@pehlmanr

Hi there!

I’m using two microphones, and usually it’s a couple of Neumann TLM 102.
From there I go into a simple preamp/daw which is called steinberg UR44. I use an iMac with protools.
When I record I have one mic around the 12th fret and one mic on the bridge.
In any recording software program like protools or similar, you can pan the channels right and left - and I usually pan one mic around 35 to the left and 35 to the right.
I do a simple eq mix where I usually cut a bit of bass and get rid of a couple of harsh frequencies in the upper midrange etc. maybe boost the highs a bit on the bridge mic.
And I add reverb to both channels.
Very simple recording process and I don’t do much at all really, just two mics and a bit of work with eq and then add reverb.
Kind regards /Emil

@steviepee
Hi Steve!
So great to hear that you're working on the Banjo Rolls lesson! It's a big lesson with lots of information and the level of the examples are advanced. When it comes to the bpm, and when you can move to the next example;

For me, I've always thought of it like this: If I want to learn how to play something really fast, then I need to practice it slow for a long time first until it's in my fingers and I don't have to think about it anymore. Then increase the tempo. BUT, in a lesson like this the most important thing is to keep things interesting to yourself - in other words - staying for too long on one example can be quite boring, and to be able to learn something new, we have to stay inspired. I'd definitely move on to new examples even if you don't feel like you can play an example up to speed yet. You can always come back later! And when you practice the more difficult examples, it will "level up" your technique and the more simple examples will be even easier.

In the video, I say something like this: "play slow until you're comfortable, and then move on to the next example.."
But, you don't have to master each example up to speed before you move on. Stay inspired - cause that will make you want to practice!

I don't have a certain bpm goal that you should reach before moving on. I just suggest you to keep playing and have fun! :)
Thanks for watching the lesson Stevie, and have a wonderful day! Kind regards/E

@demixixixi
Hi!

To make mistakes when playing solo guitar music is of course very common, and to be able to play a piece without making mistakes takes a lot of practice. First of all, I'd try not to be too critical of my own playing when I practice. You don't necessarily want to label the "mistakes" as mistakes! :) Just see the mistakes as a necessary thing that happens when you practice. When you're performing a song for an audience, know that everyone is on YOUR side, and everyone wants you to do good. Even if you make a mistake, that is OK too.

There are no shortcuts - it's all about playing the song over and over - hundreds of times. When you practice the difficult sections in the song, you never waste any time. That time you put in to practicing just a short phrase or section of the song will help you in ALL your guitar playing. Technique, timing, accuracy.. everything!
Record yourself a lot and listen back. Then you really hear what you need to work on.

So glad you like the courses at ProGuitar! Thanks for being part of the community! :)
Kind regards/E

@dpmcleod
Hi Dan!
Thank you for your question!

This is a very common thing that most of us can identify with.

It definitely takes time and lots of practice to be able to hear what you want to play, like Joe said. But it's definitely not impossible to achieve.

Overthinking is something that most of us do from time to time, and I think the more I've practiced soloing over common progression the less I have to think when I play. I try to simplify things as well, for instance, the ii V I progression that happens in (almost) all jazz standards as well as in the Jazz Blues. I often times don't think too much about the ii chord. (Dm7 in your example). Joe Pass said once that he completely disregard the ii chord in a ii V I progression in the blues. He's thinking V I.. that ii chord is just "something that comes with it"... a suspended V chord, in a way. So you could use all the "tools" shown in the "Jazz Blues" lesson, and start playing the diminished (for instance) already when the ii chord comes up.. cause it goes by so quick and we actually just hear that V chord being altered in some way, we don't think about the clashes that may happen when playing altered scale over the ii V or even the diminished scale.
But that was just a side note.

The difficult part can be to learn to resolve the line on the next chord. It's important to land on a good note and I think this is very good to practice. That's when we hear the changes, when resolved in a good way. If you add some practice time where you only focus on playing simple ideas that resolve in the right place. Maybe play a line and resolve on the 3rd of the chord, 5th of the chord or something.. that helps a lot for me. So maybe play a simple line over G7 (like an ascending G7(b9) arpeggio starting on the note B, (major third) over the G7 chord and then resolving on the major third of the C chord.. for instance note choice could be: B, D, F, Ab then down a half step to G, then F, and then D, D# to E, in a chromatic way to resolve on that E.. Difficult to explain in text, but Maybe you can try a simple lick like that and really really nail the resolution and use it in different places in the jazz blues when playing on a chord that leads a 5th up like G7 --> C or E7 --> Am.. (but then resolve on the minor third of the A chord obviously)

You'll be able to hear more of the lines the more you practice and get comfortable with the changes.

