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Post by Phil on Oct 5, 2014 5:07:34 GMT -6
I figured I get this started this week. I got in 6 days of practice for a total of 6+ hours - less than I've been averaging recently. I'm still working on "Drivin' Blues" - can't seem to get it at more than 90% of full tempo without it falling apart. It doesn't sound like a fast song. It's probably because it doesn't have any fast runs, but you really have to move your fingers fast to play it. I've got bars 1-6 of "Cheap Runs" down to where I can play along with the slow tempo version. I think I'll have this down at full tempo before I get "Drivin' Blues" at full tempo.  The most important thing I did this week is I finally got around to trying to transcribe something from a recording. I transcribed the 12 bar Intro to Magic Sam's version of "Sweet Home Chicago." In my opinion, this is THE definitive version. John G's "Lick of the Week" on the home page has a transcription of part of the 1st solo. This got me motivated to take a crack at it myself. I plan on transcribing the other 2 solos completely, and posting my attempt to play them. Transcribing is important for ear training, and is one of the things we should all eventually be able to do. I've been putting it off for far too long. I used "Tux Guitar" to write the tab. Not the best program, but it's free. Any recommendations on tabbing software would be appreciated. This coming week I plan on learning the rest of "Cheap Runs," work on getting "Drivin' Blues" up to speed, and work on transcribing more of the Magic Sam solos. |
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Post by jack1982 on Oct 5, 2014 5:47:45 GMT -6
Phil - Yeah Drivin' Blues is deceptively fast. I worked on it for over a month and didn't get those double stops at the end up to speed until a few days before I recorded it. I got "It's About Time" posted this week and I was actually pretty happy with it. Missed most of a chord in the lead, the rhythm guitar could have been tighter with the drums, and overall it could have had a more laid-back feel (hard to do laid-back when you pound down caffeine like a madman when you practice  ) Just got started on Crescent City Blues, the next song in the R&B book. The lead part looks pretty straightforward but the rhythm part has lost of notes fretted with your thumb, and you're actually zipping up the fretboard pretty fast while doing that. I think I'll add an extra note to one of the chords; you play the top half of an F major chord and when John does it it sounds nice and full. When I do it it sounds thin and tinny. If I add the F note on the D string to the chord it seems to fill it out a little better. Big Bends in More BYCU is about ready to start doing takes of but I figured I'd wait until I get that new webcam I ordered. I'm sure the extra week of practice will do me good I'm still having trouble with some of those double bends where you bend the E and B strings simultaneously. I go to grab those two strings and often miss one or the other or else get them too close together (don't get the wonderful dissonance like John does on the CD) or too far apart (one note doesn't sound at all). Got the new Seymour Duncan '59 pickup for the bridge position on my Ibanez, you can get some heavenly hard rock lead sounds with it and some nice heavy blues stuff too. Ordered a couple more guitar books this week too lol. One of them is all about rhythm and using it as the basis of your phrasing in your soloing. It's something you do naturally but I figured an in-depth examination of it would be good learning material and maybe add some variety to my improvising. The other one covers various soloing concepts, like using pentatonic minor, adding chord tones, using modes etc. Figured it would make a nice supplement to the stuff in John's books. Pretty good week of practice this week. Tuesday through Friday I played until my brain was burned out, so that's always nice |
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Post by Phil on Oct 5, 2014 6:05:02 GMT -6
Jack, Yeah, those double stops towards the end of "Drivin' Blues" are really tripping me up. I get them fine at slower speed and then my fingers decide to not cooperate at full tempo.  It's very frustrating. I actually think "Cheap Runs" is easier. I can't wait to hear "Big Bends." |
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Post by jack1982 on Oct 5, 2014 6:11:40 GMT -6
I was trying to sort of slide up and down with those double stops, but finally figured out you've kind of got to release pressure on the neck and instantaneously "jump" back and forth to play them fast enough. I only hope I can do Big Bends justice, I absolutely love that song |
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Post by cunningr on Oct 5, 2014 13:47:14 GMT -6
Well I spent an hour everyday except Friday where I only got about 45 minutes and Saturday I only got about 30 minutes, and today I got a solid 2 hours. I finally have all of funky blues memorized and can play it it at slow speed and fast with the practice track, now I am working on getting it with the backing track I am starting to get the timing in closer but always seem to end up a beat fast or slow more often than not, and need to clean up a couple of the runs.
Worked on spread rhythm some more and learned oye como va.
Yesterday listened to some excellent live flamenco guitar.
Still waiting on my pups.
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Post by bluesbruce on Oct 5, 2014 19:44:57 GMT -6
Well, let's see. Saw Tom Petty in concert last Sunday night, not the blues, but "a good old fashioned rock and roll show" as Tom said. Opening act was Steve Winwood - no slouch himself. Have played my acoustic some this week, but haven't touched the electric. Also got some new equipment for my studio, but haven't had time to set it up yet. I hope to make another "Blues Solos for Acoustic Guitar" video. I really need to restring my acoustic, though. As far as BYCU, sorry to say, I think I've drawn another goose egg.
I still am sorely lacking in direction, musically. I think this just reflects the sort of turmoil my life has been in recently. Hopefully, things will settle down...
Bruce
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Post by blackcountrymick on Oct 6, 2014 5:39:48 GMT -6
I only found about 10 hrs practice time last week with most of it spent on MBYCU lesson 1 and study "Chord on Bleu". I have the rhythm part pretty much sorted apart from the last couple of bars which require a lot more work. I feel I have done fairly well with the lead part also, I have it in the old memory box and working on getting it up to speed. I also programmed the drum track for it last night so I can start working on it without the help of the playalong. I have been enjoying "Other" guitar time on another Johnny Norris piece called "Just Another Wine Bar", I think it will sound mighty impressive when I get it all flowing under my fingers . Good to see the forum back up, I was getting withdrawal symptoms!!! |
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It's very frustrating. I actually think "Cheap Runs" is easier.
