EP379 : Great Blues ideas

[Geoff]

I was in the mood for a slow melodic lesson and this one seemed to fit the bill perfectly.

The thing about lessons like this is you have to put so much more into phrasing and getting the timing spot on – I had to spend a lot of time trying to get that right. It is not my goal to sound like Brian but I always try to emulate what he does as closely as I can because emulating someone better is how we get better in my opinion.

[San Luis Rey]

Nice work on both guitars Geoff! I really like your original version on the this one. That’s the first time I’ve seen the Guild in action and it sounds great.

Mike

[Geoff]

Thanks for listening San Luis. I use the Guild for a lot of my recordings – I really favor it’s fat mellow tone.

[Dieter]

Very soulful playing and great ideas.

Dieter

[Geoff]

Thanks Dieter

[charjo]

Nice playing, Geoff. I was going to say the Guild sounded beautiful but then I liked the familiar Squire sound as well.
John

[Geoff]

You know something John. That Squire is not a bad guitar at all for a cheapo. When I first started playing the electric guitar again at the beginning of the pandemic I picked up that Squire for less than 100 bucks with the idea, that if I got into it, I would replace it with a proper Fender Strat or something similar.

After playing it a few months I felt the pickups were too ‘Tinny’ for my taste and I replaced them with those black ‘Classic Vibe’ pickups that produce a mellower tone and I have been happy with this guitar ever since. There is no doubt that a US made Fender Strat is a better instrument and I have played my friends one. It certainly feels better and I love the fretboard on those but for, the difference in price, and for what I do, I am quite happy to stick with my faithful old Squire. I am sentimental about guitars and I don’t like to chuck them out.

[charjo]

That explains why the Squire had a nice strat sound.
John

[Ralph P.]

Very well done Geoff. You’re really getting a good feel for playing electric guitars. Both guitars sound great. You seem to have the same decision as I do…whether to play the Strat or the semi-hollow.

Your improvs. sounded very classy and fit the track very well. Gettin’ Smooth Geoff.

Ralph

Ralph P.

[Geoff]

Thanks Ralph. Like you, I don’t like to simply copy Brian’s lessons so I will always attempt to throw in my own stuff for better or for worse.

I couldn’t really decide which guitar I preferred with this one so I threw in both of them 🙂

[Byron]

Tasty stuff! Nice playing man! Gotta love the blues!!! 🙂

Byron

[Geoff]

Thanks Byron. I guess I kinda like it too 🙂

[Liam Innes]

Sounding great Geoff and what a fun idea to use 2 guitars.

I have to say I liked the Guild sound better.

Your improv read like “tell me you play classical guitar without actually telling me you play classical guitar”

You should take a look at Brian’s latest lesson if you haven’t already – it’s chock full of slow blues ideas that I think would make a fine showcase…

Liam.

“We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams. “

[Geoff]

Thanks Liam. Sometimes I cannot settle on which guitar sound I prefer.

I guess, if I was pushed and told I could only have one of my electric guitars, I would, reluctantly pick the Guild. I generally prefer fat jazzy tones but its only general – there is a lot of stuff I prefer using my strat for. Even so, I do find myself heavily favoring the neck pickup on my Strat because it produces a nice warm tone. Tough with guitars, so much down to personal taste.

I thought about EP600 and it is a phenomal lesson that I am going to do but decided to hold off on that one because it is so popular and so many people have been posting it.

[JoeD1]

Nice Geoff. I liked the Guild because I like the oomph of the humbuckers but the Squier sounded a little more haunting. I guess I liked both!

Joe

The sight of a touch, or the scent of a sound,
Or the strength of an Oak with roots deep in the ground.
--Graeme Edge

[Geoff]

Thanks Joe. I am getting to the point where I don’t like to compare the two guitars – I play them both equally.

[Lights]

Geoff, itś very good that you’re not sounding like a Brian ‘cos to do it your own way is always more attractive than follow the rules. Isn’t it.
I love as the Squire sounds, man!
Lights.

[Geoff]

This is very true Light. Like I was saying to Chargo, that Squire is a pretty decent guitar for a cheapo 🙂

[Helen Lazaridou]

Oh Geoff I had no idea you had not learned that lesson before!!!!!I must tell you that it must have been the second one I learned when I joined ActiveMelody(though I hadn’tenteredthe forumyet!)!I loved it that much!!!maybe it’s better that you chose to play it now so that after all this experience you can throw your soulful improvising ❣️❣️❤️To be honest,I can’t say which guitar I prefer🤩🤩🤩both sounded fantastic!!!

[Geoff]

Thanks Helen, I have done this lesson before but it was a long time ago and I just felt like doing it again,

I didn’t actually put up the two guitars with the intention of people comparing them but I guess that’s how it worked out. I keep experimenting with different recording and video making ideas and I, since I don’t like to neglect any of my guitars, I decided to do a switch to the other guitar as a fun exercise – this has always been challenging for me to do.

[Jeff Davis]

Very nicely played Geoff!

[Dave O]

Sounds good! Love the faded cherry Guild guitar.

It's all about the journey, not the destination.

https://soundcloud.com/david_ohm
https://www.bandmix.com/drwho/

[Andre H]

Love it. I need to check out this lesson

[David L]

Well played, Geoff, with some intricate phrasing. Timing and phrasing are so critically important. You nailed this one. You are so right about not trying to sound like someone else. The goal is to develop your own sound and style.

[Geoff]

Thanks for listening David.

[Dieter]

Excellent playing.

Dieter

[Author]

Posts