Guitar Saturday

A good day of guitar practice:

1) Went over the 5 CAGED patterns for the major scale.

2) Began again using the book, "The Charlie Christian Method," by Joe Dochtermann, and added some Charlie Christian ideas to my repertoire for soloing. Looks like I'll keep using this book; but rather than trying to master everything in it, I'll use it to get some chord shapes and licks.

3) Still playing my first Western Swing lick.

Wednesday

Up to 4/5 of the major scale patterns using the CAGED system. Trying to improvise a little, using the major scale, but I came on the idea of trying to hear the note first before I play it.

STRAWBERRY FIELDS FOREVER

Tuesday

Looks like I have 3/5 of the major scale shapes known. Using Joe Carr's "60 Hot Licks for Western Swing Guitar," and I'm integrating how to use the first lick with particular keys.

2

On the second of five CAGED patterns to play the major scales.

Major Scale Saturday

Good practice with the band today. Later, worked on the major scale in the first CAGED position. At this point, will work on the major scale just using the CAGED system, and perhaps a book I tried a while ago of guitar licks.

Thursday

Rode exercise bike for 1/2 hour.

Wednesday

Rode exercise bike for 1/2 hour. Back to practicing major and minor scales. Not quite ready to go to the dominant scale today.

Let's go Flyers!

Penny For Your Thoughts Tuesday

Rode exercise bike for about 35 minutes. Yesterday continued to work on guitar scales.

Recorded my version of the Peter Frampton song, "Penny For Your Thoughts." Here it is:

https://soundcloud.com/user-860420366/penny-for-your-thoughts-cover

Continue to work on my major and minor scales; today I added a dominant scale. 

Rode exercise bike for 1/2 hour.

Minor / Major

A good day on guitar concentrating mostly on the minor scale. One more group of minor fingerings to learn before moving on. A good day focusing on quality learning rather than quantity. Using the Aebersold book 1 adapted for guitar.

90

Continue to try learning my major scales around the fretboard. I think I got them somewhat in my hand. Time to move on tomorrow; may go back to the Aebersold material. Read some of his free material today. Celebrated my dad's 90th birthday today.

Scales

Continue to work on the major scale. Here's Pope Francis, circa 1966:

Scales

I think that learning scales all over the guitar neck may be a key to unlocking my elusive goal of improvising. Using "The Guitarist's Scale Book" by Peter Vogl to learn. Started on the major scale.

Jimmy Page

One of my all time (if not my #1) favorite guitarists of all time, here's Jimmy Page as a teen:

SG

Borrowing a friend's Gibson SG for the gig tonight. Beautiful:

Piano

Just played some of my three Sudnow songs on the piano tonight.

"Oh My Love"(John Lennon)

Here's my version of the John Lennon song "Oh My Love" that I recorded today: https://soundcloud.com/user-860420366/oh-my-love-cover

Villanova!!!!!

I graduated from Villanova University in 1986 with my Masters Degree, so I was at the campus celebrating their 1985 basketball championship.

Congratulations to them for winning it all again in 2016 !!!

Sunday / Conti

Continued work on Robert Conti's "Ticket to Improv" version of "Satin Doll." Played some of it in band practice yesterday, and our other guitarist immediately knew something good was going on. 

Here's Zoey and my guitar:  

Satin Doll

Started working (again) on Robert Conti's "Ticket to Improv" guitar solo for "Satin Doll." Started this awhile ago, and its interesting how my fingers still kind of remembered it.