Honey Pie II

• Burned 357 calories on exercise bike for 1/2 hour.

• Practiced with the Gypsy Jazz band tonight; we tried two new songs, one of which I sing: the Beatles' "Honey Pie." Also, went out on the limb and played an improvisation using some of Silver's stuff in the other new song: "Putting on the Ritz." Sounded ok!

• I think I got all five of Silver's patterns known.

Silver book

Burned 356 calories on the exercise bike for 1/2 hour.

I am back into the Silver book, full force. Went over the patterns today and experimented with them and their relationship with each other. One challenge for me is to integrate the patterns in the context of a song.

Silver Book

Burned 378 calories on exercise bike for 1/2 hour.

I think that tonight I will venture into an improvising method book that I used in the past. 

Restarted Marc Silver's "Contemporary Guitar Improvisation." Read the beginning material and went over first two patterns.

Shapes 1 and 2

I thought of maybe changing to a different method book that I tried in the past; tried it, and didn't like where it was going. Just have to learn to be patient with what I have been working on.

I continue to work on perfecting shapes 1 and 2 in the Ellis book. I still do not feel comfortable enough to move on to shape 3.

Burned 376 calories riding the exercise bike for 1/2 hour.

Shapes 1 and 2

Still trying to get Shapes 1 & 2 and their associated scales and arpeggios perfect before moving on to Shape 3. 

Road exercise bike for 1/2 hour, and burned 350 calories. Lost 24.6 pounds since January 5; that's an average of about 3.51 pounds lost per week since January 5.

Shapes 1 and 2

All day practiced the various ins and outs involved in Shapes 1 and 2 in the Ellis book. Also revisited the chord melody versions of "Over the Rainbow" (which we may end up doing at an upcoming gig), and "If I Fell." 

On the exercise bike for an hour today, I burned 757 calories. 

Snow Saturday

Snowy Day. Had to do some traveling. Bad diet day; no exercise. Did some guitar work on pattern 2 in the Ellis book.

Rehearsal Evening

A fairly good rehearsal night with the band for our St Patty's Day gig. Played some Irish songs.

Honey Pie

Here's a fun version of an old Beatles song that I recorded with my 13 year old daughter:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/wx5jbn2p6xh0jzw/h.m4a?dl=0

Up to p. 8 in the Ellis book.

Burned 373 calories riding the exercise bike for 1/2 hour.

Shape 2

On to p. 7 in the Ellis book and Shape 2. Got feedback from a guitar player on a forum that it's ok to not memorize the material on p. 6.  Back to having some success memorizing p. 7.

Burned 365 calories riding the exercise bike for 1/2 hour.

Shape 1

Burned 328 calories on the exercise bike this morning. Having some difficulty memorizing the exercises related to Shape 1 in the Ellis book. But I'm getting there. Any progress is good progress. 

Ellis Book

Will stick with the Ellis book. It has scales too. Still working on first pattern stuff. Burned 366 calories on the exercise bike in 1/2 hour.

Sunday

Burned 723 calories riding exercise bike for an hour. Didn't progress much in the Ellis book. Saw (actually saw it awhile ago but saw it again today) a YouTube video of a guy who seemed to stress target notes and scales. So yes I'm thinking of going back to the Arbersold book.

Rockability Sensibility

Its 5:05 AM and I keep repeating that line in my mind....."Rockability Sensibility,"!"Rockability Sensibility...." to an old rockabilly song that doesn't actually contain that lyric.....

Halloween, 1908

Saturday

A little bit of everything today. Helped my daughter with a school project, then did an hour on the exercise bike. Relaxed listening to Bob Dylan's new "Shadows in the Night" CD which is gorgeous. The guy is just something else...

Practiced the Ellis book in which I'm up to page 6.

A Fun Gig Night

Played mostly rhythm acoustic guitar with the gypsy band for a gig tonight. Sang "Moonglow." Was fun!

I just don't know how I can juggle being in both the gypsy band and the rock and roll band too.

NO MORE METHOD BOOKS

Title says it all. Playing gig tonight with the gypsy jazz band.

