NeilES335

Hi Wim; thank you so much... I have worked at it, so it's nice to know that it's yielding some results. I haven't been much for using a metronome in the past, but I found especially for recording it's a real necessity and a valuable asset. I've really noticed your playing progress too... whereas I've focused on jazz you've branched out to all sorts of genre's which makes you a very good all-around player. Well done Sir! N

@3rdwaverider @Nutty 1 and others who gave me a Like; thank you so much for your kind comments. @3rdwaverider I especially appreciate the feedback. These points are just what I've been working on... clear articulation of each note, allowing the right notes to ring out, others muted as appropriate. I should also mention, credit for this arrangement goes to the great contemporary jazz guitarist, Frank Vignola, Truefire Jazz Studio. ps.@3rdWaverider I did post a Beatles song previously; "Till there Was You"

@Simira @Mike Hoodenpyle @Wim VD1 and those who gave me a thumbs up, Thank you for your kind comments. N

I realise this isn't the Beatles... but it is a Christmas Song. My little contribution to the Christmas season; a recording of "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas". I hope you enjoy it, and it spreads a little joy to you and yours. I'm Dedicating this recording to my Dear Mother, who went to be with the Lord, 4years ago this week. Mom loved Christmas so much and made it very special for all of us. God Bless; Neil (see MP3 attached file below) Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas-003.mp3

Dear Mandy; Allow me, along with the others, to express my sincere condolences to you on your husband's passing. I hope that you will find some comfort in knowing your friend are thinking and praying for you. I hope also that you can find some solace in your music when you are able. God Bless; Neil

Hi Folks; I haven't posted a song for a while so I thought it's time... Here's my rendition of a classic "Blue Moon". (Gibson ES335, Focusrite 2i2 interface direct to Reaper DAW) I hope you enjoy listening. All the Best! Neil "Blue Moon" is a classic popular song written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart in 1934. It may be the first instance of the familiar "50s progression" in a popular song and has become a standard ballad. The song was a hit twice in 1949 with successful recordings in the U.S. by Billy Eckstine and Mel Tormé. In 1961, "Blue Moon" became an international number-one hit for the doo-*** group The Marcels, on the Billboard 100 chart and in the UK Singles chart. Over the years, "Blue Moon" has been covered by various artists, including versions by Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday, Elvis Presley, Sam Cooke, The Platters, The Mavericks, Dean Martin, Yvonne De Carlo, The Supremes, Cyndi Lauper, Bob Dylan and Rod Stewart. Bing Crosby included the song in a medley on his album On the Happy Side (1962). The Cowboy Junkies recorded the song on their album The Trinity Sessions. It is also the anthem[1] of English Football League club Crewe Alexandra and English Premier League football club Manchester City, who have both adapted the song slightly. Credit; Wikipaedia

Well done David; I'm into chord melody as well. Do you have a Lead Sheet for this great tune you can share? Thanks; Neil

Excellent Wim. Well done sir. N

Why not now? I hesitated initially, but I certainly don't regret the decision. I said then, "even if I never have another guitar, then I will have the best I can, and I can play any style I want with it" . Well, I do have others good guitars that I love, but this one is a keeper for life. I see plenty of guitar players load up their homes with a dozen lesser guitars, most that they don't play often. If they had spent the money on one ES335 instead, they wouldn't need (or more accurately, want) anything else. Do it. N

Ron; thanks for bringing this to my attention 🙂 I've always wondered how a real late '50's - early "60s ES335 would sound and play vs the recent models. (Mine's a 2011, DOT) These "reissues" would likely be the next best thing... (maybe better). I'll have to have a listen when I have a 1/2 hour.

Yes, the Triads Course is on my agenda also. Triads are used frequently in jazz guitar, so I think this will be very beneficial to me. (Im already playing some, but a deeper understanding of the positions would be better) . N

Wim; Let me add my hearty Congratulations on finishing tge Fingerstyle course, along with all the others. To the best of my recollection you are the only LMG Star student to have done so! You've become and excellent player and more than that, a musician. All the best in your continued musical 🎼🎸journey👍😊. Neil

I would agree as well. I've found that using my Looper pedal while practicing is a great help in hearing exacty how you sound. I record the rhythm track and play the melody over it to practice the tune and the timing. It's a bit frustrating at times to get a "clean" track and often takes many many attempts, but it's well worth it in the end, whether you are practicing or recording. Now I'm more familiar with it (there was a pretty steep learning curve), I also use my recording software "Reaper" for this when I want to capture a track to save. Pro backing tracks are good too, but I prefer doing both parts.

interesting... N

@RockVox If it's any consolation to you.. I have "finished" the LMG course, but I confess, I never really "mastered' Canon in D. I learned enough to know that fingerstyle guitar is a sub-genre that requires certain skills. As Simira says, with many of us it's still a "work in progress" . But of course that doesn't mean this applies to you! Just take it slow and steady, and pretty soon we'll hear your recording of this classic here. N

@RockVox Canon in D is quite a challenging fingerstyle song. Expect to spend some time with it. I suggest you go at it a few bars at a time, building on each bar moving into the next.. If you have only been at this course for 5 months and are at S10, I must assume you have some prior experience, or, perhaps you've moved ahead too swiftly. Most students take far longer, (possibly a year or more) to get there . If you are confused or struggling I suggest you go back and review prior lesson which do teach these skills that are bothering you.

Congrats @Six String Ive also heard they are a very versatile (and popular) amp.

Very unlikely. Is there actually a market for these? I've seen lots of these sort of ideas come and go nowhere. Someones great idea but unless you can sell it... (expensive too) N

@Nutty 1 Well done 🙂 Fingerstyle is a real challenge... You're nearly there on this song; just a bit more polish and you've got it down pat. I've seen quite an improvement in your playing too.. N

If you really want to hear how YOU sound, make your own "backing track" with you playing the rythym part.

12/8 is known as a compound time signature. The 12 refers to the beats, and the 8 refers to 8th notes. It's acutally a slow beat like the blues... who better than a drummer to explain here; https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?fr=mcafee&p=12%2F8+time+signature%2C#id=1&vid=9e2588127f89e708caf10f35ccb48a5c&action=click

@Ionut. 1. Dont struggle to retain finger pressure on a string for a note you're not playing. Dont lift your finger , just release the pressure leaving your finger lightly touching in place until you need to move your hand for another position. 2.Open strings will ring. They're supposed to. At this point just play the next note and dont worry about muting strings. That comes later. Cheers: Neil

The comment about this talent( of being able to hear a song just once and play it exactly with no mistakes ) is usually made about Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, according to a music theory book I am currently reading... (Music Theory 101 by Brain Boone and Marc Shonbrun). Although Bob Dylan (born Robert Allen Zimmerman; May 24, 1941) was/is a brilliant musican, I have my doubts he is on the same plain as Mozart. Actually the atribution goes so far as to say MOZART could "listen to music just once and then write it down note for note from memory without any mistakes".