Just an idea I wanted to share......

We all know that styles such as Blues, Rock and Jazz rely heavily on improvisation and the creative use of the concepts and materials you acquire through your practice.

 What I wanted to talk about here, is simply a way to start structuring your practice routing to include a system that turns the theoretical and musical concepts you arelearning, into musical lines that will become your personal style.

 Organization is key here. Start by getting a 3 ring binder or a notebook of staff or tab paper. My binder is divided into sections separated with tabs. I have a section for Blues licks, one for intervallic/ string skipping licks, one for bebop/jazz lines, for chicken pickin lines, on for minor chord lines......etc. Your folder will be unique because you'll have sections for the specific vocabulary and styles you want to improve upon. Also be sure to include a section for transcriptions of lines from your favorite players, or even complete solos. You might even have a section for lines to fit common forms and progressions such as I IV V, II V I , I VI II V lines...etc. 

  Once you have your folder formatted, the idea is to start setting aside part of your practice routine for a creative line writing session. I think it's a little bit like cooking ;o) For example....lately you've been practicing triad arpeggios, mixolydian mode, minor pentatonic and bending strings. Write a page of lines to fit a specific chord type, let's say "C9 chord lines". Using your "Ingredients" , you will easily make unique lines that only you play! Getting yourself to think this way will also help you understand what your favorite players are doing in their improvisation. Also, there's no better way to master a musical concept than to get it into a tangible line, lick or phrase you can begin to use which will also develop your ear!

 The more you base part of your practice on lines and knowing which harmonic applications they fit, the better you'll become at improvising and having fast, even subconscious recall of all the musical lines you've worked on.

 It's a fun way to build your personal style, I hope some SAMI members will incorporate this idea into their practice and keep us updated about their progress. Have fun! 

  

 

 

 

First off, Thank You to everyone for showing such an interest in reading what I had to write in my "A Minor Pentatonic" blog entry.  As of tonight (11-08-08) it has well over 1,000 hits.  The question now begs - why? It's not much of a read, so please, someone, help me understand what attracted so many folks to it.

Also, there is no counter on the audio files, so there is no idea how many "readers" were also "listeners."  And if the blog wasn't much to read, the attached audio files were even less to listen to (ouch!) - (although the "before" and "after" comparison using the sound processing was a bit worth the fun, wasn't it?)

But what really puzzles me is the complete lack of feedback.  Of the 1,116 hits so far, the one and only comment is from a SAMI staff member. It is a kind comment, and I am grateful, but when I plucked-up the courage to post some audio I had hoped for a few constructive pointers from some of you more talented and experienced players.  After all, that's the whole idea behind being able to upload audio in the first place, isn't it?  To get input from others on how to improve?

So, if there are any good sports who are willing to share some wisdom (other than suggesting I use my guitar for kindling after listening to my audio uploads, that is), I would be most grateful.  Besides, what fun is just peeking at someone else's blog compared to being able rip on their playing ability while hiding behind a screen name?

'till then,

kaldune

Hey everybody.  I wanted to touch upon something that I think is very important to development.  I play in many groups and there is usually an initial period where I need to learn their material and then often there are special occasions where many different songs are needed for a certain gig.  Looking at 50-60 new tunes can be a pretty daunting task but there is a way that you canmake this easier on yourself.  

     Learning any new song, let alone many new songs, can be made a lot easier if you take the time to listen to the songs away from your instrument.  This type of listening is actually a little different than listening for fun.  I pay attention to the tempo, when the chords change, any accents, dynamics, strumming patterns, licks, etc.   I can picture myself playing the guitar part(s).  Often times I have learned a new song on the way to the gig where it is to be played and then nailed it.  There are some songs that actually are that easy.  

     So, one way to get started with this method is to start listening to the music that you are going to learn a week before you start trying to play it.  If you are going to learn Sweet Home Alabama then you should sit down and listen to it in a different way than you ever have before.  Recognize the first lick of the tune, the main lick of the tune, the secondary lick, the 3 chords used for the song, the slightly altered selection of chords in that one spot in the 3rd verse, where the guitar solos are, when the chorus is sung twice instead of once, etc.  Get all of that memorized before you even sit down with the guitar.  Then, pick up your guitar, plug in the parts and you are good to go.  Burn a disc of the new song(s) that you have to learn.  Make a playlist on your ipod of what you are learning.  Get all of the parts mapped out in you mind.  Make leadsheets of the tunes.    

