The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > PLAY and Write

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #31  
Old 11-30-2016, 07:59 PM
TBman's Avatar
TBman TBman is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 35,829
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by J-Doug View Post
Nothing wrong with that Barry! Excellent work.
Thanks Doug, its coming along slow. I have three videos to work with once I get my speed up. 2 are by Macyn Taylor and one by the master himself.

The ones by Macyn are slower paced than Tommy's. I should be able to play along with Macyn in maybe 2 to 3 weeks if everything goes good. I don't want to sacrifice accuracy for speed. I'll take slow and clean whenever I can. It's better for me to push up speed very slowly.
__________________
Barry

Sad Moments {Marianne Vedral cover}:


My SoundCloud page

Some steel strings, some nylon.
Reply With Quote
  #32  
Old 12-01-2016, 11:08 PM
Guest 33123
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default

2 more hours tonight of the same 40 bars over and over again and I still couldn't nail it. Frustration setting in.

Last edited by Guest 33123; 12-01-2016 at 11:14 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #33  
Old 12-02-2016, 05:59 PM
usb_chord's Avatar
usb_chord usb_chord is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,627
Default

Joining this thread late, but joining nonetheless! The new song I'm attempting to learn is one in the process of composing. Looking forward to heading home and getting to work here in the next couple hours!

Best of wishes, J-Doug! I'm sure you'll have a break through after some time away from the instrument and letting the muscle memory settle in a bit.
Reply With Quote
  #34  
Old 12-02-2016, 09:01 PM
Guest 33123
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Thank you Brian for the encouragement! Very glad you are joining us.

BTW I finally pulled it off. Took an hour but I played the intro and section A all together from memory at a slow but steady tempo without mistakes. Phew! On to section B.

Last edited by Guest 33123; 12-02-2016 at 09:59 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #35  
Old 12-03-2016, 08:58 AM
JBCROTTY JBCROTTY is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Southern California (But a Colorado Native)
Posts: 938
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Laughingboy68 View Post
I have 397 songs in my ready to gig repertoire. I'm motivated to get to an even 400, so I'll try to learn three new tunes with this challenge. My biggest obstacle is finding something new to play. I think I'm gonna have to seek some inspiration in other people's contributions here.
I have a question for folks - Mike wrote the above and it sparked my curiosity because I have been wondering something.

Mike - when you say you have almost 400 gig ready songs, can you play all 400 from memory when you are playing live or do you require visual assistance during the performance? Tab, music sheet, chord chart....something?

The reason I ask is that I've been playing for just under a year after a 35 year hiatus - I am NOT good, but am making progress and able to play easy songs in relatively short order. I have a "song book" that I built with about 30-40 songs in it - all of which I can play through, some more fluently than others. I build these sheets from sources like Ultimate Guitar - I find song I like, select the one that seems to be highly rated, copy it into a Word document, fix the chords and spacing if it does not appear to be right, and I produce a pretty good chord or tab sheet for the song which I then put in the book and chip away at it.

I ask the question because, though I am a novice and it is getting easier, I am astounded that someone could remember that many songs - chords, strum patters, and chord timing. What is a realistic goal to set for being able to memorize and play songs? When I watch live music (I will likely never play live) sometimes the artist will have an iPad hanging from the mic stand. What is on the iPad? Other times it appears as though they have deep song reservoirs memorized. I find this incredible.

Would be interested to hear your thoughts. Is it reasonable to be able to play a certain amount of songs from memory? Will I always require visual assistance for many of them - is that normal? What do performers use? What is typical?

Thanks for the insight - more curious than anything because I will likely never gig. Though who knows, I keep threatening my kids that I'll descend on a poor, unsuspecting coffee shop and humiliate us all.

Justin
__________________
Justin
________________
Gibson J-15
Alvarez MD60BG
Yamaha LL16RD
Epiphone Les Paul Standard
Fender Player Stratocaster
Reply With Quote
  #36  
Old 12-03-2016, 06:41 PM
Guest 33123
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Hi Justin,

I've been playing for 31 years. In the last 15 I've focused solely on fingerpicked acoustic. Over that time I have learned 72 fingerstyle ragtime, gospel and Piedmont blues pieces ranging from 2+ to 7 minutes long. I can play them all from memory with no notes or sheet music. I play them all through 3 times a week to keep them fresh in my mind. I'm also constantly learning new tunes to add to the list.

