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If you could ask Brian one question…

Home › Forums › Discuss Anything But Politics › If you could ask Brian one question…

Tagged: picking patterns, right hand

  • This topic has 32 replies, 25 voices, and was last updated 8 years, 5 months ago by Bryce-AKguitar.
Viewing 31 reply threads
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    • May 18, 2017 at 1:46 pm #70497
      Bryce-AKguitar
      Keymaster

        Howdy Active Melody Community!

        If you could ask Brian one question, what would it be?

        Would it be about his musical background? His favorite piece of gear? His top 3 musical influences? His favorite album of all time?

        Comment below…

        -Bryce
        Anchorage, Alaska

      • May 18, 2017 at 2:07 pm #70499
        charjo
        Moderator

          To what does Brian attribute his love/ability for teaching and does he have a background in teaching? Clearly, that’s one question!
          John

        • May 18, 2017 at 2:09 pm #70500
          Maradonagol
          Participant

            What does his daily/weekly schedule look like and does he miss his old job at all?

            Roberto

            Roberto

          • May 18, 2017 at 3:09 pm #70506
            Don D.
            Moderator

              One thing I’d like to know is what Brian’s favorite live performance was (I mean as a spectator, but it would also be interesting to know which was his favorite as a participant).

              Don D.

            • May 18, 2017 at 3:38 pm #70507
              Tremelow
              Participant

                I like it that Brian is sharing so many things from his pre-teacher past with us. E.g. when he tells us about his musical influences (Eric Clapton, BB King, and of course some more) and many other tidbits during his lessons. It shows he can still relate to us. Or better, that he is still one of “us”. Just further ahead. At least from where I am standing ;-). Anyways, if I could ask him a question, I would ask him about his next goal in terms of playing skills. E.g. is he trying to get faster still (he keeps on saying that he is not a fast player. Hah!), or is he looking more into other styles (Jazz?), or even another instrument (I do not consider a Dobro another instrument..). Or has he got something completely different in mind?

              • May 18, 2017 at 4:07 pm #70508
                sunburst
                Blocked

                  If EVER I should need to ask Brian, IT WOULD LIKELY BE A SITE issue,, but honestly, I have nothing to add for his high expertise in delving out weekly lessons.. all of them are welcomed on my end! I’m guessing Brian learned the piano before the guitar in his youth..I believe his favorite artist is Eric Clapton.. and he is a genius building this site!

                • May 18, 2017 at 5:31 pm #70513
                  BluGenes
                  Participant

                    I’d like to know if he ever considered producing a CD. Or, why why not?

                    Don't practice till you get it right, practice till you can't get it wrong.

                  • May 18, 2017 at 6:40 pm #70518
                    Mark O
                    Participant

                      I’d like to know how he got started in music, was it with guitar or with some other instrument and if some other instrument, how that influenced his learning curve when he picked up the guitar.

                    • May 18, 2017 at 7:11 pm #70519
                      Deluxe Strat
                      Participant

                        why the hell does a texan move to alaska ?

                      • May 18, 2017 at 8:54 pm #70520
                        JRG
                        Participant

                          Maybe because in you cut Alaska in half, each side is still bigger than Texas. Or maybe to follow his career field. I remember as a young man moving to Alaska to fly float planes, Midland TX was such a beautiful place it was hard to leave. I think I would prefer Nashville!

                          Jim

                        • May 18, 2017 at 11:42 pm #70521
                          Tim Lee
                          Participant

                            I would ask Brian if he has any singing skills to accompany his great guitar playing and whether he prefers to play acoustic over electric or vice versa or no preference.

                            Tim

                          • May 19, 2017 at 1:10 am #70523
                            Bryce-AKguitar
                            Keymaster
                              Deluxe Strat wrote:

                              why the hell does a texan move to alaska ?

                              Technically, I moved from Midland, Texas to San Francisco, CA then to Anchorage, Alaska. It was all for my job. I was going to leave Alaska after living up here for 2 years but met my wife and the rest is history.

                              -Bryce
                              Anchorage, Alaska

                            • May 19, 2017 at 3:43 am #70524
                              brian-belsey
                              Participant

                                One serious question and one not serious:

                                Does Brian like classical music? If so, any particular composers, types, periods?

                                Does Brian ever get moments when he thinks why the hell did I ever say I would do a new lesson EVERY week?!

                              • May 19, 2017 at 5:25 am #70525
                                6stringer Pete
                                Moderator
                                  brian-belsey wrote:

                                  One serious question and one not serious:

                                  Does Brian like classical music? If so, any particular composers, types, periods?

                                  Does Brian ever get moments when he thinks why the hell did I ever say I would do a new lesson EVERY week?!

                                  Hi Brian Belsey
                                  Actually Brain does play classical guitar.

                                  And he is a kick ass piano player also.

                                  The melody of the notes is what expresses the art of music . 🙂 6stringerPete

                                  It really is all about ”melody”. The melody comes from a language from our heart. Our heart is the muscle in music harmony. The melody is the sweetness that it pumps into our musical thoughts on the fretboard. 🙂 6 stringer Pete

                                  Pete
                                  Active Melody
                                  Forum Moderator

                                • May 19, 2017 at 6:06 am #70526
                                  sunburst
                                  Blocked

                                    I kinda figured he started on piano, I feel lucky stumbling upon Brian several years ago.. but only recently joined as a premium cause prior to premium,I was satisified with other free guitar instructional.. I still can name dozens and still enjoy them too… but Brian keeps me interested and learning while having fun,,plus the genres and how he mixes and explains why and what he is teaching is cool. Okay, I was packing my truck readying to head north to my favorite camping fishing in the Catskills of New York.. was waiting as every year for these few weeks of mayflies (drakes any day now) and bam.. first head cold in like a year ..couple days ago was at a customer with a cold.. can you believe it! so last night decided to stay home so this morning i can get me some cold medicine.. so was wondering if Brian knew of any quick remedies for the common head cold?.. It’s the running nasal passage ,,last night stuffed a tissue in the nostal closest to the pillow.. i’m up now..thank the lord i’m not wiped out,,but can’t drink my beers today ,,but going up this weather is a 10 for fly fishing! cheers!

