Howard Roberts Super Chops: study group for a tune based practice routine

[diminix]

By the way, could someone please point out where 48bpm is mentioned, please?

On page 19, point G he says: "The week end tempo objectives shown at the top of each project lesson are scheduled to increase by two netronome points daily." Since the week end tempo objective is 60 for lesson 1-A, you might start with 6 x 2 beats per minute less = 48 bpm. Then 50 bpm for day 2, 52 bpm for day 3 and so on...

Robert

[wzpgsr]

By the way, could someone please point out where 48bpm is mentioned, please?

Thanks in advance.

The log sheet for week 1 says that 60 bpm is the target tempo for the END of week one. Elsewhere, HR recommends increasing tempo by 2 bpm per day. So 60 - (2 bpm x 6 days) = 48 bpm on day 1.

But these are just recommendations and not written in stone. HR wants you to find the tempo *each day* at which you can play without making mistakes, which is why he has you play 2 minutes of the progression at the beginning of each session to find your tempo for the day. Maybe you're able to play mistake free at 54 today, but tomorrow you're feeling sluggish and can only do 48. That's fine.

Mistake free is tough for me. Listen to 30 seconds of my recording from above. It takes about 20 seconds before I fall off the rails. But in general I spend so much time stopping when I mess up that I end up only playing the first 4 bars of a tune. I'm committed to ending this practice by pounding through these 10 minute intervals come hell or high water.

[destinytot]

The log sheet for week 1 says that 60 bpm is the target tempo for the END of week one. Elsewhere, HR recommends increasing tempo by 2 bpm per day. So 60 - (2 bpm x 6 days) = 48 bpm on day 1.

But these are just recommendations and not written in stone. HR wants you to find the tempo *each day* at which you can play without making mistakes, which is why he has you play 2 minutes of the progression at the beginning of each session to find your tempo for the day. Maybe you're able to play mistake free at 54 today, but tomorrow you're feeling sluggish and can only do 48. That's fine.

Mistake free is tough for me. Listen to 30 seconds of my recording from above. It takes about 20 seconds before I fall off the rails. But in general I spend so much time stopping when I mess up that I end up only playing the first 4 bars of a tune. I'm committed to ending this practice by pounding through these 10 minute intervals come hell or high water.

Ah - thank you!

Back to de-cluttering - determined to get it done today so I can focus.

[fep]

I had a teacher that said, "think simple, play fancy". If you look at the A section of the chord progression and simplify it:

||: Bb / / / | / / / / | Bb7 / / / | / / / / |

| Eb / / / | / / / / | Ebm / / / | / / / /|

| Bb / / / | / / / / | C7 / / / | / / / / |

| G7 / / / | / / / / | F7 / / / | / / / / :||

I like thinking like that much more than looking for key centers.

[christianm77]

Think simple play fancy - I like it.

Or think fancy play simple? :-)

[wzpgsr]

Think simple play fancy - I like it.

Or think fancy play simple? :-)

That seems to describe the head of this tune. I can't believe how basic the melody is considering all the chords flying by.

[christianm77]

That seems to describe the head of this tune. I can't believe how basic the melody is considering all the chords flying by.

Really? Cherokee is really really simple.

These are the changes, as pointed out above:

Bb | % | Bb7 | % |
Eb | % | Ab7 | % |
Bb | % | G7 | % |
C7 | % | F7 | % |

I mean it's hardly flippin' Giant Steps. It's quite a lot easier than a Rhythm tune say. Actually the challenge at 60 bpm is the LACK of chord changes.

The A harmony is based on this chromatic line:

Bb | % | Ab | % |
G | % | Gb | % |
F | % | % | % |
E | % | Eb | % |

Everything else is diatonic except for the F7+ in the last two. But you can ignore that Db if you want.

B harmony is just II-V-I's in steps till you hit the F and then go back to Bb.

In terms of blowing harmony Cherokee is only hard if you are a horn player who doesn't know their keys.

