Shredding

[Satching]

Hi, I've been playing for a year or so, and wants to be a shredder (Go Vai!) Now to the question; How long will it take for me to learn to shred, if I play 3 hrs a day? And do you have any good tips for pinky-finger exercises?

Grateful for any tips.

[Adagio_777]

define the term "shred".

[Satching]

Originally Posted by ESPEXPLORER351D

define the term "shred".

Shred, as in Yngwie-shred, or Petrucci-shred. Fast playing basically.

[zEr0]

If you are determined enough I think you can start being quite happy with your shredding skills after a year's playing but that depends on your natural skills. It may take more than 3 hours a day and I'm only talking about playing scales and arpeggios very fast (not playing music fast).

Hopefully you will learn along the way that there's more into guitar playing than just shredding.

Good luck.

[Satching]

Originally Posted by zEr0

If you are determined enough I think you can start being quite happy with your shredding skills after a year's playing but that depends on your natural skills. It may take more than 3 hours a day and I'm only talking about playing scales and arpeggios very fast (not playing music fast).

Hopefully you will learn along the way that there's more into guitar playing than just shredding.

Good luck.

I realize that just because it's fast, it isn't good. I like Satriani a lot, and just like him I'd like to be able to use the shredding skills as a tool, and not something that signifies my style of playing.

[Adagio_777]

that's a good mentality to have....


it is hard to say how long it would take you to be able to 'shred'. You mentioned that 'shred' is the ability to play fast, and we have different perceptions as to what "fast" actually is.

If you put the practice in, you will be able to play "fast" in ____. First of all set yourself some achievable goals, take a lick / solo and practice it as slow as possible, (make sure that you use a metronome) until you have perfected it at that tempo, then increase the speed. It can be very borin at the best of times, however once you make some progress it will be very satisfying.

A good place to start would be to buy some Instructional Videos/DVD's, and I would highly recommend -

Paul Gilbert - Intense Rock I / II
John Petrucci - Rock Discipline

It is good that you have recognised that speed isn't what guitar is all about, so make sure you learn some chords/scales along the way, and if you feel it will benefit your playing, learn abit of theory, it wouldn't hurt.

[Satching]

Originally Posted by ESPEXPLORER351D

that's a good mentality to have....


it is hard to say how long it would take you to be able to 'shred'. You mentioned that 'shred' is the ability to play fast, and we have different perceptions as to what "fast" actually is.

If you put the practice in, you will be able to play "fast" in ____. First of all set yourself some achievable goals, take a lick / solo and practice it as slow as possible, (make sure that you use a metronome) until you have perfected it at that tempo, then increase the speed. It can be very borin at the best of times, however once you make some progress it will be very satisfying.

A good place to start would be to buy some Instructional Videos/DVD's, and I would highly recommend -

Paul Gilbert - Intense Rock I / II
John Petrucci - Rock Discipline

It is good that you have recognised that speed isn't what guitar is all about, so make sure you learn some chords/scales along the way, and if you feel it will benefit your playing, learn abit of theory, it wouldn't hurt.

Thanks for the advices. I already have those videos, I feel that Intense Rock 1 gives me challenges more at my level of playing, but I'm trying to mix up, so i don't get stuck in a rut (I guess that happens to everyone sometimes). Thanks for taking your time to answer my questions.

[Drew]

I HATE the term shred, especially when used as a verb.

It just implies that "shred" is somehow arbitrary, and it's a physical, tangible thing - like 16ths at 179 bpm isn't shred, but 180 is. It's silly, but it bugs me. I don't call myself a shredder, I call myself a prog-rock/instrumental rock guitarist who likes stupidly fast guitar solos.

Forget terms, forget definitions, forget tempos, and just ask yourself "How long will it take me to be a really good guitarist?" The answer is, "A really bloodly long time, but at least I'll have a lot of fun learning."

