Rock & Blues - Solo 2

[chefrusso]

Hey Jamie,

I've been working on the things that we covered in our webcam lesson and I think I'm on the right track. I've been working on my vibrato every day now, and I've noticed some improvement, but I feel like I still have trouble with vibrato that doesn't involve a bend. My hand wants to perform more of a classical vibrato style, but I think this style of music definitely needs more of the blues style. Anyway, please check it out and let me how I'm doing so far.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q65YDI6w2pw

Thank you in advance.

[Jamie]

Hi Christian,

A good effort, and I am glad you are committed to refining your playing. You are at the tough part, getting the last 10% of the polish on it.

Many of the bends are a bit too quick (see the 3rd lick)............draw them out more and let us enjoy the ride!

The 1/4 bends are too sharp, the effect is lost, a 1/4 bend is just a little bitty bend.

The later licks are getting extra beats thrown in, around the syncopation. You will have to pay more attention to that. Work on each lick one at a time in a practice session. Get a perfect slow tempo prototype of the lick first, make sure you do that. And record it and listen back.

Do you hear the things I am talking about as you take a closer listen? That is your first job, to make sure you do. Otherwise, it would be like you telling me my soup is too salty when it tastes just fine to me!

[Guillaume]

HI Christian,

I'm not sure if it's just a matter of preferences but your tone make my ear cringe because of the super high piercing treble. I think treble is amplified a lot with the recording device, but you'll get a smoother and more fluid tone by just turning down the treble/high on your amp. On my little amp, treble knob is at........ ZERO. Too much treble on a small amp and I get the impression of scraping my nails against a chalkboard.

About the solo itself, keep up the good work, it looks like you're really benefiting from Jamie's teaching (and apply it well).

[chefrusso]

Hey Jamie,

That's why I'm here. I made a commitment to myself to reach that "other" 10%.

I also posted this video right at the beginning stages of practicing this solo so that others could see my progress and know that your instructions really do WORK.

My first goal of mastering this solo was to practice the timing and syncopation of the solo since I had so much trouble with it when we worked on it together. I followed your advice to work on the first measure, then the first 2 measures, and then finally the whole first lick. I even expanded the beat there so that I could feel the timing as it should be and then I worked it up to the 60 bpm speed. I think the main reason why my playing gets sloppy later on is that I hadn't gotten that far in the solo with the same amount of attention yet. Since then, I have been working on the other licks in the same way and have worked out many of the problems I have had with the syncopation of the beat. I'm still having some trouble wrapping my head around the lick in the 10th measure since you hold the bend there and there isn't a rest at the third beat, like in the previous measures. With hard work and the correct practice, I'm sure I'll be able to work it out!

My second goal was to stop my first finger from anchoring on the second string as I make those bends in the first and third licks, which I think you can see is much improved from our webcam lesson. Of course, it is a much better way of playing the lick and my hand feels much more comfortable doing it. I think I'm quick with the bends because I'm worrying too much about the first finger making it back to the second string in time and I'm rushing through the bend to do it. Of course, I'll be paying much more attention to the bend now.

My third goal was to improve my vibrato in the solo, which I think is the toughest, but also the most important. I can get it to go some of the time, and when I do, it sounds awesome. It's just getting it on a consistent basis that's eluding me. I have been doing those exercises every day though and I do notice that they're making a huge difference. I think it's just going to be a matter of time. I want to get the vibrato just right because it adds that little bit of flavor to the music, and I'm all about flavor!

I have been taping myself and listening on a regular basis now and I can hear the things you are talking about, especially after you bring them to my attention! That's why I really appreciate having a forum like this where I can get that kind of feedback from you, it's truly invaluable. If I hadn't had the same type of mentoring when I was a young cook, I definitely wouldn't be the chef I am today. In fact, the parallels between learning how to cook and learning how to play guitar are mind boggling. We should discuss them sometime.

I'm not sure if it's just a matter of preferences but your tone make my ear cringe because of the super high piercing treble. I think treble is amplified a lot with the recording device, but you'll get a smoother and more fluid tone by just turning down the treble/high on your amp. On my little amp, treble knob is at........ ZERO. Too much treble on a small amp and I get the impression of scraping my nails against a chalkboard.

I listened back to the recording and I totally agree with you. I think the main problem there is that I have to split the signal between the computer and my headphones so that I can hear what I'm playing as it's being recorded. Living and working on a yacht definitely has its ups and downs, one of them being that I always have to play through headphones. Otherwise I'd irritate the rest of the crew with practicing the same thing over and over and over. The guitar sounded fine in the headphones, but in the recording it sounded like I was playing in a tin can. YUCK!! I will definitely turn the tone down and check it again before I post another video. I was also playing through the bridge pickup, so I'll see if switching to the neck pickup makes a difference as well. It is all about the sound after all! Thanks for the advice!

