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I don't think of it as your vanity at all. It's a very different and pleasing sound and something to look forward to down the road, so I think of it as an inspiration. For now though, I'll stick with the plectrum - one thing at a time.
Originally Posted by fep
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02-10-2012 01:09 AM
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Very nice fep, very dolce and most waggy.
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My attempt with backing track.
And the UPS man showed up and my dog started barking, perfect timing so I let the tape roll.
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Sounds good oldhead. The muting on beats 2 & 4 give it a nice swing feel. Originally Posted by oldhead
Good job TLT. You're working hard at learning guitar and it shows. I like the position of both of your hands, and how you're holding the pick. Originally Posted by ten left thumbs
Right, I have braved youtube for this solo, which I love. Please excuse the frown on my face, that's just how my face looks when I'm concentrating. Really, I should work on a bit of a smile.
Nicely done fep, looks like you have it memorized. Originally Posted by fep
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Wonderful fep, that happens to be the progression I'm working on just now! Originally Posted by fep
re the above:
Those are fantastic backing tracks! Are you able to share them?
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Thanks Marty, yes it does look like I have it memorized. I don't, when I look at my music stand it looks like my eyes are closed, maybe that camera's to high. It's mounted on the top of my screen. Originally Posted by Marty W
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Thanks TTL Originally Posted by ten left thumbs
Yep, I just rendered it to mp3 without my guitar. I made them with BIAB, and as an owner of BIAB I have the license to share them.
Here's the backing track, ex. 1, 2, 3 are all on this track:
Page 24.mp3 - File Shared from Box - Free Online File Storage
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Frank, that makes chord practice so much more fun!
thanks a million!
xx
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Those are great fep! Thanks for sharing. I had BIAB a long time ago, don't remember it sounding this good. How do you program the horns? I assume they're somewhat automatic when you enter a progression. Originally Posted by fep
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Thanks Marty, Originally Posted by Marty W
They keep improving BIAB. Now for all but the basic version, they've added what they call 'RealTracks'. RealTracks are audio files recorded by studio musicians. Somehow they take these recordings and morph them to fit the chord progressions you pick. Same for the soloists, those are lines actually recorded by studio musicians. Realtracks, they're audio, not midi. I'm always looking for styles with RealTracks.
They even list who played the tracks... for that track Neil Swainson played Acoustic Bass, Miles Black played piano, Terry Clarke played the drums, I muted the guitar before I made the mp3 as I did on my recording... They're not listing the soloists on that style.
The solos are completely automatic, you can reload and it will be a different solo.
I bought the ultrapak, which comes on it's own hard drive, you can move it easily from computer to computer.Last edited by fep; 02-10-2012 at 10:11 PM.
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fep - What version of BIAB are you using please? I'm still on version 2010.5 (Pro) and have resisted shelling out for the upgrade. Do you think there is a big difference since 2010.5?
FWIW, BIAB is also the best tool I know for practicing and generating backing tracks, plus you can get a quick and dirty lead sheet if you need it.
My second choice might seem odd. It is a distant second for the purposes above, but it is excellent at what it does and cost effective too: Transcribe from Seventh String software. You can shift the pitch of an mp3 or mp4 file, change the tempo while maintaining the key, and set loops and markers. It is mainly intended for transcribing as the name suggests, but it is an especially wonderful adjunct if you have a lot of Aebersold tracks around.
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I swear by Transcribe. Since I got it I don't know how I ever managed without it. If I'm learning a patterns aurally, I can stick it in 12 keys and hear it for each key. The main thing I do though is singing with a solo (part of a jazz method I'm doing - each lesson has a solo to sing to). This is a recent one, I sing here at 70% speed, but some sections I had to slow to 35% in order to learn. This is Symphonette (Fats Navarro): Originally Posted by HighSpeedSpoon
symphonette 70%.mp3 - File Shared from Box - Free Online File Storage
The other thing I couldn't live without is using it to help my son learn rhythms aurally. Just having the ability to isolate the bit you need, slow it down, and play back as many times as needed - it's helped him a lot with picking up rhythms accurately.
Sorry to go off topic.
