Metal For Breakfast: Volume 1

[Black Star]

Click the link to go download the audio (Is a MUST, and is 15 min in length):

http://www.funender.com/music/bands/3110/music.php

Hey guys, and welcome to Metal For Breakfast, Volume 1. In this lesson I will be discussing on how to develop your picking technique, as I know a lot of you have been talking about it, and I know a few guitar players personally who just can’t seem to develop their picking at all because of bad habits and bad technique.

This first picking lesson will hopefully help you get a head start in your picking.

The following will consist of some picking shapes or patterns. We won’t worry about putting them into actual music right now, just get your coordination between your picking and fretting hand down.

Before I start, remember to always start slow, and then speed it up, as well as playing these clean and with distortion. This is important because if you use distortion all the time, it can mask how the lick actually sounds, but if you play it clean, you can hear your mistakes. The reason you must also practice these with distortion though, is that you must practice your muting technique to avoid excess string noise.

Ok, so lets get started. You can play these patterns using alternate picking or economy picking. It does not matter. (I myself am an economy picker).



|--*--|--*--|-----|--*--|-----|-----|-----| -1st string
|--*--|--*--|-----|--*--|-----|-----|-----|
|--*--|--*--|-----|--*--|-----|-----|-----|
|--*--|--*--|-----|--*--|-----|-----|-----|
|--*--|--*--|-----|--*--|-----|-----|-----|
|--*--|--*--|-----|--*--|-----|-----|-----| -6th string
1 2 4

This is a pattern using fingers 1,2,4





|--*--|-----|--*--|--*--|-----|-----|-----| -1st string
|--*--|-----|--*--|--*--|-----|-----|-----|
|--*--|-----|--*--|--*--|-----|-----|-----|
|--*--|-----|--*--|--*--|-----|-----|-----|
|--*--|-----|--*--|--*--|-----|-----|-----|
|--*--|-----|--*--|--*--|-----|-----|-----| -6th string
1 3 4

This is a pattern using fingers 1,3,4






|--*--|-----|--*--|-----|--*--|-----|-----| -1st string
|--*--|-----|--*--|-----|--*--|-----|-----|
|--*--|-----|--*--|-----|--*--|-----|-----|
|--*--|-----|--*--|-----|--*--|-----|-----|
|--*--|-----|--*--|-----|--*--|-----|-----|
|--*--|-----|--*--|-----|--*--|-----|-----| -6th string
1 3 4

This is a pattern using fingers 1,3,4 (if you prefer
to use your middle finger for whole steps, that’s cool)



Ok, so the above patterns I use all the time, and so do pretty much all other shred heads (petrucci, gilbert, malmsteen, etc.). There are other patterns that I will show later, but that is enough for you to practice for now. Don’t forget that you can use these patterns anywhere on the neck in any combination on any string.

So now what I’m gonna do, is put these patterns into use by giving you actual licks. Remember…I am not putting these into actual music for you yet.


Lick 1:



E:--------------------------------------------------------------
B:--------------------------------------------------------------
G:--------------------------------------------------------------
D:-------------------------------10-12-14-12-10-----------------
A:-10-12-14-12-10--------------------------------14-12-10-12-14-
E:----------------14-12-10-12-14--------------------------------

E:---------------------------------------------------------------
B:--------------------------------10-11-13-11-10-----------------
G:-10-12-14-12-10--------------------------------14-12-10-12-14--
D:-----------------14-12-10-12-14--------------------------------
A:---------------------------------------------------------------
E:---------------------------------------------------------------

E:-10-12-13-12-10----------------10-12-13~~~~~~~----------
B:----------------13-11-10-11-13--------------------------
G:--------------------------------------------------------
D:--------------------------------------------------------
A:--------------------------------------------------------
E:--------------------------------------------------------



Lick 2:



E:-7-9-10-9-7------------9-10-12-10-9---------------------
B:------------10-9-7-9-10-------------12-10-9-10-12-------
G:--------------------------------------------------------
D:--------------------------------------------------------
A:--------------------------------------------------------
E:--------------------------------------------------------

E:-10-12-14-12-10----------------12-14-15-14-12----------------
B:----------------14-12-10-12-14----------------15-14-12-14-15-
G:-------------------------------------------------------------
D:-------------------------------------------------------------
A:-------------------------------------------------------------
E:-------------------------------------------------------------

E:-12-14-15-14-12----------------------------------------------
B:----------------15-13-12-15-13-12----------------------------
G:----------------------------------16-14-12-14-12-11----------
D:-------------------------------------------------------------
A:-------------------------------------------------------------
E:-------------------------------------------------------------

