Bruce Dumes

Bruce Dumes
Bruce Dumes commented on: Trouble In Mind Acoustic Solo Dec 25, 2015

Hey Duke! Wow, I loved this lesson! So much great advice from beginning to end. And nice to hear your singing too! I especially love the discussion about how to shape the arrangement by the chord voicings, the use of 3 note chords and so forth. Can't wait to see how this develops into the electric version. Thanks again, Duke. It's hard for me to express in words how much your lessons have enriched my life, but I hope you can hear it in my playing. Best regards and happy holidays, Bruce

PS My personal feedback to myself from watching my video is: learn more turnarounds! ;-)  

 

Mike Caren
Mike Caren Dec 25, 2015

Man Bruce, I just love it when you sing --- and you nailed this one.  Thanks for the present.

Marty Perry
Marty Perry Dec 25, 2015

Nice job Bruce!

Bruce Dumes
Bruce Dumes Dec 25, 2015

Hey, thanks a lot, Mike! Good to know I have a fan. :-)  

And thanks Marty! I loved your version; you have a really nice facility and fluidity up and down the neck that I'm still working on.  

Bruce Dumes
Bruce Dumes commented on: Trouble In Mind Chord Form and Acoustic Version Dec 20, 2015

Hi Duke! So here's my take on this one. Playing it on the archtop helped get me in the mood. ;-) It's hard to nail down these slow tempos, but I'm doing my best and really trying to (as Sonic Junction teacher Guy Davis put it) commit to my thumb. That steady bass pulse really anchors down the groove, but it's hard! Feedback, as always, would be most welcome. Thanks for the inspriration, Duke! Best, Bruce

Duke Robillard
Duke Robillard Dec 30, 2015

 

Bruce, you are doing very well, especially if this is new to you. You definately have the basic vibe, it's just a matter of doing it more and also maybe learning a few more songs. Also Corey teaches this stuff well so it may be a good idea to check out some of his lessons seeing that is his focus. Duke 

Bruce Dumes
Bruce Dumes Jan 01, 2016

Thanks, Duke! I was more pleased with the next version with the solo & vocal. I definitely plan to work on more of Corey's lessons in future as time allows, though my primary interest is in the stuff you do. Thanks again for the feedback! Be well! Bruce 

Bruce Dumes
Bruce Dumes commented on: Blues Shuffle Left Hand Fundamentals Dec 12, 2015

Excellent lesson, very nicely presented! And lovely playing! :-) Looking forward to more, thanks much!

Davell Crawford
Davell Crawford Dec 12, 2015

Thanks Bruce! I am preparing some wonderful videos for you full of technics of the Blues, New Orleans Piano, R&B, Funk, grooving, etc. Hope you'll find your way on board!

Davie

Bruce Dumes
Bruce Dumes commented on: Glide On Solo - Lesson 3 Dec 05, 2015

Hey Duke! Wow, I love these licks. That kind of descending pattern thing is SO much easier on guitar than piano! ;-) And they sound so great on guitar. I had some trouble with muting my strings near the end, but I thought the slow down from double time feel to regular time feel sounded pretty good. Would love to get your feedback! Thanks for the great lesson and groovy licks! Bruce

Bruce Dumes
Bruce Dumes commented on: Glide On Solo - Lesson 2 Nov 30, 2015

I love how the automated page turning!  Really very nice. I wish you could turn it off, however, when going through the entire lesson. I wanted to reference the other page and it kept change it back, so I made a PDF for that part.

Great lesson, Duke! Very cool solo, and wonderful rhythmical ideas. Thanks so much for it!

Bruce

Bruce Dumes
Bruce Dumes commented on: Glide On Solo - Lesson 1 Nov 30, 2015

I would love to hear about the Epi 175 too. I've had a hankering for a 175 after all these Charlie Christian tunes, but the prices for Gibson 175s (and 335s, which is a guitar that I have always lusted for, and has always eluded me)  are insane. 

Bruce Dumes
Bruce Dumes commented on: Glide On Solo - Lesson 1 Nov 29, 2015

Very cool playing, Steve! One of the things I admire in your playing is your ability to keep a phrase fluid; not just legato, but the tone and volume match over the course of the phrase. I just don't have the technique to make that happen yet, but I'm working on it! Anyway -- great playing, Steve, I always look forward to hearing your stuff.

Bruce Dumes
Bruce Dumes commented on: Soldier's Joy Fiddle Tunes as Connect the Dots Nov 25, 2015

Hey Chris --

Thanks for being a stickler, that's why I asked! ;-) I'll work on that. I have observed as I've been working on it so far how much the physical aspect of picking affects this style of playing, so I understand that you aren't being arbitrary. I've found this piece is forcing me to rethink how I hold the pick. By the way, I was playing along yesterday with Doc Watson on his version of "Tennessee Stud" off "Will The Circle Be Unbroken" and wondered how you would compared Doc's flatpicking style with that of Tony Rice or Clarence White. It still amazes me just how clean Doc could play.

