(not exactly) These Foolish Things

**guitarvegas** · 01-04-2025, 07:23 PM

This version is next in line for me to learn from. Love Tony Bennett.

**pamosmusic** · 01-04-2025, 07:25 PM

Originally Posted by guitarvegas

What would you do if you were me? Stop the singing for now, and go back to the single line melody?

Yeah man you’re thinking too hard.

Learn the melody.

Then learn to play the chords in shell voicings.

Stick with that.

Out of curiosity, what is the resistance to just learning a couple chord voicings and doing the thing?

**wintermoon** · 01-04-2025, 07:29 PM

Originally Posted by guitarvegas

What would you do if you were me? Stop the singing for now, and go back to the single line melody?

if I were you I'd get a teacher and learn theory, harmony, chords etc. and stop trying to bypass musical knowledge by trying to play by ear.
or if you're too lazy/adverse to getting a teacher to guide you, go online and learn the basics.
unless you have an extraordinary ear and are able to figure out chords w/out a teacher it ain't going to happen and all the clips you've posted so far bear that out.

**mr. beaumont** · 01-04-2025, 07:55 PM

There's some hope here, but you're still expecting a year's growth in 24 hours.

Play the melody or sing it. Not both.

**guitarvegas** · 01-04-2025, 09:25 PM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

There's some hope here, but you're still expecting a year's growth in 24 hours.

Play the melody or sing it. Not both.

Jeff, fair statement to say that I am a much better natural singer, than a guitarist?

**guitarvegas** · 01-07-2025, 01:55 AM

Right now, this guy is my teacher. It's simple enough to comprehend, it is in the key I want to sing in, and it will give me what I need. I would much rather be working out a simple approach to chord melody (like this), so I can sing the melody with it. For now, this is what I needed....and Vince is gonna help me along!
Once I have this well understood, and can play it without thinking, then I can personalize some of it and make it my own with little embellishments (as needed).
For me, this is an approach that I can actually achieve with. I dig this old guy....he's got class.

**kris** · 01-07-2025, 02:37 AM

You're finally starting to think musically.
Good luck working on this beautiful ballad.

**guitarvegas** · 01-07-2025, 02:51 AM

Originally Posted by kris

You're finally starting to think musically.
Good luck working on this beautiful ballad.

Thanks! I think I have potential to sing this one...in the same key as Nat King Cole. It is my vocals range. And some of that singing can be so soft and sweet. I gotta feel that for myself.

**guitarvegas** · 01-08-2025, 08:52 PM

Originally Posted by guitarvegas

Thanks! I think I have potential to sing this one...in the same key as Nat King Cole. It is my vocals range. And some of that singing can be so soft and sweet. I gotta feel that for myself.

Nah, on second thought....not gonna be singing this anytime soon. I'll be at the side bar playing that melody alongside Nat....'cause I really need his guidance right now. Can't drive on my own right now, I keep driving off the road. Sticking with Nat King Cole for that melody. Just got to.

And Vince Lewis is making me feel all boxed in. He is playing it right, but I am not sure he will help me too much.

**guitarvegas** · 01-09-2025, 09:42 AM

Wow! This guy.

**guitarvegas** · 01-11-2025, 03:28 PM

Originally Posted by Mick-7

I think you're doing some interesting things, your approach is obviously intuitive but creative. And Hippolyte should talk, his arrangements are squaresville, tend to bore the heck out of me.

The main thing is: Are you playing the music you hear in your head? Can you do that? That is the difference between a jazz musician and a music dilettante. I don't know if that's a goal for you but it always was for me, and studying theory, etc., has been a means to that end.

The other thing is, in order for your playing to improve, you'll need to be able to duplicate your good ideas and eliminate the not so good ones, which you cannot do if your playing strategies are a mystery to you.

That makes a lot of sense. I can play part of what's in my head, and then half of that idea became, in a way, fill-in sort of what I intended. So, it's my ear.....it's far from perfect. Not super bad, but not giftedly good.

**guitarvegas** · 01-11-2025, 03:33 PM

One thing I am starting to do with this.....these moments of discovery are always great:
I started to play along with the Tony Bennett version of this song. And you know what, it's in a different key, and where I started playing it was an unusual spot on the fretboard which led me to playing a different pattern. Then I found two more patterns on other areas of the neck, and then I began to understand that these patterns will all connect together and can be interweaved. And I thing that is the beginning concept of how jazz solo's operate.

I will continue to explore this finding, and try to apply it as I work out this melody. I will be back sometime later if I can get it to a good place.

**guitarvegas** · 01-11-2025, 08:09 PM

From today:
These Foolish Things 3_mixdown.wav - Google Drive

**guitarvegas** · 01-12-2025, 04:19 PM

This is a snippet from a recording I made today. It was the only part I liked. When I sing this and try and play some sort of chord melody with it, I get lost on the chords so I keep pausing to try and find my way back. But this part I liked, so I looped it. Every little thing is progress, right....?

These Foolish Things v4_mixdown.wav - Google Drive