trouble devoloping style

[Derrick1642607670]

I know this is more of a personal thing that I myself knows the most about it but I just cant seem to devolope the playing style I desire, for about a year of my playing (of a little under 3) I've been trying to devolope a pschyadellic rock, melodic jazz, blues, with a hint of trance (very little) and its just not coming. I've studied players who play only bit of this and those who use them all at the same time. I've figured out their licks tried to put them into place and I just cant make anything out. I know its hard for one person to help someone else devolope something they want but if anyone here has some kind of advice or knowledge of something relevant to these genres I would love your help.

[Dr. Ellwood]

Yes it's difficult to help with this, many times style develops from listening to completely different kinds of music than you would imagine. lots of guys that got into pschyadellic styles studies Indian or eastern music as a basis to apply to what they where doing. Guitarists studied Sitarists for this purpose I think. Many times studying different scale forms that are different from our Western scale system helps in composition of different and exotic voicings. I sure would not be too though on yourself though you have only been playing a short time and you need to give yourself more time to really gather the tools you will need to go further in you style development.

[Derrick1642607670]

Thanks ill start looking into that.

[Kramer Ferrington III.]

I don't know what to say. If you can play a bit of the styles you are interested in, you are probably on your way.

 

Bear in mind that one of Angus Young's pet peeves is being described as a metal guitarist, whereas he seems himself as a rock and roller. Keith Richards apparently sees himself as a blues player, never mind how much he's done for rock and roll.

 

Moral of the story..? Even when you reckon you are playing a particular style, there's always someone that will tell you that you are playing something else altogether.

 

And sometimes, style creeps up on you without you even realizing it. Look at all the bebop guys, all they were trying to do was put the newbies off from hogging the open jam nights.

[Strategery]

Grasshopper, one must first look..inside to find one's self. Patients and introspect along with much meditation will guide you along your search...to become ONE...with the Universe in your quest to...ROCK! :grin:

 

http://imagecache2.allposters.com/IMAGES/77/039_44363.jpg

[picker]

All I can tell you to do is look for someone(s) making the sounds you want to make, and immerse yourself in their music. Something will eventually come out of it.

[A String]

Your sound comes from two things, your scales and your technique. Learn the scales and riffs from the folks whose sound you want to absorb. This will get you in the ball park. As for the technique, that's something that can't be absorbed. That's something that makes you who you are and makes you sound like you. You can colour your sound with scales and modes, but your sound will always be the base of your style.

[Strategery]

YEp, that's true.

 

I've also found that just giving your brain a break from all the structure every now and then...and just doodle.

Kind of like making up a tune in your head....then finding the notes and just go with it.

It will help you to improv and...WHO cares? It's your song, you can do what you want to. :grin:

 

Randy

[The Geoff]

I've never tried to create any particular style, but I am recognisably me when it comes to playing.

 

It crept up on me. I had a long break (25 years) and when I took it up again, I was different - and had a decent finger vibrato which I hadn't cultivated!!

 

G.

[Strategery]

Yeah, that's a good point.

 

I don't know if a person can develop a style, or it just happens.

I kind of lean towards the latter.

I think you can COPY a style though, which is akin to impersonation.

[Kramer Ferrington III.]

I think you can COPY a style though, which is akin to impersonation.

 

You reckon..? I'm not sure about that one.

 

I know of lots of people that really, really, really like some musician's style and they listen so constantly that eventually they start to sound like their inspiration, idol or what have you. That sort of creeps up on them.

 

But I'm not sure that you could say, "I want to sound like...", pick a name out of the hat and learn their style. I mean, "How To Sound Like..." is a pretty standard guitar mag article, but I don't know that you can do a convincing impersonation of somebody's style unless you're really into that guy's style. You have to be honest to do that, you can't really fake it.

 

Perhaps you could run through the more obvious cliches, but you couldn't write that guy's next album.

 

Just my opinion...

