Songs to learn

[Donnie Keeney]

What songs are your favorite to play? What songs are you currently working on? What songs helped you with a particular technique? I am kinda stuck in a rut and looking for new and interesting things to play (or just some cool riffs). I appreciate any suggestions. All ideas are welcome.

 

[Jak Angelescu]

I learn anything and everything. I go from working on Hail To The King for my economy picking to Der Leiermann by Schubert for sheet reading, transcribing and classical stuff. I love working on new songs always, but I find music to be the most rewarding when I write my own stuff. If you’re stuck in a rut, try utilizing the stuff you have learned either on the school or by learning songs and write your own
Or I can challenge you to do something

 

[Josh Wright]

I found tabs for fur Elise and I play that to work on clarity of notes, and I use it to build speed.

 

[Ed Seith]

I’ve recently discovered that Stone Temple Pilots songs (from the 90s, mostly) use a LOT of “non-standard” (at least for rock) chords. Learning a bunch of their songs increased my chord knowledge. Also the strumming/picking patterns are interesting for working on your palm muting on/off for rhythms.
Not as sexy as lead techniques, but pretty good stuff for overall finger dexterity.

 

[Josh Wright]

Band of horses is fun to learn for offbeat stuff, it helps with getting a feel for rhythm.

 

[Calvin Phillips]

I actually had more fun playing motley crue then I did Avenged Sevenfold. It was also easier to learn lol.

 

[idssdi]

At the moment I really enjoy playing the following songs: The stage, Paradigm, Sunny Disposition, God Damn, Hail To The King, Planets, Afterlife, Stairway To Heaven, Gates Of Babylon, Hey Joe, Wet Sand, Slow Dancing In A Burning Room, Gravity and Minor Swing. I kinda picked the songs that I play when I’m very limited with time. All of those had some purpose. Some for technique and what not and others for shear musicality.
At the moment I’m working on I’ll See You In my Dreams and I kinda want to go and learn Money By Pink Floyd

 

[Donnie Keeney]

Jak, what is your challenge?

 

[Jak Angelescu]

@Donnie
Challenge 1: Improv in Cmaj over the backing track in lesson 9 and post a video of you doing it. You must use at least one major scale position, one minor scale position, and a minor pentatonic position. Once you get it, post it up as a video and name the scales you used and the notes in each scale and tell me why they work
Challenge 2: Write a simple chord progression/riff for me in the key of Cmajor and post it up here.
Challenge 3: Find the backing track on Youtube for Hail To The King and improv over Syn’s solo section. Post it up here and tell us what scales you decided to use and what techniques you tried (economy, tapping, etc)

 

[Sayonil Mitra]

wow. so diverse answers. I am still trying to figure out the buried alive solo. Reached up to the point where the crazy sweeping starts. That’s just insane. Also I am working on how to play along arpeggios of unconventional chords. Paul gilbert style

 

[Calvin Phillips]

Jak has a great idea here. I think, for the next big video collaboration thing, we should push for something like this. A challenge we all can do. Definitely sounds like it could be more fun, a little more competitive too. Which is always a good thing. Whether you can sweep or just alternate pick, doesn’t matter. Could be fun to see what everyone can do when they push themselves that little bit further.

 

[Donnie Keeney]

@jak I love the challenge! Life is a little crazy now so it will be a few days before I can post a reply but I will do it.

 

[Donnie Keeney]

I challenge anyone else who wants to do Jak’s challenge to post videos as well! We should start a weekly challenge like @jak did and everyone can post response videos!

 

[Jak Angelescu]

I look forward to what you can do!

 

[Sayonil Mitra]

This is a great idea, Jak. Jak, can you start off the challenge with your response video?

 

[Jak Angelescu]

I’m sorry I’m not understanding. Response video?

 

[Sayonil Mitra]

I mean a video of you improvising according to your 3 challenges.

 

[Jak Angelescu]

I just posted one up actually, lol! Except I don’t use the backing track in Lesson 9 but I’ve done that one like 3 times on here already. Two or three times, I can’t remember but I’ll be doing it again for sure! https://syngates.com/riffs/c-major-improv-attempt-3/

 

[Calvin Phillips]

watched your improv and loved that you did it acoustic. I cant play my acoustic anywhere near as well as my electric.. but thats gonna change with the one I’m purchasing. Anywho, it flows great. And your friends theory is amazing, I definitely will apply that into my concepts now as well. So big props there too, best thing about this site is the people here are so talented they all have these little things that help everyone in some way. Also, since you like fluffy kittens, I’ll show you mine.

this was 3 months ago shes pretty big now.

 

[Jak Angelescu]

Well I didn’t do it with an acoustic lol! It was just my guitar without an amp. I’m so glad you got something from it! And yes the fluffy kitten is !!!!!