Now the speed people play it at - that's a rhythmic/articulation problem, not harmonic!

[wzpgsr]

That's sorta what I was saying. At fast tempos it's a lot easier to hear the melody and how it sits within the changes . My technical skill is at the point where I am barely making most changes at 35 bpm! That's a long time to noodle 8th notes over Bb major of measure 1 when in the actual song the melody is simply a whole note that passes by in a half-second! 35 bpm turns a catchy, happy-go-lucky tune into a dirge.

I'll give the simplified key center approach a try tomorrow night.

[destinytot]

Slow down to speed up.

[destinytot]

Just my personal opinion of course, but I feel that using a backing track instead of playing the chords for a solid 10 minutes (see step 5) might detract from my ability to get the changes off the paper and into my head (step 6). If you skip this step, you're missing 60 minutes of chordal work.

I completely agree with that - and playing the chords for a solid 10 minutes is what Howard Roberts prescribed.

I'm inclined to add to what's prescribed when it comes to repertoire, keeping any additional tunes secondary - but turbocharging progress by following the same steps.

[TH]

Well into the first week, I'm having a ball. I'm keeping a notebook of ideas and things to work on. I'd started the week, actually a week ago, without any list at all; just trying to focus on finding the zone within the form every day. I've found that once that plateau is reached at this speed, I'm noticing more places where I can make connections. Practice awareness extends well beyond the time with the instrument in my hands and I'm eager to incorporate things.
Today's areas of exploration: Playing with motifs and working above the 12th fret.

Fun. I'm having fun.
David

[Jhui]

I'm also playing the chords for 10 min. It helps me to remember the chord progression. As for speed I'm down to 40 bpm, which I can almost do without mistakes. I quess many of you are doing this with original tunes (Cherokee - week 1), are you going to stick with the program and just switch key in week 2? I was thinking of taking a new song for a week 2, when it comes.

[TH]

I'm also playing the chords for 10 min. It helps me to remember the chord progression. As for speed I'm down to 40 bpm, which I can almost do without mistakes. I quess many of you are doing this with original tunes (Cherokee - week 1), are you going to stick with the program and just switch key in week 2? I was thinking of taking a new song for a week 2, when it comes.

A new tune a week. Yeah it's great when you can be motivated to find a tune you really want to know, and then commit an entire week to exploring it at different tempos. In another thread, I told a story of a guy who picked a new tune a week, and each week started at ultra slow ballad or below, and progressively through the week explored that tune at different tempi until it was at his fast limit by the end of the week. He did this for three years and learned more than he might've had he been unfocused or encumbered by a generic curriculum in school.
So what tune were you going to do?
I do like these tunes Howard Roberts had chosen. They seem thoughtfully offered to introduce significant concepts each time (turnarounds, key centres, later on Major and minor duality, changing keys, etc) each time giving you ideas that will serve you well in many other pieces.
Of course there are lots of pieces that can also be used at any of the stages.
The nice thing about working with "the program" is we can share our development and discoveries and there's some kind of progression in compositional structure. For 20 weeks, we have a similar template for our questions and struggles. We avoid the first week frustration of "I really don't GET what's happening in Stella. I'll come back when I can hear it."

There's always more to do, and working with your own piece is a great idea. I'll still focus on new tunes-always. But this 50 minutes is, for me, a non negotiable discipline. Already it's cleaning up a bad habit of wandering into other things during that 50 minutes.
Everyone is different. I'd love to know what tune you'd be doing alternatively.

David

[wzpgsr]

I moved the tempo up to 36 bpm last night. First time through I tried playing the key centers in a very vanilla way. Major or minor scale (for the minor II-V-I) for each key center up to the 7 and back down to the root.

A couple of things I noticed: I rush. Sometimes quite badly. If I subdivide in my head in 16ths I am more accurate rhythmically, but more prone to mistakes on the fretboard.

Also, playing the scale of the key center over some of the substitutions sounds fine, like over the VI or III, but over the altered dominant and that C+11 just...no.

