Hi Mike,

Is there any chance you could go back and put the older Duke lessons in the new video format? Those lessons are so good but it's just so much more user friendly using the new video format. It would be extremely appreciated!

Thanks,

Bill

Hi Bill,

Thanks for the thoughts.  I'm glad you like the new format.  I like it too!

To make sure I understand your perspective ... and we can build on it moving forward, what about the new format do you like?

Yes, we do want to migrate the older lessons to the new format ... and will.  But it may take some time and we want to continue to refine the new format before we migrate.  An example of a potential future improvement:  the ability to see the tab / chords in full screen mode.  I'm asking the above question to make sure we continue to improve it and don't make a change that move us backwards in some people's view.  While I'm at it ..

Any requests on how we structure the lessons to make them better?

Thanks!

Thanks for the response Mike.

What I like about the new format is the fullscreen effect of course. I also like the looping controls. What is really nice though is that you guys have added the positions of the parts to loop on the screen. That's great! You don't have to keep trying to find the positions. You've got it all done for easy access. Very helpful!

As far as tab goes, I like to see the chords but when I use tab I prefer to load it into Guitar Pro and watch it. That way I can really see the phrasing on the notes. Otherwise, I just watch Duke play it. Having the ability to download tab in Guitar Pro format would be nice.

I really like the structure of Dukes latest Blues in E. He goes through the parts and then puts them all together in the end in a progression. It's one thing to play the parts but making a good sounding progression out of it takes some learning. I struggle with that.

He also explains exactly what he's playing in the Blues in E much more than he did with the BluesARama 1 lesson. Although, the new video format would really help those older lessons.

It's all about the music though. I love this music and it's great to have a place to learn it from one of the great ones!

Thanks Mike!

Bill

Hi Mike,

I also wanted to mention that the future improvement you talk about above;having the ability to see the tab/chords in full screen mode would be another great enhancement.

Thanks,

Bill

I like the printable tabs in the "old" format, good for printing, making notes and put into a binder for reference.

Please bring this feature back

Mike

Hi Mike,

Thanks for your thoughts on this ... and also the detail about making notes and putting it in your binder for reference. I'm going to start a discussion on this in the coming weeks so we can all talk about it .. and also how this may relate to us building an iPad application (i.e. imagine if instead of having a binder, you can keep all of your music and notes in your iPad / iPhone).  I realize these are expensive now, but I expect the price to continue to drop and in a couple years, become as common as TVs and computers.

Mike

I would also like to be able to print the lesson.

I don't play while sitting in front of my computer.

So... I write the tabs out with pensil.

Great lesson! Thank you!

I agree with Mike that it's nice to be able to print out the lessons. For the newer lessons, I write out the tabs in pencil on tab paper for a handy reference. Which raises a touchy question: the swing lessons have tab that gives time indications--such as coming in on the 'and' of one or whether a group of notes is a triplet or a sixteenth and two eighths and so on: could the tab for Newer lessons give time indications, if only it is the grouping of notes with a bar???? It would sure help me, and I suspect others too.

On another front, as the number of lessons increases, might Duke add an indication of which lessons are aimed at beginners (-in a genre, such as swing) and which are more advanced?  Maybe just a "Beginner's Corner" with a list of lessons that cover the basics and a 'suggested' path through the material?

Finally, and this may be just because I'm getting older, but when the lessons are listed down the right hand side of the page, I find that text too faint. (If the laptop is in my lap, no problem, but if the laptop is on the desk and I'm in my guitar chair, well, I find myself wishing the font were darker so the titles would be easier to read.

Having a blast with the lessons! Glad I found this place and I plan to stick around.

Mark

Hi Mark .. thanks for the thoughts.  We are going to be releasing a new lesson page design in a couple weeks.  It will include a print button and also remove the lesson listing on the right so we can have wider tab and full chord charts (with even spacing).

For the time indications, updating the tab will be next on our list.  Our goal is to have the tab convey time (and potentially even the location of beats) ... but will likely not have bars.  We want to emphasize the audio as the ultimate source of truth and the tab as a back-up reference.  All the Artist also tend to play around / behind / ahead of the beat ... so I want to make sure that we have a notation the properly captures this ... yet is still minimalist / simple.

Yes .. we are going to redo how the lesson are listed and better group them.  This will be in the new design we will release in a couple months.

The text will be a little darker in the new design ... so I hope that helps your issue.  We have the text light to keep the visualy priority on the video and tab.

Great to have you a part of Sonic Junction and I appreciate you taking the time to share your experience.  It is VERY valuable.  Thank you.