Legato Pentatonics short video for feedback

Fair enough but surely not at the speed shown by the OP. Have tried doing them slowly and softly but then its just a thud!

Perhaps your best bet is to post a short video clip of your own efforts.

1 Like

To be brutally honest. Go back to the hammer on pull off lesson and learn how to do them properly. Also do the Finger Gym lesson.

Yeah, totally agree Gordon. The flick offs were quite tricky to get one after each other, and I found the low E difficult to sound out properly. I think it’s because the flick offs are a more complicated movement.

Strangely enough, now after a lot of practice I find flick offs are more consistent at speed because the muting is easier. Hammer ons you have to mute half the strings with your right hand as you move up the strings.

Just start slowly to get the technique right, then add a metronome and practice every day.

You can hear them unamped and low gain if you do it right. Acoustic is slower because of the higher action & harder hits required.

I was definitely pulling Roger’s leg a bit there :wink:.

Fully agree with learning pro’s solos. Layla is anything but obscure! In fact one of my (late) dogs was named after the song.

I don’t think I’ve done any guitar challenges yet. I have watched every else’s contributions to need your love so bad, though. So might give it a try some time over the next few months as I work on bends. Just did my first couple of bends practices the last two days. Bending in tune requires a lot of ear training!

2 Likes

Hi JK!
Sounds fairly good on this end. I think your play and critique was well covered by others. So here is my small add. If you have a DAW and want a click to be recorded. Why not drop in a simple drum beat pattern? For myself, I rather play to drums anyway as I just find it easier to get into the groove of the song or vibe of practice session!

All the best to you!
LB

A post was split to a new topic: How to make a recording with a Webcam

I have been doing this lesson (Finger Gym) for months and can do the hammer-ons, even with a metronome (at slow speed), but this exercise uses really heavy hammer-ons. How do I get from heavy to lighter hammer-ons (as @jkahn video) and still make them sound?

Have been doing this exercise for months, although not every day, and with a metronome. More practice required.

I’d never heard “Midnight Blues” before David. The solo is phenomenal - thanks for the link!

1 Like

Thanks LBro. Great tip! So far my DAW usage has been limited to recording & monitoring my playing with a backing track - I should look into laying down a click or drum beat in it.

Tips I’d give are:

  • Do it on an amped electric.
  • As you’re doing the exercises, try to experiment with the using the least effective force. Hammer-ons trigger on finger impact speed, not muscle force. There is a point where the hammer on sounds but force is not high.
  • Using a metronome is key, as you slowly ramp the speed up, your technique will adjust.

Repeat ad nauseam.

I think I read in another of your posts that you have arthritic fingers. That might make it a lot harder, I’d imagine. My fingers are reasonably nimble (although not particularly flexible) from a career with a lot of fast typing.

I do.

So doing it quicker makes it easier?

Correct. I do the finger gyms, stretching exercises, etc but don’t have the mobility to do playing quickly, and don’t see this getter better any time soon. Certainly wont get to 140bpm like you.

More that doing it with a metronome and slowly ramping up the speed makes it smoother. Smoother makes it quicker.

I do sense some frustration from you Stuart, some things are easier or harder for different people unfortunately.

Lots of frustration:-)

Hit yet another plateau which has been going on months. Stuck somewhere halfway through Grade 2, with the latest issues being PFC’s from F, and the Open 7th chords. Can play F barre but can’t change to other chords quckly enough. Keep going back to these but not progressing much further. I know what the answer but have family isues (aged parents) that are taking my time up at the moment. Playing guitar is well down the list of priorities.

Your legato video was just a distrattion which showed another weakness of mine, together with the fact you have been doing this half the time I have!!

1 Like

Plateaus are frustrating. Sounds like you know why though - priorities and time with your parents. Hopefully you make a breakthrough soon.

On the other thing, you know what they say, comparison is the thief of joy.

You are beyond where I am up to JK but I thought your two video’s were good. Nice to see you keeping those fingers quite close the the strings. That’s one I’m still working on doing at the moment.

1 Like

Thanks Stefan!

To my ear the exercise is well done :slight_smile:. You have extra points for Ernie Ball strap!

1 Like