Something that was quite rewarding: I played one of my takes at double speed and a lot of the devices I am practicing (enclosures) sound rather nice at faster tempos. Really looking forward to climbing out of the tempo hole. 36 bpm is just painful.

[Jhui]

A new tune a week. Yeah it's great when you can be motivated to find a tune you really want to know, and then commit an entire week to exploring it at different tempos. In another thread, I told a story of a guy who picked a new tune a week, and each week started at ultra slow ballad or below, and progressively through the week explored that tune at different tempi until it was at his fast limit by the end of the week. He did this for three years and learned more than he might've had he been unfocused or encumbered by a generic curriculum in school.
So what tune were you going to do?
I do like these tunes Howard Roberts had chosen. They seem thoughtfully offered to introduce significant concepts each time (turnarounds, key centres, later on Major and minor duality, changing keys, etc) each time giving you ideas that will serve you well in many other pieces.
Of course there are lots of pieces that can also be used at any of the stages.
The nice thing about working with "the program" is we can share our development and discoveries and there's some kind of progression in compositional structure. For 20 weeks, we have a similar template for our questions and struggles. We avoid the first week frustration of "I really don't GET what's happening in Stella. I'll come back when I can hear it."

There's always more to do, and working with your own piece is a great idea. I'll still focus on new tunes-always. But this 50 minutes is, for me, a non negotiable discipline. Already it's cleaning up a bad habit of wandering into other things during that 50 minutes.
Everyone is different. I'd love to know what tune you'd be doing alternatively.

David

Well for the first week i have Lullaby of Birdland and for the week 2, I think I'll do Night and day. These are songs which I'm working atm anyways and I like that they both have half dim and dim chords. I also believe that Howard Roberts has chosen those tunes (and the order) for a reason, but I see no big harm done when working this method with almost any tune. You are basically hammering those changes and notes into your head and fingers. At least that's how I see it.

[matt.guitarteacher]

No book in front of me. Top of my head, I think he does Cherokee again for week 2, but in a different key? I'll have to look at it. I'm just doing the Roberts thing for now.

[wzpgsr]

Would anyone mind recording one of their 10 minute sessions and sharing? I'm curious to hear what others are doing.

[dingusmingus]

This is probably obvious, but I've found it can be helpful to have an "agenda" for each 10 minute session. Today, I did 10 minutes of playing whatever comes up, and then 2 10 minute sessions of trying to play bebop scales and other chromatic ideas--I tend to play more arpeggios, so this was good practice and broke me out of my usual.

I've also found it useful to make myself move more around the fretboard, and not be so position-bound. The slow tempo helps with that.

[Toddep]

Today I worked on limehouse blues, which has a funky m3 thing with dominant chords in the beginning. I was doing some single line stuff, chords and chord solos..... I play this with a big band here and there and never worked it out... working it out rreeaaaaalllllyyyy slow like this has helped me with some of them connections. I started practicing like this when I heard of a story of how Sonny Stitt would practice chord tones slowly over a progression, still, after years of acknowledgement of mastery. And... also been transcribing some of HR solos. One record he did, which is out of print, called "Sounds" , is a gold mine for great solos played in under 2 min... HR could really crank out some beautiful lines in a small amount of time.. and it won't take you to long to learn 'em


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Jehu]

For the sake of conversation, here's how I plan on using the course. It gives me a way of practicing what I'm already working on in a structured and graduated format:

10 mins comping:
I have no interest in learning those HR voicings, so I'm going to spend 10 minutes practicing comping through the progression using improvised small voicings based on guide tones + extensions. This is challenging enough for now, but if I get frisky I can practice leading with dominants/ii-Vs, tritone subs, etc.

3 x 10 mins of steady 8th notes:
I'm working my way through Garrison Fewell's book at the moment, so I'm going to use that approach. So working through the progression using triads and melodic extensions, and targeting guide tones in various ways.

Not a bad way to spend 50 minutes!

