The Best Thing To Learn In Order To Play Like Ed

[jnew]

I practice this pattern but I thought the B and high E strings would be 3,5,6. No?

[JiMB]

I practice this pattern but I thought the B and high E strings would be 3,5,6. No?

I think this is correct.

[plexified]

Yeah , you guys are right . Kinda hard without a neck in hand I guess , but yeah , I checked back just now realizing I threw out some bum info . Whoo , good thing the alzheimers is not kicking in just yet . Still a good scale right ? I probably need a disclaimer in my posts until I am 100 percent . Plexifieds comments are just for consideration only , do not try this at home . How is that for a practice run ?

[jnew]

I love that one myself but I just don't know how to make it work over songs in different keys. For example, in that position, I think it's an F Major scale. So does this also work for a song in D Minor?

[JiMB]

Yep, you can use it in D minor. I generally would use that over a G7, so G Dorian mode.
Years ago, a teacher showed me the modes and the whole neck opened up for me. It was one of those moments of, aaahhh, now I get it!

[Strat78]

Combining Derringer, Joe Walsh, Bebop Deluxe and Artie Shaw helps. Lots of slipping and sliding around the solos but keeping the riffs tight and swinging. Yeah, forget the tapped leads and harmonics and those squealing dives, thats not the meat of his playing.

[JimiJames]

http://forum.metroamp.com/viewtopic.php ... 46#p420532

http://forum.metroamp.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=10476

[garbeaj]

You guys are really not understanding what I'm driving at...but wjamflan has already pointed out the specific licks that I'm talking about in the "Where Ed Plays On The Neck" thread. I guess I'll have to make a video clip and post TABs in order to get everyone to understand what wjamflan and myself are talking about. Really if you read wjamflan's posts in the "Where Ed Plays On The Neck" thread where he posts TABs for the ending cadenza of the live version of "Sitting On Top Of The World" you can see what I'm talking about.

I realize it is difficult to see the connection, but suffice it to say (as I said at the beginning of this thread) if you take the time to learn the live Cream material ie. "I'm So Glad", "Politician" and most especially "Sitting On Top Of The World", the veil will be lifted and you will have a keen understanding of how to play most of Ed's most challenging "fast" licks...ie. the fast parts of the solos from "Hot For Teacher", "Panama", the ending cadenzas of "You Really Got Me" and "I'm The One"...all the fast stuff that nearly everyone who makes a clip of said songs bullshits their way through. And there is no reason to bullshit your way through the hard parts...seriously, learn the live Cream material that wjamflan and myself have mentioned and you can do it too. The rhythmic feel, the note choice, the picking directions...all of it comes from Clapton.

Bill is correct when he says:

The one thing that alot of folks don't get about Ed's playing is that his love for Clapton's rhythmic feel informed everything he played. It wasn't just certain licks. In fact, when he played licks inspired by Page, Gibbons, Blackmore etc., he played them with Clapton's feel. That's what people identify as his "EVH style". I think that's what garbeaj was trying to get at in his initial post.

FWIW, it didn't just inform his leads, it also informed his riffs. An out of left field example would be I'll Wait. Listen to his placement of the notes (keyboard), and then listen to (or better yet, learn) the live Cream stuff. It's readily apparent when you do.

Finally, having spent alot of time learning as much Clapton as I could, I would say that budding EVH wannabes have to spend the time learning the live versions of Crossroads, I'm So Glad, and SOTOTW, as well as Outside Woman Blues (at a minimum) if they want to have that EVH foundation to their playing. I would also add Zep, Purple, ZZ and Sabbath to the mix, but they are not as essential as the above 4 tunes.

[rgorke]

Sounds like folks are talking past one another. Carry on....

[JimiJames]

You guys are really not understanding what I'm driving at...but wjamflan has already pointed out the specific licks that I'm talking about in the "Where Ed Plays On The Neck" thread. I guess I'll have to make a video clip and post TABs in order to get everyone to understand what wjamflan and myself are talking about. Really if you read wjamflan's posts in the "Where Ed Plays On The Neck" thread where he posts TABs for the ending cadenza of the live version of "Sitting On Top Of The World" you can see what I'm talking about.

I realize it is difficult to see the connection, but suffice it to say (as I said at the beginning of this thread) if you take the time to learn the live Cream material ie. "I'm So Glad", "Politician" and most especially "Sitting On Top Of The World", the veil will be lifted and you will have a keen understanding about how to play most of Ed's most challenging "fast" licks...ie. the fast parts of the solos from "Hot For Teacher", "Panama", the ending cadenzas of "You Really Got Me" and "I'm The One"...all the fast stuff that nearly everyone who makes a clip of said songs bullshits their way through. And there is no reason to bullshit your way through the hard parts...seriously, learn the live Cream material that wjamflan and myself have mentioned and you can do it too. The rhythmic feel, the note choice, the picking directions...all of it comes from Clapton.

Bill is correct when he says:

The one thing that alot of folks don't get about Ed's playing is that his love for Clapton's rhythmic feel informed everything he played. It wasn't just certain licks. In fact, when he played licks inspired by Page, Gibbons, Blackmore etc., he played them with Clapton's feel. That's what people identify as his "EVH style". I think that's what garbeaj was trying to get at in his initial post.