[Jamie]

Hi Christian,

You are definitely engaged in the proper process and will make the significant progress you desire.

You are right about the daily practice of the vibrato ex...it is essential. You cannot train those muscles for those motions simply by practicing the solo. Do the ex every day, working up to your limit and recording each step of the way to insure quality control. Then, do your solo, and work on the vibrato in the context of the solo, working the licks with the bpa, continuing recording for quality control.

Make sure you daily practice posing on the bends, stopping at the point of highest tension and holding it while relaxing the whole body. Do this for 10 sec at least, breathing evenly.

Yes, your improvement, chronicled here, will be a great lesson and inspiration to other players. Thanks so much for doing it!

[chefrusso]

Hello again Jamie,

Here's my latest attempt at performing the solo. I'd say I'm at an intermediate stage with it right now. I think the bends are much better and I've even managed a little vibrato here and there. The daily practice with the vibrato definitely helps and I think I'm not too far away from performing it consistently. I've also been posing on the bends, like you suggested and that definitely makes a difference as well. It's like programing my hand to reach that spot where I'm holding it, so I'm hitting it more consistently.

I also wanted to point out that in our webcam lesson, you remarked that my thumb was slipping forward and not making contact with the top of the neck like it's supposed to. Now that I'm holding my thumb in the correct position, everything has been a little easier. It is definitely a stronger position for my hand to perform the bends and vibrato and it forces my hand to pivot on the first finger like it should.

Anyway, if you'd check it out and let me know if I'm still going in the right direction, I would greatly appreciate it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJhNqx8PSys

P.S. I even managed to get a better tone out of my practice amp this time too!

[Jamie]

Hi Christian,

Yes, it is definitely improved. The rhythm is much more solid, although you are doing straight 8ths now instead of the usual blues swing feel

The bends are still going up pretty fast, I would try to do something about that. They actually sound like "already bent" notes, like the string is bent before you hit it.

The 3rd lick starts a bit late, but you kind of catch up. The bend is right on pitch though, as are the following ones. The rhythm in the 2nd half, which was a bit ambiguous, is nice and tight now.

Probably the biggest area needing improvement is the vibrato, or lack thereof! Get that in there, and we will all feel a lot better!

Are you having a problem with it? Post some examples if you are.

All in all, a big improvement Christian, and a strong move forward!

[chefrusso]

Hey Jamie,

First of all, I don't know what's going on with my recording setup, but I swear in my headphones I hear the metronome clearly and it doesn't drop out like it does in the video. I'm hoping that it's not too distracting.

Here's the clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdELaYmHqB0

OK the latest fixes - I worked on the blues swing timing which I think I'm understanding better now. I was focusing so much on making sure that the licks were performed within the correct time that I forgot to flavor it up a bit. I also made sure that I wasn't prebending when I performed licks 1 & 3. I recorded the video closer to my hands so that you can get a better look at it and I'm hoping that you can help me with my vibrato deficiencies. I think I'm practicing them correctly at slow tempo, but when it comes to performing them in the solo, I lose them. I really have trouble with vibrato on the second string after I perform the bend even in my slow tempo practice. There must be some tension there that I'm not recognizing.

Here's an example of my vibrato practice http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPsAzksZE_s

I'm glad that I'm making progress, but I know I still have more work to do.

Thanks again.

[Jamie]

Hi Christian,,

Okay, as far as the solo, I am not seeing improvement on the speed of the bends, they are too fast. You have 2 options...

1) Study my example when I play the solo in the course. Study in intensely and appreciate the difference between it and what you are doing

2) Book a webcam lesson with me and I will walk you through it.

Now, for the vibrato......................

We have an interesting case of "discovering the seeds of future problems in seed form". To wit: your thumb.

Your thumb is not performing the correct mechanics for the action. It is not disturbing the vibrato at slow speeds. However, at faster speeds, it will.

Look at it. It is not opposing the upward force of the fingers with its own downward force. It is being pushed around by the fingers. Make your thumb active in the vibrato action. Pushing the string the way we need it, with control, is achieved by a dynamic balance of force by both fingers AND thumb simultaneously.

[chefrusso]

Thanks Jamie for once again pointing me in the right direction!

I re-read the lessons and listened to the audio example of the solo and I can hear exactly what you're talking about. I got so wrapped up in trying to work out this solo that I forgot to review the lessons to gauge my progress. Review IS required! I was performing the bends in the exact way you warned against and they didn't sound at all like when you performed them.

As far as my thumb is concerned, I will be paying closer attention to it and I will make sure it is doing its job. When I watched my solo again, I noticed that my thumb was almost getting out of the way instead of doing what it was supposed to.

Obviously, I have some more work to do and I'm going to get to it. I'll post another video after I've work out these problems.

Thanks again.