Fluffy Guitar Stuff:

1. Miscellaneous Old Mp3-clips
2. Tablature
3. Excercises
4. Tips & Hints For Beginning Modern Guitarists
5. A Brief History of My Guitar-Playing
6. (A few of) My favorite Guitar Players
7. Advancing Guitar Player's Happy Trainer

1. Miscellaneous Old Mp3-clips

Here are a few old recordings of some of my mostly improvised playing, in chronological order (newest first) within each category. The oldest clip here was recorded in the beginning of the year 2004 and the newest around 2006. At the moment I do not have a proper recording setup, but will add some new recording as soon as I get one. 'M.net' in all instances below refers to muusikoiden.net. By default all tracks are played with Ibanez Universe (777GR).
The tracks marked with a banana are those which I personally prefer, when only one for each category is given.

Independent (complete tracks, © completely by myself):

• Deep Waters Of Rutikka (1:33), some morning mourning. I tried to keep it simple this time. Lead guitar is of course improvised. (And Rutikka is a small pond in Monni, Hyvinkää)
• Cockaigne (1:28), experimental stuff with the guitar.
• Aeolian Maunder (1:36), my first multi-track recording ever. Multitracking allowed me to change the panning of the guitars after recording, so I had to try that. The backing was made without multitracking (including the synth-sounds) though.
• Hymyilevät Voikukat (1:08), soothing elevator music with a slow swing. (Chord progression is Cmaj7-Am7-Dm7)
• Gooey Slush (0:33), a simple improvised melody within basic chord riff C-Am-F-G. Added improvised "harmony" guitar with tone-knob set to zero.

Muusikoiden.net "Sooloskabat" (my participations):

• Mnet-sooloskaba #63 (1:08), I tried not to shred, of course that was hard. Backing by Jucciz.
• Mnet-sooloskaba #57 (0:56), played with a tone with a bit too much bass.
• Mnet-sooloskaba #41 (1:04), my participation for the 41th solo competition. The backing was made by Socialite.
• Mnet-sooloskaba #39 (1:30), yet another participation with a rather dry distorted sound. Backing by Orbik.
• Mnet-sooloskaba #36 (1:04), whammy bar with cleantone and later, basic distorted melody over a backing by Jucciz.
• Mnet-sooloskaba #26 (1:06), my participation for the 26th solo competition. The backing was made by Kuha.
• Mnet-sooloskaba #20 (1:02), my participation for the 20th M.net guitar-solo competition. Backing by Jucciz.
• Mnet-sooloskaba #8 (0:57), a bit Vai-ish trickery recorded for the eight solo competition.
  
• Mnet-sooloskaba #2 (0:43), something recorded for the second solo competition held by the guitar-section of the M.net -site .
  

Other Clips:

• Pluus (0:42) short dirty and bluesy improvisation over a SRV-style backing.
• Voi itku (1:57), improvisation over the backing of Yngwie's song 'Crying' (the backing was made by Starlia).
• Gambale-background lick (0:15), a short improvised lick over a Frank Gambale Masterclass backing.
  
• Tornado of Souls (0:53), my attempt at the Marty Friedman's legendary solo from the Megadeth song by the same name.
  

2. Tablature

Here's a few ptb (that is: Powertab-editor) -format tablatures of some of my compositions and arrangements. Please notice that the tabs do not sound the same as these sound when played on the guitar, so do try them rather than just listening to them.

For Nylon String Acoustic Guitar:
• Etude #1 for Classical Guitar - Two Simple themes with variations. General practise.
• Etude #2 for Classical Guitar - Poor Man's Flamenco with 4 different parts. Especially the rubato part does not sound right so use your illusion when playing this ;)
• Etude #3 for Classical Guitar - The gtr I is the etude, rest of the score just embellishes the progression. This one is easier, but you should vary the dynamics, playing like in soft waves with emphasis on the essential notes.
• Etude #5 for Classical Guitar - A melody in A-minor. A bit hard to play properly, although the tempo is slow.
• Etude #6 for Classical Guitar - A bit of oriental avant-garde heavy metal :P
• Etude #7 for Classical Guitar - Simple tremolo training. First classical tremolo, then flamenco tremolo, ending with some bit more progressive shit.
• Etude #8 for Classical Guitar - Another simple flamenco-like etude.
• Joulupukki - My fingerstyle version of the christmas-tune "Joulupukki".
• Varpunen Jouluaamuna - My fingerstyle version of the christmas-tune "Varpunen Jouluaamuna".

