Pick a job u love and u would never have to work a day in ur life, Confucius I believe. I think with this philosophy u will pick up what u do much quicker, I was told I was very gifted with natural talent, I never believed that, t'was that I was so interested and passionate about the guitar I played 12 to 16 brs a day never getting bored, as I progressed very quickly reaching my peak in 3 yrs. Then quit 10 yrs, since then on and off here and there, of course was room for improvement, but lots of wasted time from 15 started playing flat out for 3 yrs, now at 51 I think I've got about 8 yrs of playing up my sleeve, main poit is I wasn't gifted, I loved what I did so mastering what I was doing was pretty quick. Still not a master but u get the drift. Playing a guitar with great technique is just like working out, like a martial artist or body builder, u stretch ur fingers , muscle memory kicks in, u play till u can't, so sore, after a brief break, u come back better, and in it goes, once the technique is down patt, then is the real challenge to honestly express urself through that instrument. Dedication, commitment. What more can I say, there's more things but I'm just a bedroom player!
The best advice from the man himself (which is VERY DIFFICULT TO STICK TO) is this: "Next day, I had to be just a bit more better than the day before....I wouldn't stop unless I was"
When I started playing 45 years ago. I had my guitar on my lap even when watching tv. Still now , I’m in my office at work and play my guitar when reading emails or other documents.
I’ve been playing since I was 8 years old. I’m 46 now and I thought I was fairly good at Van Halen and Metallica songs but when I tried Yngwie or some of Paul Gilbert’s stuff I just didn’t understand how they were picking so smooth . Now from RUclips learning about upward and downward pick slanting and economy picking picking I’m finally slowly getting some of those harder licks down. Still really struggle with Dejavu intro but now is the best time ever to learn guitar with all the channels and no more secrets of how they did what they did in the 80’s. We just assumed they were gods among men. Love your channel man.
Yngwie is a huge hero for me. He knew what he could do and didn't waver in the pursuit of his goal. He has his haters, but I bet in the future more and more will acknowledge he was the best talent to come out of the 80s.
He was so bold because he was so determined. He moved to another country with nothing but his skill with him and worked so hard. Admirable qualities. He is a self-made man.
@@haliaeetus8221 Yngwie and his fender/marshall sound is so good and his technique, New generations will love his playing forever. I stopped listening him after the Fire And Ice album. He cant never get it right, is it too bluesy or maybe again too cheesy poppy. He didnt have a map where he should go after those first 3-4 albums. He is a real guitar hero, just go and listen Black Star .
@@vn00530 I think his first 5 are the ones to go to. All of them are good in different ways. He has had the problem of not wanting to share the creative process so others would strengthen the weaker points. There are things I wish he'd do differently, but oh well, that's the case with most anyway. But regardless of his later choices, he has made a phenomenal body of work with an undeniably phenomenal influence.
Great piece of advice! I've been playing guitar for many years, and even though I'm good at certain things, I still struggle with others. I think it's not to late to follow some of the points you stated. In fact, since I have a certain level I'm sure I'll improve a lot doing what you said. Thank you!
@@MrPolevaulter I heard in some old Allan Holdsworth interview he said his first 3-4 years of playing he was basically just copying Clapton pentatonic licks :O
Good advice for anything in life really. As a fitness instructor I love how similar playing an instrument is to working out and fitness as well- a little bit every day goes a long way!
Great article here..to me thee most important thing is recording and listening back to what you got..for playing sound equipment all of it..the tape recorder dosent lie..I live by that..subscribed to you here and thanks!
What yngwie can do is learned. Learned. So anyone can learn to do it. I will confirm persistence is the key. As mentioned, 10-15 minutes every day is way better than longer, more inconsistent practice sessions. You just have to pare down the skills you want to work on. You might only have time for a warmup and then drilling one skill. Make peace with sounding bad. We all do at first, you're not going to sound like a pro right away.
In my humble opinion Yngwie was probably born with perfect pitch and an advanced musical memory , Yngwie has incredible dexterity . He was born in a family of classical musicians , possibly he inherited musical abilities . I would say Yngwie is a genius . The word genius is vastly over used by so many people . Many people can learn to play or copy their favourite songs but CANNOT CREATE SONGS OF THEIR FAVOURITE ARTISTS . All people are equally created , but not created equally . ✨🇺🇸✨🎸🇨🇦🎼🎼🎼🎼⚡️⚡️⚡️😊
Yngwie does not have perfect pitch. He has a well developed relative pitch though but that came later. His secret was that he always played music and always had his guitar in his hands. I think he is definitely on the spectrum. He was playing along with records and music on the radio/television. It's a good way to develop your ears and learning melodies etc. Most people who play guitar start in the other end. They sit and play exercises and focus on the mechanical part. Even a player like Allan Holdsworth used to say to play with your ears and don't let your hands dictate what you think you can do.
Yes, he said that, but he also claimed to have developed perfect pitch (which isn't something you can develop like that). In other interviews he claimed that if you played a note on the piano he might not be able to tell you what note it was. From this context it is obvious that Yngwie doesn't have perfect pitch - as the rest of the world defines it. He has a well developed relative pitch, which he might call "perfect pitch" but really isn't. (just like he claims he never sweep picks when everyone else can hear and see that he obviously does).@@theodosios2615
Beato just did an interview with him, pretty fun to watch. My go-to with practicing is getting out of my comfort-zone; that is, take on things I never thought to take on. Like I may like a tune, but never thought of trying to learn it. Said to myself: "Learn it." Things like understanding the atmosphere-playing rhythm/lead or double stops of R&B, or put on a jazz tune by Monk or the like, and see if I can not only figure it out, but improvise over it...maybe even shred over it as best I can....it's actually a lot of fun...nothing to lose, everything to gain there.
Good advice from Elmo! I´d like to add one thing which is try to get in a band situation from early on. Find mates on same technical level (or better) and start kickin. Also I used to practice standing up with the guitar strapped, your hands and fingers gets a different angle compared to always sitting down practising. I think most of us learning an instrument have a goal of playing for audiences somewhere down the line.
I'm convinced I could practice all day everyday and never pick as fast and precise as you man, let alone Yngwie. Much like dancing, it requires a level of physical coordination beyond my genetic scope of ability.
