Lee (nearly live)

[Lee]

OK this is a thing I've finished about 5 mins ago. It is a first take - straight out, no tidying up - just as if it were live.

So I want you to imagine that you are in a club and this guy is sitting playing a guitar in front of you.

If you think there's something I ought to know - tell me.

I know it's still not as fluid and the timing is getting better but still not perfect, but what the heck. Rip it to bits and tell me where I went wrong.

I'm prodigious in output if nothing else.


http://homepage.ntlworld.com/nwd/marinmix.mp3


Lee

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Lee (nearly live)

Hmm I am really nogood at this...oh bugger me....
More space between notes perhaps??
Use more than one string as well??
Take it "out" a bit more...you know break the scales and forget about postitions....longer bends that may start odd and end up where it should be.
Use more dynamics.
Otherwise the feel is quite nice, very laid back.
Bah hope that this is any help, I hate doing this:^D

 

[seafoamer]

Re: Lee (nearly live)

I listened to almost half. (damn 56k modem takes forever) Yeah, There are some nice ideas in there. Definately get "out" a little more. Your basically outlining Cm all the time. Try playing the notes from a chord a 5th above the minor chord your in. So in Cm, arpegiate a Gm7 chord. Gives a different flavor. And since the background for the 1st chord is dorian, you could really play that up in u'r improve.

Also more chromatics definately.

 

[Lee]

Re: Lee (nearly live)

I find it quite hard to leave gaps - I always think I have to fill it.

It would make life a lot easier to split stuff up a bit as I can get the timing easier when I stop for reference points.

I'm always scared of breaking 'out' in case i get lost in dischords. Remember, I was pretending this was live - and I was playing pretty safe. Towards the end I started to use chromatics - but too late and not convincing enough.

I've not done much string bending since I started using 11's so that's something I'll be working on.

What I was really trying to get was that Larry Carlton 'bounce' (no I'm no Larry carlton) - but I did think I'd made some progress compared to a week or two ago when my timing was non-existant.

Thanks for the comments. I'll keep working at it. In a month or two I may be able to play it again and show a big improvement.


Lee

 

[DARTHWOLFGANG]

Re: Lee (nearly live)

Lee,

I enjoyed this immensely!You seemed to be heavily concentrated on your timing more than your feeling(not to say that it was completely lacking in feeling-it wasn't.)You've got some great chops my friend-fun clip!

~GLENN

 

[Lee]

Re: Lee (nearly live)

I listened to almost half. (damn 56k modem takes forever) Yeah, There are some nice ideas in there. Definately get "out" a little more. Your basically outlining Cm all the time. Try playing the notes from a chord a 5th above the minor chord your in. So in Cm, arpegiate a Gm7 chord. Gives a different flavor. And since the background for the 1st chord is dorian, you could really play that up in u'r improve.

Also more chromatics definately.

Thanks. I did go more chromatic at the end (though not too convincingly). Will work at it.

Lee

 

[Lee]

Re: Lee (nearly live)

Lee,

I enjoyed this immensely!You seemed to be heavily concentrated on your timing more than your feeling(not to say that it was completely lacking in feeling-it wasn't.)You've got some great chops my friend-fun clip!

~GLENN

Well thanks very much. Anyone whose been in the forum over the last few weeks will know that I've not played in a band for about 20 years. My timing was completely shot! It is my greatest weakness at the moment so I'm sort of scared of losing it - and I play a little more confined than I would normally.


Thanks again.


Lee

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Lee (nearly live)

Man I am happy that you can use it for something, just say back off if it gets too much!
It is kinda important, it is like racing, keep the confidence high...and the world is yours!

 

[Lee]

Re: Lee (nearly live)

Man I am happy that you can use it for something, just say back off if it gets too much!
It is kinda important, it is like racing, keep the confidence high...and the world is yours!

I'm pretty critical of myself. If different people keeping pointing out the same problems - then I've got a problem that needs sorting.

When one guy says it - it's an opinion. When three guys say it - it's a fact.

Did you say you couldn't record at the moment? I think you could do a great job on this clip as Marin did.

Anyway, keep firing away. I know that you can see what I'm hoping to achieve and that you aren't being critical for anyone elses sake but mine.

I'm just more than happy that anyone actually listens to it. It's a tall order to expect someone to download 5 mins of guitar stuff and listen to it.


Lee

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Lee (nearly live)

Yeah I have downloaded that backtrack sometime ago at HC.
It is one of Eds great backtracks!
No recording until week 31 or 32 depending how busy we are at work.

 

[Sly_D]

Re: Lee (nearly live)

Well, Lee, I know a lot of people knows a lot more theory than I am, but I think your clip is absolutely cool... and its almost live above all.

True that you may use a wider piece of the neck (call it fifth, seventh or whatever you like - of course I know what a fifth is but I don't think about that when I play - it would be like thinking about the vagina nomenclature when I make love to my wife). But I personally can't improvise that well. I'm only good when I organize my stuff. This "problem" of yours is from the stand point of jazz players... which are the best improvisers of all. Any rock player like me will hardly see a problem with that. And won't be of any help, granted.

You have to have a tremendous experience as a player to be able to follow the chord progression of a rhythm track on the fly without thinking about it.

