppose to and won't any sooner. Some things (guitar playing) come easier and quicker than others, even so, its still that organic approach I speak of.

I've played with guys who write the piece, song or solo on paper first. Thats very strange and foreign to me.
I tried to get them to just play what they hear so we could write/play together and hear what fits when playing. The point being, their approach works best for them because thats how they learned. I learned to write by playing it and then recording it.

I know its sounds like I'm rambling, but I think you know what I'm saying.
I just approach the whole music/guitar thing very differently then most.

[Cygnus X1]

I'm happy with my approach to soloing and playing. It works for me and I rarely get into a rut that some experience.
Even though I am my worst critic I still don't take myself to seriously to where I create an unhappy experience and environment for myself to play in. I learned for myself, its so unproductive to force something thats suppose to be organic. Meaning, in due time it will all come together when its suppose to and won't any sooner. Some things (guitar playing) come easier and quicker than others, even so, its still that organic approach I speak of.

Clipped your post to respond...
Yes, I somwhow got to that point. I couldn't stand to hear myself play the same material over and over, no matter how "good" others say I am. Like I learned to say, it depends on who's listening.
I achieved my highest point back around high school to college, in bands, when it wasn't about my playing, it was about getting songs right for the band(s). I was a great noodler, and had learned in my mind what Zappa was teaching me, it was about the SONG, not the guitar...but playing with other musicians brought me to a different understanding. And, strangely, also stopped my noodliing development, where I could just go wherever my ear told me to. So, yeah, I have to go with it. I just want to stop and jam on some old Rush, Judas Priest, but every time I do that, I fall into the TRAP. So...here I go. I'm going in. Wish me luck.

[MartinBarre]

I got his "Total Rock Guitar", but to be honest I just find myself putting on the backing tracks and improvising over them.
It's a beginner's book, but I wanted to force myself to sit down and actually learn some songs note for note, as I never do that.

From that sort of perspective, I say you should read that book you have and pick up whatever you can from it without wasting hours and hours on it.

[Cygnus X1]

I got his "Total Rock Guitar", but to be honest I just find myself putting on the backing tracks and improvising over them.
It's a beginner's book, but I wanted to force myself to sit down and actually learn some songs note for note, as I never do that.

From that sort of perspective, I say you should read that book you have and pick up whatever you can from it without wasting hours and hours on it.

You're right...when it stops being fun, it's time for me to move on.
I won't give up!

[sonicsamurai]

if u ask me, the only useful thing i've ever learnt from a guitar book was blues chords. lead guitar? u gonna learn more playing within the context of a song and developing your own phrasing by absorbing your favourite solos. an excercise from a book won't teach u that. they're designed predominantly to demonstrate a technique and the usually give u an idea of how it sounds within a phrase, nothing more. a lick doth not a solo or melody make. the true musicality u'll learn from learning real songs and their solos in context.

[Cygnus X1]

if u ask me, the only useful thing i've ever learnt from a guitar book was blues chords. lead guitar? u gonna learn more playing within the context of a song and developing your own phrasing by absorbing your favourite solos. an excercise from a book won't teach u that. they're designed predominantly to demonstrate a technique and the usually give u an idea of how it sounds within a phrase, nothing more. a lick doth not a solo or melody make. the true musicality u'll learn from learning real songs and their solos in context.

Well, I have to do SOMETHING to get me out of this rut.
Might as well be theory, then back to the actual songs.
It's like, how does somebody put on their shoes? One sock one shoe, then the other, or one sock, one sock...one shoe one shoe. The result is the same, but trying to break a lifetime of habits is tough!

[sonicsamurai]

i would stick to the songs. pick solos u like and find really intersting. learn the rythm first, then the solo. look at the chords underneath and then look at the scale shape(s) being used over them. look at the notes being played over the chords. work out what degree of the scale each chord is derived from. this will build up ur knowledge of common chord progresions. and then think about why that might progression have been chosen. think of the 'vibe' you get from it. that will help u a lot.

[MartinBarre]

What about sweeping? Can you do that?

[Cygnus X1]

What about sweeping? Can you do that?

That's what the 14 year old kid down the street asked me, I said "sort of",
and he picked one of my guitars off the wall and swept away.

Gee, thanks, kid...

[MartinBarre]

Ha ha, well there you go - to get past this brick wall you need to push yourself right? Learn sweep picking.
Then tell me how to do it.

[sonicsamurai]

i pick (sweep) forwards but legato backwards. tbf tho i never really have any use for it other than if i'm gonna try be jason becker and do 6 string stuff. still haven't used any sweeping in a solo of my own yet.