Today’s post is just an update on my “learning” guitar progress… Two years and counting… | |
I’m continuing to practice most every day for at least an hour. There have been quite a few more days in the last six weeks when it’s only been 30-45 minutes, but that’s life. Most of those times, I’ve been playing until fatigue / sleepiness and stopping when I start nodding out. LoL! I do most of my practicing between 11:30pm and 1am. I can sit out in the front room and not disturb anyone (our bedrooms are on the other side of the house). | |
I’m still alternating between my various guitars. I’m now up to 11, split mostly in favor of electric (7 to 4). I’ve had them in a rotation schedule of a couple of acoustics laying in the living room and bedroom (for quick access) and then the rest in a monthly rota, but I’ve recently shifted to a three week rota as I don’t feel like I’m actually touching each enough with now having so many. The perils of G.A.S. (Guitar Acquisition Syndrome)… If you’ve been counting, or reviewing my “Learning Guitar” page, you’ll see I don’t have all of my guitars accounted for (only eight reviews). My original intent was to do initial impression reviews and then subsequent updates as and when I “modded” them. “Life” and my procrastinating nature have more or less shot that plan down. It’s too late to do the initial impressions and I haven’t done very many mods, but I still plan to do reviews at some point. | |
I am still planning to get two more guitars to round out my collection – a full size nylon-string classical / acoustic and a single neck-humbucker telecaster style electric. After that, any additional purchases (quality upgrade) will necessitate a charitable donation to make room for the new toy.) The “Happy Wife” policy… | |
As far as “playing” goes, I’ve already forgotten more than I’ve learned. I’ve been skimming the odd book and watching a lot of guitar videos, but while they “teach” you a lot – it’s really more a case of “informing” you about motivation, techniques and concepts. The more I’m practicing, the more I’m realizing that if “it” (a given action) isn’t under your finger tips as muscle memory, you really haven’t learned it… And all of that muscle memory takes time and (more) practice – not more awareness / understanding. | |
Fortunately, for me (and not so fortunate for my family), my OCD allows me to be fairly content with just practicing things (scales, chords, spider walks, children’s songs) over and over and over again. I enjoy the repetitive action(s) and I feel like I’m finally starting to hear the notes. I mentioned in a prior post that I am “kind of” able to hear myself hum an “F#” and then tune the guitar from there. I’m continuing to get better at this. I’m also a little better at using a A400 tuning fork to tune the guitar. This is as opposed to using an electric tuner as a default tuner. I still (also) use the electric tuners, but I’m gaining confidence in my ear for relative pitch. Starting out, if ANYONE had said I’d be able to do this AT ALL, I’d have told them they were crazy and it’ll NEVER happen. LoL. The old dog is learning new tricks! | |
Most of the relatives feel I’m going about this “learning guitar” all wrong and that I should be learning songs. While I appreciate their viewpoint, I don’t find learning “songs” to be that interesting. I have two “songs” memorized (finger-style): “Taps” and “God Save the Queen“. I also have a couple more close to memory: “Ode to Joy” and “Drummer Boy”. On “Ode“…, no, not the full version – get serious… But enough so you can tell what the song is. Random people I discuss “learning guitar” with generally say: “As long as you’re having fun, who cares what you’re playing.” But I have a feeling they’re thinking, “TWO YEARS(!!!), and that’s all he can play?” (LoL) | |
So, I still haven’t settled on a single guitar I want to specialize with. I still haven’t decided if I want to concentrate on finger-style or plectrum-style. I still have very poor (almost none) rhythm – which makes leaning to strum problematic. I’m still SLOW at changing chords – even the few I know. And, I still haven’t decided what kind of music (rock, country, jazz, classical, blues, Spanish, folk, pop) I want to play. Slowly, slowly. | |