After 5 of the 6 days, I can already see what a challenging and rewarding endeavour this will be. I'm currently working at around 50 bpm, and keeping things focused at that tempo ain't easy. There is the balance of trying to hear the melody at that slow pace, keeping track of what arpeggio or chord tone I'm targeting, staying conscious of where I am in the progression (HARD at 50 bpm), and actually trying to make it sound like music.

The quickest advances I've seen so far have been in the 10 minutes of comping (using the above approach). I feel like I'm realising my inner Bickert.

I'm heartened by remembering a podcast by Bruce Foreman, where he highlighted the importance of being able to play steady 8th's through any progression. And we all know the particular brand of badass that old Brucie is.

[wzpgsr]

In celebration of completing Day 5, here is what my final 10 minute session from tonight sounds like sped up to something like Cherokee at performance tempo. Just kind of fun to hear at something closer to actual song tempo with a guitar that sounds like a weird synth violin.

[christianm77]

Ha - I like it!

It kind of sounds like Kurt Rosenwinkel's current tone to me haha.

[morroben]

I saw a picture of the June Guitar Player magazine cover. Looks like there's an article on HR SuperChops, in case anyone is interested.

[destinytot]

I've de-cluttered and organised what is now my practice room (a Big Deal), and I've now started the programme in earnest.

So I'd just like to say thanks very much indeed for starting this thread; it's a lifeline, and it truly supports a vision.

Best wishes to all.

[TH]

The key of Db. The song form should be familiar. I love looking at a piece in a new key, it separates how well my ears know a tune from how well my fingers know it. We move our root up a fourth and take the target speed up a little. If it's unfamiliar, it'll come pretty quickly this first day. Remember, we're still building on all we have built on during the first week.
David

[wzpgsr]

Tomorrow is break day for week 1, and week 2 starts Monday?

[TH]

Tomorrow is break day for week 1, and week 2 starts Monday?

That's the schedule I'm on, yes.
For those who know the book, you know there are some sample examples in the week's work. I haven't posted any of those, but if anybody wants, I can put those up in the middle of the following week's project. In other words, if anybody wants to see what ideas Howard Roberts suggested, I could post his Week 1 example some time later this week when we're in the middle of week 2. So it's not a distraction. They're not meant to be solos in themselves or even etudes, merely models of how one might've done the exercise.

We start Cherokee in Db on Monday. Really enjoying the individual postings of recorded examples you're doing. It's feeling like a friendly group share. It's also a really nice chronicle of how much you will be improving. It's always a benchmark for me to record myself. It's the place I can solidly push off from at that point.

Have fun
David

[Socraticaster]

I just stumbled across this thread. I'm really enthused about the idea of diving into Super Chops - I've had the book for a few years but have never gotten around to tackling it. Reading the postings in this thread has inspired me to give it a go.

However, I'm a professor in my day job, and the next 3 weeks are some of the busiest of the year for me, so I won't be starting until mid-May. On the other hand, I have an entire summer to do nothing but writing and guitar playing, so once I have the time to devote, I'll be able to take it seriously.

I'm not sure if I should join this study-group, however, if I'm going to be 4 weeks behind. I'm not sure if I'll have anything to contribute. I'll keep following and reading the thread, though.

Is it worthwhile trying to start another HR study group for those who - like me - missed the boat on this one?

Thanks.

[dingusmingus]

I just stumbled across this thread. I'm really enthused about the idea of diving into Super Chops - I've had the book for a few years but have never gotten around to tackling it. Reading the postings in this thread has inspired me to give it a go.

However, I'm a professor in my day job, and the next 3 weeks are some of the busiest of the year for me, so I won't be starting until mid-May. On the other hand, I have an entire summer to do nothing but writing and guitar playing, so once I have the time to devote, I'll be able to take it seriously.

I'm not sure if I should join this study-group, however, if I'm going to be 4 weeks behind. I'm not sure if I'll have anything to contribute. I'll keep following and reading the thread, though.

