little run for those of you with better ear than I have

[T1mothy]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwthj9v5iko
2:21 like seriously how am I supposed to transcribe or imitate this thing!!

[Nailpicker]

.....................

[rick-slo]

Amazing the number of people, even near beginners, are trying to play Tommy's tunes and play them like Tommy. Even if you have been at it a while that's a steep challenge. In this run the notes are not difficult to figure out but copying his inflections on them is going to be more difficult.

[T1mothy]

Originally Posted by Nailpicker

Don't try to imitate. Build your own. I play a number of Chet songs and use them as a template, but while I may strive and want to get as good as Chet or Tommy, I don't want to sound just like them. I want to sound like me. While I don't what to veer your post, I came across this TE video. I think people would be well to follow his advice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgALr09jrhs
People tend to be impatient and want something right now. It takes years and years.

Heh usually when I tackle one of theese Chets / Jerrys / Tommys songs I try to respect the melody and keep it the same. What I love to play with is syncopation. Time the melody a tad differently. I put my own there. Or time the C, F, G chords in the intro of blue moon you know where he improvises the first minute or so. Thats what I love doing. But I dont really focus much on playing lead guitar. I just pick my fav songs. Alltho Id like to tackle lead guitar one day. So thats why Id like to use his solo line there. Besides I find getting licks and melodies under your hands and into your ears quite inspiring. Making own arrengements I believe offers whole new world of freedom to express my own "sound".

[T1mothy]

Originally Posted by rick-slo

Amazing the number of people, even near beginners, are trying to play Tommy's tunes and play them like Tommy. Even if you have been at it a while that's a steep challenge. In this run the notes are not difficult to figure out but copying his inflections on them is going to be more difficult.

Yeah you re right. I rushed into it right after I managed to get my barre chords done correctly. No righthand patterns studied, no scales, no books. I just went right into Tommy, Chet, Jerry stuff. Im not saying I know much but the minor details that make their songs themselves are coming along the way as I play and LISTEN more.

[rick-slo]

Originally Posted by T1mothy

Yeah you re right. I rushed into it right after I managed to get my barre chords done correctly. No righthand patterns studied, no scales, no books. I just went right into Tommy, Chet, Jerry stuff. Im not saying I know much but the minor details that make their songs themselves are coming along the way as I play and LISTEN more.

Right. You are doing what I normally suggest - learn songs. Endless scale exercises, two hundred isolated licks, ten theory books, and still someone may not be able to play through a single actual song. It does probably make some more sense to pick the right songs at the right time, but that's a difficult judgment call on your own without a teacher. In a song if there is a particular troublesome part I will work the technique of it out (maybe then it will be some scale practice, whatever). For me there are soft limits, whether it be certain stretches, a certain speed level, or just plain having enough time to keep in top practice.

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by T1mothy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwthj9v5iko
2:21 like seriously how am I supposed to transcribe or imitate this thing!!

To transcribe it...

Here's what I did (just as an exercise, to show how I'd do it):

1. recorded the clip into Transcribe software. (I could have downloaded and converted the whole video - which the program will also slow down - but that would have taken longer.)
2. played the track and marked the measures and beats (2 measures, 4 beats each for this short lick).
3. slowed it down and played along to find the notes, one by one in some cases.
4. wrote out the tab (checking the video for fret/string positions - it's possible two ways).
5. posted it here:

|------------------------------(8)-8-|11b(12)-8---------------------------|-----------
|-4--------2-----4-----7----(7)------|----------------------8b------------|-----------
|-5----/3----/5-----/8---(8)---------|---------11p10-8---10-8b------------|----------
|-4----------------------------------|-----------------10---------10--10~~|---------
|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|-----------
|-4----------------------------------|------------------------------------|-----------
  1  .  .  2  .  .  3  .  .  4  .  .   1  .  .  2  .  .  3  .  .  4  .  .

(Notes in brackets are staccato, heavily muted.)
Took just over 15 minutes altogether - including typing this post. (well, up to this point... the rest below took rather longer... )

...

As for imitating it.... whoah! bigger question! You need to know a few things:
1: the key (C) and the chord progression (Blue Moon);
2: the underlying principle behind the lick (combination of Ab7 arpeggio - bar 1 - and C blues scale cliche - bar 2);
3: where such a lick might fit. (In this case, a cheeky substition of an Ab7 chord for the tonic C, for two bars at the end of the sequence, but resolving into a C blues scale lick.)

- and you need the technical skill to carry it off, of course.

This is not - in itself - a very tricky lick, but he plays it with supreme confidence (unless we think those muted notes are fluffed ones), and totally solid timing. Technically, it's well within his limits, he's not pushing himself here.

It actually reminds me (in its form rather than the specific notes) of that break in Nina Simone's piano solo on "My Baby Just Cares For me", and I wouldn't be surprised if that was in the back of his mind at that moment.
Check out 1:43 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZS7iKdRo5Q
(she's simply running up the diatonic scale on the V7 chord - E7 in key of A - less bluesy than Tommy Emmanuel's.)

As the others say, it takes years (decades) to get this good. Not just to play as fancy as that, but to be so totally in control and relaxed while doing it. (Personally I'm more impressed with his smooth walking bass and chord melody - his powerful groove - than the flashy breaks.)

But of course, you're not "supposed to imitate" him. There's no reason why you, or anyone, should expect you to be able to play that - even in a few years time, let alone now. As a long term goal, fine; a hero to look up to. But you need plenty of short terms goals on the way.
One of those might be to learn the melody and basic chords of Blue Moon. Study how the melody interlocks with the chords. Can you play both together in some form? (even just filling in chords between melodic phrases). Remember it can be real slow to begin with; this tune works well as a ballad, as well as this medium swing treatment.
Can you work out a possible bass line (eg something linking the chord roots in scale runs). Could you do that at the same time as the chords?

How is your vocabulary of blues licks coming along? How often do you listen to music (much simpler than this) and try to copy, or lift things from it?

And if Tommy is your goal, make sure you listen to all his influences - and then their influences. Chet Atkins, Merle Travis, Doc Watson, all the way back to Big Bill Broonzy and Blind Blake.

[T1mothy]

Wow JonPR..

Firstly thank you for help with the lick itself and the mini.tutorial. Will have a look at that software.

Secondly - wow that Nina Simone tune has absolutely the same swing feel. Got me quite confused. Anyway the lick is quite recognizable there. You re right.

Thirdly (does one even say that like that?) - I wont even ask you about those substitutions and how you detected it.

Fourthly ( -ll- ) - Here s a small showcase of my blue moon progress. Im off the time now and then but thats because I had to stand and couldnt tap my foot and the backing track was a bit too quiet. Still quite amazed I havent ruined it even more considering I was recording hehe. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCmHkClQFxY

Lastly - Oh those licks. I just dont work at lead guitar at all :*( . Theres just so many songs right now I want to learn to play first. Working on Struttin right now. Would love to learn Baby s coming home afterwards. Id like to tackle some hybrid picking as well besides Angelina. Arghhh theres just not enough time!

Once again thank you for your detailed answer.
Timothy