                                  • May 19, 2017 at 10:33 am #70530
                                    Richard S
                                    Participant

                                      Brian, when will you start giving individual or group Skype lessons and how much will they cost? I will be first in line.

                                      Cheers,

                                      Richard

                                    • May 19, 2017 at 11:16 pm #70542
                                      Strykerward
                                      Participant

                                        How’s the pug?

                                      • May 20, 2017 at 7:24 am #70558
                                        Johnny R
                                        Participant

                                          I would like to ask Brian what his thoughts are about Richard Thompson’s finger style and what steps would one take to replicate it??

                                        • May 25, 2017 at 11:40 am #70733
                                          Bryce-AKguitar
                                          Keymaster

                                            My question would be:

                                            What is your typical lesson writing process and how long does it take for you to do everything including composing, recording, video editing, jam tracks, and soundslice for each lesson?

                                            -Bryce
                                            Anchorage, Alaska

                                            • May 29, 2017 at 6:26 am #71206
                                              Tremelow
                                              Participant

                                                Hey, that’s a really good question!

                                            • May 26, 2017 at 5:50 am #70762
                                              Roy Z
                                              Participant

                                                what is the model no. of the red gibson brian plays?

                                              • May 29, 2017 at 1:12 pm #71280
                                                Johan L
                                                Participant

                                                  I would like to ask Brian if he is a member of any other internet community that teaches guitar, or if he has any other sources at all that he learns from.

                                                  - "Pretty Fingers Parker"

                                                • May 29, 2017 at 8:25 pm #71377
                                                  bwade913
                                                  Participant

                                                    I would ask Brian if he has an engineering background. – Bret

                                                  • May 30, 2017 at 6:54 am #71437
                                                    Scott M
                                                    Participant

                                                      Hey Brian, you’ve mentioned before that you play at a jam on Tuesday nights at a venue in Franklin. Do you still get out regularly?

                                                      Scott

                                                    • May 30, 2017 at 8:32 am #71443
                                                      Tremelow
                                                      Participant
                                                        Tremelow wrote:

                                                        Hey, that’s a really good question!

                                                        I was referring to Bryce’s question #70733

                                                      • June 3, 2017 at 9:06 pm #71806
                                                        BK
                                                        Participant

                                                          What was the first guitar he owned?

                                                        • June 14, 2017 at 8:39 pm #72364
                                                          JazzySammy
                                                          Participant

                                                            Hi,

                                                            This might already be posted so I apologize if so. What model is the Martin Sunburst Brian uses. Time for myself to buy an acoustic and not sure what to buy?

                                                            Cheers

                                                            Jazzy Sammy

                                                          • June 19, 2017 at 11:14 am #72674
                                                            Paddyboy
                                                            Participant

                                                              My question for Brian is….what was the brain child to how Active Melody was created and how many members of ActiveMelody are there? when was it started, 41 accepted the challenge a month or two ago. Is that the average? what if I wanted to find some members of your site in my area so we could maybe jam together. oh wait, you said (1) Question. ok

                                                              what was the brain child to how Active Melody was created and how many members of ActiveMelody are there?
                                                              thanks

                                                              ALL IT TAKES TO WRITE A SONG IS........3 CHORDS AND THE TRUTH!

                                                            • June 20, 2017 at 8:35 am #72721
                                                              mstoli
                                                              Participant

                                                                I just started your blues soloing course and noticed that you show pattern one scale int he key of A but your licks are in the key of C just wondering why the change of keys.
                                                                Thank you
                                                                Mike

                                                              • June 20, 2017 at 9:30 am #72722
                                                                Don D.
                                                                Moderator

                                                                  Mike (mstoli), you passed the test. That’s the one question everyone asks. It’s to keep you on your toes.

                                                                  I’ve heard that Brian is reworking that course and that’s one of the things that will be developed, and made explicit so there isn’t any confusion. (Would like to hear more if anyone knows.)

                                                                  I need to get back to that course. While I was working through it, my skills accelerated. Not that I’m not still learning, but that was a good way to focus on single-string lines that can be used over different chords.

                                                                  Don D.

                                                                • June 26, 2017 at 9:34 am #73060
                                                                  Anonymous

                                                                    Brian this is Tim in Alabama first , thanks for all you do to help me improve my playing. I have a request , would you do a lesson on the lead in Soulshine performed by the Allman Brothers or respond with the scale

                                                                    Thanks
                                                                    Tim

                                                                  • June 27, 2017 at 12:47 pm #73108
                                                                    Paddyboy
                                                                    Participant

                                                                      I’d like to ask Brian why he doesn’t seem to talk much talk about the right hand picking pattern in the LEAD PARTS.
                                                                      concerning up strokes and down strokes

                                                                      for me it seems that it’s ALMOST crucial to the comfort and ease of playing the part to get that right. When I do, it’s much easier to learn.

                                                                      is it possible that the answer is…….trial and error?

                                                                      thanks

                                                                      ALL IT TAKES TO WRITE A SONG IS........3 CHORDS AND THE TRUTH!

                                                                    • June 28, 2017 at 6:50 pm #73196
                                                                      Bryce-AKguitar
                                                                      Keymaster

                                                                        Brian answered your questions here: https://www.activemelody.com/forums/topic/split-if-you-could-ask-brian-one-question/#post-73195

                                                                        -Bryce
                                                                        Anchorage, Alaska

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