Learn shred... where?

[Kraid]

Hey guys,

I have been playing guitar for about 5 years now, and I am going to start breaking away from bluesy repetitive solos. I want to learn to shred. I am just fed up of playing slow, and I always enjoy guitar much, much more if I have a goal to set. I don't want to sound immature and ignorant, because I know this takes a lot of time. But I would like some advice to get a foothold, perhaps GP licks to practise? I love everything from Necrophagist to Opeth, but recently since I got my 7, I have been enjoying djent bands.

Thanks.

 

[ChronicConsumer]

I'm a novice shredder myself, and I highly recommend some NWOBHM (specifically Iron Maiden) or some power metal (Sonata Arctica has some pretty doable solos). Also, Children of Bodom, Kalmah, Arch Enemy.

Or, you could be a total badass and learn some Paganini. The 'Eugene's trick bag' version of Paganini's 5th caprice really helped me with my technique.

 

[Kraid]

Ahah, hey!

I may give an Iron Maiden solo a go now that I think of it... First ever metal by I ever heard, might be nice to go back.

Oh, and I learnt Eugene's trick bag about 2 years ago. After I got my Jem, my teacher insisted I learnt it, I play it at a painfully slow pace however and never got much further

 

[Solodini]

Paul Gilbert did a column in Total Guitar magazine AGES ago. That may be worth you checking out.

What sort of shred music are you into? Shred is quite a broad term, just implying fast, to my mind. Are you into wild stuff? Melodic stuff? Textural stuff?

My personal opinion is that fast music is most memorable when it outlines some sort of comfortable melody which is then embellished, again either texturally or with a faster melody within the main melody.

As Chronic suggested some Paganini, I'm going to suggest looking at some folk fiddle playing. There can be some wild stuff within that repertoire which may be different to what you're used to hearing for guitar as fiddle's standard tuning is in 5th, rather than 4ths which make up the core of guitar's standard tuning.

For learning a technique, I simply suggest writing short passages which uses that technique. Whatever you write will likely be within some kind of reach of your abilities. If you become bored of it then you can write something to replace it. If it becomes easy then you can write something more difficult. No arduous search for something you like the sound of and is not too difficult for you.

 

[novacekn]

Start listening to shred. Guys like yngwie malmsteen, Jason Becker, Jeff loomis, Paul warding ham, buckethead, etc. I'd also recommend you pick up a copy of rock discipline by John petrucci and speed mechanics for lead guitar by Troy stetina and work thru the exercises with a metronome.

 

[Maniacal]

I have written 2 books on shred practice that might help you out.

 

[CRaul87]

Paul Gilbert - Intense Rock vol I and II will give u a solid foundation that you will be able to build upon later.

 

[Jahanasaurus]

Hey Kraid, If you're wanting to get into shred playing but want to do it at a managable rate, please feel free to check out my series Accessible Lead Guitar, there's 10 episodes uploaded so far on topics such as Warming up, alternate picking, scales and economy picking so far and I'll be uploading more once Uni is completed in June! Hope you find it helpful! AccessibleLeadGuitar - YouTube

 

[Kraid]

Thanks very much for the responses all! I think I knew what I have to do now

 

[mr_rainmaker]

vinnie moores first 2 tapes/dvds are a good start. I would say joe stumps videos are cool to watch,but kinda hard to follow.

 

[Santuzzo]

vinnie moores first 2 tapes/dvds are a good start. I would say joe stumps videos are cool to watch,but kinda hard to follow.

Oh, I love those Vinnie Moore tapes.
I have been hoping for them to be re-released on DVD.....hopefully one day

 

[FarBeyondMetal]

Listen to more Buckethead....can never hurt