Friday

Up to about Lesson 46 (Level 4 of 6) in the jazz guitar Improvisation course. Did not play any instruments today, but learned a bit about modal tunes.

In thinking about playing the piano, I looked through a jazz fakebook and was intimidated by it all.

Got somewhat interested in guitar when looking at an ebook teaching the guitar style of Charlie Christian.

May have a band gig in August or September. Definitely have a band gig in few weeks; playing a "Christmas in July" gig for some older folks. Band practice tomorrow.

Still not really fired up big time about anything specific in my current musical horizon except perhaps the Charlie Christian stuff. Chord melody guitar also may be an interest.

Break Time

No music making today. Getting bored with guitar. Thinking about the Sudnow Piano Method. Thinking about a piano book or two that I have already.  Thinking about a Gretsch acoustic guitar that looks good. Thinking about a music store near me that is closing. 

Just needing a break today. Up to the next level of lessons in my jazz guitar improvisation course, but not really in the mood to start them today. 

Gosh, I'm even thinking of that Gretsch and how it would be nice not only for jazz, but for gypsy jazz also. 

I really like atmospheric beautiful ballad piano music. 

I also like the gypsy swing stuff, and of course rock and roll. 

So yes, it's not only a break day, but also an all over the place day, thinking about where I am with my music.

Tune Up

Well here's my submission for my course assignment:

https://youtu.be/edHC_0ikA0w

I think I probably could have done better. Just a little constructive self feedback here. What I could have done differently:

1) Practiced more to get those guide tones more firmly ingrained.

2) The last chorus of the solo was just the same lick regurgitated three times with minor changes each time. I could have been more creative there.

3) Could have used chord tones more. 

It's a lot to keep in mind as I improvise. I struggled with this one. It took many tries before I was satisfied with this particular "take."

The piano is still calling me!

Jazz Vocabulary

I believe that one method of learning jazz guitar is by building up a vocabulary of licks. I am becoming quite a believer in 1) this method, when augmented by the 2) CAGED positions and 3) using guide tones. Learning now some vocabulary in the 2-5-1 progression has opened my eyes. 

May revisit Robert Conti "Ticket to Improv" book when finished with my current course, since he emphasizes jazz phrases rather than scales. 

Level 3 / Tune Up

I guess I'm getting the hang of this "Tune Up" song. It's helping to use guide tone notes in my own improvisations which use as a basis the licks learnied. Practice practice practice.

Level 3

Finding that learning the guide tones does help with improvising. Still struggling to put it all together, though. 2-5-1 progressions seem to be ok, but in still not really sure what to do in songs that either don't have 2-5-1's or have only a few. I might actually record me doing my assignment soon so I can move on. 

My friend cleaned up my guitar for me to toady and also changed its strings. Looks and plays nice. 

Level 3

Didn't practice a lot today. Listened to some video included in the course. Really want to try to get this stuff. I do think a key is learning licks and the guide tones. 

Level 3 / Happy Together

Spent tons of time practicing guitar today. 

Just got back from a wonderful concert (The Happy Together tour). Featured:

1) The guy who sang for the Archies

2) Members of The Box Tops

3) The two guys from The Turtles

4) A lead singer from Three Dog Night

5) The Association

6)  The Cowsills

Really enjoyed it. Had me thinking what am I doing trying to play jazz? This is such cool and beautiful music! Loved "The Rain the Park and Other Things," "Sugat Sugar," "The Letter," "Soul Deep," "Happy Together," "Joy to the World, "Never My Love." Beautiful stuff and rockin' stuff. The harmonies! The chord progressions! 

No worries. Will be back practicing jazz guitar tomorrow.

Level 3

Working hard but I'm not sure things are internalizing. Getting organized trying to get started to put in a good solid 5 days of practice according to the points covered in Level 3. There's a lot to learn and a lot to get in my brain!

Level 3

Just a bit of guitar practice today focusing mostly on what I practiced yesterday. Getting a little frustrated wondering if I can really keep all necessary things in mind when soloing as well as where I'm headed with this stuff in the long run. I hear the piano calling ... telling me to do a little of the Harrison "Intro to Jazz Piano" book daily.... But I will certainly not drop from the guitar course. I'm committed to working it through to the end (in August). There's just so much to learn in the course that there's no way to digest it all in the 10 weeks. Of course I'm taking notes so I can have the material ready for possible further study. 

Level 3

A monster of a guitar day. Practiced tons of stuff. Worked on two 2-5-1 licks, played them a bit to "Tune Up." Worked on the melody to it also. Learning important tones. A great day in the woodshed.

Level 3

Yep, we're getting challenging here with Level 3 of the course. Up to Lesson 19, and I'm feeling like we are getting into deeper stuff. Next song is the Miles Davis song "Tune Up," and I can't even remember the melody! Next song after that is John Coltrane's "Impressions," and I'm not even sure there IS a melody there! Worked on memorizing a 2-5-1 lick today.

New Books

 

Level 3

A good guitar day. Started level 3 (of 6) in the Jazz Guitar Improvisation course. Up to Lesson 18. Learning the importance of chord tones as well as certain notes in a 2-5-1 progression. Learned four levels of specificity: scale, chord, certain notes, certain note placements.

Musical Instruments

The duel is back on! Piano vs Guitar! But perhaps it's time for a compromise of sorts:

1) Continue to have as a priority completing the Jazz Guitar Improvisation course.

2) Work on my own with Mark Harrison's "Intro to Jazz Piano" book. Why not? I still like piano.

3) Continue to work on both guitar AND piano!