Is it worthwhile trying to start another HR study group for those who - like me - missed the boat on this one?

Thanks.

I would think you can just jump in here when you're ready. You'll be playing a different progression, but I expect the stuff we'll be discussing won't be tied as much to the particular progressions we're playing, and will be generally applicable.

[TH]

I just stumbled across this thread. I'm really enthused about the idea of diving into Super Chops - I've had the book for a few years but have never gotten around to tackling it. Reading the postings in this thread has inspired me to give it a go.

However, I'm a professor in my day job, and the next 3 weeks are some of the busiest of the year for me, so I won't be starting until mid-May. On the other hand, I have an entire summer to do nothing but writing and guitar playing, so once I have the time to devote, I'll be able to take it seriously.

I'm not sure if I should join this study-group, however, if I'm going to be 4 weeks behind. I'm not sure if I'll have anything to contribute. I'll keep following and reading the thread, though.

Is it worthwhile trying to start another HR study group for those who - like me - missed the boat on this one?

Thanks.

I've had a few people in your boat. I think it'd be fun to launch another boat this summer, maybe at the conclusion of this one.
One thing I've found is that you learn an enormous amount about yourself and your own playing and the pace of this course is really conducive to the self motivated curriculum. In other words the pace is great to really look at specific areas of study since it starts out slow and keeps the progress steady.
It also means that when I began again, at baby step pace 40bpm, it was REALLY challenging for a professional musician with a real music school degree under my belt. I wish I'd done this instead. It's actually harder now.
Of course I have new things to bring to the 50 minutes. Dynamics, awareness of right hand technique on different phrases, intervallic and motific lines... So really going back after one run through is REALLY rewarding!

It's designed to be done by yourself, but I do think it'd be fun to have a concerted group at some time in the future, for us to all be emboldened to work and post our thoughts and all celebrate that which we find by simply doing the walk.

My thoughts anyway.
David

50 minutes goes by REALLY fast!

[wzpgsr]

I had a few days to prepare before the first week. This time I had a few hours. I spent 2 hours tonight trying to get it together. The key change was a little overwhelming. Towards the end I started to get sone stuff going, but overall very rough night.

[TH]

I had a few days to prepare before the first week. This time I had a few hours. I spent 2 hours tonight trying to get it together. The key change was a little overwhelming. Towards the end I started to get sone stuff going, but overall very rough night.

Don't I know it! I'm glad you posted this. I know the first impression might be "Same song, easy peasy" but with the root up a 4th, you'll most likely be working with different string sets.
I remember my first year in music school. I had to write a composition based on some harmonic parameter. I thought it was impossible. I sweated, panicked and I worked endlessly on it. It seemed impossible each step of the way. But when I was done, I had an incredible amount of knowledge and each composition after that was its own challenge but it was never as hard as the first one.
So note: First day of the new project is the toughest. I wish you could see yourself at the end of the program. Toughest day is done.
Congrats
David

[Jhui]

I had a few days to prepare before the first week. This time I had a few hours. I spent 2 hours tonight trying to get it together. The key change was a little overwhelming. Towards the end I started to get sone stuff going, but overall very rough night.

Well, week 2 tune 2 here as well. I agree that again the first day was tricky, but today felt already a bit easier. I started this week at 50 BPM, so still pretty slow going (today 52). This 3 x 10 min feels just about right. I think doing more reps would start come boring and it would be even harder to keep concentration. Only thing that might be worth adding to program would be melody playing for 10 min.

[wzpgsr]

Well, week 2 tune 2 here as well. I agree that again the first day was tricky, but today felt already a bit easier. I started this week at 50 BPM, so still pretty slow going (today 52). This 3 x 10 min feels just about right. I think doing more reps would start come boring and it would be even harder to keep concentration. Only thing that might be worth adding to program would be melody playing for 10 min.

52 seems like lightspeed to me. I was struggling at 40 yesterday. I might back off to 37 or so.