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Hey HSS, I have 2011. I don't know the differences from 2010.5 to 2011 or 2012. I upgraded from a much earlier version I upgraded from Pro... maybe 2007? Originally Posted by HighSpeedSpoon
However, going from Pro to Ultrapak was a huge difference for me. With ultrapak you get all the realtracks, and for me that was the difference. The quality between the midi backing tracks vs. the realtracks backing tracks is big. For me it went from midi tracks that are fine for practice to realtracks that are good enough to use in recording or as a backing track for a performance.
I'm trying to avoid the temptation to upgrade, it looks like that temptation will come every year, and boy would that be expensive. I'm thinking maybe every four years I might upgrade.
But going from Pro to Ultrapak upgrade is the same price as going from Ultrapak to a newer Ultrapak. So it's quite the deal if you're starting with Pro.
Also, each of the last couple of years there has been a significant discount at the Christmas season as they introduce the new year upgrade. So that seems to be the best time to buy.
Hi TTL, Originally Posted by ten left thumbs
What is the name of the course you are working on?
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Hey all,
How many pages do you want to do next week?
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The website seems to suggest that Pro2012 includes realtracks, but I suppose that catch may be, does it include all the realtracks? I'm not interested in midi, I'd rather use my imagination. But to make tracks of the quality of fep's - I'd pay money for that.
I use this book, Joy of Improv by Dave Frank:
Dave Frank, Books and Videos
You can download the first lesson from his website.
It is piano-centric, but can be used for guitar, and there are Bb and Eb editions for horn players. It is aimed at classically trained musicians wanting to make the switch to jazz, and it builds the skills for improvising. It doesn't actually teach improvising itself - no book can. There is a study group on Piano World which I 'belong' to, we are all at different stages of the programme, including some of Dave's students, and Dave also keeps an ear on us from time to time. Sometimes we skype together, which is fairly crazy.
One of my aims for guitar is to play at a level I could follow that course on guitar also (given I've already done the aural - ha!). The book and online support are I think the next best thing to a university-level course (or a good teacher) that there is.
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Page 23 First Solo - Had a really hard time with this because I kept hearing it in my head a little differently than it's written. It was one of those things that just kept looping, if you know what I mean. That and the reading, plus new fingerings made it difficult. Anyhow, I ended up recording both versions, neither of which is "clean", but Leavitt said not to go for perfection on every lesson. I butchered the endings on both!
As far as how many pages, I would say not past 29 at the most, as 30 starts Key of G. The picking on 27 looks pretty daunting to me.
Also, trying to review from the beginning every week takes some time.
Just my opinion.
Page 23, First Solo:
Page 23, First Solo.mp3 - File Shared from Box - Free Online File Storage
Page 23, First Solo the way it kept playing in my head:
Page 23, Fist Solo (2).mp3 - File Shared from Box - Free Online File Storage
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Hey, oldhead, you're swinging it, that's cool! I didn't hear it swing, but when you played it, somehow I wanted you to swing harder.
You're straight version sounds good too, with a few picking mis-hits (I get these lots, especially when I'm recording).
My vote for the coming week would be 3 pages to pg 26. They are all challenging, but challenging in different ways, so it's not too much of the same thing. The etude is more of the same notes, and the only difference is starting a phrase on the offbeat.
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Just so everybody knows, Leavitt taught, practiced and lived plectrum guitar. He was actually upset at me when I went to full-on classical technique for jazz playing, and switched to the nylon. So, from his perspective, we are not free to use hybrid picking. I laughed at him and called him Dad, so you know my attitude. I loved and respected him greatly, and every single minute spent with him gave me years of work and thought. But we really should pursue our own ways, and we should be realistic. Bill wrote these exercises for the big archtop, with an acoustic in mind, and a very beefy, snappy attack with the pick. If you expect to be doing a lot of that (as if), then make sure you practice this material with the pick, but if you've already made a softer style with hybrid picking, as I've heard here, then do it. I teach classical students out of this book, it's one of the finest methods ever conceived. If you finish it, you will have all the tools needed to move into more modern styles, and you will have a mastery of the guitar that is uncommon. Bill's method and teaching gave me an very interesting and varied career, in jazz and in studio, pit and orchestra work, most of which was very enjoyable, challenging and lucrative.
I'd also like to express again, and will do every once in a while, the idea that going through the book in order is not for everybody. What you're all doing here is wonderful and amazing, but don't let it become a trap. You can always go back and catch up on things that you might have had some trouble with, and, there is no test at the end.
