Practicing Lines - Do you need a backing track of some sort?

**targuit** · 11-17-2014, 01:35 AM

That's cool, Jeff. Don't click the "red bull -BS" link! You all can say how intuitive this thing is but it still gave some trouble. Anyway, did you notice I actually got distracted in the middle of the instrumental break? I overplayed but you don't know what kind of day I had... that's done. Things will be easier next time.

**henryrobinett** · 11-17-2014, 02:12 AM

Wait. Did hell just freeze over? OMG. Did you actually DO IT???? Well done. I won't have the chance to listen till tomorrow but you're a trooper.

**targuit** · 11-17-2014, 02:35 AM

It was just another day in Paradise, Henry! Ohhh...you don't know, but that's ok. Hope you enjoy my excursion with this song. I could use a couple of weeks with it to really get the groove solid. Three days just ain't enough. But I had fun.

Say what you will - the technology was good, but not totally intuitive to me at least. Do not hit the link to "red bull(BS)" - it is some ear-splitting crap. Almost blew my eardrums.

I did get lost at one point in the late solo, but I like the recovery! Jeff says I was out of time, and certainly in parts of it I was, but it has a kind of backbeat feel that I gave with the archaic "finger snaps" at the beginning. Anyway, it feels good to get it up on Sound Cloud. More to come.

Jay

**Vladan** · 11-17-2014, 03:11 AM

Targuit, as Mr. B said, 1 guitar + 1 vocal and you are there - Good enough for solo gig. You are all arround that metronome, from "on beat" to "off beat", but it's no big deal with solo act, singer with guitar, in this genre. I'm glad you did it. Drop the lead and I'll gladly listen again.

**targuit** · 11-17-2014, 03:25 AM

Vladan - Drop the lead? But that's the sexy part where the 'friction' happens! I got distracted and lost in the latter part of the solo, but i like the recovery. Did you dig the groove? That's where it happens. Anyway, I had fun on a bad day. But I made the deadine! I could use a couple of weeks with this tune. And a few gigs. Got to feel the backbeat.

Ciao, amigo!

**Vladan** · 11-17-2014, 03:32 AM

Targuit, as you whish. Groove would be ok, if there was not a metronome to tell me where the groove was. You play on "1", then lose it gradually till you come to play on "and", then back to "1", then all over again and again ... Ok, let's say I did not get the groove, if that will make you feel better.

I told you what I had to tell you. You can accept it, or not.

**targuit** · 11-17-2014, 04:01 AM

Perhaps the groove is in the mind of the beholder. Mixed metaphor.

I played 'catch up' a couple of times....

Jay

**ColinO** · 11-17-2014, 07:50 AM

Sounded good to me. Well done targuit.

**matt.guitarteacher** · 11-17-2014, 08:10 AM

Jay, I'm so glad you posted your playing. Long-term, you're going to be glad you did and it's going to have been a good experience.

I agree with Jeff's take pretty much on this. I think you would help yourself about 1000%, just to start, but muting the hi hat completely. I'm a little too ADD to hear what's going on. It sounds like the tempo button got bumped on that one or something . Just not right.

I would also mute the solo guitar parts under the vocal . Agree with Jeff completely on that. If I was a singer, singing as well as you do , I would punch that guitar player in the face. :-) He's playing all over some pretty great singing. By the way, like the background vocals on the instrumental. :-)

Why don't you post a version with the click muted and the lead guitar muted over the vocal portion? Long-term term, I'd like to hear that lead guitar playing between the vocal phrases instead of on top of them. I think it would be a really good sound. And help the overall performance.

Good job on posting something by the way. Today is my busy day. So I'll be in and out . Please forgive any voice recognition snafus. This thing don't speak Alabama.

**targuit** · 11-17-2014, 08:34 AM

Thanks, Matt!

I kind of purposely played "overwrought" guitar - in a sense to show one can solo over the melody. It was that kind of day yesterday. I left the click in so you could hear the beat and the timing - for better or worse. If I mute the solo guitar, you have just the rhythm. You wouldn't hear my 'inner Charlie Parker' .

It will be easier the next time and less cluttered. And you guys were right - Sound Cloud was much easier than making a video and uploading that to YT.