I think it is easier to focus if you are building day by day on a single pathway. For instance I chose to go down an alternate tuning route and with my own finger style, so I built (and continue to build) my practice focus around finding my way to play music in that tuning in a way that I like and feels natural to me. I see it as a practical skill that I have to put together myself. That is my own peculiar guitar focus.
Absolutely correct in every regard. Particularly about regular practice. When I was teaching music, I could instantly detect if a student had or had not practiced between lessons. It was endlessly frustrating! Far too many people have the illusion that there's some type of secret that can be whispered in your ear that will instantly make you a brilliant musician. It's not true. For sure there are varying levels of talent and aptitude, however playing an instrument remains a physical and mental activity that requires constant training. Funny that people don't have the misconception that they could perform medical surgery without proper training, but they expect to be able to play an instrument without putting in the effort that is required.
Just come on over to Flarda and hang out around Miami Shores area. You can spot him from time to time wandering or driving around. Sometimes he will even let you play though his Koad!
I had some fun adding my thoughts to these already well-considered recommendations. 1. Have a Goal. Having a goal might well include picking a genre and general style, because of the degree of specialization it takes to get good at any particular one of them. This is especially true for the more technical genres/styles. I like to say there are as many different ways to play guitar as there are guitar players, and I encourage finding ones own style and voice, including synthesizing new hybrid genres. 2. Consistency. Daily practice is critical, so it is important to develop a positive attitude regarding the commitment and effort required. I feel exuberant during the good days, and march on keeping victory in my sights during the days that turn out more pedestrian. I like to practice an amount of time that is sufficient to give me a good physical workout, and enables me to progress, but that I can also recover from during a 24 hour cycle. 3. Measuring Progress. Being self-motivated and wanting to keep getting better and better is important. Through the consistency of daily practice, I maintain an internal organic sensibility about my progress, and am able to know when I have gained some increased utility. Many however, would emphasize the need to also include a system of objective measurement, for example I find periodically recording and reviewing yourself is useful. It is important to believe in yourself, because developing proficiency on a musical instrument often isn't overly-supported by others, and requires personal diligence and perseverance. 4. Push Your Boundaries. Be open to taking inspiration from everything. I encourage avoiding tribalism, dogmatism, moralizing, and demonizing - music isn't a sport, a competition, or better vs. worse - music is art, creativity, and transcendent. Hope any of these thoughts were or become useful. Cheers~
Thanks for the tips! As you say, helps to get better at anything. No amount of tips are going to help me play like Yngwie, but at least I'll get better than I am now
This is an awesome video Elmo! I struggle with finding my own voice rather than learning new techniques or songs from my influences. My favorite guitar players are John Mayer, Steve Vai and Guthrie Govan. When soloing, my licks sound like those guys. Trying to find a way to mash up those 3 without sounding like them is the hardest part! Im 28 and still learning so hopefully when im in my mid 30's i'll have it figured out. Great vid on practice!
Yngwie has mentioned he never practiced before BUT I heard him say in an early interview around 83' that he did get lessons for 3 years from a local college. So he probably learned learned the basic up to maybe intermediate level playing then continued learning on his own.
The best piece of advice I ever got was while reading an interview (in Guitarist magazine I think) were Zakk Wlyde said he would practice 8 straight hours every day and so I practice 8 straight hours a day. Ironically, this turned out to be true about a great many things. Although I will admit it is a little soul crushing when your older sibling literally does have 'perfect pitch' (if he hears anything he can not only recreate it, but add to it), but he is mainly a bassist so it's not to bad.
I have perfect pitch also and it can be a curse as much as a blessing as people expect you to be good at any instrument. I am a very average guitar player too sadly! I think Elmo's advice here about frequent short periods is the way to go. I used to play piano for hours and I just got sick of it and took it for granted, you lose your passion a bit with the overfamiliarity I think.
This is excellent advice which I am going to take. I am a very poor guitar player but I have perfect pitch so I need to maximise that to help me get better even if it's for short periods. Please make more analytical videos like this! Have a nice day!
Thank you Elmo, another invaluable lesson to digest on the "Yng-way" from a good player who's clearly put in the hours... IMO there's two schools of thought on YJM (or any iconic virtuoso player really), those who want to try and achieve some of their mastery and random YT commenters like @nortbertexp (who covered a Toto solo once!) say: "I respect ingwie for her talent and dexterity as a guitarist and her career ensemble although I can't stand rifled submachine guns. But apart from adapting works by paganini and being inspired by neoclassicism, the boy did not invent anything in particular that can be compared to Hendrix or Van Halen...and if we are talking about Van Halen, I am not referring to the tapping that we all know was not invented by him. , but it did give it a notorious and unique style and scope. Ingwie is a Blackmore guy on steroids...." I mean no words lol, really... I look forward to going through this video with my Eb charvel :)
Yup all true, you’ll know right of way if you pick up the guitar and it’s just not going well whether your tired or just not feeling it at least you picked it up and did something. I’ve been buying vintage Ibanez RGs and they really excite me to play more having an instrument your exited to play also helps.
I heard that Yngwie Malmsteen locked him self in the basement and dropped all social life to practice, and refused to come out from his room until he was good enough! I play anything from 5-12 hours when i first practice and play. Sometimes 2 hours, sometimes 6 hours, and some days I relax to let my brain consume the practice, im getting better, MUCH better than when i was young, and hella lot more focused than when i was young! took me 38 years before i found the focus, but I play several instruments, bass, piano and guitar :)
The upbringing was certainly a factor in his development......a family of musicians, exposure to inspirational music that triggered an obsession with the instrument (someone mentioned that he might be on the spectrum - I'd probably concur) he had a recording setup, started playing in bands at an extremely young age and always listened back to the results from the day before. I dug out this quote which I thought was cool... ""I had my recording studio on the subway for half an hour from my home" (his studio was in the city). "I was so relentless about what I was doing, I would constantly, well record what I played. And I had this thing that if I don't play better the next day than I did the day before, something was really wrong. I'd fuckin' kick myself, "No, I gotta be better, I gotta be better" I was, like, totally fanatic about it, y'know. My recorder in the rehearsal place was a tape machine that ran at 4... em 4.75 I think. And there's another internacional speed, 4.80, I believe, which is different. This was before I had perfect pitch and shit like that so I used to come home and listen to what I did and was going, "Hmmm... pretty good, pretty good, and the next morning of course I'd go ahead and play again and I thought my guitar was out of tune because it's so fuckin' cold in the subway, so I'd just tune it up again, to the new pitch and I played to that . And I went like "wrrr, wrrr ( fingers flying) and go "man, that's fast" and that escalated it". So, perhaps he DOES have perfect pitch - or extremely well-developed relative pitch and from another source, I heard his sister gave him quite a solid theoretical schooling from her own classical education. He's also a big guy.....having large hands certainly helps! The man, the myth, the legend I guess?