I think the key for me is playing them regularly. If I didn't I would not remember them at all.
Reply With Quote
  #37  
Old 12-03-2016, 07:22 PM
TBman's Avatar
TBman TBman is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 35,829
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by J-Doug View Post
Hi Justin,

I've been playing for 31 years. In the last 15 I've focused solely on fingerpicked acoustic. Over that time I have learned 72 fingerstyle ragtime, gospel and Piedmont blues pieces ranging from 2+ to 7 minutes long. I can play them all from memory with no notes or sheet music. I play them all through 3 times a week to keep them fresh in my mind. I'm also constantly learning new tunes to add to the list.

I think the key for me is playing them regularly. If I didn't I would not remember them at all.
Most of the time I can barely remember one, lol. I learn them, play them a few times and then move on to the next without looking back. My entertainment is actually learning them, not playing them week in week out. Lately though a couple have been sticking to my memory. I probably just have to keep my practice time up like it has been and I'll remember more.

It's weird though. I remember how to play a couple of songs I learned 40 years ago ....
__________________
Barry

Sad Moments {Marianne Vedral cover}:


My SoundCloud page

Some steel strings, some nylon.
Reply With Quote
  #38  
Old 12-03-2016, 10:31 PM
TBman's Avatar
TBman TBman is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 35,829
Default

Worked on Luttrel a bit more today during two practice sessions. I'm a couple of beats behind Macyn Taylor's version, but I'm bridging the gap between the tab I have and what she plays which is closer to TE's version than the tab.

I also worked on some fundamentals today.

I will get back to The Entertainer tomorrow, but work on Luttrel also. I'm in the process of memorizing Luttrel which is coming along nicely, now I want to work on The Entertainer and be able to play the whole thing at the same pace and get that memorized as well. Even though I don't mind sight reading when I have a tab in front of me of a tune I know well, I play much more fluently when I'm not reading.
__________________
Barry

Sad Moments {Marianne Vedral cover}:


My SoundCloud page

Some steel strings, some nylon.
Reply With Quote
  #39  
Old 12-04-2016, 06:34 AM
Laughingboy68 Laughingboy68 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Stratford, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 1,035
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by JBCROTTY View Post
I have a question for folks - Mike wrote the above and it sparked my curiosity because I have been wondering something.

Mike - when you say you have almost 400 gig ready songs, can you play all 400 from memory when you are playing live or do you require visual assistance during the performance? Tab, music sheet, chord chart....something?

The reason I ask is that I've been playing for just under a year after a 35 year hiatus - I am NOT good, but am making progress and able to play easy songs in relatively short order. I have a "song book" that I built with about 30-40 songs in it - all of which I can play through, some more fluently than others. I build these sheets from sources like Ultimate Guitar - I find song I like, select the one that seems to be highly rated, copy it into a Word document, fix the chords and spacing if it does not appear to be right, and I produce a pretty good chord or tab sheet for the song which I then put in the book and chip away at it.

I ask the question because, though I am a novice and it is getting easier, I am astounded that someone could remember that many songs - chords, strum patters, and chord timing. What is a realistic goal to set for being able to memorize and play songs? When I watch live music (I will likely never play live) sometimes the artist will have an iPad hanging from the mic stand. What is on the iPad? Other times it appears as though they have deep song reservoirs memorized. I find this incredible.

Would be interested to hear your thoughts. Is it reasonable to be able to play a certain amount of songs from memory? Will I always require visual assistance for many of them - is that normal? What do performers use? What is typical?

Thanks for the insight - more curious than anything because I will likely never gig. Though who knows, I keep threatening my kids that I'll descend on a poor, unsuspecting coffee shop and humiliate us all.

Justin
I have found that as I reach this size of a repertoire, I'm unable to keep it all purely in my memory. For the last few years, I've made song charts for each new tune that I learn and keep everything on my very old iPad (it's the first version that I bought for my wife when they first came out - she passed it down to me). I usually start with lyrics from the online source AZ lyrics. I copy and paste that into a Pages document and add notes or chord reminders in the margins as needed. Then I convert that to a pdf and keep it in the unealBook app (this one works for me) on my iPad.