And, finally, other hardware… I’ve added a second “amp” and a “looper pedal” to my collection of kit. The second amp is a portable, super-mini (3 watt) battery operated job. It sounds slightly better than my original amp, but I don’t know enough about either to have the faintest idea of why – or if I should care. The looper allows me to record a few seconds of playing chord changes and then play it back in a loop to play lead over. The problem (of course) is my chord transitions are soooo bad, there is little point in trying to record / loop them – particularly when there are already hundreds of good background loops available on YouTube. Oh, well, another toy to play with… Slowly, slowly. | |
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On This Day In: | |
2022 | A Murmuring Note |
2021 | Satisfied If Not Fulfilled |
You Don’t Know | |
Urban Ballroom | |
2020 | R.I.P. Kobe |
2019 | Looks A Lot Like #45 |
2018 | Trying To Stay Young |
2017 | Seems Reasonable To Me |
2016 | We Can Get Through This Together (In Time) |
2015 | How Long Is A Piece Of String? |
2014 | Heathen, n. |
2013 | Wisdom’s Folly |
2012 | When The Student Is Ready |
Disconnected Leadership | |
2011 | The Complex Richness Of Life |
Posts Tagged ‘Music’
Musical Notes
Posted in Guitar, Music, tagged A400, Chords, Drummer Boy, F#, God Save The Queen, Guitar, Guitar Amplifiers, Looper Pedals, Muscle Memory, Music, OCD, Ode To Joy, Taps on January 29, 2023| 2 Comments »
Caution Before Starting…
Posted in Music, Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Addiction, Miles Davis, Music, Philosophy, Quotes on December 15, 2022| Leave a Comment »
Music is an addiction. | |
– Miles Davis | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | Are You A Loner? |
I Got Work | |
2020 | I Wish Republicans Valued Democracy As Much As They Say They Value Freedom |
It Sure Does | |
2019 | Something Very Different |
2018 | For Most Of Us |
2017 | Stories We Need On Life’s Edge |
2016 | Heart Trouble |
2015 | From The Inside Out |
2014 | Alone And Free |
2013 | Superstition Is Your Way |
2012 | Escape Hatches |
2011 | Sing Like No One Is Listening |
Deadlines And Bills
Posted in Music, Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Composers, Frank Zappa, Music, Philosophy, Production Deadlines, Quotes, The Real Frank Zappa Book on November 24, 2022| 2 Comments »
A composer’s job involves the decoration of fragments of time. Without music to decorate it, time is just a bunch of boring production deadlines or dates by which bills must be paid. Living composers are entitle to proper compensation for the use of their works. (Dead guys don’t collect — one reason their music is chosen for performance.) | |
— Frank Zappa | |
From his book: “The Real Frank Zappa Book“ | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | Why We Protect The First Amendment |
When A Voice Can Make You Cry | |
The March Continues… | |
2020 | #45: And State Prison Waits When You Leave Office |
I Keep Getting Up | |
Difficult To Relax | |
2019 | Looking For A Republican With A Profile In Courage |
2018 | Hammers, Bells And Songs |
2017 | My Friends |
2016 | In Need Of Some Work |
2015 | Elections Have Consequences |
2014 | An Ear Of Happy Accidents |
2013 | Powerful Substitute |
2012 | Heroes Restored |
2011 | As You Should |
Discovering Humanity
Posted in Disclaimer, Guitar, Music, Other Blogs, Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Allen Mathews, Classical Guitar, Disclaimer, Guitar, https://classicalguitarshed.com/, Humanity, Music, Other Blogs, Personal Journeys, Philosophy, Quotes, Tuesday Quotes on November 12, 2022| Leave a Comment »
The joy of playing classical guitar extends beyond the prize (the perfect performance). It’s the daily journey and how we travel it. That’s where we find the gold. That’s where we discover the humanity, in both the music and in ourselves. | ||
— Allen Mathews | ||
Allen Mathews is a professional musician and classical guitar instructor who maintains a site located at: https://classicalguitarshed.com/ | ||
Every Tuesday, Allen posts a quote (which may or may not be specifically about music). He then goes on to tie the quote to a “teaching moment”. Allen’s “Quote page” is located at: https://classicalguitarshed.com/tuesday-quotes/ | ||
