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Post by Phil on Dec 2, 2018 17:14:02 GMT -6
I don't think I've ever uploaded a work-in-progress before. This is pretty bad and embarrassing, but I wanted to prove to you guys that I really am working on stuff. I just turned on the camera and let it go. The audio is whatever the phone's mic picked up acoustically and from the amp with no post processing at all. My playing is the usual "even more horrible when the record light is on". Lots of clams and other mess ups but I now have set a baseline. It can't get any worse than this. I can only improve. I'm still trying to figure out a good camera angle. Any tips on this would be appreciated. I'm going to see if I can make this video only viewable to you guys. I don't want millions of other people to see it.
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Post by bluesbruce on Dec 2, 2018 20:19:27 GMT -6
Phil, I enjoyed hearing that... kind of brings back memories of when I used to play the guitar... seriously, I think you've got the "own worst critic" thing down pat. It certainly wasn't perfect, but that solo jazz chord melody stuff is really tough. It's a really beautiful and emotive form of playing, though. Kudos to you for taking it on. I thought the tone was amazingly good - especially for a $100 amp recorded with a cell phone. You can google up a bunch of web sites and YT videos about basic videography. The usual advise is to have the camera at a level slightly above your head, angled slightly downward. You can find inexpensive phone stands and holders - even adapters to hold it on a tripod. The simplicity of recording that way is really attractive - no editing, mixing, lining up audio and video, etc. You hit record, you play, and it's done. There's some auto exposure lighting adjustments going on (look around 0:22 to 0:25 for example). You should be able to set your cell phone to a fixed exposure mode, and it will get rid of that. I'm assuming you did some very basic video editing (text present at the beginning, we don't see you turn to camera on or off, closing effect at the end), but this is probably all just "on top of" what is recorded on your phone - pretty quick and easy stuff. It was a fun and seasonal listening! Thanks for sharing.
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Post by Phil on Dec 2, 2018 21:18:16 GMT -6
Thanks for the tips, Bruce. I think I'll try the camera (phone) higher and tilting slightly down. I had the camera at my eye level or lower. I do have a tripod. I also need to check if I can change the exposure setting so it won't change automatically. The light coming in from the windows is probably causing the fluctuations. I think that's the white balance, but I'll check it out.
I used 1 light straight on covered with doubled wax paper to act a diffuser. I do have a second light to use as a fill light. So I could do the key light/fill light thing. However, it would simplify things if I could get away with just 1 light. I'll have to do some playing around with that.
The audio thru the phone was an experiment. I think it sounded pretty good. However, I do have mikes and access to a Zoom recorder to get away from recording into my laptop. I want to give that a try. But I agree that simplicity definitely has its upside.
Thanks for the kind words regarding my less than stellar playing. I'm now very motivated to post a better version soon. This chord melody/solo guitar stuff has proven to be extremely difficult for me. I have nothing but admiration for people like Martin Taylor and Sean McGowan who do it so skillfully that it appears effortless.
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Post by joachim on Dec 3, 2018 0:16:16 GMT -6
I also you're cutting yourself way too little slack, Phil. I enjoyed it a lot, and personally I would be happy to be able play something like that.
Good to see you recording again!
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Post by jack1982 on Dec 3, 2018 6:41:28 GMT -6
There was a ton of very cool stuff in there Phil, quite a performance! Just needs some general smoothing out and that sort of thing. I loved the sound, nothing in need of improvement there I'd agree with Bruce on the camera stuff, move it up a bit, probably back a bit so your whole head is in the shot. I record in front of a window as well and so every day is a completely different lighting environment, makes it a real pain in the butt lol. I look back at some of my old videos and think "How the hell did I get it to look like that?!?!" I wish I could re-create that lighting. Probably be easier to close the blinds and use interior lighting, that way at least it would look the same every time. But then you can't look out the window Oh if you don't want everyone to be able to see your video, click on your account in the top right corner of YouTube, go to "YouTube studio beta", then on the left click on "videos", and under "visibility" change it to "unlisted".
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Post by Phil on Dec 3, 2018 10:24:59 GMT -6
Thanks for all the positive comments. I knew if I labeled it "work in progress" you guys would go easy on me. I hope to have a higher quality, better played version posted before Christmas. I might even post some crappy versions of other tunes I've been working on.
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Post by grampalerxst on Dec 3, 2018 11:26:11 GMT -6
Hey Phil, thought it started off really well. You seemed grow increasingly tense as it unfolded but it was still a nice arrangement nicely played. I'm not going to suggest you go easy on yourself because you should work it up to the point you are happy with it.
