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Post by wannaplayblues on Dec 28, 2014 2:07:15 GMT -6
As the year draws to a close and the family events come to an end (that's what I've been doing these past two weeks) I look back and am pleased with my efforts and growth in playing. It's also been a great year in that I found this place and a whole lot of new guitar-playing friends. You guys are AWESOME!!! Playing wise I'm working on another Clapton piece, his rendition of someone else's song. It's very rhythmic with a lot of syncopated 16th note strums (part of the reason I chose it - to really get my rhythm ability up a few levels). Don't want to spoil it until it's done and recorded ... so watch this space  I got a new guitar book for Christmas by a different author related to pentatonic patterns. I'll probably do some work on this in a bid to expand my pentatonic work to include rock phrases too. Finally, am looking to buy another amp in mid January - the Fender Champion 40. Although it's not valve based, it's had some *really* good reviews from both sides of the pond and supports two channels (clean and driven). I like the idea of a true clean channel to play with - mine have always been "turn the drive down to get clean" but always sound like there's some drive left there to my ears, never "true" clean. Hope to try the amp out in a couple of weeks. |
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Post by Phil on Dec 28, 2014 5:02:57 GMT -6
Wannaplay, good to see you back getting the weekly update thread started. Looking forward to hearing your Clapton tune. I got in 5 days of practice for a total of 7.5 hrs. However, 2 of those were spent recording and 1 just noodling around. My big accomplishment this week was getting "Blues a la Chord" recorded. It still needs quite a bit of polishing, but I'm happy I can play it even if it's half-assed. "Cheap Runs" is almost up to speed. I'm hoping to make it my final recording of 2014 even if it's sloppy. I'm also working on "Jumpin' Blues" and "Hide Away". "Hide Away" is proving to be a little harder than I thought it would be to play at full tempo (136 bpm). 2014 was a good year for me. I got back into playing in Sept. 2013, but I didn't make the commitment to focus on BYCU and work through all the studies in order until mid Feb 2014. I managed to complete BYCU by the end of August. I uploaded my very 1st recording on Jan 26 and listening to it now makes me cringe.  I think I made significant progress this year. The smartest thing I did this year was to start a practice log on Feb 20th. That has helped to keep me focused and to see what I have actually done and not what I think I remembered. I also started to use a timer a few months ago to time segments of my practice sessions. That has kept me from spending too much time on any one thing at the expense of something else. So, overall it has been a good year of learning to play. In a couple of days I'm going to start a thread on New Year's resolutions. So start thinking about what you want to accomplish in 2015.  I hope we are all still here in Dec 2015. Phil |
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Post by jack1982 on Dec 28, 2014 6:12:54 GMT -6
Good to see you back Wanna Play Blues! I had a rather lazy week of practice, 12 hours on guitar and not even 2 on bass. I was just taking it easy and enjoying the Christmas holiday. That's my story anyway  Got True Trem Blues posted. I dunno, I just don't enjoy listening to my recording of it. It's weird I can't really put my finger on it. Maybe I just practiced it for so long that I'm still at the point where all I can hear are my mistakes. I'll have to check it out in a month or so and see if it sounds better then. Worked on Funky Soul in the R&B book a fair bit. I'm pretty happy with the rhythm guitar part I've got recorded and the bass, well it's okay. I can play the lead at full tempo but I'm practicing it at 90% - 95% to work on the timing. It's all short, rhythmic phrases and if the timing isn't just right it loses its effect. Same with the fast descending run. But I'm happy with the progress I'm making, slow though it may be. Got started a little bit on Tremblin' Tremolo in More BYCU; seems like a fairly straightforward song. It's really fast but it doesn't look like I'll have to learn any new techniques like that pedal tone part in True Trem. Did some improvising over backing tracks and finally got one of my Christmas carol books on Dec. 26, so I've been having some fun playing through those. Got a bad case of GAS. Must...buy...something!!!  I wanted a Fender Mustang II amp but I'm too broke, though I could afford a Mustang I. But I want a II  Or maybe a really cheap ($100) acoustic guitar. EDIT: Oh damn, there's an open box mint condition Mustang II at Musician's Friend for $24 off. But I can't afford it. But I want it. But I can't afford it. But I want it...AAAAHHHHH!!! |
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Post by bluesbruce on Dec 28, 2014 8:20:36 GMT -6
This past week, I at least spent several hours thinking about playing my guitar... Been really busy with work, family, Christmas. Then just yesterday, when I thought I'd have some time, I spent the whole day doing several weeks of accumulated laundry, actually exercising for the first time in a few weeks, installing a new phone system in our house, and taking my wife to exchange all the gifts I got her for Christmas...