[Eric Iverson]

Well, there are people who can come fairly close to nailing someone else's style... sometimes even very close! But you'll never be that person and no, you can't write that guy's next album.

 

There are even studio guys who are quite proficient at sounding like a LOT of people, at least superficially.

 

I never had one hero that I worshipped to the exclusion of everyone else, but I respect the guys that did. I mean, Cannonball Adderley was clearly a Charlie Parker disciple, but he did his own thing with it, and was a superb player for sure!

In other words, playing more or less in someone else's style is good if you do it well, and your own creativity comes in from time to time.

 

The Beatles imitated lots of people, after all. They took it in lots of other directions, but they always acknowledged that they learned a lot from their heroes! And so have Hendrix, Clapton...

[Billster]

many times style develops from listening to completely different kinds of music than you would imagine.

 

Not just listening, but playing different styles too.

 

For instance, two of my rock influences are Robin Trower and Ritchie Blackmore. Two of my jazz influences are Mike Stern and John Scofield. It may not be apparent on the surface, but all four of those guys share certain elements - by delving into all of them I bring parts of the rock guys into my jazz oriented playing, and vice versa.

 

Furthermore, if I get thrown into having to do something country, blues, funk, or whatever, I can still bring my tools to the table and apply it within the rhythmic and harmonic contexts of those styles.

 

And that's just guitar stuff. I'm also heavily influenced by the compositions of Duke Elligton, Miles Davis, Charles Mingus and so forth. Bringing elements of the sophistication of their writing to melodic lines I can include in different harmonic settings is another way to get out of the guitar box pattern mentality.

[Strategery]

YEah, many guitarists have TRIED to be Jimi Hendrix, but have fallen short.

Not from lack of trying, it's just that Jimi was Jimi...and we all are....who we are.

 

No, not trying to get deep here. :grin:

 

I think our styles are like our finger prints...we have just one. :grin:

 

Actually, I prefer playing as myself anyway, and I think that is what we should strive for.

After all, how did our guitar heros become....themselves? :grin:

 

Randy

[Derrick1642607670]

Your sound comes from two things, your scales and your technique. Learn the scales and riffs from the folks whose sound you want to absorb. This will get you in the ball park. As for the technique, that's something that can't be absorbed. That's something that makes you who you are and makes you sound like you. You can colour your sound with scales and modes, but your sound will always be the base of your style.

 

Yes, as far as technique im pretty sure its coming slowly but surely but the thing is im at a loss for finding out the scales and modes being used by these players so i've pretty much resorted to going to the internet finding as many scales as possible play them over a few songs written by those players and playing them over a few chord patterns that go with the mode.

[Trucks]

Sit down with your mp3 player, in a dark room, with no external stimuli. Crank the headphones. Absorb the music and try and visualise what the guitarist is doing.

 

But everything takes a while. I have been practicing (and playing) pretty much my entire free time for the past 3 or 4 years, and im still not even close to where im going to be.

[Strategery]

One more thing too and then I'll shut up, I promise. :grin:

 

Like Trucks said, that is a great idea.

 

But what I like to do as well...is take some of your favorite songs that have a lead solo or not, and think...."How would I play it?"

 

There are so many songs that although they have a great solo, I think I would've done it differently.

OK, start thinking of how YOU would've played it.

Hum it or whatever, then....start picking out the notes.

 

Start simply at first then you can make it as complicated as your playing ablility.

YOUR style WILL come out that way.

 

Of course, your style may be the combination of many players and yourself.

 

Good luck.

 

Randy

[Eric Iverson]

Is there any player whose style is more recognizable than Eric Johnson's?

 

Yet he has said, "I wonder if I even have a style. What I play is a combination of my influences.." or something close to that.

[Caevan O’Shite]

Also try simply imagining, "hearing" with your inner-ear, what you'd like to hear in a given piece of music, and then bit by bit work out how to actually play what you imagine; tweak-to-taste.