One of my guitar goals for this year is to record myself and my practice sessions more consistently so that I can track my progress, if any. In addition to that, I want to overcome the anxiety I feel when recording myself either on video or in Reaper. Might be some kind of performance anxiety. Last but not least, I want to get more used to playing standing.
With all that said, I made a start today and recorded some of my practice with my phone, so sound quality is not stellar but at the moment I’m ok with that.
Signal chain is Epiphone Les Paul Muse tubescreamer clone (DIY) Marshall MG15CFX crunch channel.
I’m open to receiving honest feedback.
Here goes then.
1. Metallica - Orion Self assessment
Decent amount of mistakes both from my anxiety recording myself and from playing standing. Most of my bends are off because of the same reasons. I need to work a bit more on the solos as the second one seems like I don’t know it as well as I thought. The third solo is the most difficult and I just started learning it so, I’m not going to be too hard on myself. Timing is ok, by and large but maybe a bit slower than it should.
2. Iron Maiden - The Trooper Self assessment
I just started learning this just to add some variety and keep me going when I get disheartened with Orion. I still haven’t got the main riff under my fingers but it’s real fun to play.
3. Iron Maiden - Transylvania Self assessment
This is more of a riff training/finger exercise in my book. Not much can be made out of this for now. I’m a little confused with it though as the key is Em but in the riff there seems to be a Db which isn’t in the scale so, I guess I need to study a bit more…
Woah, you’ve chosen a really hard song for your first video post, and even playing the lead part. Definitively needs more practice, but I think you’re on the right track. Learning a difficult song is slow and hard work (or at least it is for me), but very rewarding once you start getting it under your fingers.
And those Iron Maiden fragments also sound nice (and also need more practice, of course).
It’s like when you first record your own voice singing - you can’t believe how bad it sounds. Then you get used to it, realise it’s actually not that bad, and then because you stop being so anxious about it, you relax and sound even better!
In other words, to an objective listener, you’re playing a lot better than you (subjectively) think you are.
Congrats on your first AVOYPs Lefteris. Always good when a longer-time community person steps into the camera .
You’ve chosen some pretty hard songs to post, I don’t listen to Iron Maiden at all but I’m an occasional Metallica listener. I reckon when practicing stuff like that, timing and rhythm is everything because James is so tight, so try to practice it with a drum track.
Sounds like some good progress on them. Will be great to hear them again when they’re polished
Hi Lefteris,
Congratulations on your first video , nice and easy Riff to get started with
Recording yourself on video and watching it back is an extremely important step that gives your learning process a huge boost, it is not without reason that Justin and many others recommend this so early in your guitar life…keep on going
Greetings,
Hey Lefteris! Love your work mate!! You’ve chosen some cracking tunes!
This is a brilliant start and will be so cool to look back on down the track when you’re shredding those Orion solos and galloping with Maiden like a BEAST! I’ve never even looked at Orion, way to intimidating! My hats off to you for that, good sir! Have been working recently on The Trooper though, so much fun to play, you’ll have a blast with that! Can’t wait to see how these all progress for you over the year ahead. Great stuff! Keep it up!
Awsome to see youre first AVOYP Lefteris!!
And what a level of difficulty you chose for youre first vid!!
I found them truly amazing! I liked the trooper best out of those three, but they were all cool…
of course there is a rythm challenge, its a big ask to play those perfect but you are doing great and are going down the right path with those!!
I think you made a great job of it. Of course, as you said some parts can be polished up, but don’t underestimate how good it actually was!
I had to smile when you mentioned red-light performance anxiety because I know this only too well. Sometimes recording youtube vids I’ve needed half a dozen takes to record something I can do with no problem if I’m not recording.
These days, when learning a new piece I do a lot of recording of parts of it (just audio, not video) to try to iron out the mistakes. The workflow is
Have I got it right - you’re doing all this from memory, with no secret in-ear monitor to play you a backing track or click track to help you with the timing?
Thanks JK @jkahn! It was a moment of weakness
But the possitive comments I received are very encouraging so you might be seeing more in the future.
True. Sometimes I try to practise while the original is playing on my sound system. It all starts going a bit south when I try the lead parts. But you’re right. I think I need to do a take with just the rhythm part and see how it sounds.
Haha yes, it sounds easy for the first couple of minutes
Thank you for the encouragement Rogier @roger_holland!
@RobDickinson thanks Rob! Fingers crossed I can get myself “performance ready” and join an open mic at some point.
Hi Jeff @nzmetal! Thank you so much for the push to keep going! The Trooper is indeed good fun! And having two guitar parts, seems like a good candidate to work together
If you like the Orion, put it on your list and go for it. The rhythm is addictive. The lead parts are quite challenging, in fact I’ve found some parts very difficult for my level, but I’m learning a lot through it.
Wow Trond @tRONd your feedback is so exciting! The fact that all of you who have much more experience than me didn’t find those an earsore is quite something! Thank you!
Hey Phil @twistor59! It seems that our paths have some similarities, sharing at least the anxiety part! Hopefully we’ll get over it! In the past this was massively discouraging for me but I decided it needs to change!
I like your workflow, I plan to do the same but without deleting, just to see if I can see any progress.
Yes, that’s right. This started just as a practice session for the Orion to work on the lead parts mainly. No monitors, no backing track, nothing other than me and the guitar. The songs I choose to learn, I’m already very familiar with (listened to them hundreds of times) so I’m trying to play them from memory and by feel. Usually my feel is around 10% slower than the original recording though
tubescreamer clone (DIY) 
.
, nice and easy Riff to get started with 
but you are doing great and are going down the right path with those!!