I have a hard time hearing the melody over the changes to Cherokee at such a slow tempo, because I'm used to hearing it played at lightning speed. But, if I can get the melody in my head better at this tempo, I'd like to target the melody notes during my improv.

[matt.guitarteacher]

Roberts chord voicings have the melody notes for "the moment" of the chord. I'm not using his voicings but I am keeping that aspect . See if you can put the melody on top of the chords on the downbeats.

[TH]

I think doing more reps would start come boring and it would be even harder to keep concentration...
Only thing that might be worth adding to program would be melody playing for 10 min.

Boredom has been my strongest ally and critic. It's boredom that has forced me to search for my limitations. The slow speed is a great and unforgiving "radar" for boring habits I use. Yes, 50 minutes is a good amount of time though, there's a natural threshold for ideas.

Keep in mind that, yes this is based on the changes for Cherokee, but this is NOT a Cherokee exercise. Seek the original melody in yourself, and look to pieces like Koko for ideas. Anybody thought of taking a chorus of Koko and slowing it down to 40?

Well there are lots of suggestions but you all know what will keep you engaged and moving. Have fun

David

[Jehu]

One thing Week 2 has taught me so far is that my brain malfunctions when I see a Gb or Cb chord.

[TH]

Last week we looked at the Bb changes. From that week, here's one suggestion of things that could've been incorporated into a 10 minute session. Just to give you ideas of the devices, range, note choices available to you.
David

[wzpgsr]

When playing these exercises, how is everyone articulating their stream of eighths? I'm playing very straight and even, although tonight I got bored and started playing with the dynamics a bit--still very straight but varying volume and accents a bit.

[Jhui]

I have a hard time hearing the melody over the changes to Cherokee at such a slow tempo, because I'm used to hearing it played at lightning speed. But, if I can get the melody in my head better at this tempo, I'd like to target the melody notes during my improv.

I don't hear/follow melody at all to be honest. My song is Night and Day, but I guess the tune doesn't matter here. My playing is pretty mindless noodling using the chord tones + scale tones. I'll try to stick to even 8'th notes and I don't really see how can I get that to sound even remotly melody like. I dunno, am I missing something here? I do have the lead sheet in front of me with lyrics.

[wzpgsr]

Nah. Mine often feels mindless as well. I was thinking that targeting melody notes might provide more of a scaffolding but it's certainly not necessary.

[TH]

I don't hear/follow melody at all to be honest. My song is Night and Day, but I guess the tune doesn't matter here. My playing is pretty mindless noodling using the chord tones + scale tones. I'll try to stick to even 8'th notes and I don't really see how can I get that to sound even remotly melody like. I dunno, am I missing something here? I do have the lead sheet in front of me with lyrics.

Nah. Mine often feels mindless as well. I was thinking that targeting melody notes might provide more of a scaffolding but it's certainly not necessary.

.

The ability to create melody and the ability to play with all your facilities at your fingertips are two different things but certainly related. These exercises will make sure the notes are there for you and your hands, ears and thinking process are mastered.
All too often, this step is neglected and in the pursuit to play melodies, players will take on the strengths of other people (through transcription) or their own set of strengths (to play what's easy for you) and neglect the possibilities of things they never really mastered.
I do think it's natural to find good melody elusive at first. Especially given the format of this exercise, elements of melody like different note values and the use of space, they're both enormously important in a good melody.

But there are also things that, once your fundamental ear, finger and thinking process is in place, allow you to react, create and conceive ideas that make good music.
Do you have time outside of the 50 minutes to write a phrase a day, without the 8th note restriction? Compose a line on the first two changes?
Are you using melodic ideas like motifs? Can you take an idea and begin it on a specific note of the chord and complete an arc of an idea?
Can you repeat that idea on the next chord?
Can you take that idea and turn it around and answer it with a line going in the other direction?
Can you use dynamics to make a statement softly, then think of an appropriate response played a different volume?
Might you think of the notes you use as a conversation, some musical version of two people speaking to one another?
Can you be aware of what you just played, and maybe go for "different" in some way for what follows? Wider intervals... line built in thirds... fourths... and then ending it with a concluding idea based on the melody of a particular piece.
Make a notebook of melodic ideas and call it line strategies, look at the beginning pages of the Roberts book and keep fresh ideas to try on a 3x5 card before each 10 minute session. Just as long as you don't "zone out" and play without intention or purpose.

