ShortScale.org

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sorry if this topic isn't relevant to this forum, or if it's been done already, or if nobody has any actual interest in a topic such as this!
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I browse a lot of music forums, and a common theme after a new year is for topics to be posted on aims and objectives people have for expanding their knowledge of guitar over the year.

Do any of you guys fit into this category?

Personally, i've been 'playing' guitar in some form since I was 16 (i'm now 20). At first there was rapid improvement, i played with a lot of school bands doing end of year shows, and it was a lot of fun. But since i've got to Uni my progress has sort of hit a stalemate, which has also further been enhanced by the fact that most of the stuff i write nowadays is trying to get a guitar to sound nothing like it should, using delay, pitchshifting blah blah. Basically i've fallen into the trap of being so overwhelmed by pedals i'm making no real sound progress.

Anyway, last year i decided i'd improve my practice regime, but really put no effort into solidifying what is a 'good' practice. So i've become annoyed at myself, and more determined to succeed in doing more this year.


MY GOALS (so far)

- I'm using two books for the time being. One of which is Fred Sokolow's 'Fretboard Roadmaps' which i'm hoping will clue me up a bit more with regards to theory.

- The second of which is Rockschool Grade 5 guitar. I'm hoping to complete all of these songs by March/April. Not a huge task, but i'm not wanting to pressure myself too much either.. it's supposed to be fun I'll then maybe move on to grade 6 or 7, as the Rockschool books are supposed to be pretty basic.

- I've been quite disciplined with my practicing this year already, at least 30-45 minutes per day. Learning some scales, fretboard notes etc, chord progressions.. I've also went straight from guitar > amp, as i find i get sidetracked by effects if i plug everything in. I'm thinking of making a small 'practice board' with my tuner and maybe an overdrive for all the rock school stuff.

And that's it for now. Nothing huge, but again there's no point in being unrealistic and giving myself huge goals that i'm never going to stick to.

It would be super awesome if other members on this forum felt the same about their playing this year and were willing to put down what they want to do this year, be it any type of goals or musical aims and we could help each other out. I know that i would benefit from some of you guys' experience when it comes to finding decent websites, or practice plans, or even just advice on where to go next. I have seen this type of thing work nicely on other forums, but I feel more like a member here than most of them (which is silly - i'm a lurker at best!), but i think the intimate nature of this forum would work better than say for example HCFX.

So yeah, i've rambled on so much.. post your goals! lets see what happening with them!

I'm really hoping to get a steady band going again and get my head around this whole pedal business and maybe even look into turning it into something that can be defined as an actual business.

If anything I want to start playing with other people again. nothing serious just jamming.

I should also start transcribing again. Another thing i haven't done in ages, i just seem to rely on tabs and youtube now

- Get playing in a band again
- Clearing out all unecessary gear
- Learning the drums more seriously like rudiments and stuff

I like using the Lick Library DVD's instead of books as i find it a bit more exciting and easy to understand. One year ago i couldnt tap, sweep, string skip, or do a lot of the things i can do these days. I think learning a song you used to find impossible is great for raising motivation.

JJLipton wrote:I like using the Lick Library DVD's instead of books as i find it a bit more exciting and easy to understand. One year ago i couldnt tap, sweep, string skip, or do a lot of the things i can do these days. I think learning a song you used to find impossible is great for raising motivation.

Did you learn all of these techniques through Lick Library? Do you have any recommendations as to where to start with the DVD's, or is it simply a matter of musical taste?

Haze, Lorez, GeorgeF...

You guys got a gameplan? I had all these crazy ideas last year, but they never came into fruition because I didn't make a plan of action. I think it's necessary!

1. Make further progress with my sight reading
2. Join a Jazz band. I'm part of the way there with this one as I've been asked to join but if I dont polish my reading then I cant really keep up.
3. Start my own original material band.

