I thought I was going really well

Darcey

Blues Newbie
Playing along with Slow Blues "Solo 4" from "Blues Guitar Unleashed 2.0" I thought I was keeping time fairly well playing along with Griff's video. Then I recorded myself playing alone with the mp3 jam track. I am all over the place, I am not sure if just haven't played it enough with Griff's video or if I need to go back and learn the timing all over again. I have all the notes and licks down, I just seem to get lost in some parts.

I am ok with songs like "'Down to the Depot" or "I got the Blues" but when it comes to slow blues... maybe I just need to do more play a longs....

Anyone else had this issue and got past it?
 

OG_Blues

Guitar Geezer
Darcey - I think what you are experiencing is a very common situation. It has happened to me many times when I am learning something new, and I think "I've got it" and then I record it and realize "No, I don't 'got it' (yet)".
For me, continued playing along with the properly played example, usually at reduced speed, is the ticket to get me over the hump. It will come - just keep with it - you will get past it.
Tom
 

jmin

Student Of The Blues
I always play along with Griff for quite awhile before I'm ready to try it with just the backing track.
I have been trying to work on "reading" the standard notation on all of Griff's lessons. I spend a bunch of time making sure that what I hear Griff playing is what I understand the notation to be. I remember on the last solo I did, after much practice along with Griff, I had the thought that "it was time to take the training wheels (Griff) off and go it alone on the backing track. At some point you have to. But I'm never in a any rush!
 

johnc

systematic
I experienced the same thing in these slower examples in particular.
I kept getting lost as well in Solo example 4 once I was on my own. How I improved it though was to make sure I counted out the more difficult bits while listening to Griffs example over and over so I would then cue myself correctly for the licks or phrases as they happen. When I played it myself and counting through those parts made it happen much better.
 

OG_Blues

Guitar Geezer
johnc is right on - in these slow blues, especially when first learning them, counting is REALLY the key to it. I find that I don't count everything though, and in fact, what I count most are the rests rather than the licks. The timing on the licks can "breathe" a little bit, and sometimes quite a lot - that's one way to start to develop your own expression of the lick. The rests, however, are key to not getting lost or getting so far out of time that you become lost. You need to start the licks at the right time - some licks you can end a little off time and still be ok. Try it.
Tom
 

mountain man

Still got the Blues!
I think counting out loud and tapping the foot is most of our weak points. I know it's mine. When I first start up with a new lesson I know I'll be stuck at several locations just trying to figure out the entry count, the rests, the triplets and all the other notes. Then Griff likes to throw in the odd 1/4 note triplet phrase..... along with a rest or something.........
 

Darcey

Blues Newbie
Thanks everyone it's good to know I am not alone. This solo is surprisingly difficult, and is taking longer than others to master.

I don't have too much trouble with the 1/4 notes the problem is (as mentioned) getting lost on the entry count of a few of those licks.

Thanks again, this is a great forum
Cheers

Darcey
 
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Dewesq55

Blues Newbie
Darcey,

I am curious whether the other jam track you used had a drum line or click track? I found that adding even a simple drum line using a metronome app on my phone makes it much easier to play in time.

DEW
 

OG_Blues

Guitar Geezer
Without actually hearing your recording, it's hard to speculate exactly where you are getting off, but have no shame or embarrassment about it - many of us struggle with this - it's part of the process of improving.
If I had to guess, on a slow blues, I think it's common to actually rush some parts of the licks, especially the more difficult ones. If the hammer ons and pull offs and bends and releases are not in strict time, you will not end at the right place, and even if you are trying to count or keep time with your foot, you will stray off the beat, at least for a while until you "recover". Try slowing down some of the licks, making sure that you get every note in and give every note it's full time value - see if that helps.
Strict technique is a necessary element of keeping time, at least I find it is for me. When I record myself and listen to it and find my timing is off, that is almost always the problem. Over time, as my technique has improved, I have noticed that my timing also improved, but still working on it.
Tom
 

Darcey

Blues Newbie
Yes for sure, and I can play it time well enough tapping my foot if it's 4/4 time. It's smaller subdivisions in 12/8 that get me while learning. I haven't gone back to this solo for a while, maybe it's time to give it another shot.

Here is something I recorded. I know this is not really slow Blues, but the phrases are very bluesy and this a really good one to work on phrasing.

 
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Darcey

Blues Newbie
Thanks Dave, I would do more if I had the time. That took about an hour a day for a month of rehearsing and it still isn't quite right. You have seen those Guys/Girls on youtube that put up a video of a Solo every week, I don't know how they do it.
 

OG_Blues

Guitar Geezer
Thanks Dave, I would do more if I had the time. That took about an hour a day for a month of rehearsing and it still isn't quite right. You have seen those Guys/Girls on youtube that put up a video of a Solo every week, I don't know how they do it.
Well, based on that demo of your playing ability which was very well done, I'm not sure why you'd have any problem at all with solo 4!!
Maybe because it's just a bit different genre of music?
BTW, those youngsters that post all those videos every few days - I am certain that they cheat!!! Maybe that's what I need to learn to do. :)
Tom
 

Thatman

Playin' for the fun of it.
Loved it, great playing Darcey that was a bit of a treat. (y) Feel free to post more of those videos. :)
 

HotLks

Blues - it's in me and it's got to come out.
Darcey - you play that very well! I really enjoyed that! I think you can play anything you want to play.

Keep up the good work!

See you down the road! :thumbup:
 

Darcey

Blues Newbie
Thanks guys for the kind words of support. I am sure I am not alone but I don't get much support at home. My wife actually hates my playing. Hey Tom, cheating :thumbup: yes must learn how:)
 

TwoNotesSolo

Student Of The Blues
This recording shows what David Gilmour is my favorite guitar player, he says so much with so few notes. Maybe I should take another shot at learning it, it didn't go well when I tried a couple of years ago. I know it looks deceptively simple when you listen to it, but there is a lot going on and the bends must be just right.
I agree with others, great playing, and it seems that the BGU solo should be a pretty easy next to it.

I guess I'm lucky, my wife really doesn't care for the Blues, but she recognizes that playing guitar is important to me and has been supportive (she even came to Memphis to check out BGU and meet people) even though she really wishes I would play in a Metallica cover band (to be honest, I wouldn't mind, but nobody has asked me, and talk about though timing)
 
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Darcey

Blues Newbie
This recording shows what David Gilmour is my favorite guitar player, he says so much with so few notes. Maybe I should take another shot at learning it, it didn't go well when I tried a couple of years ago. I know it looks deceptively simple when you listen to it, but there is a lot going on and the bends must be just right.
I agree with others, great playing, and it seems that the BGU solo should be a pretty easy next to it.

I guess I'm lucky, my wife really doesn't care for the Blues, but she recognizes that playing guitar is important to me and has been supportive (she even came to Memphis to check out BGU and meet people) even though she really wishes I would play in a Metallica cover band (to be honest, I wouldn't mind, but nobody has asked me, and talk about though timing)

Have another go, that was my 3rd go at learning it. I just decided to go for it, and done it for exactly the reason you mentioned. David Gilmore is amazing, the solo is full of Blues Licks.

Lucky your wife understands, I could play my wife's favorite music and she would still hate me for it.:)
 

Lefty Jeff

A little blues rosetta
Darcey, that was amazing! Excellent job! Mr. Gilmour would be proud.

If I may ask, where did you get the tab that you used to learn that solo? It was pretty spot on, and I'd love to get a copy for myself.

Thanks!
-=Jeff
 
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