Board index › Topical Discussion › Art, Writing, and Music

Bump when you practice

Page 1 of 3 [ 42 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2, 3  Next

Previous topic | Next topic

dragonsanddemons
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 19 Mar 2011
Gender: Non-binary
Posts: 6,659
Location: The Labyrinth of Leviathan

26 Oct 2017, 10:20 pm

For those of us who play an instrument (or more than one) and need something to keep them accountable for practicing (like me).

Apologies if there's already such a thread and I missed it somehow, I didn't see one offhand.


_________________
Yet in my new wildness and freedom I almost welcome the bitterness of alienage. For although nepenthe has calmed me, I know always that I am an outsider; a stranger in this century and among those who are still men.
-H. P. Lovecraft, "The Outsider"


SabbraCadabra
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 21 Apr 2008
Age: 40
Gender: Male
Posts: 7,694
Location: Michigan

28 Oct 2017, 7:49 am

Not since last Friday >_< I had a TOOL song in my head all week, so I goofed around in drop-D tuning for a while that morning (honestly not my favorite tuning).

Went to a party that evening and jammed with some friends, quickly remembered that I get pretty lost if I don't have the chords/lyrics in front of me =| Still had fun though.


_________________
I'm looking for Someone to change my life. I'm looking for a Miracle in my life.


dragonsanddemons
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 19 Mar 2011
Gender: Non-binary
Posts: 6,659
Location: The Labyrinth of Leviathan

28 Oct 2017, 1:57 pm

SabbraCadabra wrote:
Not since last Friday >_< I had a TOOL song in my head all week, so I goofed around in drop-D tuning for a while that morning (honestly not my favorite tuning).

Went to a party that evening and jammed with some friends, quickly remembered that I get pretty lost if I don't have the chords/lyrics in front of me =| Still had fun though.


I love Tool :D I'm trying to learn to play 46&2. I haven't played since my guitar class ended on Monday. I thought maybe a thread like this would help me keep up with practicing now that I'm not taking a weekly class. I'm probably not going to play again until Monday, when my parents will be at work - I don't like other people to hear me practice (because I badly need the practice :lol: ).


_________________
Yet in my new wildness and freedom I almost welcome the bitterness of alienage. For although nepenthe has calmed me, I know always that I am an outsider; a stranger in this century and among those who are still men.
-H. P. Lovecraft, "The Outsider"


SabbraCadabra
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 21 Apr 2008
Age: 40
Gender: Male
Posts: 7,694
Location: Michigan

28 Oct 2017, 7:03 pm

I was playing Right In Two. It's one of the few songs of theirs that works well enough on an acoustic guitar (besides, obviously, Maynard's D***, which I need to learn).

I don't know if I've tried to learn 46&2, I'll have to take a look at that one.


_________________
I'm looking for Someone to change my life. I'm looking for a Miracle in my life.


dragonsanddemons
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 19 Mar 2011
Gender: Non-binary
Posts: 6,659
Location: The Labyrinth of Leviathan

28 Oct 2017, 8:05 pm

Here's the first of the instructional videos I'm using for an acoustic version - there are 3 parts, and a link for the tab in the video description.



This guy is amazing, here's him playing the whole thing.


_________________
Yet in my new wildness and freedom I almost welcome the bitterness of alienage. For although nepenthe has calmed me, I know always that I am an outsider; a stranger in this century and among those who are still men.
-H. P. Lovecraft, "The Outsider"


SabbraCadabra
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 21 Apr 2008
Age: 40
Gender: Male
Posts: 7,694
Location: Michigan

29 Oct 2017, 2:22 am

Oh gosh, that looks like a complicated one for a beginner =) Looks like he tunes to open D, which always makes things a little more interesting. I never have the patience (or the proper strings) to retune the entire guitar to open tuning for just a couple of songs, but Question by The Moody Blues is a really good one.

Playing classical style is cool, but I always prefer to sing the vocal parts...which, of course, presents its own sets of challenges. I know a couple songs where I will pluck out the melody while I'm chording during the solo, but I really need to practice them a lot more than I do...and probably learn more of those cramp-inducing moveable shapes.

Right In Two is pretty easy, it's basically just four chords (diminished) for the entire song, with little embellishments added as it goes.

...think I might practice in a few, after I get some food.


