V8 I'm just as lazy ?
Best I'd be able to do is DI into BR-600 / Rocksmith. How about we do both? Set phone to record, then DI into something that is also recording, and post both here. The DI will highlight our awful playing ability, which the phone video might hide. But the phone video levels the playing ground slightly by not being too fancy. And doing 'em both at the same time means it's not much work for us, really.
Day 8 : Not much practice, maybe 10mins. Figured I'm struggling with the moving across the strings at 16th note pace as the bpm goes above 120. Meh, gave up and went to go watch Deadpool II.
V8 Haha nice! We're going to watch Deadpool later today. Can't wait!
As for practice... ok wait is today day 8 or was that yesterday? (Monday?)
I woke up exhausted. Picked up my axe and barely got anything in. I don't really think I'll get every single not in at full speed come next week Monday morning. Seems really unlikely but I'ma keep trying.
As for the next challenge, I was listening to this and thought (as a completely dumb and crazy idea, just for jokes) that maybe we do the rhythm section of this song ?
(So the first 35 seconds or so ?)
NorioDS We're going to watch Deadpool later today. Can't wait!
I havn't laughed that much since the last Deadpool movie - throughly enjoyed it! There's a great 'bonus' scene about 1/2 way through the credits, I was in tears, too funny. .
NorioDS As for the next challenge, I was listening to this and thought (as a completely dumb and crazy idea, just for jokes) that maybe we do the rhythm section of this song
Errr, there's a rhythm section to this? I can't hear it at all ? . Nah, I'm keener on some old skool riffage ala Metallica/Megadeth/Slayer. It's properly pointy guitar music.
Old man! ?
Day 9 : Rest day - thinking a day 'off' will somehow help - we'll see!
Nice idea! I had a day off by accident on the weekend.
Today I just practised at full speed then "90" on RS then 95 then 100.
I always practise without the backing track as well so I can hear my stuff ups. There are LOTS of those. This is a great way to get even more respect for your guitar idols!
Day 10 : 2x10m, the day off seemed to help. Now 120bpm feels a bit slow, 130 comfy and 140 a rush. Not looking forward to pressing the record button, coz the wheels generally fall off around then ?
@V8 Yeah I'm so with you. Can play it very comfortably at slower speeds but Monday is coming 'round fast and I'm not at album tempo at all.
Couldn't practise at all last night. So just had a meaningless "quickie" practice session in the morning. Maybe that's good coz my calluses (and blister, yes blister—it's been that long) might heal a bit better which could help me pick up some speed.
So apart from the deadline whooshing towards us, there's the other issue of when to record this thing. Do we do it Sunday evening after some practise or Monday morning, in the rush before work? One will work, the other won't. Maybe recording on Monday morning gives us that extra bit of time to practise. Maybe recording on Sunday afternoon means we can be relaxed and unrushed and without the pressure of work looming over us.
Anyway, that's what's on my mind today.
NorioDS How about doing a monday 23h59m deadline? It did cross my mind that 2 weeks would make it due on Sunday (14 daze from Monday start), but I think that's neither here nor there...though don't ask me where it should be!
For this one, I'm going to TRY not to be overly tight arse about recording it perfect. As long as it has some feel and the majority can hear it's scuttle buttin, albeit slower - I'll be satisfied.
Yeah I'm with you. I'll try my best at full speed but if it's not working, then buggerit. It'll be done slower ?
And if I ever reach full speed (without swallowing notes by playing all sloppy-like) then I'll post that just for kicks.
I dig the 23:59 deadline. Gives us the choice of submitting Sunday afternoon or Monday after work. At least that's less of a rush.
Take all the time you need to perfect it, but, really, will I hear the difference if you leave out some notes? No. I thought music was all about interpretation. Which means, I might make it sound familiar, but it's my own bad design. OK, for this type of challenge, we require a video of notes played, and a cross-reference track to the original. But, maybe, the "interpretation" by two players on different equipment might make good listening too?
As for the next challenge, I read somewhere one of you has a JS100. OK, so, guitar in hand, do a Satriani song? After this here effort, something slow, like "Always with me, Always with you" (of which I cannot even get the intro...) After that, you can get into speed and noise again?
@modulator I'll happily do Always with me, Always with you. @V8 you keen? I learned the first 10 notes around 10 years ago so I think it's still pretty fair ?
Update on practising... I realised that I completely hate Jazz III and Jazz II picks. My big, fat thumb is too big too hold them so it keeps muting the strings I'm playing. I'm either muting the string or I've got pinch harmonics EVERY bloody where!
So right now I'm trying a "Strings and Beyond" pick. The "H" one which is the hardest they have.
Lesson? Picks make a difference. If you have huge thumbs like me, try a bigger pick ?
Day 11 : 1x10m. Started at 130bpm, worked up to 145bpm. But it's getting sloppier as the bpm goes upward. I'm rushing at 135+bpm and can't really correct mistakes on the fly, it's just - go,go,go and rely on muscle memory.
Heish, I'm getting bored with running the same lick over and over again though. So it's a mission to concentrate on this for more than 5-10m.
NorioDS Update on practising... I realised that I completely hate Jazz III and Jazz II picks.
Yeah...I like the pointy tip and the stiffness - but the size doesn't work for me. There's a trick to holding these, which is technically/anatomically correct - especially useful if you are playing a lot of technically demanding, fast pieces.
But my gripe is that, for my sloppier style, I can't get enough thumb behind the pick to apply the kind of attack that I'm used to. If I had to choose speed over dynamics, I'll pick dynamics (unintentional pun) - every single time.
I did try a jazz III during the week - just reminded me how much I dislike not being able to really pick through the string instead of tickling it with the tip of the jazz III. Which <> speed. Hmm.
So, a few days ago I grabbed a jazz III and traced the point onto my well used 'favourite' pick (It's my last one!). 5mins filing/sanding later, I've a rather lovely feeling pick that just fits. I've been using this D'andrea Progrip 1.21mm pick since forever (23+yrs) so I'm very,very used to it. Adding the sharper point did help, not a huge amount - but I'm feeeling a little bit more precise with targeting treble strings.
NorioDS @modulator I'll happily do Always with me, Always with you. @V8 you keen? I learned the first 10 notes around 10 years ago so I think it's still pretty fair
@NorioDS Ummm...errr......it's a ballad. Is a good song, but I've my heart set on some pointly guitar riffage.
modulator fter that, you can get into speed and noise again?
But, but, but....I wanna do that NOW ?
Day 12 : 0m! Couldn't get into yesterday, really was not feeling the guitar. But I ripped into the bass (first time playing since we started this duel) like it was biltong...much happier playing on the fatter strings. Reminded me how out of touch I'm feeling on those puny treble guitar strings ?
Yesterday was awful for me too. I'm always doooog-tired on a Friday night. Couldn't convince myself to play and kept looking at the time.
Eventually I dialled back the tempo MUCH further back than I normally practise and I added my own groove to it. Didn't hate that and it got me tapping my foot and enjoying it again. Slowly increased the tempo until I got to my current practising speed.
This duel has been incredibly useful for learning how to focus my practise. I figure this is the "right" way to do things. Pick one thing and hammer it dead. Make sure you have fun in-between but don't go off learning something else. Deadlines are great too.
Hopefully this is the start of many a "chops building" challenge / duel!
Day 13 : 0m...again. The sun was shining and it was a rather out n about day. Gotta get some time in today or I'm toast ?
