Piano

First day of starting new piano course. Doing ok!

P I A N O

Still playing guitar. Bought a piano course today.

G u I t a r

Spent a controversial amount of time this weekend practicing guitar. Band practice this weekend went well; I get to sing Bruce Channel’s “Hey Baby.” Using a different strategy for soloing that uses:

1. Considering using some modes to the pentatonic shapes.

2. Instead of shifting shapes each time the chords of a song change, I found it easier to play (and sound better) by changing the pentatonic shapes less frequently.

3. Interesting playing a corresponding scale that is the minor (if the song calls for a major) or major (if the song calls for a minor) of the given chord. 

Oh yea …. and still may sign up for piano lessons (on-line). 🤷‍♀️ 

Blah

Made a recording of “All the Things You Are,” chord melody style and then added a solo. Listened back to it, and decided the solo just wasn’t what I wanted to sound like. So I deleted the solo. What was left, the chord melody, wasn’t so great, but it was ok.

Again, it’s just a reminder that I have to actually rehearse the solos … work on them … not at the point where I can solo on the fly. Difficult changing pentatonic patterns quickly within the constraints of the chords.

Had a little dental work. Yesterday I lost a filling from eating candy. And I’m still dealing with a loose top tooth. Long story short: got the filling work, but putting the front tooth repair on hold due to $.

Nice Saturday

Was up about 5:45 AM with the dogs. Picked up guitar than and practiced chord melody song. Back to sleep then went to band practice. Good practice there today. I’m singing that old great song “Hey Baby,” and also “Heartbreak Hotel.” Also did done work on the CCR song “Down on the Corner.” Spent some time after that working up the chord melody song: “All the Things You Are.” Almost done it. It’s taking some work!! Still haunted by a wish to play piano, but the side of me that hesitates is still winning.

Another

Another good practice day. Went over scales (a little), but spent more time relearning chord melody to “All the Things You Are.”

Good Practice

Good practice day. Not a lot of quantity time, but put some good time in. Back to my notes to relearn “All the Things You Are” chord melody style. Sounding good. Went over some scale stuff too. 

Blues

Played a little bluesy stuff, but not really a lot. A cool book arrived yesterday: “The Complete Book of Electric Blues Guitar,” by Dave Rubin. Read the first chapter on T-Bone Walker, and listening to him while I type this.

Guitar … piano

Practiced the five pentatonic scale patterns as well as the five pentatonic blues scale patterns. Also started learning a blues arpeggio for dominant major chords. 

Made a decision today to stop the piano lessons. Sounds maybe a little weird that although I like the sound of the piano, I hate practicing piano. I like practicing guitar, though. It probably makes sense to quit piano, when it’s looked from the perspective of what I’m best at (guitar). I’m more familiar with the guitar. So that explains some of the decision. 

I can always go back to piano if I want.

I’m enjoying the learning of guitar scales. However, I’m thinking that I should start playing them more in the context of songs.

Guitar / Piano / visit

Weekend over. Played more guitar today. Borrowing son’s Stratocaster and amp; he’s borrowing my soprano saxophone. Youngest daughter visited too. 

Did a little more piano stuff today 

Jesus Christ Superstar

Got up early Saturday morning with the dogs, then practiced guitar this morning until it was time for Church music practice with the Church band. Got home and practiced some more. Nice this weekend having youngest daughter, son, and son’s girlfriend over. Went to see Jesus Christ Superstar with son and son’s girlfriend. It was quite cool. Saw the guitarist and keyboard player, and that was interesting. 

Pentatonic Blues Scales

Keeping on working on them !!!!!

Pentatonic Blues Scales

Haven’t posted here in a little while, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been practicing! Continue to try to burn those pentatonic blues pattens into my hands. At this point I’m up to four out of five, but that doesn’t mean that I’ve mastered those four 🤓. 

I go back and forth still about whether I should continue with the piano.  

Regular

Regular day of practice. Still trying to burn in my mind shapes 2 and 3 of the Blues Pentatonic Scale. I got shape 1. Practiced piano too. First day of practicing piano using the new method. Playing C scale with both hands. Not looking forward to going to dentist tomorrow. Having teeth cleaned, and trouble with a false tooth. 

Blues

Trying to learn the blues scale on guitar; I am getting close to it; working on the first three patterns. Started the new piano course. I’m at the very beginner part of the program now.