John Denver - Wildlife Concert

[Camalex]

Mapletrees -- During the last couple weeks I have been picking up the guitar and it seems every day, I'm hearing a new tune in my old pattern picking and learning to play the full song by ear. Mostly on keys of C and A for some reason (one in E). In Cmajor, I picked up (John Denver tunes mostly) "Today", "Perhaps Love", "Love is the Only Dream I Know" in just three days, working through very related I-Vim-iim7-Vy progressions and improvising over three finger travis/classical fingerstyle patterns. I keep a nice bass line going, some alternating but not always and I am using progression in 3rds to move from tone to tone.

It's been a great "ear" awakening and it does feel like a "break-through" in my playing. I have about another 4-5 pieces that I have developed in the last week or so that are simply variations on these basic chord melodys above and in these variations, I am hearing bits and pieces of tunes I'd never think to try to play. (Lion King Theme by Elton John just fell on the fretboard two nights ago and when my wife heard she immediately recognized it -- WOW) I've never even glanced at the sheet music for these pieces.

My question -- what advice do you have for the player who's developing these "play it by ear" skills after 25 years of travis (pattern) picking. Should I work the melody until its down cold then add embellishments or alternative method? What should I avoid -- e.g. sameness in arrangement styles?

I have played for many years and have never felt so able to hear the next note and know what string/finger to play before I play it(especially in Cmajor 1st position key). It is quite a lot of fun.

[mapletrees]

Camalex

I put a response over in the general discussion section under the Fingerstyle post....