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Post by nursedad on Oct 11, 2014 13:42:55 GMT -6
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Post by cunningr on Oct 11, 2014 14:24:20 GMT -6
Well this tune is a rough one for everyone I think because you have to bend to the correct pitch. With that said you really need to practice your bends, what I did was conect to my tuner and started bending it to the correct, it took awhile but I do much better now. I am sure others can provide some god tips as well. keep working at it and you get it, learning to bend well is key to being a good blues guitarist.
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Post by jack1982 on Oct 11, 2014 15:02:32 GMT -6
It sounds like you've got the general idea, you just need to practice it more until you get the timing closer to where it's supposed to be. One thing you might try is to record the first 10 seconds of the CD with John playing, and right after that record the first ten seconds of the backing track. Loop that so the two pieces play continuously. Then you could play along with John and the timing would be fresh in your mind when the backing track started playing immediately afterwards. Keep doing that until you're going good with the first part, then try for the first 20 seconds, etc. I dunno, just an idea I came up with but I think it might help Keep working on the bends too of course, but the timing is probably even more important right now. Once you're playing it smoothly and in time then you can put all of your attention into getting the bends to the proper pitch.
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Post by joachim on Oct 11, 2014 15:06:24 GMT -6
I don't think the bends were bad, and I love the tone of your Les Paul - what kind is it? I would work on getting the timing right first, and worry about hitting the target notes later. At this point the lessons start to get more difficult - I am still struggling with this one after I introduced my pinky to guitar-playing. You are not alone!
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Post by nursedad on Oct 11, 2014 16:01:12 GMT -6
joachim
Yep that is why I posted it as said before I really struggle to lock in on a grove. I posted to get some feedback about my timing. I'll work on the rest later.
Its an Epiphone 1960 Tribute Les Paul they come stock with Gibson USA 1957 pick ups.
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Post by cunningr on Oct 12, 2014 1:57:07 GMT -6
Joachim is right I think this was the first lesson where I seriously got slowed down, I have now hit another wall with funky blues, I can play the whole thing and I beleive the timing is pretty good but some of the runs aren't smooth. Anyway I have tried recording it now over 200 times.
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Post by bluesbruce on Oct 12, 2014 6:51:07 GMT -6
I like Jack's suggestion of breaking the tune down into smaller "chunks". You should be able to loop a region in your DAW program. Maybe just take it in one or two bar phrases at a time, work on getting the timing of those phrases, then go back and try to put it all together. Keep in mind though that you CAN play this, it just takes practice and time to get it down smooth. Also remember that bending is a skill that will not be mastered with just this one song, although you can certainly make great strides in learning bending by practicing this one. Thanks for sharing.
Bruce
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Post by cunningr on Oct 12, 2014 7:53:39 GMT -6
Bruce for me that's what I started doing just recently breaking the tunes down into small chunks the looping it, and it has helped me. Only thing is getting a good division point.
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Post by nursedad on Oct 18, 2014 6:42:31 GMT -6
All right lets try this again, Is this improving? link
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Post by jack1982 on Oct 18, 2014 14:32:38 GMT -6
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Post by wannaplayblues on Oct 19, 2014 2:24:47 GMT -6
That's a GREAT idea jack1982!!! nursedad - if you don't have one already, I HIGHLY recommend getting software that can slow down the song (but keep the tone/key correct). I do this all the time. You wont believe how INSANELY slow I start my playing of @johng 's songs in a bid to get my hands and fingers and brain used to the movements
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Post by bluesbruce on Oct 19, 2014 11:56:05 GMT -6
All right lets try this again, Is this improving? linkNursedad, I think you're still wrestling with that 12/8 rhythm thing. Your bends are actually sounding pretty smooth, but the timing on that is kind of a mess. Now I'm not trying to be mean, so please take this in the spirit it is intended. We are going to get you thru this thing! How are you counting this song? Also, I'm not real familiar with Audacity - do you know if it will play midi or is it audio only? I'm at work now, but maybe can get some time to try to get you a file to help with this. For now, just take that backing track, put down your guitar, and just play the backing track and count with it. And not just "one two three four", but I want you to count where you are in the twelve bar progression. I think the most helpful way I've heard to do this is "ONE-two-three-four, TWO-two-three-four, THREE-two-three-four, FOUR-two-three-four, FIVE-two-three-four, SIX-two-three-four, SEN (has to be one syllable)-two-three-four, EIGHT-two-three-four, NINE-two-three-four, TEN-two-three-four, LEN (one syllable, again)-two-three-four, TWELVE-two-three-four. Then the same thing for the second chorus. What we are going to do is get you lined up with the beat. And you can't line up with the beat until you know where it is! After you count the backing track this way, I'd like you to get out the CD from the book and count it the same way. You can even slow it down and count it. What we've got to get you to recognize is where the beat is, and where the phrases fit in relation to the beat! I'm going to get back to you on this one, but might be a day or so. And, you CAN get this. Bruce
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Post by cunningr on Oct 20, 2014 15:29:27 GMT -6
Bruce I like your suggestion I too a struggling with the timing, I am going to try your method.
