18 Dec Quick Message To All Rockers
‘morning all, you brothers.
I was answering a question of a dear friend this morning, and this is what I wrote him (email):
Okay listen carefully. It’s practice. And physical approach. But it’s easy (the method), nothing that needs a scientist. See how I move? It’s not for the pleasure of moving, nor because I like to dance. It really is because by moving, I will bop and bump my body in order to be able to physically do things. That is really all to it.I force myself to do things, in a total blend of mental concentration and physical effort. Nothing else. And practice only makes it possible. Don’t sweat it. In the sense that, do NOT lose trust in yourself because you are not being able to do it. I am nothing special, I have no particular skills. I just tried and tried. At the end, the reward is immense.Now onto your questions.Question 1 – you HAVE to learn the parts perfectly. That is the basis of it. So, begin with the chords and their progression. It is sufficient that you learn one or two songs like they were built in you to let you quicken the process with new songs in the future. But you will have to have done the whole process of learning and knowiing at least one full song inside out. And the rhythm is always key. So learn those chords and the way your hands change position to get them properly. All the strings that need to be struck and heard will have to be heard. Practice that with your most favorite song of all times, and bring it out.Stomp your feet, release your anger and or frustration on that song by moving while playing in order to FORCE YOUR BODY TO BOP WHILE YOU ROCK. I SAY AGAIN, I move only because I have to!You will see how those chord progression will come out right, in time.Question 2 – play the tempo you can master! It’s senseless to play stuff in a crap way but at the original tempo. You WILL get there, once you are comfortable with your own tempos. It will take time! Do NOT worry. Only time, practice.
Since I think it is worth for all to understand, I wanted to shout it out.
Love, Fil
jakesg61
Posted at 21:38h, 08 JanuaryMaybe some of you already know this, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, I found out today that Phil Rudd, drummer of AC/DC has been convicted and he pleaded guilty of possesing 25 grams of cannibis, When I found out I was very sad and dissapointed something I didnt want to believe it but I found out it is true, from what I have read on various reports the band may never tour again, I hope this is not true, we all make mistakes in life and im sure Phil is not a bad person, I really hope this does not distroy AC/DC’s legacy,
Dont quite know what to say now….
Sorry
Jake
Devil'Fingers"
Posted at 22:00h, 08 JanuaryI hope they will keep going, It’s really sad, but I think everything will be ok.
OldSchoolRocker666
Posted at 19:03h, 06 JanuaryEverytime i try to play an guitar i gotta play it ”aggressive”, move around and play with feeling(e.t.c), similar to Angus, i’ve got comments from people around me, like ”You only try to mimic Angus Young or AC/DC, try something else not so repeating, you copycat!” and stuff like that.. That’s not what i try to do, i only try to play as what i feel i should play like, naturaly, and people don’t understand that mostly, i hate when people judge my playing cause it sound similar to someone else 🙁
For me i just have to play like that naturaly, trying to play something else doesn’t work ”right” for me, i can’t get that musical ”feeling” if i try to play like Heavy Metal or stuff like that, i gotta play as in blues and Rock’n’Roll, with feeling, i struggle to obtain a certein vibrato in the bends e.t.c, it makes me come alive if i play as i do.. 🙁
I don’t see why people judges someone who plays similar to someone else , i only try to play as my heart says.. 🙁
Anyone who recognizes him or herself in this?
banane
Posted at 19:19h, 06 JanuaryHehe, thats funny, I got it the other way.
Most time I’m so much concentrated on playing, getting the timing right, listening to the drums of the backing track so I’m very little moving around at all. And what do they say? “Come on, show emotions, move around, don’t be so shy” 🙂
The best would be, just do it as you like. I know, that’s easy to say but hard to do.
I’m always uncomfortable when people watching me playing because I’m a bit of a perfectionist and normally won’t show things that I can’t do perfectly. But maybe thats a thing that a lot of people have to fight with.
OldSchoolRocker666
Posted at 19:33h, 06 JanuaryHehe , well playing music , expecily on guitar has never been easy, but you gotta try and try if you wanna get somewhere, i think the best thing is to (try) play as your mind and heart feels, it’s not easy(for beginners i.e) but i think by doing so you can allow your playing to ”come alive” more, depends on each one ofcourse 🙂
Hehe i don’t mind people watching, i’am so busy into the playing that everything else is dissappearing 🙂
But i hate when people comment on others playing in negative terms(i.e ” Sounds like shit/your playing sucks/i can do better/you’re just a copycat!”’) when they can’t do it themselves, it’s like they are jeleous, they rather spend time complaining when they instead could practice themselves, critizising with nothing to back it up, just acting plain rude and overall pessimistic and ignorance, and i hate it..
