It’s been about 2 weeks since I’ve started playing electric guitar regularly. After years of playing what I was comfortable with, pretty simple meditative acoustic songs, I wanted a change.
Actually this is something I’ve been thinking about for years, but because I didn’t have a comfortable space to play, nor the money for the equipment, I kept putting it off.
In the end I slowly gathered the parts needed, an amp, a cheap new guitar, reverb, delay, and drive pedals and music took over my living room.
My room’s always a mess now, but at least I have music.
Well I could easily just stick to the songs and style that I’m used to, I’m taking this as a chance to level up, and so I’m filling in all the gaps with regards to my weak points.
I’ve never practiced with a metronome before so that’s new, and it’s helpful since delay in the loop can confuse things a little bit. I never really did drills to work on my finger speed, and so that’s new to.
I do know basic scales, But I usually stick to the simpler shapes and can’t always play what’s in my mind easily, so I’ve been practicing those too.
The goal here was to play steady simple bass part and be able to jam between that. i’ll be working on this roof for a while until I can play more complicated licks in between the base notes.
If you’re interested and want to hear some of my old songs, I just released five as an EP. It’s up on Spotify, Apple, YouTube and just about everywhere else, search for “Sun Shone Blue” by I+Everything.
And go subscribe to my YouTube channel if you can. I regularly put up short music videos, and occasionally long ones too. Here’s one of them:
The secrets of the city
Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App
▶️ 3Speak
I learned that going slow is the only way forward. I hope you enjoyed the slow progress. Let's connect and chat one of these days.
I think I am making some progress with myself, too. I just want to show off to my master.
❤️☮️
lol I’m your master!?! I guess I am a bit of a pervy sage 😉
I’m ready when you are! Let’s show off to each other 🐒
I only ever had the bass and the amp way back when I was playing x_x
still all I got now but I haven't picked the thing up in decades
If that's the metronome ticking in the background that was a nice touch XD This sounded nice! :)
I didn’t think the metronome would pick up so loudly in the recording. It was just a way to practice better. I want to use some kind of beat that’s not a metronome but I haven’t found one that’s easily controlled yet. Will look tonight!
I can imagine you on bass!
Nice atmospheric piece. Electric guitar plus effects is a powerful tool as players like The Edge show. Have fun.
!BEER
Close to the Edge, down by a river!
Thanks! I keep making riffs, I gotta start developing some of these into full songs 🌞 I have at least 50 to work with. I heard Prince wrote a song every day. If he can I can
The only way to learn to create songs is really to do it. Got to find your own style.
Prince was a genius, so I'm not sure I could reach his heights :) I guess he only put out a tiny fraction of the tunes he wrote.
I guess he didn’t write a full song every day but a riff or two. I can do that, no problem, but it’ll be a while before I can play guitar like him!!
I picked up a cheap guitar and didn't buy any pedals, I just used digital amps. They weren't perfect and the guitar's cheaper pickups weren't the best but it depended on the genre of music. Clean tones were still really nice, even a bit of overdrive. Only really become a bit nasty when it came to higher notes.
Are you planning on switching out the pickups? A lot of people buy a cheap body just for that purpose.
that’s an idea I haven’t had but I imagine in Tokyo it’s probably just as expensive to do that as buying a good guitar.
For now this one will be ok to practice at home. I might need a better one to play a show just cause sometimes the connection dies when I adjust the volume
I moved to electric mostly so I could play with pedals. Got a mic adapter too so from tomorrow I can sing into the pedals 🌞
Is there some sort of mark up or something there? I picked up a cheap Ibanez from Amazon UK and planned on getting pedals too but then went and traveled around. Once I settle down I'd love to also get back into playing, also build up a collection of pedals. This is making me remember the wishlist I have on a European music site, so many guitars on there...
I can see why people would only buy mid range and lower and mod them though. Spending thousands on a body is insane (unless you are doing paid performances) with some of the maintenance you have to do just to ensure the neck doesn't get ruined over time.
Which model did you pick up?
Japan doesn’t really have a competitive market for some things, not because people are nice but because most people look for jobs at big companies and so there aren’t many people fixing guitars and things like that. Most people work regular jobs and so these kinds of things cost more because sellers know that anyone who wants that has money to spend.
Art is a seen as a hobby not a lifestyle here.
My neighborhood is different, it’s one of the most artistic wild places in Japan but even with 15 live venues there are only two places I can buy guitar pedals and they’re very small and limited, used pedals cost 85% the price of new sometimes.
Basically sellers feel entitled because there is no competition. And it’s hard for them to survive because their costs are always high (rent etc) because landlords feel entitled, since space is so limited. So you can’t even blame the sellers and craftsmen for charging so much. They need to live too.
This is what happens when nobody tries to start their own business.
It’s ok, we will!
Just the cheapest thing I could find that worked. A used guitar from “Legend” which I’ve never heard of. I think I got it for $10 from an old guy who didn’t know if it was broken or not hahaha
my last point negates my first one hahaha
There are good deals to be had but they are very very rare
ah but used books in Japanese are always cheap as hell!!
Lovely sounds! I would definitely check up your new release on YouTube .
thank you!
Nothing beats messy living room filled with music gear you're a real artist man🔥🔥🔥💯🤣.
You've shown dedication to this. Keep jamming bro, keep it coming
thanks! Prince made a song a day, I realized I can too, even if I can’t play guitar like him