Leda Feature
Leda of Deluhi stands as the undisputed forerunner of a new wave of guitar virtuosos. As one of the features for this issue’s ‘original guitar play’ section, Leda has put together an original solo work, complete with tabs and sheet music, a recording of which can be found in the CD attached. Read on for Leda’s guide to mastering the technicalities of his composition as well as his personal advice on practice techniques and tricks which just may get you playing at his level!
GG: Describe the thoughts that went through the process of creating the ‘original guitar play’.
Leda: Actually, this ‘original guitar play’ is an extract from one of Deluhi’s songs, except that there is sort of a ‘how-to’ included. I figured that readers would have liked not just to listen to it, but to be able to enjoy playing it as well, and hence I put it into sheet music form and did up a guide to accompany it.
GG: This ‘original guitar play’ is indeed a complete exercise in its own with such attention to rhythm, technique and melody. One can indeed enjoy playing it and finish off with an improvement in guitar skills, just as you intended it to!
Leda: Thank you very much. I never fail to put a lot of thought into starting and developing my solos. Hence, I am happy to hear you say this as it confirms that I have achieved my goal.
GG: However, is it realistically possible for a beginner to play it (laughs)?
Leda: Ha! It was composed specifically to help such players improve; it is definitely possible for beginners. Impossibility is nothing (laughs)!
GG: I think we can all try very hard to up our standards to Leda’s level! Anyway, in your beginner days, what kind of exercises did you practice?
Leda: During those days, I practiced by copying, and set myself on copying X Japan’s songs. I also wanted to play the guitar because I liked to, instead of just for practice’s sake. Hence, even though I was not able to get past some parts of those songs that I copied, I still enjoyed playing them.
GG: That being the case, the foundation exercises were not difficult for you?
Leda: Well, I enjoyed playing technical exercises very much too. I was well aware of the standard required of a professional guitarist and how much I had to work to get there. So I bought a variety of books and magazines on guitar playing to practice from. I let the hope of bridging the gap between an amateur and professional guitarist drive me to practice hard.
GG: Even the foundation exercises were enjoyable to you?
Leda: Haha, it was a matter of hot-blooded fervor but (laughs), I really went through a grueling process with the practice and all in order to play like how I do today. Even as a professional guitarist now, I still put myself through equally tough practice sessions.
GG: How Spartan! (laughs) So, what other hurdles did you face up against during those amateur guitarist days?
Leda: There were all sorts, and I constantly felt it. But, then again, I was focused solely on closing that gap between the amateur I was then and a professional guitarist. I eventually pawned* all those things that I was initially unable to play; it was a natural consequence of making practice a daily ritual. And during practice, I was not afraid to make the occasional mistake as it actually brought me closer to my goal. I can say with all honestly that I am where I am now only because of sheer hard work. So with regards to guitar, that’s what it is.
GG: So, what advice you give to people who go ‘oh I can’t do it…’?
Leda: Hmmm, be patient with yourself. Get a firm grasp of rhythm by taking it slow but steady. For example, if an exercise is 16 minutes long, get ready to play it 3 times. But spend the first 8 minutes or so going through in detail the type of beat, notes etc. Get these fundamentals solidly mastered from the start in order to prepare for what comes next. Keep reminding yourself that this is needed for a smooth performance in the future. Actually, I did not always follow during my amateur days, and so, now I suffer from all the extra hard work I need (laughs)! So, I do think it is better for you guys to do it while you’re in the earlier stages of your guitar life (laughs)!
GG: So, in short, practice the 16 minute pattern 3 times, slowly, in order to get a good understanding of rhythm?
Leda: Yes. Also, don’t forget the music score. As you begin by listening to the recording of a piece you are learning, don’t merely listen, but evaluate the music as you hear it. The next step is very important. Follow the score as you listen, then play it note for note, slowly, but accurately. Once you’ve mastered the rhythm and can play it very well in this slow mode, move on to timing. Use both a metronome, as well as your body’s intrinsic sense of meter. For example, tap out the meter from the metronome with your foot as you play. After you are certain that you have the rhythm in control right to its most minute details, work on your choking pitch. Similarly, keep at it till you attain solid pitching. Only when you have mastered all these – rhythm, timing, choking, pitch – then you can be sure that you have moved from an amateur to an intermediate level. Surely, I believe that investing a lot of preparation, during your time as amateur, into rhythm and musical sense is the most reliable route for improvement.
GG: What was the most beneficial type of practice for you during those amateur days?
Leda: When I was an amateur the only thing I ever did was to copy established guitarists (laughs). Now, I am receiving lessons from Sujk, but, lessons on ‘change up’** that is! I’m working on following a 4/4 rhythm now. As I play this rhythm, I subdivide it into 8, 16, turning the whole rhythm exercise into a mini-piece on its own. Then I play this piece 3 times, for 2 sets. I finish by improvising this piece into a scale, which I then practice again.
