How are you going through this course?
- Thread starter JeffreyS
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mountain man
Still got the Blues!
I learned them on position at a time. And then I use them as riff exercises which I go back to for fingering work so when I play notes just flow from my fingers........... at least the the goal......
Dr. Ron
Nuthin’ But The Blues!
I just re-started this course for the 2nd time. Initially, I just tried to memorize them and use them. Wrong idea.
I just forgot them. I now decided to make a solo for a song I jam with all the time. I am now seriously looking at
each one. The licks that I pick, I tab them out so I can get the correct count. I had to change keys with some of
the licks. The biggest helper was deciding to make a usable solo.
I just forgot them. I now decided to make a solo for a song I jam with all the time. I am now seriously looking at
each one. The licks that I pick, I tab them out so I can get the correct count. I had to change keys with some of
the licks. The biggest helper was deciding to make a usable solo.
Ron, my first two attempts at this course, I did what you are doing, but I came to realize that even though I "created" the solo, I was again just memorizing a solo and couldn't pull pieces out as needed for "impromptu" soloing.
In my third attempt, I'm going to try to take ONE lick (for instance Position 1, Lick One) use it to start "Noodling" over various jam tracks then I may skip the second position licks and just noodle for the second position. Then learn Position 3 lick x and play lick one... noodle... position 3 lick... noodle
Then maybe go back and pick a different position 1 lick and in a 24 bar track first use Position 1, Lick one... noodle, position 3 lick x.. noodle
int the 2nd 12 bars, I'll use Position 1 lick 2... noodle...position 3 lick x... noodle.
Don't know if that made any sense to anyone but me....
In my third attempt, I'm going to try to take ONE lick (for instance Position 1, Lick One) use it to start "Noodling" over various jam tracks then I may skip the second position licks and just noodle for the second position. Then learn Position 3 lick x and play lick one... noodle... position 3 lick... noodle
Then maybe go back and pick a different position 1 lick and in a 24 bar track first use Position 1, Lick one... noodle, position 3 lick x.. noodle
int the 2nd 12 bars, I'll use Position 1 lick 2... noodle...position 3 lick x... noodle.
Don't know if that made any sense to anyone but me....
Dr. Ron
Nuthin’ But The Blues!
Mike...keep us posted on how it goes. I see what you mean. Memorizing a solo is not my main objective either. I
also want to have a repetroire of useful really cool licks to go to on the fly. I have already memorized a ton over
the past few years as I'm sure you have. Keeping them fresh is one's memory is another issue. I think I have
forgotten more licks than I can remember; but, I jam maybe once a month. Trying to keep them my "go to" memory
bank is tough just jamming to backing tracks at home. It gets old also when I do attempt to just reinforce, reinforce, reinforce.
Performing like you do seems to me to be a key hard wiring those licks. I guess turning professional
is the key and then grinding it out on the road!
also want to have a repetroire of useful really cool licks to go to on the fly. I have already memorized a ton over
the past few years as I'm sure you have. Keeping them fresh is one's memory is another issue. I think I have
forgotten more licks than I can remember; but, I jam maybe once a month. Trying to keep them my "go to" memory
bank is tough just jamming to backing tracks at home. It gets old also when I do attempt to just reinforce, reinforce, reinforce.
Performing like you do seems to me to be a key hard wiring those licks. I guess turning professional
is the key and then grinding it out on the road!
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Elio
Student Of The Blues
I'm thinking Mike may be on to a good approach. I started it off trying to learn the licks first but I couldn't really remember any of them at the times they were needed. I'm thinking now that just picking one or two and then just using them relentlessly for a while may be the approach I need to hear the lick in different contexts and to get to the point that it comes to mind when needed. I remember's Griff describing his approach of using a new lick as much as possible to get a sense of where it fits, so this seems consistent.
I really need to come back to this course and get some traction with it.
Elio
Student Of The Blues
sdbrit68
Student Of The Blues
So what you're saying is that I have to find 3 people willing to listen to me play?
I'll do it for $5
CraigHilsenrath
Blues Newbie
I’m on my second round with the shuffle kit. This time I plan on using jam tracks where I’ll pick a position and the wait for that position to come around and rotate through the five licks I have for that position. The goal is to be able to hear the position coming up and learn to use any of the licks for that position on demand.
Has anyone tried this approach?
Has anyone tried this approach?
Danno
Blues Newbie
You guys might want to take a look at the How To Improvise course. It's the same concept but with only six licks. The main thing I got out of that was switching licks in any of the positions on the fly. It takes a while to get comfortable with it but it feels like that's what most of you all are trying to get to and HTI is maybe a bit more focused on that process.
