A Modern Method For Guitar Volume 1 Pages 63 to 66

[fep]

Four pages this time. But two of the pages are reading studies and the book instructs you to pay very little time on these studies.

Cheers.

[fep]

Sight Reading!

No practice, 1st time through.

Page 64 went fine, a couple of trip ups on page 65. Rats, no second take allowed.

[ten left thumbs]

Here's etude 5:

https://www.box.com/s/1d30b800ad96298b324b

Fun little tune, and a breath of fresh air after that chord etude. I think it's fairly free of booboo's, so let me know any you hear. I swung it.

Edit: Ballad of the day:

https://www.box.com/s/6993912068cf8471b97e

This uses some of the shapes from the chord etude. Leavitt is so clever in giving us these challenging shapes as a rubato number first, without the pressure of getting anything in time. Sill, no way I can get that nightmare chord (s4, bar 2, in case anyone's wondering) in time. Was tempted to edit out that humungous pause, but what's the point?

[fep]

Here's etude 5:

https://www.box.com/s/1d30b800ad96298b324b

Fun little tune, and a breath of fresh air after that chord etude. I think it's fairly free of booboo's, so let me know any you hear. I swung it.

Edit: Ballad of the day:

https://www.box.com/s/6993912068cf8471b97e

This uses some of the shapes from the chord etude. Leavitt is so clever in giving us these challenging shapes as a rubato number first, without the pressure of getting anything in time. Sill, no way I can get that nightmare chord (s4, bar 2, in case anyone's wondering) in time. Was tempted to edit out that humungous pause, but what's the point?

Good job Lauren.

Etude No. 5

It all sounds good to me. Good job taking the extra challenge of playing it with a swing feel. There is such a difference in the tonal quality of the two guitars, with G2 sounding like a much better guitar than G1.

On the ballad, it sounds like all the notes are there. Maybe some more work to clean up the timing.

The chord at s4, bar 2: You see that the A note on that chord is an open string, right? I don't think it should be difficult once you train your fingers to go there. If you play the A note on the 6th string 5th fret, then yes that becomes a difficult chord.

How about the second to last chord? F Db F G B E? G13b5/F? Db7b5#9/F?

Thanks for posting.

Cheers

[fep]

I don't think I had any problems with this:

[ten left thumbs]

Thanks Frank, I appreciate you taking the time to comment.

Good job Lauren.

Etude No. 5

It all sounds good to me. Good job taking the extra challenge of playing it with a swing feel. There is such a difference in the tonal quality of the two guitars, with G2 sounding like a much better guitar than G1.

I recorded G 1 first (as it is easier to fit G2 into G1 than vice versa), then played G1 through my computer while recording. So then we're down to the quality of my rather cheap speakers.

On the ballad, it sounds like all the notes are there. Maybe some more work to clean up the timing.

The chord at s4, bar 2: You see that the A note on that chord is an open string, right? I don't think it should be difficult once you train your fingers to go there. If you play the A note on the 6th string 5th fret, then yes that becomes a difficult chord.

No kidding about the timing, believe me, I hear it. The difficulty with the chord is getting pinkie way over to G. A is open. Trust me, that's difficult for me. I've been on it for months.

How about the second to last chord? F Db F G B E? G13b5/F? Db7b5#9/F?

er - G7?

(G7b9b5)

Juicy, isn't it?

[ten left thumbs]

I don't think I had any problems with this:

Sounds good, Frank. You're looking very comfortable now with this picking technique.

[Kojo27]

Here's etude 5:

Box

Fun little tune, and a breath of fresh air after that chord etude. I think it's fairly free of booboo's, so let me know any you hear. I swung it.

Yaaaaye! This is fine playing, Laura - it's amazing to think of someone just starting, who's doing with her hands what you're doing! This is not easy - I know guys who've played all their lives who couldn't do stuff like this - really!

The swing was a great surprise - love swing. Everything should swing. Well... Silent Night we'll keep straight. Although a friend of mine on YTube (gifted young guitarist from NYC, makes one sick sometimes) plays Silent Night in a Chet Atkins groove. Not his *best* post. : ) Go, Scott!

You sound as if you're enjoying this tune. It comes right through. Keep up the good work/play.

Edit: Ballad of the day:

Box

This uses some of the shapes from the chord etude. Leavitt is so clever in giving us these challenging shapes as a rubato number first, without the pressure of getting anything in time. Sill, no way I can get that nightmare chord (s4, bar 2, in case anyone's wondering) in time. Was tempted to edit out that humungous pause, but what's the point?