For Six or Seven String Electric Guitar:
• Over The Rainbow - My version of the jazz-classic. I'm quite satisfied with this one.
• My Thumb Is Numb - A melodic piece for a guitar duo (the other guitarist being me and the other my wife). I'm quite happy with this one also, and will definitely record this later with proper backing.
• Autumn Leaves - Tablature for the recording above. I actually "composed" this using ptb, so the tab was made before the recording.
• Rocky-dog Summertime Jig - My first experiment at composing an interesting country-tune. This short tune also contains my first bass-guitar brainchild.
• Tsaina - An idea for an oriental tune.
• Caschew - A jazzy chord progression designed for jamming.
• Anchovy Pear - A 4-bar theme for a jazz-guitar hybridpicking -solo.
• Secret Window (intro) - Intro for a tune of mine inspired by the atmosphere of the movie 'Secret Window'.
• Cumbersome Panda (duetto) - A quite simple and easy to play etude-like piece for two guitars.
• Death of A Bug - The intention here was to make something extremely sad, but if not sad I think managed to be pathetic at least ;)

3. Excercises

Following are a few of my vast collection of excercises. When making new excercises like these, I'm always trying to come up with something that has (at least some) musical value in addition of being good technical training. Like before the tablatures are in the ptb-format, and written for a 7-string standard-tuned (the 7th is a low B) guitar, though most of them can just as easily be played using just the standard six strings.

Non-tabbed Excercises:

• Learning the notes on the fretboard - This idea is simple and yet, in my opinion, the best way to learn the position of each note on the fretboard. Here it is: each time you play a note, say the name of the note you're playing either aloud or to your mind's ear. The beauty of this is that you can play any passage you like, as long as the tempo is low enough. You can either say the name of the note before you play it or at the same time as it's played. Here is a map of the fretboard with the notes labeled to help you getting started.
  
E||-F-|---|-G-|---|-A-|---|-B-|-C-|---|-D-|---|-E-|-F-|---|-G-|
B||-C-|---|-D-|---|-E-|-F-|---|-G-|---|-A-|---|-B-|-C-|---|-D-|
G||---|-A-|---|-B-|-C-|---|-D-|---|-E-|-F-|---|-G-|---|-A-|---|
D||---|-E-|-F-|---|-G-|---|-A-|---|-B-|-C-|---|-D-|---|-E-|-F-|
A||---|-B-|-C-|---|-D-|---|-E-|-F-|---|-G-|---|-A-|---|-B-|-C-|
E||-F-|---|-G-|---|-A-|---|-B-|-C-|---|-D-|---|-E-|-F-|---|-G-|

• Learning sight reading - Here's an image of my "method" for studying sight reading (and fretboard "navigation"): face-systeemi.png Using the image as a tool of study should be quite clear, but if not, you can ask me for an explanation.
• Improving Mind-Guitar Relationship - Get the guitar ready to play, but don't play anything before you come up with a short passage or lick in your head. After this, play it on the guitar. When you're satisfied with the result (the versions do not differ greatly), come up with another lick. You can continue doing this for hours. This is a real treasure amongst excercises, use it!
• Improving Your Phrasing. This is also a simple principle: listen to singers, and play along with them. As people need time to inhale they have to learn to phrase properly, unlike us guitarists who can fiddle on forever without ever slowing down. Phrasing is very important in making notes sound music.
• Chord training method. This is a very good excercise if you already know enough theory about chords to know how the chords are constructed. You need a 6-sided die, paper and a pen.
  1) Draw the fretboard of the guitar on the paper like this:
  
  E-|---|---|---|---|---|
B-|---|---|---|---|---|
G-|---|---|---|---|---|
D-|---|---|---|---|---|
A-|---|---|---|---|---|
E-|---|---|---|---|---|

  2) Then throw the die once to determine the string on which the root of the chord is about to be located (For example if you threw 2, then the result is the B-string). Remember the resulting string.
  3) Throw the die once for each string. The fret number to be used on this random chord is the result of the throw minus one. Mark the frets on the paper, using a different mark for the root of the chord than for the other notes.
  4) Analyze the chord. After you know the name of the resulting chord, repeat the procedure.
  If you need an example or have questions about this (or anything else), mail me.