When I gig, I usually use a fairly flexible setlist. I'll prepare something, but once I start to play, I like to respond to the room - so, anything on that list is up for grabs. If I stick to what's planned (say, 50ish songs for the night), I find that I rarely do more than glance at the iPad to remind me what the next song is. However, it is always there as a safety net. If I get a request for something I haven't played in months or years, the chart is there to lean on. Some charts have abbreviated lyrics (the first line of each verse) and nothing else. Some charts have lyrics, chords, notes in the margins for time signature, key, phrasing or arrangement. unrealBook also has a metronome that I sometime use (mostly to remind me to slow down). Experience tells me that the more complete the chart is, the more likely it is that the song will keep all it's nuances as the years go by. Otherwise, songs tend to become simpler and I run the risk of becoming that three chord strummer (nothing wrong with that, but it's not what I prefer). I always have a reminder in the chart for tuning and capo placement. There is nothing worse than getting halfway through a tune and realizing that you have the lyric right and you're playing is on point, but you're singing it transposed down a minor third because you forgot to capo at the third fret (doesn't carry quite the same intensity).

Part of my regular practice routine is to go through my list and make a "work" list of songs that need polishing, need remembering (I'm gettin' old), or that I want to add a solo or a new intro or a looper part to the arrangement. That list is always evolving according to my youthful ambition and my aging, failing memory.

I blew right through my self-imposed 400 song limit this week, so I guess I'm gonna be leaning a little more on my memory aids. Of that list of 403 songs. I'd say at any given time, I can probably play close to half purely from memory. It seems that most days, I learn something new and I'm sure in a deep part of my memory, a gem of a song tumbles into the abyss of forgotten tunes. Then, I review, rescue that gem, and throw it on the "work" list. Endless process...

That's how it is for me. I know some people can keep 1000+ songs under their hands without any charts. I can't. The more musical theory one understands the better. Many, many songs follow fairly familiar patterns that become second nature with experience.
__________________
Mike

2018 Furch D31TSR
2008 Martin OMCRE
1992 Takamine EAN20C
1996 Fender Telecaster w/ Barden Nashville set
1986 Charvel Model 5
2005 Art & Lutherie Ami
1980ish Hohner copy of a 'burst
Reply With Quote
  #40  
Old 12-04-2016, 09:49 AM
JBCROTTY JBCROTTY is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Southern California (But a Colorado Native)
Posts: 938
Default

Thanks, Mike. Very helpful.
__________________
Justin
________________
Gibson J-15
Alvarez MD60BG
Yamaha LL16RD
Epiphone Les Paul Standard
Fender Player Stratocaster
Reply With Quote
  #41  
Old 12-05-2016, 10:23 AM
Guest 33123
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Played the intro and section A through last night and then watched the lesson for section B. Doesn't look that bad.
Reply With Quote
  #42  
Old 12-05-2016, 10:57 AM
H165 H165 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: The Woods; OC, CA
Posts: 3,055
Default

Last time we did this I was in the middle of a remodel and got swamped. Think I'll try Kottke's arrangement of "Rings" by Alex Harvey and Eddie Reeves (a charted tune by Cymarron and Lobo).
Reply With Quote
  #43  
Old 12-05-2016, 08:36 PM
JBCROTTY JBCROTTY is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Southern California (But a Colorado Native)
Posts: 938
Default

Ok, fellas - I'm in. You guys have inspired me to throw in on learning a new song and reporting my progress.

Keep in mind I'm new back into the guitar - started up again about a year ago. Strumming mostly.

I'm going to learn "Something's Always Wrong" by Toad the Wet Sprocket. I really dig Alternative Rock from the 90's (I was in my 20's during that time) and Toad was a favorite band of mine. Great song and probably within my skill to learn and master.

Perhaps I'll get the courage to post my performance of the song once I feel good about it......
__________________
Justin
________________
Gibson J-15
Alvarez MD60BG
Yamaha LL16RD
Epiphone Les Paul Standard
Fender Player Stratocaster
Reply With Quote
  #44  
Old 12-05-2016, 10:28 PM
Guest 33123
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Awesome Justin!
Reply With Quote
  #45  
Old 12-05-2016, 10:35 PM
Guest 33123
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default

I just spent an hour and a half on 4 bars of section B. Ugh. It looked a lot easier on the video! At least I was able to play them through in the end without a mistake. Not flowing at all yet though.
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > PLAY and Write

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 05:19 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=