EP604 : Foot stomping Chicago Blues.

[Geoff]

Well, our Vancouver summer is slowly coming to an end and I can feel a chill in the morning air. Still good enough last weekend to be wearing my Hawaii shirts though 😁.

I stumbled on this great lesson and, I have to say, I really enjoy playing this raucous blues style. Thought about putting some dirt to the tone but I thought it came out better clean with a bit of Hall reverb. As for my own improv section…didn’t have much of a clue there so I just went nuts on that part 🤪.

[charjo]

Well played, Geoff. Some cool ideas in your improv. Nice to see the strat, I liked the tone and it’s really shiny!
John

[Geoff]

Thanks John, I liked both guitars for this one.

[JoeD1]

Nicely played Geoff. I thought your improv fit in quite nicely and was excellent. I saw you smiling quite a few times…are you trying to purposely avoid funeral director face?! Just thought I’d mention it because I struggle with the same face when I play.

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 think presentation is important and I try to avoid “Funeral Director” face if I can avoid it -:). As I am sure you know, when we are so focused on what we are playing it is hard to think about our appearance. Interestingly, Santana said “Ugly face” just shows passion for what you are doing and I guess that is true. At any rate, I was smiling simply because I was having fun with this one.

[John H]

Geoff
The guitar(s) sound really nice and so do you. Great control and fluidity. I noticed you had a grin on your face as you started. And, I like that you “went all nuts.” Great stuff. Thanks for sharing.

John

[Geoff]

Thanks John, when I started on this forum five years ago I thought I would really be getting into theory and playing by all the rules that I learned from that. I mean, to some extent that has happened, but, interestingly, I find I am not really thinking about that so much when I am improvising – I just go with my gut these days.

When I do the improvs sections I prepare them a little bit but I never do them the same twice. So darned unstructured and a massive departure from my classical playing approach.

[San Luis Rey]

Really nice playing on both guitars Geoff!

Mike

[Geoff]

Thanks much Mike 🙂

[James B]

Foot stomping good, Geoff. You must love your guitars equally. Always giving each one a turn. 🎸 😀

James

[Geoff]

Thanks James. I will confess that I generally prefer my Guild to my Strat but I give them equal attention. The operative word there is “generally”, there are times when I definitely prefer my Strat. At any rate, you right, I give all my guitars equal attention.

[Garry]

Yes, definitely a great lesson and you nailed it for sure Geoff. Always a cool idea to introduce a second guitar into the mix and you’re navigating the fretboard really well with your improvisation. A nice blend of licks and fluid single lines. All the best! 😎🎸😎

[Geoff]

Thanks much Garry. Sometimes I enjoy playing playing around with video editing and recording techniques – I thought it would be a fun challenge to throw in the improv part on my Strat seamlessly as part of the same video.

[Liam Innes]

Lots going on in this lesson but the fingering was never going to be a problem for you.

I liked the tone on the Guild best and you were right not to add distortion to it.

Good post.

Liam.

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

[Geoff]

Thanks Liam, the was a spot in that lesson that required a big jump from about the 10th fret to the first that required some practice. Technically I would rate this lesson about a 7 on a scale difficulty with Brian’s lessons. (I recall doing a Santana lesson of his that was about a 9 – I could never get that one perfect).

[Dieter]

Wow, what a great blues feeling. Everything is just right here: the mood, the timing, the improvisation, and the sound of both guitars.

Dieter

[Geoff]

Hey, thanks Dieter. So glad you enjoyed this. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed that Strat on this one even though this style seems better suited to the big fat sound of my Guild.

I absolutely love the driving Chicago Blues style – wish Brian did more of them. They are such fun to play 🙂

[David L]

Sweet, Geoff. The clean tone works great for this. You were obviously enjoying this. Your phrasing is spot-on, and your improv is impressive. Blues all the way. Nice to see both guitars. Kudos, sir.

[Geoff]

Thanks much David. Lots of fun with this one. I hope all is well with you.

[Andy N]

You rocked that Geoff. You had that heavy blues vibe grooving through both parts. Got to be one of Brian’s classics this one and I liked the ideas you put into your improv. Going nuts is the way 😀

[Geoff]

Thanks Andy. It’s a great lesson and I wonder why I haven’t heard anybody play it on this forum. Maybe, I missed a post or two 🤔.

It is one of Brian’s classics and it should be a pretty popular one.

[Guido]

Very well played, Geoff! A lesson I sometimes play too, very fun and suitable for improvisation, as you did with a great idea switching the guitar: very cool!

Guido

[Geoff]

Thanks Guido. Fun lesson 🙂

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