Cloudy Day

[VikingBlues]

I've found myself drifting into jazzy territory from the blues waters I've been sailing in for the last couple of years. I've just joined this forum in the hope of getting a bit more clued up about this new area.

As a gentle starting point on this forum I'd like just to post a piece I feel I don't have so many questions about and would be grateful to hear any views and comments - am I venturing into the wrong waters or not?

I had found a backing track called "cloudy" and it fitted the tones I was getting from a just finished self build "Strat". I'll demonstrate my ignorance and admit that the "Misty" connection was lost on me at this point! So the improv I did was purely based on my own melodic ideas from the chords and accompaniment I was hearing.

It was the start of my serious interest in something a bit different from blues.

SoundClick artist: Viking Blues - page with MP3 music downloads

Home made Strat - middle/bridge setting - Nano Holy Grail Reverb - Artec Blues Pedal - Vox AC4TV - Stagg PGT80 mic - Alesis IO2 Interface - Samplitude Music Studio DAW (tweaked just for a tad of delay and the EQ balance of the whole piece).

There's passages in it where I really didn't know what key / scale was appropriate so I'm just winging it by ear. I love trying to play the notes I hear in my head on the fretboard and I'm now starting to be able to revisit old recordings I did and have a fair stab at recreating the original melodies I did. It's taken 40 years (well with a bit of a big gap in the middle!) to get to this stage so you'll understand I'm a slow learner.

[cosmic gumbo]

The guitar is too low in the mix to follow along very well, melody should be right up front, don't be bashful.

You seem to be looking for keys to lock into, instead of exploiting all those great jazzy changes, which is why they are in this arrangement. Your sparse and laid back improv would have sounded better over a much simpler set of changes.

Keep at it, just realize that what makes most jazz improv different than non jazz improv, is that some jazz chords are being given to you that beg you to acknowledge or reference them in some way in your solo.

[VikingBlues]

Originally Posted by cosmic gumbo

You seem to be looking for keys to lock into, instead of exploiting all those great jazzy changes, which is why they are in this arrangement. Your sparse and laid back improv would have sounded better over a much simpler set of changes.

Keep at it, just realize that what makes most jazz improv different than non jazz improv, is that some jazz chords are being given to you that beg you to acknowledge or reference them in some way in your solo.

Thank you for listening and the advice you've given there I guess confirms why I've felt the need to come to this forum to clarify some issues.

The bottom line is that I haven't got the technical knowledge about the jazzy changes and what makes up these delicious sounding jazz chords that makes for referring to them in the right way in the solo. Hopefully I'll find some answers on this forum.

I do think I'm basically struggling and out of my depth with this style - to be honest I've got a huge amount of work and learning to do to even try to play blues with any degree of authority and authenticity. If something as relatively simple as blues is still a problem the question has to be asked - why do I want to try to step up even higher. I suppose I like the melodic aspect (something a bit lacking in a lot of blues).

I appreciate your encouraging me to "keep at it" but time is an enemy in this - I've spent an horrendous number of years to even get to this stage I'm at now and I want to avoid getting bogged down and to try and enjoy the relatively few years I am quite likely to have before the senses dull and physical difficulties kick in that make playing too difficult. Arthritis runs in the family and I feel some initial aspects of this - I have vivid recollections of a father who could play Beethoven and Mozart Piano Sonatas being reduced to not playing at all anymore at my sort of age.

The "locking into keys" you mention makes perfect sense. That's what my learning has been about for the past couple of years - understanding and fitting solos around scales and modes. I've only just recently been able to make sense of modes - if they've been the mystery they have to me for so long it doesn't suggest too much a natural aptitude.

Originally Posted by cosmic gumbo

The guitar is too low in the mix to follow along very well, melody should be right up front, don't be bashful.

I guess it's a natural instinct to be bashful when you're not comfortable and in control - it''s certainly my instinct! Though I think it's also part of my musical make-up that will mean I will tend to mix the lead part down more than some. I remember being drawn to those recordings of concerto performances in classical music where the soloist was not highlighted too strongly against the orchestra. As far as my recording is concerned we are of course looking at the standard of musicianship on the backing track being higher than the soloist so there's an incentive to adjust the mix in the way I have.

A lot for me to think about - thanks again for taking the time and trouble to listen and comment.

[StevieB]

I liked it, but agree that the guitar is too low in the mix. Be louder and prouder!