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Post by Phil on Dec 3, 2018 12:03:01 GMT -6
Hey Phil, thought it started off really well. You seemed grow increasingly tense as it unfolded but it was still a nice arrangement nicely played. I'm not going to suggest you go easy on yourself because you should work it up to the point you are happy with it. Thanks. Yeah, I do tend to tense up a lot when I'm recording myself or playing in front of someone. Trying not to make mistakes causes me to make more mistakes. Most of my mistakes seem to be badly fretted notes rather than hitting the wrong notes. Another thing I do when tense is to hesitate slightly which breaks the flow.
I'll keep plugging away until I'm satisfied. Thanks again for the encouragement.
I just now stumbled across a very interesting looking chord melody course that I'll probably end up buying. That's just what I need, another course!
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Post by bluesbruce on Dec 3, 2018 17:47:01 GMT -6
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Post by Phil on Dec 3, 2018 19:41:01 GMT -6
I have Howard Morgen's "Solo Guitar" arranging book and can tell you that anything by him is probably very good. You can check out his teaching style at Truefire. There's a sample video from a course he did for them. I bought one of Truefire's compilation courses (lengthy examples from 3 or 4 teachers) on sale for like 5 bucks and a large part of his Truefire course was on it. Very good teacher who shows you how to open up the fretboard in simple ways. But I don't know specifically about his chord melody course. So, let me tell you what I do know. Frank Vignola's "1-2-3 Chord Melody" from Truefire is a good. He basically gives you a formula for playing a major, minor or dominant chord under a melody note. It's kind of hard to explain in a forum post, but I'll give you an example - he shows you how to harmonize a major scale using only major chords. You probably know how to harmonize a major scale using maj min min maj maj min dim maj, but I bet you don't know how to do it using only major chords. That alone is worth the price of admission. He then applies these concepts to 3 public domain tunes. Check out the course introduction video at Truefire. Just today I found out about a highly recommended chord melody course by Robert Conti. He actually has 2 chord melody courses - a basic course, "Chord Melody Assembly Line," which sounds like it's along the line of Vignola's course and a more advanced course, "The Formula". I'm probably going to get "The Formula" because the other one probably covers what I already have from Vignola. I really like Conti's direct, no BS teaching style. Frank Vignola also cuts to the chase, but I'm going to recommend Conti's course "Chord Melody Assembly Line" even though I don't have it. I'm basing my recommendation on other Conti stuff I do have. It's 4 hours of video material and a book for $40. He's old school, still sells DVDs. Again, check out his 10 minute intro video on his website. I think you'll be impressed with his teaching style. www.robertconti.com/product/chord-melody-assembly-line/So, in a nutshell, I have stuff from Morgen, Conti, and Vignola but the only actual chord melody course I have is Vignola's. All 3 are top notch teachers who know how to cut thru the BS and really simplify things. There are a lot of teachers out there whose mission in life is to make the simple complicated. Not these guys. You can't go wrong whichever one you choose. Let me know which one you end up getting. I hope you get into this. I'll have somebody talk to about this stuff. Oh, one more thing, with the Vignola and Conti courses you definitely do not need any kind of Jazz background. Probably not with the Morgen book either. Howard Morgen was Paul Simon's guitar teacher.
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Post by cunningr on Dec 3, 2018 23:14:02 GMT -6
Well I agree with Joachim wish I could play at least that good! And yes cutting you some slack since you labeled it a WIP! Lol
BTW your old job just opened up again, your old boss broke your replacement sadly, she is a good worker.
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Post by Phil on Dec 4, 2018 9:10:13 GMT -6
Well I agree with Joachim wish I could play at least that good! And yes cutting you some slack since you labeled it a WIP! Lol BTW your old job just opened up again, your old boss broke your replacement sadly, she is a good worker. Thanks, Rich. Send me a PM or email on the job thing.
