how long might this take you?

Shortfinger · #1 04-04-2019, 06:19 PM

I have been at it for four days now, probably sixteen hours, and bars 17 through 23 are kicking my butt.

The tune is Louise, written by P. Seibel but best known from Leo Kottke's version, and taught here by the excellent Daddy Stovepipe. The link on the page will take you to the tab.

The two syncopated walkdowns you'll find in those bars are tough for me to execute and play all the notes, and there is a subtle change in the lead-in from the D shape chord before the doublets are fingered.

Should it take this long? It feels like it might take forty more hours of cycling through it, working up to the speed of the tune.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=061IY-RBipU&t=274s

jseth · #2 04-04-2019, 07:11 PM

I do play this tune, although it's been a LONG time! I've been playing it since befor Leo did his version of it; the writer, Paul Siebel, had several excellent albums, and "Louise" is on the second, "Woodsmoke and Oranges"... lots of great songs on that record!

I wouldn't think about doing a copy of Leo's version; not because I don't like him a lot, but because he's ALREADY DONE IT! I mean, his version's good and all, but not good enough to do twice!

If you're trying to learn it exactly the way that Kottke does it, and you're having a lot of difficulty with certain passages, I would say that's a great indicator of "where you are" with your playing and singing. There is no "Shop Rate" for learning songs; they take as long as they take... just keep after it and you'll get there. It is a "fool's errand" to attempt to measure your own progress with anyone else's...

Perhaps taking the time to actually write out a chart (just bars and chords with the lyric) in longhand would help. Get the tune cemented in your head, and then, when you have a difficult passage (or you, God forbid, Flub one!) then "the song will go on" instead of falling apart.

A big thing to learn about playing and singing songs is to KEEP THE SONG GOING, all the way to the end! Just because you make a mistake should not have you STOP playing and singing. If you ever plan on performing for anyone, this is a tremendous skill set to adapt.

Everybody makes mistakes... and yet, the song must go on...

mattyc71 · #3 04-04-2019, 07:19 PM

I've been working on an Emerson, Lake & Palmer song for just about 2 years now....... gettin' close.

The best players and teachers say you should make a song "your own", and I think many of them take some poetic license and play in a style that comes naturally to them. Why not us too?

Good Luck!!

SouthpawJeff · #4 04-05-2019, 08:07 AM

Unless your working closely with a teacher who knows well where your at in terms of skill and ability, I don’t think anyone can tell you how long something is going to take. Granted if you’ve been working on the same 4 measures for say a year, well one could draw a conclusion that it’s a bit out of reach. Otherwise you’ll have to use your best judgement.

FWIW I’ve been working on one particular piece, (Autumn Leaves, Yenne Lee arrangement), for almost a year.... I’ve got the first 32 or so bars under my belt... the easy part! I call it my “bucket list piece” As I hope to get through the whole piece by the time I kick the bucket! It’s over my skill level but I’m ok with that. When I get frustrated I take a break for a while as I have plenty of other pieces to work on.

Good luck,
Jeff

Shortfinger · #5 04-05-2019, 09:02 AM

I'm the OP and can play it per the excellent TAB sheets done by Daddy Stovepipe, which matches precisely what he is playing and instructing in the video.

I am no songwriter. I play by the numbers and images shown on the page. If someone took the time to write it and I like it, I want to play exactly that.

Our son and daughter played piano and flute up to conservatory level, classical, pop, and jazz, and always played from sheet music. Nothing wrong with that.

If I had started early long ago, and had been trained via lessons and practice, and played long hours with others in a band, it might be different. But that is not the case, and I seek instruction that shows me exactly what I need to do to replicate something I can hear and like.

This version of "Louise" is a tune with alternating thumb-picked bass notes and syncopated play going on with the other fingers, just like a lot of blues stuff. The two walkdowns are tough for me because of the speed needed in the left-hand shape changes, but I'll eventually get there.

The solos require a pinky slide, which I do not have, so I am doing a big glass slide on my pinky which is way too loose, but I am working on it. My first attempt at slide. I ordered a couple of slides that I hope fit my ring and pinky better

Dakotabison · #6 04-08-2019, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shortfinger

I'm the OP and can play it per the excellent TAB sheets done by Daddy Stovepipe, which matches precisely what he is playing and instructing in the video.

I am no songwriter. I play by the numbers and images shown on the page. If someone took the time to write it and I like it, I want to play exactly that.

Our son and daughter played piano and flute up to conservatory level, classical, pop, and jazz, and always played from sheet music. Nothing wrong with that.

If I had started early long ago, and had been trained via lessons and practice, and played long hours with others in a band, it might be different. But that is not the case, and I seek instruction that shows me exactly what I need to do to replicate something I can hear and like.

This version of "Louise" is a tune with alternating thumb-picked bass notes and syncopated play going on with the other fingers, just like a lot of blues stuff. The two walkdowns are tough for me because of the speed needed in the left-hand shape changes, but I'll eventually get there.

The solos require a pinky slide, which I do not have, so I am doing a big glass slide on my pinky which is way too loose, but I am working on it. My first attempt at slide. I ordered a couple of slides that I hope fit my ring and pinky better

I see you have already purchased some slides, but another potential candidate would be a Monarch series slide from Rocky Mountain slides. Fits my pinky perfectly down to the second knuckle. They have a thinner-walled version with the same internal diameter, but this one sounds great. They come in many different colors, that are supposed to produce different tones. I have a Yella Dog, lol.