Beginner Excercises:

• Unreal - Little tune from the game. Suitable for playing repeatedly for a million times in a meditative-like trance-state.
• Flashpoint - Easy theme-part from Whitecross guitarist Rex Carroll's solo-tune. Use alternate and/or hybrid picking.

Excercises:

• A method for studying scales - The different variations here are some suggestions for new and more efficient or creative ways of studying scales. There is a logic to each of them, and I encourage you to find out what it is.
• A 'backing' for studying modes. Play each mode over the backing in a free way. Rinse & Repeat.
• Finger Training Epic - This phenomenal modern instrumental guitar composition epitomizes life, universe & everything.
• Etude #1 for Electric Guitar - My own little etude in B-minor from october 2000.
• Constructing Chord Melodies - Select a simple tune and expand it by adding chord tones below the melody notes.
• Yngwiesque - Do not shun from this just because there's the word 'Yngwie' here. This two-part excercise is good for improving basic alternate picking technique and left hand coordination.

4. A Few Tips For The Modern Guitarists

On rare occasion a friendly soul told me an advice that helped me a lot on the long and arduous way of becoming a better guitarist, though usually I had to find the knowledge by myself, reading guitar-magazines and books, or even more often by self-experimentation. Keeping that in mind I therefore list here a few advices for a beginning (or intermediate in some cases) guitarist:

• Always listen to what you play, play for your "inner listener". I wish I did this more often myself.
• You can practise playing guitar without the guitar too. In fact all you need is your mind. This is a great thing to remember while waiting for a bus etc. when you have nothing else to do with your brain. Try practising sight reading, fretboard intervals and note names for example, all this can be done in your mind.
• Consider practising "warm-up-patterns" and repeat them till your fingers go numb (ofcourse one should alternate the patterns practised enough so that you won't injure your arm). Internet is a real treasury of these, so these excersices shouldn't be hard to find, or come up by yourself. I think it's a good idea to play an unamplified electric guitar while watching TV for example, practising some picking patterns that require little concentration. But even when playing like this try to make the notes sound perfect.
• If you feel that you have weak fingers, or even if you just do not know if you're strong or not, consider buying a Grip Master - an individual finger-workout machine. You can find these at most music stores.
• I've noticed that perhaps the best way of learning efficient technique as soon and well as possible is to get exactly transcripted notes of some rather challenging tunes that involves the use of techniques that you wish to practise on. Especially many of the records made by Joe Satriani are truly marvellous in this aspect also. Practising tunes that are "too easy" don't develop one's playing skills too much, although ofcourse it may be fun. And yet practising too hard guitar solos for example can lead to complete frustration and drain the inspiration that you very much need in order to advance as a player. I also recommend trying out the excercises on this page.
• Sometimes you might feel that you're somewhat "utterly talentless" as a guitar player. That's when you should practise even harder, as that's how you will (or may) eventually change your mind about you being gifted or not. Hard work practising will result in improved playing ability. Compare it to going to the gym for example, you have to practise (regularly) in order to develop.
• Try not to over-use tablatures as it may hinder your progress in sight-reading and ear-training.

5. A Brief History of My Guitar-Playing

I was introduced to the instrument while being a quite depression-influenced 16-year-old teen who had just 'discovered' Metallica. I heard some of my current friends impressive and dexterous playing (especially "Ilu" and Miika Haavisto should be credited here, though they probably will never get to experience this magnificent honor).