Father's Day

2012:

 

2013:

2015: 

 

2015

(My brother, my dad, and me):

 

 

Father's Day, 2017

 

Father's Day

A card given to me by my wonderful daughter hahahahahaha!!!!!!! 

 

Saturday

Level 3 of the Jazz Guitar Improvisation course is not yet released, but I passed the most recent assignment.

It was a good music day.

Worked on ingraining the stuff that I've learned in the course. Still get tempted a bit to play piano. Listened to more of the Beatles' box set of Sgt Pepper. Genius! Beautiful! So much beautiful magical music in there. The rock and roll of Sgt Pepper (the song), the chord changes in so many of the songs, the vocals, and Ringo's drum. 

The

Best

Album

Ever

Autumn Leaves !

 

Autumn Leaves

The post below is me mostly improvising over the chord changes to "Autumn Leaves."

End of Level 2

Well, to be technical, it's the end of Level 2 if my instructor gives me a pass for my assignment. After going wild trying to deal with technology to get a recording, I was finally able to post this:

https://youtu.be/V1K_GqDEufE

And that's it. My submission for the first assignment. I think it could have been better by utilizing:

1) Static Bb licks better

2) Less reliance on notes that run linear in a scale

3) More emphasis on the melody, especially since the backing track was so long

Overall, though, I'm pleased with it!

Assignment Eve

Continue to practice my solo for "Autumn Leaves." I plan on recording it tomorrow and submitting it tomorrow to my instructor via YouTube. Nervous about this; hoping my submission passes. I tend to really pay too much attention to others' opinions of my musical ventures, so the nervousness is not unexpected. I think I'm ready - kind of!

Improvisation

I don't want my improvisations to sound like mere random notes. I want my improvisations to be a melody but unlike the song's melody.

Traveled about 2.5 hours today (once to get there, once to return), to visit my dad, and I listened to a lot of Charlie Christian during the ride. Now his solos were the real deal. Melodic and bluesy. A nice mix. Similarly, I agree with Louis Armstrong in that music needs a melody.

Came home and practiced my improvisation as well as melody notes to "Autumn Leaves."  My ability to play the song's melody is actually improving. I'm stretching myself by playing my improvisation in three positions, and by playing the lower strings more. It's actually sounding good, and I'm pleased. My improvs are not always melodic and soulful, but at least they aren't sounding like random notes!

.

 

Level 2

Just another good day of practice. Trying to work on my improvising as well as the melody to "Autumn Leaves." I want my solos to be more than mere "notes."

Good rehearsal with the band today, also. Worked on an interesting trio of songs: "September," "Blackbird," and "There Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens."

.

 

Level 2

A good practice tonight. Learning the melody to Autumn Leaves is difficult for me; got the sheet music, and I'm trying to work it out. I can read music somewhat in the first position, but forget any other position. So to compensate, I'm trying to write out the note names to the first note in every two measures or so, and play the rest of the notes by ear. My improvisation is coming along ok. Some licks sound forced when I play them, though. Doing ok though! Getting ready for the first real challenge assignment of the course (Autumn Leaves). 

Level 2

Got to the point today where I almost didn't practice at all. However, I did end up doing some. Almost ready to do the in-depth Level 2 practice schedule. Learned the last lick. Waiting on some clarification on questions sent to the instructor via email, and then I should be ready to go. Also, I'm having  a bit of trouble with the melody of Autumn Leaves. 

Interesting how the jazz vocabulary is being talked about. Would be really cool after this course to learn some more jazz lines and morph them around in my improvising.  Be cool to really have Charlie Christian lines in my muscle memory!  He is my ultimate hero in the way he plays such melodic lines that swing with class.

Level 2

Challenging. Worked on a number of things tonight. Attenpted to learn the melody of Autumn Leaves by ear using a CAGED pattern. Worked on remembering Level 1 licks, and adapted them to Autumn Leaves. Also worked on a static Bb major lick. Have to learn one more static Bb major lick and then I'll be ready to tackle the Level 2 Practice Plan. 

Level 2

Decided to move up a level and it's a good idea. Learning the CAGED system, but surprise! I know the five shapes already! That's a really good thing, because instead of worrying about learning the shapes, I can focus on how to utilize them better. 

Up to Lesson 11.

Level 1 / Day 2

Went through the practice plan for Level 1 again today, and it's really coming along well. I feel a little of a pull to get to Level 2, because our assignment is due in a couple of weeks. Wish we had more time in between levels! 

Will try to perhaps start with Level 2 stuff soon, regarding watching videos, taking notes, and printing our stuff in order to get started as soon as possible. But I still want to work on Level 1 some more, as recommended.

Still liking this course, big time. 

Level 1 / Day 1

Well it's not actually the first time I practiced Level One, but it's the first day of me putting it all together. Practiced Level Ine stuff; need to do it some more days than will move to Level 2.

Band gig was a little dissappointing today; we sounded rusty. We'll bounce back. Hopefully we learned our lesson about the need to practice. 

Really enjoying the Jazz Improvisation course. Feels like the cobwebs of beginning something new are somewhat cleared up, and the groove is setting in.

Summertime

A good guitar day as I'm just about done with Lesson 1. Below is how I was sounding today paying "Summertime." I think it's ok! Still want to do some work on Lesson 1 before I move on. It's fun also to have a YouTube account. 

Tomorrow we'll be playing a benefit gig for a Church function. 

Level 1

Here I am on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/V4vaMSx8ywY

Level One

Almost done Lesson 8. Going pretty well today learning lines and how to play with them. I'm hoping that I'm up to date, as taking a course forces me to not take my time with the material!