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How to get better at guitar

jakeworth.com

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Re: How to get better at guitar

#191

Post by BrokenCogs »

adrianh wrote: post #152

I’ve transcribed hundreds of hours of guitar music over 25+ years, using the method described in this article. It was such a slog that I ended up creating tool to help streamline the process: Soundslice ( https://www.soundslice.com/ ). It combines audio playback directly with a tab editor, so that you can immediately write down what you’ve figured out and your transcription stays in sync with the original audio. This…

I'm actually trying to build something similar to this for personal use, not as a product. What did you find was the most difficult technical step when building? I'm finding it particularly challenging to separate rhythm and lead guitar parts (both in terms of stem separation and also when transcribing by ear).

Re: How to get better at guitar

#192

Post by grvdrm »

gritspants wrote: post #66
analog31 wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm a jazz musician, and my kids are both professional classical players. I've asked them why they don't learn to play jazz. My daughter described pretty much what Glass is saying here. She calls it "fear of sucking." She knows what good jazz improvisation sounds like, and trying to make herself do it is pretty discouraging. Not that there's anything wrong with loving and playing classical music, which is a factor to…

I picked up Violin as an adult, have done recitals, and I suck. Being able to suck and find joy in something anyway even if you're not top nth percentile is a valuable life skill.

Yup: golf. Go out there and enjoy the air, sun, walk, company.

Re: How to get better at guitar

#193

Post by adrianh »

BrokenCogs wrote: post #191
adrianh wrote: post #152

I’ve transcribed hundreds of hours of guitar music over 25+ years, using the method described in this article. It was such a slog that I ended up creating tool to help streamline the process: Soundslice ( https://www.soundslice.com/ ). It combines audio playback directly with a tab editor, so that you can immediately write down what you’ve figured out and your transcription stays in sync with the original audio. This…

I'm actually trying to build something similar to this for personal use, not as a product. What did you find was the most difficult technical step when building? I'm finding it particularly challenging to separate rhythm and lead guitar parts (both in terms of stem separation and also when transcribing by ear).

I've been working on it full-time since 2012, so it's hard for me to reduce 14 years' worth of work to a single "most difficult technical step."

Sorry, I don't mean to be rude or unhelpful, but that's not a question I can provide a meaningful answer to. There have been dozens, probably hundreds, of difficult technical challenges in building Soundslice.

Re: How to get better at guitar

#194

Post by chucksmash »

freetime2 wrote: post #177
wvh wrote: post #164

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it's pretty frustrating if the songs/pieces you actually want to play are demanding or even at the virtuoso level. If you really want to play a David Gilmour guitar solo or sing some Led Zeppelin, it better not suck because it won't hit the mark at all. For me, the reason to pick up the guitar as a kid was to play stuff I liked, stuff that turned out not to be that easy, and every time I play, I feel that gap…

Rick Beato did a video about being able to identify guitarists by a single note. David Gilmour was by far the easiest to recognize. It got me wondering how much work would it take to even be able to play a single note as well as David Gilmour. And even then I would still only be imitating someone, not creating something original. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gESY87hn7_Q

Wow, true. The David Gilmour note is plain as day. Only other one nearly as easy for me was EVH. The Jimi note sounded like Jimi but like the top comment says, a lot of the others sounded like Jimi too.

Re: How to get better at guitar

#195

Post by myshoemouth »

adrianh wrote: post #152

I’ve transcribed hundreds of hours of guitar music over 25+ years, using the method described in this article. It was such a slog that I ended up creating tool to help streamline the process: Soundslice ( https://www.soundslice.com/ ). It combines audio playback directly with a tab editor, so that you can immediately write down what you’ve figured out and your transcription stays in sync with the original audio. This…

I just recently discovered Soundslice after decades of transcribing with various tools and libraries. They worked butyour tool puts everything together so well. Immediately subscribed. Thank you for making this tool. Cheers.

