Comments on Guitar Boomer: Guitar Technique: Remember the Fine Art of Down-Pi...

Thanks for visiting! I’ve only played for a couple...

2008-01-24T10:07:00.000-06:00

Thanks for visiting! I’ve only played for a couple years at this point but interest in folks like Jimi Hendrix and Jimmy Page and learning lead was my motivator. My instructor focused me on learning the scales (Pentatonic and Diatonic) and outlined enough theory (this is still my biggest challenge) so I could understand the mechanics of how to play on top of chord sequences for various styles of music. I then work on learning songs from various artists, which turns out to be a treasure trove of technique to add to the toolbox. He then had me work on improvisation against backing tracks in each practice session. The one I use is “Let’s Jam”.

I think Jimi Hendrix was one of the best rhythm players ever and much of my exploration lately has been trying to learn rhythm by referencing tunes such as Little Wing and Bold as Love.

This is interesting stuff. So, I've been a rhythm...

2008-01-24T09:12:00.000-06:00

This is interesting stuff. So, I've been a rhythm player all of my life but I would really like to start learning lead. What's the best place to start?

I think when I learned the concept of alternate pi...

2008-01-24T08:21:00.000-06:00

I think when I learned the concept of alternate picking I was under the mistaken impression that anything else was poor technique. This just reinforces the notion of reading what the experts have to say!

It always depends on the kind of tune, the style y...

2008-01-24T04:21:00.000-06:00

It always depends on the kind of tune, the style you are actually playing, whether it's best to use down strokes exclusively, or alternate picking.
Although I prefer the first (best for funky rhythms, rhythmically complicated lines etc.), and deem it an indispensable tool to keep the timing, I came to learn the advantages of down strokes. Main thing is, as you mentioned, consistency. If you are playing anything like punk or metal, it's the only way to go!