Constructive critic, like giving advice on how someone can improve is something i don’t mind but wasteless ignorant hating is just silly 🙁
I agree it’s not easy, but it often helps when trying 🙂
banane
Posted at 20:10h, 06 JanuaryI often have problems just to shut my brain off when playing. As soon as I begin to think about things (mistakes at playing, family or work related things) my playing goes wrong. Thats my biggest problem when playing in front of people.
I just need to learn how to switch off my brain and just fly along with the music. Sometimes this happens and such moments are pure joy then. Just the music and me 🙂
Yes, I also absolutely hate it, when people just say “sounds like shit, you cant play” and such things. That won’t get me further. Criticising is fine and absolutely necessary for learning and getting further, but it has to be constructive.
OldSchoolRocker666
Posted at 20:27h, 06 JanuaryHmmm i don’t know if this can help, but i usualy pick the guitar up, starts to tune it, listening closely to get an accurate tone, then i often experiment with the amp settings and listening, then i often starts to do some riff, a warm up so to speak, to get warm in the fingers and i also often tries to practice with movement, while listening to a song, not neccecerely playing but that works as well, but i allways tries to get into mood before attempting an song, if it’s Back In Black for example , i can pick up an magazine featuring an Angus Young interview, that allways helps get into mood , as i often starts to get an ”Let’s Bash em’ to peices”-Attitude before playing, that helps 🙂
Then i also begins to repeat the particular moment in a song, like a main riff or just solo part, it allways helps to repeat a song before attempting it with feeling, this works for me at least, but i can advice to do things that allows yourself to get into mood before playing 🙂
When i’am in the right mood for it, i just concentrate on the song, i don’t think, i rather let my mind, body and fingers ”talk”, and when i’am in that specific trance nothing else matters, it just comes naturaly, and as soon as i practice to a song (with a song in the background i.e), i get an enourmus feeling, an adrenaline rush, it’s hard to explain but the rush is so great i just wanna give more and more, i can’t explain it, but when i’am in middle of that ”trance”.. I can’t stop, it’s like i gotta try and try, overwealming.. Hard to explain it, you have to experience it yourself to understand it i think 🙂
Hope this helps 🙂
OldSchoolRocker666
Posted at 20:30h, 06 January*reedit* I don’t neccecarily do this in order, but i get in mood by doing parts of all this or by one thing, usualy only a few things, it depends on my mood, sometimes it requires more, sometimes less, and getting into the right mood really helps before i start to play 🙂
Try it out, it might help 🙂
banane
Posted at 20:51h, 06 JanuaryThanks for the advices 🙂 I know what you mean.
I do similar things, watching some songs from an AC/DC live dvd is also a good method to get in the right mood.
Problem is more to keep my thoughs silent when playing. Brain off, feeling on. I just havent found the right method for this.
SoloDallas
Posted at 01:48h, 07 JanuaryThere isn’t a method for this bro’, it’s only time. Time and practice (and listening) will draw you deeper and deeper in. I’ve been doing since I was 10 or so. At the time, I couldn’t even play and many times, I just put the guitar on, unpugged, headphones on and I just rocked away dancing like that. Basically, air guitar! I still do that with my son now! 😛 Love, Fil
banane
Posted at 02:02h, 07 JanuaryYou’re a good daddy, Fil 🙂
I have a photo where I’m laying on the floor “playing” air guitar like mad, I was 18 there, maybe. And I’m doing this still today. Maybe not laying on the floor but just rockin’ off a lot 🙂 This ain’t be a problem at least 🙂
Yeah, maybe it’s just the time and practice. Some months of practice are a little. Let’s see what will happen this year 🙂
Devil'Fingers"
Posted at 14:23h, 07 JanuaryI am sure that playing agressive is really useful. It sounds much bette when you pay so.
banane
Posted at 18:17h, 07 JanuaryYeah, thats right. Also, playing while standing sounds much better, more “alive”, at least sometimes.
rjofig
Posted at 21:05h, 06 JanuaryYeah; the elusive brain switch, hard to turn it off, in general 🙂
To me it’s enormous the difference it makes playing when relaxed/into it, compared to when the left side of the brain gets in the way. As usual, I think practicing and gaining confidence is the ticket.