[Disclaimer: Although I have viewed many of Allen’s videos and subscribed to his emails for over a year, I have not personally purchased any of his packages of instruction as I am merely dabbling in “classical” guitar to see what it’s about. I have no other association with Allen or his site and have not requested permission to re-post this quote. If he requests it, I will remove or substantially edit this quote. — kmab] | ||
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On This Day In: | ||
2021 | Likely To Be Subtle | |
My Temp’s Pretty High | ||
Scratching A Persistent Itch | ||
2020 | A Word Of Assurance They Are Not Alone | |
Is #45 Still Crying? | ||
2019 | It’s Obvious | |
2018 | Passed Too Swiftly | |
2017 | On Our Wall (Part 1) | |
2016 | Or The Ripples From A Good Life | |
2015 | Titles And Reputations | |
2014 | Unfolding | |
2013 | Again | |
2012 | Needs | |
Damned | ||
2011 | Potter & Prejudice | |
Blink, Blink | ||
And Longer To Stay That Way
Posted in Music, Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Miles Davis, Music, Philosophy, Quotes, Time on October 22, 2022| Leave a Comment »
Man, sometimes you have to play a long time to be able to play like yourself. | |
— Miles Davis | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | Press On |
Mama Said There’d Be Days Like This | |
2020 | AMA |
Still Shiny | |
2019 | Things That Go Bump In The Night |
Hoping I’m Careful | |
2018 | I Must Be Truly Wise |
2017 | My Sensei |
2016 | The Worst Sin |
2015 | Rules Of Thumb |
2014 | A Prayer |
Orange October (IX) – Giants Lose Game 2 In Bullpen Collapse | |
2013 | Complacent Reality |
2012 | Two-minute Sex |
Just Staring, Why? | |
2011 | A World Of Difference |
On A Diet Of…
Posted in Diets, Music, Philosophy, Quotes, tagged American Radio Listeners, Diets, Frank Zappa, Music, Philosophy, Quotes, The Real Frank Zappa Book, The Ultimate Rule on October 4, 2022| Leave a Comment »
The Ulitimate Rule ought to be: “If it sounds GOOD to YOU, it’s bitchen; and if sounds BAD to YOU, it’s shitty.” The more varied your musical experience, the easier it is to define for yourself what you like and what you don’t like. American radio listeners, raised on a diet of ____ (fill in the blank), have experienced a musical universe so small they cannot begin to know what they like. | |
— Frank Zappa | |
From his book: “The Real Frank Zappa Book“ | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | A Model Democrat |
Listen Mister | |
2020 | The Main Thing: Vote! |
No Other Reason | |
2019 | A Big “IF” |
2018 | Committed To Thinking |
2017 | More Pictures From My (Family) Retirement Party |
A Fondness For Sins | |
2016 | Are You Waiting? |
2015 | The Future Myth |
2014 | Hands |
2013 | Because You Have Lived |
2012 | 47% |
2011 | Conservative Values: Low And Lax |
2010 | A Non-Zero Sum Game |
What If “c” Isn’t A Constant? | |
2009 | Pictures from UCLA trip… |
Atmospheric Perturbations
Posted in Music, Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Atmospheric Perturbations, Frank Zappa, Music, Music Composition, Philosophy, Quotes, Sensations, Sound, The Real Frank Zappa Book, Wiggling Air Molecules on July 30, 2022| Leave a Comment »
A person with a feel for rhythm can walk into a factory and hear the machine noise as a composition. If we expand that concept to include light, behavior, weather factors, moon phases, anything (whether it’s a rhythm that can be heard or a rhythm that is perceived, i.e., a color change over time — or a season), it can be consumed as music. | |
If it can be conceived as music, it can be executed as music, and presented to an audience in such a way that they will perceive it as music… | |
When someone writes a piece of music, what he or she puts on the paper is roughly the equivalent of a recipe — in the sense that the recipe is not the food, only instructions for the preparation of the food. Unless you are very weird, you don’t eat the recipe. | |
If I write something on a piece of paper, I can’t actually ‘hear’ it. I can conjure up visions of what the symbols on the page mean, and imagine a piece of music as it might sound in performance, but that sensation is nontransferable; it can’t be shared or transmitted. | |