_________________
I'm looking for Someone to change my life. I'm looking for a Miracle in my life.


funeralxempire
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 27 Oct 2014
Age: 39
Gender: Non-binary
Posts: 25,502
Location: Right over your left shoulder

29 Oct 2017, 1:09 pm

Does practising tongue-twisters count? That's one suggestion I keep coming across for how to become a better emcee. Image


_________________
Watching liberals try to solve societal problems without a systemic critique/class consciousness is like watching someone in the dark try to flip on the light switch, but they keep turning on the garbage disposal instead.
戦争ではなく戦争と戦う


dragonsanddemons
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 19 Mar 2011
Gender: Non-binary
Posts: 6,659
Location: The Labyrinth of Leviathan

29 Oct 2017, 1:30 pm

SabbraCadabra wrote:
Oh gosh, that looks like a complicated one for a beginner =) Looks like he tunes to open D, which always makes things a little more interesting. I never have the patience (or the proper strings) to retune the entire guitar to open tuning for just a couple of songs, but Question by The Moody Blues is a really good one.

Playing classical style is cool, but I always prefer to sing the vocal parts...which, of course, presents its own sets of challenges. I know a couple songs where I will pluck out the melody while I'm chording during the solo, but I really need to practice them a lot more than I do...and probably learn more of those cramp-inducing moveable shapes.

Right In Two is pretty easy, it's basically just four chords (diminished) for the entire song, with little embellishments added as it goes.

...think I might practice in a few, after I get some food.


That's actually the very first thing I tried to learn on the guitar because it's my favorite song. I didn't get that far before taking my guitar class, though, and I stopped while I was taking it because it was annoying to have to keep tuning back and forth. It might be a good idea for me to switch to Right in Two as well, for something easier.


_________________
Yet in my new wildness and freedom I almost welcome the bitterness of alienage. For although nepenthe has calmed me, I know always that I am an outsider; a stranger in this century and among those who are still men.
-H. P. Lovecraft, "The Outsider"


dragonsanddemons
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 19 Mar 2011
Gender: Non-binary
Posts: 6,659
Location: The Labyrinth of Leviathan

29 Oct 2017, 1:30 pm

funeralxempire wrote:
Does practising tongue-twisters count? That's one suggestion I keep coming across for how to become a better emcee. Image


My intent was for it to be for instruments, but sure, use it for whatever you'd like :)


_________________
Yet in my new wildness and freedom I almost welcome the bitterness of alienage. For although nepenthe has calmed me, I know always that I am an outsider; a stranger in this century and among those who are still men.
-H. P. Lovecraft, "The Outsider"


SabbraCadabra
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 21 Apr 2008
Age: 40
Gender: Male
Posts: 7,694
Location: Michigan

29 Oct 2017, 6:17 pm

Practiced for a while last night...I probably should've been recording instead...by the time I had decided to, it was already about time for bed =|

dragonsanddemons wrote:
I didn't get that far before taking my guitar class, though, and I stopped while I was taking it because it was annoying to have to keep tuning back and forth.

Oh yes, definitely. When I was learning how to play, I didn't even have a tuner, so I would tune by ear to match most of Black Sabbath's music (one step down, IIRC?), and I would just leave it there and play along to them all the time. I didn't have a capo either, so if I wanted to play along to some other band, I had to either try to transpose it myself, or I just wouldn't bother.

BTW, watched an interesting video last night of Maynard discussing the next album. He said the other guys have such a slow, particular writing style, that he waits until everything is finished before he bothers writing his own parts. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-qqMGnxcs4


_________________
I'm looking for Someone to change my life. I'm looking for a Miracle in my life.


dragonsanddemons
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 19 Mar 2011
Gender: Non-binary
Posts: 6,659
Location: The Labyrinth of Leviathan

29 Oct 2017, 9:33 pm

SabbraCadabra wrote:
Practiced for a while last night...I probably should've been recording instead...by the time I had decided to, it was already about time for bed =|

dragonsanddemons wrote:
I didn't get that far before taking my guitar class, though, and I stopped while I was taking it because it was annoying to have to keep tuning back and forth.

Oh yes, definitely. When I was learning how to play, I didn't even have a tuner, so I would tune by ear to match most of Black Sabbath's music (one step down, IIRC?), and I would just leave it there and play along to them all the time. I didn't have a capo either, so if I wanted to play along to some other band, I had to either try to transpose it myself, or I just wouldn't bother.

BTW, watched an interesting video last night of Maynard discussing the next album. He said the other guys have such a slow, particular writing style, that he waits until everything is finished before he bothers writing his own parts. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-qqMGnxcs4


That was a cool video, thank you for sharing.

Yeah, I don't have any of that stuff either - just the guitar, picks, a case, and now a couple books I got for the class.


_________________
Yet in my new wildness and freedom I almost welcome the bitterness of alienage. For although nepenthe has calmed me, I know always that I am an outsider; a stranger in this century and among those who are still men.
-H. P. Lovecraft, "The Outsider"


SabbraCadabra
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 21 Apr 2008
Age: 40
Gender: Male
Posts: 7,694
Location: Michigan

30 Oct 2017, 7:24 am

dragonsanddemons wrote:
Yeah, I don't have any of that stuff either - just the guitar, picks, a case, and now a couple books I got for the class.

