The Guitar Thread

[ChromaticChaosPony]

I've been playing for seven years and i'm still shit (i'm 23). Ouch. : P

The only reason why I'm progressing so fast is because I went nuts and wanted to be as good as John Petrucci one day. Maybe in another 20 years... I just practice whenever I can (weekends and at 5:00am before I head off to school). I can't wait until summer so that I can practice more and record some music. I'm in the IB Programme at Strawberry Crest High School in Florida (nerd program), so I struggle to find time to practice. I'm also collabing with 2 (maybe 3) people on separate Balloon Party tracks. I've never tried songwriting before, so this is a new chalenge. One requires me to play a solo over a dubstep track (weird combination, but awesome), and a progressive metal track about Princess Luna (I know that somepony else already did something similar). I'm not sure about the third one. When I'm finished, I'll upload them to my youtube page (located in the signature) and make one more song for Balloon Party. After all of that, I'm going to relax and do some fanfiction readings for a few weeks in the beginning of June.

When I said good, I didn't mean that I was the best, just fairly decent and improving. It's not like I'm going to bust out shredding some Steve Vai perfectly...

I'm actually not amazing at improvising, so I usually practice a lot before trying anything new. I hope that makes you feel better.

Writing music and collaborating with other musicians is new to me, so all of you are probably better overall musicians than I am.

When I said I play metal, I mean any style of it that I can. My personal favorite is progressive metal (in the style of Dream Theater, Porcupine Tree, Between the Buried and Me, Protest the Hero, Animals as Leaders, Opeth, Liquid Tension Experiment, etc.). Recently, I've been trying some djent (like Periphery and Bulb), deathcore (Whitechapel, IWrestledABearOnce, Veil of Maya), death metal (Cannibal Corpse, Death, Bloodbath), and grindcore (mostly just Carcass style: pre- Heartwork, and some Pig Destroyer).

I'm always open to new genres of music. I just have a preference for metal. Outside of metal, I've tried hard rock, jazz, psychadelic rock, and some classical. When I try combining these styles of music with metal, I usually wind up with progressive metal anyways. Just add some bizzare (sometime dissonant) chords, awkward time signatures, polyrhythms, solos for every instrument in the band, uncommon song structures, instrumental interludes, and finally (my favorite part), chromatic notes galore for riff, leads, solos, and transitions.

I also try to keep a decent foundation of music theory so that I know what I'm doing.

Also, almost every other guitarist out there has better equipment anyways. I'll save money to buy my own when I'm finally old enough to legally have a job in the state of Florida.

By the way, my new youtube account for brony music, fanfics, and other random stuff (later on) is right there below this. You could subscribe and wait until June to get in on this. I will always be open to feedback and suggestions on anything.

[Pickslide1992]

Been playing for 4 years and I'm decent. I can do some nice medium speed solos, but nothing even close to shred. However, I am the master of rhythm guitar.

[MasterOfRegret]

I don't even know. I taught myself out about 2 years ago now, and can do anything on acoustic really. Just give me a little time to practise it. I refuse to use a pick though, so I don;t get the sharp sounds that others get, but it makes it considerably easier to do any melodies.

[PinkieGuy]

When I said I play metal, I mean any style of it that I can. My personal favorite is progressive metal (in the style of Dream Theater, Porcupine Tree, Between the Buried and Me, Protest the Hero, Animals as Leaders, Opeth, Liquid Tension Experiment, etc.). Recently, I've been trying some djent (like Periphery and Bulb), deathcore (Whitechapel, IWrestledABearOnce, Veil of Maya), death metal (Cannibal Corpse, Death, Bloodbath), and grindcore (mostly just Carcass style: pre- Heartwork, and some Pig Destroyer).

I'm always open to new genres of music. I just have a preference for metal. Outside of metal, [/b]

You and I, we'll get along just fine man

[Gnarrkhaz]

When I said I play metal, I mean any style of it that I can. My personal favorite is progressive metal (in the style of Dream Theater, Porcupine Tree, Between the Buried and Me, Protest the Hero, Animals as Leaders, Opeth, Liquid Tension Experiment, etc.). Recently, I've been trying some djent (like Periphery and Bulb), deathcore (Whitechapel, IWrestledABearOnce, Veil of Maya), death metal (Cannibal Corpse, Death, Bloodbath), and grindcore (mostly just Carcass style: pre- Heartwork, and some Pig Destroyer).

I'm always open to new genres of music. I just have a preference for metal. Outside of metal, [/b]

You and I, we'll get along just fine man

Same here. My favorite genre is Emo.......wait a sec...

(genre unequal trend by the way )

[Gnarrkhaz]

I'm actually not amazing at improvising, so I usually practice a lot before trying anything new. I hope that makes you feel better.

Thanks for trying.

[ismbof]

I'm always open to new genres of music. I just have a preference for metal. Outside of metal, I've tried hard rock, jazz, psychadelic rock, and some classical. When I try combining these styles of music with metal, I usually wind up with progressive metal anyways. Just add some bizzare (sometime dissonant) chords, awkward time signatures, polyrhythms, solos for every instrument in the band, uncommon song structures, instrumental interludes, and finally (my favorite part), chromatic notes galore for riff, leads, solos, and transitions.

I also try to keep a decent foundation of music theory so that I know what I'm doing.

My god man we are so alike...other than me having barely any knowledge of music theory. I think I'm going to like you (I'm 16, btw).

[Pickslide1992]

I'm always open to new genres of music. I just have a preference for metal. Outside of metal, I've tried hard rock, jazz, psychadelic rock, and some classical. When I try combining these styles of music with metal, I usually wind up with progressive metal anyways. Just add some bizzare (sometime dissonant) chords, awkward time signatures, polyrhythms, solos for every instrument in the band, uncommon song structures, instrumental interludes, and finally (my favorite part), chromatic notes galore for riff, leads, solos, and transitions.

