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  #16  
Old 06-17-2022, 09:37 PM
phydaux phydaux is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HOF dad View Post
not to hijack the thread.....but
suggestions for the best resources to learn chord melody?
This has been on my radar for quite some time now
Flat pick or finger pick? I'm learning flat pick chord melody (aka Carter Style) using Flatpicking Essentials from flatpick.com.

Friendly tip if your order from them - Buy the PDFs. I'm of an age & generation where I learn best from hard copy books, but it can take upwards of a month for them to mail you paper books.
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  #17  
Old 06-18-2022, 07:35 AM
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Originally Posted by HOF dad View Post
not to hijack the thread.....but
suggestions for the best resources to learn chord melody?
This has been on my radar for quite some time now
Plus 1 on that question. What is chord melody? Sounds intriguing.
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  #18  
Old 06-18-2022, 07:51 AM
Guest 61722
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This question of group vs. solo playing has been on my mind of late, though it's probably not a decision I'll ever have to make as I'm starting out with guitar later in life. I may never get good enough to feel comfortable performing for anyone other than my husband and the squirrels that dig up our backyard. Right now, I aspire to not feel too dorky practicing at the train station, and I've got a long way to go to even get there. When I was young and went to Paris the first time, I fell in love with all the music people were playing in the Metro stations, all the old fashioned French accordion music, bals-musette. And the croissants, of course.

So far, I have tried a few of the local meetup guitar jams, and I've witnessed the drama of being in a band through some friends who play together (and bicker incessantly like a bad marriage). These are my thoughts.

I spent a lot of time for the first guitar jam learning as many of the songs as possible. I played my guitar like a novice would, sang out of tune but not too badly, and had fun. I gave it my all. I tried to repeat that for the second one, but could not get myself to plow through learning a bunch of songs I didn't want to play. Ditto the next one. I realized it takes a ton of time, which means it takes a ton of time away from learning and practicing the things I want to learn and practice. I decided to put in a pin in that and give myself some time to build up my skills and also focus on learning the songs I want to play, "Willin'" by Seatrain for example.

Re: being in a band... I don't know if my friends are a typical example, but it seems like there are a lot of "creative differences" mostly centered around who is going to be in the spotlight. :/ (Yeah, for the tips only gigs at the local retirement community or similar.) I think they think they're the Rolling Stones. (Or possibly the rolling stoners? I don't know.) Part of me wants to say GET A GRIP ON YOURSELF! There's absolutely nothing at stake here. Nothing. You're the elderly providing free entertainment for the elderly. Keep it in perspective.

Meanwhile, I'm thinking, some day it will just be me, my guitar and I playing our favorite songs, wearing a beret, out there for anyone who's brave enough to stop and give us a listen. No money. No open guitar case for tips. Don't want it. Don't need it. I have a day job. No ego. No band bickering. Just music.
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  #19  
Old 06-20-2022, 10:42 AM
CASD57 CASD57 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by janinep7 View Post
This question of group vs. solo playing has been on my mind of late, though it's probably not a decision I'll ever have to make as I'm starting out with guitar later in life. I may never get good enough to feel comfortable performing for anyone other than my husband and the squirrels that dig up our backyard. Right now, I aspire to not feel too dorky practicing at the train station, and I've got a long way to go to even get there. When I was young and went to Paris the first time, I fell in love with all the music people were playing in the Metro stations, all the old fashioned French accordion music, bals-musette. And the croissants, of course.

So far, I have tried a few of the local meetup guitar jams, and I've witnessed the drama of being in a band through some friends who play together (and bicker incessantly like a bad marriage). These are my thoughts.

I spent a lot of time for the first guitar jam learning as many of the songs as possible. I played my guitar like a novice would, sang out of tune but not too badly, and had fun. I gave it my all. I tried to repeat that for the second one, but could not get myself to plow through learning a bunch of songs I didn't want to play. Ditto the next one. I realized it takes a ton of time, which means it takes a ton of time away from learning and practicing the things I want to learn and practice. I decided to put in a pin in that and give myself some time to build up my skills and also focus on learning the songs I want to play, "Willin'" by Seatrain for example.

Re: being in a band... I don't know if my friends are a typical example, but it seems like there are a lot of "creative differences" mostly centered around who is going to be in the spotlight. :/ (Yeah, for the tips only gigs at the local retirement community or similar.) I think they think they're the Rolling Stones. (Or possibly the rolling stoners? I don't know.) Part of me wants to say GET A GRIP ON YOURSELF! There's absolutely nothing at stake here. Nothing. You're the elderly providing free entertainment for the elderly. Keep it in perspective.

Meanwhile, I'm thinking, some day it will just be me, my guitar and I playing our favorite songs, wearing a beret, out there for anyone who's brave enough to stop and give us a listen. No money. No open guitar case for tips. Don't want it. Don't need it. I have a day job. No ego. No band bickering. Just music.
I think if you know the basic open chords and the some minor chords you should be able to play along... But bring songs that you've practiced, if you don't know the song being played just hang back alittle everyone will understand as others will do it also if they don't know the song...
Honestly the magic is in the strumming hand not the fingering hand.. So working on different strumming patterns will help alot also..
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  #20  
Old 06-20-2022, 02:32 PM
Robin, Wales Robin, Wales is offline
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My thoughts are that it has taken me 3 years to transition from a band/backing/instrumental type of musician to feeling that I am now comfortable playing / singing solo (just open mics, parties, pub sessions etc). It is a tough call and a lot of work. But I'm pleased with where I have got to and know that I can get better - simply with practice and the experience of putting myself out there.

I have done a lot of gigs solo playing dulcimer and lots of bluegrass band gigs playing dobro. But picking up a guitar, walking on stage and singing, well that's a whole next level for me.
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I'm learning to flatpick and fingerpick guitar to accompany songs.

I've played and studied traditional noter/drone mountain dulcimer for many years. And I used to play dobro in a bluegrass band.



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