A tuner is quite invaluable, especially if you're going to delve into alternate tunings...although for me, I used to have some pretty junky instruments, so trying to perform relative tuning on them (without a tuner) was near impossible >_<

I usually use a shareware program called AP Tuner, and just plug my guitar into the computer, or use a mic. There's a link to the Windows version at the very bottom of the page: http://www.aptuner.com/aptuner_index.html
It's actually nagware, there are no limitations, just a friendly reminder to register. I like that it's really easy to switch it to different instruments, and you can easily program alternate tunings into it.

Capos aren't necessary if you're going to be playing a lot of barre chords/movable shapes, but they can be helpful for transposing songs, especially depending on the playing style.


_________________
I'm looking for Someone to change my life. I'm looking for a Miracle in my life.


whatamievendoing
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 20 Aug 2016
Age: 29
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,336
Location: Finland

30 Oct 2017, 9:34 am

Practiced some drum rudiments for an hour.


_________________
“They laugh at me because I'm different; I laugh at them because they're all the same.”
― Kurt Cobain


dragonsanddemons
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 19 Mar 2011
Gender: Non-binary
Posts: 6,659
Location: The Labyrinth of Leviathan

30 Oct 2017, 2:09 pm

SabbraCadabra wrote:
dragonsanddemons wrote:
Yeah, I don't have any of that stuff either - just the guitar, picks, a case, and now a couple books I got for the class.

A tuner is quite invaluable, especially if you're going to delve into alternate tunings...although for me, I used to have some pretty junky instruments, so trying to perform relative tuning on them (without a tuner) was near impossible >_<

I usually use a shareware program called AP Tuner, and just plug my guitar into the computer, or use a mic. There's a link to the Windows version at the very bottom of the page: http://www.aptuner.com/aptuner_index.html
It's actually nagware, there are no limitations, just a friendly reminder to register. I like that it's really easy to switch it to different instruments, and you can easily program alternate tunings into it.

Capos aren't necessary if you're going to be playing a lot of barre chords/movable shapes, but they can be helpful for transposing songs, especially depending on the playing style.


Thank you, I'm sure that will be very helpful for me.

The guitar I started out with used to be my uncle's, but my mom ended up with it, and then I started playing it. It's actually about 40 years old 8O , which I didn't know until after I told my mom that my guitar instructor had told me that the reason the guitar didn't sound right is because the bridge is lifting up on it. Tuning properly wasn't happening on that one - the instructor couldn't even get it quite right with a tuner. Now I play a much newer guitar we borrowed from a family friend until I can get my own.


_________________
Yet in my new wildness and freedom I almost welcome the bitterness of alienage. For although nepenthe has calmed me, I know always that I am an outsider; a stranger in this century and among those who are still men.
-H. P. Lovecraft, "The Outsider"


SabbraCadabra
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 21 Apr 2008
Age: 40
Gender: Male
Posts: 7,694
Location: Michigan

31 Oct 2017, 7:22 am

dragonsanddemons wrote:
It's actually about 40 years old 8O , which I didn't know until after I told my mom that my guitar instructor had told me that the reason the guitar didn't sound right is because the bridge is lifting up on it.

Oof, yeah, exactly. Playing on a guitar with action that high is going to tear up your fingers a lot worse, too.
That's pretty common with acoustic guitars of that age. It can be fixed, but it's a matter of whether or not the cost/time/effort is worth it.

Are you planning on getting an electric guitar, or another acoustic?


_________________
I'm looking for Someone to change my life. I'm looking for a Miracle in my life.


dragonsanddemons
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 19 Mar 2011
Gender: Non-binary
Posts: 6,659
Location: The Labyrinth of Leviathan

31 Oct 2017, 7:03 pm

SabbraCadabra wrote:
dragonsanddemons wrote:
It's actually about 40 years old 8O , which I didn't know until after I told my mom that my guitar instructor had told me that the reason the guitar didn't sound right is because the bridge is lifting up on it.

Oof, yeah, exactly. Playing on a guitar with action that high is going to tear up your fingers a lot worse, too.
That's pretty common with acoustic guitars of that age. It can be fixed, but it's a matter of whether or not the cost/time/effort is worth it.

Are you planning on getting an electric guitar, or another acoustic?


I'd like to get an electric guitar, I think that would be really cool.


_________________
Yet in my new wildness and freedom I almost welcome the bitterness of alienage. For although nepenthe has calmed me, I know always that I am an outsider; a stranger in this century and among those who are still men.
-H. P. Lovecraft, "The Outsider"