A lesson I think everyone should listen to, especially my Rock Lead Guitar Class guys

Mark Wein

Grand Poobah
Staff member
Really what I want everyone to listen to is what he says in Part 2, but all three videos have great information and put together it's on private lesson a guys is having with Pat Metheny where he just lays it out there. I haven't had time to listen to part 3, but this obviously wasn't made for public consumption and Metheny is a little "frank" about other players (whose names are edited out of the audio) and what he has to say about the students skills are incredibly invaluable for all of us to consider. I'm not really a Metheny fan but his stock really went up in my eyes after listening to this.







 
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Will listen later... Right now I need to bust out two exterior walls and install a window and double door...
 
I need to think about what he says. I get the point about being able to play lines so "in" with the harmony and rhythm that you can hear the chords and the groove even if you just played the solo on it's own...but I'm not entirely sure at the moment how this might relate to rock guitar playing (or at least my rock guitar playing :embarrassed:) which is usually over a pretty static background...and the emphasis is usually on taking a journey away from that background during a solo...I think the student says much the same thing..albeit from a jazz perspective and Metheny say's it's good to be able to do both. No arguing with that.

I might have just answered my own question. :embarrassed:
 
I need to think about what he says. I get the point about being able to play lines so "in" with the harmony and rhythm that you can hear the chords and the groove even if you just played the solo on it's own...but I'm not entirely sure at the moment how this might relate to rock guitar playing (or at least my rock guitar playing :embarrassed:) which is usually over a pretty static background...and the emphasis is usually on taking a journey away from that background during a solo...I think the student says much the same thing..albeit from a jazz perspective and Metheny say's it's good to be able to do both. No arguing with that.

I might have just answered my own question. :embarrassed:

:grin:

I'm actually digging what he has to say about playing time later on myself. Just lots of good stuff in there to think about, which is what I want folks to do a bit.
 
I liked what he was saying about time.

Paraphase: I can just play this scale and it sounds like some really hip shit because I'm so in the pocket.

I would have been interested in hearing his negative comparisons to Michael Brecker but I guess the guy who posted it blanked them out to avoid a flame war.
 
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yeah...I spent an hour or so playing with that in mind. It's kind of a new mission for me. I can obviously play in time but he's talking about a depth of control that I'd like to aim for at least.
 
I am listening to the second part now. Will try to think about that when I construct my solo for class. I was thinking I would try to go for highlighting a chords, but I will think about how to "describe" the chord, and give the "harmonic information". Obviously he says it has to do with arpeggios and chord tones. I think I tend to follow the root too much, and don't get out to harmonizing the root long enough while still staying in the chord.


The first part when he talks about rhythm in town also gave me a greater understanding of the skills I need to develop. rhythmically. I really need to develop my basic rhythm playing, and also my rhythm in single line lead playing, and learn to combine the two.
 
And he mentions Clifford Brown at the end of pt. II with regard to timing. And of course that goes back to Louis Armstrong. And so on. . .


He says Sonny Rollins is good to listen to because it is easier to play on guitar than say, Coltrane. Will have to check that out. Mark, maybe that could be the next horn line lesson?

He says that Sonny is good for learning to keep the idea going for a while, which is something I need to develop.


Note to self. Simple playing. Clear and concise. End thoughts on strong notes on strong beats.


Question: Why is he so big on triplets always being right to get a swing rather than dotted 8ths and 16ths? I guess the that is because the guys he admired played that way. He says very few white guy guitarists have it. So is it a preference?
 
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Maybe I';ll look at Sonny Rollins...I was actually thinking of a Charlie Parker lick for next week and I hadn't decided on the 4th one yet...
 
Up to you of course. Look at my question I edited in to my last post at the end if you wouldn't mind. This stuff has me very interested.
 
because in a real swing rhythm the internal subdivision should be based on a triplet - "One trip let"


Count this with a metronome but only say the bold parts out loud. Make sure you internally count the "trip" though: "One trip let Two trip let Three trip let Four trip let "
 
because in a real swing rhythm the internal subdivision should be based on a triplet - "One trip let"


Count this with a metronome but only say the bold parts out loud. Make sure you internally count the "trip" though: "One trip let Two trip let Three trip let Four trip let "

I still struggle with counting triplets.
 
Ok, if I move my picking hand in time, and also tap my feet, and keep those moving as I count not saying "trip" out loud, I can do it.
 
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