Hi Duke,
Do you think it's okay to work on multiple songs at a time or is it better to master one song then move on to the next?
Thanks,
Bill
Hi Bill, I think its fine to work on more than one song at a time as long as you don't do too many as to forget what you're working on. Duke
Duke I saw you on you tube and love your blues. I grew up listening to Jimmy Reed when I lived in St Louis I would love to learn some of his music. Baby what you want me to do.do you have a lesson for that song. I picked up the guitar several years ago but never put the time into learning untill the last few months now I am retired and have the time.
Duke
I think that I can copy ok, but this alone is not going to help be break out of my blues box.
I have been listening and have gained more appreciation for Grant Green, Bill Jennings, Billy Butler, and Charlie Christian and this style of music that I aspire to. But I am not able to improvise anywhere near that level yet. And while copying solos is not without merit, my hope is to internalize this style.
But, I feel i have to do more - perhaps study the notes available (of the scale) for the chord being played at any given time. Use these notes to build solos and emphasis the chord. I don't read but neither do/did a lot of the greats. I took about a dozen burkley lessons years ago - major scale only and have found it very useful, even for blues.
So, i will continue to listen, copy and play.
Any suggestions?
Cheers
Steve
I'm exactly where Steve's at.
I've just begun 'studying' a manual of Herb Ellis's on 'Rhythm' - am devoting 15 mins a day to the arpeggio's, scales and excercises. After years of looking for a shortcut I'm resigned to the fact that to get real good at this I need to practise ; )
Hi Steve and Charlie --- great discussion. From what I've read and learned over the years there are two primary ways people do this.
The first is the theory approach where people are playing the appropriate scale (or scales) through the changes based on chords being played at the time. There are certain chord tones people tend to use as target notes that give the solo a certain color --- i.e. I want to land on and emphasize the 9th on this chord. To give the solo more depth, a more advanced player will mix in melody notes and also play "over" the changes at times (blues pentatonic scale that works with all or most of the chords).
The second approach is what I like to think of as "scat singing through the instrument." In this case, the Artist has listened to and digested enough music in their genre where they can skat sing solos based on what they hear and feel in the tune (they know all of the music theory intuitively --- just like most humans can speak a language long before they can read it, write it or understand the grammar of it). The Artist has also built up the muscle memory where their fingers are linked to the tones / music / scat singing they hear in their mind (just like a 6 year old speaking). This is why Jerry doesn't let his students see any tab because he wants all of his students to first hear the music in their mind --- then develop the muscle memory to push it out the instrument. This is the way most, but not all, of the great blues, jazz, rock, folk musicians have built their brain (and yes, literally your brain is different if you learn this way).
My personal opinion is having both is ideal. Starting first with the "scat singing through the instrument" and then expanding, getting ideas via theory. Doing both at the same time also works.
One question --- if you put down the guitar and play a song or backing track --- can you skat sing / hum out improvised solos that you like?
I hope that helps.
Mike
Thanks Mike and Charlie
I picked up an ebook on this to build on my burkley theory and i think it is a step in the right direction. One thing i beleive is that playing the songs is very important and that's were SJ comes in.
Cheers
Steve
Thanks guys. I ditto Steve's comment about how useful SJ is in playing songs. I'm lucky that Duke (and Paul and Monster Mike) pick the exact right tunes I love - each has challenged me which is exactly what I need. And the peer support like this is great : )
I feel the same way, Charlie, that each tune challenges me in exactly the right way, as if Duke et al had picked the tune out especially for me! I think Duke has a way of speaking to the camera that feels very immediate and warm; I feel as if he is really speaking to me personally, and that's reinforced by the personal feedback. It's one of the things that makes the lessons here at SJ so special.
I have a very rich background in theory (piano lessons since 5, Berklee class of '78, played jazz/blues/whatever gigs for decades on piano), and sometimes I'm tempted to respond to one of my peers here when they ask questions relating to theory. But on guitar, I'm just another student and not nearly as good or experienced as most of you, so I don't want to come off like Mr. Smarty Pants about it.
But I'm happy to share what I know if it helps anyone. I think the theory knowledge is a great benefit, and I don't think it has to detract from your playing at all. It can give you a real safety net when you are playing unfamiliar songs, for example. I used to work for a guy named Sleepy La Beef, who is a great Rockabilly guy. He plays loud, fast, never stops between songs, never tells you the key, and you'd better keep up or else. So I learned that he generally only played in a few keys, so I'd always choose notes/chords that would work with any of those keys until I figured out what song he was playing and what key he was playing in. He used to play through two twin reverbs wired together. The first night I played with him I made the mistake of setting up near his amps. I couldn't hear out of my left ear for days.
For me, being able to read is like being able to take notes (no pun intended), until I can get something all in my head, or a way of refreshing my memory easily. Or being able to get the sense for some music for which there is not audio alternative. It certainly doesn't limit me or control me, being able to read music. I used to teach piano and they'd always give me the little kids because the other teachers scared them. I remember getting this 6 year old boy who asked me if reading music was very hard. I said, "Can you count to four?" He nodded. I said, "Do you know the alphabet up to G?" He said, "Of course!" and I said, "Ok, that's most of it. The other thing I used to do with kids is say, "Did you and your friends ever make up a secret code? Like maybe A = 1 and B = 2 or something like that? Well, we musicians have a secret code. If we draw these five lines, and make a black circle over the bottom one, that's an E!" And then I'd have them show me how to spell FACE using the secret code.
Really, learning to read music is so easy and can be very useful. Learning scales is harder, but even more useful. To be able to know instantly that G# is the major 6th in the key of B is incredibly helpful, and that's what the major scales can give you among many other things. Playing the scales correctly teacher your fingers where the notes are, so that when your brain decides this thing you are hearing would be a really good note to play now, your fingers A) already know where it is and B) maybe more importantly, they know how to get there.
Sorry, I've gone on much longer than I intended. :-) Short version: In my opinion, some music theory thrown into the mix of your studies in music may provide a real boost to your playing, and it's relatively little effort for what may make a real difference. Just my two cents.
Thanks Bruce
And yes a bit of theory doesn't hurt none. I start a jazz./blues ebook by Matt Warnock and so far it makes alot of sense. I'm finding i need to spend some time on scales.
Cheers
Steve
P.S. Look forward to hearing everyones open mike submissions this year.
I've been looking forward to open mike as well! Best of luck with the ebook!
Hi Duke I notice so far you dont use a pick...I do use one should I not use one? I do use also my middle finger as well with the pick. Is it neccessary to not use a pick...your opinion here would be great. I like the pick but for some of this stuff it may not sound quite right with the pick not sure.
I can answer that......play what you feel. Pick, no pick, or use your teeth. Its the blues,
Hi Scott, Actually I do use a pick most of the time.Sometimes for certain styles i use my fingers or a combination of fingers and pick. For the guitar Slim sound for example, I find it impossible to be happy with my sound for that style unless I use my fingers. Im a stickler for sound and tone so if I really want to nail someones tonal essence, I use what ever they use. it's not a necessary requirement, just a matter of my own personal taste and style. When I play like me, i use a pick unless its a country blues where i can pull it off with my fingers. if i could do it all without a pick I would.Duke
OK, Mr. Duke.t, an old acquaintance of Greg Picolo (yeah I know he caused a lot of issues) living here in New Orleans.....got to say your blues lessons are SPOT ON.
Not trying to cop note for note note but just get a feel by ear. By coincidence been working on BB King who loves that 6th chord spot on, almost a doo-wop style. You gave me some nice licks to work with.
