Yingwie Malmsteen - where do I begin?

[JT Szymanski]

I mainly play Blues/Rock, and stuff like Cream or Jimi has always been my favorite. *I have also tried to play some Satch and Via stuff (with little sucess these guys are the best). *Satch and Via have amazed me and I thought I had heard it all. *However, recently I had decided to explore some other stuff including guitar heros I had never heard before. *My neighbore had a Yingwie Malmsteen cd he let be borrow. *I was blown away, it was so much different than what I am used to. *What can I do to get started on learning this awsome style. *Any help would be great (exercises, scales, technique, anything). *

Thanks

[ripl3y]

Well,
It's a very difficult question to answer.
If you are interested in Satch, I'd look into developing my Legato (I'm gonna' be running a tutorial session on legate in this very forum as soon as I get the time)
The reason I say this is I (me personally) think Satch's best attribute is his legato, it is so effortless for him....so...I'll be posting some of his most used licks for people to learn.

Steve's ain't as polished in a live situation, although he has a very good studio legato.
IMHO Yngvai can't compete so I won't include any...sorry.

[Chan]

Start practicing your alternate picking and sweeping. There is tons of stuff on the net to help get that up to speed. Next learn the harmonic minor scale and rip of some licks from baroque composers. I would also check out "The Maze" by Vinnie Moore and "Ascend" by Greg Howe. The are both in the same style as Malmsteen, but IMO they are alot more interesting. I've also heard that *Paul Gillbert's videos are good, but I've never seen them myself.

[Little Pete]

Sorry JT I'm not stalking you or anything just happen to have an opinion regarding a few of your posts.

If you want to play Yengwie or whatever his name is, all you have to due is learn a minor scale and then run up and down it as fast as possible.

P.S. Play your Jem10 :-}

[gitarguy]

While I will agree that you should work on your alternate picking and you should learn the harmonic minor scale I also think Yngwie's style is much more advanced than that. I would suggest learning the minor & melodic minor scale, *the diminished scale and the harmonic minor scale. I would also suggest working on your vibrato (Yngwie has great vibrato), arpeggios, and pedal tone licks. Once you have a grasp of all that stuff practice practice practice!! *

[JT Szymanski]

Do you guys know of any particular sites, books, or videos that cover these things.

Thanks for the help ;^)

[kirk]

JT - here's a site that will help you out -

CHOPS FROM HELL

Not too many fans of Yngwie around here, but I have always liked him and he has had some type of influence on my playing since the first time I heard the Rising Force album.

[vwall]

I am a recovering Yngwie-aholic.
As far as some of the comments belittling YJM's playing, just overlook them. If any one can back up their comments about *it then they can certainly outshred Yngwie. but i doubt that is gonna happen.
Like him or not, YJM is one of the best players the guitar world knows. Not THE best, just one of the best.
Unfortunately, YJM has been dubbed with a bad rep. not just from other players or peers, but also in the industry. this is mostly done at his own hand.

as far as YJM as a person. you may hear all sorts of stuff but if you dig that neo classical style. rock on.

I was an avid follow and wannabe of yngwie long before i heard of satch and vai. to me YJM was it.
Now, 15 years at the guitar, i know that he's not IT. but definately *ranked.

My best advice to you is this:
Dont bury yourself in the keys and mode that he plays in. it will definately hinder your playing and leave you with narrow paths.
I finally broke free from what i call yngwie syndrom.(in fact i havent bought his last 2 or 3 cds and havent listen to him much at all in the last 3 years) and what a freedom. Since then my playing and style had broadened 70%. I still have alot of the great influences from him such as arpeggios and sweep picking and lightning fast alt picking, but now it is much broader thanks to the melodic grooves of Vai and satch and moore and gilbert and hoey, and scheetz and on and on.
So follow the music in your heart and in your ears. practice your favorite players but dont continue to clone them. Keep a BROAD veiw on your playing as it will make you a more accomplished player. I still often find myself back in the harmonic minor keys and wanting to go there cuz its the "comfort zone"
Broaden your influences and it will make
you a more accomplished player. I wish i didnt learn that the hard and long way...