I'm a older learner my goals are bit different but I always try to record my practice sessions , Yngwie I seen him live in 1986 I am not a disciple of his I'm not knocking his brilliance I rather hear David Gilmour live and I have seen Gilmour live , maybe it's age lol , I focus on blues what I'm learning now, when i was a teen I read the magazines in particular a interview with Eddie Van Halen he stated listening to other players he mentioned Al Di Meola Allan Holdsworth as a teen back them who the beep are those guys then hearing them I was blown away and Randy Rhoads his classical background infusing it with metal, Blues is a good stepping stone it's in the DNA of Rock Metal etc, good advise Elmo cheers !
Practicing 15mn per day was my goal 1 year ago 😎 Well... I didn't reach that goal🙄 Days after days, the missed trainings became a point of pain 😕 (not stressfull but almost). As I didn't want to get bored of my guitars, I changed my goals in "15mn doing something related to music". I could be (for example): discovering/working on my new DAW, playing or even restringing a guitar, finding new sounds on my stombox, etc. To be clear, it doesn't make my play better 😅 BUT... I spend more time with my guitars than I did before 😊
Learning how to learn is one of the best things you can do for yourself. My measure and goal are to learn something good enough to tech it to someone else, people don't know how to set goals to themselves and measuring is subjective, this way you externalize the whole process, anybody intuitively has a feeling if they can teach someone else what they know so you don't have to think about measuring or setting goals. Practice is very important, 15 minutes every day is a good goal, you'll learn soon enough that your daily sessions tend to actually be longer than 15 minutes every other day, meaning instead of around 100h a year you practiced 300 hours a year. And the last one is be mindful of learning one new thing as often as you can, in the beginning you can do that every day while you practice, but as you move on you'll learn less and less new things as your knowledge grows, but you still should be able to pick up new things every few days or even once a week even if you are a master. I wish schools taught people how to learn instead of forcing them to learn.
Players like Eddie,Yngwie,Gilbert,Nuno,Satch,Vai had"It"to begin with.They just took the next steps to built up their skillset to the level of what we all see now.And the rest of us just get to certain level.I knew SO many players while living in Nashville;who had been practicing for many hours a day,since they were kids!Lessons etc.. And YET they weren't really that great!
My practice was very focused. 8 hours when I could. Usually 6. I have some go to guitars. One of them is a Yngwie Fender Model (2019). I actually use it more for classic rock though. Or even jazz. For me I need the double coil pick ups to hit the heavies, one Ibanez and one B.C. Rich. Small but effective collection.
Absolutely, practice 30 minutes a day is better than 4 hours on the one day - 'Saturday ie' Repetition and consistency is the goal and you WILL get there doing it that way. Every day for at least 15 minutes is a realistic goal and attainable.
Step 5: He always listened to the tone and sound. And adjusted from there. So his foundation wasn't technique - it was the sound. Well, that's how I interpret him anyway.
In my experience, if I don’t have the skill to play something on guitar, I still won’t be able to in 1 hour, 2 hours etc. point being it’s not mindless 6 hour practice sessions that work. It’s days, weeks, months accumulative that gets results.
I progress when I am thinking why I struggle with this riff why/what makes it so difficult. Many times it is wrist stiffness in both hands and too much force. It is really finger ballet to play guitar😂🎸. So make it elegantly 💃.
If you look at Yngwies left hand, you can see that his fingertips are coloured, this Onley happens while intensive and long playing! If you read this at your twenthies You are to late! 😀
Yngwie has also said that a big part is genetics. That is 100% true. I never met my biological dad and that side of the family all plays music. So I took to guitar easily without knowing why I wanted to play so bad. Of course you need practice and discipline. Very few people have the drive and discipline that Yngwie had at such a young age.
Yeah, in theory this works, but back in the early nineties I committed to two hour daily exercises such as the four fret pattern you showed. This went on for two years, and if I missed a day, once a month, I would make sure the next day I caught up. I don't want to sound overly negative, and I understand that self limiting beliefs can be destructive,( which is why I did this regimen in the first place, because I didn't want my thought thst I couldn't do it to stop me), but I have to say that I stopped after two years becsuse I had made NO significant gains in rapid alternate picking or sweeping: so I'm afraid I have to say that maybe I just wasn't meant to play like Eric Johnson or Steffen Schakinger... more like Mick Taylor or Billy Gibbons- no bad thing maybe, but I could already do that for twenty years earlier, and wanted to expand my technique with the odd flourish of speed, and generally to improve thereby my slower playing. Maybe there is something wrong with me because I shouldn't have the desire if even dedication and hard work failed to produce a result. Maybe it's just me, but I always find it frustrating (no offence intended) when people say either on RUclips or before that in guitar player magazine or guitar world, that "Yes! You too can play like..(insert shredder) I might add that I'm proud of what I managed to accomplish up to that point, and was already well accepted by the local rock band community that I was part of fir a long time, gaining some positive feedback from local music critics on my only band recording rekease in the late seventies, but having been a three finger player for so long, I was simply unable to make the next step up, once I'd ruled out lack of hard work for my failure to improve; so I suppose I wasted two years doing it wrong somehow because that can be tge only explanation. Thank you for trying to inspire others, but I just can't do it any more.😢
Of course we're all individuals, and this will vary for different people. The point is though, that if you work consistently, set goals, measure your progress, and focus, you will get better. Not having seen you practice, I can't really say why you didn't progress. But I am sure you would have progressed even less if you'd practiced 2 hours every Saturday for 2 years.