I don't think mine are ambitious enough to warrant a game plan:

- The incentive to sell gear is to buy better gear
- Drumming involves spending an hour or two a week of solid practice
- Getting in a band takes a little motivation - I guess the plan would be to record some stuff, do open mics and advertise

GeorgeF wrote:I don't think mine are ambitious enough to warrant a game plan:

- The incentive to sell gear is to buy better gear
- Drumming involves spending an hour or two a week of solid practice
- Getting in a band takes a little motivation - I guess the plan would be to record some stuff, do open mics and advertise

that's what i'm talking about man, that is a plan of action.

ambientnoize wrote:

JJLipton wrote:I like using the Lick Library DVD's instead of books as i find it a bit more exciting and easy to understand. One year ago i couldnt tap, sweep, string skip, or do a lot of the things i can do these days. I think learning a song you used to find impossible is great for raising motivation.

Did you learn all of these techniques through Lick Library? Do you have any recommendations as to where to start with the DVD's, or is it simply a matter of musical taste?

It's a combination for using the DVD's and figuring out what works for me. They got DVD's for pretty much any style, although they excel in rock. Another great thing is that they have instructional DVD's for bands and guitarists where they teach you a song note for note.

[youtube][/youtube]

Plus none of the teachers are leftover 80's hair metal rejects.

my plan of action is to get my arse into gear and seeing what tools might make it easier to transcribe (audacity or other software) and setting aside time to do it.

with playing with others I have a mate who plays bass and another who plays keyboards and i keep badgering them to do something. My other thought is that a local shop/rehearsal rooms puts on sessions where they group people together with similar interests in music, age and experience so that you end up with a drums, bass, guitars and vocals.

My goal (sadly) is to keep playing. I've been so busy with classes and life that I haven't had much time to just relax and play. I have noticed that my playing has gotten worse since I've been at school.

In terms of real goals...I'd like to find my own sound electrically and increase my "fretboard vocabulary."

my goal for the spring is to write a new record based all around minor keys. a bummer record if you will.

all i can end up doing when liam is around though is making up fun happy baby songs about shitting pissing and farting

Get good at reading music again (dunno what happened to my ability to read rhythms) and get good at sight reading. Also, I'd like to be better at writing the things I hear. I can do it, but I'd like to be more fluent with it.

I have a heap of compositions I need to get finished too, and some that I might revise or expand.

I've just began having guitar lessons again, mainly working upon my Jazz improvisation - playing around changes and over extended chords. Also I want to work on my theory and hope to have gained my grade 5 theory by the end of the year.

Just got my grade 5 rockschool book through the door, looks quite good. I also managed to get a DVD of Lick Library 'Scales and Chords' from my mate. So i think both of these together will tie in quite nicely.

Any of you guys got any practice drills / techniques you wish to share?

ambientnoize wrote:Just got my grade 5 rockschool book through the door, looks quite good. I also managed to get a DVD of Lick Library 'Scales and Chords' from my mate. So i think both of these together will tie in quite nicely.

Any of you guys got any practice drills / techniques you wish to share?

Just wrote this pretty cool excercise that messes around with Harmonic Minor


-------------------------------------------8----12----11----8-------------------------------------------
------------------------------------10-----------------------------10------------------------------------
-------------------------5----9-------------------------------------------8----5-------------------------
--------------------7----------------------------------------------------------------7--------------------
---------3----7---------------------------------------------------------------------------6----3---------
----5------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------5----

Play it with a triplet feel or in 16th notes for more of a challenge.

ambientnoize wrote:Haze, Lorez, GeorgeF...

You guys got a gameplan? I had all these crazy ideas last year, but they never came into fruition because I didn't make a plan of action. I think it's necessary!

I have a friend I work with that has asked several times if I would get together with his band but nothings come of it. I asked him again yesterday at work actually and exchanged numbers and we're supposed to meet next wednesday. I'd be happy to just do one show a month at this point.
As far as the pedals go I'd just like to build what I like for myself and help some friend's out that are looking for boutique builds on the cheap.

Learning how to play--the basics, chording technique, barre chords, etc. I'm really only doing very easy open chords, partials, and drones right now. I have a couple of books, but I'm going to use an instructor for at least a few lessons because I need a lot of help with my technique, especially because I have smaller hands. I'm just trying to figure out how to go about choosing an instructor that's right for me.