banane
Posted at 21:46h, 06 JanuaryYeah, sometimes its really hard to keep the brain off 🙂
It’s funny what comes to my mind when playing, and I wish it would be the other way, having just a time without thoughts about all that everyday life things. But I’ll find the right way, I’m sure 🙂
SoloDallas
Posted at 19:35h, 06 JanuaryME! But who did, never understood why. Like I said several times, it’s like studying history. Sooner or later, we can show our true style, but having progressed a whole lot studying true rock and roll basics. This is exactly why this place exists 😀
banane
Posted at 21:08h, 06 JanuaryI think, it’s just fine to show emotions and to move around. Even more, its way better than just standing there and playing Rock’n Roll 🙂 So I don’t understand people criticising this.
sith12
Posted at 19:49h, 01 Januaryhey Dallas can i do the Angus tone with the Marshall JCM900 Hi Gain Dual Reverb?
Devil'Fingers"
Posted at 13:32h, 29 DecemberBtw,
does anybody got solodallas tshirt??
Where can we buy it??
pAWeł
Devil'Fingers"
Posted at 10:10h, 29 DecemberPhil, when will you come back???
We’re waiting for you 🙂
sith12
Posted at 22:14h, 27 Decemberhey solodallas
could you do an highway to hell guitar lesson where you show and explain the notes that you play?
i know you have one on youtube but i dont know what you play there
please main part i need is the solo
thanks
sith12
Posted at 10:11h, 26 Decemberhey banane
do you think i get very near at the angus tone with the MG 100 HFX?
banane
Posted at 11:37h, 26 DecemberWell, I can’t say this because I didn’t play over it. I personally would wait and collect more money and get a tube amp.
However, I’ve read three test reviews now and all of them says you’ll get a pretty decent classic rock tone out of it and it really sounds like a Marshall.
The easiest way to get a tone near Angus would be a vintage Marshall JMP tube amp from the late 70s.
The rest of the tone belongs to the guitar and (very important) your own playing, but it seems to me that the JMP has the basis of the correct tone built in.
For the MG 100 HFX, I wouldn’t buy it without playing over it first.
Did you check out youtube for decent test videos?
And which guitar do you have?
sith12
Posted at 19:45h, 26 Decemberoke i watch video
ahm,
i got the gibson sg special faded its an Gibson USA
deni91
Posted at 21:00h, 24 DecemberMerry Christmas Fil, and everyone!
jakesg61
Posted at 16:35h, 24 DecemberMerry Christmas everyone 😀 and a Happy New Year to you all 😀
Also thankyou to Fil for another great year of awsome tutorials, videos and kind help that you provide to us all here, and celebrate 2010 for this fantastic website you have created to unite us all.
Jake
Devil'Fingers"
Posted at 09:28h, 24 DecemberI wish everyone merry christmas, lots of money , good health, guitars and amps which are in your dreams and very happy new year!!
Paweł
banane
Posted at 12:28h, 24 DecemberThanks, man. Same for you and your family 🙂
And also for all the guys out here: Merry Christmas!:)
jakesg61
Posted at 16:31h, 23 DecemberHey Fil,
What are your thoughts on the Stiff Upper Lip album?
Not heard it mentioned much, I think its an awsome album 😀
sith12
Posted at 22:14h, 21 Decemberokay,
hey SoloDallas!
First I´ve Seen on Youtube and my first thougt was AWESOME!
Okay if i ask this following question i know you want to kill me but please listen:
this summer i got a Gibson SG Special Faded I was so happy but my amp its a piece of shit so you would say its your technique of your hand but i will practise this
my real question is:
could you suggest me a amp , it should be marshall and i would prefer a head. But it shouldn´t be more expensive than 350€-450€
okay thats all.
banane
Posted at 22:24h, 21 DecemberHi, Tube amp or solid state?
sith12
Posted at 21:44h, 22 Decemberahm,
a amp for my band trainings
banane
Posted at 22:14h, 22 DecemberWell, if it has to be a head you have a little pricing problem 🙂 Look at the Marshall MG 100 HFX. Solid state top, costs about 370 Euros. Cabinet also needed.
However, I would go for a tube amp anyway. Look out at ebay, there are several used Marshall Valvestate amps, I would prefer them over a new solid state amp.
