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Quantity vs Quality Practice
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thaydon



Joined: 31 Mar 2007
Posts: 80
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio

PostPosted: Thu May 29, 2008 5:23 pm    Post subject: Quality vs Quantity Reply with quote

Dean wrote:
Any help on this that I can practice,anyone?


Dean, with sheet music- prewritten pieces, i like to be able to play it at any point in time--when I first wake up, when I am tired. That is not under the "perfect" circumstances. It also helps me to be able to sing all voices in the piece, and to investigate what is happening harmonically and melodically when I have a memory slip.
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Mark
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Joined: 26 Feb 2007
Posts: 479
Location: Portland, OR

PostPosted: Thu May 29, 2008 6:19 pm    Post subject: Re: Nerves Reply with quote

Dean wrote:
Any help on this that I can practice, anyone?


Dean,

"Practice" is the key word in your question, because the best you can do is to be as prepared as possible. Experience in performing on a regular basis is also a HUGE factor, as is the audience who is listening to you. It goes without saying that solo guitar performance is a bigger challenge. Unless you're just playing background music, all eyes are on you and you don't have an ensemble to divert their undivided attention.

Nerves are a fascinating subject in general, because even with what I just said, I find that I can be unusually nervous in situations when I am totally prepared, and feel completely calm and adventurous in situations when I really have no business being confident. Kind of like walking on a tightrope and daring myself to fall. I love that feeling and only wish that I could capture it all of the time.

I remember reading an interesting article by classical guitar virtuoso Michael Lorimer many years ago. He had an extreme nerve problem, but ended up "channeling" his nervous energy into delivering a superior performance. With that in mind, here's a left (fretting) hand solo guitar performing tip for you:

If your fingers tend to shake, exaggerate your vibrato. That way you put more feeling into your performance and the audience won't perceive it as nervousness. Of course, if your right hand shakes as well, you might be in trouble. Laughing

Best advice is to perform frequently and remember that "Chance favors the prepared mind." All for now...

- Mark
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Dean



Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 287
Location: California

PostPosted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 5:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'am doing the practice,practice ,practice,thing....I should have everything that was in my intermediate guitar class memorized.My reading is coming along ,too.Sometimes I cause myself more problems by,changing picks at the wrong time,or thinking to much on how I want to play the piece at the last minuet,instead of just sticking to what I know will work.
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airlab



Joined: 01 Jul 2008
Posts: 2

PostPosted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 10:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wow, this is an incredible topic; everything people have said about transcription really resonates with me. I've only started a little while back, but it's true that you learn by doing. Our minds do incredible things just through the acts of writing and reading...in other areas, I remember stuff a lot better when I'm taking notes because I'm actually digesting it instead of just having it go in front of my eyes for a while.
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Dean



Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 287
Location: California

PostPosted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 7:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice to see a new face around,airlab.post away and enjoy yourself.
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Dean



Joined: 19 Apr 2007
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Location: California

PostPosted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 6:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Maybe I am over processing this ,but I have changed picks,and the new one seems to be better.My acoustic sounds ,well all of my guitars sound better.Is it just in my head ,or can tone be that simple.Well just thinking out load.
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Gorecki
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Joined: 24 Feb 2007
Posts: 238
Location: Glenwood, MD

PostPosted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 10:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dean wrote:
Maybe I am over processing this ,but I have changed picks,and the new one seems to be better.My acoustic sounds ,well all of my guitars sound better.Is it just in my head ,or can tone be that simple.Well just thinking out load.


Tone does come from the player. But changing picks can have a massive effect on tone.

Many, many years ago, I used a standard shape pick in the medium to medium light thickness and then changed to Dunlop Jazz III's. Not only did it make me play differently (which will change tone) but because of the extremely small and thick pick made me sound very different. But these are two picks that are worlds apart.

The Jazz III's made me grow up (so to speak) and forced me to play in the manner I desired (very clean, percise, purposeful).
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kbgtr001



Joined: 04 May 2007
Posts: 122

PostPosted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 12:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Gorecki wrote:
Dean wrote:
Maybe I am over processing this ,but I have changed picks,and the new one seems to be better.My acoustic sounds ,well all of my guitars sound better.Is it just in my head ,or can tone be that simple.Well just thinking out load.


Tone does come from the player. But changing picks can have a massive effect on tone.

Many, many years ago, I used a standard shape pick in the medium to medium light thickness and then changed to Dunlop Jazz III's. Not only did it make me play differently (which will change tone) but because of the extremely small and thick pick made me sound very different. But these are two picks that are worlds apart.

The Jazz III's made me grow up (so to speak) and forced me to play in the manner I desired (very clean, percise, purposeful).




I'm exploring 'thumb picks' and find I'm developing a
a new level of control and articulation on walking bass lines.
Mostly working through finger-style Rag, Delta style blues pieces

(original pieces and 'standards' such as 'St Louis Blues', 'Fishing Blues'
http://www.visionmusic.com/members/lessons/fishingblues.html )
on my Martin DC15E.