Good job again. When I was at your stage, I couldn't have done this. My guitar sucked, which didn't help, but I was way along before learning advanced chord shapes. Good going. The timing, you know, will come.

[Kojo27]

I don't think I had any problems with this:

Good music, Frank. Fine playing, as always, in every respect.

One thing, though: look at the very first bar, and any bar that centers around those notes. Umm - aren't you falling back into the CAGED/Bruno fingering, and forgetting to observe Leavitt's "F.S." (finger stretch) thing - which changes the fingering of just about all those notes. The "e" on the second string 5th fret, for example, is fingered by the pinky; not by the ring finger. You're shifting your hand in and out of that "CAGED" way of getting at the high F note. Leavitt's system demands a finger-stretch, first finger out to the 1st fret of 1st string. It's a bit difficult in these lower positions (esp. for people like me, with smaller hands) - and oftentimes, I'll shift instead of stretch, down low like this.

Check out all the spots where this shift happens, instead of the stretch.


kj

[fep]

Good music, Frank. Fine playing, as always, in every respect.

One thing, though: look at the very first bar, and any bar that centers around those notes. Umm - aren't you falling back into the CAGED/Bruno fingering, and forgetting to observe Leavitt's "F.S." (finger stretch) thing - which changes the fingering of just about all those notes. The "e" on the second string 5th fret, for example, is fingered by the pinky; not by the ring finger. You're shifting your hand in and out of that "CAGED" way of getting at the high F note. Leavitt's system demands a finger-stretch, first finger out to the 1st fret of 1st string. It's a bit difficult in these lower positions (esp. for people like me, with smaller hands) - and oftentimes, I'll shift instead of stretch, down low like this.

Check out all the spots where this shift happens, instead of the stretch.


kj

Thanks Loren,

This is a case of, "do as I say not as I do".

I know the fingerboard really well and don't pay attention much to the fingerings. I can play any key anywhere on the neck (without even thinking about it). And I can play in every key everywhere on the neck.

Learning new fingerings; I don't see any benefit in that for me. My knowledge of the fingerboard started with CAGED but has grown beyond CAGED in that I can easily play across the neck and up and down the neck in any key.

I'm more inclined to practice playing scales up and down the neck on one string and then two stings and then three strings; more inclined to practice that than spend any time learning the Leavitt fingerings.

And as I discussed way back when we were starting with MM1, I made a careful decision to stick to the way I play the fingerboard.

For folks that are not as familiar with the fingerboard, I recommend following the Leavitt fingerings.

I'm glad I don't have Leavitt or some other instructor insisting that I use the Leavitt fingerings.

[ten left thumbs]

I'm glad I don't have Leavitt or some other instructor insisting that I use the Leavitt fingerings.

Really, it's not that difficult!

I already explained my reasons for observing the dreaded 'Leavitt F' in the thread 60-62.

[fep]

I did practice and record this with a pick. I didn't like the way it sounded. For me this tune was pleading with me, "please try this fingerstyle, you'll like it".

[ten left thumbs]

Very nice Frank, I like it both ways.

I did practice and record this with a pick. I didn't like the way it sounded. For me this tune was pleading with me, "please try this fingerstyle, you'll like it".

[Kojo27]

Thanks Loren,

This is a case of, "do as I say not as I do".

I know the fingerboard really well and don't pay attention much to the fingerings. I can play any key anywhere on the neck (without even thinking about it). And I can play in every key everywhere on the neck.


Learning new fingerings; I don't see any benefit in that for me. My knowledge of the fingerboard started with CAGED but has grown beyond CAGED in that I can easily play across the neck and up and down the neck in any key.

I'm more inclined to practice playing scales up and down the neck on one string and then two stings and then three strings; more inclined to practice that than spend any time learning the Leavitt fingerings.

And as I discussed way back when we were starting with MM1, I made a careful decision to stick to the way I play the fingerboard.

For folks that are not as familiar with the fingerboard, I recommend following the Leavitt fingerings.

I'm glad I don't have Leavitt or some other instructor insisting that I use the Leavitt fingerings.

Yikes - I wasn't in the group, back when you and the other original members started up, so I didn't know about your decision. Then, in perhaps your first video of this thread, you *stretch* to reach an F note, and that caught my eye and since then I’ve innocently assumed that you were doing the fingerings that I always considered the most important part of Leavitt’s guitar method. In other words, I had never had reason to imagine a player working through Leavitt, but leaving out Leavitt’s fingering system. “HUH?” is still my reaction. I respect your decision, of course – I simply didn’t anticipate it.


