Andy from NailGuitar.com has come up with a cool video lesson on Mr. Fastfinger's slide techniques. It's based on the Ninja slide lessons that can be found here on this blog. The slide ideas are very well explained in this video. Thanks Andy, this is truely an honour!

To celebrate the 5 YEARS of Guitar Shred Show some more. Here's the full transcription to song "Epic" from the Mr. Fastfinger debut album. It's one of the strongest tracks on the album and features plenty of interesting guitar action for studying purposes. This transcription was done by Christian Barthel who simply did incredible job with this. There are quite a lot of unorthodox techniques and approaches that must have made the job very tough. Enjoy and shoot any questions about it!

Thanks again to Mr. Barthel!

MrFastfinger Epic.pdf

To celebrate the 5 YEARS of Guitar Shred Show I'm giving you this present. I've recieved sooo many request to do the transcription to this solo during the past five years. This is the album version. The original Guitar Shred Show.com version is slightly different. Anyways this solo is indeed a demanding one. Don't try to master it all at once. Hope you enjoy the two pages of terror techniques...
Click the small images to download high resolution jpg.

Lot of focus goes to so many things all the time. Composing new music right now is the main project. Hard to keep this blog running. Have a couple of big transcriptions for you coming soon. Hold on! In the mean while: there's a little gift for you:

Goodies >>>

Here's the tapping version of the same Zing Zing pre-chorus. Based on the same chord progression of C- Dm - Bb - F as the riff. On the song the riff changes into this tapping pattern on the second (and third) round.

To save the space the repeating tapping patterns are only written once. Always repeat 4 times except for the last bar.

On this recording you can hear a magical phaser effect, it's from TC G-system. The tapping line was also doubled with a synthesizer. The rhythm guitars are playing power chords.

Oh Yeah. Tap on!

Sometime ago there was a request to transcribe the pre-chorus riff from Zing Zing. Here it finally is!

» Read More

...Well, for a while maybe:) Happy to let you know that Mika wrote a guest column for Guitar9.com. It's about mind game methods for creating the right solo for the song...
http://www.guitar9.com/columnist698.html
Includes transcription, audio and analysis on "Creatures of the Midnigt" solo.

And here's a special backing loop for jamming, just for MrFastfinger.net users


Download backingtrack

"In my personal life I'm always late.
But as a guitar player I'm usually ahead."

For a guitar player it is very tempting to focus all the energy and interest to master flashy stuff and fast techniques. But sometimes most essential things are forgotten. Timing is one thing that many forget to pay attention.

» Read More

Here's a nice little excercise for tapping. Came up with this lick during a guitar lesson I was giving. It has those hammer-ons from nowhere happening (you don't always need to start now string with a tapped note). Found out it is a good excercise. Practice with a metronome. Begin with slow tempo. Pay attention to the flow of your notes. Make sure you got nice even rhythm going with the line. Later speed up the tempo just a little bit.
Also try playing this one octave lower on 3rd and 4th strings.

Not sure if the chinese agree, but I believe it's the year of the guitar!
It doen't matter wether you're practicing at home, jamming at your local pub, doing a concert at rock club, playing at huge arena, or meditating at beach. It's important to enjoy every moment spent with your guitar!

Maybe it is time for you to make a new years promise. It not too late. How about scheduling your self some good dedicated quality time with just for you and your guitar. Decided how many hours a week you will practice, play and spend the time with the instrument. Book the time from your calendar asap. And start planning how you're going to spend it. You need to write it down and obey the schedule. You need discipline!

Mika's new year promise is to practice 60 minutes a day and 6 days a week. The time will be used on pracitising various topics. Like rhythm and timing, scales, chords, arpeggios, various lead and rhythm guitar techniques, ear training, improvisation on chord changes. In other words Mika wants to practice stuff that needs practicing!
Blogs about these topics will follow, revealing stuff that is being practiced.

This year we shall practice guitar playing more and harder!
Cherish the moments with your guitar 2010!

Enjoy the holidays. Thanks to all our friends and supporters. This year was very good. Next one will be better. Hope to see you soon!