Sunday, August 14, 2016

Weekend guitar workout


This was actually a lame re-visit of a practice routine. OK, so I'm working out the digits for yet another 4-notes-per-string adventure. Keeping things simple is they key; the Schecter KR & Seymour Duncan's Killing Floor boost were it for the input side.


I had the Blackstar HT metal going over at the output end. Seen here, the kitty enjoying some tube warmth even after I've switched the amp off.

Here's the itinerary:
  1. Clean fingering exercises. Nothing specific, just to get all fretting fingers warmed up. Slow is the way to go.
  2. Driven fingering exercises. A repeat of what was done clean but this time, up went the tempo so the picking hand get worked up as well.
  3. Scales. Routine stuff with muting focus. No songs, nothing. Just scales. What I like to play: Harmonic minor, Malmsteen vibe & it's something that would end up well with metal type ideas along the way. What I dislike playing: Pentatonic. I get boxed up pretty quickly & ended up mutating it into some tapping exercise to avoid being floored by boredom.
  4. In the style of. That's right, I'd imagine I'm a particular pro player & think of a lick or two that I'd play in that particular style or approach. I don't reproduce other people's stuff- no. I try to think like them & concoct something of my own. That's right, the key word there is try.
  5. 4-notes-per-string. By now, half of my mind is in need of inspiration because it tended to stray into repetition. I'd pause & listen to some music & in this case, Brett Garsed & Tom Quayle were chosen. FYI, Garsed actually employ 5-notes-per-string passages into his ideas & that would work me up sometime. Darn, how did he do that?
  6. End. In conclusion, I'd usually churn out riffs more than solos which are of the metal variety. You'd realize that riffs are the way to go for winding down moments; lesser notes involved & they kinda move you into a song structure.
Done. Wipe guitar down & grab a drink.

No comments: