Added: 4 years ago
From: laxballdmw
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  • Check out Shawn Lane on Google Plus

  • If you watch his right hand closely at 1:17 you can see that he starts each group with a downstroke. That means you need to play two downstrokes together which requires you to skip a string to begin the next group (d,u,d,u,d - d,u,d,u,d ...). I'm trying it this way, but also with economy type picking by making the first two notes of each group downstrokes (d,d,u,d,u - d,d,u,d,u ...)

  • it seems 3rd and 5th position require a slight alteration in the fingering. I'm just practicing ascending pentatonic scales 1 position at a time.

  • @istillbowlverywell lol i kinda agree he did that on purpose hes amazing and lessofaless be cool that was a very honest statement

  • BEST! guitarist ever!. MEMPHIS invented rock! 

  • What freaks me out is his first finger and his second finger positioning are so widely dispersed in that "start on the second finger" business - I can't seem to do that physically. It's like some people can do the "live long and prosper" thing with their hands (like Shawn who probably was a Vulcan) and us humans who have to stretch as far as they can and hope for the best.

  • @aliensporebomb if you just keep stretching and just forcing your hands to get as close to the positions as they can, eventually you get a superhuman hand. i practice stretches alot and now my fingering hand is silghtly bigger than my picking hand. i try keeping index finger (one) on the second fret and pinky (four) on the seventh. physical limitations must be surpassed!

  • @flowerFOG I have an easier time creating a pivot point between my first and second finger and the pinky to create really fast licks but I think I just have to break it down. The weird thing about is that it seems that half of his hand is really close together and the other half really widely spread. That mix is the hard one. Yep, gotta keep working.

  • @aliensporebomb yeah i know, i've never seen anthing like that done by anyone else. my hands are kind of large and the only way i can even attempt it is to take a different approach to the way i hold the guitar or the way my hand holds the guitar. its kinda like how when you see someones fingers start to slant pointing up the neck when they're playing at the bottom. i realized that the only way i can do a crazy streach is to reverse that and tyr to get my fingers to slant pointing down the neck

  • Shawn Lane's instructional videos are like the first videos to teach me something that is easy to understand yet damn near impossible to pull off. At least I can play Paul Gilbert's licks once I understand them lol. I'll be like 60 when I finally get this down, but my arthritis will make it so painful I will have to give up on doing anything with it.

  • @Whyrendog

    shawn lane had arthritis dude... and he still played stuff like this.

  • he makes zakk wylde seem like a slow moving tree slug

  • wheres the pinky at?

  • sooo, Shawn Lane just took his dick, and shoved it into the pentatonic scale....

  • hes so fkn good! wow

  • He completely cured my big-hands-envy for good. Who needs to be well-endowed if you can make them cum all night with your small friend. ^^

  • OMG ... he got spiderfingers, without bones ... oO!!!! love it

  • Does anybody know, if Shawn is strictly picking each note when he is playing these upto speed or is it a combination of picking and hammer on's.

  • @robinburrows I think I remember my guitar teacher sayin he usually picked each note, but i'm not sure

  • @robinburrows Everywhere I have looked I have read that he picks each note individually! He is double jointed and was able to hold the pick a certain way. We hold it at a 90 degree angle he holds it closer to a 45 degree angle allowing him to do as he does.

  • @mateosweeney97 im double jointed....what does he do exactly? i tend to hold it more like paul gilbert...i think

  • @chrisiztheman1618 I'm not sure what he does exactly. I read somewhere he released a DVD based on his exercises you might try finding that. Whatever he does he is incredible!

  • when you move to the other positions to you have to keep doing the middle finger every five times or whenever it meets to the point where u have to as if doing a second scale or can u choose there aswell?

  • Suck on this Kirk Hammett!

  • Look at Shawn's face at 1:10, acting like he can't play by flattening out his finger, OKAY SHAWN, we get it, your the best.

    ...ass...

  • @istillbowlverywell

    Uncalled for mate :)

  • Just when you thought you mastered the pentatonic scale... 1:55

  • At 1:40 when he misses the note, He looks up and he must be trying to remember when was the last time he did something like that.

  • @LehmannDaHero haha nice

  • @LehmannDaHero 2 past lives ago

  • Everytime I see Shawn Lane or Buckethead play, I feel like they are in the Olympics, and i am in the Special Olympics. :(

  • Zakk Wylde is nothing !!!

  • i hate when the difference between guitar gods and us mortals is shown

  • LOL! OMG, gotta love how he's just sittin there layin' down the law! We're not worthy, we're not worthy, BAM!

  • I dont think that someone like Romeo or Gilbert or Malmsteen would play it more slow

  • @proUterForum I dont even think they could play it. haha Besides he's not playing at nearly full speed.

  • @proUterForum they wouldnt be playin it at all...........LOL, those are some wicked fuckin patterns hes playin, hes not just moving his fingers around in a pattern, this is VERY methodical shit..........LOL

  • You have to anger your hand a little... lol

  • the "flattening" he said not to do is actually something you want to cultivate as a guitarist. it'll really help in the long run as you become more advanced.

  • @MastaRoyal shawn lanewas probably the fastest ever.. so if he says not to do it in that lick... then dont do it in that lick lol

  • @williambentley1234 oh jeeze my bad. i'll never try to give insight on a lesson from the great shawn lane ever again o_o

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  • @MastaRoyal Of course malmsteen couldn't play it. He cant do anything thats not a diminished arpeggio, minor scale noodling, or a minor arpeggio.

  • @cerelilqt

    You forgot harmonic minor riffs.

  • 1:38 lovely tone

  • See the small mistake he makes, then he pauses and stares up away from the guitar? He was channeling psionic powers from 4 celestial motherships powered by 10 black holes.

  • @Despond  or he was just stoned and fucked it up

  • Leave it to Shawn Lane to take something as simple as a pentatonic scale and make it incredibly complicated. At some points you can barely tell it's pentatonic because he knows just where to move.

  • @FantasticSkyChariot that might be because at some points it is not just pentatonic ;)

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  • The speed and fluidity at which he plays is incredible. No guitar player has the balance of speed, feel, technique and phrasing that shawn does. The only one who I think comes close is Guthrie govan. Satriani has feel and phrasing but isn't as fast. Vai is great but my favourites are Guthrie and shawn. RIP shawn you truly were one of a kind.

  • 2:41 "Orrrr...you cannn...." ummmm, nope i cant....I swear!

  • What happened to his pinky?

  • @HemeHaci It's just hard to see cause it's soo freakin fast!!

  • oh, yeah, i got it ~~~ simple !!

  • man the guy is doing two downstrokes in a row while jumping a string up and it still sounds like alternate picking O.o wow how fast is that? O.o

  • I listened to all the underground neo classical "whatever" types of guitarist, back in the late 80's..I mean everything! Shrapnel records Jason becker,.Vinnie Moore you name it."And if it wasn't for Buckethead mentioning him in 2005, i would not of heard him..I don't know why?..Im thinking,strictly GIT?

  • i just love shawn lee playing .....so smooth !

  • He's amazing!

  • scarfr156; they are all picked, no hammer-ons

  • scarfr156, they are all picked, no hammer-ons

  • this guy will always be one of the top shredders forever

  • shredder is an insult, shredders are complete shit.

  • @HiddenDarksage maybe you need exposed you real shredders, and not fall out boy

  • im gonna try and understand what you just said.

    i think you meant "maybe you havent been exposed to real shredders, and not fall out boy."

    no comment cause you're a complete tool and dumbass.

  • @HiddenDarksage are you telling me Rusty Cooley, John Petrucci, Marty Friedman, Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Yngwie Malmsteen are "complete shit" ? ? I could name 50 more. Go listen to fallout boy moron

  • @bitcheznhos hahaha yes i am idiot, i dont listen to fucking fall out boy either, i listen to allan holdsworth, eric johnson, and shawn lane mostly. so what, your "great guitarists" can play fast, who the fuck cares?! its all about phrasing, and hitting notes that people WONT expect to hear, unlicke steve vai, joe satriani, yngwie malmsteen, and others.

  • @HiddenDarksage Its about sounding good. If you can hit the notes ppl don't expect to hear or do expect to hear they still have to sound melodic and sound good. Rusty cooley , imho, sux. Plays fast as hell but no melody at all. Lane was very very good but not the best overall for my tastes. Too bad he's not around now cause I am sure that with age his playing would;ve slowed down and his phrasing would've been more purpose driven instead of just alot of mindless shredding.