It doesn’t become a ‘musical experience’ in normal terms until ‘the recipe’ has been converted into wiggling air molecules. | |
Music, in performance, is a type of sculpture. The air in the performance space is sculpted into something. This ‘molecule-sculpture-over-time’ is then ‘looked at’ by the ears of the listeners — or a microphone. | |
SOUND is ‘ear-decoded data.’ Things which MAKE SOUND are things which are capable of creating perturbations. This perturbations modify (or sculpt) the raw material (the ‘static air’ in the room — the way it was ‘at rest’ before the musicians started fu**ing around with it). If you purposefully generate atmospheric perturbations (‘air shapes’), you are composing. | |
— Frank Zappa | |
From his book: “The Real Frank Zappa Book“ | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | An Afternoon Nap |
How Should I feel? | |
2020 | Magical Voices In My Head |
I Still Need Educating | |
2019 | And I’m Not Letting Go |
2018 | The Continuing Failure Of Speaker Paul Ryan |
Day 3: Approaching The Half Way Point | |
2017 | Orange Comb-Overs Unite! |
2016 | Speaking Of Which |
2015 | Complexity Has A Strict Architecture |
2014 | Just Support |
2013 | Wandering Free |
2012 | Contribute = Paying Taxes |
2011 | How Will You Be Judged? |
Hope For Me, Yet
Posted in Music, Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Music, Nick Hornby, Philosophy, Quotes on July 5, 2022| 2 Comments »
Because music, like color, or a cloud, is neither intelligent nor unintelligent – it just is. The chord, the simplest building block for even the tritest, silliest chart song, is a beautiful, perfect, mysterious thing, and when an ill-read, uneducated, uncultured, emotionally illiterate boor puts a couple of them together, he has every chance of creating something wonderful and powerful. All I ask of music is that it sounds good. | |
— Nick Hornby | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | Would You Know How? |
Understand The Way I Feel | |
2020 | Learn To Forgive Yourself |
Violating Guidelines | |
2019 | I Walk Faster (Too) |
2018 | Modern Day Behaviour |
2017 | On Misogynist Tweets From #DumbDonald |
2016 | Cowboy Boots & Missing Teeth |
Or Electricity | |
2015 | Oh, To Be Vulnerable |
2014 | Neglected Horror |
2013 | The Price Of Illusions |
2012 | Once Again |
2011 | And The “Market” Isn’t Always Right |
Goals / Test
Posted in Education, Guitar, Music, tagged Arpeggios, Chords, Fretboard, Guitar, Guitar Test, Music, Practice, Progressions, Scales, Time Signatures, Tones on June 18, 2022| Leave a Comment »
The following is my “goal” for learning / playing guitar for the remainder of this year (2022). (It will be quite a stretch-goal for me. LoL!) | |
Guitar Test |
|
1.) | How much do you practice — # of Day (6) / week (52); # of Hours (1) |
2.) | How well do you know the fretboard |
3.) | Knowledge of major & minor scale for natural notes |
4.) | Knowledge of major & minor chords — open & barred |
5.) | Perform three: Maj7, Min7 & Dom7 chords |
6.) | Playing & modifying a chord progression |
7.) | Perform three different Arpeggios — anywhere on the fretboard |
8.) | Build A Major scale (at least 3) — demonstrate a knowledge of scale formulas (along 1 string) |
9.) | Name the tones of four major key signatures |
10.) | Name & explain three time signatures — count, beat, stresses & accents |
11.) | Explain note duration — whole, half, 1/4th, 1/8th, & 1/16th |
Of course the object of “learning” these things is not the inherent value of knowledge. It is the ability to put the knowledge into use why playing the guitar. Some of the items on the list are things I already “know”. They are just (still) not yet under my fingertips. That will come with time and practice… Inshalla | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | Waiting For The Sting |
Right From The Start | |
2020 | Reward Truth In November |
2019 | Prepare For The 2020 Election |
2018 | Why #45 Is Uncivil And Sinking |
Ole! … Ole, Ole, Ole | |
Is This Still The United States Of America? | |
2017 | Go Where? |
2016 | Returning To The Same Box |
2015 | The Hunter’s Music |