I think your problem is that you already had developed your style. In a way it makes things more difficult because you partly need to re-learn the instrument and find a way to incorporate the new techniques. But if you don't find an immediate use for sweeping etc. it won't come naturally and it becomes very difficult.
@@dm8579 thanks, and yes you are absolutely right; trying to start some new regimen that goes against the grain of your muscle memory, while doing something you don't really want to do but must is a sure way to make you hate the routine, and the unmusical makeup of much of it make it hard to use the intuitive leaps that were successfull when you first learned to play.
I was into Yngwie a long time ago when I was young. Practice and over again a hell of an dedication a hell of an push you have to eat it shit it piss it 100% that I dot not have anymore. One will also need one very good guitar, I had a Charvel I also did it on a headless Steinberg Stage Pro II that i scalloped. Then well the ordinary grown up life came in, as in our culture at that time not that long ago the electric guitar was about youth, something childish or even still regarded as an a tool of the devil with very few exeptions. Folk-Bob Dylan and Jazz only then it would be accepted even saluted...pahhh! And kind of that wimen will all admire an guitar god even my mother she went bonkers in her pants when that guitarist of Europe came shooting up from under the scene blasting away - Wow! What an good looking young guy, jamy mumsi mumsi! Bloody embarasing it was ahahahaha... but in the long run not you! They do not grasp that zillion miles made of practise, they think that the guy was born in that way! So for many years I feelt guilt over my guitars and my playing and it suffered greatly but when the Covid pandemic came over us i started to dust the rust off but no, there have been an to far interupt in between but hell it is still a great fun .
Regarding practice: there are more or less effective ways to practice. Playing a five minute piece over and over again, in which there is a 15 second tough part, is not a good way to practice. Practice just the tough part, not the rest of it that you have down pat.
You got to have natural abilities sadly some people no matter how much they practice its not going to get them to pro or even world class level. Yngwie has ear natural talent and he pioneered neo-classical metal.
btw 15 minutes is not much... im not even warm after only 15 minutes :) I have great stamina tho, its as if my body just forgets that im suppose to get exhausted, might also be because i have ADHD
Advice for new players. 1st >There are two schools of playing. This s just technique this is not note choice or phrasing. Just pure mechanics: There's strict alternate picking. Started by players like Al Di Meola, John McLaughlin, Frank Marino. Later perfected to it's height in the 90s by Paul Gilbert, John Petrucci, lots of others. The other school of playing is the 'yng-way', this is economy picking, or 'speed picking' as Frank Gambale called it. This forces the pick to be 'trapped between strings' and allows your picking hand to afford to relax. Your technique will evolve to settle down to your wrist rather from your elbow. If you read Gambale's book 'speed picking' and have been playing for a while, you will find that this really works from day one, and just feels weird, and you just have to practice through the 'weird'. Yngwie pulls a lot of faces but his picking hand is the most chilled picking hand in the business. TRUST ME
Why did you giggle like a school girl and not a school BOY? Those pants explain everything now. When Paul Gilbert told me I was "rocking out" years ago, I grinned like a school boy that just looked up at Woman's dress.
I do not fully agree with the last number 4 step. Let me explain. I agree with pushing own boundaries for 100%, but do not agree with the idea not to practice old stuff. It is wrong, because you just become more worth in that stuff. Our hands can play the best those stuff which they play consistently. So, to my opinion, the more you learn, the more time you should practice.The more complicated things you learn, again, the more time you should practice.
He worked hard, consistently, with focus, and he measured his progress. Sure, he might have improved faster than other people, but that doesn't change the fact that he worked hard. Hard work always beats talent when talent isn't working hard. Simple as that.
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Pick a job u love and u would never have to work a day in ur life, Confucius I believe. I think with this philosophy u will pick up what u do much quicker, I was told I was very gifted with natural talent, I never believed that, t'was that I was so interested and passionate about the guitar I played 12 to 16 brs a day never getting bored, as I progressed very quickly reaching my peak in 3 yrs. Then quit 10 yrs, since then on and off here and there, of course was room for improvement, but lots of wasted time from 15 started playing flat out for 3 yrs, now at 51 I think I've got about 8 yrs of playing up my sleeve, main poit is I wasn't gifted, I loved what I did so mastering what I was doing was pretty quick. Still not a master but u get the drift. Playing a guitar with great technique is just like working out, like a martial artist or body builder, u stretch ur fingers , muscle memory kicks in, u play till u can't, so sore, after a brief break, u come back better, and in it goes, once the technique is down patt, then is the real challenge to honestly express urself through that instrument. Dedication, commitment. What more can I say, there's more things but I'm just a bedroom player!
The best advice from the man himself (which is VERY DIFFICULT TO STICK TO) is this: "Next day, I had to be just a bit more better than the day before....I wouldn't stop unless I was"
When I started playing 45 years ago. I had my guitar on my lap even when watching tv. Still now , I’m in my office at work and play my guitar when reading emails or other documents.
I’ve been playing since I was 8 years old. I’m 46 now and I thought I was fairly good at Van Halen and Metallica songs but when I tried Yngwie or some of Paul Gilbert’s stuff I just didn’t understand how they were picking so smooth .
Now from RUclips learning about upward and downward pick slanting and economy picking picking I’m finally slowly getting some of those harder licks down. Still really struggle with Dejavu intro but now is the best time ever to learn guitar with all the channels and no more secrets of how they did what they did in the 80’s. We just assumed they were gods among men.
Love your channel man.
Thanks!
Its good to see you teaching, Elmo
Cheers 😊
These are all fantastic points, Elmo. I like the new different camera angles setup. Thanks for the video!
And thank you 😊
Yngwie is a huge hero for me. He knew what he could do and didn't waver in the pursuit of his goal. He has his haters, but I bet in the future more and more will acknowledge he was the best talent to come out of the 80s.
He was so bold because he was so determined. He moved to another country with nothing but his skill with him and worked so hard. Admirable qualities. He is a self-made man.
@@haliaeetus8221 Yngwie and his fender/marshall sound is so good and his technique, New generations will love his playing forever. I stopped listening him after the Fire And Ice album. He cant never get it right, is it too bluesy or maybe again too cheesy poppy. He didnt have a map where he should go after those first 3-4 albums. He is a real guitar hero, just go and listen Black Star .
