Shred/fast lead help!

hobbio

I found out today that the panto I play in every January wants to make more use of the guitar this coming run. Specifically, the gaffer wants some of the numbers to be more rocky and he wants some fast metal/rock lead in places. 

I can rock up the numbers a bit no problem, riffs I can do, but I'm no shredder.

I need help. I know that I'm going to be spending a lot of time over the coming months with a metronome but I have no idea what scales I should be using to get a metal-type of feel. I know my pentatonics, but other than that I have no clue. I know that I don't want that neo-classical feel. Any hints on where to start? Are there any decent, free, courses available online anywhere? Is it worth spending time learning to sweep and/or tap? I've never really tried either so I'd be starting from scratch.

I've got about 6 months to get enough shred stuff under my fingers to be able to fake it. Any assistance from the good people here will certainly be appreciated! My lead at the moment is pretty slow and ploddy, and very much stuck in pentatonic hell. 

octatonic

In 6 months of daily practice you could nail some speedy legato runs.

Speed picking takes longer for most people.

You want to look at dorian/aeolian/mixolydian runs- think Satriani forward rolls and such.

Have a look here: http://martingoulding.com/lessons/legato/

mike_l

The Troy Stetina series of books is very good and aimed at shreddery type playing.

musteatbrain

Tapping is quick to learn and the easiest way to play fast.

ElectroDan

You are unlikely to learn how to shred in 6 months, but you can use certain techniques to convey that energy.

Bouncing the pick quickly on one fret ala Satriani can sound cool and very fast. Tremolo picking certain notes especially as you bend one slowly up can sound cool. There are double stops and repeated phrases that can help you to sound as if you have a plan.

As a back up plan have the tremolo arm near and get some dives and frenetic vibrato going.

\m/

hobbio

Cool, thanks guys. The plan seems to be to look into the Martin Goulding website, check out that Troy Stetina book series if I can, learn a bit of tapping (I've never tried tapping before, not even a little bit), and work on the techniques that ElectroDan mentioned. I don't even know what tremolo picking is, but it sounds fun. Best dust off my metronome then, practice starts today.

As long as I can get enough under my fingers to fake it I'll be happy, and it can't hurt to spend time improving my technique anyway.

I might even record my first practice with those Martin Goulding licks, and then record where I've got to just before the show run for a comparison. If I do that then I'll post it here too.

Vibetronic

a lot of that stuff sounds and looks harder than it actually is, and can be built up quite quickly with a bit of practice every day. There's also a lot tricks (as mentioned) which are dead easy. I think Martin has a relatively cheap tuition app you can download too, or just a couple of lessons with a decent teacher should show you enough to set you down the right path. Also, if you have an idea of what sort of playing/players you'd like to emulate, there's an awful lot of tab available online - I subscribe to scribd.com, which is basically a (legal) library online and has loads of tab books people have uploaded (as in properly transcribed, not the dodgy transcriptions available anywhere which are often wrong). I'm pretty sure you can subscribe cheaply for a few days, but that'd be enough to get a shedload of learning material off there.

ElectroDan

Tremolo picking is just a term used to describe picking very quickly and repetitively in an up, down, up, down pattern. Usually on one string.

Think of the end part of the Beat it solo.

viz

There are loads and loads of little tricks and effects that sound cool which you can insert anywhere to shred-up your soloing. Like dive bombs, harmonics, swoops, lizard chasing, flutter warble ruler-off-the-desk pings, using wahwah, using whammy pedal, plectrum scrapes, two-handed tapping, actually playing fast, swapping your hands round, thumb-pinched harmonics, etc etc. Watch a Steve Vai DVD.

hobbio

I think my FR-equipped Schecter will be seeing a fair bit of use then!

paul_xt

If you want any help/advice/licks then drop me a message mate happy to help if I can

hobbio

@paul_xt I might just take you up on that mate

rossyamaha

I was never able to shred but then came across one lick that made it happen overnight. I'll try and get something uploaded for you. It does take a bit of time and will be frustrating to get things clean but shredding is actually easier than playing melodically.

DLM

^^ That is basically the story Troy Grady tells in Cracking the Code. @rossyamaha

OP: watch Cracking the Code Season 2 Episode 1 and check out the "Pop Tarts lick".

http://troygrady.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/The-Pop-Tarts-Lick.pdf

hobbio

I watched that vid, and I've started on the lick. It's fucking painful! The tempo is listed at 200bpm, but I can't even do it at 65bpm yet lol. I'm going to print off the Martin Goulding exercises too so I've got some variation.

This is gonna take a while...

DLM

the 200 is definitely a tempo to be built up to!

Handsome_Chris

IDDQD

hobbio

I'm not playing DOOM metal

professorben

@hobbio I'd look at Cracking The Code by Troy Grady
It's free on YouTube, $20 ( about £12) to get the extra content, it's a bloody goldmine, I've already improved my picking and fast runs just from a few weeks practice.

hobbio

@professorben

I've been looking at some of the vids, and it looks cool. I'm working on the Pop Tarts lick at the moment, but it's really hard for me. You reckon the extra content is worth the cash?

professorben

I found it to be.
Look I can prob email the files over.
It's a bit naughty but tbh I've been waiting for the next episode for ages.
What's your addy? Or you got drop box?
The thing is to try and use that picking pattern as a foundation for other licks and runs.