A New Practice Regimen (Al Di Meola Month)
- Thread starter la szum
- Start date
AutomationBias
Roadie
- Messages
- 526
Yup. His Bass and Treble settings are polar opposite of typical Marshall settings.
I think Michael Schenker prefers the 50 watt Marshalls and also does the Bass on
10 and Treble on thing.
That said, neither guy is playing the wound strings that much. Maybe they like that
added thickness/bloat/tubbiness for playing in the upper reigster.
Don't quote me!!
Ok, I just tried it on my 50 watt Metro and to my surprise it sounds FREAKING AMAZING through the high treble input. It reminds me a lot of the sound on the early Mahavishnu records.
la szum
Goatlord
- Messages
- 11,113
That was the distinction I think me and Fuzzy Ace were making. Paul teaches/uses a strict alternate
picking method---where you alternate pick even between strings. No economy picking whatsoever.
Paul teaches to go past a string for an upstroke..... to maintain the strict up/down alternate picking
method.
I assumed Al used the same method/approach. Based on his lesson video he doesn't. His is a mix of
economy and alternate.
Boudoir Guitar
Rock Star
- Messages
- 2,877
Gotcha. I was just thinking that a month of studying Al DiMeola that wasn’t focused mostly on alternate picking might be taking one comment in a video a bit out of contextThat was the distinction I think me and Fuzzy Ace were making. Paul teaches/uses a strict alternate
picking method---where you alternate pick even between strings. No economy picking whatsoever.
Paul teaches to go past a string for an upstroke..... to maintain the strict up/down alternate picking
method.
I assumed Al used the same method/approach. Based on his lesson video he doesn't. His is a mix of
economy and alternate.
Good luck! My life doesn’t allow for your level of rigor with the timing, etc., but it has been good spending the last few weeks focusing most of my playing time on learning various Autumn Leaves solos by ear.
TSJMajesty
Rock Star
- Messages
- 3,965
I find it very difficult to alt-pick single n.p.s, across more than 2 strings, like arpeggios, which are prevalent in the Paganini I've been working on. Those, I just rake across (economy.)His is a mix of
economy and alternate.
But everything else, whether it's inside string changes or outside, I'll alt-pick. I find it hard to go from up/dn up/dn, to 'raking' across 2 notes, then get right back to alt-picking. It breaks my motion in an awkward way.
la szum
Goatlord
- Messages
- 11,113
Man, that was so counter-intuitive to me when I was young and came across Paul's now famous
instructional video. I practiced those stupid licks till I was numb. Literally!
From a logical perspective it makes a lot of sense---especially if you play in a way that you are
always accenting the 1 with a downstroke.
duzie
Shredder
- Messages
- 1,082
This is that lick. Fuck you lick!!
I wonder how many TGF members are trying out that lick now hahaha
Stone
Rock Star
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- 4,930
Early VH with his Plexi was pretty much everything on 10 with a Variac at around 7.5Dammit
50 watt Marshall everything on 10
Now I’m noodling and not practicing
TSJMajesty
Rock Star
- Messages
- 3,965
My 'fuck you' lick is anything that involves hitting a string, going to the adjacent string, then back to the original string.This is that lick. Fuck you lick!!
Inside is not as difficult for me as outside, but either will trip me up. Here's a perfect example, from "Final Unison" on:
la szum
Goatlord
- Messages
- 11,113
I just can't do that outside thing.
I am more Frank Gambale than Paul Gilbert. I just intuitivelygo for more of that economy style that the strict alternate style.
I do think it is valuable to try different methods and approaches. We are all different, and what
works for one person will not work for another. The only way to find out what is best suited for us
is try a bunch of different methods.
la szum
Goatlord
- Messages
- 11,113
This is so freaking good. 1978 people. That whole band is on total fire. 
Pretty sure I'll never get anywhere remotely close to that same Zip Code Al lives
in, but man it sure is fun copping some of that feel and style, phrasing, and tone.
If I can string 3 to 6 notes together at those speeds and with that level of precision
I'll be more than content.
Pretty sure I'll never get anywhere remotely close to that same Zip Code Al lives
in, but man it sure is fun copping some of that feel and style, phrasing, and tone.
If I can string 3 to 6 notes together at those speeds and with that level of precision
I'll be more than content.
Stone
Rock Star
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- 4,930
Boudoir Guitar
Rock Star
- Messages
- 2,877
It was all the polyester!!That whole band is on total fire.
I just got done noodling for a good 45 minutes
la szum
Goatlord
- Messages
- 11,113
This is fun. I went to bed last night looking forward to getting up
early just so I would have time to get my session with Al in. I feel
like a teenager again, with the passion for learning to boot!
I have realized that the past 20+ years or so was strictly spent on
learning material for bands I played in, and then for gigs where I
was either subbing for someone, or backing up solo artists. If there
was a technique within a song that I needed to work on then I only
did it in the context of learning that part or phrase. I have not
specifically sat down to do a deep dive on technique and developing
greater facility for facilities sake in 30+ years. That's a long time ago.
Things I worked on this morning were some ear training by picking
out some of Al's licks and riffs. And that percussive nature of Al's
picking is so intricate, precise, and subtle that I will be able to work
on it the rest of my life and never get anywhere near his level of
mastery. I am thinking him being so fluent on Acoustic Guitar has
probably helped him develop a massive degree of strength in both
of his hands. Just more resistance and tension with a Steel String
Acoustic.
In only 3 days I can already hear a difference in my picking. Excited
to keep on keeping on and continue to be very intentional about this.
Refreshing!
early just so I would have time to get my session with Al in. I feel
like a teenager again, with the passion for learning to boot!
I have realized that the past 20+ years or so was strictly spent on
learning material for bands I played in, and then for gigs where I
was either subbing for someone, or backing up solo artists. If there
was a technique within a song that I needed to work on then I only
did it in the context of learning that part or phrase. I have not
specifically sat down to do a deep dive on technique and developing
greater facility for facilities sake in 30+ years. That's a long time ago.
Things I worked on this morning were some ear training by picking
out some of Al's licks and riffs. And that percussive nature of Al's
picking is so intricate, precise, and subtle that I will be able to work
on it the rest of my life and never get anywhere near his level of
mastery. I am thinking him being so fluent on Acoustic Guitar has
probably helped him develop a massive degree of strength in both
of his hands. Just more resistance and tension with a Steel String
Acoustic.
In only 3 days I can already hear a difference in my picking. Excited
to keep on keeping on and continue to be very intentional about this.
Refreshing!