@@vn00530 I think his first 5 are the ones to go to. All of them are good in different ways.
He has had the problem of not wanting to share the creative process so others would strengthen the weaker points. There are things I wish he'd do differently, but oh well, that's the case with most anyway.
But regardless of his later choices, he has made a phenomenal body of work with an undeniably phenomenal influence.
Great piece of advice! I've been playing guitar for many years, and even though I'm good at certain things, I still struggle with others. I think it's not to late to follow some of the points you stated. In fact, since I have a certain level I'm sure I'll improve a lot doing what you said. Thank you!
I think it's never too late.
@@MrPolevaulter I heard in some old Allan Holdsworth interview he said his first 3-4 years of playing he was basically just copying Clapton pentatonic licks :O
I love your channel bro. Your are humble, genuine and knowledgeable. Keep them coming.
I appreciate that
Good advice for anything in life really. As a fitness instructor I love how similar playing an instrument is to working out and fitness as well- a little bit every day goes a long way!
Yeah, goes for pretty much anything.
Great article here..to me thee most important thing is recording and listening back to what you got..for playing sound equipment all of it..the tape recorder dosent lie..I live by that..subscribed to you here and thanks!
Very true.
What yngwie can do is learned. Learned. So anyone can learn to do it. I will confirm persistence is the key. As mentioned, 10-15 minutes every day is way better than longer, more inconsistent practice sessions. You just have to pare down the skills you want to work on. You might only have time for a warmup and then drilling one skill. Make peace with sounding bad. We all do at first, you're not going to sound like a pro right away.
In my humble opinion Yngwie was probably born with perfect pitch and an advanced musical memory , Yngwie has incredible dexterity . He was born in a family of classical musicians , possibly he inherited musical abilities . I would say Yngwie is a genius . The word genius is vastly over used by so many people . Many people can learn to play or copy their favourite songs but CANNOT CREATE SONGS OF THEIR FAVOURITE ARTISTS . All people are equally created , but not created equally . ✨🇺🇸✨🎸🇨🇦🎼🎼🎼🎼⚡️⚡️⚡️😊
Yngwie does not have perfect pitch. He has a well developed relative pitch though but that came later. His secret was that he always played music and always had his guitar in his hands. I think he is definitely on the spectrum. He was playing along with records and music on the radio/television. It's a good way to develop your ears and learning melodies etc. Most people who play guitar start in the other end. They sit and play exercises and focus on the mechanical part. Even a player like Allan Holdsworth used to say to play with your ears and don't let your hands dictate what you think you can do.
You are right about the crucial upbringing.Classical.
@@dm8579Yngwie said in a guitar magazine interview years ago that he had perfect pitch. Personally, I wonder how critical that really is.
@@dm8579 Don't Agree
Yes, he said that, but he also claimed to have developed perfect pitch (which isn't something you can develop like that). In other interviews he claimed that if you played a note on the piano he might not be able to tell you what note it was. From this context it is obvious that Yngwie doesn't have perfect pitch - as the rest of the world defines it. He has a well developed relative pitch, which he might call "perfect pitch" but really isn't. (just like he claims he never sweep picks when everyone else can hear and see that he obviously does).@@theodosios2615
Beato just did an interview with him, pretty fun to watch. My go-to with practicing is getting out of my comfort-zone; that is, take on things I never thought to take on. Like I may like a tune, but never thought of trying to learn it. Said to myself: "Learn it." Things like understanding the atmosphere-playing rhythm/lead or double stops of R&B, or put on a jazz tune by Monk or the like, and see if I can not only figure it out, but improvise over it...maybe even shred over it as best I can....it's actually a lot of fun...nothing to lose, everything to gain there.
Good advice from Elmo! I´d like to add one thing which is try to get in a band situation from early on. Find mates on same technical level (or better) and start kickin. Also I used to practice standing up with the guitar strapped, your hands and fingers gets a different angle compared to always sitting down practising. I think most of us learning an instrument have a goal of playing for audiences somewhere down the line.
That's also good.
Thanks Elmo! Inspiring.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I'm convinced I could practice all day everyday and never pick as fast and precise as you man, let alone Yngwie. Much like dancing, it requires a level of physical coordination beyond my genetic scope of ability.
You could probably do it. But you might need to change your technique. Yngwie uses a very light touch and works with small and relaxed movements.
You are not missing anything.
Great advice! Applicable to more than just playing the guitar.
Great video, taken a lot from this. Cheers 🤘🏼
Glad you enjoyed it!
Metronome is also key to understanding sub division and playing in time. Also because the click is a fixed volume you can practice dynamics.
I think it is easier to focus if you are building day by day on a single pathway. For instance I chose to go down an alternate tuning route and with my own finger style, so I built (and continue to build) my practice focus around finding my way to play music in that tuning in a way that I like and feels natural to me. I see it as a practical skill that I have to put together myself. That is my own peculiar guitar focus.
Cool 👍
great instructional video. thank you very much for this
Cheers!
Thank You for the words of wisdom Elmo! cheers🎉🙏✌️❤️
My pleasure!!
Absolutely correct in every regard. Particularly about regular practice. When I was teaching music, I could instantly detect if a student had or had not practiced between lessons. It was endlessly frustrating! Far too many people have the illusion that there's some type of secret that can be whispered in your ear that will instantly make you a brilliant musician. It's not true. For sure there are varying levels of talent and aptitude, however playing an instrument remains a physical and mental activity that requires constant training. Funny that people don't have the misconception that they could perform medical surgery without proper training, but they expect to be able to play an instrument without putting in the effort that is required.
Absolutely true.
Great advice, Elmo.👏
Good video. I'm sure these methods will work for my piano playing aswell.
Thanks!
Great advise, thoroughly explained 👏 🙏
Glad you liked it
Just come on over to Flarda and hang out around Miami Shores area. You can spot him from time to time wandering or driving around. Sometimes he will even let you play though his Koad!
As an Aussie (who also lives under a rock and doesn't get out enough) I have never heard of Yngwie Malmsteen.
That aside thanks for the advice Elmo.
Cheers!
I had some fun adding my thoughts to these already well-considered recommendations.
