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Post by bluesbruce on Jun 24, 2014 22:08:21 GMT -6
Fast forward to the year 2525... and I've finally done another Jazzin' The Blues video. This one is "Rising Blues" from chapter 7. Did this one without the "crutch" of having the book in front of me. A more experienced musician told me I should practice memorizing these pieces (also that I should work on improvising over them!). I don't think I'm ready for improvising - at least not in public. Again, not perfect, but hope I'm getting better! Having fun making these still. Bruce  |
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Post by bluesbruce on Jun 24, 2014 22:09:14 GMT -6
Oops! forgot the link!
Bruce
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Post by joachim on Jun 25, 2014 0:13:22 GMT -6
I enjoyed that, Bruce! Good to see you recording again...
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Post by blackcountrymick on Jun 25, 2014 3:39:59 GMT -6
Great video Bruce, really cool!! I've just been across to YT and subbed ya. I've found that if you can play a piece without using the book as a crutch you tend to get a better recording. You may well have to do more takes to get a recording without too many mistakes but the end result tends to sound more fluid somehow. In spite of all the vids I have done I still choke an awful lot when I hit that record button!!!
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Post by TommyD on Jun 25, 2014 4:44:24 GMT -6
Sounding and looking good, Bruce! I always enjoy your videos, and they always sound good.
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Post by bluesbruce on Jun 25, 2014 6:34:45 GMT -6
Joachim, thanks for watching and for your input! It's good to finally get back in the game!
Countrymick - yeah, know what you mean about hitting the record button - all ability to play a piece absolutely flies out of my fingers. I can only imagine what it must be like to play in front of people. Yikes!
Tommy, thanks from a fellow JTB aficionado. I feel like I'm getting better at producing a proper "jazz" sounding tone thru the amp modeling. It's a work in progress.
Bruce
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Post by jack1982 on Jun 25, 2014 6:39:59 GMT -6
Great playing Bruce! Sounds like there's some tricky syncopated chord strumming in that one and you did a great job with it. The lead is nice and smooth - like you always do  It's nice to memorize a tune, makes skipping around to the top and bottom of the fretboard a bit easier when you can actually look at the guitar. I think improvising over these jazz tunes would be great. It would make you take all the info in the text of the book and actually use it (something I'm very guilty of skimming through). And creating your own music in a certain style deepens your understanding of it tremendously. Love what you did with the opening credits - looks really professional. Now if we could just get the Imperial Star Destroyer to emerge after your closing credits? |
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Post by Phil on Jun 25, 2014 9:32:55 GMT -6
Sounds good, Bruce. Keep 'em coming. That "Jazzin' the Blues" has some nice melodies and you play them well. Great jazz tone, also. Fortunately for you they don't bend a lot in jazz so you avoid getting hammered by us for your bends. T-Bone does have a cool idea - turning slightly to face yourself. With the black background it would really look like 2 people playing at the same time. Phil |
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Post by bluesbruce on Jun 25, 2014 17:46:50 GMT -6
Great playing Bruce! Sounds like there's some tricky syncopated chord strumming in that one and you did a great job with it. The lead is nice and smooth - like you always do It's nice to memorize a tune, makes skipping around to the top and bottom of the fretboard a bit easier when you can actually look at the guitar. I think improvising over these jazz tunes would be great. It would make you take all the info in the text of the book and actually use it (something I'm very guilty of skimming through). And creating your own music in a certain style deepens your understanding of it tremendously. Love what you did with the opening credits - looks really professional. Now if we could just get the Imperial Star Destroyer to emerge after your closing credits? Jack, Thanks for your comments - coming from a recent graduate of BYCU (which I never completed), it means a lot. I just love that kind of syncopated, chord changing rhythm part. That (the rhythm part) was actually recorded on one take. Wish I could say that about the lead part... can you say take #11. This kind of thing makes me realize how hard it must be to play live - which I'd love to be able to do someday (as well as to improvise)... Now something like the Imperial Death Star could definitely make an appearance in a future video... Bruce |
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Post by bluesbruce on Jun 25, 2014 17:51:18 GMT -6
Bruce, you are really improving, that was great on all levels. The black background works great. One suggestion regarding the recording process: If you'd place yourself in a slight angle before the camera as if you'd face your "twin", the illusion would be perfect (and I'd find out the brand on the guitar's headstock). I also think memorizing and analyzing any piece you learn is very important for progress (and I've got a gold fish's memory); I also improvise over the Rhythm parts I learn, and knowing the changes by heart really helps a lot, especially if you just think about consciously incorporating chord tones in your playing (not that I'm good at that). Keep on the great work! Tbone, Thanks for watching. Absolutely LOVE your idea about recording the parts to face each other. I've hate to include the headstock, though, because then everyone would know what kind of cheap ass guitars I own. The semi-hollow body is an SX, an inexpensive made in China thing. The Strat is a made in Mexico powerhouse strat - has really nice tone with active circuit midrange boost. Thanks for your feedback. Bruce |
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Post by bluesbruce on Jun 25, 2014 17:55:22 GMT -6
Sounds good, Bruce. Keep 'em coming. That "Jazzin' the Blues" has some nice melodies and you play them well. Great jazz tone, also. Fortunately for you they don't bend a lot in jazz so you avoid getting hammered by us for your bends. T-Bone does have a cool idea - turning slightly to face yourself. With the black background it would really look like 2 people playing at the same time. Phil Phil, thanks for your feedback. You're on to me, though - avoiding posting anything with bends. After I single-handedly unleashed the bend-critiquing culture of this forum, I sure hate to be subjected to it. I can get hammered just fine without that abuse, thank you very much! Bruce |
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Post by TommyD on Jun 25, 2014 18:01:32 GMT -6
Bruce,
I think your sound is great with both of your guitars. I have Fender Stratocasters that were made in Mexico and they are really nice guitars. I'm quite happy with them. While I like the Strats very much, I would like to get an Ibanez jazz box also. Either an AS or an AK or an AF model. My son has an AS73 that is comfortable and sounds great. I had an AK model a few years ago but traded it for a Line Six Spider Jam amp. It's a good amp to improvise with, but I do miss that AK95 now and then.