Herb Ellis book

Worked on Herb Ellis'"Swing Blues" book today. C scale, Shape 1, C arpeggio, C dominant arpeggio. I like it. I started the book before, but I'll be going through it in earnest now. Thus, I'll call today: "Day 1; Ellis Swing Blues."

Just Take It Slow

Slow progress is good progress. I will stick with the Ellis books. I repeat: I WILL STICK WITH THE ELLIS BOOKS. I'm in too much of a hurry. I WILL BUY NO MORE METHOD BOOKS.

Thinking aloud

Was listening to some of my past attempts at improvising. I'm thinking that utilizing a COMBINATION of methods might be a good idea to try... Maybe Silver's method, with some pentatonic stuff, add some of the songs melody...hmmmm. Also still not counting out the Ellis stuff.

Did some experimenting. I believe I will stick with the Ellis stuff, starting with his Blues book. 

Rode the exercise bike for 1/2 hour, but I'm not doing too great with diet.

Decision Time

• Decided to work out of the book: "The Herb Ellis Jazz Guitar Method: Swing Blues."

• Made a recording of me improving using pentatonic shapes, and it did not sound too bad. However, I think it had more of a "country sound" to it than jazz. 

Yesterday I did walk (in broken intervals) for about 1/2 hour total. My exercise today wasn't significant. Gotta get back

"on the ball," as I feel myself possibly slipping with regards to taking care of my health.

A Little Sunday Practice

Did not practice too much today but did get some things accomplished:

1) Organized the pentatonic scale and practiced it. 

2) Also, I think I'm finished with the major scale patterns in the Aebersold book and it's time to move on to the minor scale patterns. 

3) Jammed with me on guitar and my 17 year old son on drums. 

Did about an hour on the exercise bike today. 

Saturday

Slept in very late today but did 1 hour on the exercise bike.

Made a decision to skip the Elliott book and go back to the Aebersold book. The Elliott book seems fine, but I think the Aebersold book is more of what I am after.  Will be playing acoustic guitar at Mass tonight.

Rock & Roll / & Learning Jazz Improvisation

• Had a really great time practicing with the rock and roll band tonight. The highlight for me was doing the Beatles' "I Saw Her Standing There." I think we nailed it with the help of the drummer keeping rock rolling in a great way. Had a stab at doing "She Loves You;" was cool to even just try this classic. 

• I think I am actually going to utilize the Elliott jazz book. It's intimidating (to me), but I'm very very close to trying to commit myself to it. It seems like it might be "the way to go," and I like its layout. Started working on it.

• I continue to lose weight. Eating better, and did 1/2 hour on the exercise bike. 

Thursday

Was tempted to get back into the Charlie Christian book, but I think I really need to concentrate on one method. Went over the one octave major scales and two 2 octave major scales (Aebersold book).

Tried to play some of my chord melody repertoire with results that were not so spectacular. Not surprising, considering I haven't focused on them in awhile. That's ok. 

Tempted to dive into the deep end with Joe Elliott's "Introduction to Jazz Guitar Soloing." I think I may underestimate my abilities to learn.

Did my 1/2 hour on exercise bike. Today is my one month anniversary of trying to be more healthy, and the results are that I've lost almost 20 pounds.

Wednesday

.4 pounds to lose and I will have achieved losing 20 pounds since January 5. A bit dissappointing since it is hardly, if at all, visible. Did 1/2 on exercise bike and ate well today.

Went over one octave major scales in the Aebersold book that I think I just about conquered. On to page 6. Played around a little with some patterns from the Silver book.

With regard to improvisation, I think keys are to simply sound good, and not sound formulatic. Not giving up.

Tuesday

I recently did not follow diet as well as I would have liked. I shall forge ahead anyway! Did my 1/2 hour on exercise bike this morning.

Finished watching Aebersold's DVD about improvisation. Worked on the one octave major scales in the Aebersold book.

Back to scales

Did my 1/2 hour on exercise bike; lost 16.8 pounds since January 5th. Started working yet again on Aebersold's book 1 for guitar. Learning the major scale.

Super Bowl

The Super Bowl didn't finish the way I would have wanted it to, but it was a good game with an unbelievable last minute or so.

Practiced patterns today. Time to get serious with the Aebersold book.