Lesson 4

[zwantedone]

Wondering how you all are progressing with this. Seems like I ran into a brick wall on this one.. I can do the major/minor patterns, no problem. I can play the tab Griff has laid out,no problem. Visualizing the upcoming pattern on my own is where I draw the blank. I know the goal is to be able to do this on the fly, and I'm trying my damndest to achieve it. Actually, I want to get to the solo's, but I can't just skip this. I know it's important to get it. Any suggestions other than keep pounding away at the exercises Griff put down, and hope a light comes on? Frustrating as hell.........

 

[vashondan]

Now, I'm far from having conquered this but I'm taking it one major minor combo at a time.  Takes me a while to "see" the other box but it comes.  I'm on my second pairing which is box one and 5 in the open position.  That's driving me a bit nuts with the open strings.  I haven't even looked at the solos so as not to be tempted or rushed. 

 

[Steve G]

We've all got different approaches to learning that work for us.  Here's what I'm doing, for what it's worth.  Each time I practice I'll pick a root note, then play the major box(left & right) a couple of times, followed by the minor box a couple of times, followed by combining the two in eighth notes & trips.  I'll do this for each root note so I'm reinforcing where all of the root notes are & the major/minor boxes that relate to them each time I practice.  I'm a long way from it being second nature but it's coming along.  Box 2 major/1 minor is probably my strongest pattern because they were the boxes I used most previously, but they're all coming along.

After completing the exercises I work on the solos.  I've completed solo 1 & I'm working on solo 2.  I don't think of it as jumping ahead.  I look at it as 1: rewarding myself with something fun after the exercises and 2: applying the exercises in a real playing situation.  I think that playing the solos is helping me see the patterns better & visa versa.

One thing I've noticed(& I think it's a testament to how helpful this course has been) is that when I'm noodling over a backing track I'm much more comfortable moving up & down the neck & falling into the right(or left) pattern for whatever root note I'm working from.  The licks aren't very fancy yet, but I'm finding the right notes anyway. 

 

[miko]

Ditto, what Steve says.

 

[vashondan]

We've all got different approaches to learning that work for us.  Here's what I'm doing, for what it's worth.  Each time I practice I'll pick a root note, then play the major box(left & right) a couple of times, followed by the minor box a couple of times, followed by combining the two in eighth notes & trips.  I'll do this for each root note so I'm reinforcing where all of the root notes are & the major/minor boxes that relate to them each time I practice.  I'm a long way from it being second nature but it's coming along.  Box 2 major/1 minor is probably my strongest pattern because they were the boxes I used most previously, but they're all coming along.



After completing the exercises I work on the solos.  I've completed solo 1 & I'm working on solo 2.  I don't think of it as jumping ahead.  I look at it as 1: rewarding myself with something fun after the exercises and 2: applying the exercises in a real playing situation.  I think that playing the solos is helping me see the patterns better & visa versa.

One thing I've noticed(& I think it's a testament to how helpful this course has been) is that when I'm noodling over a backing track I'm much more comfortable moving up & down the neck & falling into the right(or left) pattern for whatever root note I'm working from.  The licks aren't very fancy yet, but I'm finding the right notes anyway. 

Love your approach.  Think I'll give er a go. 

 

[BoogieMan]

I'm on my second pairing which is box one and 5 in the open position.  That's driving me a bit nuts with the open strings.

I'm having the same issue with this position as well.  The open strings seem to throw me a bit.  It's coming slowly but I think it will take some time.

 

[zwantedone]

Steve, I read your post(actually printed it out and took it to my music room) and thought I'd give it a try. I guess basically what I wasn't doing was actually looking at what I was doing. I started to watch myself, plus had a fretboard diagram of the scales on my music stand to reference. I couldn't believe it, but after a few tries, I did it without looking at he tab. Holy S**t! Don't know if it was coincidence, but I had been trying for weeks to accomplish this. Perhaps the fact that I was missing the forest for the trees, might also be an explanation.Don't know, don't care. I did it. Today I was able to do it without the diagram either. Don't want to break my arm patting myself on the back just yet, but it was quite the feeling of accomplishment. The other major hurdle I scaled today was finally being able to play something decent while standing. BGU solo2. Quite the day today........

 

[Steve G]

Steve, I read your post(actually printed it out and took it to my music room) and thought I'd give it a try. I guess basically what I wasn't doing was actually looking at what I was doing. I started to watch myself, plus had a fretboard diagram of the scales on my music stand to reference. I couldn't believe it, but after a few tries, I did it without looking at he tab. Holy S**t! Don't know if it was coincidence, but I had been trying for weeks to accomplish this. Perhaps the fact that I was missing the forest for the trees, might also be an explanation.Don't know, don't care. I did it. Today I was able to do it without the diagram either. Don't want to break my arm patting myself on the back just yet, but it was quite the feeling of accomplishment. The other major hurdle I scaled today was finally being able to play something decent while standing. BGU solo2. Quite the day today........

That's great! Breakthroughs are wonderful things & I'm glad for ya!  And don't feel guilty about the back patting, it's well deserved.