Contemplation

After some online discussion and contemplation, I think I'll do the following for a year:

1) LEARN TO IMPROVISE

How??? Using the Charlie Christian book to get some foundation in the style I love. Using the IFR book to learn how to create music. Maybe some transcribing from recordings of improvisers (like Louis Armstrong!) Improvising over play alongs. PLAYING THE GUITAR.

2) CHORD MELODY

Keep using the Conti materials.

Here are a couple of pictures of my parents:

I've Got a Crush on You

Started working on my new chord melody tune, Gershwin's "I Got a Crush on You." Went over repertoire. 

In a question mode regarding what I should do about learning how to improvise. What learning material? Both Herb Ellis' book as well as Mickey Baker's books suggest that when completed, the student would be able to take solos. I've started the Herb Ellis book, but I don't know. Tempted to take lessons on the Jimmy Bruno school internet site.

Rock & Roll Gig

Played a rock and roll gig with the band tonight. It was only for about 45 minutes, but it was great fun! Friday will be a longer gig. I may miss some here, but tonight I sang Bebopalula, Spooky, Little Sister, and Bad Moon Rising. Lineup was me on guitar and vocals, drummer, bass player on vocals, and mandolin player on vocals. A really good time (as opposed to last night's rough practice with a different band I'm in).

Band Practice

Boring. 

Relaxing Practice Night

Started a new IFR exercise that is a little rough. Went over Assembly Line chord forms, repertoire, and added one one form to my knowledge of Herb Ellis shapes. Been listening to a lot of Rolling Stones, especially the albums Let it Bleed and Sticky Fingers.

Relaxed Practice Day

A good relaxed practice day by the fire. Worked on an "Improvise For Real" (IFR) exercise, Assembly Line chord forms, repertoire, and Ellis forms. 

Up to page 27 of the IFR book; decided that the next chord melody song to learn will be "All the Things You Are."

Improvise For Real / David Reed

Can't help but be intrigued by the David Reed book, "Improvise For Real." His philosophy of what music is and how it can be taught is inspiring. Will try to add his stuff yet again to my agenda of things to utilize in my learning. 

Good practice

A good, relaxed day of practice. Continue to learn Herb Ellis shapes, and went over repertoire. A friend/bandmate is challenging me to do more with rock and roll saying that is where I belong and I should use the talents more that I have in that genre. I won't give up rock and roll, but I like the challenge of more jazzy type of stuff. The big challenge to me is earning leads.

Gig Night

Got my new amp! It's a Roland Cube 60, and I like it. Doesn't sound good with my pedals, though. That's ok.

Played something of a housewarming party tonight with the band. Was fun! 

Must get back to some serious practicing.

Rock and Roll

A good rock and roll practice tonight with the band. Looks like we may be playing a party tomorrow night. The jazz stuff is not as easy for me but that's ok. Worked on the two forms for shape one in the Ellis book.

Yet Another New Plan (More Detailed)

1. CHORD MELODY: 

A) Go through my repertoire with the music in hand and try to associate chord shapes with chord quality.

B) Build repertoire paying attention to the association between chord shape and quality.

C) Consider going through the forms in the order as presented in "The Assembly Line."

D)  Slowly work on The Formula!

2. IMPROVISATION

A) Just continue to work on "The Herb Ellis Jazz Guitar Method: All the Shapes You Are."

Herb Ellis and the Cube

Worked on memorizing Herb Ellis' first shape. A family member picked up a Roland Cube 60 for me from Craigslist, so the amp search is over. My son played a little of the Boards of Canada for me.

Tomorrow is practice with the rock and roll band. Been listening a lot to the Rolling Stones lately. 

Joe Pass, Herb Ellis, and Robert Conti

Got my Joe Pass guitar worked on tonight. Below is a picture of it during the process. It sounds a lot better; buzz is gone, but down the fretboard if hit too hard there's a little buzziness on a note or so. I'll live with it, but if it gets in my nerves too much I'll take it to the shop.

Worked on repertoire, and it's time to pick a new song.

Started to memorize the foundation of the Herb Ellis song. Interesting in that using the Cycle of Fourths as presented by Conti can help in memorizing the foundation of the Ellis tune!

All the Shapes You Are

Started to sink my teeth into the Herb Ellis jazz guitar book: "All the Shapes you Are." Interesting, learning about the 

II-V7-I progression.

A friend is visiting tomorrow and he'll try to help me get rid of buzzing that my guitar makes when played unplugged.

New Plan (Kind of)

A friend will probably come over this week to help me with my newly acquired guitar (just got it today; an Epiphone Joe Pass Emperor). While it sounds beautiful amplified, the buzzing on it when it is not plugged in is annoying. 

Just a new plan:

1) Chord Melody. Using Conti's Assembly Line and The Formula!

2) Improvisation. I think I will be switching to Herb Ellis materials.

