A Modern Method for Guitar Vol 1 Pages 67 to 69

[fep]

This week with got some Chord Forms and exercise and a picking etude.

Happy picking.

[ten left thumbs]

Thanks for starting us on these pages Frank.

I got terribly confused on page 68 when he introduces those 8 shapes as derivative of what he calls 'Basic Form 1' (aka E shape). The top line are E shape. The bottom line are A shape (basic form 3 from the previous page).

duh!

The picking etudes, while they drive me up the wall, have been important in getting me to use my left hand effectively. They really make me stretch at the knuckle. Will try to get a recording done.

[fep]

Thanks for starting us on these pages Frank.

I got terribly confused on page 68 when he introduces those 8 shapes as derivative of what he calls 'Basic Form 1' (aka E shape). The top line are E shape. The bottom line are A shape (basic form 3 from the previous page).

duh!

The picking etudes, while they drive me up the wall, have been important in getting me to use my left hand effectively. They really make me stretch at the knuckle. Will try to get a recording done.

That is confusing. He defines the forms on the previous page. The first row is 'Basic Form 1', and the second row is 'Basic Form 3'. Imo, it's a mistake.

Like you I also like to think of them is E form and A form.

That picking exercise is easy to read, I just focus on the bottom line, the one that's moving. Easy to read, not so easy to execute. It's just the s6 m.4 and s7 m.4 where I fail. One has to quickly break out of the pattern and then get back into the pattern.

[ten left thumbs]

It is a simple mistake, and the reader who's never made their own mistakes can start casting stones. But after the bit about 'all students who don't follow my method get confused with chords, so make sure not to skip ahead... '

I can only do the picking by visualising hard on the lower line of notes. When I do that, both hands agree to find the right note. As you say, when I am broken out of my pattern it is harder to maintain the flow. Sometimes the best I can do is to get two lines right.

I'm a bit torn with what to do with mistakes, because normally, if I play a wrong note, I just press ahead and ignore. But with the picking exercises, often one wrong note then just turns into a whole bar of wrong notes - because what has happened is my visualising is haywire. So then I figure, just stop. Start again.

[fep]

As part of the Study Group at the 'Getting Started' section of the JazzGuitar.be forum

I tried this with both pick as instructed by the book, and with my fingers. I can't get it to work correctly with fingerpicking, it's not percussive enough and I kill the sound between beat 1 & 2 with the fingerpicking preparation. Also the tone is note as bright when I''m using fingerpicking.

The most difficult place to play barre chords is at the 1st fret. It's a shame that's were we start in this course. I experiment trying to find the least amount of pressure to apply to the strings and still get the notes to ring out. Otherwise, with jazz guitar strings, this exercise can strain the hand.

[oldhead]

FEP, the pick-stumming sounds great and I like the brighter sound. I agree, the finger'en doesn't quite do it justice.

[ten left thumbs]

Thanks for posting that Frank. Very clear demonstration of the difference between pick and fingers. You can hear quite clearly - if you were in a band playing rhythm, you'd use pick for straight chords.

[fep]

FEP, the pick-stumming sounds great and I like the brighter sound. I agree, the finger'en doesn't quite do it justice.

Thanks for posting that Frank. Very clear demonstration of the difference between pick and fingers. You can hear quite clearly - if you were in a band playing rhythm, you'd use pick for straight chords.

Thanks Loren and Oldhead for listening. Hey Oldhead, good to see you. I hope things are going well with you and that you'll be coming back to join the group.

I did cut my fingernails the day recorded that. I'd like to do the comparison again with better nails.

[fep]

This has a few mistakes. It was difficult for me to make those large string skips while doing the alternating picking. Also, it starts to hurt the LH 3rd finger holding down that D note for so long. I've got to make sure I'm not pushing too hard with my left hand.

[oldhead]

That's impressive, FEP, and at a good clip.

All's well, but business has been really hectic for the past couple of weeks, to say the least, and looks like it's going to persist for a while. I haven't really played since the last time I posted. Hopefully, I'm going to try to work on some of it this week and try to catch up on some posts.
Here's my attempt at the chord study on p68.
https://www.box.com/s/dd6c222d2bd90023b3ea

[ten left thumbs]

Hi Oldhead, sounds good, and a nice variation at the end. Good to hear from you and I hope you get the time to keep going with us!

