Scatting

BoogieMan

BoogieMan

Blues Junior
We have been discussing playing what's in your head.  A lot of people don't like him, but this video by Scott Grove is worth a look. It's quite long but don't miss the Stormy Monday example at about 46:00 minutes.  Something tells me this is the key to putting together the pieces of the puzzle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PpHWQLx9oE
 
R

Ray_UK

Blues Newbie
Great! Thanks for posting that one BM, it's given me a whole new angle to look at and try. He answered questions that I hadn't worked out how to ask!

Looking forward to trying out those ideas very much  [smiley=beer.gif]
 
Terry B

Terry B

Humble student of the blues
Great video! Started watching guitar in hand and before I knew it was over. He can be abrasive but he gets the point across.
 
snarf

snarf

making guitars wish they were still trees
Can't say that I'm a fan of Scott Grove, but I actually watched the whole vid and learned some things.  Thanks for posting!!
 
Marv

Marv

I play 'err' guitar.
I've watched some of Scott's other videos and have always learned something.  No doubt he's a bit "out there", but in all those antics are usually some gems.

I'll be sure to watch this one, especially since I just posted a similar kind of track in the VJR the other day.  Maybe this will inspire others to join in on that track.

Thanks for posting!
 
BoogieMan

BoogieMan

Blues Junior
Scott is all about getting the rubber to the pavement. Collecting licks and scales is fine but at some point you have to play music.
 
tommytubetone

tommytubetone

Great Lakes
Oh wow. I wasn't expecting this discussion.
Definition of SCAT
:  an animal fecal dropping
Well for those of you who are not a fan of Scott, it might be appropriate.   ;)
 
BoogieMan

BoogieMan

Blues Junior
His video on tuning is quite interesting. According to him, you have to tune your G string a little flat for all the open chords to sound good.  Tried it with my tele.. the open E chord sounded great but the C chord was out of whack!
 
zwantedone

zwantedone

Blues Newbie
I watched this video as well and thought it was time well spent. One thing that struck me was he dimes the guitar volume and tone controls and uses a volume pedal to control the volume. Anybody do it that way? I don't have a volume pedal, but that is easily remedied! Just wondering how that works out. I'll bet RR has a theory on this, and look forward to his input.....Will
 
Marv

Marv

I play 'err' guitar.
I do it.  I have a Morley Little Alligator I picked up used at GC for about $50.  It has a pot you can set for your lowest volume so you don't accidentally turn yourself off.  I set that for my rhythm level and then use pedal max for soloing.  I also find myself using the pedal for swells during rhythm parts because I just can't keep my toe from tappin'.  ::)
 
Dr. Ron

Dr. Ron

Nuthin’ But The Blues!
Scott jazzed up Stormy Monday quite a bit.  It was OK.  I was a bit perplexed by his gruntin/groaning but after I went back to the beginning a found out what scatting was, I finally got it.  I actually have not done much scatting with my guitar.  Now that I am trying to sing more, it seems like a good way to condition my voice (unless my wife throws me out)
 
BoogieMan

BoogieMan

Blues Junior
The point of the video is to formulate your solo in your head as you play it. Singing as you play is just a way to train yourself to do this. In the video it's hard to tell if he is playing what he is singing or singing what he is playing!
 
vashondan

vashondan

Blues Doobie
The point of the video is to formulate your solo in your head as you play it. Singing as you play is just a way to train yourself to do this. In the video it's hard to tell if he is playing what he is singing or singing what he is playing!
Click to expand...

As I played around with this a little I had the same problem. Which comes first the the playing or the singing? 
 
brent

brent

Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.
The singing should come first. That's the point. If the playing comes first, you are only using muscle memory and all you fingers can do is what they've been taught to do. Thus, you end up playing the same thing all the time. But, if you can train yourself to sing or scat the solo's ahead of time, then translate that to the guitar, your playing will always be original. That is what my guitar instructor taught me. I have been working on this with him.
 
Dr. Ron

Dr. Ron

Nuthin’ But The Blues!
The singing should come first. That's the point. If the playing comes first, you are only using muscle memory and all you fingers can do is what they've been taught to do. Thus, you end up playing the same thing all the time. But, if you can train yourself to sing or scat the solo's ahead of time, then translate that to the guitar, your playing will always be original. That is what my guitar instructor taught me. I have been working on this with him.
Click to expand...
You"re right Brent.  Griff teaches that in order to own a piece of music, that he recommends to listen to the song over and over, then be able to hum it with the correct rhythm and on the correct beats.  Then translate it to the guitar.
 
brent

brent

Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.
The singing should come first. That's the point. If the playing comes first, you are only using muscle memory and all you fingers can do is what they've been taught to do. Thus, you end up playing the same thing all the time. But, if you can train yourself to sing or scat the solo's ahead of time, then translate that to the guitar, your playing will always be original. That is what my guitar instructor taught me. I have been working on this with him.
Click to expand...
You"re right Brent.  Griff teaches that in order to own a piece of music, that he recommends to listen to the song over and over, then be able to hum it with the correct rhythm and on the correct beats.  Then translate it to the guitar.
Click to expand...

And you can start with simple melodies. It doesn't have to be a solo from SRV or Buddy Guy to be useful to your developing your ear and translation abilities. My instructor had me start with a simple bass line from a song I already know how to strum, Happy Birthday, Fulsom Prison Blues (the melody he sings), and Bach's Minuet in G. The idea is that the voice should lead the playing, not the other way around. Internalize the melodies. You should be able to sing it without playing it on the guitar. Then, play along with your singing. Tough at first, but I have been at it for only a couple of weeks now and I'm already noticing improvement in my ear.
 
snarf

snarf

making guitars wish they were still trees
The singing should come first. That's the point. If the playing comes first, you are only using muscle memory and all you fingers can do is what they've been taught to do. Thus, you end up playing the same thing all the time. But, if you can train yourself to sing or scat the solo's ahead of time, then translate that to the guitar, your playing will always be original. That is what my guitar instructor taught me. I have been working on this with him.
Click to expand...
You"re right Brent.  Griff teaches that in order to own a piece of music, that he recommends to listen to the song over and over, then be able to hum it with the correct rhythm and on the correct beats.  Then translate it to the guitar.
Click to expand...
After working on one of the 5 Solos today, that's exactly the two things I was going to come back and say in this thread.  The Scott's point was to sing, and then play what you're singing.  In the new 5 Solos lessons, Griff is saying that same thing.  He's stressing, just like is mentioned here, that we should learn to hum the solo, and then move what we're humming to the fretboard.
 
BoogieMan

BoogieMan

Blues Junior
These solos are really good for improvising. I've tried taking a few bars and changing them a bit creating a new lick (singing it first) and then playing the new lick. It really works. Now to learn to do it "on the fly".
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top