1. Have a Goal. Having a goal might well include picking a genre and general style, because of the degree of specialization it takes to get good at any particular one of them. This is especially true for the more technical genres/styles. I like to say there are as many different ways to play guitar as there are guitar players, and I encourage finding ones own style and voice, including synthesizing new hybrid genres.
2. Consistency. Daily practice is critical, so it is important to develop a positive attitude regarding the commitment and effort required. I feel exuberant during the good days, and march on keeping victory in my sights during the days that turn out more pedestrian. I like to practice an amount of time that is sufficient to give me a good physical workout, and enables me to progress, but that I can also recover from during a 24 hour cycle.
3. Measuring Progress. Being self-motivated and wanting to keep getting better and better is important. Through the consistency of daily practice, I maintain an internal organic sensibility about my progress, and am able to know when I have gained some increased utility. Many however, would emphasize the need to also include a system of objective measurement, for example I find periodically recording and reviewing yourself is useful. It is important to believe in yourself, because developing proficiency on a musical instrument often isn't overly-supported by others, and requires personal diligence and perseverance.
4. Push Your Boundaries. Be open to taking inspiration from everything. I encourage avoiding tribalism, dogmatism, moralizing, and demonizing - music isn't a sport, a competition, or better vs. worse - music is art, creativity, and transcendent.
Hope any of these thoughts were or become useful. Cheers~
Cheers!
Thanks for the tips! As you say, helps to get better at anything. No amount of tips are going to help me play like Yngwie, but at least I'll get better than I am now
Spot on.
This is an awesome video Elmo! I struggle with finding my own voice rather than learning new techniques or songs from my influences. My favorite guitar players are John Mayer, Steve Vai and Guthrie Govan. When soloing, my licks sound like those guys. Trying to find a way to mash up those 3 without sounding like them is the hardest part! Im 28 and still learning so hopefully when im in my mid 30's i'll have it figured out. Great vid on practice!
Glad to be of help.
Yngwie has mentioned he never practiced before BUT I heard him say in an early interview around 83' that he did get lessons for 3 years from a local college. So he probably learned learned the basic up to maybe intermediate level playing then continued learning on his own.
The best piece of advice I ever got was while reading an interview (in Guitarist magazine I think) were Zakk Wlyde said he would practice 8 straight hours every day and so I practice 8 straight hours a day. Ironically, this turned out to be true about a great many things. Although I will admit it is a little soul crushing when your older sibling literally does have 'perfect pitch' (if he hears anything he can not only recreate it, but add to it), but he is mainly a bassist so it's not to bad.
I have perfect pitch also and it can be a curse as much as a blessing as people expect you to be good at any instrument. I am a very average guitar player too sadly! I think Elmo's advice here about frequent short periods is the way to go. I used to play piano for hours and I just got sick of it and took it for granted, you lose your passion a bit with the overfamiliarity I think.
For most people 8 hours is too much. We don't have the stamina. But that can also be a goal, building up to 8 hours.
This is excellent advice which I am going to take. I am a very poor guitar player but I have perfect pitch so I need to maximise that to help me get better even if it's for short periods. Please make more analytical videos like this! Have a nice day!
Happy to help!
Awesome advice bro…keep it up
Thanks, will do!
Thank you Elmo.
And thank you :)
Terima kasih, Elmo 👍
Thank you Elmo, another invaluable lesson to digest on the "Yng-way" from a good player who's clearly put in the hours...
IMO there's two schools of thought on YJM (or any iconic virtuoso player really), those who want to try and achieve some of their mastery and random YT commenters like @nortbertexp (who covered a Toto solo once!) say: "I respect ingwie for her talent and dexterity as a guitarist and her career ensemble although I can't stand rifled submachine guns.
But apart from adapting works by paganini and being inspired by neoclassicism, the boy did not invent anything in particular that can be compared to Hendrix or Van Halen...and if we are talking about Van Halen, I am not referring to the tapping that we all know was not invented by him. , but it did give it a notorious and unique style and scope.
Ingwie is a Blackmore guy on steroids...."
I mean no words lol, really... I look forward to going through this video with my Eb charvel :)
Thanks!
Total Sense.
Cheers!
I really enjoy your videos.🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉Tnanx!
Glad you like them!
Yup all true, you’ll know right of way if you pick up the guitar and it’s just not going well whether your tired or just not feeling it at least you picked it up and did something.
I’ve been buying vintage Ibanez RGs and they really excite me to play more having an instrument your exited to play also helps.
True.
I heard that Yngwie Malmsteen locked him self in the basement and dropped all social life to practice, and refused to come out from his room until he was good enough!
I play anything from 5-12 hours when i first practice and play. Sometimes 2 hours, sometimes 6 hours, and some days I relax to let my brain consume the practice, im getting better, MUCH better than when i was young, and hella lot more focused than when i was young! took me 38 years before i found the focus, but I play several instruments, bass, piano and guitar :)
The upbringing was certainly a factor in his development......a family of musicians, exposure to inspirational music that triggered an obsession with the instrument (someone mentioned that he might be on the spectrum - I'd probably concur) he had a recording setup, started playing in bands at an extremely young age and always listened back to the results from the day before. I dug out this quote which I thought was cool...
""I had my recording studio on the subway for half an hour from my home" (his studio was in the city). "I was so relentless about what I was doing, I would constantly, well record what I played. And I had this thing that if I don't play better the next day than I did the day before, something was really wrong. I'd fuckin' kick myself, "No, I gotta be better, I gotta be better" I was, like, totally fanatic about it, y'know. My recorder in the rehearsal place was a tape machine that ran at 4... em 4.75 I think. And there's another internacional speed, 4.80, I believe, which is different. This was before I had perfect pitch and shit like that so I used to come home and listen to what I did and was going, "Hmmm... pretty good, pretty good, and the next morning of course I'd go ahead and play again and I thought my guitar was out of tune because it's so fuckin' cold in the subway, so I'd just tune it up again, to the new pitch and I played to that . And I went like "wrrr, wrrr ( fingers flying) and go "man, that's fast" and that escalated it".
So, perhaps he DOES have perfect pitch - or extremely well-developed relative pitch and from another source, I heard his sister gave him quite a solid theoretical schooling from her own classical education. He's also a big guy.....having large hands certainly helps!
