A New Practice Regimen (A Season Of Al Di Meola)

[FuzzyAce]

The percussive quality he gets on those palm muted single note lines is


So impressive how clean and precise he is with those!

I was messing around last night with that technique. It's a lot of fun. I even pulled out my old Ibanez Artist which is so easy to play -- and it's the closest I have to a Les Paul. (better in many ways, haha!)

 

[metropolis_4]

I was messing around last night with that technique. It's a lot of fun. I even pulled out my old Ibanez Artist which is so easy to play -- and it's the closest I have to a Les Paul. (better in many ways, haha!)

My picking hand doesn’t like trying to palm mute on the B and E strings, something about it just doesn’t work for me. I wish I could do it better!

Old Ibanez Artists =

 

[FuzzyAce]

My picking hand doesn’t like trying to palm mute on the B and E strings, something about it just doesn’t work for me. I wish I could do it better!

Old Ibanez Artists =

I think it comes more natural for me, I've been doing it on the E,B,G strings before I ever listened to DiMeola. Probably picked it up from Nuno come to think of it. He does it quite a bit.

Yes, the old Artists are wonderful!

 

[la szum]

The percussive quality he gets on those palm muted single note lines is


So impressive how clean and precise he is with those!

It's nuts! you know that Marshall has to be ripping, and then he is rolling his guitar volume
back, and muting those passages so precisely. I been murdering myself trying to recreate
some of that vibe. Never had such fun getting murdered!!

 

[la szum]

I think it comes more natural for me, I've been doing it on the E,B,G strings before I ever listened to DiMeola. Probably picked it up from Nuno come to think of it. He does it quite a bit.

Yes, the old Artists are wonderful!

 

[TSJMajesty]

Just tried it on this from Octavarium:

Just the part on the e.

Yeah, it's a bitch to do palm-muted, especially on a guitar with a low bridge. I have to stand up to get my hand completely over the strings, and get the only part of my palm that has any real meat (right next to my wrist) on top of the bridge, and fit it in between the trem (or I suppose I could just take out the arm )...

And then it's all wrist. And lots of control. Mostly because that riff is lots of 3-note groups, so you'd need to accent them in, well, groups of 3, which means on a downstroke, then an upstroke, etc.

Good great practice exercise though!

Thanks Dave!
Now I have something else to work on! Yea!

 

[la szum]

Haha!!

I think that TOM Bridge on a Les Paul helps. Gives you place to rest and anchor your palm.

 

[la szum]

I've worked on it for hours and hours the past few months. You'd think I'd exhibit
some improvement.

I so needed an healthy distraction/diversion this year. Al has definitely helped to
keep my sanity in check by giving me something challenging and inspiring to aim
for.

 

[FuzzyAce]

Haha!!

I think that TOM Bridge on a Les Paul helps. Gives you place to rest and anchor your palm.

Yep. It's definitely harder on a standard strat because of the volume control location.

 

[la szum]

Oh man, I need to (maybe) not try it on another style of guitar.

Thanks, FA! Now I have plans for the day----besides NOT answering the door!

 

[FuzzyAce]

Oh man, I need to (maybe) not try it on another style of guitar.

Thanks, FA! Now I have plans for the day----besides NOT answering the door!

 

[TSJMajesty]

Haha!!

I think that TOM Bridge on a Les Paul helps. Gives you place to rest and anchor your palm.

I was just thinking the same thing!

 

[TSJMajesty]

I've worked on it for hours and hours the past few months. You'd think I'd exhibit
some improvement.

I so needed an healthy distraction/diversion this year. Al has definitely helped to
keep my sanity in check by giving me something challenging and inspiring to aim
for.

Not saying that you do it this way...

But I've seen in myself, when I try to skip ahead, in tempo increases, instead of gradually, I stay stuck. Those few days when I rolled the metronome back down to a tempo only as high as it felt totally comfortable, and stayed there for a while, was I able to...

GO BACK AND SKIP AHEAD!! I'm a glutton for punishment.

 

[la szum]

Al's unintentionally been my Therapist this year. So didn't see this coming. Thought
I just stumbled upon an healtheir new routine involving working on specific skills,
and then Al and his iconic music and playing began to work their subtle magic on
me. In a challenging Season of Life, the challenge of diving deep into Al Di Meola---
his music, his skill, his virtuosity---became a trusted safe space where I could find
refuge, hope, grace, inspiration, and progress as a musician and a man.

I put on on his music now (as Casino plays in the background) and I am instantly
at ease, and feel a warmth come over me. And yeah, get your mind out of the gutter
@Warmart .

 

[FuzzyAce]

Al's unintentionally been my Therapist this year. So didn't see this coming. Thought
I just stumbled upon an healtheir new routine involving working on specific skills,
and then Al and his iconic music and playing began to work their subtle magic on
me. In a challenging Season of Life, the challenge of diving deep into Al Di Meola---
his music, his skill, his virtuosity---became a trusted safe space where I could find
refuge, hope, grace, inspiration, and progress as a musician and a man.

I put on on his music now (as Casino plays in the background) and I am instantly
at ease, and feel a warmth come over me. And yeah, get your mind out of the gutter
@Warmart .

Funny, I read the first part of that as you referring to A.I. not AL.
I was thinking "oh no, we lost another one."

 

[la szum]

A few things I am still working on:

1) Precision. Precision. Precision. And more precision.

2) Control. Finding that perfect balance between effort and intensity and still staying relaxed. It's fooking hard!

3) Playing cleaner and not using gain to mask bad technique. I see all 3 of these as related.

4) Go for it! Don't be afraid to blaze---even if I crash and burn. I am, not going to die!

5) Rhythmic variations and note group diversity in your picking hand.

6) Don't get stuck on even number note groups. It can sound mechanical. The groove and the feel is in the in betweens.

7) Perfecting pressure. What is the right amount of pressure used to pick? To pick slow and subtle. To pick fast and intense. Both/all.

 

[la szum]

Funny, I read the first part of that as you referring to A.I. not AL.
I was thinking "oh no, we lost another one."

Haha! We're all traumatized, FA!

 

[FuzzyAce]

A few things I am still working on:

1) Precision. Precision. Precision. And more precision.

2) Control. Finding that perfect balance between effort and intensity and still staying relaxed. It's fooking hard!

3) Playing cleaner and not using gain to mask bad technique. I see all 3 of these as related.

4) Go for it! Don't be afraid to blaze---even if I crash and burn. I am, not going to die!

5) Rhythmic variations and note group diversity in your picking hand.

6) Don't get stuck on even number note groups. It can sound mechanical. The groove and the feel is in the in betweens.

7) Perfecting pressure. What is the right amount of pressure used to pick? To pick slow and subtle. To pick fast and intense. Both/all.

All great things to work on and acknowledge.

It's a never-ending process!

 

[la szum]

Some cool dubbed/harmonized lines in here from his 1st Solo Album.

A lot grittier/fuzzier tone than he used on later releases. Great fucking
tune and playing. He was 22.

 

[Warmart]

I put on on his music now (as Casino plays in the background) and I am instantly
at ease, and feel a warmth come over me. And yeah, get your mind out of the gutter
@Warmart .

I'm feeling lunch coming back up, that's what I'm feeling!






LMAO of course!