Blue Love

Neglected to add to yesterday's post another tearjerker: the song "Love is Blue."

Music

     Music. I remember my first purchase of music. I loved the theme of "Batman" and I remember my mom getting it for me on a 45 when I was a kid. I wanted it, and I remember crying when they played it in the store thinking that them playing it meant I wasn't going to get it. But I got it. I remember my dad always loving the sounds of the big bands: Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey. Of course the family liked the Lawrence Welk show but I just didn't like that!

     I remember my dad's old albums: Herb Albert and the Tijuana Brass (The Lonely Bull). I remember "The Sound of Music" and my grandmother loving that. All the while, in the back ground, the Beatles were being played at my cousins' and by my brother. I remember "Jesus Christ Superstar," loving it, but hating Godspell. The Beatles.

     The Beatles. They were everything to me. I still remember playing "Sgt Pepper" in my bedroom and being floored. Now that music wasn't new to me; I heard it before. But playing that album in my bedroom was something I'll never forget.

     I think I was somehow influenced by my aunt noticing got her musically talented son gave his dad a 45 for Christmas. It was that funky song "Every Time I Move I Lose." My aunt noticed something about how it's always music between her husband and son. I somehow latched onto that.

     The Beatles. Sure, I liked Led Zeppelin, Bad Company (my first concert), and other stuff. Kind of. The Beatles were IT. My dad says he remembers me as a really young kid swaying in the back of our family car singing, "She loves you yea yea yea."

     My first album was a Christmas gift: Honky Chateau by Elton John. The first album I ever bought was Elton's 11-17-70. 

     My mom and dad influenced my tastes a lot. They didn't like "noise" and I am still drawn to melodic music as opposed to free jazz stuff. My mom liked funky sax music and I have such a weak spot for the that stuff. She liked funky stuff. So it's fair to say that my love of melody is very akin to Louis Armstrong stuff as opposed to be-bop (Coltrane).

     But the Beatles. The absolute best.

All their different phases. Psychedelia. White Album. I remember crying to the song "Piggies" on the White Album when I was a kid feeling bad for the little pigs!

     Speaking of crying and music, some music did and some still does, get the tears going. Organ music in Church. The song "Jesus Christ is Risen Today." That one made me cry, but even more when it became forever associated with my parents getting rid of our dog Tina during Easter time, 1972. "A Lover's Concerto." 

     I became more open to different music other than the Beatles when I gave  Peter Gabriel's "So" CD a listen. Got into some great stuff on his "Passion" CD. I used to play the first four songs or so on that CD over and over while reading "The Last Temptation of Christ." 

     Springsteen. Another revelation for me of good rock and roll. Brian Wilson and "Pet Sounds" as well as his "Smile" release. Like my cousin, I think I've always been a music person rather than lyrics person. Love the sounds!!! But that sure didn't stop me from getting into Dylan.

     Made some early recordings perhaps in my early teens that I really wish I still had access to. Some were just pieces of Beatles songs that I pieced together from their albums. But what I really wished I still had is a "Revolution 9" type of sound collages I made.

     Also I remember getting an album called The Best of Muddy Waters, or something like that and trying to figure out that stuff on guitar.

     Wrote a song in college trying to show a friend who loved Dylan that anyone can write a Dylan song. Yea right!

     Got a four track recorder with a friend in the mid 80's or so and wrote a ton of songs with and without him. 

     Took some guitar lessons from a great guy who taught me some good chords. Also took lessons from the legend Joe Sgro, but I am sorry to say I that I did not take those lessons as seriously as I should have.

     I remember a book called "Improvising Rock Guitar" that at least got me started doing some cool Chuck Berry stuff. Wished I was better at improv. Has always been a struggle. 

     Got into piano. Loved the sounds of the Sudnow Method. And now I'm back to the guitar.

     Really getting into the Robert Conti stuff. Music. 

     Music. Still in my life. It refuses to go away.

"The Assembly Line" DVD

Finished watching the DVD tonight. Now it's time to get back on the guitar.

Assembly Line DVD

Into about 1 hr 15 min of the DVD.

It's Friday

Had band practice. Went ok, but not quite my cup of tea. The picture below was taken by me, but it was daughter #2's idea.

Misty and Christianity

Work continues on "Misty." I just might make an experiment out of this one; take my time, take my time, TAKE MY TIME !!

Try to not rush it along / learn it in tempo / try to really pay attention to some chord forms. 

Within a week, I'd also like to get through the accompanying DVD to the "Assembly Line" book. 

