charlie

charlie
Charlie commented on: Things About Coming My Way Melody Breakdown Apr 26, 2015

Great lesson Guy! Really love your approach to music and the way you teach it. 

My thumb is my weak link, so any tips there would be great.

Great having you here on SJ!

Guy Davis
Guy Davis Apr 29, 2015

Spend the entire day using only your right thumb. Duct tape your fingers together if you have to!

charlie
Charlie commented on: Driftin' Blues Solo Lesson 2 Apr 25, 2015

Thanks Duke - this Johnny Moore style is probably the coolest stuff on guitar! Always loved it but a combination of reverance and limited ability always kept playing it out of reach. I love how this (and all the lessons here on SJ) are opening up the guitar neck, getting me out of the blues box (not that there aren't a billion cool things in that box!!!) and using my little finger too.

Looking forward to the track coming - then I'll take a cut at a video...

charlie
Charlie commented on: Things About Coming My Way Chords & Performance Apr 18, 2015

Thanks Guy - great to have you here at Sonic Junction. Love this lesson and this song!

Guy Davis
Guy Davis Apr 24, 2015

Thanks for the compliment Charlie. Once you master your right hand thumb, there's no way part of Piedmont picking that's can hide from you. Guy Davis

charlie
Charlie commented on: Route 66 Chord Comping Apr 13, 2015

Thanks so much Duke. Sounds so cool, would love to get it in my arsenal!

charlie
Charlie commented on: Route 66 Chord Comping Apr 10, 2015

Anyone know how to play the sharp 11 chord being used at the end (just after the 11th minute)? Sounds so cool but I can't get it

charlie
Charlie commented on: Reconsider Baby Soloing Lesson 2 Mar 29, 2015

Ok, here's my cut. Don't know how close (if at all) I'm getting to Lowell's feel. Same as Bruce I'm going with the "don't worry about mistakes" approach - this is first take stuff. Sure if I practised I could 'fake' it more, but I want my playing to be genuine, so this is what came out.

I know tone could be better but I'm recording this with my 2 year old daughter asleep in the next room, so can't be too fussy! When I can be a bit looser I have been getting some great tones out of my 335 by following your advice - and my Fender Champ is crackling like an old record so I'm loving that!

Can't wait to see what you have lined up for us next week, so far you have a 100% hit rate on delivery pure class tunes!

ps love that Coleman Hawkins quote!

Bruce Dumes
Bruce Dumes Mar 29, 2015

Nice playing, Charlie! You have a really nice blues feel!

charlie
Charlie commented on: Reconsider Baby Intro Breakdown Mar 16, 2015

What a great lesson! You've really given me a whole new way of looking at a song I've known and loved for years. First heard and loved the Elvis version as a kid (which, as I'm sure you know, is a whole other thing to Lowell's), so was always keen to learn where he heard it. Must've been in my late teens when I first heard Lowell and it just blew me away. 

Thanks so much, not just for the playing itself, but the insight into the history/emotion and so on. Will have a video soon as I get a chance to make one.

charlie
Charlie commented on: Skippy's Dream Solo Lesson 1 Feb 28, 2015

Hey Peter - that down on the neck/up on the bridge is what I've been going for - gives you a stronger accent on the 2 and 4. Paul K talks about it a bit on 'The Song is Ended' lesson. 

 

charlie
Charlie commented on: Skippy's Dream Solo Lesson 1 Feb 21, 2015

I have a technique question - I notice sometimes you're using your little finger but mostly not. Is that concious or unconcious? As in is it deliberate or something that's evolved naturally with playing?

Most my playing I guess I'm using my first 3 fingers and thumb, but a lot of the major scale stuff feels more natural adding the little finger. Saying that I had a hard time getting the meoldy down line down until I dropped the little finger, and now it flows comfortably. I'm guessing the deal is to not over think it, but any pointers would be very welcome.

Cheers

charlie
Charlie commented on: Skippy's Dream Head Feb 16, 2015

Here's what I've got so far (LOVING this tune!) This is the style that I always loved but felt was always going to be beyond my (very limited) understanding. In other words jazz seemed unattainable to the likes of me no matter how much I loved Charlie Christian, Bill Jennings and all those guys. Thanks as always Duke for another great tune!

charlie
Charlie commented on: Skippy's Dream Chords & Performance Feb 07, 2015

Great tune! Looking forward to getting into this one. And thanks for the album tips - just ordered 'Jazz for playboys', but can't find anyone who'll ship 'Rhythm Willie' to UK. There's a great album called 'Opus in Swing' by Frank Wess that features both Kenny Burrell and Freddie Green.

charlie
Charlie commented on: Same Old Blues Solo Lesson 2 Jan 25, 2015

Thanks as always for another great lesson on another great tune. I have the Magic Sam version but wasn't familiar with the Little Milton one before now - so thanks for turning me on to that as well!

Here's my cut - I can see where I'm not letting some notes ring enough, and I still have a tendancy to play too many notes (i think it's a fear that if i leave a space i'll never get back again - I hope i'm starting to break that habit!!!)