It sounds as though you've mastered the fingerboard, regarding scales and keys: not an easy feat, so kudos! Perhaps, along with your facility with music-writing software and recording technology, you could write (or co-write) a "fingerboard" book - or course, or program.... Such guitar instruction tends to sell very well. (Just a thought.)


BTW, when I referred to the "shifting" scale fingering you used in the video as "CAGED," I did so only because I know no other term for it, and I didn't mean to imply that CAGED is how you look at, think about, or use the fingerboard. It's plain now that you've gone way past the CAGED system. I needed some term to use in opposition to Leavitt's non-shifting fingerings. Sorry if that was offensive.

kj

P.S. I'd *love* having Leavitt (or any good teacher) telling me what to do and not do! I've never had the luxury of any teacher, and having one would be so cool, for me anyway.

[fep]

Then, in perhaps your first video of this thread, you *stretch* to reach an F note, and that caught my eye and since then I’ve innocently assumed that you were doing the fingerings that I always considered the most important part of Leavitt’s guitar method.

This is the part of what I wanted to say. Even though I started with CAGED, the way I grab notes from adjacent forms puts me into fingering certain notes the same way as Leavitt. Sometimes I use the Leavitt fingerings without having to study his fingerings, if that makes sense.

P.S. I'd *love* having Leavitt (or any good teacher) telling me what to do and not do! I've never had the luxury of any teacher, and having one would be so cool, for me anyway.

I think what we are doing is close to having a teacher and in some ways better.

[oldhead]

TLT: Etude is sounding good, and I like the swing.

FEP: Certainly no problems with the Etude, but I was surprised at the faster tempo you played this. Finger-picking the ballad was sweet!

Here's my attempt at the Etude.
https://www.box.com/s/c66a96f62fe122141221

[ten left thumbs]

good going oldhead, sounds smooth and relaxed!

[fep]

TLT: Etude is sounding good, and I like the swing.

FEP: Certainly no problems with the Etude, but I was surprised at the faster tempo you played this. Finger-picking the ballad was sweet!

Here's my attempt at the Etude.
https://www.box.com/s/c66a96f62fe122141221

Good job, and again really solid time.

[oldhead]

Here's etude 5:

https://www.box.com/s/1d30b800ad96298b324b

Fun little tune, and a breath of fresh air after that chord etude. I think it's fairly free of booboo's, so let me know any you hear. I swung it.

Edit: Ballad of the day:

https://www.box.com/s/6993912068cf8471b97e

This uses some of the shapes from the chord etude. Leavitt is so clever in giving us these challenging shapes as a rubato number first, without the pressure of getting anything in time. Sill, no way I can get that nightmare chord (s4, bar 2, in case anyone's wondering) in time. Was tempted to edit out that humungous pause, but what's the point?

Kudos to you, TLT. I just tried this.

[ten left thumbs]

Thanks oldhead. The ballad is no easier than the chord etude.

[oldhead]

Thanks oldhead. The ballad is no easier than the chord etude.

Well that's real encouraging.

[oldhead]

I can't believe I've been playing through this once every other day for almost two weeks and still can't play it. It's certainly a different animal than practicing something all the time.

https://www.box.com/s/5804418f43341a1def76

[ten left thumbs]

Hi Oldhead, sorry, I hadn't noticed you had posted here (sometimes I get alerts, and sometimes I don't, strange).

You've got the benefit from these pages that leavitt wanted - you could move on, or do more general reading. Not much point keeping at it trying for perfection.

Now, as for "not being able to do it", if I may, you are good at the scalar passages, more challenged when asked to jump around intervals. I take this to mean you have practised your scales, but (like me) you're not totally confident visualising the note when asked to jump in an unexpected place. The patterns back on page 46 are good for this.

David Oakes has a book on reading for guitar - he doesn't cover the same ground as Leavitt, but he does give lots of examples where you jump intervals. Though he starts in 5th position, you could use the same music for open or 2nd.

And, as for the ballad, trust me, I wasn't trying to be encouraging!

[Kojo27]

I can't believe I've been playing through this once every other day for almost two weeks and still can't play it. It's certainly a different animal than practicing something all the time.

https://www.box.com/s/5804418f43341a1def76

Good job, oldhead - play on, play on.


kojo

[TOMMO]

No mention of pages 60 - 62 or did somebody forget to include the thread in the index?

Anyway, those finger stretches are killing me - lol!

Does anybody really stick to the position or do you shift it ever so slightly to be more comfortable? I'm used to shifting position if only by the distance of a fret or a half but I guess that's not legit here...