Happy New Guitar Day to Me

G u I t a r

Good practice tonight with the Gypsy band. Won't mind staying with them of we practice monthly or so. The other guitar player's ability to improvise is impressive. Excited about my new guitar to be picked up Sunday! Getting the Epiphone Joe Pass Emperor made in Korea.

Robert Conti / Joe Pass

Will be getting my Joe Pass guitar on Sunday. Reading The Formula! and I'm up to page six. 

Interesting Day

I no longer have my Epiphone Sheridon II as I sold it today. I hope to soon be getting an Epiphone Joe Pass Emperor. Starting to get into Conti's "The Formula!" reading it slowly and trying to digest the material. 

Assembly Line

Back on the Conti's "Assembly Line," trying to get into those forms. Did my repertoire as well as the C, F, G7, and Am forms. Soooo tempted to have my next chord melody repertoire song be "Satin Doll," so I could utilize Conti's "Ticket to Improv" solo with it! I'm liking the Joe Pass Epiphone guitar. Must try it!

Chord Melody

After yesterday's bit of frustration, I think I may be at a different place today. Spent the day in travel during which I reviewed some of Conti's Assembly Line stuff. 

• I think I'm going to focus on chord melody only. Maybe I'll put the lead stuff on hold for now. I don't have a lot if time to practice, and maybe it's good to just focus on learning one thing well (chord melody) rather than a bunch of new things that get to be too overwhelming for me. 

• So maybe I'll focus on just the Conti "Assembly Line" material as well as the Conti "The Formula" material. 

1) Will try to really internalize the Assembly Line stuff. Will continue to add more songs to my repertoire using it.

2) At this point, I can start learning the beginning material in the Formula.

• Not quite giving up on 50's and 60's rock & roll. That stuff is fun, and doesn't take a lot of effort. 

• Not quite giving up on learning leads, but will do so at a much more leisurely pace with it not being such a huge focus.

Note: I think what is key is learning to separate seemingly confusing chord names into just about five categories using Conti and Sudnow's ideas.

Rehearsal, and Rock & Roll

Had a band rehearsal tonight, and wasn't the best. I didn't like the way my guitar sounded (but it was being played through a friend's amp). My repertoire of my three chord melody songs was uninspiring. Didn't have fun playing them. 

What was really fun, believe it or not, was playing the Johnny Rivers version of "Memphis." Playing rock and roll is the most fun I have playing. So I wonder where that leaves me. 

I struggle with chord melodies. I struggle with lead playing. I struggle with jazz leads. One of my strengths is playing rhythm. But I shine on rock and roll. 

Peggy Sue. Memphis. Johnny B. Goode. All that stuff. So maybe I should just get a telecaster and do rock and roll and rockabilly.

Guitar back up for sale. Confused as to what musical road to take with my guitar.

Ending the Waste of Time

• No more wasting time looking for a new guitar. My Epiphone Sheridon II is wonderful. Played a bunch of guitars today, and none beat mine. My Sheridon is no longer for sale. 

• No more buying method books. The Charlie Christian Jazz Method, Robert Conti's Assembly Line Method, and the theory book is enough. These books are excellent, and instead of wasting time looking for other resources, it would be best to master the material presented in the stuff I already have.

• I think a painful but necessary part of learning the Conti Chord Melody ideas is to memorize chord names.

• Robert Conti's "The Formula" is in the wings. 

Poor Butterfly

Got a music instrument catalog today....so much cool stuff...

Worked on the usual stuff today. I think I'm going to drop the country Western swing book for now. Maybe I'll just use it as supplementary stuff when and if the mood strikes.

Working on the Charlie Christian "Poor Butterfly" solo, and although it's short, it's taking some time. Wanting to understand and internalize the Charlie Christian stuff as much as possible. What's challenging to me at this time with this stuff (in addition to learning the solos) is learning how he creatively utilizes chord shapes, and seemingly takes liberties with some notes outside the forms.

Trying to sell me Epiphone Sheraton II. I really like it, but it's a bit too heavy. I'm liking the Epiphone ES 339 Pro.

Goin' Thru the Motions

Just a typical practice session today. No need to detail the usual. Just added some to "Poor Butterfly."

Sunday Snow Waiting

Working on repertoire, working on, well working on the same stuff. My son, who has been more into alternative contemporary music is actually playing the White Album as I type this. Yes!

Looking to sell my Sheraton II, and I'm interested in the Epiphone ES 339. Waiting for snow that is supposed to come...

MOM & HER SISTER:

MY BROTHER, ME, & MOM (sometime in the 1960's):

Saturday

Working hard in getting that pentatonic scale in hand. Practiced using it for little riffs during Over the Rainbow, using the scale on its Ebmaj form. Interesting. Trying to get used to all of the shapes of the pentatonic scale; explored using it in some contexts.

Went over repertoire.  Looking forward to learning a new song after the March gig.

Learned shape #3 out of 60 in the Western Swing book.

Reviewing old Charlie Christian stuff. Started (again) the solo to "Poor Butterfly" in the Charlie Christian book.