Playing resolutions for 2012

[Jazzpunk]

Alright, it's that time of year! My resolutions for 2012 are to dedicate more time to sight reading and transcribing, two areas of my studies that I tend to ignore the most.

What goals have you guys set for the upcoming year?

[doveman]

I have a few ...

• Do a bit of theory study to make my blues/rock chops a bit better.
• More acoustic work ... specifically recording my National Resolectric (acquired earlier in 2011 but have not recorded with it) and a new Guild 12-string my wife sprung on me at Chrismas. I'd like to target some specific cover tunes ... some Keb' Mo' and John Mayer specifically.
• Some jazz ... I'd like to learn a few jazz standards. My son may help me in my pursuit ... he has become somewhat of a jazzer over the past few years.
• But the big one ... I'd like to put together about 10-12 songs with my son this year. Between us we can cover a lot of bass, guitars, vocals and even some keys. I'd like to approach almost like an album project. It should take all year.

I usually do about 1/2 of what I plan musically. I have sort of given up on the live band thing that I've been chasing the past three years. But we'll see ...

[fumblefingers]

to play more and focus on forward progress and development. going to practice right now......

[mr. beaumont]

I will buy no guitars in 2012. I will only play the living shit out of the ones I do own.

[whatswisdom]

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

I will buy no guitars in 2012. I will only play the living shit out of the ones I do own.

I will buy no books in 2012. I will only play through the ones I have and wait until 2013...

[whatswisdom]

Originally Posted by doveman

I'd like to put together about 10-12 songs with my son this year. Between us we can cover a lot of bass, guitars, vocals and even some keys.

How cool is that! All the very best to you & your son.

[EddieLastra]

It's back to the basics for me. Need to fill some gaps and hopefully find some new ground to break. If I'm lucky, maybe pick up a new axe

[Soco]

No new guitars in 2012 for me either.
I am pretty happy with my practice throughout 2011.
I am hoping to keep my classical guitar playing going as well as some more sightreading. I need to start practicing some new tunes I wrote in the fall.
Also I will make a point to be careful in terms of injuries. I had some problems with my pinky about a year ago, but it went away. Recently a couple of guitarists I know had some serious problems with their hands and fingers. It is better to be careful. I put the metronome on 40 and play 2 octave major scales in all 12 keys, quarter-notes. I throw in some slides, bends and pre-bends, different chords and intervalls in the scales and use open strings(letting them blend with fretted notes) whenever I can. I feel like it becomes more musical that way, plus it is good for your time to play that slow.

[ronjazz]

I resolve to resolve.

[Jessesmit]

A new guitar for me in 2012!!
At the moment, my only really good guitar is a Fender Stratocaster , and although I can get some sweeeet tones from it, I would love to have an archtop or something in that direction. (for the price of around 650 dollars, I know it's not alot but, any tips?)

- Spend as much time with the guitar as I have the last two weeks, which is about 3 to 4 hours a day, so I will improve!
- Get some decent Robben Ford style jazz approaches in my blues playing.
- Learn approximately 12 (One for each month, study group!) standards in depth and record my self playing the chords, an arpeggio etude, a key center improv, and one where I try to follow the chords the most.
- Get into more Jazz musicians than just Kurt Rosenwinkel.

[fumblefingers]

Originally Posted by ronjazz

I resolve to resolve.

to the tonic? or are you being deceptive?

[mangotango]

I will learn to read music properly in 2012.

[marshall]

I will work with and through my frustrations,learn whole songs and remember why i love the guitar.But mostly realize that i may not be a good jazz guitarist,but i can be a good man playing jazz.

[cosmic gumbo]

I've resolved this year to clean up the beer that Spanky spilled in my tuba last year.

[Jazzpunk]

Originally Posted by doveman

But the big one ... I'd like to put together about 10-12 songs with my son this year. Between us we can cover a lot of bass, guitars, vocals and even some keys. I'd like to approach almost like an album project. It should take all year.