Tony_D
Tony_D Jan 25, 2015

great job

charlie
Charlie commented on: Muddy Waters Basics Chicago Blues Riffs and Backing Track Dec 28, 2014

 Hi Duke and Brad (and everyone on SJ) - here's my cut. I have loved Muddy Waters for many many years now (first time I heard him was on the Folk Singer album someone gave me when I was 16 - also heard Buddy Guy for the first time too). Trouble I've always had when trying to play like him and his bands is a tendancy to over play -probably because I listened to a lot of Hendrix as a child! 

Here I've shadowed the main riff and then played lines/fills over the rest. I'm concious of some mistakes coming out of turnarounds into riff again - and I may be out of time on occasion (in my defense I'm next to useless with anything remotley techy, so I struggled to get the balance between backing track and my amp right and couldn't hear the track too well).

Happy new year to you - best thing about 2014 was finding SJ! As for future lessons I totally trust your taste - but if you're asking I'd love to try 'Johnnys Blues' (saw a video of you and Paul K doing it as a duo), or anything by Bill Jennings...

charlie
Charlie commented on: I'm Confessin' Performance Examples Dec 04, 2014

 Ok here's my 'warts and all' video. I'm LOVING playing this song - can't thank you enough for teaching us, just hope I'm not letting the team down! Got lots of licks that go out my head as soon as the camera rolls!

Kept it clean (Les Paul thru Fender Champ) but have had it sounding lovley adding tremelo effect. What's the effect you're using on your performances?

Looking forward to whatever's coming next on Sonic Junction!

charlie
Charlie commented on: I'm Confessin' Performance Examples Nov 29, 2014

Cheers - what a bonus to get two such great performances! Can I ask what effect you have going (lovely echo-y sound going on)? I'm close to sending a video - I know it doesn't have to be perfect, but I want to do this lesson justice!

charlie
Charlie commented on: I'm Confessin' Soloing Lesson 2 Nov 22, 2014

Thanks as always Duke - I'm getting so much from this particular tune. It's opening the guitar up for me in a whole new way, i'm starting to 'see' it if that makes senses (I've always played off shapes - got zero theory/education going). The backing tracks really helpful - I promise I'm going to try a video by the weeks end (will spend time everyday palying along until it's flowing)

ps wish i could be at your Iridium shows - saw Les himself there about 10 years ago now (incredible to think I got that chance - the man knew Charlie Christian!)

charlie
Charlie commented on: I'm Confessin' Final A Section Melody Nov 09, 2014

 Here's what I've got - some clunkers (you don't want to see the out-takes!) I'm feeling it but concious that I don't have it intellectually (I know zero about theory, always got by, but it's hard to bluff at this level). 

Thanks for another great lesso, and I'm totally with you on the melody thing - the players I love like Eddie Lang, Les Paul, and even Django played beautifully around the melody but never went so far that it was another tune!

Duke Robillard
Duke Robillard Nov 12, 2014

Hi Charlie, That's very good! I like your feel and it's a good idea to comp in between lines like you did there. Nice muting also on some lines too. That really gives it the Les Paul effect. Good work! Duke 

charlie
Charlie commented on: I'm Confessin' B Section Melody Nov 02, 2014

Nice job Steve! Quick question please for Duke (when you have a minute or two) about fingering for the Db sharp 11. I've been barring the 3rd fret with my first finger to get the F and G and then using my 2nd finger for the B and my 3rd for the Eb. I know it's not 'proper' but I know you often don't got the 'proper' way yourself and get a great sound/feel. Is there anything wrong with my doing it this way? I've been working on doing it proper but doesn't feel as natural (I know that will come)

Ps one day I'll be brave enough to upload some videos - I'm usually on here after my daughters fallen asleep by which time I'm in my PJ's - not sure the world's ready for that image!

charlie
Charlie commented on: I'm Confessin' B Section Melody Nov 01, 2014

And YES! It's be great if the world could be turned on to this music - be a start if more musicians knew it. I went to jam the other night (usually don't go to them because there's very little blues at the 'blues' jams in London). Kicked the band off with a T-Bone style slow blues in G - all sounding good until the other guitar player started blasting some kind of death metal over it!!! I swear science hasn't yet discovered the term to describe how little space existed between each note - even micro seconds doesn't come close! Sorry, rant over. But we need you to come over here and teach us Duke!!

Steve Lauder
Steve Lauder Nov 01, 2014

I agree Charlie

What ever happened to the creed "it ain't what you play, its what you don't play".

Cheers

Stev

Duke Robillard
Duke Robillard Nov 02, 2014

Well Charlie, I would love to come over there to gig and teach. Not much interest anymore though it seems. I think the speed metal guys are winning the battle! Duke

Jamie J
Jamie J Nov 02, 2014

The speed metal guys play with no soul. They just play the scales and modes they were taught continuously and really fast for 10 minutes - impressive for the first 5 seconds but then it just gets so boring!

charlie
Charlie commented on: I'm Confessin' B Section Melody Nov 01, 2014

Thanks for the lesson and the George Barnes tip .Went straight to Amazon and there are two compliations out later this month 'Gibson at work'. Saw he was the guitar player on some Big Bill Broonzy tracks I love. Once again thanks for keeping this so alive!!!

Duke Robillard
Duke Robillard Nov 01, 2014

Thanks Charlie! 

 
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