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TOPIC: any suggestions

any suggestions 14 years 2 weeks ago #2725

I'm becoming bored and frustrated at not being able to combine the lead with the rhythm. What I mean is: I play the rhythm (albeit not so smoothly) and I play the lead (albeit with mucho mistakes at times), but I would like to combine the two here and there to make it sound more interesting and more musical. Does anyone know what I'm talking about or have the same problem? Maybe it's a matter of just getting better at playing period. I also find it difficult to improve my strum, be more relaxed and vary my strum. I have started to just learn the chords on some other songs that I just enjoy singing, without worrying about the lead part. It helps when I can sing along and also I feel a little more freedom when not practising the songs for class that require learning the lead and having to play in front of everybody and try to coordinate everybodies different styles and timing.:unsure:
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Re:any suggestions 14 years 2 weeks ago #2729

Mutzie once again...PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE....Think of it as a sport...."if you don't train you don't get better"!
I put little arrows (on the songs from Dave's CD) where I wanted to strum while doing the lead and practiced ever so
s-l-o-w-l-y...till it came naturally....still I mess up quite often :cheer: but it's been fun and challenging and it keeps me practicing....:cheer:
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Re:any suggestions 14 years 2 weeks ago #2732

For me, the rhythm part of a tune is the easiest to get. If i can at least keep good timing and chording, i can play rhythm---i don't really have to take a lead. I start out with my met at a slow tempo, 40-50 BPM. If it's a 4/4 song, i'll strum with the tick of my met, bass/strum/bass/strum for a 4/4 tune. I don't do anything fancy while learning the tune, no alternating bass line, etc. I'll do the alternating bass when i can get the chording clean and on time. For a 3/4 song, i use bass/strum/strum. You should only play as much as a space of time allows. This is where a met is an excellent tool.
Our tunes are written in 2 part, lead and rhythm, as we would play them with others. I have found that when you learn a tune good enough, you can improvise with a blending of the lead and rhythm parts to make it sound "musical". I did this experimenting on Amazing Grace. I played a combo of lead and chord in the measure. I would substitute a lead note with a chord strum. I even did a version in 4/4 time, playing 3 lead notes with a chord strum. Again, depending on the time signature, let the time signature be your guide, don't play where time doesn't allow.
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Re:any suggestions 14 years 2 weeks ago #2739

Mutzie try listening to the song that you want to learn over and over many times until you remember the tune. Do this before you attempt to practice it on guitar. This method helps me when I'm trying to learn a new song. I forget them later as you saw last night.
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Re:any suggestions 14 years 2 weeks ago #2741

Depending on what song you're playing it might be possible to leave one of your fingers planted in the chord position while fretting the lead, making the transition easier (quicker) between the two. This technic may take some time as the finger you leave planted may be the one you're most comfortable with for leads.
Hang in there.
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Re:any suggestions 14 years 2 weeks ago #2742

AH!! THIS IS WHERE IT GETS INTERESTING. I find it is sort of a never ending process. Get the chord structure down first.. then find that melody that you have fixed in your mind. Brian had a good point about using some other fingers while maintaining a chord position. TRY SIMPLIFYING THE MELODY. add a few embelishments. slide up to a note. drone two notes together. hammer and pull. mute a string. move up the neck to a different spot where the scale notes fit. you may not have to play every note of the melody to get the point across. bass notes! different octives. different picking and strums. try some up down sixteenth notes folowed by a hard slide. don't forget dynamics. sometimes you have to let loose and get jiggy with it and you find something that sounds good to you. then try to remember what you did.. maybe make a few comments on your music to help. say on Soldiers Joy hold that D chord and use your pinky and index finger to pick out a few melody notes then use the index to barr chord the A with an accent,,then back to the D.. just some thoughts...
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