I had a solid state amp myself and never looked back after purchasing used Marshall tube amp on ebay.
sith12
Posted at 00:16h, 25 Decemberoke,
i want to be very near at the angus tone do you think i get that with this amp?
Mick
Posted at 13:56h, 23 DecemberYou could get a Marshall DFX 100 or Dfx 250 they are both under 400 euros 😀
jakesg61
Posted at 16:11h, 21 DecemberMy biggest problem is im “stuck in the box” when it comes to soloing, I cant seem to get out of playing in the box shape and get to other parts of scales to make them fit, i just cant make it sound right.
banane
Posted at 17:38h, 21 DecemberYeah, especially the solos are very hard to learn. Same here, I didnt manage to play a full solo yet.
But at least I can play a part at the right tempo and it sounds at least nearly like the original. I split the solo up in several parts and learn to play each part fot itself. This helps for me because I can concentrate on less things at the same time.
jakesg61
Posted at 18:39h, 21 DecemberYeah I agree, and I think your way of breaking up the solos is the best way to do it really. Solos are hard to get right anyway, but I find with me in soloing my weakest part is improvising, i just dont know where to go im stuck in the box hehe.
SoloDallas
Posted at 18:43h, 21 DecemberI’ve felt the “stock in the box” thing too. Now I don’t anymore, though I am… still stuck in the box! I don’t feel it too though, because it’s extremely hard for me even in the box to get what i have in mind. The bends, the vibratos, the timing themselves keep me so busy that the notes almost don’t matter. Still, I love to stick in there those weird notes that sound different. They are just there, ’round the box. Powerage for example is filled with those, as I think Angus was experimenting just with that: getting out of the box. Never again since then he did so much. Try and not concentrate too much on the notes, go for the feel and the timing. You’ll see how everything gets another perspective. It takes time though, as it’s mostly a mental thing 🙂
rpatzelt
Posted at 12:40h, 23 DecemberAham, you can add this comment quoted to your post and carve it in stone!
svh366
Posted at 09:36h, 25 DecemberAmen. =)
LeroyKincaid
Posted at 13:41h, 19 DecemberVery good advice.
I can’t play a fast tempo song without thumping my right leg up & down. It’s my metronome.
banane
Posted at 00:07h, 19 DecemberYeah, you’ve said that often. So, Some weeks ago I started playing upright. While it was a bit uncomfortable at first, I realized that standing and moving around a bit makes me actually playing better. There’s a big difference between sitting on a chair and standing upright moving around. I can hear this when listening to older recordings of myself from the past. And additionally, it’s more fun too 🙂
deni91
Posted at 21:56h, 18 DecemberFil!
Sorry for asking you again and again, but did you have some time to check my pictures with the neck settings? 🙂
Please check them if you have some free time. Where should I adjust the truss rod? I’ve changed from 10s to 9s.
http://picasaweb.google.com/104650787840351780610/VintageVS6?authkey=Gv1sRgCMz59LnahfPNjgE&feat=directlink
Thanks!
Denes
deni91
Posted at 21:52h, 18 DecemberThats the point! Learn and practice, practice, practice.
Dave4433
Posted at 14:19h, 18 DecemberSo It’s basicly the things You already said, but more specific.
Thank You again, the more i read such stuff, the more i become confident in myself =)
It really isn’t about “how fast can i play this” or “how awesome do i look while playing sh**” It’s about getting it right and the feeling you get while playing it right.
SoloDallas
Posted at 15:14h, 18 DecemberAbsolutely so. There is no secret, no mystery, no “Dark Side Force” (nor Jedi) that will let us do the trick: it’s only (hard but passionate) work. In my last video of yesterday, I noticed how I bend my whole body during the solo, and bring up my left elbow. I recognized Angus in me when I did that, and it did come out spontaneously. Why, I wondered? Because it’s a natural “Body” move to make it easier to bend the G string on the second fret (where it is pretty stiff). Astonishing in a way.
rjofig
Posted at 17:28h, 19 DecemberRight, I think the eye-opening underlying message for me about your videos and tutorials is precisely that, with passion and practice, anyone has the potential to play well and enjoy it. The guitar could be pretty intimidating to me before I saw your tutorials.
About playing easy songs in the beginning and slow tempo, absolutely. Guitar rig or other apps that can slow down a song are great for play-alongs like that.
Cheers
banane
Posted at 21:48h, 19 DecemberSlowing down full songs and playing along them is a great idea. Will try this out.