Scales / Conti Cards

• Worked on the various configurations of the Major scale in Abersold's book 1. I may need to revisit them in the future, but for now I think I need to move on to the minor scale in Aebersold's book 1.

• Worked on memorizing my Conti chord melody forms, using my Flashcards. Getting there, using a personalized system I'm developing as I go along.

Your's Truely (Taken & Edited by Daughter)

Sick Day 2

• Yet another sick day. Went to see the doctor and was prescribed an antibiotic. Received Aebersold's second book in the mail.

• Worked on making flashcards to help help with ingraining chord melody material. 

• Went on piano for a minute or so. I'll just say it's probably a good idea I'm sticking with guitar if you get my drift.

Sick Day

Was sick today. So no exercise; did not play music either. Slept most of the day. But still looking forward to the new plan revealed in yesterday's post emphasizing Aebersold's and Conti's materials. Need to get my sunburst Epiphone fixed. I hope I feel better tomorrow. 

ROCK & ROLL

This is a lot of what Rock & Roll means to me:

http://youtu.be/ysW2RV0jU2U

GUITAR

• Rode the exercise bike for an hour. Trying to rebound from my excursion into the world of pizza and other calories last night.

• I think I'm over my brief re-entry to the piano that occurred yesterday :)

• I think it's best to devote myself to Aebersold improvisation materials for guitar. I'll get back to the guitar version of Book One, and I'm waiting for Book Two for guitar to arrive in the mail. 

• I would really like to build up my repertoire of chord melody songs that I had before (Conti's "Assembly Line" book), but I hate the memorization involved.

• Although I didn't finish the book, in my solos I can utilize what I learned from the Marc Silver book, as well as pentatonic patterns.

          •••••••• NEW PLAN •••••••

1. Aebersold stuff. Books 1 and waiting to see what Book 2 has to offer.

2.  I think I need to get back to Chord Melody on guitar using Robert Conti's "The Assembly Line" book. But rather than memorizing songs, I want to really internalize the various chords that he presents. Going to use flashcards to try to achieve that goal. Doing this to try to achieve what has been a longstanding and thus far elusive goal for me whether it be on piano or guitar: PLAYING SONGS ON THE FLY FROM A FAKE BOOK.....

Piano Friday

• Rode the bike for 1/2 hour and lifted weights. Unfortunately I had a lot of pizza.

• Started back on piano with frustration. It would be quite helpful to get rid of the ego. Started using the first Alan Swain book. I like his approach to incremental learning. Learned the first three chords, I'm up to page 5.

• This piano stuff just ain't fun. Considering bagging the piano and getting back into the guitar. I realize that this seems like I'm going back and forth without really giving the piano a chance. I just don't know if I want it that bad anymore. Especially I guess with some gains I've had with the guitar. I just do not see me focusing on both the guitar and the piano. I like focusing on one. 

The Two Measure Goal

• Feeling a little fear, uncertainty, and self-doubt getting back into the piano. What am I doing?? I won't be successful. Etc., etc., etc. But also paradoxically feel good about the change. Will have to be diligent in fighting back the inevitable oncoming frustration, and thinking that maybe there is a better method out there.

• Among other advice offered about practicing, Swain talks about learning a couple of measures at a time. Sounds good as a start. I can then build on that to add other goals to my practice after I start with the initial idea of two measure masterey. 

• My goal is not to improvise jazz piano leads. My goal is to make music at the piano playing songs.

• Feeling intimidated yet good about the change. 

• I think I got as far as I want with guitar at this point. I'll continue with my current bands, but I'm considering leaving the old time jazzy band.

MAJOR KEY CHANGE !

• Rode exercise bike for 1/2 hour.

• Tempted to dive into the Sudnow Piano again. It was fun, but I had difficulty keeping up with the memorization of songs as they accumulated. But the sounds accomplished by this method are great.

The Major Key Change

• A MAJOR CHANGE ANNOUNCEMENT!!

     Looks like I am being drawn back to the piano; thus I changed the name of this blog. Went through some options, and I am going to utilize Alan Swain's books.

     I may be much better on guitar than I am on piano, but I just can't help but be drawn to the sounds of the piano. Here we go !!!

      

Wednesday Alexander

• Rode exercise bike for 1/2 hour. Also lifted some weights.

• Worked on the first two arpeggios in the Alexander book. For some reason(s), I like this stuff.

Alexander Book

• Burned 371 calories on the exercise bike for 1/2 hour. Have been lifting weights a bit. Weight continues to drop. 

• Decided to use the book by Joseph Alexander: "Fundamental Changes in Jazz Guitar: An In-Depth Study of Major ii V I Soloing."

• Played one octave major scales from Aebersold book. I think it's time to move on to the next page in that book.

• I'm up to the top third of p. 8 in the Alexander book.

Monday Aebersold

• Burned 356 calories in exercise bike for 1/2 hour.

• Lost 34.4 pounds since Jan. 5. Lost 5.6 pounds since last week. At this point, since January 5th, I'm losing weight at a rate of about 3.44 pounds per week.

• Worked on page 5 of the first Aebersold book for guitar.

• Ordered Aebersold's new edition of book 2 for guitar

Yours truly before last night's St. Patrick's Day gig. (The tie didn't stay on at gig time).

Chill Sunday

• Rode exercise bike for an hour. 

• Kind of not extremely sure where my next move musically is. Was tempted to go back to Sudnow piano method. Will probably end up getting volume two of Aebersold's book, but the guitar edition.

Here's a couple pictures of yours truly as a kid:

• Decided to go to the basics. On page 5 of the Aebersold book 1 adapted for guitar. Will in fact order book 2 for guitar.