How to achieve cleanliness a la Paul Gilbert?

[TelegramSam]

So, in Technical Difficulties...



The very fast picking between adjacent strings, and in fact the fast picking in general, leave me wondering - how would one play that without each note ringing for millennia?

 

[viesczy]

^Honestly, you rehearse the piece at a slow pace w/o any gain until you have it down to the point where you can't get it wrong (not 'til you just get it right). When rehearsing the piece through at a slow pace you'll find the areas that give you trouble, it is those areas that you rehearse 2 or 3 times over before moving to the next measure/beat.

There's no real "easy" answer. 'Least none that I've found that are as good as precise rehearsal.

Derek

 

[cromaticas]

If you knew the time he has spent practicing,you wouldn't be wondering anymore. There's 2 ways to be good at something:
1. To be born and already be good at it squint
2. Practicing untill you get it right

 

[technomancer]

If you knew the time he has spent practicing,you wouldn't be wondering anymore. There's 2 ways to be good at something:
1. To be born and already be good at it squint
2. Practicing untill you get it right

And natural talent still doesn't get you to where guys like Gilbert and Vai are without #2.

The answer seems to be the same from everybody who has done it: basically get a metronome, start slow, and slowly increase speed over time once you can play something cleanly at your current speed.

 

[Maniacal]

^ yep

There are many steps you can take to get quicker results, but it will still take years of hard work to get close to the Gilbert standard of playing.

 

[Konfyouzd]

The slower and I play during practice and the mroe often I incorporate the metronome into my practice, the faster and cleaner I get...

Playing things slowly solidifies them in your mind better.

 

[viesczy]

When I rehearse pieces I first get the mechanics down, working out where each part feels and flows best. Once the muscles KNOW the piece applying the correct timing is easy as you're not "thinking" of what to play/where to play it.

I picked that up as I started on organ and hand 3 staves to know (both hands and feet). Would get a hand DOWN, then get the other hand down, then get the feet down, then get the 3 pieces down together.

Maybe there is a "better" way to do it, but that way has always proven to be the "best" way for me to get the piece down 'til I didn't get it wrong.

Derek

 

[starslight]

^ yep

There are many steps you can take to get quicker results, but it will still take years of hard work to get close to the Gilbert standard of playing.

Totally true. And do whatever you have to to make the process of getting there as enjoyable as possible. PG was always playing in bands coming up, and has stressed the importance of learning songs in a million different interviews and columns.

 

[innovine]

Another thing with slow practice, you are learning to play of course but you are also learning to hear in more and more detail. Tiny finger noises, ringing strings, etc

 

[mjbg]

to be honest, i dont think its possible..

ive practiced up to 14 hours a day.. the only thing ive developed is tendinitis

speed and cleanness improved just a little bit.. and if i stop playing for like a week ill go back to zero.

 

[innovine]

Not many are playing like PG so you might have a ppint there.