In fact, there is no end.
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Sometimes it's only a person with a focus this narrow (perhaps annoyingly so) that can come up with the genius for a thing like this. What I find, going through the book, is I feel like he's teaching me too. The music itself is training my fingers. I've not come across something quite like this before. Just following the dots on the page requires me to learn. That is why I'm happy to follow instructions, forgo other options (for now) - to learn this. Originally Posted by ronjazz
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Thanks for the clarification. I naturally put the pick aside for the solos when playing my classical guitar, I find them easier and more enjoyable to play with the fingers. It's good to remember that ok, we can play our way, but Leavitt meant people to strenghten their pick technique. Originally Posted by ronjazz
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Thanks man! Are these backing tracks made with BIAB? I need to look at getting that program I think. I was messing around the other day trying to solo over some chords and a big ole jet airliner flew over the top of the house. I didn't realize it at the time, but when I went back to listen to my rhythm part, the sound was apparent and a nice surprise on the rhythm track. Good stuff and it all sounds great. Originally Posted by fep
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This one is taking me alot longer to get to a place I even feel comfortable. This is my most recent attempt. Had the metronome turned down to 76 bpm and still having difficult with muting and giving correct values to several notes. So much to think about. I look forward to the day when reading is in my subconscious to a large part. I'll keep at it and reviewing. Keeping at it everyday for at least an hour, sometimes more, never less for now.
First Solo pg 23.mp3 - File Shared from Box - Free Online File Storage
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Here's my ridiculously pathetic attempt at playing and recording the First Solo. I flub quite a bit, this is pretty much up to where I have played myself before jumping in to this study group. My plan is to go back through everything (did Sea to Sea last night) with a metronome.
MMG1 First Solo p23
My chords sound very harsh to me, compared to the very nice mellow sound I hear other people get who are posting. Is this because I'm playing (poorly) on an acoustic vs. an electric, or is it simply a technique thing? If so, any tips on what I can do to improve that?
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It's a great solo, but a real challenge, isn't it? I think both recordings are fine, honestly, this is something you could come back to in 5 years and find it challenging, but for other reasons. Nothing pathetic here. It's like gymnastics to get the brain and the fingers round the combinations.
As regards tone, wrbriggs, I'm not really the person to help you with that. Maybe if you post the kind of guitar you use, strings and pick (as all of these have an effect, so does the recording device) then some more experienced guitarists may be able to help. Some elements of tone, the finer things like softening this, bringing this out more, only seem to come after years of work. I take it you don't have a teacher?
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Not pathetic at all Briggs. There is indeed improvement. Good job and stay with it brother. Noticeable improvement. Originally Posted by wrbriggs
I'm not the best person to advise you on this as well but I'll throw some things out there related to your inquiry on tone. I could be wrong, but it sounds like you may be striking the strings close to the bridge, rather than higher up toward the sound hole. Mess around with striking the strings at different locations like above the soundhole, or just above the closest fret to the soundhole.
You will find a variety of tones all along the strings depending where your pick strikes them. Strike the high E string right next to the bridge, then gradually move up the string toward the sound hole. Listen closely as you do this. Strike the high E string above the highest fret on your guitar. Do this with the other strings. Then fret some notes doing the same thing but the key is to mess around striking the strings both very close to the bridge, then away from the bridge.
Another thing to experiment with is the angle at which the pick strikes the string. Strike the string by slightly turning the pick so that rather than the pick hitting the string flat on so to speak, it makes contact not on the flat tip of the pick but on the side end of the pick. This will soften the strike allowing the pick to glide/skip versus a pluck.
Experiment with both of these techniques a little bit but not at the cost of reading, counting, tapping your foot, giving the notes their full value and playing smoothly when playing a chord or an individual note.
As we are counseled to play slowly with a metronome, we are encouraged to find that speed does indeed come over time and I think a similar thing occurs with our understanding of techniques to alter tone.
How old are your strings? Always have a spare set of strings on hand or even two sets. Try some different size/brand set of strings as well. Wash your hands often, and wipe down your strings with a clean cloth after each practice session, or even in between.
I'm just an amateur guitarist and hope this is helpful. Good job again and have a good one.
Will
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