Solo 4, 6 years on ???

johnc

systematic
Well I think I had a lot of brain cells die since recording this the first time in 2009. Just revised it and don't think it's any better than before. I think I was more confident in 2009 and head and hands working better.
Anyway you can be the judge.
Been a struggle to get a cleanish recording at all so it's as good as I can do for now but I will keep working on it and other stuff.

Sorry to ask you to listen twice but any comments welcome thank you. Oh and I recorded the latest a semitone down in F# just for something different. Getting sick of listening to it soooooo many times in G..

2009 recording: https://www.dropbox.com/s/omm6980enlg4ppg/Solo 4 attempt 4.mp3?dl=0


current 2016 recording: https://www.dropbox.com/s/xulrprlskdpzaug/BGU 2 solo 4 F# attempt 2.mp3?dl=0
 

bluesmadd

Funk the Blues
Johnc, both sounded great, I personnally liked the deeper, cleaner sound of the current one. And IMO, your playing was as good as any on this forum, particularly your timing, which to my ear was spot on or 'in the pocket' as is often said. Great idea with the F#. For me, you have raised the bar with this solo, very well done and impressive!
 
Your original recording sounds more practiced, maybe more rehearsed.
the newer recording has more feeling to it or it seemed to me that it did. You just sounded more relaxed playing it and seemed to be getting into it. Might be just my imagination.

Hope you enjoyed the time with your guitar John, thanks for sharing the recording on your blues journey!
 

JestMe

Student Of The Blues
I am leaning toward the newer one myself... as WIT said and I agree, the newer version feels more relaxed and has more feeling. I would also suggest that the original recording probably occurred at a time when you had practiced and played this piece many times over many days... In either case, great job on both pieces! Well done!
 

jmin

Student Of The Blues
nice, john! I think the second one sounds more "skilled" than the first one. I thought your bends and other techniques were clearly better.
Wow! 6 years later...time flys!
 

johnc

systematic
nice, john! I think the second one sounds more "skilled" than the first one. I thought your bends and other techniques were clearly better.
Wow! 6 years later...time flys!
Thanks Chaps for listening and your valued comments.
It seemed a disheartening that I still couldn't play it any better but if you thought there was some signs of improvement, that helps. It is just one solo but the elements reflect across my playing in general so I am happy to keep trying..
Yeah 6 years but much of it seems like at blur and just waking up again now.
It is however harder to get an 80% clean recording than it used to be so I need to work some more on trying to remember the little bits....

Starting Solo 5 again now giving me some grief with the speed of some of the licks, I don't remember having so much trouble before but maybe I have got a bit fussier with what is acceptable.
 

OG_Blues

Guitar Geezer
John,
I listened to both versions, twice. There were elements in each that I liked better than the other one, but both were very good for sure.
I would offer the following minor suggestions to move it from very good to great :)
Put more dynamics into a few parts - dig in hard with the pick on a few selected notes to really give it more attitude. While you are hitting all the notes, it sounds a little "flat" across the solo as a whole (I don't meant the pitch).
Let the tempo breathe a little bit more - very common in slow blues - strict adherence to time is not required. Let a few notes hang a hair longer and cut a few others a little short. Don't be slave to the timing as written. Experimenting and listening will let you know what works.
Get some SNAP into a few of those pull offs - do it like SRV - get more physical with it, hit them harder - don't just play the notes - you've got that part down.
Please don't take this as criticism - these are niggles, but give it a try and see if it doesn't liven it up a bit - and make it more fun!
As to getting a clean recording - I find that as I improve over time, I become more and more self critical, and listening to my older recordings usually makes me cringe. That's a GOOD sign!!
Well done!
Tom
 

bluesmadd

Funk the Blues
John,
I listened to both versions, twice. There were elements in each that I liked better than the other one, but both were very good for sure.
I would offer the following minor suggestions to move it from very good to great :)
Put more dynamics into a few parts - dig in hard with the pick on a few selected notes to really give it more attitude. While you are hitting all the notes, it sounds a little "flat" across the solo as a whole (I don't meant the pitch).
Let the tempo breathe a little bit more - very common in slow blues - strict adherence to time is not required. Let a few notes hang a hair longer and cut a few others a little short. Don't be slave to the timing as written. Experimenting and listening will let you know what works.
Get some SNAP into a few of those pull offs - do it like SRV - get more physical with it, hit them harder - don't just play the notes - you've got that part down.
Please don't take this as criticism - these are niggles, but give it a try and see if it doesn't liven it up a bit - and make it more fun!
As to getting a clean recording - I find that as I improve over time, I become more and more self critical, and listening to my older recordings usually makes me cringe. That's a GOOD sign!!
Well done!
Tom

