Some critique, please.......

[jivejong]

I was practicing one day, and thought that Song From Heaven would make for a great guitar instrumental. So, I figured I'd give it a try and see what would come out. Here's the result of the first take.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anmP0lCvPCM

Let me know what you think, as well as any constructive criticism to make it better. I'm a grown man, so please be candid. Just trying to get better at this thing called guitar.

Thanks

[melrhyne]

You sound good Jivejong!
I see you are using the pentatonic scale.
Do you know them in all positions? That is something cool to work on.
Also playing minor pentatonics over major chords, is a cool device.
Play pentatonic scales off the 3rd. 6th and 7th steps of the scale.
So, if you are in CMajor, you can play Em, Am, and Bm pentatonic scales over C.
Play them in all positions and mix up the intervals.
Remember to practice slowly.

By the way that Tele was lovely!

[uriahsmusic]

....you have the melody down in your mind which is good.  What I might do is find more ways of not hitting every note in the melody directly!...this way it wont sound like ting ting ting ting everywhere. So lets say the first 4 notes are eighth notes one after the other.....you might hit the first not and bend to the second note...hit the 3rd note then slide into the 4th etc.....mix it up any way that makes sense....
Also to give the melody more of a singer feel....strategic pauses are cool....
for example if the the first 4 notes are even 8th notes...you could hit the first note on the one, then pause for a 16th or 8th note then hit the next note.  This will give the solo an unpredictable character and make it really compelling.

p.s. one easy way to break up the ting ting ting feel is to throw in a triplet or 2...to lose the monotony!

[jlynnb1]

yeah, i'd say just mix up the attack/phrasing of your notes. thanks for posting...

[ubc_rown]

Hey man, that was really nice.You might, come on down the fretboard.Using some of the same notes.You, somewhat stayed in same position.Real close to B.B. KING position.Check out someone you like.Prince,or whoever.Learn from them,and come up with your own style.Check out jlynnb1,Dave,Jay P. solos.Good work

[jivejong]

Thanks for the comments. I'm primarily a bassist of about twenty years who just noodled around on the guitar until last fall when I started gigging on the guitar. Then, I got a paid gig playing guitar for a Baptist church this year, so I started taking the guitard thing more seriously.

I do have a tendency to stay within a scale, and play repetitively at times. I guess part of it is from playing bass for so long, but also dig groove oriented players. BTW, Jimmy Nolen is my favorite guitarist. I also do a Blues gig, and I do a lot of BB King style stuff, so I do tend to stay in one position, even though I know the Pentatonics all over the fretboard.

I'll give all your thoughts a try on the next go-around.

[gtrdave]

Only thing I would suggest is to break out of the pentatonic scale once in a while. You've got a good basic skill set, but it seems like the pentatonic scale is limiting your options for melody and improvisation.
Learning the diatonic scale and even some of the chromatic scale (or elements of chromatic, as is in the blues scale) would make what you're playing that much more enjoyable to listen to.
Keep up the good jammin'. 

[Gibby]

Wow... this is a nice song. It's funny, when you first started playing, my mind automatically said "bassist".

In my humble opinion, the laid-back groove of the track doesn't really go with the staccato style that you are playing in. I think if you let more notes ring out, it will really compliment the track more, and will lend to a more "united" sound. CWOTIDIDTHAR?

LOL @ your signature 

[JayP5150]

I'm way late on this, but the only thing I think I could add is it just doesn't sound like you're relaxed at all. That's really along the same line as the "staccato" remarks, though, I guess.

You have a great foundation to branch out on though; and try to work on the fluidity of it all.

Keep on, man. 

[jivejong]

Thanks for the additional feedback.

Yes, I still think like a bassist in many ways.  Also, my main influences tend to approach the guitar more percussively (i.e. Jimmy Nolen). The staccato feel of the lead is probably a result of that. I usually prefer a cleanish tone, and for some reason with this tele and my hands, it makes for a more percussive tone than a legato feel.

I think I'm pretty relaxed in the recording. I usually pretty relaxed about my inabilities. But it was a single take, and I'll hit the drawing board again on this tune. In addition to tweaking the phrasing, I'm going to tweak the tone so I get a little more sustain and more of a legato feel.

[JayP5150]

^ all good points there. : )

[jivejong]

Here's another take. This time with a less percussive tone, and I added some diatonic runs and some minor pentatonic in there as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bX-aZsCo1zw