Fred Kelly 'Slick Pick' thumb pick;

http://elderly.com/search/elderly?terms=slick+pick&x=0&y=0


Dunlap white plastic thumb pick;

http://elderly.com/accessories/items/PK27-L-LFT.htm


The Matin neck is pretty slender but the 'slick pick'
polycarb - heavy gauge doesn't feel awkward or clumsy.
The tip of the pick doesn't 'get in the way.'
I feel like I have a lot more 'strength' in the thumb movement.
Definitely affecting the tone. This 'strength' seems to translate into
dynamic and articulation control and how the bass lines sing.

I first started trying it out on my Martin Bass and it's carried over to the six string.
I'm trying the larger Dunlap white plastic thumb pick on the bass.

I'm also trying out the all downstroke thumb attacks on melody lines
that Mark has discussed.

Thumb pick and middle finger combination on melody lines seems pretty
interesting too.

I'm adding a Taylor NS34ce (Nylon String Electro-Acoustic) to round out my
acoustic guitars. I'm excited to find out where it will fit in this experience.


-Kb
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Dean



Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 287
Location: California

PostPosted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 6:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well I am glad to hear it is not all in my head.Thanks for the replys.

I have not tried thumb or finger picks yet.I am working on some chord melody ,so I mite give it a try.The only thing that keeps me from them ,is I have seen a lot of players just use their fingers and thumbs...and get really killer sounds.So I know it can be done.
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kbgtr001



Joined: 04 May 2007
Posts: 122

PostPosted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 7:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dean wrote:
The only thing that keeps me from them ,is I have seen a lot of players just use their fingers and thumbs...and get really killer sounds.So I know it can be done.


The thumb pick has my attention at the moment. I don't use finger picks,
for me they are too awkward and clumsy. I prefer fingers with a little bit of nail;
I'm trying (exploring) the thumb pick to see if it leads to some interesting place in the
sound, expression...

There are many ways to try it.

-Kb
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Mark
VM Coach


Joined: 26 Feb 2007
Posts: 479
Location: Portland, OR

PostPosted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 10:12 am    Post subject: Re: Thumb vs Pick Reply with quote

kbgtr001 wrote:
I'm also trying out the all downstroke thumb attacks on melody lines that Mark has discussed.


Kb,

First of all, I absolutely agree that the choice of pick is HUGE when it comes to tone. I used Pick Boys for 20+ years, then Henry (Johnson) turned me on to the ProPlecs by D'Andrea, which I used exclusively for all of my recordings/performances spanning the past two years. I have more than my share of other picks, including Dunlops, but none can compare to the tone from either the PB's or PP's. Subjective issue, but that's been my experience.

After hanging and jamming with Henry and Wolf Marshall back in January, I was struck by what HJ was doing with his thumb on my brother's classical guitar, an instrument that Henry rarely plays. That led to me taking his advice and putting the pick down altogether, challenging myself each day to see if I could indeed solve the jazz/blues puzzle with the thumb, a la Wes and his disciples.

Well, I am happy to report that the effort has paid off in a big way. Even though my first efforts were loudly applauded by students and fans, it took a while to finally feel that I had turned the corner, and it really comes down to the left-hand (not the right) in discovering ways of fingering passages and slurring that inevitably "frees up" the thumb. Or the flatpick for that matter, because now I feel a sense of freedom that wasn't there before, whether I'm using the thumb or a pick. Quality practice? You bet! Wink

Talk is cheap. I've been sharing my progress in lessons created for my advanced students over the past couple of months. My latest LBM edition ("Thumbin' the Blues") featured a pair of swing blues solo choruses done with the thumb at a fairly brisk tempo. To hear my introductory lesson narrative and both choruses, click here. Hope you enjoy the demo. All for now...

- Mark
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thaydon



Joined: 31 Mar 2007
Posts: 80
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio

PostPosted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 11:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mark;

Thanks for the demo! I'll look forward to getting to that point in the lessons by mail.
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Mark
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 4:49 pm    Post subject: Re: LBM Plans Reply with quote

thaydon wrote:
Thanks for the demo! I'll look forward to getting to that point in the lessons by mail.


Todd,

Sure thing, man. However, you're aware of the fact that I have several unadvertised sequel courses, plus you may recall an announcement I made to LBM students not long ago regarding my lesson development dating back to Nov '06.

Here's the deal...

These past 40+ lessons represent some of my best work ever, including full LBM editions based upon the MGS (Monster Guitar Solo) series, Minor Connections, Octave Power, Modal Magic, Thumbprints, Cool Chords, etc. Rather than make an existing or new student wait 4-5 years to gain access to these lessons, and since it isn't a progressive course per se, I plan to unveil these editions and market them independently of the program.

That way if you see something that really piques your interest, you can get it, and if a non-member wants to "test the water" without making an actual commitment to a course, they can do likewise. When this custom series is launched, each edition will have an introductory demo like the one I just shared with you guys. Stay tuned...

- Mark
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Dean



Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 287
Location: California

PostPosted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 8:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well I have learned some things here,and I look forward to the new deal,Mark.This is one of those small facts (picks ) that make big differences.Thanks for all the input.Any other tid bits anyone would care to offer up?
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Larry_DC



Joined: 31 Mar 2007
Posts: 207

PostPosted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 12:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I recently tried out the Dunlop Ultex III jazz picks. I had been using Dunlop extra heavies for years and really like them. So I played a phrase on my archtop with each pick and found a remarkable difference between them. The jazz pick produced a louder sound that was very fat. The smaller size and texture affords more control when playing faster. I'm sold!
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