Silicon Valley Tom
It makes me happpy to play The Blues!
For the purpose of clarity, I am going to use a 12 bar Blues as an example. The purpose of this post is to point out some basic differences in these two courses. It is a matter of approach. I also have a question which perhaps someone can answer?
Blues Solo Construction Kit
Shuffle
We have a “blueprint” page, which utilizes five “Positions”
We have as many as 13 bars to “squeeze” into 12 bars. The terms Position and Licks are used together. You learn a series of Licks (1-5), to be used in specific positions (5). Each of the series of licks (1-5) has five examples from different sources or styles.
Slow Blues
We have a “blueprint” page, which utilizes seven “Positions”
We have as many as 15 bars to “squeeze” into 12 bars. The terms Position and Licks are used together. You learn a series of Licks (1-7), to be used in specific positions (7). Each of the series of licks (1-7) has five examples from different sources or styles.
How To Improvise Blues Solos
Shuffle
We have as many as 15 bars to “squeeze” into 12 bars.
The term “Lick” is used without reference to “Position”. You learn a series of Licks (1-5) to be used in any of 6 possible areas of a 12 bar Blues. There are from 2-6 examples within each of the 5 series of Licks. The licks within a series (1-5) are the same and may be in a different key or guitar neck position.
Slow Blues
We have 12 bars to fit into 12 bars.
The term “Lick” is used without reference to “Position”. You learn a series of Licks (1-5) to be used in any of 6 possible areas of a 12 bar Blues. There are from 2-3 examples within each of the 5 series of Licks. The licks within a series (1-5) are the same and may be in a different key or guitar neck position.
On the last page of the manual (page 76) there is a comment about the “4 Steps For Mastery for every new lick that you learn”. I must have missed something as the only reference I can find to that term is on page 4 in the title “Shuffle Lick 1 – 4 Steps To Mastery”
Can someone tell me what those 4 steps are?
It appears to me that a major difference in these two courses is the concept of how many “positions” or total number of licks exist within a 12 bar Blues. Comparing the two we have:
Blues Solo Construction Kit
Shuffle --- 5 positions
Slow --- 7 positions
How To Improvise Blues Solos
Shuffle --- 6 positions
Slow --- 6 positions
To me this indicates that a lick, has to have the ability to “fit” into a specific space. You have to pay attention to that reality as well as having a lick that has the correct “feel” for the type of Blues you are playing.
Personally, I am not one for stringing together any just licks. I like to use licks that allow the song to have the sound of a conversation, and flow, while not sounding like a “Chinese Laundry”! Some words are emphasized more than others. A conversation may be “in your face”, or any number of emotions you can consider. If the licks you choose sound good then use them.
So after all of this I repeat my question: Can someone tell me what the 4 Steps To Mastery are?
By the way, that term - "4 Steps To Mastery" reminds me of my Karate and Judo days. My thanks to Ralph Castro and Ben Palacio, my instructors. I miss you guys.
Tom
Blues Solo Construction Kit
Shuffle
We have a “blueprint” page, which utilizes five “Positions”
We have as many as 13 bars to “squeeze” into 12 bars. The terms Position and Licks are used together. You learn a series of Licks (1-5), to be used in specific positions (5). Each of the series of licks (1-5) has five examples from different sources or styles.
Slow Blues
We have a “blueprint” page, which utilizes seven “Positions”
We have as many as 15 bars to “squeeze” into 12 bars. The terms Position and Licks are used together. You learn a series of Licks (1-7), to be used in specific positions (7). Each of the series of licks (1-7) has five examples from different sources or styles.
How To Improvise Blues Solos
Shuffle
We have as many as 15 bars to “squeeze” into 12 bars.
The term “Lick” is used without reference to “Position”. You learn a series of Licks (1-5) to be used in any of 6 possible areas of a 12 bar Blues. There are from 2-6 examples within each of the 5 series of Licks. The licks within a series (1-5) are the same and may be in a different key or guitar neck position.
Slow Blues
We have 12 bars to fit into 12 bars.
The term “Lick” is used without reference to “Position”. You learn a series of Licks (1-5) to be used in any of 6 possible areas of a 12 bar Blues. There are from 2-3 examples within each of the 5 series of Licks. The licks within a series (1-5) are the same and may be in a different key or guitar neck position.
On the last page of the manual (page 76) there is a comment about the “4 Steps For Mastery for every new lick that you learn”. I must have missed something as the only reference I can find to that term is on page 4 in the title “Shuffle Lick 1 – 4 Steps To Mastery”
Can someone tell me what those 4 steps are?
It appears to me that a major difference in these two courses is the concept of how many “positions” or total number of licks exist within a 12 bar Blues. Comparing the two we have:
Blues Solo Construction Kit
Shuffle --- 5 positions
Slow --- 7 positions
How To Improvise Blues Solos
Shuffle --- 6 positions
Slow --- 6 positions
To me this indicates that a lick, has to have the ability to “fit” into a specific space. You have to pay attention to that reality as well as having a lick that has the correct “feel” for the type of Blues you are playing.
Personally, I am not one for stringing together any just licks. I like to use licks that allow the song to have the sound of a conversation, and flow, while not sounding like a “Chinese Laundry”! Some words are emphasized more than others. A conversation may be “in your face”, or any number of emotions you can consider. If the licks you choose sound good then use them.
So after all of this I repeat my question: Can someone tell me what the 4 Steps To Mastery are?
By the way, that term - "4 Steps To Mastery" reminds me of my Karate and Judo days. My thanks to Ralph Castro and Ben Palacio, my instructors. I miss you guys.
Tom