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Stuck in my learning


knightgodinmontreal

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Hi eveyone,

I need tips, advice or encouragement. I'm stuck in one place of my learning and it is very frustrating. After the great Jazz chords Workout by Steve, I've been exploring jazz a little more.  In a fingerstyle way, Bossa Nova and recently Jazz Standards.  But I just can't get my head around on playing over them (improvise). I'm trying to learn the scales\arpeggios of the songs and I get confused after few bars. And then I go listen on spotify a version of the song, and there is a solo (piano or whatever) and it sounds simple, but beautiful. Why can't my fingers just do that?

Patrick

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Steve had three Jazz for guitar books a few months ago. 

Jazz Guitar Volume 1

Nothing But the Blues for Jazz & Rock Guitar Volume 2

The II-V7-I Progression for Guitar Volume 3

These books are workouts in a sense. They explain the principals then they work your skills with backing tracks. They have you play along with the backing track with increasing speed and difficulty as you progress. 

Guitar isn't easy. Stay optimistic and keep pushing on. If you are stuck try something different for a while then come back later. 

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Hi @knightgodinmontreal   

I understand your "stuckness" (to coin a word) .   It sounds like you;re at about the same level as me, and have similar interests, and similar issues too! You didnt say if you're doing the LMG course, but like you I dove into the Fretboard Workout Jazz course and really got a lot out of it. Same as you, I've tried to get into some basic jazz standards, chord melody, and improvisation.  I'm  getting into the arpeggio's too, (Session 14 in the LMG ) which take a while to memorize.   I've felt the same... even after studying for several years it feels like the tip of the iceberg. So what to do. Well, I try not to get discouraged, and just lighten up a bit. Take a break for a few days... Go back and review a lesson that was fun, or something you're "light" on .  Take a stab at a jazz standard simpler song like "Moon River" or  " Autumn Leaves".  If it gets too tough, just let it go and come back to it. It gets easier. With the soloing, Im not great at that; yet! So I bought a book Steve recommended, "Jamie Aebersold Jazz Guitar 1 " This is one of a huge number books he puts out, with Corey Christiansen playing guitar on backing track/ play along, on CDs and even reduced tempo, to teach improvisation.  I haven't reeeally gotten into it yet, but the first couple of chapters look very interesting an not tooo hard.  I plan to get into that in parallel with arpeggios, and trying to finish the LMG course (at least in my lifetime!) 

Jazz guitar isnt for the faint of heart but it is so cool and very rewarding to start thinking of yourself as a musician rather than  "just a guitar player"  When I feel down I just listen to Steve play or maybe Joe Pass or Wes and think to myself... I'll be able to do that one day...soon.

Edited by NeilES335
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@knightgodinmontreal

If you really want to learn all about jazz guitar and the art of jazz improvisation as applied to the guitar, consider Bebop Guitar Improv Series!

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@knightgodinmontreal  Patrick; by the way... nice to see another fellow Canadian on the forum, and apparently a fan of Godin guitars. (I have one too :-) Is that the "Montreal" model you have or is this more where you're from?

Edited by NeilES335
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@NeilES335  Jazz guitar isnt for the faint of heart but it is so cool and very rewarding to start thinking of yourself as a musician rather than  "just a guitar player"  When I feel down I just listen to Steve play or maybe Joe Pass or Wes and think to myself... I'll be able to do that one day...soon.

I appreciate your love of jazz; but I don't believe jazz is a defining element of a musician who happens to play the guitar.  I am personally infatuated with the inclusion of jazz elements with the blues; but many an outstanding bluesman didn't utilize jazz in their work.  

 

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2 hours ago, Plantsman13 said:

@NeilES335  Jazz guitar isnt for the faint of heart but it is so cool and very rewarding to start thinking of yourself as a musician rather than  "just a guitar player"  When I feel down I just listen to Steve play or maybe Joe Pass or Wes and think to myself... I'll be able to do that one day...soon.

I appreciate your love of jazz; but I don't believe jazz is a defining element of a musician who happens to play the guitar.  I am personally infatuated with the inclusion of jazz elements with the blues; but many an outstanding bluesman didn't utilize jazz in their work.  

 

Well no, I didnt mean to imply only jazz style players are musicians. Its not the only style i like or play . Utilizing some jazz elements to the Blues can elevate the usual 1-4-5 into something special.

