Swine Flu makes me :(

Wow, this is the longest I've ever maintained a website of any sort. Ever. Seriously.

Anyway, I got some bad news. You've almost definitely heard of the "swine flu" epidemic that is striking globally. In case you don't, it's a form of influenza that originated in Mexico. Apparently according to Andrew, it started when somebody had sexual intercourse with a pig... groosssssssssss. Anyway, it's like normal flu but it kills faster, or so I hear. There is medication and antibiotics to cure the illness but you can't just leave it and only take medicine after having it for a few weeks - it's got to be cured ASAP.

Anyway, about half of our class has been struck down with swine-flu symptoms - note that they don't necessarily have it though. It's just a few symptoms! For all they know it might just be normal flu! Well, yeah, a lot of the school's been affected but I can't help but think that a few of my friends are simply using the epidemic as an excuse to get off school - a brilliant plan which I could never pull off thanks to my mother's constant insistency that I don't miss school... ever. Actually, this year is the first I've achieved 100% attendance! Hooray!

Technically speaking, that could drop by 0.05% or so still, since the school year isn't over. But anyway, bubye ladies and gents!

Guitar Lesson - Speed Buster!

Speed is something which comes to a guitarist with constant practice! Determination and consistency are two things that will get you to your goal. Vinnie Moore in his instructional CD said, he had a daily 1 hour routine where all he did was just shred, and play chromatics, and also play patterns, at blazing speeds. One of his biggest secrets is no secret to a developing guitarist, you have to go up gradaually. No one can expect to get upto speeds reached by Michael Angelo at once.

To someone eager to reach high speeds, the metronome should be your best friend. Now there are alternatives to the metronome, but this is the best way. As I have said before consistency and determination is what you need. You should try to create a practice schedule pf your own, let it be 30 mins, or an hour. Its very important. Now what do you do, in this 30-60 mins, this is supposed to be really boring. Repeat chromatics, play them in different patterns and so on. Here are some exercises that you can do in your routine. I found them very useful. You'll say the same thing after doing them. For those of you who dont know! A D refers to a downstroke and U to an upstroke!

Exercise 1

This is for beginners. Dont avoid alternate picking, its a key weapon when it comes to playing fast. The exercise lets you get used to alternate picking.

D U D U  |-0--0--0--0--1--1--1--1--2--2--2--2--3--3--3--3-|Repeat till 12  |------------------------------------------------|  |------------------------------------------------|  |------------------------------------------------|  |------------------------------------------------|  |------------------------------------------------|

Its really helpful especially if you havent done alternate picking before. After that reverse the pattern, that is Up Down Up Down.

Exercise 2  D U D U  |------------------------------------------1-2-3-4--5-4-3-2----------------  |----------------------------------1-2-3-4------------------5-4-3-2--------  |--------------------------1-2-3-4----------------------------------5-4-3-2  |------------------1-2-3-4-------------------------------------------------etc  |----------1-2-3-4---------------------------------------------------------  |--1-2-3-4-----------------------------------------------------------------

This is the 4 note chromatic pattern. Its really boring, yet very useful. Play it till the 12th fret. To make this a bit more interesting you can use legato (Hammerons and Pull offs), and string skipping. When you use string skipping use your imagination, you can play the 4 note pattern in E String then skip to D, then A to G and so on.

Exercise 3  D U D  |-------------------------------1-2-3--4-3-2-------------------------------  |-------------------------1-2-3--------------4-3-2-etc---------------------  |-------------------1-2-3--------------------------------------------------  |-------------1-2-3--------------------------------------------------------  |-------1-2-3--------------------------------------------------------------  |-1-2-3--------------------------------------------------------------------

Now this may seem simple enough. But trust me, its not. Its pretty deifficult to keep the D U D U pattern going. Thats the key to this exercise. Try to play D U D U, until you become absolutely 100% accurate. Use string skipping.

Exercise 4  D U D U  |-----------------------------------------1-3-2-4---------|  |---------------------------------1-3-2-4---------2-4-3-5-|  |-------------------------1-3-2-4-------------------------|  |-----------------1-3-2-4---------------------------------|  |---------1-3-2-4-----------------------------------------|  |-1-3-2-4-------------------------------------------------|   |-----------------------------------------|  |-----------------------------------------|  |-2-4-3-5---------------------------------|  |---------2-4-3-5-------------------------|  |-----------------2-4-3-5---------3-5-4-6-|  |-------------------------2-4-3-5---------|

Now this is very very useful! Now instead of using playing 1324, you may also play 1423 or 1324 or anything. Use your imagination. Use string skipping.

