Hey everyone, I haven't posted any new topics in a while (just usually replies) but here goes: One of my ultimate guitar goals is to be able to play very fast and very clean leads (basically anything from blistering Metallica solos, to the less obvious stuff like Jimmy Page and Angus Young solos). So I bought the book "Speed Mechanics for Lead Guitar" by Troy Stetina. It's a pretty good book, from what i've read so far, but I have a couple of questions for those who have been playing for a while.
One of the guidelines he sets out in the beginning of the book for building speed is to keep your fingers close to the strings, which makes sense, however he also says that if you have one finger move too far away from the fretboard when you use another finger, then you are using too much pressure to fret notes. He says to keep fingers about half an inch away from the fret.
No matter how much i seem to practice this, it seems that I always use too much pressure and one or more fingers tend to move around when I fret a note. My question: Is it really important that I correct this? It does seem like it might be a problem but unfortunately I don't know any other guitar players I could ask about this. If it is important, does anyone have any ideas on what I can do to gain this sort of finger independance?
(besides the standard 1-2-3-4 exercises like this: http://www.guitarlessonworld.com/exercises/exercise2.htm )
Thanks
Steve-0
THIS is ULTIMATELY the problem that separates the pros from the not-so-pros.
Why????
Because it's ALL in the touch...which (to me) is really a no-brainer.
There isn't any "easy" way to perfect this, either. Not by a long shot. In fact, it's the most DIFFICULT thing you will need to master to reach the place you seem to want to be. And I'd give it maybe six months to see some results.
But I can suggest that if you are well and truly considering "left hand tension" issues...AND you are at Square One right now...use .008's and an extremely thin pick. You'll notice that you will be playing more sharp notes than you'd ever imagined...but as soon as the pressure is just right this will stop. THAT will be also be a sort of barometer to see how you're doin'.
The BEST guitar is set up with strings as low as is poskibule to the fret board. Hit 'em too hard and they'll buzz...or break. Nope, no way around this conundrum, I'm afraid. Once you are adept at this...a whole new set of techniques are now open to you. One...which I love to use...is to "eyeball the harmonics" that lie under a certain fret. IF THEY MAKE SENSE TO USE let off the pressure over that fret and in the midst of a chord or run...you'll have these chimed highs that WILL set your style apart. Pinch off harmonics with your pick hand at the same time, if you can. (Get some old Jeff Beck albums...listen...and PRACTICE!!!)
There will be an issue with the volume coming out of your guitar. I use an Ibanez Artist/EQ (it's got a built in three band POWERED EQ) that can get you as loud and as "dirty" as you'd ever want. It's actually made to be played "through the board" for folks that use studios more than anything else...
Geez, Steve-O...you're leavin' me smilin' with your question! :wink:
It's all in the touch!
Cat
"Feel what you play...play what you feel!"
Ya know...it's only been a couple of hours since that last post...I've been on my bulldozer regrading the entrance for the NY Eve guests that don't drive 4WD's. We've had maybe 20 inches of rain this month so the place was lookin' poorly. I was thinking about the "touch & tension" issue while I was "touching & tensioning" the controls on the dozer. I've found a co-relation between them, if ya can believe it!
There ya go...blading a new road...easy as can be...until the diesel loads up, the RPMs drop...the exhaust gets really smokey: you've come up on a killer tree root or the top of a boulder. Gritting your teeth, clenching your jaw and pushing at the controls as hard as you can doesn't make a BIT of difference! But, yet...I still do it!
So...yeah. You can't play a guitar like that either!!! :lol:
Happy New Year, everybody!
Cat
"Feel what you play...play what you feel!"
Well, that explains the Cat handle. :D
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
Thanks for the reply! I was thinking about this over the past couple of days and so I've been practicing using less and less pressure: I think i'm gonna take the next little while practicing scales and songs (easier song I already know), using the least amount of pressure as possible.
I'll consider moving down to smaller gauge strings, but I guess I've never really liked smaller gauge strings although it does make sense that it'd force myself to play with less pressure. Once again, thanks for the reply, not enough information like this on the net, at least ... not as much info as there should be.
Steve-0
One thing to keep in mind is that you need to deliver much more (relative) pressure to a string if you're going to bend or use vibrato.
