Saturday in the Park

Beautiful weather today. Took a walk in the park with my daughters and their friend, and one of my daughters took the pics below. 

Good day of guitar practice. Continue to work on "All the Things You Are." Worked also on the Lesson Two from the Alexander book. Things are going slowly, but slowly realizing that's ok.

Friday Duet

Got together with a friend; went over repertoire with him on bass. 

Also did a couple songs with him on ukelele and me on electric guitar. In my lead below I used some of the stuff I've been learning. It's the song "Moonglow."

Here it is:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/yy68z7oyqv8touv/Moonglow.m4a

Good Thursday Practice

Added some more arpeggio knowledge from the Alexander book / went over most of repertoire including the new stuff added recently / 

The Man:

Wednesday

Another good slow but sure practice day. Went over repertoire, and added a bit more to the new song, "All the Things You Are." Went over the two Alexander arpeggios, and was pleasantly surprised at the Fewell stuff that I'm retaining. 

I guess that all that stuff is true about practicing a little every day is better than not a lot of practice during the week

then using marathon Saturday practices.

I guess stuff about progress being at first quick, then leveling off, then being slower is true too. I can live with that.

Guitar Tuesday

Listened to some Chuck Berry this morning. Absolutely awesome. 

Decided to use both the Alexander book and the Fewell book. Learning this stuff slowly; makes sense to practice a couple of improv things slowly in contrast to just one. 

A good practice night. Slow progress is better than none. Played repertoire and the part of the new song. (Will have to soon add to what I know of the new one)!

Practiced arpeggios as learned in the Alexander book, and added a little to my learning from the Fewell book. 

Continue to experiment with adding some embellishment leads to "Over the Rainbow" using some things learned from the Fewell book. Sounding interesting!

I imagine what may be  challenge at this point for me in the Fewell book is not just learning the material superficially but INTERNALIZING it, and owning it: being able to play those extensions inside and outside and sideways and most importantly: MELODICALLY.

Monday

Ok, well getting a little frustrated. Why do this guitar stuff anyway? Especially at my age? Slow going. Went over repertoire as well as Em and A7 arpeggios from the Alexander book. Continue to review what I know on the new song. 

Guitar Sunday

- Went over repertoire, including review of what I know of the new song: "All the Things You Are." Working on p. 8 of the Alexander book.

- Must get back to eating better and exercising.

Guitar Saturday

Got together with a friend, and went over repertoire with him. Here's us on "Over the Rainbow." Me on guitar; him on bass:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/24grwasfyliih7j/RainbowBassMay2014.m4a

Worked a lot on learning 1/2 of "All the Things You Are."

As far as improv goes, decided to make a shift to the Alexander book. 

Just made a change to the name of this blog. Maybe now I'll get a million followers :)

Friday Practice

A good guitar day. Went over my repertoire and felt good about going back to work on "All the Things You Are." Added little experiments to it using Fewell's ideas. Continue to work on the Fewell book. Got a book on arpeggios in the mail today. Here's something I recorded a little while back:

https://app.box.com/s/035e04e66f7888916776

Guitar

Went over repertoire but not the new song. Got Aebersold Volume One for guitar.

Working on chapter 2 of the Fewell book.

TV is annoying.

Book

Just received a new book: "Introduction to Jazz Guitar Soloing" by Joe Elliott.

All The Things The Guitars Are

Kind of done chapter two of the Fewell book but by no means have I mastered the material yet up to this point in the book. Worked a little on it today; also working on organizing the material presented in chapter two.

Worked on repertoire today and began working on my sixth repertoire song: "All the Things You Are."

Philadelphia Flyers

Today is the 40th anniversary of the Broad Street Bullies winning their first Stanley Cup. Will never ever forget that.

Went over repertoire today. Continue to work hard on the Fewell book. Upcoming gig in June with a band.

Happy Birthday (to me)

Will probably add to this post throughout the day...

Saw the movie Godzilla last night, and I liked it. On tap today is seeing my daughter sing in chorus for an elderly home community, a steak or prime rib dinner, birthday cake, and lots of guitar practicing.

The day started with a rather beautiful morning in which my daughter sang in a chorus for an outdoor concert at an elderly home community. What was really cool was that there was a reading of names, and then people let go a bunch of butterflies. Rather nice!

Before that I opened my gifts (a nice shirt and a gift card). Came home from concert and napped....zzzzzz'd

Then went for my steak dinner, came home, practiced my repertoire and went over where I'm at in the Fewell book.

Tempted to get into Conti improvisational material. My guitar's buzzing can be quite annoying, but I'd hate to spend the money on a set up.

Not too sure what to get with my gift card.

Family sang 'Happy Birthday,' and had some cake. 

Went out for some water ice, came home, and learned some more from the Fewell book. 

A great birthday!

Holding Pattern

- Went over repertoire

- Ordered the first volume in the Jamie Aebersold series, but the guitar version

- Worked on my triad stuff in the Fewell book.

- Went to a middle school choral concert tonight; highlights for me included a Queen medley and a nice version of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough."

- Would really like an Epiphone Dot

Major and Minor Triads with Melodic Extensions

Almost done learning my minor and major triads with melodic extensions from the Fewell book. 