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Post by jack1982 on Jun 26, 2014 4:51:50 GMT -6
Bruce, you are really improving, that was great on all levels. The black background works great. One suggestion regarding the recording process: If you'd place yourself in a slight angle before the camera as if you'd face your "twin", the illusion would be perfect (and I'd find out the brand on the guitar's headstock). I also think memorizing and analyzing any piece you learn is very important for progress (and I've got a gold fish's memory); I also improvise over the Rhythm parts I learn, and knowing the changes by heart really helps a lot, especially if you just think about consciously incorporating chord tones in your playing (not that I'm good at that). Keep on the great work! Tbone, Thanks for watching. Absolutely LOVE your idea about recording the parts to face each other. I've hate to include the headstock, though, because then everyone would know what kind of cheap ass guitars I own. The semi-hollow body is an SX, an inexpensive made in China thing. The Strat is a made in Mexico powerhouse strat - has really nice tone with active circuit midrange boost. Thanks for your feedback. Bruce You're as bad as me - I'd buy a Squier bass - they sound great and the workmanship is top notch, and for the money I save I could get a set of Bartolini pickups for it - but ewwwww...it say Squier on it |
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Post by Phil on Jun 26, 2014 9:22:57 GMT -6
You're as bad as me - I'd buy a Squier bass - they sound great and the workmanship is top notch, and for the money I save I could get a set of Bartolini pickups for it - but ewwwww...it say Squier on it There's a video out there of Steve Krenz interviewing Jack Pearson. (I'm paraphrasing from memory). Steve says, "Tell us about your guitar." Jack says something like, "Well, this was handcrafted in China and delivered to me through a pawn shop. People ask me why I'm playing such a cheap guitar. Well, I happen to like the way it feels and it sounds just fine." He was playing a STOCK Squier Strat. Here's a master guitarist playing the same cheap guitar that I play. So, from my point of view, if it's good enough for Jack Pearson it's sure as hell is good enough for me. I just need to figure out how he makes his sound so good.  Phil |
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Post by TommyD on Jun 29, 2014 7:29:43 GMT -6
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Post by bluesbruce on Jun 29, 2014 8:23:52 GMT -6
I heard about these guitars because lots of people on the Band In A Box forum used to talk about them, with the general opinion that they were good quality, very affordable, "working man's" guitars - not so expensive that you'd hate to take them to a gig. They are made in China, with three "lines": SX are the "lower end", Douglas are their "middle end", and Agile are their "top end" models. Here's a link:
The models they have in stock come and go, so if you're looking for a particular type of guitar, it's worth watching their site for a couple of months. I would strongly recommend against something like this: www.rondomusic.com/dog.htmlI just can't picture that in one of my videos at all. On the other hand, something like these: www.rondomusic.com/TL100mnnat.htmlwww.rondomusic.com/wno630nat.htmlwould look pretty appealing to me (especially at those prices). Of course, YMMV. They also have an e-bay store. The SX that I've used in my videos was $199 when I bought it a couple of years ago. I think it's a nice looking guitar, and you can hear some of it's tone in the vids. If anyone asked me about Rondo music or any of their line of guitars, I'd give them a good recommendation. I personally wouldn't hesitate to buy from them again. Bruce |
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Post by jack1982 on Jun 29, 2014 12:05:25 GMT -6
Bruce how can you not like this?  I suppose you don't like this either?!?!  |
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Post by TommyD on Jun 29, 2014 12:29:08 GMT -6
That Douglas WNO 630 NA looks real nice.
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Post by bluesbruce on Jun 29, 2014 14:44:17 GMT -6
Bruce how can you not like this? I suppose you don't like this either?!?! Damn, Jack - now I want to get them both just to make a split screen video with the pair! LOL |
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It's nice to memorize a tune, makes skipping around to the top and bottom of the fretboard a bit easier when you can actually look at the guitar. 