I also try to keep a decent foundation of music theory so that I know what I'm doing.

My god man we are so alike...other than me having barely any knowledge of music theory. I think I'm going to like you (I'm 16, btw).

Same here. Most music theory I know is basically BPM and chords and measures and crap like that. To me, if it sounds good, I'm happy.

[ChromaticChaosPony]

My god man we are so alike...other than me having barely any knowledge of music theory. I think I'm going to like you (I'm 16, btw).

Thanks. I'm not an expert at the theory, but I'm fairly decent. It's nice because I can work with other musicians and keep up to some degree, even though I'm new.

You seem like a cool guy.

[Pickslide1992]

It's nice to have some new blood here, including you, Chromatic. Once again, outside of a few things, I know not a lot about theory, just if it sounds good to me, I'm happy.

[MixolydianPony]

What would you guys think of a guitar solo duel contest thing, like a guitarists' version of the Winter Rap Off?

My initial 30 seconds of thoughts on the matter.... Judge solos based on several traits, some of which might be: originality/creativity, technicality, and overall musicality, with each of those traits being equal. That way, shredders don't have any *significant* advantage.

Also, note that "technicality" does not apply to just speed, it would refer to anything technique wise... whammy bar use, vibrato, bends, etc.

"Musicality" is a word my band director made up, it more or less refers to things like dynamics and articulation. It's a general catch-all phrase that describes expressive playing.

[Gnarrkhaz]

What would you guys think of a guitar solo duel contest thing, like a guitarists' version of the Winter Rap Off?

Sounds like a really good idea to me. I don't think that i could come up with anything remotely good but i can at least try my best. Just expect a slow solo from me. :/

edit: oh and as long as i don't have my new guitar i won't be able to play anything. Hopefully i'll have it soon.

[Pickslide1992]

I like the idea, Mix. Though expect more of a Tony Iommi/medium speed Slash approach from me. I am the polar opposite of a shredder. xD

[ismbof]

I like the idea, Mix. Though expect more of a Tony Iommi/medium speed Slash approach from me. I am the polar opposite of a shredder. xD

Yeah, I also can't shred for macaroni. Not a fan of solo'ing much, even though it can be very useful. I'm too lazy to figure out scales and stuff, hehe. I probably should, though.

[ThatRobChap]

Ah, there's a guitar thread. Why have I only just noticed this?

What would you guys think of a guitar solo duel contest thing, like a guitarists' version of the Winter Rap Off?

This is a great idea. Whether or not I'd actually do it... well, we'll see

[Pickslide1992]

I just hope backing drums are allowed.

[ChromaticChaosPony]

Count me in! I'll just do some weird progressive technical metal or djent-like shredding in a low tuning (like C# standard or drop B). I'm probably going to use mostly sweep picking, tapping, and legatto for the difficult techniques. I might use some whammy or pinch harmonics, but not much. With alot of practice, this should be easy. I just wish that I had a 7 or 8 string guitar, then I would be guaranteed the win.

Would we need a backing track or are we just shredding completely solo? Also, it would have to wait until at least next week since I finally ordered a good microphone online for recording guitar, vocals, keyboard, and whatever other instrument I ever feel like recording.

[MixolydianPony]

I ask about *possibly* doing a competition, and now you guys are already planning on participating

Well, I guess we're doing it. And I guess I'll host it. I want to clear up a few more details, and then I'll make a topic in the contest section of the forums.

Here's what I'm thinking....

I'll create 3 or 4 simple backing tracks in different genres. (Probably going to be jazz, acoustic rock, classic rock, and metal) You either pick one of those, or make your own, or go for a true solo with just your guitar and nothing else.

Shoot for around :30 - 1:00 in length.

I'll try and create a more elaborate scoring mechanism that will better balance shredders and non shredders. I'll also try and work out a good way to actually assign the scores. I'm fairly competent in my ability to judge them in an unbiased manner, however, I'd still feel a bit awkward doing it. I'd like to work out a voting system, where the submissions and voters are anonymous, however, I have no idea how to implement that.

Would you guys be opposed to opening this to other instrumentalists? Making it a soloing contest in general, as opposed to just guitarists? There are some piano players around here that I know would love to play some jazz stuff.

[ChromaticChaosPony]

Would you guys be opposed to opening this to other instrumentalists? Making it a soloing contest in general, as opposed to just guitarists?

That is a brilliant idea. It should be open to anyone who can solo in general (guitar, piano, dubstep, saxophone, anything else...). This will open up the forum to more people.

That being said, is it okay to make a solo instrumental in whinch 2 instruments have solos? For example, I might learn a little keyboard and try to solo on that as well or play the solo with two guitars soloing in order to to harmonize the solo in certain parts or create interesting delay-like effects.

One last thing, is it okay if my solo is closer to 2 minutes long? I want to go all out on this competition.

[Pickslide1992]

Would harmonies be allowed? I have a bit of a harmonic riff in my head.

[ThatRobChap]

I certainly hope so. Harmonies are always fun.

[Pickslide1992]

Yeah, I have an idea for a Boston inspired duo solo that ends with a harmony.

[ChromaticChaosPony]

That's an awesome idea. Good luck with it. I'm certain that mine will not sound similar to anything in particular, and especially not any of the other metal guitar solos that might be submitted by other guitarists.

[Pickslide1992]

Are we allowed multiple entries? I have the aforementioned Boston idea but I've been noodling around with a Santana styled thing too.

[MixolydianPony]

Alright, we're doing it.

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=2168

If there's anything you want changed with what I've laid out, please let me know.