 If there are any questions about this please post comments to this post.  I would love to further help in learning methods for songs.   

 

All the best,

Jeremy Laursen 

I watch the lesson Larry did with the Romantics song,but the pdf file/tab was nowhere near what he was playing. The tab starts on the second fret area,but larry is in the 7th fret area. Am I that stupid that i'm not seeing something? Am i the only one who sees this? Please help!!!

I have always wanted a Les Paul guitar - a REAL Les Paul - a Gibson, not any other, only a Gibson.

Well, recently I was celebrating (or should I say suffering through) one of those "milestone" birthdays. You know, one of "The Big XO's" where your closest friends rent yard signs announcing to the world how old you are, send you cards telling you the number of candleson your cake are a fire hazard, and buy you presents like canes with rearview mirrors and slow moving vehicle signs.

Well, my wife was passing through Nashville, TN and stopped at the Gibson Showcase store, mostly on a lark, and when the salesguy asked if he could show her anything, she naturally asked for a Les Paul.  Now, that might not seem like such a big deal - of course Gibson would have Les Pauls in the shop - but what they never seem to have (and I've been to this shop two previous years in a row) are LEFT-HANDED, Gibson, Les Pauls.

As fate would have it - on this particular occasion, not only did the Gibson Showcase have an official Gibson Les Paul - they handed my wife a 1959 Reissue Gibson Les Paul from the Gibson Custom Shop - Left-Handed !  The guitar-gods had, finally, after 34 years, smiled upon me and placed within my grasp the holy-grail of all guitars (granted, it was a re-issue, not an original '59, but for a left-handed player that's closer than you ever dream of getting - AND it was a beautiful, hand-made, cherry-burst finish, from the Custom Shop [see photo in gallery]).

Most guys stumble across stuff like this and then begin the long and tedious process of trying to convince their wives of letting them have it - but in this case it was My Wife who called me - and all she said was, "Happy Birthday."

Is my wife a keeper - or what !

Hey guys.  I want to say a few words about using the site.  To really get the most out of the site you really have to use all of your available resources for learning.  They are:

Video Lessons

PDF Lessons

The Jambox

Live Teacher Chat

Email with a teacher

Posting and Answering Blogs

Posting and Answering on the Message Board

Casual playingaway from the site.  

 Learning guitar is just like riding a bike.  You do it enough until you find how to stay balanced.  Once you find how it works you just turn that into a habit and you never fall off.  Play the material along with the actual lessons but also begin to use the material you are learning on your own.  If you are learning 3 new chords you should first play along with the lesson, then try using the chords casually in your own playing.  Turn it into your own habit.

 Get involved in every outlet for instruction and play some music.  

And # 1 :

 HAVE FUN DOING IT!

 

Jeremy Laursen 

 

Hey guys.  Something I felt like mentioning.  Sometimes I get to where there is maybe 5 or 6 things that I want to learn at once.  When I have tried this in the past it may take a few weeks to really get this stuff to sink in.  If I take on 5 things in maybe an hour then I really never get a good amount of time with anything.   Lately I have been sticking to one thing andreally working on it.  I try and incorporate it into my normal playing as well as my practice just to make sure that I get practical use out of it.  So far it has taken less time to learn more things if I focus on one thing at a time.  If you are learning a few new chords then you may want to take just a few days to not work on anything else that is new.  After just a few days that one thing can start to become a habit and that is right where we want it.  It will begin to show up in your normal playing and you can begin to focus on something else.  Give this a shot and let me know what you thing.

 

Jeremy Laursen 

So when the guitar landed on my doorstep last December, I went through the same process I had already gone through twice: Play songs using the A, E, D, C and G open cords until I got bored, stumble through others using barre chords until I get frustrated, and attempt to follow various lesson sites somewhat randomly until the guitar ends up in a closet and I'm on to something else. I got theguitar in December, and by late January I had given up...again.

