When was the last time

  • Thread starter Thread starter Exo-metal
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This morning! I have a love/hate relationship with it. Its never wrong..which has resulted in a few being smashed, thrown across the room..etc over the years. LOL When I used to teach that is one thing I always tried to get across the importance of one to my students. It helps tons for phrasing exercises. There are so many players that kill but have a hard time ending phrases because they wind up out of time. It just helps so much.
 
Exo-metal said:
pick slanting and even numbers/economy picking two way pick slanting, odd numbers and
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I’m also economy, downward slant. I tried strict alternate but so many years of economy is too hard to fight so I just decided to embrace economy.

And I just twist my wrist a tiny bit to make the pickslant almost flat but just barely up-slanted for switching to a string above…then immediately switch it back when done with the upward slant. So it’s downward slant almost always, just flicking the upward slant when needed. Seems to be the most natural way for me.

It seems all the greats do it a little differently so I’m just trying to find my own sweet spot for my brain/anatomy.

EDIT: I’m also a lefty that plays righty and I feel that puts me at a disadvantage on right hand technique.
 
I got back into using one recently because I was struggling with some of the rhythm parts in shame shame shame. Forgot how useful they were for really advancing my picking technique and breaking through plateaus.
 
I try to always keep mine out in plain view, and use it at least a few times a month.

I have one going religiously when I record anything.
 
I use it for tuff song learning and solos when I’m not getting back on time with the song verse/chorus. Counting out every beat then put the solo in to get timing correct. Notes might be a bit off BUT time is more important than the correct solo note in my opinion. It’s on my Tascam Guitar trainer that I use during self study with CDs. Yes CDs I still use. Neat gadget. Simple. Cheap.
 
When I’m recording, I always have one going either via a click or a drum loop. I have also been breaking one out a little more regularly during warm up or when practicing something tricky.
 
I didn’t for a long time. I’ve been pretty stagnant the last several years except learning and regularly using economy picking a couple years ago. I want to improve on and learn so many things. So I recently started a simple practice routine each morning, early. Four exercises 15 minutes each using a metronome. I’ve been really enjoying waking up early, it’s quiet and focusing on specific exercises without noodling around has been great.

I’ve never had a practice routine since I was in high school (back in the 80’s) and I love it and it’s making a difference.
 
Exo-metal said:
When was the last time you broke out the metronome? I have my picking on notice...nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. It's all out economy/sweeps and everything else by the book. Been years since the metronome has been in play and it really REALLY helped. Got me through some sections I've been having issues with and after it "clicked" it was all business😎
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I bring it out a few times a year for a few days when I can feel my internal timing start to fuck up. When I play faster metal riffs with string skipping I can start to tell. Then I make a recording and can hear it very obviously. Way more obvious than in my head. It's boring but that's the cost of doing business.
 
I use a metronome every single day since most of my at-home playing is through a DAW.
 
These days I use an online drum machine.

Just open a website and set the tempo.

Easier than messing with my Alesis drum machine.
 
Racerxrated said:
Metronome? What is this sorcery of which you speak??

Nah, never. Probably should. I always just put a record on, tape in, back in the day and just played along to tunes..I grew up with my mother playing piano and I was a grade school trumpet kid. Until I forced my parents to buy me my first guitar.
Probably should have taken lessons but never did. Seemed to work out ok though.
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100% the same here.
 
When I was more of an electric player I didn’t use it, but really should have. For classical, all the players who are at least ok pretty much have to use them regularly. It’s different with classical than electric with the rhythm. You gotta practice and have the ability to play it perfectly in time with a metronome (with all the various subdivisions), but not actually perform it that way because it just sounds bad on classical for the most part. In performance we gotta let the notes flow organically and allow for some rhythmic flexibility, but at the same time accent & unaccent notes to make it very clear. My electric guitar playing can sometimes be a little weird or off for this reason since I’m a classical player and am more used to playing in that way
 
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