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Post by grampalerxst on Jan 3, 2021 5:27:54 GMT -6
For the most part I had a pretty good week. Unfortunately it will likely be the last one for a while as it was definitely bolstered by being off work the entire time. I probably averaged 4hr guitar-in-hand time per day.
-The chief lesson learned for the week is I'd rather stay home and play guitar all week than go to work. I know, shocking, right? 
I've got a draft syllabus/template for my 2021 core practice time. Not much has changed, just adding one or two topics to touch on for just a few minutes more days than not. For as long as it lasts, the BLYCU Challenge will be the bulk of it.
Spent a boatload of time on BLYCU 34 this week. I've upgraded the possibility of getting something that meets my lax quality standards recorded for the Challenge by the end of the day to 50/50. My fretting hand is pretty beat up.
A bit of trivia: it seems to take me about 9 months of daily practice to get a substantially new and moderately challenging chord shape under my fingers to where I can drop it into a musical context with pretty good odds it won't kill the flow. Nine months is a long time.
I'm seeking the same metric for 1 or 2-chorus blues solos. I try to take at least 2-3 passes at each of the last 3 I recorded in Section 2 of BLYCU every day and drill down on places I consistently stumble over when time is available. The general trend is that my performances are degrading. The oldest has been in the rotation 6-7 weeks now if I'm doing the math right.
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Post by bluesbruce on Jan 3, 2021 6:32:02 GMT -6
Not a maximal guitar week here, but my kids came for the holidays so had a lot of fun. Having to work this long weekend, so I'll try to plug in and make a quick BLYCU recording before going to work. Grampa, I think I'd rather stay home and play guitar, too!
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Post by jack1982 on Jan 3, 2021 7:40:30 GMT -6
Grampa congrat's on the four hours a day - you're my hero! A few weeks ago I practiced 3 1/2 hours - one day - and was extremely proud of myself lol. I had a fairly good week, mostly worked on Stairway to Heaven. Started with the solo and the little outro piece, then, well I might as well learn the rhythm guitar part that goes between them. Then might as well learn the rhythm guitar part before the solo, then, well that only leaves the acoustic part so might as well work on that too The solo is progressing, there are various parts that cause me problems but I'm whittling away at them. The outro piece is a whole bunch of unison bends - play a note on the B string while simultaneously hitting the note two frets up on the G and bend it up to match. Me + bends = ...this may take a while  I'm already slacking off on my technique practice, I need to get back into that. I got started on Ben Higgins' "Badass Alternate Picking", which seems like a good method, so I'll get going on that again this week. Also did a little improvising over backing tracks, I find that makes a very nice warmup for each practice session. Using a bit more natural minor scale for that, or basically pentatonic minor with a couple extra notes available for color and, eventually, for fast runs. I had been working on "Animal Magnetism" by the Scorpions quite a bit, but once I started recording along with my very poor quality backing track, I was quite disappointed in the sound and that kind of killed my enthusiasm. Oh well, maybe I'll mess around with it a bit more, or maybe I won't. |
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Post by Phil on Jan 3, 2021 9:11:12 GMT -6
Well, I've stuck to my plan this entire year so far. Let's see if I can keep it up for the next 362 days.  |
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Post by wannaplayblues on Jan 3, 2021 9:23:44 GMT -6
Well, as I said I would, I got recorded the AM monthly challenge. I did one of the lessons for the first chorus, followed by an improv chorus after that. What do you think of my improv efforts? Now, it happens to be my birthday this week, so I got myself a little birthday present It's a Joyo Bantamp AtomiC. It's a 20watt head that mimics the sound of a VOX AC30 and has 2 channels; with bluetooth builtin so I can stream backing tracks to it too I used it for the recording above (with my loved "Bluesy" pedal) as well as an AC30 speaker IR so it should sound quite authentic... I hope! It would be a diservice if I tried to review it, so here's one of the video reviews that aided my decision to purchase it: Finally, I have been working on a Truefire piece that has both lead and rhythm parts. I have the rhythm down and am currently learning the lead. Hope to record both parts soo, so we'll see how time allows. Finally, finally, I have a guitar lesson set for Wednesday this week. I really want to focus on blues improv, the stuff I've seen joachim improv has blown me away! |
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Post by Phil on Jan 3, 2021 9:34:29 GMT -6
WPB, nice playing. I love the warm tone you got in this video.
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Post by Marc on Jan 3, 2021 11:47:47 GMT -6
I've had a lot of time on my hands this week. I had some time off I had to use or I loose it so, I took last week off. I've worked a lot of stuff....and did some shopping.
I'm about done with lazy day blues. There is the bar before the turn around that is giving me trouble. I'm putting it on the back burner for now and moving on in the book to night chord blues.
I spent some time with Jody Fisher and the Jazz book and working on the first etude which is just a study on triads. It's been challenging but I'm sure will pay off.
Reading and trying to apply what i've learned in the 'riffs' book. It's also exposing to some music, all rock, that I've never herd of, or at least never listened too.
I plan on laying down a scratch track for 'day in the life' later today. we will see how it goes.
wannaplayblues Nice tune, and happy birthday, hope you enjoy the new amp. |
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Post by joachim on Jan 3, 2021 13:28:44 GMT -6
Nice playing, WPB, it sounded really good - also your improv chorus!
Grampa, I hear you about learning new chord shapes. I also struggle badly with them - the rhythm studies in RnBYCU are driving me nuts.
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Post by cunningr on Jan 3, 2021 14:17:52 GMT -6
Well I have been slacking off this week, but I did start a AM lesson slow blues by yourself. I have the first half down pretty solid, also working on off beat rhythm.
Great playing WBP, I was searching the AM forum for your submissions the other day but must not be searching correctly cause no hits.
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Post by Marc on Jan 3, 2021 17:32:36 GMT -6
Well I have been slacking off this week, but I did start a AM lesson slow blues by yourself. I have the first half down pretty solid, also working on off beat rhythm. Great playing WBP, I was searching the AM forum for your submissions the other day but must not be searching correctly cause no hits.
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Post by cunningr on Jan 3, 2021 23:44:34 GMT -6
Well I have been slacking off this week, but I did start a AM lesson slow blues by yourself. I have the first half down pretty solid, also working on off beat rhythm. Great playing WBP, I was searching the AM forum for your submissions the other day but must not be searching correctly cause no hits.
No not trying to burn him, just pointing out I cant find him on the forum. I am sure its the way I am searching the forum. Lol |
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