This is the first in a series of lessons where we work on playing single note lines in time. One of the most common issues that I run into with students who have played for a while before coming to me is that they generally don’t have a concrete concept of how time in music works, or how their physical interface with the instrument (their hands) can keep them from playing their ideas in time with a good feel. This lesson is an attempt to teach simple subdivision in a way that also applies it to a musical concept to make it a bit more fun to play. While Yngwie Malmsteen is not usually someone that comes to mind when we discuss “pocket” playing this is a nice way to introduce you to the idea that time in music is always subdivided or felt in smaller increments. The other benefit is that you have a lesson that is also designed to help you train your physical technique to play time more consistently.
It never hurts to verbalize to try to count an idea like this with the metronome before trying it on the guitar. Remember that your brain is the real musical instrument here and if you cannot hear the subdivisions in your head and at least be able to tap or count it out then it really won’t happen with the guitar in your hands. My blog this tuesday will start to address this idea too…
The lesson is really just about alternate picking 16th notes consistently while moving a four note motive around an A Harmonic Minor scale. It sounds harder than it really is, and if you follow the video and read the PDF you should have a decent exercise to work on feeling a consistent subdivision of the beat where each beat is divided up into four smaller parts. If any of this is new to you, you should take a look at the “Putting Your Lines in the Pocket” lesson first before attempting this one.: http://www.markwein.com/putting-your-lines-in-the-pocket/
Click here for the “Playing in the pocket with Yngwie” PDF.
You will notice that there is a section in the video that is not in the PDF. I decided that it would be a good exercise to get you to use your ears and figure out the missing section. Keep in mind that it is all just 4 note bits that you’ve already played before that point, just in a different order.