FWIW, it didn't just inform his leads, it also informed his riffs. An out of left field example would be I'll Wait. Listen to his placement of the notes (keyboard), and then listen to (or better yet, learn) the live Cream stuff. It's readily apparent when you do.

Finally, having spent alot of time learning as much Clapton as I could, I would say that budding EVH wannabes have to spend the time learning the live versions of Crossroads, I'm So Glad, and SOTOTW, as well as Outside Woman Blues (at a minimum) if they want to have that EVH foundation to their playing. I would also add Zep, Purple, ZZ and Sabbath to the mix, but they are not as essential as the above 4 tunes.

I'd say; EXACTLY to a "T" what plexified has described in his prior posts in his words...

[plexified]

Take the notes in the song you want to learn , there is only an octave worth of material . Draw a fretboard and on your own with your guitar in hand plot the notes . It will become clear their are ways to maneuver around the fretboard . Its up to yoy to find your comfortable scale approaches . Malmsteen should be learned as well . He is an example of how a finely drawn fretboard can be your friend . In addition take your gee tar and sit down and when a commercial break happens in that stupid show you are watching just use a practice session as simple as this ...... alternate picking no matter what . First thing is your at the nut . So NUT UP . Fret 1 2 3 4 with your index , middle , ring and pinky as fretting . Start at the low E and alternate pick , do not break the rule , up , down . No matter what and climb the fretboard . Open , index , middle , ring , pink . Open , index , ring , middle , pink . No matter if you start up or down , DO NOT BREAK THE RULE . Now if you go up slide your pinky slide up four frets with the pinky as reference and climb down . Pinky , index ,middle , index and to the next string down the B string pinky , ring , middle, index now on to the G string and the same . Climb up and down and get your picking up to speed . The Clapton positions are 101 . Index on the root . I say throw out the book because it will teach you shit . Use your ears and look at your drawings the roadmaps are very clear . Clapton was pentatonic . Is pentatonic that complex ? Map it out and see . Just saying . I can rip an arpeggio over a pentatonic roadmap that is sick and its right there . In the map . Why are you struggling so hard with this ? Not just an arpeggio but a yngwie arpeggio that is insane but so right . The Yng took us to school and why should we be wondering about Eds Clapton licks . Lets talk about the insane licks that Ed ripped during Eruption , fuck the tapping . THAT is balls . The Solo in Push comes shove , that's balls , Fair Warning ? Anybody , no tapping just fucking shrewdness . Back to eruption , grab that swing in that lil solo and you can get to I'm the one rhythm territory . I really don't get it . Ed has so many Sunkist Rainbow doodles its insane . Have a good palm mute technique , a good pinch harmonic , a good roadmap of what your doing and swing . OR schwwiingg . The rythem is king here and the control of an unbridaled huge volume issue plexi that resonates your skull and your guitar , your house and your neighbors car alarm on his Kia . Stretch your hands , yes that's needed for the ice cream man and that's where you will find Clapton . An atomic punk just destroying the pentatonic rules and oh by the way he had about 4 thousand people in a backyard when a fuse blew and he had to jump in his jeep to drive home to get a fuse . He was so embaressed . He knew he was changing the rules and got punked in front of a lot of people doing it . He made sure it would never happen again and started to cart boatloads of gear with him just in case . Eruption , Spanish Fly , what else is their to talk about ?

[plexified]

I mean the entire fretboard . Every note on the neck btw , in case I was not clear . That is what I hope you understood . Its important a few notes go a long way here to start . Plot them . Every song is different , but it will all make sense . You want to get this shit down so you can forget it and close your eyes and scream . That's when the shit happens man . You got to forget it to get it . Lights off . If the lights are on close your eyes and feel it . Boom .

[jnew]

My greatest weakness is that picking stuff. Makes me fucking nuts too. Just have to bear down and work it out. There's just no other way. Part of the pilgrimage.

[garbeaj]

I think what plexified is talking about is a completely different topic which is how to be a better player and artist and I agree with all he says.

But this thread is about how to understand Ed's playing and the fact that Clapton's live Cream playing is absolutely key to understanding how to play Ed's licks as Ed played them.

[plexified]

Dude , I so bad want to be a part of the solution here . I cannot wrap my head around what you are speaking of . Clapton , check , Eds neck position , check , now I am lost l . Help me understand because I think I can explain this thing . And I want you all to be better players ! Or happier players . Forget about those with ears near standing , he he . I envision bringing Dirty Cooter some moonshine while he wails and his neighbors are outside wondering what is happening . Like is it an alien invasion ? a Mars landing , no its just JNew coming to town and JimiJam is picking up the rear . No matter what , Ol Plex has some killer BBQ ready to roll and hey its a party isn't it ? Stretch your fingers and websters . Alan Holdsworth plays the Cream , that's something I would love to see . He is just so un cream like its funny to think. Just my humor off the chain . Alain Plays Eric . Live at the Superplex . Wha ? Yeah baby , get those dipped bannanas in hot sauce before Plex is off his meds . ... Woo hooo , Fun is back . Lets play some loud tunes and get arrested before its too late . Travel with bail money boys and girls !!!!