Ask Papa Gates.

[Brian Haner Sr.]

Hey All,
Hope you are enjoying the site and learning some cool stuff. I get a ton of personal messages asking me really great questions and I was thinking it would be nice if they could be shared with everyone here. So, with that in mind – I thought it might be fun if I did a video answering your questions. I will post it here & perhaps Facebook & Instagram as well.
You can ask me anything; questions about guitar, performance, equipment, studio, life in general. Whatever.
And . . . GO!

 

[Richard O'connor]

what are you most proud of throughout your career?

 

[Jak Angelescu]

OMG!!! Can you get ANY more amazing?! Oh gosh… where to start? I’ve had so many questions answered by you and I always have more that now I have the opportunity my mind is blank. But okay, I got one!
How do you know when a song is “done” or a solo is “done”? Ever since I really got better with these lessons and Hail To The King, I’ve found myself butchering my old solos and redoing them. Although I can’t do what I want up to speed, I’m adding new and exciting stuff. But this is something that has been going on for over a decade with my playing. I get better, and add new stuff to old songs. How do you know when a song or solo is “done”? Thank you, Papa!! You’re the best!!

 

[Dominik Gräber]

That’s so great!
Do you have any tips to share regarding improvising? How to start, hand to hand coordination, focus on scales or more about feel, anything that seems helpfull. Really appreciate this!

 

[Filip Tomiša]

What did you learn from the community?

 

[idssdi]

When I saw that video of you playing hallelujah, according to Syn you did it on a whim. Have you ever studied that song before or do you just know it really well and play how it sounds in head?
I tend to think that in gypsy jazz 6 chords and dominant 7 chords are the most important chords so I usually use those when I want to make a gypsystem version of a pop song, Am I missing some?
And then the most important question: The Beatles or The Rolling Stones?

 

[Elton Breaux]

2 questions
1. Before moving on to shredding and writing solos, What is the one thing that should be perfected?
2. The community within the school is amazing. With constant feedback among fellow students like Jak, Ids, Calvin to name a few. Did you and syn see it working so well or has it exceeded yall expectations?

 

[Vagelis Karagiannis]

How do you make generic scales like the major scale or a dominant phrygian sound pleasing?A lot of people in metal and rock use it in a specific manner(the second one) and it sounds dull and cheesy.

 

[Billie M]

That’s a great idea!
Do you have any advices on songwriting? Do you write the lyrics or the music first and how do you make them work together?
Also, do you have any advices on how to jam? I’ve received some good ones here but I’d like to know what do think.
Thank you!

 

[Andrew Fernandes]

Whats your favourite waking the fallen screaming song?

 

[Lauren Morales]

What guitarists were inspirational to you when you were first learning guitar?
Favorite Beatle?
What guitar techniques have you learned from Syn’s own guitar playing?

 

[Alan Celis]

From your years of playing guitars, which are the ones that surprised you on how they played and what guitars have been your favourite?

 

[Noah Berends]

What’s the story behind your favorite guitar?

 

[supraja vadlamani]

What did you name your first guitar ever?

 

[Lucca Massa]

what do you think about syn having a signature guitar and what do you think about his signature guitar???

 

[Donnie Keeney]

What does music mean to you? Do you think music has become more or less important to society as it has become more ubiquitous and readily available (with digital libraries and streaming services) than it has ever been in any other point in history?

 

[Vasrely Derian]

Which Guitarists had influenced your playing.

 

[Matt Wildman]

What is the best guitar that you have ever played?? And who makes it?

 

[Matt Wildman]

Or what is your most favorite guitar to play?

 

[Sayonil Mitra]

Great initiative. My question is?
Have you ever faced the “artist’s block”, the time when no new melodies or licks are coming out and you feel stuck there? How do you suggest to get out of that no productivity zone?
Thanks