That being said, what the guys told you is probably true, these are knowledgeable people... it's just not my way of considering music. I hate complicated things, I have enough in my business Some people seems to think that if it's not intricate, it's not good. I rather think that if there's no emotion, it's not interesting. Two schools of thought.

 

[Guitarist]

Re: Lee (nearly live)

I thought it was great, Lee! Awesome playing. I can see what some people are saying, however, it was nothing enough to take away from the whole vibe. Definetely sounds like something I'd be listening to when eating in a fine restaurant! Thanks! Good luck with whatever you feel necessary to do to help you feel more satisfactory of your clips!...still, I loved it!

 

[seafoamer]

Re: Lee (nearly live)

Hey Lee, A real cool thing to do on a minor blues type progression: When u'r playing over the Cm chord, anywhere from a beat to a full bar before the IV chord (Fm in this case), play some type of C7 chord. I like C7b9 or C7 alt. It really gives it a nice build to the Fm because it builds the tension then resolves beautifully, because the notes almost all resolve by half step. The 3rd of C7 (E to F), The 5th (G to Ab) the b9 (Db to C). Pat Metheny does this tons. As a matter of fact, when I was in college I transcribed his solo to Solar on the Questions & Answers album, and that's when I really started to use this.

Anyway, this just came to me as I was perusing the board.
Keep it up!

 

[Mike M.]

Re: Lee (nearly live)

Very good as always, Lee. Really enjoy hearing your clips. Nice style.

 

[take2]

Re: Lee (nearly live)

Lee this is a nice clip - I think it would receive less criticism (and I don't mean that negatively because its all constructive info) but none the less, the short comings of the song would not be as apparent if it were shorter - what your doing creates a really nice feel for about two or three minutes and than it feels like it should make a different statement before returning to the original feel.
Please know that this comes from a total novice, just my 2 cents.

 

[Lightning]

Re: Lee (nearly live)

Dude, you got riffs I don't have. At this point I don't know what direction you want to go in, but there's some stuff you got I wish I had to enhance the Pat Martino, Pat Metheny, Jon Ackerman, John McLaughlin, Tal Farlow, mind set of jazz playing I have (Just a mind set ...like I can play like those guys).

Mind set...you have to start somewhere. Big ol' bag of ideas, great (very tasteful) note choice...Sorry man I'd a been waiting for you to burn. Is that one of those play along CDs? I've been inhibited by those too. Nothing like a real band to interact with.

With what you know man, If you haven't listened to those guys I mentioned...do so (there're the pathway to total expression and so are Vai and Malmsteen but they take it to a different audience), Get yourself a band and go pulse...enjoyed it. Chuck

PS. My personal pref on jazz tone is old Martino or Metheny's twin delay set up unless I'm playing fusion, then I use a metal tone (to emulate the sax).

Did I forget to mention Coltrane and Bird…more burners.

Don't let us tell you how to play, but I can keep going...

Clarence White (Birds) infused mandolin right hand technique with rock and other stiles...I somehow hear that mandolin influence in Duane Allman, Vai, and Martino's playing and those guys come on, on the first note...It's in the right hand...connection to your exuberance of life.

 

[Rainmaker]

Re: Lee (nearly live)

Lots of good ideas - I would implemented a few more techniques (ie. a bit of legato, a bit of tapping), but that being said it's better than I could do.

That's 5 minutes of continuous playing and that's a long time if you're getting it from the top of your head.

Well done and thumbs up!

 

[Lee]

Re: Lee (nearly live)

Thanks for the comments guys. The praise is great to receive - the criticism (all constructive) will help me focus on my weaknesses and make me a better player in a much qicker time frame.

Seafoamer: I've read about this thing where you force one chord over another but I know nothing about doing it. Any info you have will be gratefully recieved by all in the forum.

Take 2 - yes it would be better shorter as a musical piece. I was pushing my luck.

Rainmaker: Yes it is a strain trying to play something 5 minutes long off the fly.

Normally I would play it through about 20 times and get a feel for what I was going to do. But I took a chance on this one and just went for it. I had no idea what the next note would be.

Rid: I will of course take on board what you've said. In fact you have given me the secrets of your own playing - and it's no secret what I think of your talent.

Thanks again guys. This praise and criticism is a great way to sort your playing out.



Lee

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Lee (nearly live)

Well glad to be of help Lee.

 

[Artie]

Re: Lee (nearly live)

I listened to almost half. (damn 56k modem takes forever) Yeah, There are some nice ideas in there. Definately get "out" a little more. Your basically outlining Cm all the time. Try playing the notes from a chord a 5th above the minor chord your in. So in Cm, arpegiate a Gm7 chord. Gives a different flavor. And since the background for the 1st chord is dorian, you could really play that up in u'r improve.

Also more chromatics definately.

Thanks. I did go more chromatic at the end (though not too convincingly). Will work at it.

Lee

This must be one of those situations where "ignorance is bliss". I'm not really sure what you guys are talking about here, and as a consequence, just thought it was a cool, smooth jazz piece.

Nothing jumped out at me as being "missing" or off track. And, this is exactly how I'ld probably play it also.

BTW - Lee; where did the backing clip come from? The name, "marinmix", sort of implies that Marinblues posted this somewhere, but I don't see it. Am I off track here? Thanks.