Music Lesson: "I See a UFO" - Grade One Rock School Piece

Overview

Okay then, guys, let's check out "I See a UFO," the Grade One Rock School piece. This one is listed as rock, which might surprise you if you listen to the track. The sounds that you might normally associate with a rock song or a classic rock song aren't really heard in this piece. It's much more of a cleaner, chilled-out vibe. However, I think it still qualifies as rock, drawing on a more '60s reference with influences like the Beatles and The Doors. It's worth checking out bands like that if you really enjoy this track.

Setting Up the Sound

What we are going to do is set up a relatively clean sound for this piece.

• Volume Control: A great feature of this arrangement is the volume control.
  • Set your amp so that at full volume, you have a slightly crunchy sound when you dig in hard.
  • Start around 8 on the amp and roll it off slightly for a cleaner sound.
  • When you reach the B section, which becomes more chordy and powerful, turn the volume up for added power.

Using the volume control in the middle of a song is a common technique. If you watch your favorite guitar players, you probably see them adjusting signal levels to create cleaner sounds or bigger, rockier tones.

Section Breakdown

A Section: Arpeggio and Pull Offs

Let's take a look through the sections:

1. Picky arpeggio idea:
   • In the tab, you will see brackets referring to pull offs.
   • A pull off involves picking a fretted note (like the second fret on the G string) and then using your left hand to pull off to the open string.

Important Note:

• You can also do pull offs to fretted notes, though we won't use that in this piece. Consider practicing a pull off from the fifth fret on the G string to the third fret.

1. Legato Playing:
   • This technique produces a smooth sound called legato.
   • An opposite technique is called a hammer on, where you play a lower note and hammer on without picking.

Exercise for Legato

• Practice scales with hammer-ons on the way up and pull-offs on the way down. For example, with the E minor pentatonic scale:
  • Pick the first note, then hammer on for the next, and so on until the top.
  • On the way down, pick the higher notes and pull off to the open string.

B Section: Driving Rhythm

When we get to the B section, we'll experience a complete change in how we play.

• This section is where the rock genre specification comes from.
• Turn the volume all the way up or stomp on a pedal for a bit of overdrive.
• Be careful with your right hand: only pick two strings to avoid catching the G string.

Additional Techniques

• Watch for the staccato marking at bar 10, where the note should be played short.
• Once we hit bar 13, we be playing bigger and open chords, where it's important to really dig in.

C Section: Return to Arpeggios

The C section mimics the A section with those nice, open ringing arpeggios, while remaining mindful of finger positioning.

• You can afford to pick lightly in this section to maintain the relaxed vibe.
• Practice slowly, using a metronome if it helps, and break things down into manageable chunks.

Conclusion

"I See a UFO" is a great piece that allows you to explore various techniques. With practice, you'll have it sounding great in no time!