Should I switch teachers?

[Admiral Axtell]

So I have been taking lessons for like... hmm... I'd estimate like 5 or 6 months now with the same teacher, so we have been learning blues mostly which was okay with me just because I thought we were going to get into some of the stuff I'm interested in (I mostly want to play Tech. Death Metal or any sort of extreme metal, but I would like to have the ability to play within the genre of Metal in general) so I ask him the other day about like when can we start to learn scales and stuff that are used for metal and he was like dude I honestly don't really know that much about metal especially metal bass (he plays guitar), I have gained a lot of knowledge and some really good tips and learned two scales from him (mainly used in blues though) but I have lost pretty much all interest in the blues to be honest, should I ask him if he can point me to a teacher better suited for what I want to learn??? like have I learned the basics? I just don't know what I'm doing really, I can play a decent blues jam, I know the names of all the strings and I am getting fluent if you just tell me to find X note on X string I can probably find it pretty damn fast but still improving on that, and I know two scales which one is like a basic scale I think used for blues mostly and the other one is like a total blues scale but I forget what they are called, maybe C major or something.. where should I go from here on my journey into metal? sorry for dragging this all out so long.

[JimmyM]

yep, after 5-6 months you should be way past a couple blues scales. if you really want to get serious about metal, you need to find a teacher who knows jazz concepts. a lot of the best metal players have pretty strong jazz backgrounds.

[somegeezer]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

yep, after 5-6 months you should be way past a couple blues scales. if you really want to get serious about metal, you need to find a teacher who knows jazz concepts. a lot of the best metal players have pretty strong jazz backgrounds.

+1 Jazz is great for playing Metal. I think the best way to get into playing Metal would be to learn a lot of the kinda bands you want to play. Learn all your arpeggios and scales and modes, but mainly just listen to what it is you want to play.

[Billnc]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

yep, after 5-6 months you should be way past a couple blues scales. if you really want to get serious about metal, you need to find a teacher who knows jazz concepts. a lot of the best metal players have pretty strong jazz backgrounds.

I wish they would start owning up to it! That would give the kids a boot in the butt.

[Shakin-Slim]

Don't underestimate the importance of blues scales in a lot of metal though. At least the metal where you can hear what's going on.

[JimmyM]

blues scale's the very first thing you learn and then you move onto other things. doesn't mean you shouldn't use blues scales...they sound great and almost always work for everything. but you shouldn't need to spend months and months on it.

[skwee]

I'd also say study classical music too. Bach, Vivaldi, Handel.

[flareaga]

A lot of Metallica is heavily rooted in the blues, especially Hammets solos in the later years....

[Jim Campbell]

Originally Posted by Admiral Axtell

So I have been taking lessons for like... hmm... I'd estimate like 5 or 6 months now with the same teacher, so we have been learning blues mostly which was okay with me just because I thought we were going to get into some of the stuff I'm interested in (I mostly want to play Tech. Death Metal or any sort of extreme metal, but I would like to have the ability to play within the genre of Metal in general) so I ask him the other day about like when can we start to learn scales and stuff that are used for metal and he was like dude I honestly don't really know that much about metal especially metal bass (he plays guitar), I have gained a lot of knowledge and some really good tips and learned two scales from him (mainly used in blues though) but I have lost pretty much all interest in the blues to be honest, should I ask him if he can point me to a teacher better suited for what I want to learn??? like have I learned the basics? I just don't know what I'm doing really, I can play a decent blues jam, I know the names of all the strings and I am getting fluent if you just tell me to find X note on X string I can probably find it pretty damn fast but still improving on that, and I know two scales which one is like a basic scale I think used for blues mostly and the other one is like a total blues scale but I forget what they are called, maybe C major or something.. where should I go from here on my journey into metal? sorry for dragging this all out so long.

before i'd dump the teacher i'd ask myself if i'm driving the lesson or allowing the teacher to teach.....are you working at it enough at home or is it another activity crammed between football,basketball,and school work....

the teacher should be teaching music,and a good one should be able to give you enough to do in one lesson to keep you busy for months,while he monitors your progress,and provides context,answers questions,corrects technique issues etc.....

[Billnc]

You haven't mentioned being able to walk, in 6 months you should be able to walk a basic blues line in major, minor and through Stormy Monday changes. You should also be able to play R5 bass through some Latin feel jazz tunes, Blue Bossa, Song for My Father etc None of this is particularly hard.

You should also know your major, minor and m7b5 triads, just knowing these patterns will get you through almost any set of changes and you'll know far more than most. Again, the bass lines you create from this might be hokey, but you'll have a very strong foundation to build on and you'll know the neck.

Know letters to find the roots, numbers to negotiate the patterns.

If you've practiced and been taught this, 6 months should be about right to be able to at least grasp this.