Tomorrow

To try tomorrow:

Soloing over "What a Wonderful World" using the minor pentatonic scale for minor chords, and the major pentatonic scale (three intervals towards the tuning pegs up from where the minor pentatonic scale would be) for major chords. Stay tuned.

Agenda and Consolidation

CURRENT FOCUS:

1) The three repertoire songs. Will add to repertoire after a March gig.

2) The two major scales in the Western Swing Book.

3) Adding to my knowledge of the Western Swing Licks. Know two so far, one of which can be used prior to a chord change. The b7 note helps lead to a chord change. I'm working so far out of what looks like a major chord form with the root on the E string(s).

4) Learning scale tones:

A) Memorizing one line when the root is on the low E string, and extrapolating from that. 

B) Memorizing one line when the root is on the A string, and extrapolating from that.

5) Three Charlie Christian shapes: two of which for a minor chord, and one for a 7th chord. 

6) The Charlie Christian "Six Appeal" solo.

7) Learning the Charlie Christian "Poor Butterfly" solo with its forms.

8) Learning to recognize keys by looking at the measure which lists the shaps and flats.

9) Learning the chords associated with each key. What helps me in this is remembering the major scales on the piano, and utilizing the formula in the Western Swing book.

A Wee Bit Frustrated

So much to learn! So much to memorize: Charlie Christian leads, Charlie Christian chord forms, Western Swing Licks, Repertoire. Getting jumbled. Maybe there's an easier way to memorize scale tones on leads: using an older book that helps learn the fingerboard ("Guitar Fretboard Workbook" by Barrett Tagliarino). 

Addendum: After looking at that book, I decided that although it looks great, it's not where I'm at right now. I think that in order for me to better learn the relationships between scale degrees and chord forms, I'll try to make my own diagram.

Draggy Day

• Played Repertoire

• Played "Sax Appeal" solo. Reviewed its forms.

• Worked on Lick #2 in the Western book. Reviewed Lick #1. Reviewed the three major scale forms in the book.

• Started work on the "Poor Butterfly" solo. Worked on the major chord form. Why don't the forms seem to match to the solo?

• Still debating on memorizing scale numbers on the Charlie Christian forms. 

Wasn't really into practicing today.

The Day Braces are Off of Son !

Just a Bringing it All Together Day

Practiced songs, my first Western Swing Lick, and the "Six Appeal." Mostly spent time learning two scale forms as shown in the Western book. One more scale form to go until Lick #2. Also, will need to start working on the new Charlie Christian solo for the song "Poor Butterfly."

"If I Fell"

Got this to work. To hear how my version of the Beatles' "If I Fell" sounds, use the link below:

https://app.box.com/s/dauwt6buwhfxraqz6ide

Guitar, and THANK YOU Robert Conti

Guitar in hand throughout a lot of today. 

•Finally finished the "Six Appeal" solo, and on to the next one. Still needs some work, though, of course. 

•Went over repertoire. Might have a twenty minute gig in March playing chord melody stuff with my friend who will play ukalele and bass.

• Started the Western Swing book, and I'm on page 7. Learned one lick; only 59 to go! Learned a scale too.

Struggling with lead improvising. Wondering how all the pieces of the puzzle that I'm learning will fit into a cohesive whole while attempting to improvise over a song's changes. Wondering just how necessary it is to learn where the scale tones are (ex: the 3rd, 7th, etc.) of the forms I'm utilizing with the Charlie Christian stuff. 

Very satisfied with how the chord melody stuff is coming along, and again, a huge thank you to Robert Conti and his "Assembly Line" book for making this possible for me.

"If I Fell"

Finished working on "If I Fell" and it sounds really nice.

Just a Practice Day

• Went over repertoire

• Worked on the "Six Appeal" solo. I have  about two more measures to go until finished; worked on a particular challenging measure today

• Trying to get those Charlie Christian forms familiar

• Received a book today in the mail: "60 Hot Licks for Western Swing Guitar" and will see where that leads.

Today is makes one year that my mom passed. Hard to believe that it's been a year already. Felt numb and sad.