Interesting and frustrating going over repertoire today. A reminder of how much these songs need to be practiced daily. Missed a day of practice, and it accordingly sounded that way.

Watched some Marilyn Manson stuff today. While I respect him, it was refreshing to then watch some Springsteen stuff.

Garrison Fewell

I'd like to give a shout out of thanks to Garrison Fewell, the author of the improv book that I am using. He has been kind of enough to answer my questions with humor, and his input is much appreciated. I'm coming along ok with the book, too. Seemed that the guitar didn't want to be put down easily today. Up to page 16 of the Fewell book, and went over repertoire.

Happy Mothers' Day, Mom!

Back to Business

Practiced repertoire, and up to p. 15 of the Fewell book. Played acoustic guitar and sang some back up in Church tonight.

Deciding to not put so much emphasis on what others may think of my music and deciding to tell myself to stop being so judgmental of my music. 

I like my music. If you dig it, great. If not, move on!

Patience is needed, though, with my development. 

“Music takes us out of the actual and whispers to us dim secrets that startle our wonder as to who we are, and for what, whence, and whereto.”

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Not a Great One

Didn't feel too good today about my chord melody skills. I guess it's going to be a long time until I'm at a good comfort level. Need to learn to not be so concerned about what others might think of my music. Was almost tempted to give up jazz and stick to rock and roll but realized I'm not too fantastic at that either. So you see it hasn't been such a great jazz day for me.

Played repertoire. Also had fun with the rock and roll band tonight adding some songs to our band repertoire. Doing a lot of singing in this band. 

Will probably get some new method books and/or CDs of early rockabilly soon.

The Way You Look Tonight

Here's how it's sounding tonight:

http://soundcloud.com/guitarjazz/thewayyoulooktonight/s-xr5s3

Tuesday's Practice

Went over repertoire / finished learning "The Way You Look Tonight," but it's not quite where I want it yet to record it. Got some GarageBand stuff ready for it, though (a drum beat, and a little soundbite thing at the beginning). Continue to work on p. 13 of the Fewell book. Interesting just experimenting with one form of the major scale.

Another Good Day

Went over repertoire / added more to the new song / added more to p. 13 of the Fewell book. Garrison Fewell was kind enough to get back to me when I emailed him a question. Thank you! Pretty cool, still, encorporating a Fewell line in the place of a chord in "Over the Rainbow." Played around a bit with one form of the major scale.

A Good Guitar Day

Actually, a really good guitar day. Went through my repertoire, and took my time with "The Way You Look Tonight." Still got a bit more to learn of it, but that's ok.

Hung with the Fewell book today, too, learning p. 13 and taking my time with that book also. Read some interesting stuff in that book, too, as I started going over the beginning of the book again. Tempted to learn some scales. 

Melody

Had a nice practice last night with our other guitarist/vocalist/mandolin player. A great player and a great friend. Went over some rock and roll tunes. His forte is leads while mine is rhythm. Gave him some jazz chords to work on while I picked his brain to learn soloing. Although he uses patterns, I believe that he is mostly a player who relies on playing his instrument a lot and his ear to come up with his leads. While I can probably play or at least fake my way through lead playing of 50's and 60's rock and roll, when it comes to playing leads over standards and slow songs, my skills are sorely lacking.

Was tempted last night to go yet another direction. Was tempted to just learn some patterns and practice playing solos over backing tracks using patterns and my ear. Probably not a completely bad idea. But then I changed my mind yet again.

Decided to go back to my original "Easter Challenge." (See my April 20, 2014 post). I think the Fewell book, while it will be challenging, will might be a really good source of helping me to play solos in a melodic way. I never really liked leads that sound like (to my ears, anyway) random notes. I am a sucker for a melody. 

On a side note, there is definitely something wrong with the rhythm side of the pickup selector on my guitar. For the second time since I've owned this guitar, this particular setting just stopped working last night. Now it's working again. I hate to shell out money to get these things fixed. Will hold off. 

Donating a guitar amp that needs work to charity tomorrow. It's for a place that helps kids with music. I may get a little cash, but it just end up being a donation. 

Alexander Book

Ok I think I'm trying to put too much on my plate (with regards to yesterday's post which suggests I should practice more material. I like the chord melody stuff and will stay with that. I think I will switch to using just the Alexander book for now, though, in terms of learning improv. It feels right; seems more at my level. Practice tonight is with the other guitarist in the rock and roll band.

Thinking Out Loud

Sometimes, ok, a lot of times, I think of changing method books. I try to stick to something, then I inevitably change. I have to be discerning because the time that I devote to practicing is so limited. 

Well maybe that's an issue right there. It might be possible to find more time, but I doubt it.

Been wondering today if the answer isn't to use just one method. (Currently using one method to learn chord melody and one method to learn improv). 

I know that I have found the right method to learn chord melody (the Conti materials). 

But perhaps I should use a number of methods simultaneously to learn improv and just do a little of each one daily. I like the Fewell book that I am currently using.

However, looking ahead in the Fewell book, there is A LOT to digest. Instead of just focusing on that (which would involve one bit of learning) maybe I can do a little of that book with a little of the Alexander book ("Fundamental Changes in Jazz Guitar") or something else to avoid burnout and increase variety and fun.