Yucky Guitar Day

Went through repertoire, ok. Tried to start lesson 2 in the Conti book and lesson 1 stuff started getting in the way. Patience is key. I need to really be patient. Decided to stop trying to learn a new chord melody song. Want to focus more on improvisation.

Good Guitar Day

• Went over repertoire

•Finished Lesson 1 in the Conti book but of course can benefit from going over it

•Started a new chord melody song to add to repertoire: "Moonglow."

Black Friday

A pretty good guitar today. Went over repertoire, and continue to work on lesson 1 in the Conti boom. Went over Christmas repertoire with a band member.

The Best. (Charlie Christian)

Thanksgiving 2014

Me and my dad:

It was great to see my Pihiladelphia Eagles totally dominate our rival Dallas Cowboys! 

Actually had time during the craziness of Thanksgiving day to go over repertoire and work on p. 13 of the Conti book.

I hope everyone reading this a very blessed Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving Eve

Travelled a number of hours away in the bad weather to do some visiting of a relative. At his place, watched The Godfather II. Spending the night here with no guitar, but continued to read the Conti book and take notes to help the first couple of concepts sink in. I think the concepts are indeed sinking in, and I have a guess where he is going to go in the rest of the book: a challenging yet ultimately rewarding place if I stay committed to it. 

Thanksgiving's Eve's Eve with "The Jazz Lines"

Expecting the first snow storm of the season to start late tonight. Played repertoire.

Started Conti's "The Jazz Lines" today, Lesson 1. I think this is going to be some hard work for me, but I'm hanging in there. Up to page 13.

My initial reaction to Conti's book: it's certainly not easy stuff for a guy on my level. It may be over my head, but I don't quite think so. It will definitely be a challenge, but I think if I am patient, expect some frustration, expect some confusion (about the parts over my head), but remain committed to this book, I might actually get somewhere when comes to the world of improvisation. I'll just have to understand that this is not easy stuff (for me, anyway), and I want easy than I should give up trying to learn how to improvise. Will hang in there!!

Robert Conti's "The Jazz Lines"

Received my new Conti material today. I'm up to Lesson 1! If this book is anything like his "The Assembly Line" book, then I am in for some great stuff!

Repertoire Yet Again

Played repertoire today; looking forward to getting Robert Conti's "The Jazz Lines" possibly in the mail tomorrow.

The Repertoire

Went through my repertoire and toying with the idea of adding to it.

Robert Conti Repertoire

Went over repertoire.

Christmas Music Practice

Practiced some Christmas stuff with some colleagues tonight. Had the opportunity to play some really nice background ballad chords to a wonderful singing accompaniment. The singer is just fantastic!

"The Jazz Lines" - Robert Conti

Ordered this Conti book today. Yea!

The Plan

Will go back to 100% Robert Conti. Feels great! Played my repertoire tonight and helped a friend get ready to join our musical get together for Christmas Eve Mass.

Robert Conti

Ok here's the plan. Back to learning from THE man, Robert Conti. I like chord melody songs, so guess what? I've decided to keep playing them and learning them the Robert Conti way.

Also, will be ordering his book "The Jazz Lines" to learn improv. 

Lost

Ok so I tried some scale stuff and . . . let's just say it wasn't that great. Just confused as to how to learn improvisation. There's the scale approach and there's the Robert Conti approach of just learning licks and their applications as well as how to use the licks in an individualistic way. There's pattern approaches too. I haven't had too much luck with any approach and my chord melody stuff takes up a lot of time. 

I don't know. I think maybe the Conti approach is winning in my mind at this time. 

Taking a Bow

Major Change Now To Be Implemented

I'm going to put chord melody stuff on hold (for now, at least).  

Going to put jazz learning books on hold (for now at least).

Going to simply use some pattern learning of pentatonic stuff that might help with soloing in blues and songs in major keys. 

We'll see how this goes. I think I have an idea how to use it; it might be a simple yet powerful method.

Sunday

Practiced the Johnny Cash version of "Children Go Where I Send Thee" with six other singers/players. Went ok. 

Worked on some jazz standard songs with some of the band after that and I made mistakes.

Went over repertoire. Working in the Aebersold book, on the minor scale section. Wondering if I should give up chord melody songs for a year and focus....just really focus.....on improv.

FSU football wins yesterday against Miami, but Philly Eagles get a lesson in humility today from the Packers. 

Good Music Day

Went over repertoire; just about done with the major scale forms in the Aebersold book; started the minor scale stuff. I like the way my ReverbNation stuff (http://rvrb.fm/1xaD9l9) is going. Big practice tomorrow with about 8 people involved in trying out the Johnny Cash version of "Children Go Where I Send Thee." The plan is to practice some jazz afterwards with some of those participants. 