Frank, You do well, the picking is especially challenging. The next challenge is to bring the tune out louder than the drone note. I still need to record this, the red dot may throw me. But I can get right through it, and my ring finger gives me no problem. I think if it's actually hurting, you may be using superfluous pressure. The way I see it, my hand position glues my finger to the spot (it just pivots that way) so almost no muscle is needed. Course, it may be your different hand shape and size makes that a different story.

[fep]

Hi Oldhead, sounds good, and a nice variation at the end. Good to hear from you and I hope you get the time to keep going with us!

Frank, You do well, the picking is especially challenging. The next challenge is to bring the tune out louder than the drone note. I still need to record this, the red dot may throw me. But I can get right through it, and my ring finger gives me no problem. I think if it's actually hurting, you may be using superfluous pressure. The way I see it, my hand position glues my finger to the spot (it just pivots that way) so almost no muscle is needed. Course, it may be your different hand shape and size makes that a different story.

Thanks for the critique. I agree with what you said. I think this picking technique makes it tricky to bring that volume out on the down stroke on this exercise. I don't see that it's practical to use a rest stroke on this exercise. Normally, I'm able to easily bring a note out on a downstroke when I use a rest stroke. I'll see what I can do.

It makes sense that the larger the string skip the more difficult it is to be precise and catch the correct string properly. This is a good exercise to work on.

[ten left thumbs]

No I don't think rest strokes are practical here. Is it that volume comes easier when you are closer to your anchor point (i.e. higher strings)? Have you tried floating?

[ten left thumbs]

Visitors gone and I finally can record:

Self critique. Chords - jings, do I really make that much noise sliding up and down the strings?

Picking etude - Mistakes of left and right. For accuracy I've done better, and I've done worse. And I didn't do such a great job bringing the melody out. Dang!

[oldhead]

Sounds like you're making fantastic progress, TLT.
I especially like the chords exercise. Your guitar sound great!~

[ten left thumbs]

Thanks oldhead.

[smokinguit]

You're doing a great job TLT. Make sure your wrist is **totally** relax when strumming and picking. Also, make a mental note of all mistakes and correct them before ending your practice session. It doesn't have to be perfect. But at least try to get it to where it is hard to detect.

[fep]

That's impressive, FEP, and at a good clip.

All's well, but business has been really hectic for the past couple of weeks, to say the least, and looks like it's going to persist for a while. I haven't really played since the last time I posted. Hopefully, I'm going to try to work on some of it this week and try to catch up on some posts.
Here's my attempt at the chord study on p68.
https://www.box.com/s/dd6c222d2bd90023b3ea

Nice job, as a matter of fact, when you played your own rhythm it made me want to jam along. Cool.

[fep]

[fep]

Visitors gone and I finally can record:

Self critique. Chords - jings, do I really make that much noise sliding up and down the strings?

Picking etude - Mistakes of left and right. For accuracy I've done better, and I've done worse. And I didn't do such a great job bringing the melody out. Dang!

Both exercises sound good to me. I think the balance between the melody in the pedal is pretty good (maybe I'm just saying that because you brought the melody out better than I did )

Thanks for posting.

[ten left thumbs]

Thanks Frank, I will keep at it.

[oldhead]

Very cool, FEP. I wish I had that impro talent. Thanks for pointing me to this in the other thread. Hearing that makes me feel like it should keep going. I can definitely hear a drum track behind it and maybe you singing scat?

[oldhead]

With hiccups, as FEP would say.

https://www.box.com/s/36480317af8eb1144f0b

[ten left thumbs]

Bravo!

[Langs]

Chord Forms,

So Heavy on the left hand this is, wow quite the workout isn't it .... Pure left hand clawing fitness extravaganza is what I call it.

I cheated sometimes when not all the strings of the following chord wheren't fully barred yet by the time the strum came. I would then strum only the bassstrings....whoopsadaisy



Picking etude.

I enjoyed practicing this etude very much. I'm very much into picking lately outside this book anyways so this was a very welcome thing to get into. My recording is far from perfect and looking forward to the reviews here as well to get some rough edges dealt with.