Exercise 5  D U D U  |-1234----------------------------------------------6789--|  |------2345------------------------------------6789-------|  |-----------3456--------------------------6789------------|  |----------------4567----------------6789-----------------|  |---------------------5678------6789----------------------|  |--------------------------6789---------------------------|    |---------------------------------------------------4321--|  |-8765-----------------------------------------4321-------|  |------7654-------------------------------4321------------|  |-----------6543---------------------4321-----------------|  |----------------5432-----------4321----------------------|  |---------------------4321-4321---------------------------|   Exercise 6 and 7  D D D D  |-----------------------4-------------------------|  |---------------4-----3---------5---------------6-|  |-------4-----3-----2---------4---------5-----5---|  |-----3-----2-----1---------3---------4-----4-----|  |---2-----1---------------2---------3-----3-------|  |-1-------------------------------2---------------|  UUUU  |-1-------------------------------2---------------|  |---2-----1---------------2---------3-----3-------|  |-----3-----2-----1---------3---------4-----4-----|  |-------4-----3-----2---------4---------5-----5---|  |---------------4-----3---------5---------------6-|  |-----------------------4-------------------------|

These 2 exercises will later help you with sweep picking, treat them with respect, and you will be rewarded. Now before I finish I will provide one more exercise, in fact its a pattern. That is you can use it with scales and stuff. Its probably the most common off em all. And as you get faster you'll realise how often they are used by your favourite speed demons.

D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U   |---------------------------------|--------------------------------|  |---------------------------------|--------------------------------|  |---------------------------------|--------------------------------|  |---------------------------------|---------5-------5-6----5-6-7---|  |---------5-------5-6-----5-6-7---|-5-6-7-8---6-7-8----7-8-------8-|  |-5-6-7-8---6-7-8-----7-8-------8-|--------------------------------|   |---------------------------------|----------------------------------|  |---------------------------------|---------5-------5-6-----5-6-7----|  |---------5-------5-6-----5-6-7---|-5-6-7-8---6-7-8-----7-8-------8--|  |-5-6-7-8---6-7-8-----7-8-------8-|----------------------------------|  |---------------------------------|----------------------------------|  |---------------------------------|----------------------------------|

Now this is really basic, spend some time with and try using it in your solos- very useful. You should play all the exercises above regularly even though its got the same effect as watching Oprah. But unlike Oprah this helps (no hard feelings n e 1, its just that the show is boring). Try to make them more interesting by using effects, using variations I. e strike each notes in a different way, vary your speed, use other legato and all.

Now that ends part I, (I don't know whether there will be a Part 2). If you are a beginner, what I would suggest is play each exercise in such a way, that you can play em with your eyes closed. Then use the metronome, and gradually increase your speed that is from 110 to 120. Dont kill yourself by starting of with 150. Thats about it! Take care and remember that the metronome is your best friend.

Note: In my 3 years of learning these are some exercises which have improves my playing a lot, I have studied articles, videos and lots of other stuff. If the article looks or is similar to any other in the internet, its accidental. There is no plagiarism involved.

Enjoy.

God Gave Rock N' Roll To YOU!!

Hello.

Have any of you guys seen School of Rock? You know, that stereotypical Jack Black film in which he throws up the horns every ten seconds and always stands with his legs spread and singing a soprano. You know... it has lots of children in it? There's a show at the end which is completely unrealistic, you know? Aha. Well, to refresh your memory it looked a little something like this:

Yeah, it's actually not all that bad. I suppose they really did have to Hollywood-ize it in order for anyone of today's society to actually pay attention to it. It has its moments - the guitar kid in it can actually play pretty impressively for someone of his age.

Now, picture Kiss, the band. Here, I'll do it for you.

See the dude at the bottom? That's Gene Simmons. Believe it or not, he did a similar thing to School of Rock himself. We watched two of the episodes in music class today, since the equipment got packed up due to demolishment of one of the rooms.

I'd go into more detail but I have to go. Again. Very badly timed.

Anyway, see you guys tomorrow.

History Assessment Extract - hooray!!

Hey guys.

I'm feeling better now - my throat's still giving me hell but at least I don't feel so weak that I can't even stand up on my feet without feeling dizzy. To be honest, this isn't going to be a great post since I am slightly preoccupied. I have a History assessment due in tomorrow concerning whether Lee Harvey Oswald was responsible for the assassination of JFK. Or, for those of you who don't know what that stands for, John F(itzgerald) Kennedy, 35th President of the United States. Here, since I can't really write much without wasting time, I'll copy and paste a paragraph of my essay here.

Actually I won't - what if someone from school were to steal it and hand it in as their own? I'd get screwed sideways if that happened.

Anyway, sorry about the second short-as-hell post out of two this month, it'll only get better though. I had adequate excuses for both anyway, so don't whine.

OR ELSE.

(hehe)

ILLNESS :( :( :(

I've been sick for the past few days :(

This post is going to be very short, just saying I'll post more. I just didn't feel up to it recently. See you later guys.

Not a great way to mark my 30th post...

Improv!??!?!

Don't even mention that sudden surge of inactivity. I was doing so well too.

