Significant accomplishments?

stevemc · #1 12-09-2003, 04:53 PM

Anyone made a significant accomplishment in their playing lately? A technique or song you've finally mastered?

My favorite song is "The Pretty Milkmaid" on Pat Kirtley's Irish Guitar CD. It is a beautiful melody and his arrangement is awesome! I finally learned it recently. I haven't exactly 'nailed' it yet but it's starting to sound pretty good!

Anyone else?

Fngrstyl · #2 12-09-2003, 08:39 PM

I'd like to hear that one! Send me an Mp3 of it, if you get a chance! Thanks!!

jeffrey · #3 12-09-2003, 09:23 PM

This is really boring but.. hehe

I've always had this problem with up-picking and picking between strings on fast single string (solo) passages.

Well I've been working on it like CRAZY and it's finally starting to come together.

JedimasterPaul · #4 12-09-2003, 09:38 PM

I recently learned an arrangement of 'Hewlett' by Keith Hinchliffe, a UK guitarist. It had one or two nasty stretches and some passages where I had to work out the right hand pick pattern (vs. just winging it) in order to keep my fingers from getting tripped up.

The arrangement has an A part, and a B part, but no variations on either of those. What I'm trying to do now is see if I can think of any embellishments or anything that I can add to it on the repeats to add a little variety. We'll see.

The significance of this song for me is that it is the 1st tune I have learned that features non-linear melody, which has been a bit of a hard thing for me to grasp. (no pun intended

)

The current song I'm working on (for this Sunday) is Steve Baughman's DADGAD arrangement of 'Angels from the Realm of Glory'. I just need to smooth this one out a bit and it will be ready to go. The tough parts on this tune are measures 7 (right hand difficulty) and 11 (some stretches) . Fortunately for me, there are no other guitarists in the audience I regularly play to.

I have the Pat Kirtley book and hope to start working on some of those soon, once I've had a chance to listen to the CD to see which tracks I like the best.

freestyle · #5 12-10-2003, 12:41 AM

Working on a few blues pieces. Most recently, from the Dipped in Chocolate cd, a tune called Sweet Angel, by Janna Britton and Abbeville. Not too tuff, but I am trying to figure it out by myself, mostly. Also working on Jerry Jeff Walkers Mr. Bojangles. That walking bass on the D chord is one tuff stretch for me. Plus, I am not great at barre chords yet, so the Fm-Bm is a bit fuzzy still.

Still working on that one. I have faith. I will get there

Ninjato · #6 12-10-2003, 12:42 AM

I'm wouldn't say anything REALLY significant as in any new songs, but after the longest 15 year plateau I've been on, I just completed my first semester as a jazz guitar major in school and just went thru the "jury" tonite and this is what is significant for me:

1: My timing has improved in a BIG WAY.
2: My familiarity to what the notes are on each fret on each string up to the 5th fret is solid.
3: My Major and Harmonic minor scales in 3 different positions are fluid.
4: My sight reading has gotten quicker.
5: My understanding of music theory is very strong.

stevemc · #7 12-10-2003, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Fngrstyl
I'd like to hear that one! Send me an Mp3 of it, if you get a chance! Thanks!!

Chad, I don't have mine recorded yet but if you like Celtic fingerstyle guitar Pat's Irish Guitar CD is a must have! He has an incredible talent for arranging, not to mention his playing!

mapletrees · #8 12-10-2003, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by stevemc

He has an incredible talent for arranging, not to mention his playing!

I know you're talking about someone else...but

don't you wish Mark Hanson would put out a book called something like 1001 Arranging Ideas for Guitar or something along those lines?

jam · #9 12-10-2003, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by stevemc
Anyone made a significant accomplishment in their playing lately? A technique or song you've finally

I've already mentioned this in another thread, but this year was a milestone year for me, guitar-wise. I found a really good teacher, set some goals, and deliberately set out to get off the plateau I had been on for way too long. It worked. I don't know if I can point to any one thing that was the "accomplishment" - it's the overall package of theory, technique, style, breaking old habits, separating the hands and fingers to work independently, etc. Yesterday, I asked my wife, who just happens to be my most "honest" critic, if she can tell any difference in my playing. She said that, compared to a year ago, my playing is more versatile, fluid, and well-rounded. She said that she rarely thinks to herself, "he always plays that same old thing" anymore. That, to me, is an accomplishment.

And yes, Mapletrees, I wish Mr. Hanson had a book like that. One of my 2 main original goals this year was to be able to be able to so a guitar arrangement given a simple melody line. I'm certainly no Alex de Grassi, but I'm off to a good start towards my goal. With what I've learned this year, I see that I will be "learning" this as long as I'm playing the guitar. There's a lot you can do with 6 strings, 20+ frets, 10 +- fingers, and a handful of tunings.

--jam

stevemc · #10 12-10-2003, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by mapletrees

I know you're talking about someone else...but

don't you wish Mark Hanson would put out a book called something like 1001 Arranging Ideas for Guitar or something along those lines?

Yes, Mark is great. I have a couple of his books (at your suggestion a couple of years ago).