A Modern Method for Guitar Vol 1 Pages 30 to 31

[fep]

This should be an easy week.

I want to give us a chance to catch our breath, review, and perhaps give the opportunity for some to catch up with us.

[fep]

Trying to work on experimenting with this new picking technique.

G scale:

I'm not too happy with the rhythm examples as I can't seem to get my groove on. Maybe just a bad day or maybe this new technique.

And the Sixteenth Notes:

[ten left thumbs]

Very nice, fep. I didn't notice especial problems with the rhythm, but you might want to try, as Larry demonstrates for the full chords, more a flick of the wrist than your wrist 'travelling' through the strings. This is not a rest stroke, he says. And don't worry that you don't hit the top strings.

Your archtop gives you a good tone.

[oldhead]

I think they all sound good, FEP, and I agree with TLT - nice tone. What make of guitar is it?

here's my attempts at rhythms; one slow, one moderate. Amazing how you can change the "feel" just by changing up the tempo.
Moderate:
p30 and 31 Rhythm Accompaniments.mp3 - File Shared from Box - Free Online File Storage
Slow:
p 30 and 31 Rhythm (slow).mp3 - File Shared from Box - Free Online File Storage

Page 31, Sixteenth notes:
http://www.box.com/s/fe0qvnyg8beb87adtf3i

Page 30, Key of G (First Position)
http://www.box.com/s/4glo12pi4cfffqodal2h

[ten left thumbs]

Oldhead, sounds good!

[fep]

Very nice, fep. I didn't notice especial problems with the rhythm, but you might want to try, as Larry demonstrates for the full chords, more a flick of the wrist than your wrist 'travelling' through the strings. This is not a rest stroke, he says. And don't worry that you don't hit the top strings.

Your archtop gives you a good tone.

Thanks TTL,

I must say I'm confused as I thought I was playing with a flick of the wrist and it looks that way to me when I watch the video. I'm watching my forearm and it pretty much doesn't move except for a rotational motion., so I must be playing from the wrist. It also looks like I'm using a rotational motion of the wrist (as opposed to a waving - side by side motion). At least that's my interpretation. "wrist 'travelling' through the strings", I don't know what that means. I interpreted playing with a flick of the wrist to mean not to keep the wrist stiff and not to strum with an arm motion (i.e. the forearm moving up and down along the face of the guitar)

Sometimes these kind of things are so hard to put down in words, much easier to see in person or on a video.

Perhaps you could look at that second video again and watch my forearm and my wrist. And then elaborate on what change in technique you are suggesting.

Edit: Oh yeah, who's Larry?

[fep]

I think they all sound good, FEP, and I agree with TLT - nice tone. What make of guitar is it?

Thanks, the guitar is an Eastman.

here's my attempts at rhythms; one slow, one moderate. Amazing how you can change the "feel" just by changing up the tempo.
Moderate:
p30 and 31 Rhythm Accompaniments.mp3 - File Shared from Box - Free Online File Storage
Slow:
p 30 and 31 Rhythm (slow).mp3 - File Shared from Box - Free Online File Storage

I really like the sound of your strumming, and the time and the choking off of the 2nd and 4th beat, well done.

I'm not hearing the high note (1st string) on some of the chords.

Page 31, Sixteenth notes:
Page 31, Sixteenth Notes.mp3 - File Shared from Box - Free Online File Storage

Page 30, Key of G (First Position)
Page 30, Key of G (First Position).mp3 - File Shared from Box - Free Online File Storage

16th notes, sounds just about perfect (the only minor bit is the last measure where notes of the 3rd beat continue to ring, but since they're all G chord tones it sounds musical). Nice drum track it sounds real good with that backing track. Well done.

The scale sounds good too.