Anyway, thanks a lot for the detailed analysis! I will work on it! 

Best,

Bruce

Bruce Dumes
Bruce Dumes commented on: Soldier's Joy Fiddle Tunes as Connect the Dots Nov 24, 2015

Hey Chris -

So I'm still working on this and can't play it up to tempo yet, but just wanted to make sure I was getting the right feel. This style of picking is harder than it looks! ;-) Feedback would be most welcome. Thanks! Bruce

Bruce Dumes
Bruce Dumes commented on: Soldier's Joy Norman Blake Inspired Flatpicking Nov 22, 2015

Fascinating contrast between this and the previous fingerpicking version! And really great playing. Thanks for the really inspired lesson, Chris! 

Bruce Dumes
Bruce Dumes commented on: Glide On Solo - Lesson 1 Nov 21, 2015

By the way, Mike, having the rhythm notated as it is now saved me hours on this. I had a really hard time with the 4th bar, and without the notation, it would have been so much harder. So thanks again!

Bruce Dumes
Bruce Dumes commented on: Glide On Solo - Lesson 1 Nov 21, 2015

Hi Duke! I figure I'll try to improvise something on the final version, but I learn so much from learning your solos note for note! I love that last lick you do, where you slide down after the pull off. I can't get it quite as cleanly yet as I'd like, but it's coming along. You used a similar figure on your solo on "Skippy's Dream", on the recorded solo. Hearing it used in these two different ways really helps me think about how to integrate it into my own ideas.  Great lesson, thanks! Bruce

 

Bruce Dumes
Bruce Dumes commented on: Glide On Solo - Lesson 1 Nov 20, 2015

Fantastic, Mike. That looks great!

Bruce Dumes
Bruce Dumes commented on: Why Don't You Do Right Fills and Backing a Vocalist Nov 20, 2015

Thanks, Duke! And also Steve and Marty!

Bruce Dumes
Bruce Dumes commented on: Why Don't You Do Right Fills and Backing a Vocalist Nov 19, 2015

Hello Duke! As promised, here is a version with me on piano. I hope you'll pardon my self-indulgent tounge-in-cheek fantasy on the album cover design.:-) It ended up sounding surprisingly cohesive, I think. And the litte USB microphone did a pretty good job. You can hear my clock ticking at the beginning of the track.  Anyway -- I hope you like it! Best Regards, Bruce

Steve Lauder
Steve Lauder Nov 20, 2015

Hey Bruce thats really great, very nice.  

Marty Perry
Marty Perry Nov 20, 2015

Very cool!

Bruce Dumes
Bruce Dumes commented on: Glide On Head Nov 19, 2015

Hi Duke! I put in some extra practice on this one after seeing the fine work from Marty and Steve. I did notice that this melody begs to be played too fast, so I made myself do it with a metronome at your tempo. The timing of that descending lick is really interesting! I'm trying to stick as close as I can to your phrasing, because it's a bit tricky. I love this head, it keeps playing over and over again in my mind. Definitely a great tune to play on gigs! Thanks for it. And I dig the chapeau! ;-) Bruce

Bruce Dumes
Bruce Dumes commented on: Why Don't You Do Right Fills and Backing a Vocalist Nov 16, 2015

I'd be delighted to record a piano version for you, Duke! By the way, I played a wedding gig once for the daughter of the guy who was the drummer in Roomful of Blues in the early 70s. I don't recall his name, but I remember him being a great player and having this huge old powerful bass drum. I seem to remember that his "father/daughter" dance was to a Beatles ballad like "Let It Be" or "Long and Winding Road" or something, which seemed an odd choice. But folks pick funny songs. I once played a wedding gig where the first husband/wife dance was to Frank Sinatra's "The Lady is a Tramp". Go figure! ;-) 

Bruce Dumes
Bruce Dumes commented on: Why Don't You Do Right Fills and Backing a Vocalist Nov 16, 2015

Wow, that will be great, Duke! I've always loved your singing too.

Bruce Dumes
Bruce Dumes commented on: Why Don't You Do Right Fills and Backing a Vocalist Nov 16, 2015

Wow, thanks so much, Duke!  And my guitar thanks you as well. ;-) I was doing my best to work the dynamics to be sensitive to the vocal and it was really great to have this track to work with. I was trying to imagine myself in the position of laying down a track for recording, rather than just thinking of it as a practice song. I don't usually (i.e. never) roll back the tone as I did on this song, and it was really interesting to see how it affected the overall tone and feel of the guitar. Please pass along my thanks to Sunny and Brad! It was a really inspiring track. Please do more!!! ;-) Thanks again, Duke! 

Bruce Dumes
Bruce Dumes commented on: Why Don't You Do Right Fills and Backing a Vocalist Nov 15, 2015

Wow, thanks very much, Peter! Thanks also for noticing my guitar. ;-) It's a 1942 Epiphone Century. The tuners, bridge and pickguard are non-original, but it's a great guitar with a lot of vintage mojo and really fun to play. Thanks again for the kind words; they are very much appreciated!

 
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