Practice, record, listen, rinse & repeat

[amyFB]

There have been many posts about the value of using recordings to help improve. Here is what Is on my music stand and recorder.

I am working on this 1948 classic On a Slow Boat to China (Frank Loesser) and am at the point where I am impatient to perform it yet aware it is not Ready for prime time.

This is in D and hits the top of my vocal range; the recording quickly reminds me how important breath is to pitch.
Finding the optimum breath-in spot is a must!

The beginning is feeble and weak - I want a strong start! The first two chords are a new to me switch and I *almost* have it ....agh not quite....practice ....

XX0202 up to X6757X

There are some other bits I am hearing and not really liking, one wrong chord , and maybe my internal metronome slipped up a little ; going to check that.

It's probably another hour of steady playing and singing before I will have the bumps out.

The chord progression really is fun to play and it's going to be a great jam tune.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/enkwm6rxts...20-16.wav?dl=0

Hope you enjoy the teaser and the share of my practice.



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[rick-slo]

Not bad - just need more control over the volume and attack of notes from your picking hand.

[stanron]

Originally Posted by amyFB

The beginning is feeble and weak - I want a strong start! The first two chords are a new to me switch and I *almost* have it ....agh not quite....practice ....

XX0202 up to X6757X

You might be doing this already but if you finger the first shape with your third finger on the G string and your fourth finger on the E, you can slide both those fingers to the seventh fret and just add the other two fingers. This has to be quicker, and easier, than fingering two separate shapes.

[T1mothy]

[Silly Moustache]

Originally Posted by amyFB

There have been many posts about the value of using recordings to help improve. Here is what Is on my music stand and recorder.

I am working on this 1948 classic On a Slow Boat to China (Frank Loesser) and am at the point where I am impatient to perform it yet aware it is not Ready for prime time.

This is in D and hits the top of my vocal range; the recording quickly reminds me how important breath is to pitch.
Finding the optimum breath-in spot is a must!

The beginning is feeble and weak - I want a strong start! The first two chords are a new to me switch and I *almost* have it ....agh not quite....practice ....

XX0202 up to X6757X

There are some other bits I am hearing and not really liking, one wrong chord , and maybe my internal metronome slipped up a little ; going to check that.

It's probably another hour of steady playing and singing before I will have the bumps out.

The chord progression really is fun to play and it's going to be a great jam tune.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/enkwm6rxts...20-16.wav?dl=0

Hope you enjoy the teaser and the share of my practice.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I listened all the way through.

Two thoughts - your guitar styling varies from fingerstyle to plectrum style (possibly best rhythm style for this) and strumming.

You made all the high notes OK, but it sounded difficult - obviously very high for you - why not transpose down or sing in a lower octave.

Remember that the guitar work is the secondary aspect of a song - the vocals are the priority.

Good luck, work on it some more show us again.

[amyFB]

Originally Posted by Silly Moustache

I listened all the way through.







You made all the high notes OK, but it sounded difficult - obviously very high for you - why not transpose down or sing in a lower octave.



song - the vocals are the priority.



Good luck, work on it some more show us again.

Picking the key has been occupying me for a while. Bb is where I started but it seemed low. I didn't want to shift the fingering up the neck any further which is why I went to D so I could have more real estate on the neck.

I hear you on priorities and can't disagree.

Appreciate the time and comments!

[amyFB]

Originally Posted by Silly Moustache

I listened all the way through.



.....your guitar styling varies from fingerstyle to plectrum style (possibly best rhythm style for this) and strumming.



....

I have been thinking on this observation.

It is a pretty accurate description of how I play.
Mostly I am a solo player and have sought variety in my playing . (Trying to be rhythm, lead and all the other band parts) and I think that is how it's evolved to what you hear today.

I am interested in how that mix of styles reaches the ears of the listener:

Does it convey indecision re the arrangement ,
Or, does it demonstrate the results of a self taught playing style ,
Or,
Something else i am not thinking of?

Thanks

I listened all the way through and have a few thoughts:

I like your playing. I was concentrating on the vocal; those listening more closely than I did might have a few quibbles with your right hand technique, but I try to listen from the point of view of the average audience member, not a musician. From that standpoint, what you're doing seems fine.