My first guitar, a nylon-string Landola (that only had 3 strings attached to it in the beginning) I got from my uncle, who hadn't been playing it too much. It was sometime May 1993 I think, about that day I remember only that I was asked to play Led Zeppelin by some drunkard as I traveled in the train with the guitar.
Two weeks later, after much persuation, I managed to borrow enough money from my parents to buy a cheap (320€) electric guitar Washburn G-5V and an 20 Watt Vester-amplifier. To sum it up: the guitar was a relatively decent guitar, and I played it for quite a long time, although the frets were already very worn out when I bought it.
About four years later I bought the guitar that has endured with me to this date: Ibanez Universe 777gr-custom. Another guitars I have and use are an Ibanez prestige RG2550EX-GK and a Ramon Garcia nylon string guitar model 'Angelina'.

In the beginning (for the first 4 years or so) I practised rather intensively, and therefore got many Guitar-related nicknames such as ("Kitara","Steve Vai" etc.). I brought the guitar along almost everywhere where I went, and played it while for example watching a movie from tv etc. I also enjoyed bathroom acoustics at the time.. :)
I remember spending the days at school almost entirely by constructing various ridiculous scale-patterns and other bizarre music-related excercises instead of actually paying attention to the subject at hand.

I still feel like I'm just starting to learn to play the guitar. Maybe I'll never be very satisfied with my playing.

Update 2010: In the past four years or so, my interests in music have at times dwindled and at times varied. I've started to practise more again just recently, and the style of music I currently enjoy to (learn to) play is the gypsy swing - The style of guitar playing that was (according to most) created by Django Reinhardt. I do play the electric guitar aswell, but even so rarely use the kind of distorted tones I used to in the past. I prefer a very mild distortion that is barely distinguishable from a clean tone and is there only to color the tone a bit. I find the rockabilly style of guitar playing also rather interesting, and fun to play.

6. (A few of) My Favourite Guitar Players

My guitar-favourites changed constantly as I heard more and more different music done by players previously unknown to me. Many of the favourites have endured till this day though, only with some exceptions.

I have altered the order to at least loosely reprecent the "ranking" of my current (2010) influences. The ones listed first are the ones I look up the most in my playing today, the ones mentioned last have been great influences in the past.

• Django Reinhardt was the pioneer of gypsy swing, and an exceptionally gifted and creative guitarist. Doesn't pale in comparison to any musician I've ever heard.
• Other great Gypsy Swing guitarists that most influence me in that style include: Joscho Stephan, Stochelo Rosenberg and Adrien Moignard, but there are much more great players to learn from aswell (too numerous to mention them all here).
• Brett Garsed. Fluent, interesting, and very beautiful hybrid-legato playing. Among the greatest electric guitar players out there and a great guy aswell.
• Guthrie Govan has an incredible technique with a great dose of genuine musicianship.
  
• Mattias IA Eklundh the swedish guitarist has an interesting, freakish guitar style, with excellent technique and original ideas.
• Steve Vai was my greatest favourite for quite a long time, mostly on account of the album "Passion & Warfare".
• Joe Satriani. I used to like most of his playing and compositions, In my opinion he's an exemplary musician, not just an awesome guitar player. I've learned a lot trying to play his tunes.
• Michael Lee Firkins is a very rare fluid finger-picker on the electric guitar, and has a very inventive way to play rock guitar.
• Marty Friedman (Megadeth) His solos often contain interesting, complex ideas and melodies.
• Rex Carroll (Whitecross) Was a player of incredible Rocking solos and great vibrato and feel and one of my initial influences.
• Frank Gambale has an awesome sweeping technique and a personal touch and sound that I also like.
• Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme) Also a great guitarist. I remember the local guitar hero "Ilu", who was a major source of inspiration back then played a lot like Nuno - with a strong rhytmic style and accuracy.
• Yngwie J. Malmsteen I like some of his stuff really much (for example the Live in Leningrad -CD, (not the video though)), although he tends to repeat himself maybe more than any other guitarist he still has an unique style.
• John Petrucci (of Dream Theater and Liquid Tension Experiment) has also been a great source for inspiration, although lately I've somewhat lost interest in his style of playing.
  
• Vicente Amigo is a spanish flamenco-style guitarist. I started to play more acoustic guitar near the beginning of year 2006, and flamenco was my greatest source of inspiration at that moment.

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