Anyway, have any of you guys ever wondered how someone came up with the concept of a guitar? How did they think it up? Perhaps: "I know, I'm going to stretch a few strings of different thickness across a hollow wooden frame, wind them around small knobs at the top and stick them through the frame at the bottom, pluck the strings whilst holding them at different positions with my left hand and see what happens"? Yeah, right.

I have no idea who actually came up with the principal guitar - or the lute, or whatever it was. I'm not too great on the history of guitars, just guitars in general. Anyway, surely it was somewhere in the Roman era, an era of invention and revolution, of music and entertainment. Perhaps it took ages and ages to think it up, or perhaps it really was quite simply, spontaneous. I'd like to think its conception was in the method of the latter - since there's so much to do with guitar that is spontaneous. Improvisation in particular.

It seems I'm the only one in our year group capable of improvising an intermediate solo on the spot, with or without backing musicians/tracks. I don't know why - it's probably down to my classical guitar roots. I'd learned classical guitar from a very good teacher called Mr. Everitt since the start of primary school. I stopped and switched to the classical's electric counterpart somewhere between primary and secondary school. However, during the half-hour classical guitar lessons we did a huge focus on three aspects of guitar - a) fingerpicking (the main form of classical playing, since no players use picks), b) rhythm and c) scales and arpeggios. The last of those is what comes into effect the most when I improvise - I really would be as helpless at improv as my mates are without my training. Indeed, even the Year 11s seem incapable of, what seems to me, a very simple talent. All you need to know is what string to be on, what fret to hold and when to hit the string. Once you have that down well, you can go faster and faster. But improvising isn't ALL about the melody.

Rhythm is very important too. Can you imagine a solo that went "wa-wa-wa-wa-wa-wa-wa-wa" in a constant beat without any variation? Let me give you an example of how boring that can be.

(By the way, I'm a Paramore fan and Josh Farro is... well, a good guitarist. But he could have done SO much better on Misery Business' solo. It's at 2:13.)

Now, compare that to a heartfelt and compelling improvised solo from the great John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, in this live performance of their song off By the Way if I remember correctly, called Don't Forget Me. Listen to that solo and tell me it's worse than the Misery Business one.

Also note that eerie sound John makes through that Strat, and you can really see his Hendrix influences. Flea, the bassist, is also coming up with some brilliant improvisation that perfectly meshes with John's guitar. And the way the band just flows from improvisation to the song itself is true nirvana in my opinion.

Now, the top 3:

1. Black Dog - Led Zeppelin

2. For Those About To Rock (We Salute You) - AC/DC

3. Can't Stop - Red Hot Chili Peppers.

And that's all for now, folks! Oh, wait, a lolcat!! :D

Gets me every time.

DO NOT PANIC.

Don't worry. DO NOT WORRY. I'm not going into another inactive spree just because of missing yesterday, it was blogger's fault actually. When I clicked on "New Post" it said something like "Unable to complete your request" and an error code to go with it, to make me feel so special and new. But I didn't, I simply got angry that blogger let me down. Still, I tried to post yesterday, and that's what counts.

But just in case you don't believe me, I'm gonna have to do two posts today, in order to make up for yesterday's slip in my armour. So, let's do it then.

We've been practising frequently in the pods at lunch breaks, which is helping a lot. I'd forgotten how much more fun it is to play with your friends than to play on your own, which is what I'd been starting to get used to. I stopped going round Charlie's house for a while due to the aforementioned musical differences we'd grown, but started jamming on my own or to a sound track in order to keep my skills honed. This way my musical taste flourished and I was able to explore without being hindered by Charlie telling me that song was crap or that riff was lame, and vice versa - I used to shout abuse about Pete Doherty whilst Charlie was playing a Babyshambles song or whatever.

But now we're playing together, as a group of friends no less, it's great fun. There's just something about creating some music with people you know - or even people you don't know, for that matter. That's why I love music so much, it's just so amazing, free and easy to get into. It can be soothing or arousing, calm or furious, sweet or angry. With Charlie's bass throbbing in the background and adding a long-lost depth to the song for me, me putting my guitar through her paces and Glyn smashing the drums up - a true thing of beauty.

So, people, I'd like to advise you all turn to music when you feel in need. If you're depressed, listen to some metal at full volume - it's okay. With bands like Metallica, behind the angry-appearing sound is actually a different form of emotion, not something actually negative, just a different way of showing a positive outlook. If you're happy, I find a good run of "For Those About To Rock" by AC/DC can get me even happier. Oh, and if you play an instrument - move in time with the music. It loosens you up, and for me and many other artists (Angus Young included) it makes playing easier and more natural. Don't be embarrassed about looking like an idiot just because you want to headbang or run around the stage, Young-style. It's cool. If they laugh at you it's only because they don't understand what it feels like, to let the music flow through you openly and accept it in your movements.

Anyway, I've got to go for dinner now. That was part one, I'll post another today if I remember (which I will. I MUST.)

So, adíos.