Vocals:

I don't think you're way off pitch but I do hear enough uncertainty in yourdelivery to think that it might happen.

Try not to hold consonants. I think at one point you hit the "r" a little hard on the word "lovers."

High notes - Unlike my friend Silly, I don't think you should retreat from them but exceed them. Capo up two frets and try to master the high note that's bugging you, at least in practice. Go get it, think of how you'll attack it and see if you can make it work for you. When you return to your performance key it will be easier.

Develop a vibrato. I didn't hear it in my listening (admittedly one time through) but you've got one in there somewhere and probably have used it subconsciously in some song somewhere along the way. Find it and analyze it. What was I singing, what note, what vowel, is it fast or slow (probably fast) how can I transfer that technique to other things I do?

Vibrato and pitch stability (to which vibrato contributes) are arguably the two most important hallmarks of a professional sound, and breath control is the key to both of them.

Recording and listening to yourself is a real good idea. Good luck.

[RodB]

First off - I enjoyed listening to this ( once it got going), and like your voice which I thought suited this well.

I didn't feel you had picked the wrong key, but as you comment yourself about breath control as you loose volume there is a tendency for the note to waver slightly. Maybe this will improve as you get more confidence with the piece and with recording yourself.

As you asked, I would reply that I thought your guitar playing did convey a sort of indecision on how you want to play this. The ability to mix styles is a plus in my book, but if it were me I would maybe keep things simple whilst singing then contrast this with some picking in the break that can still show the nice chord progression. This would involve more control of volume and attack as Derek already mentioned.

I agree with your observation that the first few bars are not up to the standard of the rest - maybe just as simple intro instead - at least while you keep working on it? Sometimes when a certain transition or chord bugs you it helps to just put it to one side for a while and come back to it fresh.

Listening to your own recordings is clearly a great way to self critique and your own comments indicate how useful this is.

[RodB]

Originally Posted by amyFB

.......The beginning is feeble and weak - I want a strong start! The first two chords are a new to me switch and I *almost* have it ....agh not quite....practice ....

XX0202 up to X6757X

Why not play the opening chord with 3rd finger on the G string and 4th finger on the E but then keep these in place and barre at 1st fret to form the diminished chord that comes next?

[amyFB]

Originally Posted by RodB

Why not play the opening chord with 3rd finger on the G string and 4th finger on the E but then keep these in place and barre at 1st fret to form the diminished chord that comes next?

the named first two chords are:
D6
D# dim

I don't know a barred 1st fret fingering for the D# dim, and my chord finder doens't show one.

there is a bass line i'm trying to run that I worked out as follows:

D6 - XX0202
D#dim - X6757X
Em7 - 020000
F dim - 1XX1XX
D/F# - 2X0232
F#7 - 244322
G6 - 302430

(hopefully no typos above, i'm doing this from memory without a guitar in hand )

I'll happily take a chord voicing at the first fret for the D# dim - can you share it?

[amyFB]

Originally Posted by T1mothy

ahhhh, I'm going to have to switch over to the Eastman archtop -- nice nice video thanks for finding and sharing!

[RodB]

XX1212 is exactly the same notes as X6757X but sits much easier between the D6 and Em7 shapes you are using.

[amyFB]

Originally Posted by RodB

XX1212 is exactly the same notes as X6757X but sits much easier between the D6 and Em7 shapes you are using.

ah ok I know that shape and didn't try it, not sure why, (part of it is that I mostly think in shapes and am slow to identify note names, especially when it comes to any chord using more than the 1, 3 & 5 notes

I will give it a whirl tonight and see if it pleases my ears and fingers.

thanks!

[amyFB]

Originally Posted by RodB

XX1212 is exactly the same notes as X6757X but sits much easier between the D6 and Em7 shapes you are using.

I just went back and forth between the two positions trying to decide if I like one more than the other.

Apparently, I am in the camp of people who hears the difference in tone for the same notes on different strings. Did I say that right?

The notes are the same and stacked exactly the same.

Seems a softer sounding chord played at the first fret and a little snappier in the original voicing up the neck further.

i'm liking the snappy....
The economy of the soft is also attractive...

Maybe my attack can adjust to get some more snap out of the first position.

Thanks for the input!


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