  • @chillichomper well yeah obviously its about sounding good lol but lane had the perfect balance of speed and phrasing, and if he were around now, he would be doing things others wouldnt even comprehend. r.i.p :(

  • that's insane!

  • that sound so fuckin badass, my eyes melted and my brain fried

  • He has a Charvel San Dimas, nice fucking guitar! Too bad they turned into more into the new crapier versions. Hard to find old ones.

  • Thats a 750xl...It's really similar to I forgot what year jackson soloist.. It's not really like San Dimas's at all, for a decent amount of reasons.

  • no problem, hahaha!

  • which notes does he pick and which are hammer ons?? can anyone tell me

  • @scarfr156 , he picked his nose then picked his butt and hammered on his cock

  • Simply some of the most incredible guitar dexterity of all time. Shawn is right there in terms of knowledge and freakish skill with Danny Gatton (who had a very different approach).

  • LOL.... Phrygian12; very cool. I love how you explained that.

  • AH 1:41! he WAS a human!

  • No I'm afraid not, he did that you make you think he was lol

  • No! at 1:41 he simply played it to fast our eyes and ears couldn't processes it so our brain took it as a mistake.

    (its a joke guys don't flame me about it)

  • not really even a joke, and theres nothing human about this.

  • Shawn was the greatest! What an incredible writer too. Check out his work with HLS.

  • fuck thats a good lesson

  • #1 in alt pick @ 18.5 nps!!! smokin!

  • i would better like to remember him because of his phrasing and composition

  • LOL , because of the bad quality it looks like the guitar would have no string! But shawn is still able to get tone out of it :)))

  • that shit was crazy right there

  • well i think we can all agree hendrix changed that. i mean look at the way hendrix influenced shawn.... speaks for itself.

  • Why is every one arguing lol. There is only 12 notes in our music so shut up and learn from shawn lol. He is amazing. A true musical genius. :)

  • i wonder if he knew how insanely fast he was lol

  • just use 4 fingers

  • SHAWN!

  • Soulful fast player. Very Rare.

  • Yeah, him and Govan are the only two I can think of just now that are like that

  • Yer you might want to consider Jason Becker perhaps?

  • for the guys out there who want to play like this... You need to understand music theory.. it's not hard.. there is only one scale you need to learn. the major scale... because everything came from it. in any solo or progression. the major scale resides somewhere in the song or solo. this is called a key center, Dorian in D is actually Cmaj. there are three minor pent. and three major pentatonics you can play. since chords are created in 3rds. you can play phyrigian over Ionian and sound in.

  • Actually all scales don't come from the Major. The primary scale of the so called Major modes is actually called the Lydian scale. Read the 'Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization' to fully understand what I'm saying. Also,There are MANY other scale systems besides the major scale modes and what chords they produce/ Harmonic Minor, Melodic, Double harmonic, Harmonic Major, Enigmatic, indiginous scales etc..AND playing like this comes incredible talent and practice-Not just scales

  • I think what he's trying to say is that the major scale is the basis of all scales.

    For instance, flattening or sharpening specific tones of the major scale produce various scales. For instance, melodic minor is basically a major scale with a flattened 3rd. Or the minor scale is a major scale with a flattened 3rd, 6th, and 7th.

    Or I guess Ionian would technically be the original scale, which is the same thing as the major scale so yeah. Music theory is extremely important.

  • This isn't true. In the western world, this is the case. In other parts of the world, they use different systems for melody/harmony.

  • Then it is true since its true in the western world.

  • no, what i meant is that since Bach, we have used a system of harmony based on 12 tones per octave. With this system, there are 7 basic modes that really aren't used very often. with the development of jazz as well as the westernization of asian and middle eastern modes, tons and tons of new systems have been developed. In recent years, especially in guitar music for some reason, people have started to incorporate different systems of harmony into their music.

  • Haha these modes arent used often...

  • right....

    They really are only used in jazz, fusion rock, and SOME modern/progressive metal.

    What I meant was that since Bach developed the well tempered chromatic scale, the 7 basic modes based on the major scale were not used at all until the mid 1900's in modern music with composers such as Stravinsky, Aaron Copland, etc and by the great jazz musicians.