The man, the myth, the legend I guess?
Great advice. Remember; Yngwie never looked at it as "practicing". He always considered it playing.
Peak lucidity ❤
:)
Yngwie left school at a pretty young age and spent years practicing 8 to 10 hours a day (say between 13 to 18 yo).
I'm a older learner my goals are bit different but I always try to record my practice sessions , Yngwie I seen him live in 1986 I am not a disciple of his I'm not knocking his brilliance I rather hear David Gilmour live and I have seen Gilmour live , maybe it's age lol , I focus on blues what I'm learning now, when i was a teen I read the magazines in particular a interview with Eddie Van Halen he stated listening to other players he mentioned Al Di Meola Allan Holdsworth as a teen back them who the beep are those guys then hearing them I was blown away and Randy Rhoads his classical background infusing it with metal, Blues is a good stepping stone it's in the DNA of Rock Metal etc, good advise Elmo cheers !
Cheers!
He put in the practice.
Practicing 15mn per day was my goal 1 year ago 😎 Well... I didn't reach that goal🙄 Days after days, the missed trainings became a point of pain 😕 (not stressfull but almost). As I didn't want to get bored of my guitars, I changed my goals in "15mn doing something related to music". I could be (for example): discovering/working on my new DAW, playing or even restringing a guitar, finding new sounds on my stombox, etc. To be clear, it doesn't make my play better 😅 BUT... I spend more time with my guitars than I did before 😊
Jeff Beck said that even if he didn't have time at some days, he would practice at least 15 minutes a day. But every day. You gotta be consistent
Learning how to learn is one of the best things you can do for yourself. My measure and goal are to learn something good enough to tech it to someone else, people don't know how to set goals to themselves and measuring is subjective, this way you externalize the whole process, anybody intuitively has a feeling if they can teach someone else what they know so you don't have to think about measuring or setting goals. Practice is very important, 15 minutes every day is a good goal, you'll learn soon enough that your daily sessions tend to actually be longer than 15 minutes every other day, meaning instead of around 100h a year you practiced 300 hours a year. And the last one is be mindful of learning one new thing as often as you can, in the beginning you can do that every day while you practice, but as you move on you'll learn less and less new things as your knowledge grows, but you still should be able to pick up new things every few days or even once a week even if you are a master. I wish schools taught people how to learn instead of forcing them to learn.
Yeah, I've been frustrated with that at school as well. Teaching how to learn is far more important than forcing people.
Put your phone down and there you go. Hours of practice time haha 🍻🇨🇦
Players like Eddie,Yngwie,Gilbert,Nuno,Satch,Vai had"It"to begin with.They just took the next steps to built up their skillset to the level of what we all see now.And the rest of us just get to certain level.I knew SO many players while living in Nashville;who had been practicing for many hours a day,since they were kids!Lessons etc.. And YET they weren't really that great!
My practice was very focused. 8 hours when I could. Usually 6. I have some go to guitars. One of them is a Yngwie Fender Model (2019). I actually use it more for classic rock though. Or even jazz. For me I need the double coil pick ups to hit the heavies, one Ibanez and one B.C. Rich. Small but effective collection.
Love the dude! Tbh your a better player
Thank you :)
@@MrPolevaulterdo you really believe that load of crap?
Ty
Absolutely, practice 30 minutes a day is better than 4 hours on the one day - 'Saturday ie' Repetition and consistency is the goal and you WILL get there doing it that way. Every day for at least 15 minutes is a realistic goal and attainable.
1 goal
2 practice
3 measure
4 focus
5 practice new stuff - push your boundaries- don’t noodle and don’t stay in comfort zone
Step 5: He always listened to the tone and sound. And adjusted from there. So his foundation wasn't technique - it was the sound. Well, that's how I interpret him anyway.
Geniuses are not made, they're just born this way.
any tips for sweeping? I'm learning that for the first time in my life now, and its hard but not undoable, but tricky to do as fast as i want :(
Please cover outside inspirations (aka Paganini) in your upcoming videos.
Sorry, not sure I understand.
In my experience, if I don’t have the skill to play something on guitar, I still won’t be able to in 1 hour, 2 hours etc. point being it’s not mindless 6 hour practice sessions that work. It’s days, weeks, months accumulative that gets results.
Also, I recommend anyone who is a fan of Yngwie to read his book - I listened to it in audio form and it’s a great read! Very insightful
Spot on.
I progress when I am thinking why I struggle with this riff why/what makes it so difficult. Many times it is wrist stiffness in both hands and too much force. It is really finger ballet to play guitar😂🎸. So make it elegantly 💃.
😊
i think his real hidden secret is hiding in plain sight: Fender 70's Bullet truss rod nut, obviously. It makes everything better.
素晴らしい考察をありがとう😊
4 Steps:
1 Wake up
2 Eat
3 Practice 25hours
4 Sleep
I film my self and put it on youtube so i can see my self, mistakes and what i do good and what ive done better :)
If you look at Yngwies left hand, you can see that his fingertips are coloured, this
Onley happens while intensive and long playing! If you read this at your twenthies
You are to late! 😀
Yngwie has also said that a big part is genetics. That is 100% true. I never met my biological dad and that side of the family all plays music. So I took to guitar easily without knowing why I wanted to play so bad. Of course you need practice and discipline. Very few people have the drive and discipline that Yngwie had at such a young age.