OG - I think you nailed it with 'get more physical with it'. The few moments where I've found myself playing in this manner (mostly by accident) have produced what I can only describe as 'surprisingly good' results. I believe a good analogy is car racing and as Mario Andretti has famously said 'If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough.' Same for great guitar playing, i.e. just on the edge of being 'out of control'.
 

johnc

systematic
Thankyou so much Tom for checking it out and your good advice. You are perfectly correct in what you are saying. It is lack of confidence at the moment and just trying to get though it without stuffing up repeatedly so I know what you mean by it sounding flat. I can hear myself concentrating...and you can too..
I will keep working on it and do as you say but it may take quite a few many hours to feel it properly and play it like I mean it.

As they say "once more with feeling"
 

OG_Blues

Guitar Geezer
Thankyou so much Tom for checking it out and your good advice. You are perfectly correct in what you are saying. It is lack of confidence at the moment and just trying to get though it without stuffing up repeatedly so I know what you mean by it sounding flat. I can hear myself concentrating...and you can too..
I will keep working on it and do as you say but it may take quite a few many hours to feel it properly and play it like I mean it.

As they say "once more with feeling"
John,
I know exactly what you mean - what you describe is one of the identifiable stages of learning a piece like this, and is perfectly natural.
My advice - when nobody is listening, crank some gain into your amp or overdrive pedal, let loose and play it like you are in fact a "Guitar God"!!! Overdo it. Be SURE to make guitar faces while you squeeze those bends - frown and squint - look up at the sky. Shake the neck around to give you some vibrato. Go nuts. Parts of it may sound horrible. You will make mistakes. But I just bet you that there will be some parts that suddenly come alive. Savor those moments and remember them. Then tone the rest of it back again. Now you've got something magic!!
You can do it - you already have the notes down - I can hear it.
Go for it.
Tom
 

johnc

systematic
OK I am back with it. A couple of days of lifes other duties. Thanks for the push along Tom and bluesmadd, I am going to do as you say. I needed a little break anyway as the fingers were a bit sore and tired..

I have to remember back to when we were kids and had no fear and because we had no fear we got better at doing things, so I have to find that again and just cut loose and let the blunders happen and practice those rough bits until it feels natural and instinctive..
 

OG_Blues

Guitar Geezer
John, you are so right - it's sad that most of us lose the exuberance we had as a child. Just yesterday I was driving down the street and saw a guy walking along the sidewalk. He was maybe 50 years old, short, fat, bald, and not real pretty, and he had headphones on and he was dancing and waving his arms and shaking his head and was just completely in his own world jiving down the street without a care who saw him doing what he was doing. He was in the moment, and enjoying every moment. It gave me pause, and I envied him a bit. I'm not that way. I almost stopped to ask him what he was listening to, but I didn't want to ruin the moment for him.
Maybe that's how we need to play guitar, at least once in a while :)
Tom
 

johnc

systematic
Yes Tom, so long as nobody is watching..
It would be funny going ape on guitar in my little room and the neighbour popping his head around the corner..
 

(BW)

Better off with the Blues!
Really enjoyed listening to both of these. I liked the second one best because you seemed more relaxed and focused. Very very cool that this solo has been a part of your life for 6 years (almost 7 now ei?). Like an old friend. Keep playing!
 

Silicon Valley Tom

It makes me happpy to play The Blues!
I missed this when you originally posted it. I like both versions, and the second one to me, is "the best". I can tell that you improved your technique in those six years, and that is such a positive! Either version would be enjoyable to listen to in a live setting.

You can always make "improvements", like Tom suggested. Put into it what you feel.

I have recordings of myself made over 56 years ago. I still play much of the same music, and enjoy doing so. Over time you learn how to do it a bit differently and keep it interesting.

Tom
 
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