2014 | Dedication |
2013 | Unhappy Alternatives |
2012 | Implications |
2011 | Never Let Us Down |
Taking The Chance To Improvise
Posted in Music, Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Improvisation, Music, Philosophy, Quotes, Solos, The Real Frank Zappa Book on June 7, 2022| Leave a Comment »
I want to know three things when I go on stage: [1] that my equipment is working, [2] that the band members absolutely know the material, so I don’t have to worry about them, and [3] that the rhythm section can hear what I’m playing and that it has some ‘concept’ of it so it can help build the improvisation. | |
If those conditions are met, if the acoustics are reasonable, and if I’m satisfied with my amp sound…, then all I want to do is go on autopilot, wiggle my fingers and listen to what comes out. | |
During the 1984 tour, I would usually play eight solos per night (five nights a week, times six months), and out of that there might have been twenty solos that were musically worth-while enough to put on a record. The rest of it was garbage. It’s not that I wasn’t trying to play something; most of it just didn’t come off. | |
If you’re working this way, the chances of doing it ‘right’ every time are not good — but I’ll take the chance. I don’t feel I have anything to apologize for, or any exalted reputation to uphold. | |
— Frank Zappa | |
From his book: “The Real Frank Zappa Book“ | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | A Bit Like Politics |
How About Tonight? | |
2020 | Independent Isolation |
2019 | This Pilgrim Has Had A (Mostly) Happy Road |
2018 | And Men, Too |
2017 | Damned If You Do |
2016 | A Storm Over The Horizon |
2015 | What About Today? |
2014 | Idiot, n. |
2013 | Temporary Reality |
2012 | The Great Objective |
2011 | Read A Book |
I Learn The Hard Way
Posted in Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Aaron Shearer, Bad Judgment, Experience, Good Judgment, Guitar, Music, Philosophy, Potential, Quotes, Repetition, Rita Mae Brown on May 31, 2022| Leave a Comment »
The reason so many guitarists fail to reach their potential is error filled repetition, aka not knowing exactly how to do each movement! | |
— Aaron Shearer | |
Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment. | |
— Rita Mae Brown | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | I Ask For Two Minutes… |
Always | |
2020 | At Least A Lot More Gray |
2019 | Walking The Lonely Path |
2018 | The Ultimate Trial |
2017 | Vain Expectations |
2016 | Or Of One Thought |
2015 | What’s In Your Future? |
2014 | Light In Darkness |
2013 | How ‘Bout Just Obeying The Law? |
2012 | Or Maybe Not |
2011 | My Interval Is Too Short! |
Strumming And Changing Chords
Posted in Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Guitar, Improvement, Music, OCD, Philosophy, Practice, Quotes, Scales And Strumming, Talent on May 24, 2022| Leave a Comment »
Talent is a pursued interest. Anything that you’re willing to practice, you can do. | ||
— Bob Ross | ||
[Maybe Bob is right, but it sure would be nice if this effortless guitar playing came faster… Good thing I’m one of those OCD folks who actually enjoys practicing without seeing much improvement. LoL. — KMAB] | ||
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On This Day In: | ||
2021 | B U | |
Blueprint Blue | ||
2019 | I Struggle With One At A Time | |
2018 | An Infectious Political Cancer | |
Site Update / Poems Page Evolution | ||
2017 | Our Thirst | |
2016 | History Favors The Victor | |
2015 | This We’ll Leave Them | |
2014 | Sounds Like Faux News To Me | |
2013 | Reasons | |
2012 | American Libertarianism | |
2011 | The Goal | |
Hanging On By My Fingertips…
Posted in General Comments, Guitar, Guitar Stuff, Music, Pictures, tagged Andrés Segovia, Anular, Finger Nails, Fingerpicking, General Comments, Guitar, Images, Indice, Medio, Merle Travis, Music, Pictures of Me, PIMA, Pulgar, Travis Picking on February 5, 2023| Leave a Comment »
“PIMA“: P = pulgar (thumb); I = indice (index finger); M = medio (middle finger); A = anular (ring finger)
1 – 2 mm past your finger / nail join point
Poorly shaped, but approaching the correct length
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