GG: How about other aspects, like, ‘Brushing’*** for one?
Leda: I certainly want to cover every aspect of music in my practice. To start off, my guitar playing is always anchored by a sense of rhythm, as I mentioned, one that I find intrinsic whenever I let the music completely overwhelm me. It is upon this sturdy sense of rhythm that I work on other aspects, one of which is tempo. I work on my control of tempo by gradually increasing the speed each round of practice. I have recently put in place revised practice methods for two other aspects, pitch and meter. Now, I always use a tuner during choking practice and I make sure that each note I play matches exactly to the note the tuner pitches. As for meter, I will modulate the passage I am practicing to the F or D major. I then play it in those keys and compare the new passage with what I had played earlier. This helps me affirm that I am doing it correctly****.
GG: Many of Guitar Glare’s readers would want to copy your ‘original guitar play’. How would you advise them on going about with it?
Leda: First of all, play it slowly, practice a step at a time. Practicing this way would get you to the point where you have completely exhausted the piece of its difficulties, and the subsequent times you play it, you would find it easy. That means you have succeeded (laughs). This also applies when you practice picking, but, you must ensure that you are picking to an accurate rhythm. Same goes when you practice tapping.
GG: Well, but I’m not sure about beginners taking to tapping so suddenly.
Leda: That’s why I say, do it slowly. I do believe you would develop blisters on your fingers as you practice and, trust me, even now, I do get the occasional blister too (laughs). Nevertheless, keep at it. When I first started out I was absolutely incapable of playing anything other than the basics, sweep picking was out of the question for me. But, things have changed now…… So, just keep practicing and, one day, you will get there.
GG: What! There was a point that Leda-san could not do everything on the guitar?
Leda: Absolutely (laughs). I just kept at practicing until that one fine day when I finally could do it. I can still feel the sheer pleasure of having my efforts bear fruit. That’s why I say, if you keep practicing hard at it, in due time, you will be able to ‘pawn’* it!
GG: So, by abandoning thoughts of giving up and persevering with practice, one would definitely be able to play at the dream level. But, this original guitar play still seems impossible to play at an amateur stage!
Leda: My amateur days were fueled by pure zealousness. Hide’s music is difficult for the amateur guitarist, and as an amateur, all my attempts to copy his recordings turned out as messy, haphazard versions. But, I simply had to keep doing it. And so, unable to play along to Hide’s CD let alone play on my own at his standard, I resorted to ‘faking it’ (laughs). I can’t say I liked all that pretending, nor did it actually sound better than my non-faking attempts, but it was by ‘faking’ every day that I eventually got to where I am now (laughs).
GG: How did it feel to make the gradual ascent from ‘faking’ to the level you are at now?
Leda: Hmm, I practically documented the process with recordings. I would record my playing whenever I could and critique the playback. My reaction to my earlier recordings would just be going ‘uwa!’ at my atrocious playing. In a way, this habit of recording then playing back made me feel like giving up. Yet, it also made it easier for me to pinpoint my mistakes, know exactly where I was going wrong, and hence, improve from there. All in all, it gave me a stronger impetus to want to get better each time and, I did.
GG: By the way, can you say more about Deluhi’s tuning style, where all the strings are tuned a semitone lower but the sixth string is adjusted even further, a tone lower?
Leda: ‘Drop Tuning’ allows me to play 5 more chord configurations than the conventional tuning can, so I recommend this (laughs). However, the 6th string has a different tension than the other five and this causes it to produce a sharper sound. I am conscious about how my overall tone resounds, whether it rings distinctly or not, and I found that drop tuning the 6th string by a semitone more lets me achieve what I want with tone.
GG: Oh, and also, what is your string gauge?
Leda: 0.010 to 0.052. However, 0.010 to 0.046 would do well too.
GG: Deluhi’s new single ‘Frontier’ would be released come 16th June. This single certainly takes technical difficulty to new heights , displays a wealth of techniques on all instruments and is so richly packed with emotion, but is still very soothing on the ears.
Leda: Thank you so much. It was my intention to have ‘Frontier’ as a catchy song that people would find easy to listen to, and in the way, want to copy from as well.
*Note: Yup, this was the exact word that Leda used, ‘ポン’to be precise J
** ‘Change up’ is a type of pitch used in baseball.
*** ‘Brushing’ here refers to the style of strumming
**** Just a thing or two about the ‘modulating to F or D major’: I play music too and it is true that the F and D keys, with only 1 and 2 accidentals (sharps and flats) respectively, are ‘easier’ keys to play in than say, Bb or Eb. Hence, when one practices in F or D, less focus is needed on note accuracy and more attention can be spent on other aspects, like in this case, meter.
Credits @ kurainanimo@livejournal.com
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Sun Jul 25, 2010 12:21 am by VampRei