Be true to your idea of playing and really polish it with these exercises, and strive to remain thoughtful. The melody will come to you. Maybe it will sneak up, maybe it'll come in a bold of lightning, but keep the foundation strong and it'll come.

David

[wzpgsr]

I joined the 40 bpm club last night. After my initial 10 minute break-in session I worked on finding the connecting notes from chord to chord by ear, on one string. It was really relaxing, as matt.guitarteacher said sort of meditative. Doing this helped me hear the progression better at the slow tempo. I'm definitely feeling some improvement. Still having problems fully letting go of the chart.

[TH]

Here's the next week's project. This week's target speed is 84. We're working with D tonality and turnarounds. Lots of exercise with dominant harmony.
Have fun!
David



Well that annoying sideways thing seems to be vexing me here. Anyone who'd like to right this would be greatly appreciated.

[wzpgsr]

I could have sworn there was a post that listed the actual tunes that these progressions are taken from but I'm having trouble finding it. Could someone help me out and tell me what the tune is for week 3?

Thanks!

[matt.guitarteacher]

I could have sworn there was a post that listed the actual tunes that these progressions are taken from but I'm having trouble finding it. Could someone help me out and tell me what the tune is for week 3?

Thanks!

Weeks 1 & 2 = Cherokee AKA Koko
Weeks 3 & 4 = Angel eyes
Weeks 5 & 6 = Baubles, bangles and beads (?)
Weeks 8 & 9 = All the things you are
Weeks 10 & 11 = Blues for Alice

[TH]

I could have sworn there was a post that listed the actual tunes that these progressions are taken from but I'm having trouble finding it. Could someone help me out and tell me what the tune is for week 3?

Thanks!

I did want to go through all these projects week by week at some point. This isn't the way I play Angel Eyes and I wanted to make sure the changes actually matched up with the tunes suggested in that group of pieces.
Anybody have any opinions on week 2A?

Thanks
David

[destinytot]

Walking round the track before the race is brilliant and profound.

I'm finding that I have abundant time (and multiple opportunities) to formulate lines, fingering and picking at this slow pace.

On the other hand, I really noticed my limitations on last night's gig. I played to my strengths, and I daresay the gig went very well - but it wasn't as fulfilling as I know it could have been.

Walking round the track makes it possible to identify, measure and practise what would otherwise not be so.

I'm also finding that I can transfer to the process I'm calling 'walking round the track' some of my approach to other styles - 'being myself' and 'keeping it real'. I'm encouraged by this because I know vulnerability to be an asset.

This programme is brilliant.

[wzpgsr]

This programme is brilliant.

It really is. I can feel my understanding of the fretboard expanding, and it's so nice being "forced" to work through entire tunes rather than allowing myself to get stuck on one four bar section.

[Jehu]

I did want to go through all these projects week by week at some point. This isn't the way I play Angel Eyes and I wanted to make sure the changes actually matched up with the tunes suggested in that group of pieces.

Anybody have any opinions on week 2A?

I have no idea what this tune is, but I don't really see how it could possibly be Angel Eyes. It is, however, a hell of a ii-V workout.

Hey, question for David and/or the rest of the group: I know HR says to pick your tempo for the day based on how quickly you can play through perfectly. How literally are you taking that?

I have been picking a tempo that is challenging for the things I'm currently working on, but at which I am hitting it most of the time -- so about 80-90% success (i.e., 10-20% clam territory). At the beginning of Week 3, this means hovering around 60bpm, so still pretty leisurely.

"Perfection is the enemy of progress" and all that.