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GMC Forum _ PRACTICE ROOM _ Have A Listen Please

Posted by: Phil66 Oct 20 2019, 04:31 PM

Hello folks,

Here is a little improv in Am, I used Minor blues but deliberately went outside the scale sometimes, not sure if it works or not. Please critique and advise, thank you.

There is a newer video https://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=60480&view=findpost&p=772150

https://soundcloud.com/gmcphil-1/am-take-1

Cheers

Phil

Posted by: DeGroot Oct 20 2019, 05:23 PM

Nice bluesy improv, Phil. I think in some instances it works quite well. I think the phrase around :20 is good example of it working well to my ears. Its a cool thing to experiment with outside notes.

Where can I find this backing? I'd like to play over it myself.

Posted by: Phil66 Oct 20 2019, 06:01 PM

Thanks buddy,

Be great to hear your take for some inspiration. What do you think about the tone?

Here is the backing, you need to go to 2:30 as he is playing over it until then.

https://youtu.be/xVCPeG6phqk

Posted by: DeGroot Oct 20 2019, 06:24 PM

I was going to mention your tone sounds super. I think a lot of that is coming from your fingers cause you are making big improvements from what I last remember.

Thanks for the backing... will definitely jam over it soon.

QUOTE (Phil66 @ Oct 20 2019, 05:01 PM)

Posted by: Todd Simpson Oct 20 2019, 06:24 PM

I like the tone a lot! I wish it was video so I could see where you fingers are going when a note strikes my ears as odd. at 0:27 is one such note, sounds like you just missed by half a step and then cam back to key. In A Minor, I will often play fret 5/7/8 on all three highest strings. So there are always notes one can add that are not actually part of the scale, which can add texture/mood etc

It's a spiff solo! I would like to hear more vibrato when you land on a given note for a beat or few. Nice wide vibrato. Start at pitch, then slowly widen it out. Can work great on blues bits.

s

QUOTE (Phil66 @ Oct 20 2019, 11:31 AM)

Hello folks,

Here is a little improv in Am, I used Minor blues but deliberately went outside the scale sometimes, not sure if it works or not. Please critique and advise, thank you.

https://soundcloud.com/gmcphil-1/am-take-1

Cheers

Phil

Posted by: Phil66 Oct 20 2019, 06:55 PM

Thanks Todd, I'll do a video soon, it won't be the same as that was purely done on the fly, I know I played the F# on the B string quite a bit but never hung on it.

Cheers buddy,

QUOTE (DeGroot @ Oct 20 2019, 06:24 PM)

Thank you for your kind comments

Posted by: Phil66 Oct 20 2019, 08:52 PM

Here is a video, my head wasn't into as much tonight but hey ho.

Thanks for looking

https://youtu.be/MbiNt61GYLU

Cheers

Phil

Posted by: Todd Simpson Oct 21 2019, 01:34 AM

Looks and sounds good to me! I didn't hear the bits that I heard in the soundcloud version that made me go "wait, what?" it all worked fine I would say don't be shy about going up an octave. It's the same scale one octave up so you already know the shape and it gives variety to a blues solo. BB King often played entire solos in a single octave, so it can be done and done well, just something to try Also, the wider vibrato we talked about would be a spiff addition. Start at pitch and increase the wag of the hand to give a nice deep vibrato. It can be done with a single finger, but the hand has to wag the finger, as the finger can't wag the hand very well. Your blues playing gets better each time!!

QUOTE (Phil66 @ Oct 20 2019, 03:52 PM)

Here is a video, my head wasn't into as much tonight but hey ho.

Thanks for looking

https://youtu.be/MbiNt61GYLU

Cheers

Phil

Posted by: Phil66 Oct 21 2019, 08:05 AM

Thanks Todd,

I did go up an octave at the 1:38 point, but only briefly. I thought I'd added some vibrato in, maybe not as wide as you're suggesting though.

My main inspiration for slow blues is Tin Pan Alley by SRV, an extremely hard act to follow.

https://youtu.be/oydj5H9C-no

Posted by: Todd Simpson Oct 21 2019, 09:44 AM

I saw you bop up and bop back down I was more talking about trying to create a balance between time spent in the lower octave and time spent in the higher octave. The SRV piece is a great example. He creates a call and response with himself! Using the low and high octaves as the two voices.

Th is a great piece to draw from. It's got everything. Try to find a live version on youtube so you can actually watch his hands. That will be more illuminating than anything. Just the audio requires way more ear training (I know you are working on that as well) but seeing his hands will help tons. He has one of the best Vibrato deliveries every to grace the strings. Him and Hendrix. Blues happens in Bends and Vibrato, the rest is just connective tissue leading to the following bend or vibrato. It's only through bending and variance in vibrato that we are able to create a truly expressive solo. Single note or even several static notes, just serve to hold things together.

Here is one with a great close up shot of his hands so you can see what I'm banging on about You are making great progress and your tone is killer!

Have a look at this. IMHO Mr Johnny here is the best living blues player on earth. Here he is with BBKING.

Todd

QUOTE (Phil66 @ Oct 21 2019, 03:05 AM)

Posted by: Phil66 Oct 21 2019, 11:16 AM

Thanks Todd, I appreciate you taking the time to write that and find those videos

I'll take a look this evening.

Cheers

Phil

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Oct 21 2019, 02:13 PM

Great job here Phil! I've just commented your other slow blues jam at the mentoring program, and you have a question there.

Check it out!

Posted by: Phil66 Oct 21 2019, 02:38 PM

Thanks Gab,

Checked and replied. I'm getting more confident about posting my stuff more openly for critique nowadays, I know everyone can see our mentoring thread but most won't venture into it.

It's feels good when people say they like it and great when they suggest ways to improve it.

Cheers

Phil