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Post by bluesbruce on Dec 4, 2018 9:28:36 GMT -6
There are a lot of teachers out there whose mission in life is to make the simple complicated. Not these guys. You can't go wrong whichever one you choose. Phil, Thank you very much for your thoughtful response to my question. I've looked at all three of these instructors some on their web sites and on You Tube - all are very impressive players. You've given me a lot to mull over. Right up front, I'm thinking Conti's "Assembly Line" course might be just the kind of thing I'm looking for. I like his stated "no BS" attitude, and his intention not to bog down in a bunch of chords and scales (which seems to be how most jazz tutelage starts out: learn these 600 chords and these 100 scales in all 12 keys, then we'll play some music...) I do like that on Amazon "Look Inside" that I can see the entire table of contents for the Howard Morgen course. I also like that it includes some discussion of technique for playing this style, and that it uses 11 jazz standards, so you (at least hopefully) come out of it with some repertoire that you can play. I'm not new to finger style playing, but a lot of what I used to play was more the folk-based alternating base type of finger picking. I'm also realistic that learning this style of playing is probably a several year undertaking, should I decide to have a go at it. thanks again, Bruce
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Post by Phil on Dec 4, 2018 9:56:59 GMT -6
Bruce, I forgot to mention that Frank Vignola is strictly a pick player. However, it's the harmonizing part that is most important when getting started whether you play with pick or fingerstyle. Glad you feel the same way I do regarding Conti's teaching style. He's also a monster picker. Never heard of him until a few months ago. I just wish he had a download option instead of DVDs, but you also get an actual book which is nice. You don't have to print out stuff. Here's a suggestion: get the Howard Morgen book AND the Conti course.
Here are some of my favorite fingerstyle Jazz players. If you're not already familiar with them check them out. Martin Taylor, Sean McGowan, Tim Lerch, and Walter Rodrigues Jr. Especially Tim Lerch. He's a disciple of Ted Green and usually plays a Tele. He plays with a lot of soul and feeling. Rodrigues is a master of beautiful harmony and usually plays a nylon string.They are all equally proficient with a pick. That drives me nuts.
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Post by grampalerxst on Dec 4, 2018 11:00:37 GMT -6
Thanks. Yeah, I do tend to tense up a lot when I'm recording myself or playing in front of someone. Trying not to make mistakes causes me to make more mistakes. ... I understand completely. The same sort of stuff gets me too.
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Post by cunningr on Dec 4, 2018 11:03:22 GMT -6
Thanks. Yeah, I do tend to tense up a lot when I'm recording myself or playing in front of someone. Trying not to make mistakes causes me to make more mistakes. ... I understand completely. The same sort of stuff gets me too. I think we all do.... lol except Jack!
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Post by bluesbruce on Dec 4, 2018 19:35:18 GMT -6
Bruce, I forgot to mention that Frank Vignola is strictly a pick player. However, it's the harmonizing part that is most important when getting started whether you play with pick or fingerstyle. Glad you feel the same way I do regarding Conti's teaching style. He's also a monster picker. Never heard of him until a few months ago. I just wish he had a download option instead of DVDs, but you also get an actual book which is nice. You don't have to print out stuff. Here's a suggestion: get the Howard Morgen book AND the Conti course.
Here are some of my favorite fingerstyle Jazz players. If you're not already familiar with them check them out. Martin Taylor, Sean McGowan, Tim Lerch, and Walter Rodrigues Jr. Especially Tim Lerch. He's a disciple of Ted Green and usually plays a Tele. He plays with a lot of soul and feeling. Rodrigues is a master of beautiful harmony and usually plays a nylon string.They are all equally proficient with a pick. That drives me nuts. Get both of those - I like the way you think, Phil. Watched videos of these players this afternoon - very enjoyable. Was familiar with Martin Taylor, not the others. I've also had heavy influence from Joe Pass, Tuck Andress, and Earl Klugh. They've all got their own thing going, and it's all great. I absolutely love Tommy Emmanuel, though he's not really a "jazz" player, per se. There's some killer videos of him and Martin Taylor playing together on YT - check 'em out if you haven't seen them.
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Post by Phil on Dec 4, 2018 21:20:56 GMT -6
Bruce, Here's a suggestion: get the Howard Morgen book AND the Conti course. Get both of those - I like the way you think, Phil. Watched videos of these players this afternoon - very enjoyable. Was familiar with Martin Taylor, not the others. I've also had heavy influence from Joe Pass, Tuck Andress, and Earl Klugh. They've all got their own thing going, and it's all great. I absolutely love Tommy Emmanuel, though he's not really a "jazz" player, per se. There's some killer videos of him and Martin Taylor playing together on YT - check 'em out if you haven't seen them. It's easy when it's not my money.
Tommy Emmanuel is a phenomenon as are the others you mentioned. Martin Taylor and Frank Vignola have both played with him a lot. It's an exclusive club at that level. Martin Taylor is not only a master fingerstylist, he's also an excellent Gypsy Jazz picker. In fact, I think he was into Gypsy Jazz long before he got into fingerstyle. These guys are all incredibly talented. They inspire and intimidate me at the same time.
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