ilovefuzz.com

I don't know about you guys but I am kind of into esoteric instructional materials for guitar.

I just noticed that Page Hamilton has a DVD out.

http://www.amazon.com/Page-Hamilton-Shapes-Expanding-Vocabulary/dp/B002CIM8KI

He has an interesting pedigree.

Degree in Jazz guitar from Manhattan School of Music.

Member of Glenn Branca's group.

Helmet.

Sideman for Bowie.

Studio musician on quite a few things recently.

I am definitely interested in his approach. When you read interviews he definitely name checks the right kind of stuff - - -Coltrane, Miles, Branca, etc.

I am not a huge fan of Helmet but I have liked most of what I have heard. Pretty heavy and tight. I'm not really into metal but he seems to have a distinctive and intelligent approach to it.

I am interested to see what he might offer up on his dvd.

I notice pretty much zero interest in this.

What do you guys practice or work on to develop your mad skillz?

Honestly atm I'm studying Charlie Parker.. but I learn a lot of the things he did on horns on guitar.. and I work chord melodies, especially Beatles songs because their melodies and chord progressions are pretty rad together. I (try to) learn stuff like Minor, Major, Pentatonic scales all the way up and down the fretboard but most of the time I end up using (or trying to use) modes to solo to songs.. Chord substitutions, relative minors, figuring out where notes are by ear.. that kind of thing. It's difficult, but also, the strange things I've been writing lately have helped me to play better. Most of the time nowadays I hear things in my head before I am able to play them and then I have to practice them a ridiculous amount until I can do it correctly. But solos kind of bore me.. I'd rather write.


(Summary:)
I learn by writing!

veteransdaypoppy wrote:(Summary:)
I learn by writing!

+1 here. Recording songs in a semi-finished state has led me to lots of happy accidents, which I then practice and practice and make less accidental.

Also by playing with other people.

I should mention that I bought this and it has some interesting ideas for developing your guitar playing and using effects. Old Paigey is really into Wah.

would you recommend it. and if yes, for whom (from a qualification aspect). or is it just philosophy and you needn't to know anything?

univalve wrote:would you recommend it. and if yes, for whom (from a qualification aspect). or is it just philosophy and you needn't to know anything?

I would recommend it but it is more a gateway to a path toward greater guitar mastery and flexibility. You wouldn't necessarily need to know anything to start but if you wanted to follow the path you would be learning a great deal of theory.

Thanks

I don't follow his work too active myself but yeah, he's a pretty interesting figure. Didn't know the Glen Branca connection, but doesn't surprise me a bit.

The only record I have is the Caspar Brötzman / Page Hamilton Zulu Time, pretty intense stuff