Hey hey how you doing? Jak here and today I’m gonna talk a little bit about this site and how it’s helped me😂 (sorry I had to!) You actually will hear the bell go off on my practice timer here! My singer, Holly, really wanted to do the acoustic first song of this 25 minute-long epic track on a live performance. I’ll be uploading the take of that and how this site helped me get that tricky bugger up to speed in about a week, and learned by tabs and ear. But now I wanted to do this part after since it has so much energy. There were no tabs for this anywhere, so I had to learn it by ear. Justin’s ear training with intervals really helped, especially when the chorus goes from a P4 interval. I also heard the solo has a shredding pentatonic lick! All of this was learned by ear, and I used Justin’s immensely helpful practice tool for almost 2 hours a day. I cut out my playing of the verse just because that part wasn’t important to me to show at the moment since it’s just essentially one chord held out😀
Feedback and constructive criticism always encouraged! This is 90% speed
Sounded good to me, if @Kasper is around he may have something to add!
It’s great to hear the JustinGuitar has enabled you to do something that you’re obviously passionate about and have made the progress you needed to!
Looking forward to the future version of this, I like a bit of Metal - at the moment it’s Nightwish
Well done Jak and congrats on breaking the ice in AVOYP section! Usually takes a bit of nerves to break the ice but with your level of skills and experience from the stage it wasn’t overly traumatic to hit the Post button
Can’t offer much critique as your play is way beyond my skill grade, but I can tell it sounded pretty badass and great! Would prefer to have it perhaps better recorded sound quality wise but as this is work in progress all is forgiven and understood all the best Jak!
Thanks for sharing, Jak, glad to get a taste of your playing, albeit practice, not having been able to enjoy the Spotify track you shared.
Apart from your wicked playing, I also appreciated the explanation (even if I am not there yet)
Much like Adrian, this is way above my play-grade, so can’t offer any specific feedback to help improvement. Just keep on keeping on and hope there’ll be a recording with Holly somewhere down the line.
It’s great to see and hear you playing Jak. You look like your guitar is part of you, a familiar friend and your whole body is relaxed, leaving your fingers free to dance over the neck.
What a bomb to drop as your first AVOYP Jak.
You’ve clearly learned a lot over time as a diligent JG student.
Most impressive is that you transcribed and you’re playing with a smile.
Fantastic.
Well Jak I am certainly looking forward to hear this develop.
Sounding good as and as others have said above my play grade to offer critique but certainly sounding impressive on the first listen. Intrigue, I popped off to do a little googling to find the original as it was not on my radar, despite being another old rocker into a bit of metal. Well, I think you are doing really well and making good progress. I think your vocalist will also suit the song. So keep working at it and share the progress.
Cheers
Toby
@DarrellW check the OT I think you will enjoy, if you’ve not done already.
@adi_mrok Thank you SOOO much for such kind words! I actually have struggled a lot with posting videos on other sites and on my social media accounts because of my weight. The metal industry is inundated with extremely thin, really gorgeous girls and I’ve had numerous missed opportunities in music because of how people view my weight and my body (living out in Los Angeles for 6 years did that to me). But in this site, on this school, I feel so comfortable. Literally. It’s the best thing in the world to be here. Thank you so much for the love brother! Also, about sound quality: I just used my phone and although I have the equipment to do it, I’ve never learned how to go direct like most people do. But there’s a thread about the OM for learning how to hook up your DAW for OBS and I’m totally gonna check it out soon!
@DavidP Thank you so much! Holly and I are going to be uploading it to Youtube today with just a picture of some sort and I’ll let you know when it goes live We were paying someone to make a lyric video but that was last year and it never got done. We’ll be doing this song live for the OM so hopefully you’ll be there! Again, can’t tell you enough how much your support means to me.
@batwoman Thanks so much, Maggie! I’m glad you got that vibe because that’s how I always feel. Thank you, sistah!
@Richard_close2u YAAAYYYY!!! Thanks my man! Ever since I was young I didn’t have access to tabs or youtube because I didn’t have a computer, so I had to learn a lot by ear which I guess paid off in the long run. Thank you, truly thank you.
@TheMadman_tobyjenner I love how so many people are talking about Holly as well and how they’re complimenting her or saying they’re eager to hear her sing over this. It makes me happy because we are literally a team and the band itself. Thank you so much for the love and support, and the subscribe on youtube! You’re a gem, Toby!
@roger_holland Thank you so much Roger! I look forward to seeing your work as well! Cheers, my brother!
@sairfingers Aww thanks Gordon! I always try to learn by ear first, any little bit helps. Thank you so much! We’re going to do it together on the OM so hopefully we’ll see you there my friend!
That’s fantastic Jak! So good to have another shredder in our midst, not too many of you guys around here unfortunately.
Don’t worry about weight, that’s something that can be changed unlike personality, which you seem to have plenty of.
I know where you’re coming from, I used to be a real big boi - I lost over 100lbs a few years ago. Feel free to throw a PM my way if you want any advice from someone who went through the struggle. We’re a guitar community but that doesn’t mean we don’t support each other in other areas of our lives.
Jak my heart breaks when I read this. I wonder would it help you to know that my first reaction when I hit play was to think “What a beautiful gal, she’s utterly gorgeous.” Then I got swept up in your playing, dazzled. You have a warmth and a beauty that radiates from you, and that increases as you get absorbed in what you’re playing.
And you know what? My opinion of you doesn’t matter. It’s YOUR opinion of you that counts, so throw off the judgements of others, walk your own road, be true to who you are and shine bright. Write a song about it, I’m sure there would be 1000’s who would relate.
I’ll dm you a video I found really helpful on this subject, it’s from another music coach and I don’t want to hijack your thread.
We were paying someone to make a lyric video but that was last year and it never got done. We’ll be doing this song live for the OM so hopefully you’ll be there! Again, can’t tell you enough how much your support means to me.
stay strong and keep shredding 