That sounds like a great goal doveman!

[doveman]

Originally Posted by Jazzpunk

That sounds like a great goal doveman!

Yeah ... he's actually the jazz player between the two of us. I sent him to the Atlanta Institute of Music for a year and a half ... he learned quite a bit. He's back at home and starting college classes after spending a few years chasing his music dream. He's become a pretty good player. I for one am glad he's back in school. Music is a hard way to make a living. He's teaching guitar lessons at the local music stores (only one who does classical around here) to make a bit of spending money.

[Aant]

I've decided to study Leavitt's method(s) for 2012, with the help of this awesome thread, in order to be able to read music properly and build a good basis to well, learn jazz correctly.

And also to buy an amp or, why not, a pod to obtain a decent sound!

[TruthHertz]

My resolution: Learn to hear natural 13 on a IIm7 chord. Does this need a resolution?
David

[brad4d8]

New Year's Eve, 2008, I resolved to play the guitar every day (altered to include mandolin when I got one). I haven't missed a day since, although a few times I only ran a few scales or exercises.
The next year I resolved to play with other people, joined a local folk society and do regularly.
Last year I resolved to learn basics of swing rhythm playing and I did, even though I don't play it as well or as often as I'd like.
This year, I intend to learn some Atkins/Travis style picking. I've played a lot of classical over the years, so my RH is pretty good, but the whole driving alternating thumb thing in their style is not emphasized in classical.
Hopefully, this will be the fourth year in a row I meet my goal. Report due in about a year.
Brad

[NSJ]

This is the year where I get all the songs I have worked on and learn them COLD, including the lyrics. No more relying on lead sheets--really develop a solid repertoire that I know INSIDE and OUT.

[JakeAcci]

My resolution is to listen better when playing with others. I try to make it my goal to, when playing with others, play everything as a response to what other people are doing, at least when comping and trading fours. It's hard to do, as it's tempting to get indulgent in one's own motifs sometimes.

[Bailz]

1. Try and keep a right hand of unbroken nails for 1 week!
2. Attempt to get all my original stuff in trio format with my Leeds connections and get it all recorded.
3. Try and get some kind of deal with a label.

[JensL]

I guess I'd like to learn some new standards, and play some more trio stuff.
For the rest I am sure I am going to be busy with the new Træben cd and getting some PR and gigs for it. I probably need to write more music too...

Lots of good stuff to do I just hope I also get time to practice...

Jens

[jasonc]

I'm going to try and get back into playing for real. I haven't really practiced or gigged much since my oldest daughter was born six years ago. My last gig was in '09. Time to practice and get some gigs!

[Atticus]

Originally Posted by lvdz

I've decided to study Leavitt's method(s) for 2012, with the help of this awesome thread, in order to be able to read music properly and build a good basis to well, learn jazz correctly.

Same here. I'll also being following up with Mickey Baker once we work through Leavitt.

Also, since this is playing resolutions, perfect all my two-octave scales on tuba, and learn to play more than three chords on harmonica.

[SammieWammie]

Get my jazz group properly up and running, do all the youth jazz/other music competitions with it.
Get a jazz guitar duo up and running with the only other jazz guitarist my age I know.
Gig/busk solo, with the jazz guitar duo, and any other people I can.
Get a better grasp on scales/arpeggios.
Get a better grasp on chords and comping.
Transcribe more jazz / study the omnibook for more jazz language. (Finally bought Transcribe so I can slow music down!)
Develop a better swing feel.
Develop better articulation.
Learn some gypsy jazz and techniques used for it.
Save up $$ for a decent jazz guitar.
Learn more tunes.
Write more tunes.
Improve the faults my teacher picked out in my technique.

Basically just get better in every way I can think of

[SammieWammie]

Oh, sight reading and theory too.

[Nuff Said]

Talking of "Resolutions". I think this is the year of resolutions in my improv, so the listener is in no doubt that the note has resolved.

Nuff