Rich
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Post by bluesbruce on Oct 20, 2014 17:39:36 GMT -6
Rich, when I first heard 12 bar blues counted this way, it was a revelation. Really helps to think where the chord progression is in relation to counting each measure. In 12/8 time, it's perfectly acceptable to count it as: ONE-and-a-two-and-a-three-and-a-four-and-a-TWO-and-a-two-and-a-three-and-a-four-and-a-THREE-and-a-two-and-a-three-and-a-four-and-a-FOUR-and-a-two-and-a-three-and-a-four-and-a-FIVE-and-a-two-and-a-three-and-a-four-and-a-SIX etc, etc.
Bruce
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Post by nursedad on Oct 21, 2014 7:55:16 GMT -6
Great Bruce thank you I'll do that. Let me make sure I understand. Theses counts fall on the High Hat taps, correct?
Pretty sure audacity will take Midi but i have Ableton Live 8 too
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Post by bluesbruce on Oct 21, 2014 10:04:09 GMT -6
OK, now nursedad, looks at Bending The Blues in your BYCU book. You've got a pick-up measure, then let's look at the first eight bars of the tune. Each of the first eight bars has the same count:
ONE (note held) - (two) - (three) - FOUR-AND-A-
where you are playing on the capitalized syllables. For now, lets just ignore the 9th thru 12th measures. If you can get this count down, you'll have 2/3 of the tune in place. The pick-up measure is silent up to the "FOUR-AND-A"
What I've got for you is a very simple drum track mp3. There is a bass drum hit on "one" and "three", a snare on "two" and "four", and a hi hat hit on all (twelve) of the eighth notes in a measure. The pick-up bar is just a snare on "one", "two", "three", and "four". This track is at 60 BPM, but you can bring it in to Audacity and slow it down if you need to. To go with this, I've got another mp3 of the same drum track, but with the notes of Bending the Blues guitar part on top of it. I'm going to PM you and ask for an e-mail to send these to. Rich or anyone else who wants them, just let me know. This should get the rest of the "band" out of the way and allow you to concentrate purely on the rhythm.
Now look at "Bending" measures 9, 10, and 11. The count in these measures is:
ONE - (and - a) - TWO - AND - A - THREE - (and- a) - FOUR - AND - A
again, where you play on the capitalized beats. You could count these as "ONE - TRIP - A - LET - THREE - TRIP - A - LET" if you prefer.
Now just look at the two endings. These should be pretty easy to get the timing, so I'll ask you to post here what the count should be for those. Please note there is an error in the music - the half note at the end of the second ending should be dotted, as should the whole note chord to end the song.
Bruce
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Post by nursedad on Oct 22, 2014 6:31:22 GMT -6
Thank you so much Bruce. I got the MP3s and I'll start working on it later today or tomorrow
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Post by nursedad on Oct 26, 2014 6:22:30 GMT -6
bluesbruce I wanted to publicly thank you again. I am working on this with the resources you provided. But i am a High School Soccer coach and we have been in preseason and will have our first game this week, so a busy time for the next few months.
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Post by bluesbruce on Oct 28, 2014 6:28:17 GMT -6
Nursedad,
You're welcome. Good luck on the soccer season! My son played in high school, and I enjoyed watching. Good memories!
Bruce
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Post by nursedad on Feb 19, 2015 6:34:56 GMT -6
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