I'm giving up playing metal..

[thor von clemson]

At least for the time being. Lately I have been all thumbs when it comes to playing anything metal. My hands just don't do what they used to do. I am going to focus more on learning Jazz and Blues. I feel like that is where my heart is, and for some reason whenever I try to play either of those two or something mellow, my fingers magically work again. I was focusing so much on writing metal tunes and putting a band together. After a year of writing and searching for members, I sat down last night came to the conclusion that I am just not into it anymore. I still listen to it, but I guess I need to take a break. I am getting married in 114 days as well as working on my house.


So can anyone recommend any good Jazz instructional vids? I found one by Robert Conti that seems pretty good. I can take my sweet old time, relax, and enjoy playing the guitar.

Also, has anyone gone through anything like this before? Long hair and spikes and chains are cool and all, but I think it is time for me to move on to something else...

 

[Drew]

Real quick as I'm busy @ work, how's your chord theory? If you want to get into jazz, I'd focus on that over finding instructional vids, as it's a much less technique-driven style of music, and in fact applying metal technique in jazz contexts could probably give you some interesting results.

 

[thor von clemson]

I forgot to mention... I do most things by sight and sound. If I can see someone do it, and hear them at the same time, I can pick it up. I can not read music very well any more, however I know enough to know what makes up a chord.... well sometimes anyways.

A book and a cd would work too, however I would prefer a video..

 

[Drew]

however I know enough to know what makes up a chord.... well sometimes anyways.

Sounds like you could use some brushing up on your theory.

Jazz is SO chord-tone based it's not even funny. Let's put it this way - if you saw a score with a Gm7b11 notated on it, what would that be in arpeggio form?

If you have to think more than a quarter second to answer that (FWIW, I do), then delving deeper into chord theory would be WAY more advantageous here than watching someone play licks with an accompanying tab.

I'm somewhat of a tactile learner myself (learn by doing), but at some point you have to bite the bullet and admit there's no substitute for just KNOWING something inside out on a theoretical level. The fact that I still have to pause before playing the above chord as an arpeggio is the main reason I'm not a better jazz player than I am - I haven't hit that point yet.

 

[Mastodon]

Whatever you have fun with on the guitar is cool dude.

 

[distressed_romeo]

Just go for it man! The important thing's just to love whatever you're doing. Recommend a book called 'Jazz-rock Solos for Guitar'. One of the REH books, but I can't remember the author unfortunately.

Good luck.

 

[Leon]

learning theory =

i'm sorta trying to do a similar thing... just learn some theory, and see what i can do with it.

 

[Tubbs Mcgee]

Learn the E 6th chord!

It's one of my favorites!

Or B 6th on a 7 string...

 

[jacksonplayer]

To do jazz properly, you've definitely got to have your theory down. I've been getting into sort of a jazz/metal hybrid lately, but my playing is more 'free' and instinctive, and I mostly worry about the chords and theory at the compositional stage rather than when I'm playing solos, where I love to just explore modes and see what happens rather than sweating over what notes are "proper" over a Gm7b11 chord. I'd rather be the Ornette Coleman of the guitar than the next Tal Farlow.

 

[Drew]

All the same, I guarantee you Coleman knew the "right" notes to play over a given set of changes - it's kind of a jazz truism that you first have to learn how to play inside before going out.

 

[BCrowell]

As I myself have been getting into Jazz more lately, I 100% Agree with what the others have said about getting the theory down. I had AP music theory, and up to theory 202 in college(before switching to engineering). I've had to break out the notebooks MANY times in the last few months!!

Not only theory, but you must greatly expand your phrasing capability. You should know at least THREE ways to play every 7th, m7, M7, 7b5, 9, etc chord all around the neck.

Succesfully soloin' over a complex jazz line is 3x harder IMHO than any METAL tune. Great players play metal, but THE most god-like can play jazz just as well! Jazz is NOT easier, and even though there's "NO WRONG NOTE" in jazz, you still need to know what your doing.

If jazz is where your heart is, then GO FOR IT! Just don't do it because you think it's easier than metal...it ain't.

 

[jacksonplayer]

All the same, I guarantee you Coleman knew the "right" notes to play over a given set of changes - it's kind of a jazz truism that you first have to learn how to play inside before going out.

No doubt. I'm just lazy, that's all.

 

[Drew]

hahaha, ditto here.

 

[thor von clemson]

BCrowell.

Funny thing is, I studied guitar in college and my instructor was religous about making me figure out how to play different chords in different positions on the fretboard. I would have to figure out what notes made up the chord and where I could play them. It was cool because I found some great sounding chords.

I know I am not going to make a living playing guitar, and with the wedding and stuff coming up, guitar is really becoming more of a hobby than anything else. I just want to get to the point where I can play tunes that sound good to me, which seems reasonable. I think I am going to check out an instructional vid I found. I will post some tunes up in the future with anything worth hearing...

IMO, what metallers do and what jazzers do can not be compared. Jazz, to me, is deceptively simple. You may hear it and think it is just a bunch of noodling, but what they are doing is clean and pure guitar playing. No distortion, wah, fx, or nothing. Pure talent. I know I am not going to be the next Troy Di Metheny, but I really think this is where I am headed.
TVC

 

[David]

, right on man, I've kind of gone another root than metal too.

 

[anarchistwar]

Blues!!!!!!!!!!!!!