Thinking about Christianity....Protestant vs. Catholic perspectives... I love how the Protestant perspective focuses on Jesus. Being raised Catholic, I sometimes feel us Catholics get lost in tangential issues and legalism. But why the Catholic Church seems is to be Christ's Real Church for me is based on the following:

1) The Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. It seems to me that Christians historically have emphasized this. It seems that Luther himself believed in the Real Presence!!!!

2) The Protestant emphasis on salvation based on faith alone seems in error. I like how the Catholics say the Bible shows that we are saved by faith as well as works in the auspices of that faith.

3) Seems to me that Christianity existed before the Bible.

4) Apostolic Succession

Someone I recently talked to made sense saying that perhaps the focus on the central meaning of the Gospel message is what is crucial. (So perhaps I'm focusing on too much tangential stuff in focusing on the Catholic vs Protestant debate and I should instead focus on my own relationship with Jesus). I though of this years ago, but it's very easy for me to get sidetracked in the denominational debate.

You Can Say That I'm ...

Continuing some work on Misty. Considering reading a booklet I downloaded on Kindle which apparently simplifies scale learning.

"Misty"

Decided to work on "Misty." Started working on it today. Still want to get around to watch the Assembly Line DVD.

Misty is sounding good; manipulating the chords a bit to hit notes that fall through the cracks of typical chord formations.

Holding Position

Trying to figure out exactly where to go from here. Learn more songs? Perfect the ones I know? Little of both? Learn some improv.? Play some blues?

Practiced the five main chord groups tonight. I really should review them often, as I had some issues with them tonight.

Want to sell that Ibanez !

My Hometown

Me and my son visited my dad in my hometown today. Got to visit an old high school friend who I haven't seen in about 33 years! 

I'm dealing with some self induced nonproductive criticism of my work I recorded yesterday; will try to knock that off!

Getting interested in the blues a bit again after seeing a John Lee Hooker album in a record shop today. My son is getting me to hear some of his music; some of it I like.

Below is a pic of three generations of the guys in my family.  Yours truly is in the center:

The Christmas Song

Here's how "The Christmas Song" sounded tonight:

https://app.box.com/s/9h89gjglyte930sqoi4b

Christmas in September

Completed figuring out "The Christmas Song" today.  Of course it still needs work, but it sounds pretty good!

Had a good Gypsy Jazz band practice tonight. Looks like I'll be singing "Moonglow." Playing no real improv. solos, I'll be on rhythm. 

No one seems too interested in buying my Ibanez! Wanna sell it, get an Epiphone acoustic that caught my eye for $150, and work on my effects for my electric set up.

Santa's on his Way

Did not practice yesterday. Continued work today on "The Christmas Song," and I'm about up to "...they know that Santa's on his way..." part.  Having a hard time selling my Ibanez. Gypsy Jazz band practice tomorrow.

Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire

Started working on "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)." Got up to these lines: "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Jack Frost nipping at your nose. Yuletide..."

Also reviewed the minor 7th chord forms.

Want to watch the DVD associated with the "Assembly Line" book. 

Danny Boy

Eventful day. I bought the Epiphone Sheraton pictured below. Also recorded a (very) rough version of "Danny Boy," and here's how it sounds:

https://app.box.com/s/fv2g263h295b4e1k3trk

A Good Day

1) Sold Gypsy Guitar. Though I don't feel fantastic about that, I do feel good about it. Gypsy Jazz is a very singular musical genre that I just don't see myself pouring into. 

2) Looks like I'll be buying what sounds like a beautiful Epiphone Sheraton ii tomorrow.

3) I am up to the last exercise in the "Assembly Line" book: learning the song "Danny Boy." This book just might be the single most powerfully helpful tool that has ever helped me learn a musical instrument.

Band Rehearsal

Fairly good band rehearsal tonight as I got to sing some Beatles. May be selling the Gypsy Jazz guitar tomorrow. Looking at getting possibly a different acoustic and/or another electric. Liking the Epiphone Sheridan IIs that I'm seeing on EBay. 

Lesson 23!

Up to Lesson 23 in the Assembly Line book. After I finish the last assignment, I need to watch the DVD.

Proud of what I learned, including: two major chord group forms, a dominant group form, two minor seventh chord groups, three movable diminished chords, five minor 7 flat five movable chords, and four movable augmented chords. 

I suspect that pretty soon its going to be a matter of putting all this stuff together with possibly some alternative chords in the back of the book in learning songs.

Then it'll be on to my next Conti purchase: "The Formula," which apparently teaches how to make more complex arrangements of songs!