E:-------------------------------------------------------------
B:-------------------------------------------------------------
G:-------------------------------------------------------------
D:--14-12-11-14-12-11------------------------------------------
A:--------------------14-13-11-14-13-11------------------------
E:---------------------------------------14-12-11-14-12-11-9~~~




Lick 3:



E:-12-14-15-14-12-----------------------------------------------
B:----------------15-13-12-15-13-12-----------------------------
G:----------------------------------14-12-11-14-12-11-----------
D:--------------------------------------------------------------
A:--------------------------------------------------------------
E:--------------------------------------------------------------

E:--------------------------------------------------------------
B:----------------------------------------------------12-13-15--
G:-------------------------------------------13-12-14-----------
D:-14-12-10-14-12-10----------------10-12-14--------------------
A:-------------------14-12-10-12-14-----------------------------
E:--------------------------------------------------------------

E:-12-14-15-14-12----------12-14-15-14-15-17-15-17-19-17-15-17^~~
B:----------------15-13-12---------------------------------------
G:---------------------------------------------------------------
D:---------------------------------------------------------------
A:---------------------------------------------------------------
E:---------------------------------------------------------------



Lick 4:



E:-------------------------------------------------------10-12-14
B:--------------------------------------9-10-12-10-12-14---------
G:-----------------------8-9-11-9-11-13--------------------------
D:--------7-8-10-8-10-12-----------------------------------------
A:-7-8-10--------------------------------------------------------
E:---------------------------------------------------------------



Lick 5:



E:---------------------------------------------------------------
B:---------------------------------------------------------------
G:-5-7-8-7-5-------------------------------7-8-10-8-7------------
D:-----------8-7-5------------------7-8-10------------10-8-7-----
A:-----------------8-7-5-7-8-7-8-10------------------------------
E:---------------------------------------------------------------

E:---------------------------------------------------------------
B:---------------------------------------------------------------
G:-----------------------------8-10-12-10-8----------------------
D:---------------------8-10-12--------------12-10-8--------------
A:-10-8-7-8-10-8-10-12------------------------------12-10-8-10-12
E:---------------------------------------------------------------

E:---------------------------------------------------------------
B:---------------------------------------------------------------
G:-------------------10-12-13-12-10------------------------------
D:----------10-12-13----------------13-12-10-12~~~~~~------------
A:-10-12-13------------------------------------------------------
E:---------------------------------------------------------------



Betchya can’t play this (Lick 6):




E:---------------------------------------------------------------
B:---------------------------------------------------------------
G:-5-7-8-7-5-----------7-8-10-8-7-------------8-10-12-10-8-------
D:---------------------------------------------------------------
A:-----------8-7-5-7-8------------10-8-7-8-10--------------------
E:---------------------------------------------------------------

E:---------------------------------------10-12-13~~--------------
B:---------------------------------------------------------------
G:---------------10-12-13-12-10----------------------------------
D:---------------------------------------------------------------
A:-12-10-8-10-12----------------13-12-10-------------------------
E:---------------------------------------------------------------



Well, thats the end of volume 1. I hope you guys enjoyed it and it helps your picking technique...stay tuned for volume 2 which will deal with putting these sorts of licks into actual music using modes.

[Black Star]

PS: when you practice you should try sitting in the classical postion...your left leg raised with your guitar resting on your left leg so the neck is brought up higher and allows for better technique:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/blackstar1/leson009.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/blackstar1/leson011.jpg

How your hand should look at the back of the neck when practicing this stuff:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/blackstar1/leson005.jpg

How your hand should look from the front:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/blackstar1/leson006.jpg

How i hold my pick...as you can see i don't use the "pointy" part of the pick, but i use the rounded edge.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/blackstar1/leson014.jpg

Also..RELAX when you are practicing all the time...you can damage your hadns if you tense up...also, do not hold the pick tight either.

[diron]

'bout time Jeff ;)

[distr0ided]

nice lesson.

btw whats so hard about lick 6? ;) :p

[Black Star]

thanks guys. Did you listen to the audio as well?

what did you like/didn't like? have you tried the licks?

[Black Star]

nice lesson.

btw whats so hard about lick 6? ;) :p


hahaha, i don't know, but i betchya can't play that lick ;) :D :D :D

thanks for checkin it out man!!

[guitardeam0n]

thanks guys. Did you listen to the audio as well?

what did you like/didn't like? have you tried the licks?

Yea man it was a great lesson. I like how you added audio and pics, that was a very nice touch. But you didnt mention anything about use of a metronome. Thats a very big factor in shredding. Cheers!

