Home › Forums › Showcase Your Playing › No Idea what I'm doing
- This topic has 25 replies, 12 voices, and was last updated 5 years, 2 months ago by Bob O..
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February 17, 2019 at 6:23 pm #125557
What if I told you that I have no idea what I’m doing musically.
I’m basically illeterate and somewhat tone deff, but I can’t stop this thing from making me try to play.
I’m embarrassed at the time and money I have spent on this hobby and I’m tired of feeling like an idiot, wanna-be guiter player.
At this time in my life I’ve commited to learning how music works so that I can express this thing in me that makes me keep trying.
There is a song in my heart forged from 50 years of living and I want to share it with those I love who have helped me become the man I am.
Some day I will not stumble around and play all the wrong notes, I will know how to play what I feel, but in the mean time this is all I’ve got.
That’s why I’m here, because I’m tired of faking it.
I’m serious about learning how to play this Mother F#$&@r
Jon D
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February 17, 2019 at 7:48 pm #125564
Jon , looks to me you have enough ammo, perhaps what your asking is why we ain’t as tight as many thousands of the professionals sharing on youtube vemio etc.? hahaha, if you are really are feeling anxious and really want to learn how excel, i suggest to read along and keep count with tempo on any tab and blues course too. the soundslice and videos do help as needed when needed.. pretty cheap annual fee for what’s here,, think any pay site is cool if you know what you’re getting and want to spend more. some have just tab and soundslice , other’s like Brian interact with tabliture questions etc… it really comes down to hands on practice for our skill level.. if you can read and play along with any these lessons and have fun doing it, that’s what it is all about,, and if you enjoy the hobbie that’s why you are here .. that should be good enough and if you are just asking about blues this is fine site too
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February 18, 2019 at 9:37 am #125623
Jon , looks to me you have enough ammo, perhaps what your asking is why we ain’t as tight as many thousands of the professionals sharing on youtube vemio etc.? hahaha, if you are really are feeling anxious and really want to learn how excel, i suggest to read along and keep count with tempo on any tab and blues course too. the soundslice and videos do help as needed when needed.. pretty cheap annual fee for what’s here,, think any pay site is cool if you know what you’re getting and want to spend more. some have just tab and soundslice , other’s like Brian interact with tabliture questions etc… it really comes down to hands on practice for our skill level.. if you can read and play along with any these lessons and have fun doing it, that’s what it is all about,, and if you enjoy the hobbie that’s why you are here .. that should be good enough and if you are just asking about blues this is fine site too
Thanks John, its the structure of the lessons and the way that Brian fits the pieces together that brought me here.
The things that I already have under my fingers are a base to build on and I believe that in time, practicing the right things, I will be able to grasp how music works and fit in better.
I’ll keep working on it.Jon D
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February 17, 2019 at 8:49 pm #125575
Jon,
You’ve obviously got skills but like most of us you’re searching for the appropriate notes and phrases. I feel like after 4 years, maybe, I’m starting to understand. For me it’s now about understanding the chord progression and what options for scales/modes that will work well with it (and trying to get those scales under my fingers) but also finding chord tones through knowing the notes on the fretboard and what notes are in the chord. Especially important is to find a distinctive note, like a third or a root of my new chord on the chord change. Alternatively, knowing arpeggios ( or CAGED chord voicings or triad shapes) of the chord you are playing over can help find the appropriate chord tones. Harmonized sixths and thirds are another device. If you can highlight the chord changes, you sound like you know what you’re doing. All this can be mixed in with the minor and major pentatonic that is the foundation for much of the music we love. Brian shows, over and over, again so many ways to make licks around chord shapes and so many licks that can become part of your vocabulary. I don’t know of any other guitar teaching site that puts all the lessons in such a musical context like Brian does. I think you might be in the right place.
John-
February 18, 2019 at 9:41 am #125627
Yes charjo, and the things you are talking about are words and concepts I don’t yet understand, but in time I will.
The thing is, this is where I’m at right now, I’m here to see how far I can actually go.
There is a lot for me to learn, that’s for sure.
Jon D
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February 18, 2019 at 12:29 am #125596
Hey Jon, you’ve got plenty of technical skills, maybe more than a lot of AM members. And everyone plays wrong notes. I was just listening to a Duane Allman solo where he hit a bunch of bad notes, and got off the rhythm several times. But he kept going on that long solo and got it together and nobody but me and a few others 40 or so years later even noticed it. It’s like our fearless leader Brian has said several times – as long as you keep the beat going, most people won’t even notice any mistake you make. So play with a drum track, keep the beat going, add in some licks you know by heart, and you’re good to go. You are a guitarist.
Sunjamr Steve
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February 18, 2019 at 9:45 am #125628
Yes sunjamr, I have a few pieces of the puzzle, just here to learn to put those piece together for the big picture.
Thanks for the encouragement
Jon D
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February 18, 2019 at 2:27 am #125603
Very impressive playing Jon. For sure a few bum notes in there and tbh the thing that struck me mainly,is you were playing too much and not leaving yourself any thinking space, good luck on your quest man.
..Billy..
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February 18, 2019 at 9:51 am #125629
Yes Billy, I’m like a teenager with a fast car, I don’t have the knowledge and experience to tell me when to let off the gas.
This is all part of not knowing what I’m doing but not letting that stop me from trying to do it.
Your observations are right on point and you know what you’re talking about, it’s the guidance from people like yourself that is helping me along, thank you.
In time I hope to help others the way I have been helped.
