(not exactly) These Foolish Things

[guitarvegas]

New recording today. I say that this is not me playing the standard in the way it was intended to be played. Because I do not know the tune enough yet. On the other hand, this is me improvising over the changes the best way I see fit.
In my weird way...lol

Dare to have a listen?

[wintermoon]

you could have called it Christmas Time Is Here and no one would have known the difference like you did in another thread.
c'mon man, learn how to play an actual tune instead of just stealing other composer's titles for aimless noodling.
or if you're too lazy to learn how to play an actual tune just name it something like vegas in space.

[guitarvegas]

you could have called it Christmas Time Is Here and no one would have known the difference like you did in another thread.
c'mon man, learn how to play an actual tune instead of just stealing other composer's titles for aimless noodling.
or if you're too lazy to learn how to play an actual tune just name it something like vegas in space.

You seem insulted by my approach, although I do not consider this noodling by any means.

[wintermoon]

You seem insulted by my approach, although I do not consider this noodling by any means.

frankly I don't care what you play but it's annoying that you're stealing other composer's titles when what you play has zero to do w/ their song.
that's not an 'approach' or an interpretation, it's just title stealing.

[guitarvegas]

frankly I don't care what you play but it's annoying that you're stealing other composer's titles when what you play has zero to do w/ their song.
that's not an 'approach' or an interpretation, it's just title stealing.

Fair enough, I changed the title. Because you are right, it isn't fair to deceive potential listeners.

[guitarvegas]

you could have called it Christmas Time Is Here and no one would have known the difference like you did in another thread.
c'mon man, learn how to play an actual tune instead of just stealing other composer's titles for aimless noodling.
or if you're too lazy to learn how to play an actual tune just name it something like vegas in space.

What I could do is to learn from it. I could study some lyrical/singing versions of this song, and learn all of the chord changes. Then, I will have a foundation that makes much more harmonic sense. I will go ahead and do this....this may take weeks for me to start to get something....but I am up to the challenge.

[guitarvegas]

I can start here, and get this worked into my DNA

[wintermoon]

learn all of the chord changes. Then, I will have a foundation that makes much more harmonic sense.

now you're talking, but talk is cheap. it seems to me you've been reluctant to learn and just play whatever comes to mind over any tune rather than to learn the correct chords and apply them tunes. once you start doing that you'll be on your way. but we've had this conversation many times before. best of luck

[Mick-7]

you could have called it Christmas Time Is Here and no one would have known the difference like you did in another thread.
c'mon man, learn how to play an actual tune instead of just stealing other composer's titles for aimless noodling.
or if you're too lazy to learn how to play an actual tune just name it something like vegas in space.

Woah, there's some tough love.

I could call Mark Kleinhaut's interpretations "aimless noodling" too, harmonically they usually bear no resemblance to the original tune. Difference is that Mark is an excellent player, even though his style is not my cup of tea.

What you're doing, guitarvegas, could be called "free jazz." Most people have little tolerance for it.

[wintermoon]

Woah, there's some tough love.

I could call Mark Kleinhaut's interpretations "aimless noodling" too, harmonically they usually bear no resemblance to the original tune. Difference is that Mark is an excellent player, even though his style is not my cup of tea.

What you're doing, guitarvegas, could be called "free jazz." Most people have little tolerance for it.

I'm going to differ from that opinion.
Mark may be playing legato and not be strictly adhering to a tune exactly as it's written but I can usually hear references to the actual song.
And free jazz is fine if that's your bag but don't just play anything and slap an existing title to it.

[guitarvegas]

I'm going to differ from that opinion.
Mark may be playing legato and not be strictly adhering to a tune exactly as it's written but I can usually hear references to the actual song.
And free jazz is fine if that's your bag but don't just play anything and slap an existing title to it.

I'm gonna study this and see where it leads me. Give me some time.

[Mick-7]

I'm going to differ from that opinion.
Mark may be playing legato and not be strictly adhering to a tune exactly as it's written but I can usually hear references to the actual song.
And free jazz is fine if that's your bag but don't just play anything and slap an existing title to it.

He will reference the melody of a tune but ignore it's harmonic character, which is what gives most tunes their charm and uniqueness. guitarvegas is doing that too but his "noodling" is less interesting because he lacks Mark's chops.