Sore Throat

Some time ago I focused mostly on piano. Then I got back to my first i instrument (the guitar) at the influence of a current bandmate. Anyway, he came over tonight and we had a nice practice getting ready for some Christmas gigs. Man, I am so lame taking guitar leads. Oh yea, I have a sore throat, too.

Pushing it

Wasn't really in the mood to practice, but forged on. Went over repertoire, and I'm up to page 6 of the Aebersold book. Starting to get a little itch to start a new repertoire song.

Improvisation

Played repertoire.

Learning improvisation (to me, anyway) is difficult. Better get committed to be in it for the long haul if I expect to be able to do it in a way that is personally rewarding.  Went over some major scale stuff in the Aebersold book. Tried to improvise a little over some stuff with less than satisfying results. Must realize I am still early in the game and stay committed.

Just Another Guitar Tuesday

Practiced repertoire ... worked on major scale single octaves in the Aebersold book ... good about using the Aebersold book ... worked more on the song "Children Go Where I Send Thee" (Johnny Cash style) arranging it for the Church group (practicing it this Sunday with the Church band) to play it at Christmas Eve service.

Major Shift

Decided to use the book: Volume 1 "Jazz Guitar" by Jamie Aebersold; Adapted by Corey Christiansen in order to learn inprovisation. I want to improvise! Will be playing a number of gigs in December. 

I refuse to give up on this improvisation stuff. It just does not come natural to me but I am strongly drawn to learning it. The idea of doing it successfully in a song is just to cool.

Sunday Frustration

Went through my repertoire as well some Fewell melodic extentions. Very frustrated.

Saturday PreChristmas

IPlayed gig at Christmas Church get together. It was something of an indoor flea market, and we provided the music for it. My most fun part was singing the Springsteen version of "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" as well as the Chuck Berry version of "Run Rudolph Run." Played really in three different bands. The first was the rock and roll band, the second was the band with an added guitar player who has a great singing crooner voice. I played acoustic guitar and sang "Blue Christmas" in the third band which was the gypsy band. That was probably my last gig with the gypsy band. It's not very fun for me, and I'd rather devote my musical energies elsewhere. 

The gig was kind of fun, but Christmas songs can be kind of boring. The audience was pretty much not responsive, but we were there for background music and not the main attraction. 

Came home and collapsed for a nap. Did practice my guitar: my repertoire and Frwell melodic extensions. Might be getting close to trying improvising utilizing the things I've learned from the Fewell book.

Setting up

Tonight will be traveling to bring some gear to where we will be playing tomorrow's gig. Looking forward mostly to playing Springsteen's version of "Merry Christmas Baby." 

More Melodic Extensiions

If you are reading this and interested in hearing some of my original songs, check me out on ReverbNation. Once on that site, I can be found by searching for: The Shortwave Radio Band. Check the sight periodically because new songs will be added. Right now it only has two songs.

Looking forward to Saturday's gig at our Church social hall. 

Good practice day; went over repertoire and melodic extensions. Up to page 27 in the Fewell Improv book. Looking ahead in the book, it looks like inext in line is actually applying the learned melodic extensions in an improvisational exercise.

Nice Tuesday

Went over repertoire; went over melodic extensions; up to page 25 of the Fewell book of major melodic extensions. Good day of practice.

Sunday Plan

First, let's go over what I did musically today: went over repertoire, reviewed my melodic extensions in the circle of 5ths forwards and backwards, and started to get back into chapter 3 of the Fewell book. 

Made another plan to help me with this jazz learning stuff:

1) Will continue to utilize Garrison Fewell's "Jazz Improvisation for Guitar: A Melodic Approach." Generally up to chapter 3 currently.

2) Decided that maybe using another approach can add to my repertoire of what I can do with regards to improvisation. Decided to try to use Jamie Aebersold's Volume 1 Jazz Guitar, Adapted by Corey Christianson.

3) Thinking that maybe learning to read music may be helpful. I know how to read in the first position, but it might be quite helpful to learn to read in other positions. Utilizing "Music Reading for Guitar: The Complete Method" by David Oaks.

4) Will continue to use the concepts in Robert Conti's "The Assembly Line" if wanting to figure out a chord melody arrangement of a song.

Not sure if I can commit to all of that, but I'll try. The priorities will be the Fewell, Aebersold books, and my chord melody repertoire.

Of course, I will also stay in the rock & roll

band.

Philadelphia Eagles win today!

Trying to get better with my health stuff  but with results not entirely successful.

Guitar!

Back to the guitar! Yesterday's temptation to go back to piano instead has subsided, at least for now! Determined I will learn to improvise over jazz standards! Went over my repertoire today, and also played a set of melodic extensions utilizing the circle of fifths forwards and backwards. Played acoustic guitar also at Mass tonight.