Then in March I came across a 'simple' music theory book at the library - short chapters and lots of illustrations - and checked it out on a whim. For me, it was nothing short of a revelation. Middle C was between the Bass and Treble cleff? Chords are composed of the 1st, 3rd and 5th degrees of any given scale? The minor scale is actually a different 'mode' that uses the major scale pattern beginning at a different location? It probaby sounds nuts, but I was fascinated. (And p*ssed at my 7th grade music teacher for never teaching me this stuff!) I'm analytical by nature, and I suddenly felt like I had the rosetta stone to this whole mysterious language of music and it all made sense.

And in understanding the basics of the 'language', I had this new sense that  the only thing that stood between me and being able to play all of the riffs in 'Sultans of Swing' was a boatload of practice. The guitar wasn't mysterious anymore. Or the piano. Or the oboe. Or the mountain dulcimer.

The guitar came out of the closet, and I've been playing daily since early April. Sometimes as much as 3 hours a day. I know why the chords are arranged the way they are. I can work out my own fingerings. I can transpose songs into different keys. I can work out scales. Incredible! (This probably sounds really lame, but I really was blown away!)

So now that I know the 'language', I've settled on working through the core lessons here to build a foundation. I'm taking each lesson slowly in 3-week increments, as it usually takes that long to build up the 'muscle memory' that makes movements second nature. I'm in no rush - it's not like I'm going to fulfill any rock star dreams at this age. If I can improvise a respectible blues solo by 60, I'll be happy.

For now, though, my goal is to get just good enough that I won't embarress myself 'test-driving' an upgrade for the Kay at the local guitar store.

(btw - Is there really that big a difference between the Squire and Kay that I've played and the more expensive stuff? Can I just swap out the pickups on the Kay to get the same effect?)

I turned 40 last year, and the most interesting gift I got was a second-hand Kay "Star*ter" stratocaster knock-off left on my doorstep by some friends. My wife and I were already in bed when they rang the doorbell and sped off, and she started laughing as soon as we heard it.

"Who was that?" I asked.

"Go look," she responded, with equalparts amusement and resignation.

I had been casually mentioning that I wanted to take up the guitar to various people over the last year, and one of the couples we hang out with took me seriously. "Put up or shut up," they were saying. And "happy birthday." (They had checked with my wife beforehand to make sure they wouldn't cause a divorce.)

For my long suffering wife, this potential hobby was joining a very crowded field: British cars, windsor chair building, woodworking, gardening, writing. I wasn't around as it was, and now I'd be abusing her with tortured chords and scales when I was. For better or worse, indeed.

It had been less than 4 years since I gave away my Squire strat (purchased on my 36th) after convincing myself I was hopeless. And 10 years since I'd sold my Applause shallow-bodied acoustic for the same reason. No doubt she already had the e-Bay ad prepared.

But something seems to be different this time. 8 months on and I'm still practicing nightly. And still encouraged. And enjoying it! I've been trying to learn to play an instrument since grade school - will this third time with the guitar be the charm? I'll keep you posted...

I saw Don's lesson on the A minor Pentatonic solo highlighted as the "Featured Lesson" on the Home Page and just had to take a look since the A-min Pentatonic scale was the first thing I ever picked-out by ear listening to Eric Clapton albums (yes, the vinyl ones) back when they were "first editions."

I also thought I'd try a little experiment with it - I thought I would record a solo part for it perfectly clean (ouch - it is downright painful to listen to - sorry mates) and then go back and add a bit of processing to the exact same track.

It is amazing what a little sound effects will do for the "listen-ability" of a solo. Listen to both tracks (if you can make it all the way through the clean version, that is) and keep in mind it is exactly the same lead part in both files. Truly remarkable what a bit of gain, a smidge of chorus, and a dash of EQ can do. I guess it's a lot like some new paint and wallpaper on an old house, sometimes, eh?

As always, your comments are welcome - that's what make's logging-on fun - seeing what everyone has to say and what new files they've uploaded.

'till then,

kaldune