LESSONS AND INFO 

Neoclassical guitar music is a modern musical style that showcases the guitar in a fusion of metal and heavy rock instrumentation with classical motifs. Some of the classical influences are derived from J.S. Bach, Ludwig Van Beethoven, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and the nineteenth century violin virtuoso, Niccolo Paganini. Neoclassical music incorporates melodic sequences, harmonic motion and classical chord progressions played on both acoustic and electric guitars. The emphasis is on fast and accurate (shred) playing techniques.

The emphasis is on fast and accurate playing. For high speed runs in which all notes are picked consistently, alternate picking is the favored approach. The picking sequence is downstroke/upstroke/downstroke/upstroke, regardless of whether the notes lie on the same string, a higher string, or a lower string. For fast arpeggio sequences sweep picking techniques are employed in which the pick follows through from string to string, moving in the same direction (like an exceptionally well controlled strum). Harmonic minor scales abound.

EXAMPLE

Place your 4th finger on the 15th fret, 1st string and pick upward. Then lift off to your 3rd finger on the 14th fret, 1st string and pick downward. Continue on to your 2nd finger, 13th fret picking upward again and then to the 12th fret, 1st finger picking downward.

Repeat this exercise moving chromatically down from string to string, 1 to 2 to 3 to 4 to 5 to 6, in this order.

Remember, every time you cross to the next string you should be using an upstroke.

Remember to be a good or great blues player it is essential to master the triplet feel (1,2,3). The triplet feel makes up a great deal of blues tunes.12/8 time is usually grouped in sets of three (1,2,3, / 4,5,6, / 7,8,9 / 10,11,12). The Sound and Feel of Blues book covers this topic more thoroughly.

Good luck, practice hard or just sit back and listen, until next time. Hasta la vista baby!

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