Bruce
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Post by Phil on Dec 28, 2014 8:31:55 GMT -6
This past week, I at least spent several hours thinking about playing my guitar... Been really busy with work, family, Christmas. Then just yesterday, when I thought I'd have some time, I spent the whole day doing several weeks of accumulated laundry, actually exercising for the first time in a few weeks, installing a new phone system in our house, and taking my wife to exchange all the gifts I got her for Christmas... Bruce You buy her gifts AND do the laundry? Are you trying to make the rest of us look bad? Good thing my wife is not on this forum. |
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Post by cunningr on Dec 28, 2014 13:47:30 GMT -6
Well I played so much this week I actually lost track, even with the holiday ruckus.
Progressing on more minor blues, still practicing the first part of cold shot I have the SRV rack going on pretty good but still needs lots of work.
Spent time learning intro to hey joe, and still working on memorizing the 5 major blues patterns.
I received new amp as noted in another post, which has changed my practing to using the amp instead of going into the computer, use go to loop track playin out to an external speaker. I also started playing standing up, I realized that standing up and sitting down playing isn't exactly the same.
Now I have some Christmas cash I received as a gift so I am looking to expand my pedal collection by adding a delay.
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Post by joachim on Dec 28, 2014 14:25:02 GMT -6
I finished BRYCU lesson 13 - but are otherwise working on the same songs, Hard Edge Blues and Glamour Girl, as well as spending a fair amount of time of exercises. Perhaps I am spreading abit thin at the moment, but I am getting better at the things I practice, just not very quickly.
And I started on BRYCU #14. Wow - that is a really cool tune. BRUCY just keeps surprising me...
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Post by blackcountrymick on Dec 28, 2014 17:27:56 GMT -6
This week all I have to report is that not much guitar was played so none of my ambitious aims were met so I will just carry forward to next week. It would be really great if I could get Chord on Bleu ready for recording by the end of the week though. I was totally impressed by Jack, Joachim and Phil getting such excellent recordings done over Christmas, so that puts you all further in front of me now . I have a good feeling there will be even more Ganapes graduates by this time next year, keep up the good work guys and lets keep pushing each other to keep progressing. All the best for the new year. |
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Post by Phil on Dec 29, 2014 5:54:22 GMT -6
I was totally impressed by Jack, Joachim and Phil getting such excellent recordings done over Christmas, so that puts you all further in front of me now . I have a good feeling there will be even more Ganapes graduates by this time next year, keep up the good work guys and lets keep pushing each other to keep progressing. All the best for the new year. Come on, Mick. The only reason I'm taking so long with "Cheap Runs" is to give you an opportunity to catch up. I hope that by this time next year we won't have lost any members and will have picked up some more. |
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Post by blackcountrymick on Dec 29, 2014 7:02:49 GMT -6
Phil, surprisingly enough I am progressing faster with Cheap Runs than I am with Drivin Blues, I started off last week using it as a speed developing exercise and last night I managed to get the whole of the lead part a notch faster than the slow tempo version so I now have the whole solo under my fingers, all I gotta do now is supercharge it . |
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Post by Phil on Dec 29, 2014 15:00:36 GMT -6
Phil, surprisingly enough I am progressing faster with Cheap Runs than I am with Drivin Blues, I started off last week using it as a speed developing exercise and last night I managed to get the whole of the lead part a notch faster than the slow tempo version so I now have the whole solo under my fingers, all I gotta do now is supercharge it . Thanks, Mick. I really needed to hear that. It's getting cold. I'm low on firewood and I keep looking at my guitar.  In all seriousness, "Drivin' Blues" was a bitch to play in a different way than "Cheap Runs," but I don't really know how to explain why. The problem I'm having with "Cheap Runs" is that I got it at slower speeds in a relatively short time. It's moving it from 90% to 100% full tempo that's giving me a problem. I think even Jack ended up recording it a little slower than full tempo. I'm sure he'll correct me if I'm wrong. Since the Dec. 18th I've only practiced it for about 15 minutes. I've been letting it simmer for a while. |
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Post by blackcountrymick on Dec 29, 2014 16:25:34 GMT -6
