Robert, thanks for your tip to record the Jazz solo 5 times and then analyze the individual recordings.

Among other things, it turned out that I didn't play the f#dm arpeggio cleanly in any of the 5 recordings! This shows that I still need to work on this and also on the timing.

As you said: « Could be a valuable and fun practice in itself ».

I'm currently practicing a beginner solo in the style of Metallica. It's very challenging for me, but a lot of fun.

It’s a wonderful exercise for me because I can practice vibrato, bendings with vibrato, double stops and pedal tones, all techniques that I still need to work on.

Before I continue practicing, I would like to know your opinion on my playing, what I should improve, what I should pay attention to.

Thank you,

Birgit

That's cool! I think it would help to have more distortion, and maybe use your Epiphone instead. Humbuckers probably work better for a Metallica tone. You could use less reverb and instead use a delay pedal, if you have one.

The vibrato and bends need some work but keep going like before - record several times and evaluate. 

I'm not sure what you work on regularly but I would recommend playing through the E minor scale in all position, but you could start with that 1st position with the index finger on the 12 fret. Sounds like I should a live stream on this... maybe? 🙂 

I just wanted to share what I'm currently working on.

A wonderful solo to practice a lot of bendings with licks from Ritchie Blackmore's Highway Star.

This is just my first recording where I was able to play through the whole solo once. It's difficult, but a lot of fun.

Now I can analyze what I still need to work on: executing the bends precisely, improving the vibrato and playing everything well in rhythm.

That's a lot of work. I'll keep at it,

Birgit

Nice.  thanks for sharing and for putting it out there

That's a cool song! I am thinking you may have started on a different position than intended. It's a challenging song compared to a blues, rhythmically speaking. Keep recording it and reviewing as mentioned earlier. Compare your playing to the source for this solo - I am guessing there are some wrong notes in there but that's ok! Just keep tweaking, correcting, recording and reviewing. 🙂

@bluesiline Great to see you playing Ritchie Blackmore Birgit.

Saw a couple shows from Deep Purple, years ago.
Perfect shows.

Followed him in Rainbow too.
A silly guy, but a great player. 😀

@robert, your solo for jam 6 is simply wonderful 😊.

I transcribed the notes to solo1 from jam 6 from your video. This is the first time I have transcribed. It was fun and I learned a lot.

Here is my first recording, just from practicing. It's not all clean yet, but I'm working on it. I recorded it at 100 bpm instead of 108 bpm. The video image quality is not so good, sorry.

I'm already working on transcribing your solo 2 from jam 6.

When I have everything together, I will record both solos.

Birgit

That is so exciting to hear! Keep working on your timing - you are on the right track and keep practicing. It is always good to verbalize the notes (rhythms) before you try to play them.

Robert, I have now also transcribed your solo 2 from jam 6, but have made some changes as some passages are still too difficult for me now.

For example, I now play eighth notes at the beginning of solo 2 instead of triplets.

I don't play the bending in bar 8 of the second solo, but play this note directly.

At the end, in bars 11 and 12 of your solo 2, I've added my own lick so that I can also stop in bar 12 and then start again with solo 1.

I did this because you don't end your solo 2 in bar 12, but in bar 1 of the „following“ solo, so to speak. In your case, it is also intended as the end of our jam 6. I, on the other hand, would like to play both of your solos as a loop.

And still at 100 instead of 108 bpm.

I still have a lot of practicing to do!!!  - on timing, rhythm and bendings - , but I wanted to show you my first attempts.

Birgit

…. Way to go Birgit!! I’m inspired to learn Jam 6 now after watching & listening to your jam. 👍⚡️🎶

That is sweet! I LOVE that you are doing this! You are really getting better each time you do it. I can tell. 😀 👍 😀 

Thank you, Robert and Vince, for your comments 😊.

And @myvinmus, Vince, I'm delighted that I can inspire you to learn this wonderful solo too.

I have transcribed the notes from Robert's video. This is the first time I've done this and I have to say it's incredibly helpful to dig in and understand how Robert chose the notes and how the rhythm works. You internalize everything much better and that also helps you gain more confidence when practicing the solo.

These are all things that Robert always recommends us to do! but it took me a long time to try it out. But it's never too late to start.

Vince, I hope you have as much fun with it as I have 😊.

Birgit