    Am I going to have to continue to repeat myself, or are you going to do the appropriate research and just learn to accept defeat?

  • lol "do the appropriate research and just learn to accept defeat?" sorry i wasnt aware i was talking to an ego-centric kid. Obviously the 12 basic notes are the basis of all scales. But the major scale is an extremely useful reference point. And actually the minor scale is just a mode. So somehow I don't think you have a firm grasp on what you mean by the 7 basic modes aren't used.

  • Ionian, Dorian, Phyrgian, Lydian, Mixolydian, AEOLIAN (natural minor), Locrian.

    And no, the Aeolian, or natural minor scale was not widely used until very recently. Traditionally, the 7th and sometimes 6th of the scale were raised too create a leading tone. This allows you to play a major V chord to resolve to the I of the chord progression. This was the basis for baroque, classical, and romantic music. It was not until the 20th century that people incorporated the pure aeolian scale.

  • Yes I realize what the 7 basic modes are I'm not an idiot.

    And widespread used doesn't mean that it's the first time it's ever been used. Irregardless of it's "recent widespread use" it was still used in music way before Shawn Lane was born. And raising the 7th note was actually to create better tension resolution in the minor scale and the 6th was raised to get away from the "egyptian" sound and allow for more versatiles sounds and keeping the tension-resolution within the scale.

  • that is exactly what i just said, with a different wording. i cannot think of even one piece of music from before 1900 that uses the modes in a prominent fashion. if you can, please enlighten me.

    of course they was used before shawn lane. as i said, the use of modes really became popular with the development of jazz (late 1800's in America) and late modern era music (1920-1960ish).

  • Where'd you see me? I wouldv'e said "Hello"

  • as i said, the raising of the 7th scale degree allows a major V and diminished VII to be played, instead of minor V and major VII. major V and diminished VII create a stronger cadence, which was VERY IMPORTANT in earlier forms of art music.

    the raising of the 6th scale degree is not necessarily to sound less egyptian

  • congratulations you're a musical genius. is that what you wanted to hear so you can shut up and stop making yourself look like some insecure prick? thanks.

  • oh i feel so much better. now i don't have to cut myself and wear womens clothing tonight. you just made my life soooo much better. you are my new best friend and i can't imagine what wouldve happened if you wouldn't allowed me to show how superior i am to everyone else in the world. im so glad you did that.i may be able to sleep tonight. i feel so proud of myself, and my ego is so much bigger now. never again will i ever have to make people feel small to make myself feel good about myself.

  • lol oscar winner right there ^

  • yep......

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  • The fuck

  • absolute fucking legend

  • I was enjoying this lesson up to 1:50 then I was like fuck this lol...

  • I miss this guy and I just discovered him. Seemed like a real nice regular dude (except for the mindbogglingly amazing guitar stuff!)

  • Its terrifying isn't it?

  • If he is economy picking, where are the sweeps? Yea, he is simply alternate picking.

  • it doesnt mean that economy has to have sweeps...

    ECONOMY CAN STAND ALONE WITH OR WITHOUT SWEEPS .. I SUGGEST YOU STUDY WISE GUY

  • if you want to learn that lesson, you must see the guthrie govan version. Shawn lane is amazing but he doesn't explain that he's doing economy picking.

  • he just smacked buckethead in the face without tapping those triplets

  • :***( shawn would never smack bucket in the face!! he would simply burn through a couple picks with him or hell tapp sime triplets

  • Holy moly I can't even do that extremely clean even slowly...

  • Has anyone else notice when Shawn finishes a sentence he adds some sort of "lip lisp"?

  • who cares just enjoy the video

  • yea dude, he's southern...from mississippi...like as southern as it comes...plus this footage is not HQ and hes a guitar god so who cares if he sounds like he has a lisp? ; )

  • True claims, except the Mississippi part, He's the Memphis Monster, remember ? No offense intended.

  • aww no offense taken bro.

    OHH thanks for that corretcion!! my bad.... i think i had the letter "M" 's mixed up in my brain when i posted that hahaha.

    love live the MEPHHIS MONSTER!!

