SBS6

Steve_Whant

Blues Junior
When I first saw Griff play this I laughed - no way am I ever going to get anywhere near this. It was too daunting to even attempt it. Well, 3 years on I've decided it has to be done. I know there are mistakes, missed bits, poor timing etc. but i feel this is now possible. Pressing the record button introduces added pressure that messes things up but that is improving slowly too.

I haven't posted anything for a while and I am missing the Monthly Challenge so i did my own and this is where i got to...

https://www.dropbox.com/s/b10puidjume0tbh/20200908_201034.mp4?dl=0
 

MikeS

Student Of The Blues
Staff member
Wow! That was great! You've inspired me to go back and look at some solos that I thought were out of reach.
 

OG_Blues

Guitar Geezer
Thanks OG - still plenty of room for improvement I think even if it takes a few years
Difficult pieces like this present the opportunity to continue improving one's technique, phrasing, etc etc for a long, long time.
Over time, things become more fluid, require less thought and concentration, and will also start to morph into one's own twists and turns
of interpretation or feel. That's the beauty of everyone's musical journey. You are well on your way!
I learned this piece several years ago, but have been focusing on other things lately. I might have to dust this off and give it another go
just to compare it to an older recording I did and see how much I have slipped!! :) Despite all my efforts, I am not getting any younger.
 

Steve_Whant

Blues Junior
My last post for this solo - it isn't going to be getting better any time soon. I found this is a great solo to work on - here is my last blast..
https://www.dropbox.com/s/sr4x81b0oet541p/20200914_201259.mp4?dl=0

1. Still to work on : sugar on the two bends - i have no problem getting to the right pitch on a bend but once i get there and try adding sugar it no longer sounds so sweet!
2. Speed & control - bars 32 to 34 clearly still need work. This is probably the hardest section for me and most others who attempt it. I always have to bale out before the end of 34 to set it up for the ending. I sure i am not alone here. I am confident that i will be able to get there in time though even if it takes a couple of years
 

Steve_Whant

Blues Junior
Thanks Jakey. It is a great course and with Griff there is always something still to learn even after playing these solos hundreds of times. I still haven't got 4 & 5 down as i started this 3 years ago and abandoned it in the 'too difficult' category and didn't persist. Now i see its all possible, the faster sections too, even though I'm not there yet. The solos are all over the same backing track, so the licks can in theory be interchanged - that is where i am going next. That is going to push me back into the theory as well because some will work together nicely as they build on each other and fit - others will not I suspect, and the solo will not build naturally. Anyhow, still some distance to go with this course. The combination of this and Modern Blues Soloing are great courses and i feel they are getting my playing towards where i have always wanted to be.
 

Jerry_G

Blues Newbie
I'm impressed! I've been working on this one on and off since the start of the summer and have only made it through bar 30 and not at full speed either. Lately been working on some of the other courses (and still go back to Blues Speed Building Blocks weekly) but this is inspirational to get back at it.
 

Jerry_G

Blues Newbie

Steve_Whant

Blues Junior
Never made a perfect take of this and Griff has so many subtleties in his rendition. He advised me to play along with him to move it on and remember the small details - I never make it through but I'm sure it helps
 

OG_Blues

Guitar Geezer
Steve,
Good work on a really difficult solo. The notes really fly by on this one.
If I'm being 100% honest though, I think your video take on this song in your original post was actually a bit better.
A person can make 50 recordings of something like this, and each one will have its different strong and weak points - unless your
last name is Hamlin, and then it just looks like a slow walk in the park.
Getting a "perfect" take on something with this level of difficulty is damn near impossible for we mere mortals - I know I can't - not even close!!!!
Have you tried slowing it down to about 95% or so? At that speed it would be hard for the listener to tell the difference in tempo,
and you might be able to catch all of the notes in the fast runs. Put a little vibrato on the top of those held bends to really make it sing.
I know, easier said than done!
Nice job. Keep working it!!
 

Steve_Whant

Blues Junior
Steve,
Good work on a really difficult solo. The notes really fly by on this one.
If I'm being 100% honest though, I think your video take on this song in your original post was actually a bit better.
A person can make 50 recordings of something like this, and each one will have its different strong and weak points - unless your
last name is Hamlin, and then it just looks like a slow walk in the park.
Getting a "perfect" take on something with this level of difficulty is damn near impossible for we mere mortals - I know I can't - not even close!!!!
Have you tried slowing it down to about 95% or so? At that speed it would be hard for the listener to tell the difference in tempo,
and you might be able to catch all of the notes in the fast runs. Put a little vibrato on the top of those held bends to really make it sing.
I know, easier said than done!
Nice job. Keep working it!!
Hi OG - your observations are spot on. I agree, not as good as the earlier video. I haven't played it for a few months - been pleasantly distracted by software and the virtual jam room. For a solo that I thought I knew pretty well its amazing how sections you thought you had nailed all of a sudden become difficult. I am certainly in the mere mortal bracket and all of your tips above are valid. Now, I just wanted to play with the new toys over something outside the VJR - it didn't work in my opinion either. It really emphasised the lack of vibrato on the two/three finger bends. I currently have poor understanding of the virtual equipment I now have at my fingertips. I have never had physical equipment - other than one Marshall amp and more recently a looper. I need to get a practice set up for working on the courses and then do the experimental tones in the VJR etc. All great learning though and loving the new creative opportunity.
 

OG_Blues

Guitar Geezer
Steve,
I have gone back and forth between virtual setups and actual physical gear more than I care to admit. Of course nothing is perfect, and each has its distinct advantages and disadvantages. Whether or not one is better than the other is a purely personal thing and relative to one's needs
and / or environment, and what you are trying to accomplish.
I had recently put together a very limited and simple set of 6 pedals that has everything I need and gives me the sounds I like. Shortly after
that, I was in a position where I really needed to compact everything into a much smaller space than I had previously.
This pushed me back towards the software / virtual world with several fewer actual guitar amps. I will continue to use the pedalboard direct in to the DAW, but am trying to zero in on which VST plug in to use for guitar. I think one of the big advantages of the virtual setup is that it offers such a convenient way to do more recording of practice sessions, and I really need to do that to further expose how bad my playing is. :(
The VST's available today are really quite amazing in the quality of sound and features they provide.
Kinda going off topic here - sorry. ;)
 

Steve_Whant

Blues Junior
Recording for submission used to be a really big deal, and a bit stressful, so lots of time needed to get it all set up right and ready to upload. Now using DAW & Plug ins its pretty quick with straight forward steps to record and usually I have only 3/4 takes to get what I upload. In summary, the cheapest and most practical way to create a recording. I'm sold!
 
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