Jamming???

[henryj]

Griff

That was so cool.  I swear I think you looking over my shoulder.  Seems like every time I have a question you send an answer.

Can you possibly expand on how to play the riffs in a logical musical fashion?

My very old blues harmonica book teaches
Wailing
Stepping stone
Resolution
I know harmonicas are different. (smaller and don't burn long) but would the principal be similar?

 

[luckylarry]

Now that's what I'm talking about. Thanks Griff.

 

[David_E]

That was a great video Griff, it makes you realize what you can do with the BBG lessons. Can you do some more videos along the same lines with the BBG music?

Cheers David E

 

[Lame_Pinkey]

Brilliant Griff, really gets the message across there with that video.I think this should be stickied at top of BBG for all new members who come along & start asking " what do I do with this, what can I do with this etc " your video is a perfect example of what can be done.
It also illustrates that you do not need to play notes from every available scale pattern all over the neck to have a good sounding solo.
Once again fantastic stuff Griff !

LP

 

[Jon_Spokane]

Hey tater salad!  Nice vid.  Made me re-think how I plan to go about learning these songs and progressing through BBG and then BGU (and proly SWS in between).  I made a list of steps... let me know what you think.

Step 1:  Play through song very slowly 10 or 15 times, with even note values (and no track playing).  Slow motion (no tempo).

Step 2:  Play with track at 80% tempo.  Loops portions to learn and memorize them.  (I just bought a JamVOX for the purpose, as well as to make crude recordings). Keep at this step until can play whole song through at 80% without looking at page.

Step 3:  Play w track at 100% tempo.  Keep at it until can play song pretty well, most of the time.

Step 4:  Record it.  Post.

Step 5:  Jam over jamtrack using bits and licks from the song, in no particular order.  Jamtrack could be my own rhythm recording (BGU lessons 1 - 12?), or other jamtrack in right key.  Keep at this until I can sound good like tater salad, and until I figure out which licks I really like and want to take forward with me... 

THEN, go on to the next song.  No rush, I will be playing this here guitar for the next 60 years...

 

[Griff]

@henryj - honestly I think I just did the licks in the order they appear in the tune... that's the only logical progression at work. It's one of those things where I think you just have to make the leap. Pick one lick and play it over and over again, but take time to breathe between each pass. Listen to it and how it works over different sections and take your time. You are building experience with this and making a bridge between rote learning and improvising. The main thing is to not be afraid to sound bad. Welcome the clunkers as reminders of what not to do next time.

@Jon_Spokane - that sounds like an excellent method. Only suggestion I would make is to not hold yourself to that 100% rule. Once you get to the 80% mark, it will take twice as long to get from 80% to 100% and that can get old. Add in some new material if you have the time. The 100% mark will come, but you should not sacrifice learning anything new while you wait for the details.

I'll sticky the thread in this section. Thanks everyone, glad you dug the video.

Griff

 

[Jon_Spokane]

A few more thoughts:  I could see myself stretching the easier songs of BBG out a couple of weeks before progressing to the next song, depending on how high I set my standards for moving on to the next step and how much jam time I spend with it before moving onto new material.  I will try to use several different jam tracks (of different tempos primarily, but different sounds too).

In lifting weights, the benefit comes from the last couple reps of a set, and all the reps it took to get there are just preparation...  Same here, the real benefits will come from the jamming.  So why not spend a significant amount of time working with the licks over different jamtracks rather than rush through the material as quickly as possible? 

Simple insight, but big eye-opener for me! 

 

[Jon_Spokane]

Just saw your post, after posting mine.  I agree that it would get old if the BBG song was the only thing I did in a practice session.  But I break the overall session into a couple parts...  one is just working on chords and chord changes (usually the chords of the next song in the course, plus the various others I know).  Another might be working on a technique (like trying to develop "the Grip" for certain barre-chords like SRV and Hendrix), or a technical exercise like the spider. 

I think things could be kept pretty fresh if perhaps I go ahead with Steps 1 and 2 on the next song while still jamming on the last song...   (or maybe that will mix me up too much, making it more difficult to memorize next song.  Will try it and see).

 

[davemoss]

I will never forget my first proper jam session because I have never felt so out of my depth

There were 2 other really good guitarists, a bass player and drums, and when they struck up I seemed to instantly forget everything I knew :-[

So be prepared for that, and don't be discouraged, you will soon get used to it. One trick I learned was to get near to my amp so I could actually hear myself play, and turn it down low until I got in the groove

 

[Roger]

Griff's Sitting easy blues over Blues in E

Thanks Griff for for putting that together so quickly after the question was posted here on the forum.  It makes the whole picture come into focus after watching that.  Thats exactly why i purchased your course, you go the extra 5 miles to make sure we ( beginners like myself ) get it.   Thanks again.

 

[Chuck]

[postsmovedhere1] 1 [postsmovedhere2] The Lounge [move by] Chuck.

 

[cgidyk]

Ok, Ok!! Wow what a great bunch of feedback. First off. Anyone out there complaining about the cold. STOP. I am sitting in an airport about to come home From 2.5 hours north of Ft. Nelson, Alberta Canada. if you are curious we have had -45 celcius in the past two weeks.

Secondly I might have been a bit missunderstood. or i didn't articulate it correctly. I would like to thank everyone for thier feedback. But Russ answered my question the way I had attempeted to ask it.

The phrases are in the E scale. therefor I belief I should be playing the 12 bar blues in E.

I think the feedback about knowing  what key and then the chords in that Key is very helpfull.

The vidio was great, after I get home and see my family. I plan on picking up my guitar and giving it a whirl.

My upcoming jam is just with some friends in a basement. But I look forward to contributing and having a little fun.

Lastly. I did not mean regergitating in a bad way. I wanted to use what we learned for notes and phrases. I just didn't know what to use them with. Now I know. 12 bar in E as the phrases are in the E scale.

I hope I got this right. Thanks again everyone. oh yeah. cool vid.

Chris (finally warming up)

 

[cgidyk]

small correction. 2.5 hours north of Ft. Nelson B.C., Canada. we opperate on oilfield time. therefor we are on Alberta, Canada time zone.

either way. it's been cold!!!

 

[Russ]

Griff, thanks for making this topic a sticky as I and others asked. Now if I could just download the video. Yeah, I know I can always come here and click on it, but I like to watch your videos when I'm not on-line, too. Oh well.

 

[TonyS]

That's great Griff.  Kinda explains what I believe in that there's no reason why anybody can't go to a jam session and join in.