[Black Star]

Yea man it was a great lesson. I like how you added audio and pics, that was a very nice touch. But you didnt mention anything about use of a metronome. Thats a very big factor in shredding. Cheers!


yeah, whoops, i did forget to mention that...i'll do that in my next lesson. The reason i forgot to mention it is because i've never used one. I was always like "well, if i can't play as fast as this guy, then i'm not fast enough." I just never needed a metronome to say i wasn't fast enough because john petrucci,. paul gilbert, etc, are my metronomes :) However, i'm not putting them down, and think they can only help you....just i personally have never used one.

not to mention that annoying "click, click, click" sound...christ, i wanna smash that thing within thirty seconds, hahaha.

[killeraxeman]

Awesome lesson.

Me like it mucho. :D

[Shredderific]

Pretty sweet lesson bro.....

[Black Star]

Thanks :)

did any of you try the licks yet??

[Reckless]

Nice lesson man. How often are you going to be releasing new lessons?

[guitardeam0n]

Thanks :)

did any of you try the licks yet??

Yea man, I can defintily see how it would help the shred seeker. Another thing people should know is how far the pick should actually dig into the string. check this out to give you a better idea; http://www.styluspick.com/theory.htm

I found out that most guitarist have two speed settings:

fast and slow

Like for example I get really sloppy sounding playing 16th notes around 125bpm or so playing but then if I do some legato licks around 160bpm then incorporate picking, its a breeze to play in the upper tempo ranges. I just found this out today by the way after months and months of slow practicing.

I know you (blackstar) didnt use a metronome becuase you found other ways around this but other people are going to have to use a metronome everyday to achieve speed. I guess I could do a lesson on that and other shred related stuff. But yea man I cant wait for your second volume.

[WWD OLW]

i havent tried the licks, but i probably will when ive finished this solo im working on. it going way beyond speeds that i can normally do, it does 32nd's at 108bpm, that is very fast for me, so i will be only praccticing this until i can do it, plus i have to finish writing the rest of the song. after that though i will give it a go. i would really like to know more about the notes that you play as oposed to the technique, is this coming up in the next one? that would be sweet.

[Black Star]

Nice lesson man. How often are you going to be releasing new lessons?

Once every 2 or three weeks probably...they don't take long to do...2 hours tops.

[Black Star]

i would really like to know more about the notes that you play as oposed to the technique, is this coming up in the next one? that would be sweet.

yeah man, my next volume i will have more licks in certain modes/keys

[Reckless]

Attempted some of the licks, however, I've only been playing for 3 or so months now, and I haven't achieved full 4th finger movement yet. (i.e. On Lick 1, the first part, the 14th fret sounds crappy and slows me down)

Any advice on what to do to get my pinky up to speed/accuracy? Thanks for any tips man. :cool:

[distr0ided]

did any of you try the licks yet??

yup, except on lick 2 i had to take the whole thing down a step cuz my cutaway has no strings on it atm and my other acoustic is a full body. havent d/l'ed the audio yet, but soon i shall. and those licks or variations of them can be used in other styles as well. i just played around with my timin and rearranged a few things, well..maybe i just made new licks. eh...

[Black Star]

Any advice on what to do to get my pinky up to speed/accuracy? Thanks for any tips man. :cool:

well, all i can say is keep practicing these sorts of licks, and always use your pinky when playing them and any other style of music...my next volume will have even more licks, and every lick i post will make use of all of your fingers.

So just keep practicing them man. :)

[KingShortpants]

I liked it alot the riffs were good and so was the the adio file I think ill keep practiving... When econemy picking do you stil go up down except on sting changes or just the derection of the string?

[PickChewer]

that was honestly one of the best lessons i have had for awhile, simple yet enlightening....thats what i like to see. Keep it up i will be waiting for the next installment!!

[No-Limits]

WTG man.
excellent lesson. i will be waiting for your next lesson with no patience.
well but you got to give the scales a room in your lessons or else it will be no help for people who will learn just patterns like youv'e showed.
WTG keep the good work.

[MadMattUK]

Sweet lesson BlackStar. I needed finger twisters to add that burst of shred into my playing. Will be a few weeks of practice before i get them nailed though. The audio file was a nice touch too. I await part 2 in anticipation.

PS
Never underestimate the metrenome though! And remember with all the top shredders... the melody comes from the heart not patterns!

[WWD OLW]

so, black star, in your solos, do you usually improvise? do you have good idea about what your gonna play before hand? or do you compose it in advance?

[Black Star]

so, black star, in your solos, do you usually improvise? do you have good idea about what your gonna play before hand? or do you compose it in advance?

Hey man, whats up? Well, i don't compose before hand, but i do have certain licks that i will most likely use (the patterns in this lesson for a small example). With these patterns that i talked about, i can shred in any key using any mode because my fingers know where they are going.