[wintermoon]

He will reference the melody of a tune but ignore it's harmonic character, which is what gives most tunes their charm and uniqueness. guitarvegas is doing that too but his "noodling" is less interesting because he lacks Mark's chops.

I don't hear any reference to a melody in vegas' playing.

[PDeville]

I like the way you are playing. You are playing over the chords your own way.
But rather than learn the melody for These Foolish Things, maybe you could write a few of
your own tunes with similar chords (or any chords you like). Someone already wrote that tune.

Wouldn't it be more rewarding to write a few of your own and record those?

[guitarvegas]

I like the way you are playing. You are playing over the chords your own way.
But rather than learn the melody for These Foolish Things, maybe you could write a few of
your own tunes with similar chords (or any chords you like). Someone already wrote that tune.

Wouldn't it be more rewarding to write a few of your own and record those?

Yes! But I should buckle it down and learn a standard or two. Will be really good for me in the long run.

[wintermoon]

Yes! But I should buckle it down and learn a standard or two. Will be really good for me in the long run.

no one is in your head to know what you're thinking or want to do but I have a feeling if you do learn how to play an existing tune and see the results you'll want to learn more. it's like anything learned, it may seem daunting at first but once you see progress it'll inspire you to keep learning. I could be wrong but I think it's in you somewhere, you just have to want to do it. if you don't want to or are afraid to put your toe in the water and you're happy where you are you won't learn, and if you're ok w/ that, fine. pretty simple.

[guitarvegas]

no one is in your head to know what you're thinking or want to do but I have a feeling if you do learn how to play an existing tune and see the results you'll want to learn more. it's like anything learned, it may seem daunting at first but once you see progress it'll inspire you to keep learning. I could be wrong but I think it's in you somewhere, you just have to want to do it. if you don't want to or are afraid to put your toe in the water and you're happy where you are you won't learn, and if you're ok w/ that, fine. pretty simple.

I will put my all into this, and see where it leads me. Why not? I have nothing else to do with my time at the moment.

[guitarvegas]

What am I doing here?
Jazz is one of the most difficult fields of musical art.
I have been working and developing my jazz language for over 50 years.
I am constantly practicing, listening, working and developing my musical ear.
This is jazz.

Wonderful, man! I would like to hear some of your playing.

[Hyppolyte Bergamotte]

What you play guitarvegas is just horrible.
Before you bore us with your very bad playing,you would do well to learn the basics of music with a good teacher

[guitarvegas]

What you play guitarvegas is just horrible.
Before you bore us with your very bad playing,you would do well to learn the basics of music with a good teacher

Gee, thanks a lot man.

[Hyppolyte Bergamotte]

The truth is cruel,but we must accept it.It was said about my guitar playing too 45 years ago.After that I have really started to work,even until now and I am terribly intransigent toward myself

[Mick-7]

Gee, thanks a lot man.

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.

[wintermoon]

No one enjoys critiquing negatively but HB is right. Tough love is necessary because all the people here that encouraged you aren't doing you any favors, you'll never learn to play that way.
Frankly it IS aimless noodling, but if you want to justify it by calling it free jazz, or your approach, interpretation or whatever, is just covering up the fact that you have no idea what you're doing.
HB's also right about finding a teacher to learn how to play, regardless if your wife calls that cheating as you posted before, and by telling you that she's holding you back too.
You said you're going to buckle down and learn a standard or two but how exactly are you going to do that if you don't know any theory, harmony etc.
You may be able to get away w noodling because there's no right or wrong, but when you have to play an actual standard that's when the rubber hits the road,, you can't fake that. The Christmas song wasn't the worst vocal I've ever heard but the playing behind it was close, you can't fake a standard, if you played any right notes or chords it was only luck, and I don't think you did.
Hopefully one day you'll get serious about learning the guitar/playing music and maybe after some progress you'll think back to this thread and realize the constructive criticism is exactly what you needed all along.

[Hyppolyte Bergamotte]

You always act like a clever here,little red cat in sunglasses,but I listened to you once,and you play poorly

[Mick-7]

You always act like a clever here, little red cat in sunglasses,but I listened to you once,and you play poorly, that’s the truth

Can't be that bad, when I was younger I gigged regularly with excellent professional musicians. Like most musicians, I do some things better than others.

The other thing is, I'd stop playing guitar for years at a time when off following other muses, which crippled my playing and progress. But whatever, I'm not trying to win a popularity contest here, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, however uninformed.