Tim Reynolds is fucked

[Jer1400]

Here are some exercises you can do:

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Just play them as slow as you have to...but play them right. Remember to use alternate picking, too. I'd say play each 100 or so times before switching to the next one, and do that for an hour a day. Once you feel you can play a riff faster, play it slowly for 5 more minutes. Once you get them down you can put on a movie (wear headphones) and it gets really easy to get through that hour, man. I once watched the Lord of the Rings whilst playing a 7-8 second riff over and over to perfect my finger-picking technique a bit more (just the interlude in Classical Gas... The part in C major, I think it's the interlude...it's good for using all fingers so let me know if you would like tablature). Anyway, yeah... So watching a movie whilst playing is almost like cheating at practicing. Heh. That hour or two will go by with no problems.

Cheers,
Jer

[Locarius]

Thats not what I mean. Anyone can play fast with practice, but try writing those solos as you play them. That takes a shitload of time to perfect.

[Reckless]

if anyone wants, i can post some things that started me off to be able solo and shred.

it still takes a while to get to that level but compared to the 30 years some of you were thinking, it will seem like nothing. i basically just practiced soloing 2-3 hours a day starting off with easy ones and working my way up.
theres certain things you wana practice so just tell me if u want me to post some links and stuff for soloing/shredding lessons

post 'em!

[shodoc]

yeah thats true, coming up with shred licks like that during improv is crazy.. now that takes just years and years of playing to be able to do

http://www.cyberfret.com is a good site that has lots of stuff for practicing soloing techniqes like alternate picking, vibrato, bends, etc.

http://www.powertabs.net is easily the best tab site i've ever seen, mainly b.c it plays the song out for u which is great for getting down the timing in solos and u can slow down the tempo and everything. you need to download the powertab program, but its free just go to links and go to the main powertab website and you can find it on there

for all the solos you try to learn you wana start off really slow and make sure you can play it flawlessly slow first again and again before you speed it. then when u can play that perfect use a metronome to slowly speed up more and more until your up to speed. takes patience..

some easy solos to start off on could be :
metallica - nothing else matters
metallica - one (the first two solos, the closing solo is very hard)
metallica - fade to black - (the first two solos, closing one is hard)

im pretty sure most ACDC and Guns N Roses solos are fairly easy

allman brothers - blue sky is an easy one, sounds awesome too
if i remember right most allman brothers solos are fairly easy

thats all i can think of off the top of my head right now, i'll look some more up though
can anyone else think of some easy starter solos?

[shodoc]

if you check the http://www.cyberfret.com forums i know theyve had threads about solos to get started on and things to do to speed up your playing so u can always search through there too

[Jer1400]

Thats not what I mean. Anyone can play fast with practice, but try writing those solos as you play them. That takes a shitload of time to perfect.

Not as much as you may think. You have to develop a skill and study music, yes, but it's not that hard. I think I posted a tip or two that could help with this here: http://www.dmbtabs.com/boards/viewtopic ... 4&start=18

For theory I'd recommend starting here: http://www.musicarrangers.com/star-theory/

For more sites just search google. Try to compose something everyday, too. You're not always going to come up with something great, but even if it's not your best work it'll help develop your skills.

[Locarius]

Thanks for the links. Im working on my improv, and improving... but have high expectations for myself.

[Jer1400]

That's very good to have. If you're never satisfied, you'll always be driven to work harder and get better.

Also, I have to say try to be creative when improvising. Find the key the song is in (you'll be able to do that in seconds eventually) and just try to do something different. Try to move around more and not just stay in the box of advancing a semitone or two at a time. Try anything weird you can think of. Use two-note unisons, bends and slides and arpeggiate chords... Just everything your brain isn't used to, that way it eventually will be. Practice is very important for improvising because you are limited by your own skills, so remember that too.

Being able to pull a distinctive melody out of your head is great too; they're usually not too complicated, yet they bring a lot of power and life, if you will, to the solo. And well, good luck, I think I've said everything there is to say for now. Heh.

[Locarius]

Thanks. Im not a beginner... I have been playing for 10 years. I can noodle my way through a solo, I just need to find the things that make everyone go 'wow'.

[jmasta]

thanks alot for that finger exersise Jer1400
it's really helping, anymore would be greatly appriciated

[JoeGamo05]

heh getting fast just patience and practice... tim isn't all about shredding (dunno if an y of u implied this) but if you think about it... it's abosolutly redunkulous the shit he pulls out of his ass on the spot... playing at stupid speeds but coming up with the rest right on the spot makes me shit my pants haha as for theory i'd jus recomend going to a class.. i never got it online the shit they were saying but now i'm in a class and i get it...

[charliemike]

John McLaughlin's DVD on improvisation will definitley help but you have to be able to read music

No tab for j00!

[Brock]

Yes, I'm sure Tim's wife takes care of this for him.