How to play "Wildfire" by Michael Martin Murphy

[rokdog49]

Good alternative to the original, Glenn.
Lee and I play it in the original key. It too me some work, but I finally mastered those high notes. Same with a lot of songs we do.
I'm a firm believer in stretching your vocal range and playing in original keys but for fun this is a way to get 'er done!
Thanks for posting

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by rokdog49

Good alternative to the original, Glenn.
Lee and I play it in the original key. It too me some work, but I finally mastered those high notes. Same with a lot of songs we do.
I'm a firm believer in stretching your vocal range and playing in original keys but for fun this is a way to get 'er done!
Thanks for posting

Hi Jamie,

Thanks for your comments!

I do remember that you are one of those people who can actually hit that high A note. For me, I know from years of singing and working on my voice that that high A is 1 semi-tone above the top of my range. But you have my admiration for being able to hit that note -- not many people can.

I have been thinking about doing this tutorial for a long time, simply because I have found that a lot of new guitar players don't really understand how much freedom they have with the guitar. Between changing keys and using the capo, a person can really tailor any song to their best vocal range.

Years ago when my kids were in high school I remember that a really well known female jazz singer came down to our little town to do a workshop with the high school music kids. She was really outstanding. And to this day I remember her telling the kids, "Insist on having the song played in your key!"

For guitar players that is easier than many realize. And so that was one of my main motivators for doing this tutorial.

Thanks again for your comments Jamie!

- Glenn

[Stevied63]

Thanks very much, Glenn. Great little lesson, and a nice (for me that means, "small") amount of music theory to go with it. Very much appreciated.

Steve

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by Stevied63

Thanks very much, Glenn. Great little lesson, and a nice (for me that means, "small") amount of music theory to go with it. Very much appreciated.

Steve

Hi Steve!

Well, thank you so much for taking the time to listen! And I hope the small amount of theory was just enough -- I did not want to scare anyone away!

I do hope this 15-minute lesson will be helpful to you! And also, I very much appreciate your taking time to comment in this thread!

- Glenn

[MarkWW]

Originally Posted by Glennwillow

Hi Steve!

Well, thank you so much for taking the time to listen! And I hope the small amount of theory was just enough -- I did not want to scare anyone away!

I do hope this 15-minute lesson will be helpful to you! And also, I very much appreciate your taking time to comment in this thread!

- Glenn

Nice vocals and great job on the teaching.

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by MarkWW

Nice vocals and great job on the teaching.

Thank you Mark!

I really appreciate your comments here! Thank you very much!

- Glenn

[islandguitar]

Originally Posted by Glennwillow

Hi Frankie,

Thanks so much for your thoughtful and to me, very rewarding comments! First, you are welcome. I have learned that mostly what people want in guitar videos on YouTube is how-to lessons, so if that is what people want, then I am glad to put in the time to be helpful.

Second, I do know what you mean about getting to know someone from a distance because of public exposure or instructional videos, for that matter. I had spent a fair amount of time learning songs on DVD from Pete Huttlinger, so that when he went through that long hard time with his heart troubles, I really felt his struggle rather personally. When Pete died, I really felt a big loss, even though I never met him in person. I did feel that Pete and I knew each other, that we were friends.

And perhaps I am giving away much more of myself in my videos than I realize, but if you can see me as a friend, that really makes me feel good. I'm sure we would be friends if we weren't so far apart physically!

Your feedback and kind words have really helped me, have really made me feel that it is worth the effort to put together such a technically demanding video, as this one was. Thank you so very much for your kind support! I do hope you find this helpful!

- Glenn

Hi Glenn! Thanks for the huge effort in putting this video together......wonderful job!
I've re-posted your thread because I think you've hit on some excellent larger points as we join together across the air waves or DVD. At times it's not strangely personal, it IS personal! I feel much the same way..... and your recalling Pete H.'s passing did indeed hit me the same way......an audible "OH NO"! while sitting all alone here in my office. Never met him......I don't even think I had his DVD at that time.
This forum and this community offers so much..........I'm truly glad to join it in some small way each day!
Thanks again,
Fred

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by islandguitar

Hi Glenn! Thanks for the huge effort in putting this video together......wonderful job!
I've re-posted your thread because I think you've hit on some excellent larger points as we join together across the air waves or DVD. At times it's not strangely personal, it IS personal! I feel much the same way..... and your recalling Pete H.'s passing did indeed hit me the same way......an audible "OH NO"! while sitting all alone here in my office. Never met him......I don't even think I had his DVD at that time.
This forum and this community offers so much..........I'm truly glad to join it in some small way each day!
Thanks again,
Fred

Hi Fred!

Thanks for taking the time to watch at least some of that video and to comment here! I appreciate your support and kind words on the video!

And yes, technology links us together in often amazing and very personal ways. It's both a blessing and a curse, I suppose. It's kind of like a one-way mirror. The viewer can see into a video but the person in the video can't see out.

Maybe this odd connection with other people during the holidays will help some deal with the isolation that plagues so many people during this time of year, especially those who have lost someone recently.

I hope you and your wife and family have a great holiday season Fred! I can tell you that I am already enjoying this time with my wife and nearby family!

- Glenn

[BobbyMocha]

Glen, this is awesome. I love that song and have been looking for a good toot on it and this is it. What's the strum pattern on that. I'm trying to watch your right hand but I'm unable to slow it down. Is it D DUD? Or are you varying it.

I'm a newbie so...

[islandguitar]

Thank you, Glenn! My best to you and your wife/family too!

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by BobbyMocha

Glen, this is awesome. I love that song and have been looking for a good toot on it and this is it. What's the strum pattern on that. I'm trying to watch your right hand but I'm unable to slow it down. Is it D DUD? Or are you varying it.

I'm a newbie so...

Hi Bobby,

Thanks for your comments and for your very good question about the right hand strumming pattern.

If "D DUD" stands for D = down strum and U = up strum, you are exactly correct. There is a down stroke, then a short down stroke, then an upstroke, followed by a downstroke, then you move on to the next chord and repeat the pattern.

I apologize for not thinking about the right hand very much in my tutorial. I almost never think about what my right hand is doing because it just seems to do what I need it to do. But that is probably what comes from 54 years of fairly serious dedication to learning the guitar. It becomes second nature, intuitive, and then I don't do a good job of explaining the mechanics to someone new who doesn't have that intuitive knowledge.

Thank you for bringing up that question. I'm going to add that "D DUD" explanation to the text that introduces the tutorial. I've never seen that shorthand before, but it makes good sense to use it as long as others know what I am talking about.

I hope this tutorial does you some good, Bobby.

- Glenn