CraigHilsenrath
Blues Newbie
HI Danno. I checked out HTI, thanks for the recommendation. I think I'm going to stick with this course. It makes much more sense to me. I can start with two licks per position and that's 32 different solos. Then once I get that under my fingers I'll add another lick at each position. The goal for me is to practice improvising. Improvising being having a library of licks to choose from as the mood strikes during a given song.
Paleo
Lifelong Learner
Don't lose sight of the fact that HTI and the Construction Kits each have a different focus.
HTI is about learning the "4 Qualities Of A Blues Lick". The concepts taught can be generalized and applied when using and manipulating any lick you already know or learn in the future.
As suggested above, a Construction Kit is more of a "lick library" and discusses how "known" licks fit into various positions within the blues form.
Each valuable in their own way:
Creating solos by stringing together different licks already chosen and played by someone else in a particular position or by manipulating the same licks in different positions.
Do you want to use a lick the same way the person you got it from did or do you want to "manipulate" it and use it to create you own voice?
HTI is about learning the "4 Qualities Of A Blues Lick". The concepts taught can be generalized and applied when using and manipulating any lick you already know or learn in the future.
As suggested above, a Construction Kit is more of a "lick library" and discusses how "known" licks fit into various positions within the blues form.
Each valuable in their own way:
Creating solos by stringing together different licks already chosen and played by someone else in a particular position or by manipulating the same licks in different positions.
Do you want to use a lick the same way the person you got it from did or do you want to "manipulate" it and use it to create you own voice?
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CraigHilsenrath
Blues Newbie
Hi Paleo,
Thanks for the words of wisdom. I hear what you're saying.
I hope this doesn't come out wrong but, learning and knowing individual licks was never my problem. Knowing how to use them has been. I'm not saying that learning and knowing licks is easy, but I find it easier than knowing what to do with them once I learn them. That's I got out of BSCK. BSCK has shown me what I need to learn to be able to smoothly transition from one lick to the next.
I hope that makes sense.
Thanks for the words of wisdom. I hear what you're saying.
I hope this doesn't come out wrong but, learning and knowing individual licks was never my problem. Knowing how to use them has been. I'm not saying that learning and knowing licks is easy, but I find it easier than knowing what to do with them once I learn them. That's I got out of BSCK. BSCK has shown me what I need to learn to be able to smoothly transition from one lick to the next.
I hope that makes sense.
CraigHilsenrath
Blues Newbie
Well it's been almost a month that I've been at this. I came up with a system for practicing that seems to be working for me so I thought I'd share it. Maybe it will help someone else too.
After a couple of days of playing individual licks over jam tracks when the right time came around, I started trying to put things together and I was having trouble transitioning smoothly between sections. So I decided I needed to practice that. Being a professional computer geek I analyzed it logically as follows. There are 5 transitions, 1 to 2, 2 to 3, 3 to 4, 4 to 5 and 5 to 1. Since each section has 5 licks (for now) there are 25 possible transitions between each section. For each lick in a section I wrote down (using GuitarPro) the transition to each of the 5 licks in the next section. I also added a bass track so I can hear the chord changes. I've playing along with GuitarPro going through the five keys in the 5x5 jam tracks.
I've put in about 15 hours using this method. So far so good. My transitions are much smoother. I've also decided to use the 20 hour rule that Griff posted about a few weeks ago. I'm going to do 20 hours on each transition, that's 625 different transitions. More computer geekness here; I decide to practice at 96 BPM and so given the number of bars in transition I figured out how many times I needed to play the 25 combinations to equal 20 hours of practice each. Obviously I'll want to be able to do them faster but I'm pretty sure this will get all this stuff "under my fingers."
After a couple of days of playing individual licks over jam tracks when the right time came around, I started trying to put things together and I was having trouble transitioning smoothly between sections. So I decided I needed to practice that. Being a professional computer geek I analyzed it logically as follows. There are 5 transitions, 1 to 2, 2 to 3, 3 to 4, 4 to 5 and 5 to 1. Since each section has 5 licks (for now) there are 25 possible transitions between each section. For each lick in a section I wrote down (using GuitarPro) the transition to each of the 5 licks in the next section. I also added a bass track so I can hear the chord changes. I've playing along with GuitarPro going through the five keys in the 5x5 jam tracks.
I've put in about 15 hours using this method. So far so good. My transitions are much smoother. I've also decided to use the 20 hour rule that Griff posted about a few weeks ago. I'm going to do 20 hours on each transition, that's 625 different transitions. More computer geekness here; I decide to practice at 96 BPM and so given the number of bars in transition I figured out how many times I needed to play the 25 combinations to equal 20 hours of practice each. Obviously I'll want to be able to do them faster but I'm pretty sure this will get all this stuff "under my fingers."
RubénDelVillarGarcía
Blues Newbie
I think it's a very good approach, can you explain a little what the 25 possible transitions between each section?