As far as melody goes...you will notice that most of my solos/songs contain only a small amount of shred such as only 2 or 3 runs (maybe more on occasion). I prefer it this way, and the melodies are always totally improvised. However...i would like to start working on a new CD in which, yes i will be writing main melodies...however when it comes down to the solo it will most likely be improvised.

Also, one more thing. When i do solo, i get a feeling of how it should sound in my head as i'm playing. Alot of the times i feel where the solo should go, and how i can take it there.

later bud,

- Jeff

[WWD OLW]

sweet, thanks. that just cleared ALOT up for me, also, if you dont mind, do you play much non-diatonic? like, if your in an aolian mode, do you add a major six or a minor 2nd or something? and if your in g major for example would you play a mode thats not from that key? like e phrygian? or do you just play?


im not sure if any of that made sense, but it would be a big help.

[Black Star]

sweet, thanks. that just cleared ALOT up for me, also, if you dont mind, do you play much non-diatonic? like, if your in an aolian mode, do you add a major six or a minor 2nd or something? and if your in g major for example would you play a mode thats not from that key? like e phrygian? or do you just play?


im not sure if any of that made sense, but it would be a big help.

Hey man. Umm...i haven't experimented much with adding "off" notes as i like to put it. But i am going to begin experimenting with them more often now, as i am really liking Jazz Fusion right now. I have tried using "off" notes in metal and i just cringe hahaha. So i feel off notes are more fitting for blues and jazz.

also...what i prefer to do when soloing (especially lately now) is move with the chords...for example, lets say your in the key of C. All the modal shapes in C will fit in that key, but lets say you play a C chord, then move to an D chord. While playing under the C chord...i may play a certain mode such as C mixolydian for example, then when the chord changes to D, i will solo using D phrygian. (those are my two fav modes).

Also, it sounds very cool, when lets take the above example, and the C chord is playing, so you start playing a 4 bar lick in C mixolydian, and then as soon as the chord changes to D, you transfer that lick straight into another lick that is in D phrygian...this method has a wicked sound to it IMO.

If i confused you, which i probably did, sorry man. haha

Also this "soloing through the changes" thing is VERY hard to do in metal sometimes because the chords go by so fast that you don't really have the time to hang around to play on the chords cause of the fast changes. Instead in metal, i find it is better to have complete key changes all together

ex: Playing in the key of G for 4 bars, switch to key of A for 4 bars, repeat. The first time, under G play G mixolydian, then under the A chord, play A locrian...then on the reapeat of the chord progression, play G Phrygian under the G chord, and A Dorian under the A chrod to mix up the sounds.

You could also play G Ionian, A Dorian, B Phrygian, etc. under the G chord as well because A Dorian and B phrygian are built off of the 2nd and 3rd degree's of the major scale.

[WWD OLW]

so you use c mixolydian in the the key of c? or do you mean in the key of c mixolydian? but then d phrygian would have "off" notes? so you do use modes that arent really in that key?

[WWD OLW]

wait, i didn't see the entire post for some reason :o now i see what you mean.

[Black Star]

so you use c mixolydian in the the key of c? or do you mean in the key of c mixolydian? but then d phrygian would have "off" notes? so you do use modes that arent really in that key?

Well, when you play modes..i feel for me at least...lets say i'm playing a C chord (key of C)....now usually if your going to play the mixolydian mode in the key of C...you'd play the mixolydian shape starting on the G note....however to realy get a feel of how the mode sounds....when your playing the C chord, play the mixolydian shape starting on the C note...which would make it the key of C mixolydian. You can also make up your own chord progressions out of C mixolydian, and the key of C natural. In other words, the key of C, and the key of C mixolydian can be two different things

Now you're probably really lost, haha.

[Black Star]

wait, i didn't see the entire post for some reason :o now i see what you mean.

whoops...i made another seperate post to your question anyway, haha.

[mxmatthew]

ok, this lesson has now brought something weird about my technique to my knowledge.

On ascending runs I use economy picking, but on descending runs i use alternate picking. Is there something wrong with me?!? Should I try to break this? It feels totally comfortable to me; I never even knew I was doing it.

[Black Star]

ok, this lesson has now brought something weird about my technique to my knowledge.

On ascending runs I use economy picking, but on descending runs i use alternate picking. Is there something wrong with me?!? Should I try to break this? It feels totally comfortable to me; I never even knew I was doing it.

no man...if it works for ya, keep using it. If its uncomfortable, or sloppy, look at how to improve

[mxmatthew]

cool, that was my thinking too. Thanks A lot for the lesson by the way, I think its awesome!

[linker33]

Ok...I know the last post in this thread was over 2 months ago, but I just found this thread, and I was wondering what key or scale these runs are in. Basicaly, whats the root note in each one, so that I can move it around, and use it in different keys?