Nothing over-complicated today, and i just wanted something that sounds good. Sooo it’s another journey tune. Faithfully. Yes, it’s easy. I like easy.
5 Likes
So the hip that is probably getting replaced soon is quite troublesome… It’s causing a lot of discomfort to sit or stand in any one position for an extended time.
So I’m sticking with low fruit for the moment. And I’m a little struck by the beautiful composition of journey lines., so today it’s separate ways. I’m trying to do it at full speed and i don’t sound great.
It’s the fast shift from the open e line to the e on the a string that’s getting me. It’s sloppy when i pluck it. Like i can hear im dragging there?
So i found i can just hammer it, but the tone is shite. Ah, well. I can’t play it well, so I’ll just play it😊
5 Likes
Thinking of trying Sweet Emotion - mainly for the intro but it’s got some good riffs to practice with
4 Likes
Today I’m trying to expend my limits a little. So I’m attempting spoonman by soundgarden. I figure if i hit 60% on that it’s a Win for me.
5 Likes
Fun one today. Free for all by ted Nugent. Playing it dirty. Little overdrive on it.
3 Likes
Alan Parsons Project - Eye in the sky
Now if only I can remember more than the first 5 measures/switches I’d actually get somewhere 
5 Likes
Paranoid by black Sabbath. But i think this one is gonna present some difficulty. Geezer Really works the bends. But i do really dig his “stay in the box” method.
4 Likes
Wait until you get to the octaves 
4 Likes
I actually really like that. 3 octave changes, then reverse that for 3 changes and finish with the major 5th. Those are neat little runs.
1 Like
Not to be a stickler (every sentence starting like this ever was written by a stickler), but there are no major or minor fifths 
They can be diminished or augmented though 
6 Likes
Was thinking the same thing.
Just saying “the 5th” should be enough for most to understand.
4 Likes
Is there anywhere I can go for tips on how to mute when doing a lot of octaves?
2 Likes
Good question. I don’t know of any. Need to lean on left hand muting a bit there. Josh’s right hand advice there is good too - one finger per string, that stays on that string.
2 Likes
Yeah I got to there on my own, its that pesky string in the middle of the two that is giving me grief. Trying to mute it when I come down off the top octave but on fast patterns my finger isnt there long enough to stop it enough.
2 Likes
I get it. I find myself sidetracked by that repeatedly.
As for muting, i agree. It’s all in the fingers resting on the string not being played.
1 Like
I’m working on being less “mechanical” and less repetitive while playing “Oleo”. Even though it is based on “rhythm changes” which I know well, it is still too fast for me to play anything but roots……except during the “B” section I can be a little more “loose”, but end up playing straight arpeggios which after a chorus or two, I still sound so “mechanical”.
Well, I’ll keep working through it until it gets so stuck in my fingers that I can turn off my brain and just play!!!
4 Likes
The muting thing has always boggled my mind. It seems I just naturally mute strings with my fingers and thumb without thinking about doing it. I did try the Carol Kaye felt/masking tape over the strings and/or foam under the strings, but could never get it just right………either not enough muting or too much muting, especially on my B and G strings…(StingRay 5). I figured if the mutes are so picky why would I use them during a show when all kinds of stuff would either mute too little or too much!
I also tried the hair scrunchy at the nut, but didn’t hear any difference.
So I just mute naturally with my fingers and leave it at that.
2 Likes
Nice - difficult challenge! You might want to try and write out a walking line with voice leading and/or starting bars on other chord tones than the root. Then learn to play this “composed” walking line until you become more secure with and can then focus more on groove, phrasing etc
4 Likes
Well I strapped on some leg weights and jumped off into the deep end of the pool. Working on 2 that I think are tough ones: What’s going on, Marvin Gaye. Come on Come over, Jaco Pastorious. Progress is slow but fun.
5 Likes
Singer wants to do a few covers. Decode by Paramore and Our Truth by Lacuna Coil. An original song that’s kinda stalled by everything in life keeping the singer and me from getting together for making an arrangement… oof
2 Likes