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Originally Posted by Shorgenfunkel To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Black metal. Really, guitar is an ultra-non-serious instrument for me (a semi-serious one being tenor sax, and my serious one being... Finale), and I don't practice it very much at all, but I do love to trem-pick GRIM 'N' DARK shit and I can do a mean Varg vocal screech. Another genre I've gotten into recently and find extremely fun to play is sludge. Making funny bendy noises and intentional slop really slowly, with the real challenge being making it all sound good, is highly fun. You?

I'll go and try that, but I'm really into high-bends and then kill-switching them Buckethead style. I also use a lot of scales and legato runs in soloing, more than once I've been called a show-off (which is simultaneously an ego stroke and something that makes me uncomfortable).

And trem-picking is entertaining, but difficult clean. Go and try that, clean trem-picks on most notes make things sound eerie and different than palm-muted alt-picking (that makes up the majority of mainstream metal nowadays). And I have played some sludge like the Melvins (I'm sure you've heard of them) and QotSA is technically sludgy as well.

Guitar is my "serious" instrument, I have no plans in pursuing a career rooted in guitar, but it remains as my #1 passionate hobby. My favorite genres are: melodic/progressive death metal, progressive rock, progressive metal, jazz-fusion, shred, death metal (regular, I guess) and thrash (I "outgrew" it, actually, too cookie-cutter and not that interesting).

And, this'll sound weird to people, but I use a custom string set on my guitar. I have a 10-56 on my guitar (10-13-17-46-52-56). It doesn't actually look all that different than normal (from what I said, it sounds like it would look odd, I'm sure), but I like how the 56 holds up to a C nicely and I like the thin top strings for soloing (I have an odd mix of songs I know for some reason, I know everything from "Bleed" by Meshuggah to "Sunday Bloody Sunday" by U2, so I guess this fits with that eclectic-ness). Yeah, and to those who say "How do you play in standard on those things?", uh, I don't. I play in standard down a half step for songs in standard, sounds better in my opinion as well.


Synapse added to this post, 2 minutes and 43 seconds later...

	Originally Posted by lancelot To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Do you have any cool vintage guitars? What do you think of Gypsy Jazz, Jimmy Rosenberg for example? Do you prefer using a pick, or finger picking? (For myself I prefer not to use a pick.)

Sorry, I only have an Ibanez, an ESP and a Gibson LP (for range of genres, not one specific thing). I pick, I use Dunlop Tortex 1mm or .88mm. Certainly they are heavy picks, but I like the integrity of a heavy pick as well as how it feels in my hand while I'm playing.

And I'll go check out gypsy jazz, I've heard of the genre somewhere, but never actually got around to hearing it.

[HackerX]

	Originally Posted by Synapse To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	. I pick, I use Dunlop Tortex 1mm or .88mm. Certainly they are heavy picks, but I like the integrity of a heavy pick as well as how it feels in my hand while I'm playing.

Try out some Dunlop Big Stubbies, 2mm & 3mm picks. They feel like "training" picks they're so big, but the tone you get from them is great.

[everlost]

	Originally Posted by Synapse To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	I pick, I use Dunlop Tortex 1mm or .88mm. Certainly they are heavy picks, but I like the integrity of a heavy pick as well as how it feels in my hand while I'm playing.

Hey, I use Dunlop Tortex .88 picks too!
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But my reason is only because Metallica use them...

Anyway, a question for you I guess:

I have a Peavey 5150, which is great for metal, but the cleans suck. Do you have any suggestions on how I can get them to sound better? (I use active EMG's)

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	Originally Posted by everlost To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Hey, I use Dunlop Tortex .88 picks too! To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. But my reason is only because Metallica use them... Anyway, a question for you I guess: I have a Peavey 5150, which is great for metal, but the cleans suck. Do you have any suggestions on how I can get them to sound better? (I use active EMG's)

Get a clean pedal, I guess I could recommend you this one:
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. Before I answered your question, I honestly forgot the powers of EQ, but with a pedal like this you could dial down the fuzzy bass and tighten up the treble so your guitar would "sing" more. You won't get uber-Fender clean leads, but you'll get a better response than your current gear. And EMGs clean sound so cool, I love them.
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	Originally Posted by HackerX To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Try out some Dunlop Big Stubbies, 2mm & 3mm picks. They feel like "training" picks they're so big, but the tone you get from them is great.