Phil, surprisingly enough I am progressing faster with Cheap Runs than I am with Drivin Blues, I started off last week using it as a speed developing exercise and last night I managed to get the whole of the lead part a notch faster than the slow tempo version so I now have the whole solo under my fingers, all I gotta do now is supercharge it . Thanks, Mick. I really needed to hear that. It's getting cold. I'm low on firewood and I keep looking at my guitar. In all seriousness, "Drivin' Blues" was a bitch to play in a different way than "Cheap Runs," but I don't really know how to explain why. The problem I'm having with "Cheap Runs" is that I got it at slower speeds in a relatively short time. It's moving it from 90% to 100% full tempo that's giving me a problem. I think even Jack ended up recording it a little slower than full tempo. I'm sure he'll correct me if I'm wrong. Since the Dec. 18th I've only practiced it for about 15 minutes. I've been letting it simmer for a while. No doubt I will experience similar problems, John has done an excellent job with MBYCU, each song is a challenge and is designed to be so, I'm going to need a lot of time and determination to make any real progress with this book. |
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Post by Phil on Dec 29, 2014 16:34:26 GMT -6
... John has done an excellent job with MBYCU, each song is a challenge and is designed to be so, I'm going to need a lot of time and determination to make any real progress with this book. Since starting MBYCU I've often thought that John Ganapes must have a cruel streak or at least a perverse sense of humor.  |
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Post by jack1982 on Dec 29, 2014 16:57:15 GMT -6
Phil, surprisingly enough I am progressing faster with Cheap Runs than I am with Drivin Blues, I started off last week using it as a speed developing exercise and last night I managed to get the whole of the lead part a notch faster than the slow tempo version so I now have the whole solo under my fingers, all I gotta do now is supercharge it . Thanks, Mick. I really needed to hear that. It's getting cold. I'm low on firewood and I keep looking at my guitar. In all seriousness, "Drivin' Blues" was a bitch to play in a different way than "Cheap Runs," but I don't really know how to explain why. The problem I'm having with "Cheap Runs" is that I got it at slower speeds in a relatively short time. It's moving it from 90% to 100% full tempo that's giving me a problem. I think even Jack ended up recording it a little slower than full tempo. I'm sure he'll correct me if I'm wrong. Since the Dec. 18th I've only practiced it for about 15 minutes. I've been letting it simmer for a while. Yeah I think I did it at 4 bpm slower than full tempo or something like that. I seem to remember getting teased about it quite a bit at the time |
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Post by Phil on Dec 29, 2014 17:42:39 GMT -6
Yeah I think I did it at 4 bpm slower than full tempo or something like that. I seem to remember getting teased about it quite a bit at the time Teased by the good folks on this forum? I'm shocked, shocked there's teasing is going on here. |
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Post by blackcountrymick on Dec 29, 2014 18:00:03 GMT -6
Yeah I think I did it at 4 bpm slower than full tempo or something like that. I seem to remember getting teased about it quite a bit at the time Teased by the good folks on this forum? I'm shocked, shocked there's teasing is going on here. SHOCKED?  I'll tell you all about shocked, I just tried to play along with Jack at 4BPM slower than full tempo, that's shocked or is it shocking? hummmmmmmmmm!!!! |
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Post by jack1982 on Dec 29, 2014 18:17:48 GMT -6
You guys should practice Cheap Runs until you can play it 10-20 bpm faster than full tempo, then you can slow down and play it "relaxed" at the regular speed. If you need any more helpful tips, I'll be here all week |
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Post by Phil on Dec 29, 2014 18:20:15 GMT -6
SHOCKED? I'll tell you all about shocked, I just tried to play along with Jack at 4BPM slower than full tempo, that's shocked or is it shocking? hummmmmmmmmm!!!! It's humbling, isn't it? I'm thinking that the tremolo study he recently posted is going to be another brick wall for me. Single string tremolo is even harder than chord strumming tremolo. However, if we keep at it we'll wake up one morning and be able to do it. At least that's what I keep telling myself.  |
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Post by Phil on Dec 29, 2014 18:26:40 GMT -6
You guys should practice Cheap Runs until you can play it 10-20 bpm faster than full tempo, then you can slow down and play it "relaxed" at the regular speed. If you need any more helpful tips, I'll be here all week Actually, I've been doing that since "Drivin' Blues." You make what is difficult for you even more difficult, and eventually what was once difficult becomes easy. At least that's the theory. I'm convinced that it does help and is helping me. I just need to develop more patience. |
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Post by jack1982 on Dec 30, 2014 6:06:23 GMT -6
I think I did that with Rockin' and Rollin' in BYCU but haven't done it since. I'm usually on the verge of losin' it at full tempo so anything beyond that would just be slop anyways lol. On Tremblin' Tremolo, well...when even John says "This comes by pretty fast..." you know you're in deep trouble |
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I think I made significant progress this year. 
I hope we are all still here in Dec 2015.
I wanted a Fender Mustang II amp but I'm too broke, though I could afford a Mustang I. But I want a II 
Or maybe a really cheap ($100) acoustic guitar. 
I'll tell you all about shocked, I just tried to play along with Jack at 4BPM slower than full tempo, that's shocked or is it shocking? hummmmmmmmmm!!!!