Hope this helps a little and let me know if you have more questions! The "JAZZ LINES" (vol 1) lesson about the ii V I can be a good video to watch for you I think!
Kind regards/Emil

@fabs
Hi!!
Thanks so much for the feedback. I'll look into if this is possible to do!

I'm glad you look forward to the lesson! Happy practicing! :)
Kind regards/E

@alwayslearning

Andy, welcome to this learning platform!! So glad yo hear that you're learning a lot already! I'm always available here if you want to ask me (or any of the other guitarists here at the forum) any questions! :)

Really cool that you want to start writing out your own arrangements! For me, being able to write them out, and then "save" them is something that I've put a lot of effort into over the years, and it's actually a special feeling to see your music on the paper. :)

I started off using Sibelius, and I liked that software for music notation. However, even though I had bought the software (for around $600 way back), Avid (who owns Sibelius) started charging an expensive monthly fee even though I had already payed for the software. This made me (and many many others) switch from Sibelius to Dorico. I now use Dorico 5, and I really like the software - although it took me a couple of months to really get used to it after using Sibelius for years..

I should mention that I write out my arrangements using music notation (I do read notation even though I'm a guitarist, haha), and then I transfer the music notation to the TAB staff, and adjust what notes are played on what strings after that. I mention this because I think there are softwares that might be easier to use if you're writing TABs before the notation - but I'm not sure which ones are the best for that.

Let me know if you have any questions!!
Kind regards/Emil

@dengqinghua_42
Hi!

When I make a pull off like that, I mute the e string with my left hand index finger. I do it without thinking about it, and it will become something you do without thinking about it if you’ve done it enough times.
Kind regards /Emil

@al_tennant Hi man! I asked a really good friend of mine who knows a LOT about this.. Here's his response.

Lots of changes.. before I tell you all the changes ,, I will say .this..is 90 percent in your hands.. but some things hold true about the construction
54 were usually one piece ash.. good tone wood.. and then sprayed or painted with a natural lacquer.. by late 60s they would chop down young "green" still moisture in it.. trees glue then to get her and spray polyurethane on them.. (plastic"
The pickups changed dramatically using inferior white and parts...any little difference to save money... shape of the neck.. even some of teh routes were different...

Through the 60s they basically left the design alone.. into the 70s ..just like cars here in the usa.. they started trying for a higher profit margin.. one way by making with cheaper components.. the general result was a heavy, non resonant shiney guitar....but having said that. Jimi Hendrix made so early 70 s guitars sound pretty good........

I'm happy to be part of ProGuitar! This will be fun!

@Fabian-Leandro Welcome Fabian!
Just saw your jazz blues take in Bb! Happy to see you here on the site!
Kind regards /Emil

@alwayslearning
Hi!

Thanks for your message regarding The Wellerman.
Often times when playing those types of right hand rolls, I tend to switch to the next chord just a tiny bit early to get a more "flowing" sound - and the roll stays intact in a different way than if I'd switch from one voicing to the next just at the exact point of the next bar. This is why - depending on the tempo - the notes for the next chord shape might appear earlier and sometimes later. So as long as you keep the right hand roll, it does not really matter exactly what note you play when switching to the next chord. If you're playing the right voicings, and the right hand roll is right - you will get the right sound even if you switch a bit early - late in terms of the chord shape going from one bar to the next.
In the lesson video, I might've made that switch early sometimes and sometimes (if slowed down) I might've stayed and made the switch one or two 8th notes later.
Sorry for the confusion!
To sum it up: focus on the right hand roll pattern, and if you're playing the right left hand shapes - it'll sound right!

Kind regards/Emil

@rod-d
So glad that you're enjoying the site Rodney! Thanks for the kind words! Yes, me and Joe did that interview a few years back - when we still had hair and teeth! (just kidding :) Glad you enjoyed it! Joe is a wonderful musician and friend. I'm thinking about making a lesson about the G6 tuning, since many people like to play my arrangements in that specific tuning! :) Will release it here on the site - maybe even later this month! I have some notation on HT&E from a workshop that I did a few years back, and I can send it to you - let me know if you have any questions on it! :) Kind regards/E

@rosco
Hi!
I think around 17 guitars.
Kind regards/E

@ian
Just saw this message, so sorry for the late reply! I've used a lot of different capos. Now I'm back on the G7th performance 3 capos! :)
Kind regards/E

