If you can play fast, shred, burn, shave heads, then that is what it becomes exactly. When something is old or dead or in the way, you burn it. I know that Montel Williams shaves his head often(not that often) not because of its soulful, atmospheric magic. If on a song you “burn” a scale just remember that a scale is not music, it is what music is derived from. Nobody goes to a museum of art to see every shade of white blank canvas boards. It is the art on the board that you look at. If you play too fast it loses musicality. These exercises are only exercises to gain an attribute from which you can build from. The first rule for any musician is when you learn scales, arpeggios etc. is to stop playing them as they are in raw form and play music! I hear guys all the time playing 3 octave long scale passages on songs–but why kill a song with a scale demonstration? Imagine playing memorable solos with no discernable scales or anything from a book; just music! Listen to Alan Holdsworth or Hendrix you will never say, “wow your descending scale in four note groupings was textbook!” Instead you’ll be saying I dont know what that was but it was awesome!
Archive for March, 2007
One afternoon I was driving on an extremely busy four lane highway during Christmas traffic while on the phone in a serious conversation with a former employer.
Subconsciously I studied about twenty separate situations; some dealing with traffic, some with a song on the radio, etc, etc, hearing tiny slices of passing conversations and so on. I fully realized my absolute detachment from all and understood this is why I could study each situation in detail–simultaneously.
I analyzed how I was doing this like I was a third party writing a report on this person in a kind of “overview” mode. There was my overviewer, my underviewer, etc. I saw a through a dozen viewpoints upon my situation. All the while psychological whisps of streamed consciousness echoed many revelations in thick layers each with their own complete selves – all the while, still driving and on the phone.
Sometimes a passing feeling could encompass all the above as an exhalation enwrapped unto itself. A thousand deep cognitions still as I became each moment. I have never been more alive and I will remain until I pass.
Alive Becoming
Mar 23
This was written by my vehicle, or rather the one who sees me when they “look in a mirror” by not trying. If one tries to understand reality, they become confused and create false rationalizations stemming from their own human nature.
Let reality understand you and balance then can be nurtured. True self realization often leads one to a life of depression and what seems aimlessness. Happy successful people who live life as a standard model and die satisfied actually never even began self understanding! It is human nature to have an idea (ideal model) of what a good life is. All goals and desires are conceptualized through this.
You then become a slave to your own human condition–though you believe just the opposite (ignorance truly is bliss). It is because my vehicle destroyed and burned all notions of human nature, that I am becoming. Perhaps you may have heard the Chinese proverb, nothing happens, all things are becoming. . .
I have always been a “fast” guitar player pretty much–It seems natural to me. For you practice freaks you will relate to this: Originally when I developed my first fast scale it was starting on a down stroke on a 3 note per string pattern. Down-up-down-down (I used 2 down strokes when changing strings like Frank Gambale) and I alternate picked when descending.
Then one day I saw Paul Gilbert’s Intense Rock Instructional video (holy shit!!!). Well, I couldn’t strictly alternate pick an ascending scale to save my life. Anyway, It took five years to develop this skill–it was like starting over from scratch! I think most guitarists have their own main way of picking. I then studied after all that how Frank Gambale picked. especially his way of sweep picking a pentatonic scale in 4 note groupings.
This technique felt impossible–so I had to start over AGAIN! It has taken seven years to get this down! I figured Gambale can’t alternate pick well and Paul Gilbert is an alternate picker in its most metered extreme but he does not play Gambale’s method.
The answer is LEARN BOTH!!! Every way a pattern can be played should be mastered by using every technique possible. I practice all scales, etc. starting with a downstroke or up stroke at full speed, the point being it doesn’t matter because I’m comfortable with both. If for example you cannot shred a descending scale when you start with an upstroke then make that your main technique goal!
THEN. . .I studied Shawn Lane’s technique. This will take the rest of my life because his technique is what I’ve been talking about with my method. He has his own ultra efficient way. Really you should realize that a “technique” or a “method” will limit you. . .thats why it’s really a “concept” where you figure all this out on your own. The way of no way like Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do.
I think a fantastic book is Mick Goodrick’s The Advancing Guitarist–you really should read it! Shawn Lane truly inspired me in a new way, like I believe my ability is Limitless! I am heavily into my own intervallic style and I don’t use “scales” any more (there’s too many) just like Marty Friedman once said to do.
I think in terms of harmony, you know, chords. My philosophy is if it seems like it’s too difficult then I HAVE to make it my reason for living! You maintain what you can do (20% of your practice time) and go through hell learning what you can’t (80 % of your practice time). Anyway, stay inspired at all times and Play your guitar!
Eleven
Mar 8
Eleven minds are my prisons of enslavement
under thickened layers
suffocating
my churning nightmare
searing bloody trench
blistered misery
from eleven minds
an excretion of truth
unremembered by forgotten voids
of empty nowheres
Eleven eyes stare back from shards of broken mirrors
burning to ashes in my crypt of shattered minds
I cry storms of blood from my eyes I see
a grave of memories in which I sleep
forever undisturbed
my dreams unborn. . .
reflections unfold as forgotten
days of a future looked back on
by eleven minds
Words unwritten by eleven hands remain unread
by eyeless heads thirsting for waters untasted
a core of rage boils in veins of eleven demons
feeding my secret vacuum
smothering inside itself
I live eleven dreams of emerald sunrays
blistering the pale skins of my windowless soul’s
imprisoned misery
I wear eleven masks of deception
each its own opposite
an unseen entity forgotten by a
wind that never blew
thy cold wet infant
motherless
so alone
I died in wicked fires
to relive eleven lives
eleven times
in between before and after
By Robert Revell