I apply too much pressure too I think, however I'd disagree with Cat's advice to go to a lighter gauge. I'd pick the size that's most comfortable for you, and practice using less pressure with those. The problem is if you go to a lighter gauge and learn that way, when you move up to a heavier string, you won't be pressing hard enough. Plus 8's sound horrid ;)
yeah, I'm not in favor of ultra low gauges either, as the usable dynamic range (softest to loudest) is much better on a set of mediums or heavier. and it's a fallacy that a heavier gauge will require much more fretting force and slow playing, because medium and higher gauges can be set up for LOWER action than a lighter set and deliver the same or more max buzz-free volume. only bending will require more strength. also, there will be more harmonics (rel to fundamental) on an very light set of strings. that will muddy the tone, esp through non-linear EFX and saturated amps.
-=tension & release=-
Well, that explains the Cat handle. :D
Wow! NEVER thought of that, Ric!
Actually...it's "Catanzaro"...in Calabria...the place where my mother's side of the clan is from.
Cat...anzaro
"Feel what you play...play what you feel!"
Catanzaro, in Caterpillar's font, would fit perfectly on the side of your yellow dozer. :lol:
I've heard Billy Gibbons likes 8s. Don't think his tone's too horrid.
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
I've heard Billy Gibbons likes 8s. Don't think his tone's too horrid.
they would work for his particular style: dirty blues with lots of interval bends and his world-famous pinch harmonics. do you know if he uses 8s for slide?
-=tension & release=-
Don't know. It's possible to slide on 8s, I've done it, but it's a lot easier with 10s or larger in Open E. I like 12s.
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
Using .008's is good for ME because 99% of whatever I do is "through the board and out the door" and it's rare that I fool with it ever again. Sitting at the console using the studio monitors does leave room for making up for the shortcomings of the strings. I mean...there's $5,000 worth of speakers in front of your face so you hear EVERYTHING, ultimately! Rattling through improvisations I guess any gauge will do...but for the piece-by-piece work I'm forced do (IE: punching in a half million times) I prefer the "up close and personal" that comes with stringing up light. There's HEAPS of finger noise and other nuances that are more readily carried by a light setup. THAT points me in the direction of where I should be taking the composition...I usually chase after the overtones. But that's me...that's how I'm used to it. I especially like the physics of playing light seeing that I'm damned near "off the strings" anyway so lots of chimey overtones (some are sort of buzzy) are pretty much in yer face. Playing "live 'n loud" will gloss over this...but not the studio sets. True, the strings don't last...and I checked my books from last year: $1300 on strings! Whoa!
Cat
"Feel what you play...play what you feel!"
That's true, Cat. Conversely, if someone wanted to really practice getting better string bending strength, I'd recommend using really large gauge strings, because that's what I used when I was starting out and that's what I like using: I like to think that things like vibrato and string bending are my strengths, whereas speed is my weakness, I clearly need to focus on relaxing my left hand more.
Steve-0
I clearly need to focus on relaxing my left hand more.
That's the whole point, Steve. Use just the pressure you need. (It was clear to me the other day on the dozer about the needless pushing at the controls.) Too much pressure on your strings will sail them off sharp as they trampoline down on you. Still. I guess you'd use whatever gauge best suits your playing style. For me, it's more of what I end up hearing rather than what it best for my fingers. Up front...lonely guitar...with no other instruments (in my opion, that is!) sounds best with a light touch...especially if you are able to tweak all sorts of parameters with modern recording software.
I use an acoustic out here in the rainforest to noodle around and get new chording ideas. It's got better action than most electrics...and always strung with NEW .009's. My own taste has me quite close to the part of the Epiphone where the fretboard ends. I make it a point to take my time and LISTEN to the decay/fingers rasping over the wound strings/click of the pick...the whole nine yards. Some call this "sloppy"...but for some, the penny drops...and they enter what I heard termed right here on GN "Happy Tone Land". (Hey...thanks to whoever said that!)
But all in all...as I've said before...guitar is a MARVELLOUS outlet for the soul...no matter HOW ya love it! Of that, Im sure we ALL agree!!! :wink:
Cat
"Feel what you play...play what you feel!"