Things that have helped me the most over the years (not that I'm super-accomplished, but that I too am striving to get better)

-a metronome
-Troy Stetina's "Speed Mechanics for Lead Guitar"
-listening to guys better than me; first Jimi and SRV, then Satch, Vai, and Petrucci, and now Rusty Cooley (Not that I'm as good as anyone in that list, it's just when I felt I was starting to get the hang of blues-rock soloing, I discovered a whole new world of technique and harmonic ideas in the next three, and when I was beginning to get comfortable there, I discovered stupendous speed and a completely different physical approach with Cooley) - basically, listen to guys better than you, and KNOW what makes them better
-recording software, anything that'll allow you to put down a drum beat (even if it's a drum loop, although you can sequence your own in fruity loops, which has a free trial) and some rhythm guitar and bass (optional, but it makes things sound a lot better). Then, start recording rhythm stuff and record yourself soloign over it, and try to tab out what you've played. You will learn a LOT about yourself as a gutiarist this way, mistakes you didn't notice while playing, and phrasing habits you fall into.

Now, forget you've ever heard the word "shred" and get to work.

-D

[Artist]

split all your practice 50% rhythm 50% lead.

If you want to play proffesionally, 90% of your playing with be rhythm, unless you're playing lead guitar instrumental stuff, which is a lot harder to be succesful in.

Allan Holdsworth once said in an interview, in a near split second reply "Rhythm" when he was asked what had contributed more to his playing, his lead practice or rhythm.

[lemmy555]

I dont understand how anyone can like Rusty Cooley.....
he cant even tune his guitar.....his recordings are compressed into a ball of crap, and he couldnt define melody with a dictionary in his hand......

Just my Opinion

Anyhow.....Building a set practice regimine is the best way to get good fast. Its better to play 2 hours every day than to play 15 hours once a week. Its all about taking what you learned the previous day to the next level, and push yourself and be disciplined. The technical part of playing guitar is the easy part (I know it doesnt seem that way at first, but technique can be learned by anyone with enough time and discipline.)

Just practice hard, and you'll get there before you know it.

lemmy555

[Bar_Hook]

Originally Posted by Drew

I HATE the term shred, especially when used as a verb.

It just implies that "shred" is somehow arbitrary, and it's a physical, tangible thing - like 16ths at 179 bpm isn't shred, but 180 is. It's silly, but it bugs me.

I couldn't possibly agree more mate. Shred is such an overused word that it has really lost all meaning and has become a hook for immature guitarists. Play fast by all means, but don't pidgeonhole it as "now i am shredding...now im not shredding".

Originally Posted by lemmy555

- his recordings are compressed into a ball of crap, and he couldnt define melody with a dictionary in his hand......

well said

[zEr0]

Originally Posted by lemmy555

I dont understand how anyone can like Rusty Cooley.....
he cant even tune his guitar.....his recordings are compressed into a ball of crap, and he couldnt define melody with a dictionary in his hand......

Just my Opinion

Anyhow.....Building a set practice regimine is the best way to get good fast. Its better to play 2 hours every day than to play 15 hours once a week. Its all about taking what you learned the previous day to the next level, and push yourself and be disciplined. The technical part of playing guitar is the easy part (I know it doesnt seem that way at first, but technique can be learned by anyone with enough time and discipline.)

Just practice hard, and you'll get there before you know it.

lemmy555

I don't think Rusty is a senseless shredder at all. He certainly gives that kind of image but I was very surprised when I listened to his CD and found very nice tunes (which of course didn't lack the insanely techinicity of his style) in it.

[fettouhi]

Originally Posted by zEr0

I don't think Rusty is a senseless shredder at all. He certainly gives that kind of image but I was very surprised when I listened to his CD and found very nice tunes (which of course didn't lack the insanely techinicity of his style) in it.

Yeah Rusty got some nice tunes on his CD. Francesco Fareri on the other hand you could call him a mindless shredder. Well, not quite but his vibrato is very limited.

Regards

André

[lemmy555]

I never heard Rusty's CD.....
The two songs I heard on the "Generation Ibanez Project" were just TERRIBLE....outa tune, over compressed, melody-less songs.

I have a MIDI player that can play much more complex and fast things than Rusty can, so until he can outdo that, I dont see myself being impressed with his speed and technique....(I dont wanna hear a technical robot, I wanna hear living, organic, melodic music)

Again, just my opinion....

but for those interested in that kinda speed and technique, I can play 200,074 notes per second!
(I just lay down on some piano keys)

lemmy

[fettouhi]

If you want good shredding with melody check out George Bellas.

Regards

André