Yeah, in theory this works, but back in the early nineties I committed to two hour daily exercises such as the four fret pattern you showed. This went on for two years, and if I missed a day, once a month, I would make sure the next day I caught up. I don't want to sound overly negative, and I understand that self limiting beliefs can be destructive,( which is why I did this regimen in the first place, because I didn't want my thought thst I couldn't do it to stop me), but I have to say that I stopped after two years becsuse I had made NO significant gains in rapid alternate picking or sweeping: so I'm afraid I have to say that maybe I just wasn't meant to play like Eric Johnson or Steffen Schakinger... more like Mick Taylor or Billy Gibbons- no bad thing maybe, but I could already do that for twenty years earlier, and wanted to expand my technique with the odd flourish of speed, and generally to improve thereby my slower playing. Maybe there is something wrong with me because I shouldn't have the desire if even dedication and hard work failed to produce a result. Maybe it's just me, but I always find it frustrating (no offence intended) when people say either on RUclips or before that in guitar player magazine or guitar world, that "Yes! You too can play like..(insert shredder) I might add that I'm proud of what I managed to accomplish up to that point, and was already well accepted by the local rock band community that I was part of fir a long time, gaining some positive feedback from local music critics on my only band recording rekease in the late seventies, but having been a three finger player for so long, I was simply unable to make the next step up, once I'd ruled out lack of hard work for my failure to improve; so I suppose I wasted two years doing it wrong somehow because that can be tge only explanation. Thank you for trying to inspire others, but I just can't do it any more.😢
Of course we're all individuals, and this will vary for different people. The point is though, that if you work consistently, set goals, measure your progress, and focus, you will get better. Not having seen you practice, I can't really say why you didn't progress. But I am sure you would have progressed even less if you'd practiced 2 hours every Saturday for 2 years.
Thanks for your reply.
I think your problem is that you already had developed your style. In a way it makes things more difficult because you partly need to re-learn the instrument and find a way to incorporate the new techniques. But if you don't find an immediate use for sweeping etc. it won't come naturally and it becomes very difficult.
@@dm8579 thanks, and yes you are absolutely right; trying to start some new regimen that goes against the grain of your muscle memory, while doing something you don't really want to do but must is a sure way to make you hate the routine, and the unmusical makeup of much of it make it hard to use the intuitive leaps that were successfull when you first learned to play.
At the end it boils down to: why are you actually playing? If you honestly answer to that question you will know what you need to do. It is simple.
According to his interview at Rick Beato, he has never practiced once in his life 😁
You are clever and funny guy.... :)
hes constantly reiterated in interviews' that he does not "practice"
he grew up in a time where there was no internet and only one channel on the tv. too cold to play outside only thing to do is play guitar all day
I was into Yngwie a long time ago when I was young. Practice and over again a hell of an dedication a hell of an push you have to eat it shit it piss it 100% that I dot not have anymore. One will also need one very good guitar, I had a Charvel I also did it on a headless Steinberg Stage Pro II that i scalloped. Then well the ordinary grown up life came in, as in our culture at that time not that long ago the electric guitar was about youth, something childish or even still regarded as an a tool of the devil with very few exeptions.
Folk-Bob Dylan and Jazz only then it would be accepted even saluted...pahhh!
And kind of that wimen will all admire an guitar god even my mother she went bonkers in her pants when that guitarist of Europe came shooting up from under the scene blasting away - Wow! What an good looking young guy, jamy mumsi mumsi!
Bloody embarasing it was ahahahaha... but in the long run not you! They do not grasp that zillion miles made of practise, they think that the guy was born in that way!
So for many years I feelt guilt over my guitars and my playing and it suffered greatly but when the Covid pandemic came over us i started to dust the rust off but no, there have been an to far interupt in between but hell it is still a great fun .
🤟
IMO, He basically plays Classical Violin on a Guitar.
Talk less play more guitar Elmo Welmo Malmsteen Karjalainen 🤘❤️🔥🤘
Regarding practice: there are more or less effective ways to practice. Playing a five minute piece over and over again, in which there is a 15 second tough part, is not a good way to practice. Practice just the tough part, not the rest of it that you have down pat.
My piano teacher once said that I have a chess player reflex, so I have to play 2-3 hours every day xdd
You got to have natural abilities sadly some people no matter how much they practice its not going to get them to pro or even world class level. Yngwie has ear natural talent and he pioneered neo-classical metal.
It's very simple. Have tons of natural talent, and practice 9 plus hrs a day for at least 10 years.
btw 15 minutes is not much... im not even warm after only 15 minutes :) I have great stamina tho, its as if my body just forgets that im suppose to get exhausted, might also be because i have ADHD
5. Retire and practice another 10000 hours.
😂
Advice for new players.
1st >There are two schools of playing. This s just technique this is not note choice or phrasing. Just pure mechanics:
There's strict alternate picking. Started by players like Al Di Meola, John McLaughlin, Frank Marino. Later perfected to it's height in the 90s by Paul Gilbert, John Petrucci, lots of others. The other school of playing is the 'yng-way', this is economy picking, or 'speed picking' as Frank Gambale called it. This forces the pick to be 'trapped between strings' and allows your picking hand to afford to relax. Your technique will evolve to settle down to your wrist rather from your elbow. If you read Gambale's book 'speed picking' and have been playing for a while, you will find that this really works from day one, and just feels weird, and you just have to practice through the 'weird'. Yngwie pulls a lot of faces but his picking hand is the most chilled picking hand in the business. TRUST ME
I think his steps were:
1. Be naturally talented.
2. Practice your ass off for years.
3. Become a God.
4. Rule the world.
Cos he invented the harmonic minor scale and is the best composer since Bach, Beethoven and Mozart?
Breaking a big goal into smaller ones? Hm, interesting...
😊
Is step one learn to read music when you’re seven,
then practice 12 hours a day?
Why did you giggle like a school girl and not a school BOY? Those pants explain everything now.
When Paul Gilbert told me I was "rocking out" years ago, I grinned like a school boy that just looked up at Woman's dress.
If you play 8-12 hours a day!!!!!
Once you get better you realise you need less equipment.
Actually practicing not fucking around
I do not fully agree with the last number 4 step. Let me explain. I agree with pushing own boundaries for 100%, but do not agree with the idea not to practice old stuff. It is wrong, because you just become more worth in that stuff. Our hands can play the best those stuff which they play consistently. So, to my opinion, the more you learn, the more time you should practice.The more complicated things you learn, again, the more time you should practice.
He had that talent x factor that only very few have and its not something you can practice and he also slept with his guitar... not unlike Hendrix.
He worked hard, consistently, with focus, and he measured his progress. Sure, he might have improved faster than other people, but that doesn't change the fact that he worked hard. Hard work always beats talent when talent isn't working hard. Simple as that.
@@MrPolevaulter Agreed hard work is an important part of it but without the special sauce you are just a cheeseburger.
Hahaha 😂
Sorry it’s just, how does anyone get good at anything?
First step, don't wear shorts