[ten left thumbs]

Thanks TTL,

I must say I'm confused as I thought I was playing with a flick of the wrist and it looks that way to me when I watch the video. I'm watching my forearm and it pretty much doesn't move except for a rotational motion., so I must be playing from the wrist. It also looks like I'm using a rotational motion of the wrist (as opposed to a waving - side by side motion). At least that's my interpretation. "wrist 'travelling' through the strings", I don't know what that means. I interpreted playing with a flick of the wrist to mean not to keep the wrist stiff and not to strum with an arm motion (i.e. the forearm moving up and down along the face of the guitar)

Sometimes these kind of things are so hard to put down in words, much easier to see in person or on a video.

Perhaps you could look at that second video again and watch my forearm and my wrist. And then elaborate on what change in technique you are suggesting.

Edit: Oh yeah, who's Larry?

Hi Fep,

Sorry to cause confusion. First off, I'm in no position to critique your technique. Second, I thought you played rather well, I just mentiion this because you had said you were finding this tricky.

Larry Baione in the man in the DVD.

The flick and rotation he uses for a chord strum looks to me different from yours. With his rotation, the palm is no longer up, but down at the end of the stroke. So the pinkie is right away from the body of the guitar. He points this out several times. Also, that he is unlikely to strike the top strings, and he is fine with this.

I do hope this makes some sense. As you say it is difficult to convey a concept over the internet.

[oldhead]

16th notes, sounds just about perfect (the only minor bit is the last measure where notes of the 3rd beat continue to ring, but since they're all G chord tones it sounds musical). Nice drum track it sounds real good with that backing track. Well done.

Thanks, FEP.

I'm now convinced it was my speakers keeping me from hearing that "G" we talked about. Listening to the 16th notes with drum track with my headphones, it sounded evenly balanced, but when listening with the 'L Chee Poe speakers the drum track is almost inaudible. May be time for new speakers or else listen to everything through the headset.

An Eastman! All I can do is drool. Nice instrument.

[Marty W]

Trying to work on experimenting with this new picking technique.

G scale:

I'm not too happy with the rhythm examples as I can't seem to get my groove on. Maybe just a bad day or maybe this new technique.

And the Sixteenth Notes:

Thanks for posting the videos fep.

G Scale: The Benson technique looks like it's working. Nice and smooth. I think I noticed a timing issue in m.14 beats 2 & 4.

Rhythm Accompaniment: Sounds ok but lacks your usual energy. I think I'm hearing you strumming a little late sometimes. Check out m.5 beat 3.

Seems like the dynamics on beats 2 & 4 could be more consistent in places. Check out m.7 of exercise 3. Of course that's a performance thing and up to each player.

16th notes: nice job, didn't hear any timing issues. The only thing that caught my ear was the 1st string seemed loud compared to the rest of the strings.

I think they all sound good, FEP, and I agree with TLT - nice tone. What make of guitar is it?

here's my attempts at rhythms; one slow, one moderate. Amazing how you can change the "feel" just by changing up the tempo.
Moderate:
p30 and 31 Rhythm Accompaniments.mp3 - File Shared from Box - Free Online File Storage
Slow:
p 30 and 31 Rhythm (slow).mp3 - File Shared from Box - Free Online File Storage

Page 31, Sixteenth notes:
Page 31, Sixteenth Notes.mp3 - File Shared from Box - Free Online File Storage

Page 30, Key of G (First Position)
Page 30, Key of G (First Position).mp3 - File Shared from Box - Free Online File Storage

Moderate: Sounds pretty solid. Am I hearing a tiny bit of ritard on the last beats of ex. 2 & 3?

I've found for me the hardest beats to play in time are beat 1 of the 1st measure and the final beat of the last measure. I'm often late or early on those.

Slow: I like the shuffle! You sound comfortable on this one. Beat 1 of ex. 2 might be a little rushed.

Sixteenth notes: Nice timing. I'm noticing quite a bit of extraneous string noise, particularly the open 3rd string. Check out m.2 beat 3. As you pick your finger up from the A it's causing the open G to ring.