A picture I took today of some approaching bad weather:

Augmented

Started Lesson 21; up to learning the augmented chord forms.

Photo posted by Julian Lennon on Facebook

65 and 21

Got my Fender Princeton 65 amp today, and I really like it. In my opinion, my Peavey sounded too muddy. The Princeton had those bright tones that I really like. Picture below.

I am also up to Lesson 21 of the Assembly Line book.

On a totally unrelated note, I hate that it is so much easier to go on Facebook or just about anything on this phone of mine than it is to read my Bible.

Minor 7 Flat 5

Started working on memorizing the -7b5 shapes. Three down, I think two to go. Getting them somewhat confused with the diminished forms. 

Looks like I'll be trading my Peavey amp for a smaller Fender amp plus cash.

I think I'm going to do something daring. While I continue to work on chord melody stuff, I think I'm going to work on "Mickey Baker's Jazz Guitar" book, but only on Part 2; the part that focuses on soloing.

Or maybe I'll just stick with chord melody!

Lesson 20

Up to Lesson 20 in the Assembly Line book. Getting there! This lesson will probably take some time to internalize. Learned in the book there are possibly more solutions to a chord/melody note combination, so that was relieving! 

OK

An ok musical day. Was good to hear from an old piano friend on a piano forum I used to frequent quite often. A good day of practice. Practiced with the old band plus an added singer in order to prepare for an upcoming surprise birthday gig.

Also practiced a bit on guitar. Went through the five forms. I think I got the forms down pretty well; however, trouble ensues when I switch them around to different places on the guitar neck. Perhaps I would benefit from practicing the forms in different locations.  Was interesting, too, figuring out a bit of "And I Love Her" using the Assembly Line forms. 

Wondering just what is going to happen with regards to the Syria issue. I'm at the point where I believe that we aren't getting the full story as to what is REALLY going on. Just like in the early 1960's we were led to believe that JFK did such a great job dealing with the Cuban missile crisis; it was only later, I believe, that it was revealed that sure, Russia agreed to remove the missiles, but the US had to agree to not invade Cuba. I just don't think we are hearing everything. So I vote that we do not intervene militarily. I vote that we use our brains to figure out other ways of dealing with the chemical warfare capabilities of other countries. I don't trust politics, and I trust politicians even less.

Really Good Practice Day

Just love this "Assembly Line" book by Robert Conti. Got a lot accomplished today in the book; I'm now up to Lesson 16. Continued to review my five chord forms. Can probably play just about any song now in this style, but the issue is that it will take awhile to work the song up. I wanted to play songs "on the fly" from fakebooks, but lets not get ahead of ourselves here! Enjoying it and that's what matters. 

The Forms!

Those forms are getting easier and easier! Just didn't have the energy to practice a new lesson today, but I played through the C, F, G7, Dm7, and Am7 forms. It would be great if even on days like this when my energy for practicing is low that I at least go through these forms to keep them burned more and more into my brain and hands.

Guitar in the Morning Sun

Honored !

Ok, so I'm working on Lesson 10 in the Assembly Line book. Took some time, but I thought I got it correct. I look up the solution, and it seemed like I didn't. I started looking for clarification about what I did wrong by going to a Conti site. Who comes on to answer my question but the man himself! In essence, he basically told me I was doing nothing wrong and that my solutions were ok. Onward to Lesson 11!

"comparison....need of approval and recognition..."

I originally quoted this in an older post, but I think I'll repost it here. It is as relevant to me now as it was then:

"The joy of the moment can be experienced at any stage of learning. We need only to recognize when we are guided away from ourselves by standards of performance based on comparison with others, or by the need of approval and recognition for accomplishment."
-Mildred Portney Chase, in: Just Being at the Piano

Labor Day, 2013

A good practice day. Time to move along in the Assembly Line book. Its time to move on from the C,F,G7, Dm7, and Am7 forms, as well as move on from the Diminished chord forms. A little scary to move on because it'll be new turf to be entered into, and that's certainly an opportunity to be frustrated! Will try to take it slow, and be persistent.

Dm7

Lost about 25.5 pounds since June 14th. Walking an hour a day on Saturdays and Sundays, and sometimes walking on other days. Trying to eat better, still.

Some brief, but productive practicing today. Added the Dm7 chord group to my repertoire. 

Difficult figuring out when I'm spending too long on a certain thing or to little time on something else. Just want to get thru the Am7 sequence tomorrow and get on with the Assembly Line book.