Hope this helps.

Diclaimer: I am not defending or advocating YJM or anyone who does.:biggrin:


scott

(Edited by vwall at 9:06 pm on Aug. 1, 2001)

[Devo]

I discovered Vai before Yngwie so wasnt impressed when I first hear him, how and ever I did get his video on sweep picking to see how it was done but that made me learn some errors into my technique,

I could play all his arpeggios from the vid but as soon as I wanted to do Vai type, or petrucci I was stuck.

It has taken me two years by myself to unlearn his technique.

now Im ready to get myself a copy of Frank Gambales chop builder and start again, soon Ill be sweeping like Kevan here!

Im not saying anything bad about Yng because his technique works very well for him, just not for me.

also learn the phrygian dominant mode Yng cant stay away from it for more than 2 seconds its funny sometimes:cheesy:

[warmregards]

Yngwie was my first guitar hero, and although I find his older stuff much better than his newer, his technique has gotten much better. *I guess the problem I have with a lot of his music is that a lot of his solos just sound like he pulls them out of his ass...but speed is definately something that draws my attention and no one does it better than Yngwie. *Try learning a couple of his earlier tunes. *The YJM Collection CD is a very good compilation of his 80's music. *Black Star and Far Beyond the Sun will forever be his trademarks, so learn those first. *You can get by with unclean sweeping in these songs, but you will definately need good alternate picking to do his runs. *Good luck, and practice!

[JT Szymanski]

Thanks for all the help, looks like this stuff will keep me busy for a while.

[rosskoss]

Quote: from Little Pete on 7:01 pm on Aug. 1, 2001
Sorry JT I'm not stalking you or anything just happen to have an opinion regarding a few of your posts.

If you want to play Yengwie or whatever his name is, all you have to due is learn a minor scale and then run up and down it as fast as possible.

P.S. Play your Jem10 :-}

So you think thats all there is to it.All I have to do is teach a beginner the minor scale and tell him to try and play as fast as he can.

Are you kidding me??You know how that would sound?Its not that simple.Have you actually tried playing any of Yngwie's pieces?Its not easy at all.And he sometimes plays some of it faster live than in the studio.Playing his songs live is really no joke.The guy has superb technique.Theres no denying it.

Try playing trilogy suite op. 5.I know its just running up and down scales(to some people) but try playing as clean as he does and at that tempo.

I feel if you want to be a good all round guitarists,you have to have your alternate picking chops in shape.No excuse there.

Legato is good and gives a different sound but it is definitely easier compared to alternate picking(2 hands involved over here).Most guitarists having good alternate picking skills tend to have good legato as well.

Also,give malmsteen some credit.He took that one scale(the harmonic minor) and made so many amazing songs from it.How many could you make?

I agree,his last two albums were crap(just mindless ****ing) but some of his older songs were amazing.Nothing gets me rocking like those songs.As far as technique is concerned,Yngwie has actually improved.His latest album has bad songs and bad solos but he does some edge of the seat improvising perfectly in time.

And his tone is superb as always.

[YngVaiTriani]

Direct answer. Get Yngwie Malmsteen - Blitzkrieg.mp3 .... www.gatesofinfinity.com and get the tab. Work the whole thing slow if you have the time and patience. It's very difficult. It's all alternate picking for the intro but that'll give you enough problems. Email me if you want the mp3 or tab.

[Little Pete]

Sorry I didn't intend to hurt anybodies feelings. *If you guys want to play like Malmsteen than more power to ya. *However, I just feel that the amount of practice time it will take is not worth it. *You could instead spend time working on a more creative style; speed is not everything, but melodies are. *

I do respect that Malmsteen is an excelent player, so if that what you want to play good luck and keep practicing.

[Carlo]

I was just watching clips from his newest video, 'Full Shred.' *Man, he is more insane than ever. *Actually seeing him play Blitzkrieg as effortlessly as he does, shows his total command over the instrument. *Sure, his songs may not be everyone's cup of tea but you gotta give him respect for his skills.