Shredding

[morefreshfruit]

I've been playing guitar for close to three years and I've decided it's time to learn shredding. So....is there a certain technique I have to use that's different than the norm? I would really appreciate some tips. Thanks!

[PatrickJamesYu]

Haha the topic is funny

But yes getting your Shred on does require different techniques and playing styles.

Learning your scales and arpeggios will be involved.

And you need to work on your picking technique, rhythm, and work on finger excersises (like spider crawls, I don't know if that's exactly what its called).

This topic is a weird thing (for me) to explain through text.

But I'd just say don't get ahead of your self, and play to a metronome, SLOW.

Don't rush your self.

[john]

hey

It all depends on what you would like to achieve. In addition to learn one, two and three octave scales, including diminished and harmonic scales, you should learn about sweep picking, legato playing using hammer ons and pull offs, finger tapping, tiads and modes and how to play with a whammy bar to produce dive bombs and a number of other effects. You'll also want to start playing with your pedalboard to find suitable sounds.

As Patrick mentions you will also want to look at trying a number of finger exercises and work in detail on your picking technique. I totally agree, start slow, very slow, using a metronome and gradually work to improve your speed. Patience is essential!

Cheers

John

[upperlines]

I didn't learn shredding, but i thing that you have to learn and memorize very well scales. You have to do it again and again, till your fingers bleed! The harder is to memorize the way to switch between different scales... And the only way to go faster is to to begin very slow and do it everyday. One day you'll be a "killer"!

[Tambarskjelve]

And please, don`t become one of those mindless guys who shreds just for the sake of it. A little bit of shredding is nice if you manage to put some "soul" into it, but most of the shredders I have heard are playing like machines.

[Gangleri]

Just to reiterate what Tambarskjelve said above, I was in a heavy metal band once where the lead guitarist, a very talented guitarist, would use up most of his solos shredding indistinctly and incomprehensibly. With distortion it kind of sounded cool and flash, but I'll bet you that if we turned that off and listened to it clean it would've just sounded wrong and limp. He definitely didn't start slow and he thought he could use distortion to mask his mistakes. Don't do the same!

I suppose what to take from that is to make sure that every now and then you play without any effects to make sure that you're hitting all the notes perfectly and smoothly, don't try to lie to yourself and others with lots of heavy fuzz and stuff like that..

[Tambarskjelve]

And as a wise man once said : "The most important notes in any solo are the ones you don`t play"

[davidmichael]

i ageree with the above suggestions.I love to play fast but its worthless without accurassy and keeping time.

As for suggestions PRACTICE and more practice. Just dont get burnt out or discouraged and the best advice is to start slow and work your way up after youve gotten what your trying to achieve down to where you dont even have to think about it,then pick up the pace a little and do it again.

Best of luck !!!!!!!!

[MarcG]

Sweap picking and running scales alternate picking.

I found, when I was into such Malmstienish ideas runing scales with a meteronome each day setting it a little faster helped my speed and accuracy alot.

Hours of running scales, look out carpal tunnel.

[Steve]

Get loads of fuzz and distortion and reverb and just hit everything! Anybody can do it.

[davidmichael]

all of the above ,especially................I suppose what to take from that is to make sure that every now and then you play without any effects to make sure that you're hitting all the notes perfectly and smoothly, don't try to lie to yourself and others with lots of heavy fuzz and stuff like that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

once you get it down clean,then lay the effects on it and youll be awesome !!!!..

[LayneGreene]

Before you switch on the distortion try and be able to play everything clean. Then you'll find you'll probably need less gain to make the lines sound goood