  • Shawn Lane is one of the only guitarists that is technically good enough to be able to demonstrate a harder, less economical way of doing things and still play it perfectly.

    R.I.P. Shawn Lane. God's got a guitarist in heaven that gives even him a run for his money.

  • looks more like economy (alternative) picking a down up down down motion with the right hand, would explain the smooth sound and not the machine gun effect from alternate picking

  • is he picking all of that :S?

  • yea sorta its actually not as hard as you would think if u tried it he throws in a few pull off but basically it becomes second nature after picking it all slow and by then its actually pretty easy i practiced using the lesson and tried it and after 3 afternoons and 2 nights it is easy as hell and i worked it up to speed even threw in some bends here and there with pulls offs ect

    lane is a awsome teacher RIP

  • the right hand is what i need to see,i can't seem to do the picking that fast .whats the trick?

  • so you use alternate picking?

  • I encourage every guitarist out there to at least take something away from these pentatonic lessons that Shawn Lane gives us here on youtube (wish he was still here to give us more). There's nothing more important than knowing a scale all the way up and down the fretboard and also this rhythmic grouping of 5 lick that he gives us is amazing and it sounds great. I tried it and it does sound really cool with speed and it gives a whole new feel to the scale so i encourage you all to try it!

  • i didn't know playing straight pentatonics could sound so good until i saw this video.... 0.0

  • "You gotta anger your hands a little bit."

    lol

    "FUCK YOU HAND, YOU'RE USELESS AND I HATE YOU!" ~Shawn Lane

    May he rest in peace. Greatest we will have, and have had. Legend.

  • Ahh. I think he said "angle"...

  • @pochankitty angle it...

  • There's no doubting that Shawn well and truly deserves his place at the summit of the list of all time guitar greats. It's such a shame that he did not live long enough to firmly establish himself in the consciousness of the Earth's population.

    He was a true professional with the technique to rival any guitar player on the planet yet with a humble down to earth personality.

    A real musician's musician.

  • may he rest in peace, Hope to get harp lesson in heaven

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  • Those finger choices are specifically for playing those groups of fives. Trying it the normal way would be impossible to play in groups of fives.

    Saying that Shawn Lane has horrible finger choice... lol... he is one of the only people who actually has mastery over pentatonics.

  • yeah i realized why he chose the fingers he did.lol i was quick to comment before even watching the vid half way...lol sorry :x

  • ive seen greg howe, andy timmons, seen kotzen, scott henderson, bumblefoot, govan, seen buckethead, all of the bullshit shredders of course... love guitar, almost studied jazz guitar, love fusion, love a wide array of music...but SHAWN MotherF*in lane makes my jaw drop everytime... this guy is almost untouchable... forget all this vai / satriani / malmsteen shit... thats my opinion

  • you cant group govan in with them guys, if anyone is close to shawn lane its govan.

  • i am willing to agree to what you say concerning maybe timmons, kotzen, bumblefoot and buckethead, but come on... scott henderson might not be as fast as shawn, but he is a MONSTER in theory and tech.... same goes for howe...

  • i think he's trying to teach God here

  • 1:50 is MEGA WIN

  • There, I've got that down...where's part 3?..........BAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

  • with the same tempo?

  • MASTERED.

  • 1:37 when he plays it fast it sounds like the intro to the sega game r-type.. haha

  • Lol, he doesnt use his pinky.

    best guitarist ever lived. Maybe not as much flow as Hendrix had, but technicly (however you spell it) He's the best. His mode shifting is sooo complex. To bad he's dead. Bet he's rocking Jesus right now.

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  • he isn't using his picky much in this kind of thing because when he plays pentatonic stuff, he always has his pinky ready to hit an extra note with an insane stretch.

  • He looks and sounds just like Ralphie May...

  • Man!!! Shawn Lane shows you that you could practice your whole life just pentatonic, he's great!

  • YAH! ANGER YOUR HAND A LITTLE BIT.

  • :D haha, I was just about to make a post about that... freudian slip? maybe that's how he plays so fast ;)

  • hahahaha! Such an awesome comment!

  • can anyone here do that?

  • the people in here are too focused on the technicalities of the terms to play guitar. i'm sure you couldn't get them to play an E flat without them debating the enharmonic spelling. just fuckin play the riff.

    <