Hope I'm not being too critical. And I could always be wrong!


Thanks to oldhead and TLT for the critique of my recordings. Can't believe I missed the Gdim7, was thinking G# the whole time.

[fep]

I'm looking for what you all think...

How many pages for the new thread this week?

I was out of town most of last week and only could check in a little bit with my wife's iphone. I'm very inept at typing on those screens. I'm home again and will participate more.

[Marty W]

I'm looking for what you all think...

How many pages for the new thread this week?

I'm okay with 2 or 3 pages, whatever everyone else wants to do.

I noticed we're 1/4 of the way through the book. Congrats everyone that's playing along!

[oldhead]

I would think up to and including p 35, but I've been working a little past where we went last week because it was a light week. I'm up for whatever.

[Marty W]

Marty W, No problem with the critiques and I agree with what you've said. That's the way we learn and what's great about this forum and posting recordings. I'll bet a dime to a dollar that we all probably play better when the red light isn't on (or maybe we just hear it like we're playing better)

One way I combat the red light syndrome is to turn on the recorder and let it run while doing multiple takes. IOW... if I mess up a take I don't stop and restart the recording process. I just keep going until I get a good one and delete the rest. That seems to help me relax and forget I'm recording.

[oldhead]

One way I combat the red light syndrome is to turn on the recorder and let it run while doing multiple takes. IOW... if I mess up a take I don't stop and restart the recording process. I just keep going until I get a good one and delete the rest. That seems to help me relax and forget I'm recording.

I've tried that and it works sometimes, but I think it's always in the back of my mind, the little red light, the little red light.... The one good thing is it seems to get easier (the recording that is) as we go. Being able to record a couple tracks at a time is a huge help.

[Will Glen]

I missed the F# a couple of times and was weak on the rhythm parts. I just kept recording in one go except when I tried to play sixteenth notes at roughly 92 bpm . I'm trying to get caught up to the group this week during the break.

Pgs 30 and 31 exercises.mp3 - File Shared from Box - Free Online File Storage

[Clamps]

page 30, G major @ 120

page 31, slowly with counting!

[Langs]

Key of G Major, (First Position)

[snoskier63]

Thanks TTL,

I must say I'm confused as I thought I was playing with a flick of the wrist and it looks that way to me when I watch the video. I'm watching my forearm and it pretty much doesn't move except for a rotational motion., so I must be playing from the wrist. It also looks like I'm using a rotational motion of the wrist (as opposed to a waving - side by side motion). At least that's my interpretation. "wrist 'travelling' through the strings", I don't know what that means. I interpreted playing with a flick of the wrist to mean not to keep the wrist stiff and not to strum with an arm motion (i.e. the forearm moving up and down along the face of the guitar)

Sometimes these kind of things are so hard to put down in words, much easier to see in person or on a video.

Perhaps you could look at that second video again and watch my forearm and my wrist. And then elaborate on what change in technique you are suggesting.

Edit: Oh yeah, who's Larry?

As Emily Remler discussed in one of her videos, and I am paraphrasing...

I saw other great guitarists like Larry Coryell and Joe Pass playing one way, so I thought I had to change my picking technique. I spent several days working hour after hour on changing when I realized it just wasn't going to happen, and that I was focussing on the wrong thing. If a technique works for you don't worry about how others play.

Just a few words of wisdom from Emily Remler, a pretty good guitarist in her own right.

[Langs]

Rythm Accompaniment exercises:

Ex1 90Bpm

https://soundcloud.com/giant-laser/a...-for-guitar-15

https://soundcloud.com/giant-laser/a...-for-guitar-16

[Langs]

Couldn't find this Sixteenth Notes exercise anywhere else, but is still on page 31, so I guess it belongs here

Critique: harsh sound again. Bit of a honky sound because of the strat neck pickup. Picking is quite hard too. At the end some notes are flabbed. Preferable a slower tempo next time.