Thanks for the suggestion, and I looked these suckers up on Amazon and they look huge, wow. I'll have to see if my local Guitar Center stocks up on them, as they are too "powerful" for my local guitar shop.
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[Mader]

How come playing always hurt my fingers?

yes, I practiced a lot, yes, I had calluses.

Why, oh, why, did it hurt to play?

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	Originally Posted by Mader To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	How come playing always hurt my fingers? yes, I practiced a lot, yes, I had calluses. Why, oh, why, did it hurt to play?

You got over it eventually, your skin thickened so you wouldn't feel pain in those areas. I have calluses and I can feel my guitar strings just fine (even the little ridges on the wound ones) but I don't feel any pain at all. It'll happen in time, and I'm sure there's something to do with your skin, as I have seen other guitarist's calluses and they are so thick that they can pick at them.

For the new players: that is the one thing everyone has to transcend, but the way I managed it in the beginning was to not play that long, or play with bandages over the most sore fingers, just put them on horizontal to the wide part of your finger so you can slide effectively without shredding the bandage.
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[HackerX]

Originally Posted by Synapse To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Get a clean pedal, I guess I could recommend you this one: To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. . Before I answered your question, I honestly forgot the powers of EQ, but with a pedal like this you could dial down the fuzzy bass and tighten up the treble so your guitar would "sing" more. You won't get uber-Fender clean leads, but you'll get a better response than your current gear. And EMGs clean sound so cool, I love them. To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

I'd recommend an EQ pedal to anybody. My GE7 is probably the best pedal I've ever bought. I use it as a psuedo overdrive pedal. Mid hump, push the gain up, it works wonders with a valve amp.

	Originally Posted by Synapse To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Thanks for the suggestion, and I looked these suckers up on Amazon and they look huge, wow. I'll have to see if my local Guitar Center stocks up on them, as they are too "powerful" for my local guitar shop. To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

I had used Dunlop Jazz Stubbies previously (1mm & 2mm) which are also worth a try, but they're a smaller pick. The big stubbies provide the same feel, but in a normal sized pick.

They're all pretty uncompromising (solid as glass), but provide a really smooth tone to solo type stuff.

[Synapse]

	Originally Posted by HackerX To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	I'd recommend an EQ pedal to anybody. My GE7 is probably the best pedal I've ever bought. I use it as a psuedo overdrive pedal. Mid hump, push the gain up, it works wonders with a valve amp.

True, I hadn't thought about that, but there are so many tricks for an EQ pedal that you can do. Something incredibly annoying that you can do is that you can push the treble to maximum on both your tube amp (solid states don't "like" the treble as much) and play pinch harmonics, you can literally give a "squealie" a squealing and hellishly high-pitched sound. I was told Vai plays like that, but it makes sense if you listen to his recordings. There are so many settings for EQ, you can make a guitar sound anything from highly distorted death metal to clean picked country.

	Originally Posted by HackerX To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	I had used Dunlop Jazz Stubbies previously (1mm & 2mm) which are also worth a try, but they're a smaller pick. The big stubbies provide the same feel, but in a normal sized pick. They're all pretty uncompromising (solid as glass), but provide a really smooth tone to solo type stuff.

Yeah, I've noticed that paradox as well: people say that light picks help you solo better, but for me it's heavy picks that help. The fact that they don't bend makes licks so much easier, especially when string-skipping.

Also, Hacker, you seem to know tons about gear and things, but what are your playing skills and style? What do you find yourself playing a lot and who are your influences, etc.? It's this burning question I must ask of frequent contributors on this thread.
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[Shorgenfunkel]

	Originally Posted by Synapse To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	people say that light picks help you solo better

Really? Everyone I've heard (quite a few people in addition to what feels good to me) shows that heavy picks (especially Dunlop Jazz III) are good for soloing, while light picks are good for strumming.

[Synapse]

	Originally Posted by Shorgenfunkel To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Really? Everyone I've heard (quite a few people in addition to what feels good to me) shows that heavy picks (especially Dunlop Jazz III) are good for soloing, while light picks are good for strumming.

And that's why you don't trust guitarists who claim to be amazing and not have any real reason for something that isn't exactly that subjective. Meh.