Jon D
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February 18, 2019 at 11:05 am #125633
you’ve got the chops, with an impressive vocabulary of licks and riffs and phrases. Now you only need to apply them to a musical progression. Pick a slow blues backing track and start playing along, in time to the music. And like someone said, you don’t have to be playing lots of notes all the time, just hit one note on a chord (Chargo-John had some good suggestions) as the chord hits and hold it, that’s a great move. ALternate that with faster runs.
again, you’ve got the chops, now play them over backing track and think of musical phrases. Play the blues, not just notes.
It’s easy to get frustrated; hang in there, enjoy applying what you already know over a backing track. -
February 18, 2019 at 11:39 am #125640
Well Jon, I’d say you are long way from not knowing what you are doing, you’ve arrived here with a solid foundation and skillset. As others have said enjoy the journey as you put in the work and realize that we are usually our own worst critic. Looking forward to hearing more of your playing.
Scott
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February 18, 2019 at 4:37 pm #125654
Well Scott, I am aware that I’m my worst critic, but you are perhaps too kind and give me credit I don’t deserve.
What I have realized is that the players I admire didn’t know what they were doing at some point but they did like you suggest and put in the work.
I’m new here and already I see the value of this community to help eachother out.
Thanks for your input and encouragement.
Jon D
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February 18, 2019 at 4:51 pm #125657
Thanks Canada Moose, I’ll do what you suggest and I’m having a blast
Jon D
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February 18, 2019 at 4:05 pm #125651
Very creative, Jon! I like that kind of things a lot.feels like this solo is cut off from a psychedelic band live concert.
Van der Graaf Generators early days maybe, and the second part recalls me good old Duane Allmann as told already by Steve.
Lights.-
February 18, 2019 at 4:49 pm #125656
Lights, thanks man. There is value in not being afraid to look foolish and being willing to try things out untill you find what works.
For me playing guitar makes the world dissappear and transports me to a different kind of world where I can be constructively and crazily creative.
I have rarely listened to the Allman Brothers but I know about them and Dicky Betts.The people who impacted me the most as a guitar player are Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimi Hendrix, Ace Freely, Billy Gibbons and Joe Walsh.
Now I’m into Freddy King, Albert King, Kenny Wayne Sheppard and Joe Bonamassa.
Thanks for taking the time to drop me a note.
Jon D
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February 18, 2019 at 5:27 pm #125669
Brian kind of summed things up for me in one of his lessons when he said “licks or phrases are like words”, ever since then I have thought about my guitar playing as taking part in a conversation, When having a conversation we don’t continually talk, we put on pauses taking time for spoken words to be heard and digested.
So with that I thought if these licks and phrases are words and we don’t talk continuously then surely we should do the same when playing guitar.
Play over a couple of bars of a backing track, pause for half a bar then play over a backing bar or two.. gives me plenty time to think where I am going to next and let’s the backing track be the other half of the conversation..hope this isn’t too confusing, what I’m saying I suppose if that “less is more”....Billy..
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February 19, 2019 at 4:42 am #125698
I read what you wrote several times. It makes a lot of sense and I am just at the beginning of building a vocabulary, so now I am ready to learn the rules of conversation and sentence structure.
Of course this will take time but I can already tell that I am in the right place to learn these things.
Jon D
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February 18, 2019 at 6:52 pm #125671
Hi Jon, no you are not lost!
Actually, you have some really good Licks and some impressive speed.
With that said; I’m not seeing any chord melody, call and response or phrasing at all. What I refer to is; Playing a few chords related to the music or melody. Then a bit of Short Phrasing. Then maybe once per verse, close out tha verse with a descending fast lick sequence. Similar to BB King’s later music.
Brian has excellent Lessons regarding 6 note phrasing. Also some lessons emphasizing call and response. If you need some lesson numbers, I will be happy to suggest a few.
I have been playing 55 years and have some of same feelings that most all players have at times. I usually find that I am overplaying and skipping over the important ‘little-stuff’ like phrasing and chord melody.
Regards
-Bob Athens. GA-
February 18, 2019 at 7:07 pm #125672
See Bob, this is what I’m saying, I really don’t know how to do what you explained, I would love the lesson numbers that would.teach me that stuff.
Please list the lesson numbers and thank you
Jon D
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February 19, 2019 at 3:11 am #125691
Jon, I enjoyed your playing. I have a long way to be able to Jam like this.
Luc
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February 19, 2019 at 4:38 am #125697
Thanks Luke, I’m sure you are not far off from this, I’m not very far along myself.
Jon D
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February 19, 2019 at 8:32 am #125713
Oh man, Jon; that was very creative. You play great and have a good basic repertoire. I’ve seen a lot of guitarists on stage who have played a great solo completely detached and self-absorbed. Anyway; Create some rest in your lead guitar and interrupt the speed, wait and see the next opportunity at bpm your re-use. You played great Jon.
Play guitar just like you live; don't get bogged down in theory, it's just a tool without feeling.
Wilfried
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February 19, 2019 at 8:40 am #125715
Take each guitar experience as a learning lesson. Enjoy the journey, whatever learn/study/play.
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February 19, 2019 at 5:57 pm #125785
Jon. I will recommend a lesson or two as requested.
Please allow me 2/3 days as I want to sort through the lessons for a best example.
I will reply back via this Topic.
Regards. Bob. Athens. GA-
February 19, 2019 at 10:37 pm #125838
Cool man, no problems
Jon D
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February 20, 2019 at 3:50 pm #125909
Jon. It’s. It NOT easy to pick Lessons for others, so much of the choice is personal taste
I have two lessons (EP254,EP251) that incorporate some of the elements which will demonstrate using chords, lead, PHRASING and melody. The third lesson (EP229) is a favorite of mine – it develops a lot of skills.
Message me anytime for any reason.
Regards. Bob
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