Here's a picture of my mom and the kids:

And here's a picture of my mom and my son when he was quite younger:

Love ya mom !

Good Practice Day

• Burning those Charlie Christian shapes into my hands, trying to take my time with 2/3 of the shapes in "Six Appeal," remembering the crucial chord tones. 

• Added some more measures to my knowledge of the "Six Appeal" solo; not too many left. 

• Worked on my repertoire as well as catching up to what I learned the other day of "If I Fell."

• Waiting for a book on Western Swing guitar leads to arrive in the mail.

Church Gig

A good gig tonight with the band for the Church. Played a variety of music. My pedal board actually worked well. 

Getting into Western Swing guitar leads. They remind me of the Charlie Christian melodic soulful style that speaks to me.

Snow Storm Day

Started working on, and practiced a lot of my new chosen tune: the Beatles' "If I Fell." Continue to work on the Charlie Christian stuff. Went over my repertoire.

Music is fun and beauty and I won't let what can be an emphasis on learning minutia get in the way.

THE BEATLES

Watched most of the 50th Anniversary Special of the Beatles performing on the Ed Sullivan show. So many great songs. The best band ever. Feel angry that Lennon could not be a part of it. At least George passed due to normal circumstances but John was taken away from us differently. 

Sgt. Pepper: the best album ever.

Minor Day

Just went over my two repertoire songs; attempting to add a little twist to the ending of Misty. Practiced a third Charlie Christian form a little. 

A Misty Day

• Completed figuring out "Misty" and here is how it sounded today:

https://app.box.com/s/qnqu1kwjkk23qolvj2v9

(Sorry if link can not be opened)

• Added some more to my knowledge of the Charlie Christian solo.

• Messed around a bit with the scale stuff recently learned; I think I'll probably get more out of playing patterns like the Charlie Christian ones.

• Well if course it's a Misty day. Fifty years ago today, the Beatles played their first Ed Sullivan show.

Theory Day

• Finished reading the "Building the Better Guitar Scale" book, and I liked it. Took notes, and now it will be a matter of practicing the major scales all over the guitar neck, all of the modes, and the minor scale the book talks about. Application, application, application. Need to get back on the guitar to actually put this stuff into practice. 

• "Pocket Music Theory" by Keith Wyatt and Carl Schroeder has also been helpful.

• Making a notebook of theory material.

• While this was "theory day," it will be important to not get bogged down too too much with this stuff, for me, anyway. Playing the guitar, actually USING this stuff, is what is most important.

Interesting (Part 2)

• Practiced Over the Rainbow

• Practiced Misty, and added some more to what I knew. I think it's ok to not to concentrate too much on knowing the Assembly Line chord forms in order; I think it's more important to play them in the context of songs.

• Worked on the Charlie Christian song "Six Appeal" adding some more to what I knew. I'm up to the second chord pattern, and that is taking some getting used to. 

• Experimented. Recorded some background chords to Misty and Over the Rainbow, and tried playing some improv using scales. It didn't sound too bad! Now thinking of including scales in my learning.

• Some time ago, I purchased on kindle the book: "Building the Better Guitar Scale" by Michael Pillitiere. I decided this book to my practice routine. Why? Well I have a great scale book, but it seems to me that learning all those scales up and down the guitar neck will quickly get frustrating. The Pillitiete book might be a way of simplifying scale learning. And taken in combination with the Charlie Christian book, I might be utilizing two great methods/learning materials in the effort to create solos that are self expressive. The lead style of Charlie Christian is just so appealing to me. To me, his leads are melodic, funky, and swing in such a way that is so appealing that I can't see giving up learning from that book. But by using the Pillitiere book, I can add another diminsion to the stuff I am learning from the Charlie Christian book.

Interesting Day

• Reviewed "Over the Rainbow"

• Added more to my learning of "Misty."

• In communication with my guitar playing high school buddy "Mick," he still emphasizes the use of scales in order to solo. Will be looking at my scale book tonight.

Snow Monday

Was sick recently and didn't pick up guitar. Got back to it a but today, and it was good. Working on "Misty."