Rock & Blues - Solo 6

[chefrusso]

Hey Jamie,

Well, here it is... the last solo in the course. It took me a little while to get this one together, because life had a way of interrupting my practice schedule the last couple of months. I also wanted to make sure this solo was a little more polished before I posted my first video. I really enjoyed the essential licks for this one; not just because they're cool, but because I can actually play them! I was looking back on my journey through the course, and I realized that I've come quite a long way from the beginning. The swing feel of the timing is pretty much automatic now, and I was even able to pick up the syncopated timing of this solo pretty quickly. When I had a little trouble wrapping my head around the rhythm in the beginning, I just slowed things down, expanded the beat, and off I went. Because I had all of the tools at my disposal and the experience with the previous solos, certain parts of the solo were easy (I had done similar things before). It was only the new challenges that I had to spend a little extra time on to get them down.

Anyway, here's the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3hku2THWvs. Please let me know what you think.

One thing I did notice is that the audio and video seemed to get out of sync a couple of times and then it seemed like the audio skipped a little to catch up to the video. I record everything through a webcam on my computer and I think when it renders the video to my hard drive, something gets botched up. I may try recording on a different computer next time to see if it makes a difference.

My advice to anyone who is just starting out in this course is simply to stick with it. Follow Jamie's advice and work on the things she tells you to work on. Don't get frustrated when things don't go as smoothly as you'd like, but keep working at it. Eventually, all of the pieces will fall into place and you'll wonder why you had any trouble with it at all. As you develop vertically, things go from being difficult, to being attainable, to being automatic. You've just got to practice correctly!

[Jamie]

Awesome Chef! I knew you were really working on this one and I have been waiting to hear it. You have worked for real control and it shows.

Just bring it up section by section now.

One tiny thing: on the last lick of 16ths...........getting real picky now, and I am not even sure but, when the 16ths start, and the first note is on the upbeat, and the 3rd note is square on the down , is that third note coming square on the downbeat?? It might need to be marked a little more, so as to keep the shape of the lick.

Great work as usual. I am so happy to have all solos represented by a real live student! You have proven the efficacy of my course, and your work will benefit many people. It will be permanently available for students to study in the "video gallery" I am building.

[chefrusso]

That's awesome Jamie, thank you so much! And please, get picky... get real picky!

On the last run of the 16ths, I paid close attention when to start and also if I "landed" on the last note (first beat of the last measure) of the lick, but I'm not sure if I'm nailing that third note. I will pay closer attention to it in my next practice. I knew going into this solo that the last lick would be the trickiest to nail because of starting on the upbeat and then doing a run in 16ths, which we haven't done yet, up to this point anyway.

I'm glad that my experiences here will help others to grow and that it shows how great your guidance and instructions are; that is exactly what I set out to do!

Now I'm off to bring this solo up in groups... it won't take me as long to post the next video at least because the boat is in the yard for the next couple of months and I now have the luxury of a dedicated practice area once again in my house. Life is good!

[chefrusso]

Hello Jamie,

I just posted two new videos of the solo:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdXfQH302qs. This one is at 80 BPM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEeR4-J54Ys. This one is at 100 BPM

I employed quite a few strategies during my practice of this solo, especially for the 16th note run at the end. I used stop and drop, add-a-note, and working in groups to get the run in correct time. I'm pretty confident that I nailed it on the 80 BPM solo, but I'm not entirely sure I got it correctly at 100 BPM just yet. I figured I'd post it anyway to see how far I still have to go.

Thanks in advance for taking a look at these solos!

[Jamie]

Whoa, that was GREAT! What can I say, it's all there! The faster one sounds better than the slower one!

Excellent work, and you are the first person to finish my course! All your solos will be the model for others to follow, and most importantly, your work ethic/attitude.

That post you did on the other thread about the right attitude about no tempo practice is something I am going to use. I want everyone to see the obvious correlation between Understanding, the work based on that understanding, and the final result.

Now Chef, lots of horizontal growth would be real good for you. You will be able to handle, and understand, anything in the conventional blues/rock lexicon!

[chefrusso]

Thanks Jamie,

That's where feedback is so important, even when you think you DON'T have it down! I can say that without reservation that I now have the confidence to tackle any solo out there, and it's thanks to this course as well as the Understandings I've gleaned through all of your teachings and advice. I can't wait until I see others "complete" the journey through the course as I have. I can tell you all that the best way to have fun with guitar is to get better at playing it. There is a direct correlation between the two! There are many people out there that criticize Jamie's methods and teachings and actually get downright rude when you discuss them in other forums. I am direct evidence that they are completely wrong! To those naysayers I say, "Enjoy your mediocrity!"

Now it's time to increase my repertoire and actually sink my teeth into all of the great material out there. My only question now is where to begin!

[Jamie]

Ha ha, yes, well, start looking through your record collection.

Picking the music to play is kind of like picking food to eat. You look at something and it kind of makes your mouth water....... Just find something you love, something that makes you go "oh yeah baby!"

[daveg]

Great job Chef!
You have eclipsed me in the course. I have to sheepishly admit that I don't think I completed solo6 because it didn't grab me musically. Now that I have seen your performance I will work on it, at least to get it down technically.

Now, as Jamie said, you can choose a favorite blues song and dig into one of those solos.

Good luck,

Dave

[chefrusso]

Thanks Dave. I appreciate your kind words.

I actually liked this solo a lot because it had so many elements: syncopated beat, connecting all 5 pentatonic scales, and finishing with that nice 16th note run at the end. Not only that, the essential licks that prepared you for the solo were really cool too!

I have a couple of choices for what I want to play next, but I've always loved "Since I've Been Loving You", so I think I'm going to start there. I also want to work on the solo for Stairway so I can get back to work on that course.