I’ve spent most of the day earlier today practicing on my new Mitchell HD400 guitar that I just got. Practicing and learning some new instructional stuff on lead guitar. Trying to become a better rock lead guitar soloist. My lead guitar playing has always sounded pretty bluesy but I don’t want to sound like that anymore. I’m studying Rock & metal lead guitar now. I want to learn how to shred and be able to play like a virtuoso which has always been my goal.

I was trying to find instructional books and DVDs and stuff that teaches you how to use a whammy bar but I just found out I already have an instructional book that teaches you how. I have an instructional book on my IPad titled, “Heavy Metal Lead Guitar” and there’s a pretty good chapter in it that teaches you whammy bar tricks so I’m all set.

I want to be really good at both rhythm and lead guitar. Will I become like one of the greats someday and become respected by everybody? Hopefully but I’m gonna take my time and stay humble. Who knows what may happen? Just keep playing and that’s it.

I want to play metal, I really really do. Headbanging stuff, big riffs and some growls.

A lot of guitarists out there don’t practice much or don’t practice hardly at all but I think practicing is extremely important. I practice guitar every day. It’s the only way to get better.

I already do get a lot of positive feedback on my guitar playing lately which is nice but I still have a lot of work to do, though. I’m working on ear training and improvisation mostly. Practicing guitar is awesome. I’ve gotten a better understanding of timing and rhythm and I play along with a metronome quite well now. So I’m all good with rhythm, I just need to get good at improv with lead guitar playing which I’m working on. Trying to have a better ear. I also want to start jamming with other musicians ’cause that helps make you become better too.

I love guitar playing. It’s in my blood and it’s pretty much all I want to do.

Kev

There are guitarists out there that like to criticize the whammy bar on electric guitar and I don’t know why. Many say don’t over do it and many just use it for certain things. They don’t use it all the time or none at all. Many even say ridiculous things that the “whammy bar” on guitar is just a tool as an excuse to show off. They think it’s a tool where you can be a fake virtuoso and all that shit.

If you really believe all that stuff then why don’t you try criticizing the whammy bar technique to guitar greats like Joe Satriani, Eddie Van Halen, Jason Becker, Steve Vai and even Jeff Beck.

You can come up with some pretty musical things with the whammy bar and the whammy can be a pretty expressive tool. Whammy is not just used in metal & shred, it can be used in pretty much any style of music.

I’ve always wanted a guitar with a whammy bar and finally got one; however, I’m a newbie at whammy so I’m gonna have to learn how to use it which seems pretty simple. In my opinion, the whammy is not used to show off at all. Once again, the too can be pretty expressive… you just gotta use your ear with it.

Jimi Hendrix used the whammy all over most of his songs most notably, his rendition of the “Star Spangled Banner”. The whammy is all over Van Halen’s “Eruption” and it’s all over Joe Satriani’s “Satch Boogie”.

I say fuck people’s opinions on the whammy bar and use it as much as you want to as long as you make it sound musical and make it sound interesting. The whammy can be a pretty powerful and useful tool.

Those that criticize the whammy are cowards, in my opinion. Just afraid to use it. I’m glad that I finally have a guitar with whammy. I’m going to learn how to use it for sure.

Kev