@aron_hu
So glad you liked this one! This is an improvised take on "Nine pound hammer", and I don't have this written out or on any tutorial at the moment. It's a great fun piece to play though! Check out Thom Bresh's version of this song! :)
Kind ragdrs/E

@barbara-0
So sorry for this incredibly late reply, your message got stuck in the queue and I just discovered it today.
I'm so glad you liked my arrangement of "She's Always A Woman" !
Unfortunately I don't have this particular song written out in TAB/notation. I hope that my instructional video (linked above) might be enough to learn most of it! Let me know if you ever have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them here on the forum!
Kind regards/Emil

@undefined-26
Welcome to the site!
Yes, reaching difficult chords/voicings can be tricky - but working a little bit on it every day will make your hands get used to the fretboard and you'll be able to reach easier and be more relaxed in your playing.
Kind regards/Emil

@pepebzapata
Hi Pepe!
Thank you so much for your great question!

I think a lot of people are having the exact same issues, in fact.. I think everyone (including me) have been struggling with not being able to use some of the information that we've learned - in the moment - and make it "make sense" in the music.

For me, there are a few concepts that has helped me with being able to follow the changes. The first step in being able to really follow changes
is to use the major pentatonic scale over each chord. Now, I don't mean using the same major pentatonic scale over each chord.. Let me explain;

If we have a simple chord progression like: C, F and G7. C major pentatonic would sound good over all these chords. But what opened a little
door for me was to be able to follow these changes and switching scales for each chord.
Try playing C major pentatonic over the C chord, then F major pentatonic over the F chord, and then G major pentatonic over the G chord. This
will outline the changes even more, and you'll be able to hear what chord you're playing over more clearly.

In the lesson "Country Guitar Soloing Concepts" on this site, I'm walking you through this concept (and more concepts after that) which I think are essential when it comes to improvising over changes. This might sound simple, but it takes
practice to do this in a musical way. The lesson is not really just a "country guitar lesson".. it features some of the most important fundamentals for improvising in my opinion. If you haven't checked it out yet, I suggest you to do it and then maybe you'll have some more things that we can discuss after that.

Another thing for me has been to really learn how to outline the changes with playing strong chord notes on the downbeat of each chord. For instance, practicing
resolving on the major or minor third of the chord. This really helps when it comes to enhancing and outlining the sound of the chord. Adding spice to the chords with alterations (and practicing V7 to I situations, for example G7 to Cmaj7 or Cm7) is something that one could practice a lifetime and still find new ways and new sounds and ideas.
In my lesson "Jazz Up Your Blues", here on the site, I'm talking a lot about how to add tension using the diminished scale etc, to create tension and then resolve on a strong chord tone.
For me, learning small ideas from grate musicians (not whole solos, but shorter phrases that I love) has helped a lot when it comes to hearing whats going on, and understanding how to use the phrase when I improvise.

Learning a lot of licks, like you have, helps too - but it is important to try to move the licks around (or a part of the lick) on the fretboard, and in different keys. After a while - some of these ideas will pop up when you improvise.

Another thing that I want to say is, that it is important not to get frustrated or overwhelmed by how much there is to learn on the internet. If you're focusing on one idea for two hours, you should never think that that's a waste of time.. because that "workout" will help everything else that you play on the guitar. It is never a waste of time. Focusing, and eyes on the road - is key!

Let me know if I can help you with anything, and thank you so much for being part of the forum!
Kind regards/Emil

@derek80 The backing tracks should be visible! Are the backing tracks not visible to you now, or does it work again?
Kind regards/E

@samuelfnilsson
Hi Samuel!
Thanks for asking about this, it's always exciting to get a new instrument but there's lots of things to think about before choosing "the one"! :)

For me, the Maton EBG808 artist has been the ideal instrument for fingerstyle guitar - but I do have other instruments that I love for fingerstyle playing too. The specs on the guitar:
Guitar Name: Maton EBG808 Artist
Fretboard Radius: 12"
Nut Width: 1.736" - 1 47/64"
14th Fret Width: 2.165" - 2 11/64

I also like guitars that have a little bit shorter scale as well.

But to answer your question - I don't actually think one spec is better than the next for fingerstyle guitar. I think everyone has their own favorites and it's difficult to give you a certain tip on what would work best for you. I would try as many guitars as I can in a store, and find out what you like the best. It takes awhile to find out what you like the best! :)

Kind regards/E