Btw, my Uncle seems to be doing pretty good and was able to leave the hospital. My father and a couple of his brothers were serious musicians before becoming physicians. My Dad was a classical violinist headed towards study in Italy post HS. He got sick at 17 and had serious surgery. When he got out of the hospital, he told his father he had decided to go to college instead and became a surgeon before sending two brothers through med school and another to law school. But at the time my GF kicked him out of the house for a few months. How's that for a twist!

"What!? You want to be a doctor? What the hell is wrong with you??" My grandfather was right after all....

Jay

**inwalkedbud** · 11-17-2014, 08:48 AM

Just copy and paste the link to the tune into your post the same way you would if you were showing us a youtube video or linking to a different page on the forum

**AlsoRan** · 11-17-2014, 09:15 AM

Congratulations, Targuit!

Now when you say that you say, " Last night, I was so inspired by a Joe Pass song that I decided to create a Sibellius backing track in a different key and then sang and soloed over it" many will find your words a bit more credible

. Some will be hard to please.

At the very least, you have earned a little "street cred" (street credibility for those of you who don't know this slang term), and you have given some at least a little assurance that this is not a sequel to Matt Damon's movie "The Talented Mr. Ripley."

It was quite a ride, although I get the impression that you have spent a lifetime making a splash whereever you have gone. Not everyone can be a wallflower.

**targuit** · 11-17-2014, 09:44 AM

Thanks, AlsoRan!

<At the very least, you have earned a little "street cred"> - that's good, as usually I just earn a little street crud.

In the future I will try not to sound as much like a pompous ass, though I might slip up a bit here and there and it might be difficult for this tiger to change his spots. I will try to embrace tablature and not utter the word "Sibelius" quite as much.

If Rich is out there in online land somewhere, I would like to give him a hug, too, though it would be easier if he were a hot blond babe. Then again, I don't get hugs from hot blonds too much anymore...talk about depressing. In reality, the only splash I make occasionally is in a pool. I did make a hit when I was sixteen and got the JGeils Band to play at a HS dance. Got a few hugs that night, and that's not all...it was good to be young once.

Btw, I think doing this has caused me to modify my position on backing tracks. I still think they are helpful for rehearsal use, but maybe not for performance. I'll wait till I perfect my hologram band project...

Jay

**StanG** · 11-17-2014, 10:05 AM

Well done! Jay, you sing really well! Imo, the others above are right about playing to your strengths, which are your vocals, and not letting the guitar distract from that. And as I know for myself, time is always an issue to be worked on.

**henryrobinett** · 11-17-2014, 11:31 AM

Yes, I'd lose the solo completely. Over playing consistently. But the vocal was nice and the rhythm guitar. The solo running around underneath is just not required. LOL. Good job dude!

**targuit** · 11-17-2014, 11:58 AM

Thanks again, Matt, Henry, Jeff...Stan, Colin, and (inwalked)Bud!

Good advice and appreciated the critiques. I'll try and be more 'restrained' and in the pocket next time. Anyway, I'm going to try to be less the pompous ass - and that is not easy. But, at least you know I'm not a fraud. A troll, maybe....but hey, it's a job...or a calling?

Just an aside - anyone familiar with the name Richie Hart? I think he is from MA, but I'll have to check his web site. He has a real nice video on YT of End of a Love Affair as a chord melody solo. I think he might teach some, too. I could use the lessons but can't afford the scratch. I hope that is not our "Rich". In any case please forgive me for calling you psychotic. A little over the top once in a while, maybe...I'm sorry.

I recognize a little something about that personality trait when I look in the mirror.

Jay

**dingusmingus** · 11-17-2014, 01:39 PM

I'm really glad you posted Jay, good on you!

**fep** · 11-17-2014, 01:54 PM

Good job Jay. I'm glad you posted. For me recording has been such a great practice tool in that there is a disconnect between what I think I sound like (when listening live) to what I sound like (when listening to a recording).

For me I don't have the guts to post myself singing although I do like to sing, I'm just not terrible fond of listening to my voice on a recording. I don't think I've ever posted my voice, it's hard to remember as I've posted so many recordings on this site. Very few have posted any singing.

Thanks for posting some vocals.