Re: How to get better at guitar

#196

Post by wookmaster »

kvgr wrote: post #172
freetime2 wrote: post #32

This brought to mind a quote from Ira Glass: > Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your…

I just started photography last year and it makes much sense. This and: - do it with intention, to copy or simulate to learn how to do what you want. If you just go out and take random pictures you will not learn much. If you go and try to simulate some style, lightning, you learn a lot. I also think most of my pictures really suck even if i try. But then i look on pictures of someone who has "photographer" in profil…

Ah yeah I feel this, I've done it as a hobby for a long time. One frustration I would have is how many photos I would take of a framing that I didn't like. I've spent a lot of time getting in my head that unless this is a moving object that focus is gonna be challenge I get ONE picture. Helps me sit with the framing there instead of just clicking away and having to post filter hundreds of photos.

Still have to post filter hundreds of my kids though but it's worth it for some of the shots I get. Too bad they can't sit still.

Re: How to get better at guitar

#197

Post by JohnKemeny »

raincole wrote: post #141
jcattle wrote: post #139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No need for absolute pitch. All you need is relative pitch. You play a note, compare to the note you heard, maybe even play them at the same time. And then change the note till you find the right one.

How do you do that with chords? I know everyone who isn't completely tone deaf can do that with one single note. But when it comes to chords, unless you already know some music theory, aren't there infinite number of combinations you have to try before you find the correct one?

Well, the guitar has a finite number of strings and each string is partition into a finite number of frets. It's definitely not more than, say, 30^6 ~ 729 million.

That said, common chords are A, B, C, D, E, F, G (and their sharps and flats), combined with either major or minor mode. Hence "C, G, F, Am, Em" is an example of what someone could play. Now, of course, if it doesn't sound exactly like a G, perhaps it's a G7? After some practice, you can even hear, by the sound of the strings, exactly which chord it is. Em, G, and D are particularly simple to recognize.

Re: How to get better at guitar

#198

Post by kQq9oHeAz6wLLS »

hn_throwaway_99 wrote: post #84
WalterBright wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was at a dance hall the other day, and this young lady came floating in. It's hard to describe how she walked - just like she was effortlessly gliding. It looks easy, but anyone else would look like a moose trying it. It's the result of a lifetime of ballet dancing. Probably 10,000 hours, at least. I was just in awe.

It's not just the 10,000 hours, it's learning it very young. I am an ex-professional ballet dancer, and one of the things I always find interesting is that any experienced ballet dancer can instantly tell who trained as a child and who didn't solely by how they stand (literally not even moving) at the barre. But the thing is, children with only a few years of training under their belt will often show this good form,…

> Natalie Portman...you could easily tell she wasn't a dancer.

Which is interesting, because from what I can tell she studied ballet from a young age, which potentially puts a hole in your theory. Unless you're only taking about professional dancers who started young versus professional dancers who started late, rather than any (i.e. non-professional) dancer.

Re: How to get better at guitar

#199

Post by badeeya »

adrianh wrote: post #152

I’ve transcribed hundreds of hours of guitar music over 25+ years, using the method described in this article. It was such a slog that I ended up creating tool to help streamline the process: Soundslice ( https://www.soundslice.com/ ). It combines audio playback directly with a tab editor, so that you can immediately write down what you’ve figured out and your transcription stays in sync with the original audio. This…

Hey, just wanted to say I really love your software and it was a pleasure finding out that you guys are active on HN (I remember your ASCII tabs post). It's very pleasant to use, especially with the sync mode to help play over tabs I have with the official music video. Cheers

Re: How to get better at guitar

#200

Post by FumblingBear »

ggerules wrote: post #128

This piece of software has been my goto on transcribing music for all of the instruments I play for the past 25 years. I can't recommend it enough. It has been pivotal in me being a better musician. Works on Linux, Mac and Windows. https://www.seventhstring.com/xscribe/overview.html

I've also been using transcribe for over a decade and can vouch for how great it is for learning music and transcribing by ear. Irreplacable for my workflow.
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