Bad idea to put trust in the opinions of someone who you once thought was a better guitar player, but realized to know absolutely nothing.

This is the same guy I was laughing at for saying that thick strings improve tone and I told him plainly "No, thick strings allow lower tunings, not better tone. There's a difference.", which is true.

And I shall attest to light picks being useful for strumming, but it's not like you can't strum with heavy picks (it's by no means impossible), I have done such a thing (not that hard with .88s).

[HackerX]

I've never once heard anybody say that light picks are good for solo stuff. That's crazy talk.

As far as picks go, my other favourite pick is actually lighter than most people like. I use 0.60mm dunlop nylons. I like them soft. I also like, when I can find them, these gibson branded (don't know who manufactures them) "thin" style nylons. They're as soft as butter and flex nicely, but just don't last long at all.

Thick strings will change the tone. In the same way that roundwounds, hexwounds etc will change the tone, but shifting, eliminating or promoting various harmonics. Whether or not it's "better" is entirely subjecting to what the guitar player is trying to achieve.

I'm heard that Jazz players like thicker strings as they tend to be more "mellow". That might be where your friend is coming from.

As for my playing ability...
What playing ability? Hah, I have so many issues that I'm a lost cause. I've not really spent any time actually developing any playing skills, mostly I just get on and doodle around for 1/2 hour here and there.

My biggest issue at the moment (imo) is that I'm a left hander playing right handed (by choice). I've found that I've hit a brick wall with regards to my picking hand, since it naturally has less control than a typical right handed player has. If I spent some more time with it, I might "fix" it, but I'm inherently lazy and couldn't be bothered.

[endless]

heavy picks are horrible for soloing, you need a little give, I use 1.1's or 1.2's, but have tried all sorts, from picks made of metal to bass picks.
Bass picks are the worst, 3mm is excessive and very invasive to your sound.

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Originally Posted by HackerX To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

I've never once heard anybody say that light picks are good for solo stuff. That's crazy talk. As far as picks go, my other favourite pick is actually lighter than most people like. I use 0.60mm dunlop nylons. I like them soft. I also like, when I can find them, these gibson branded (don't know who manufactures them) "thin" style nylons. They're as soft as butter and flex nicely, but just don't last long at all. Thick strings will change the tone. In the same way that roundwounds, hexwounds etc will change the tone, but shifting, eliminating or promoting various harmonics. Whether or not it's "better" is entirely subjecting to what the guitar player is trying to achieve. I'm heard that Jazz players like thicker strings as they tend to be more "mellow". That might be where your friend is coming from. I can see why someone would think such a thing. Makes some sense, but I find such thoughts to be entirely subjective. Everyone plays guitar subtly differently, so such slight changes in tone are plausibly also the fault of the player. As for my playing ability... What playing ability? Hah, I have so many issues that I'm a lost cause. I've not really spent any time actually developing any playing skills, mostly I just get on and doodle around for 1/2 hour here and there. My biggest issue at the moment (imo) is that I'm a left hander playing right handed (by choice). I've found that I've hit a brick wall with regards to my picking hand, since it naturally has less control than a typical right handed player has. If I spent some more time with it, I might "fix" it, but I'm inherently lazy and couldn't be bothered.

I'm a left-handed person, too, Hacker! Everything I do is left-handed: eat, write, everything. When I first started guitar I wanted a left-handed guitar, but I realized at how I would have to get one custom made and how few there were, so I just went right-handed. I got over my "right hand = fail" by practicing. It was actually pretty easy, as the right hand is diminutive in guitar, all it does is strum. Practicing picking on an All That Remains and then a Meshuggah song fixed up that problem in no time. Before, my right hand had no stamina or technique, but playing both "Bleed" (so repetitive, but so fast) and "Six" (technical alt-picking FTW, very difficult, even harder than "Bleed") helped clear up such a problem immensely. Then "Evolutionary Sleeper" by Cynic helped me actually string-skip quickly. All this boils down to is practice, do you want to be better at picking or do you just wish to say how much your right hand sucks and nothing will happen? I guess it boils down to drive, I love guitar and practice it for as long as I can (8 hours,
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) and so that's why, but it doesn't sound like you are incredibly motivated.