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Thanks everyone for reaching out. Yes Neil, I've done the Learn and Master course and all the Workouts that Steve have put up in the last few years. I started the Fingerstyle course, but put that away for now to explore Jazz. And for now, it really changed my playing and expanded my knowledge of chords and stuff.

I also play Open Mics once in a while some fingerstyle playing without singing

I've been working lately with courses put up by Marc André Séguin on JAZZGUITARLESSONS.net  Great stuff!! I highly recommend. I guess it will come with hard work and time.

My goal this year was to be able to sit down with a guitar, play fingerstyle songs without sheet music for an hour in front of people.  I'm good for 45 mins (not bad).  So I guess, I'm going to have to work harder on improv.

Neil, my Godin are the LGX, Seagull Artist, Multiac, Radiator and a Belmont with Bigsby. And I now have a Boucher (and oh, they are nice)

Thanks guys

Pat

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1 hour ago, knightgodinmontreal said:

Thanks everyone for reaching out. Yes Neil, I've done the Learn and Master course and all the Workouts that Steve have put up in the last few years. I started the Fingerstyle course, but put that away for now to explore Jazz. And for now, it really changed my playing and expanded my knowledge of chords and stuff.

I also play Open Mics once in a while some fingerstyle playing without singing

I've been working lately with courses put up by Marc André Séguin on JAZZGUITARLESSONS.net  Great stuff!! I highly recommend. I guess it will come with hard work and time.

My goal this year was to be able to sit down with a guitar, play fingerstyle songs without sheet music for an hour in front of people.  I'm good for 45 mins (not bad).  So I guess, I'm going to have to work harder on improv.

Neil, my Godin are the LGX, Seagull Artist, Multiac, Radiator and a Belmont with Bigsby. And I now have a Boucher (and oh, they are nice)

Thanks guys

Pat

Hey that's great Pat!  You have  performing experience too... super!  I've seen Marc Andre' s courses and videos on YouTube... Very good  (I confess I have a bit of trouble understanding he speaks quickly with accent ;-) I have considered doing those also.  

After doing mostly lessons for several years I too need to develop a song repertoire (You are way ahead of me there...) 

You have quite a few Godin guitars so I dont have to tell you how good they are! I'll have to look them up because I dont know some of these models... I have been considering a MultiAC nylon (great for performing, but I'll probably go for the LaPatrie Concert C/w) 

Have you seen the Jamie Aebersold Jazz Guitar 1  book? https://www.long-mcquade.com/36269/Print_Music/Guitar/Aebers/Jamey_Aebersold_Vol_1_-_Jazz_Guitar.htm    

 I'm hoping this will help me with improv. 

Hope you'll check in here once in a while...

Bonne Chance ;-)   N

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Play Guitar Podcast has some pretty good ideas for breaking out of a rut.

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I can give you an explanation from which you gain understanding, but neither I—nor anyone else—can give you motive, dedication, drive, action! The explanation is—assuming you are practicing—that you are learning. It may not be at the pace you want, and there’s a false belief that the more you practice, the faster you learn. Oh, were life like that! Learning is not linear activity. Stop and think about what you’re REALLY trying to accomplish. You’re training your ears, your hands, your eyes, and your mind to work together as a single synergistic (Look it up if you don’t know what it means) ability. This doesn’t happen overnight. Example: One of the greatest Hollywood dancers was Eleanor Powell. She began ballet as a child, didn’t start tap dancing until she was twenty, worked out daily for years, and became during her lifetime the most marvelous talent in the nation. Look up on Youtube her dance scene with the drummer Buddy Rich. So stop and think about what you’re doing. Progress comes in dribs and drabs—but it comes. It may be painfully slow to your ego, but don’t give up. Keep keeping on! We’ll admire you for it. Lotsa luck.

 

Edited by John Wells
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Pretty amazing [Eleanor Powell and Buddy Rich]. I wonder if that was shot in one take - if so, it is even more amazing.

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55 minutes ago, Dave White said:

Pretty amazing [Eleanor Powell and Buddy Rich]. I wonder if that was shot in one take - if so, it is even more amazing.

Looks like it was...?

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Yes I have the Jamey Aebersold Vol1 which Steve recommended.  I might go back to it.  Thanks for the other comments guys.  I've been trying to think outside of the Pentatonics (which I played all my life in rock and blues).  Maybe learning a few Jazz Licks might help breaking the ice.

Neil, for the Multiac, I suggest the model "slim". The neck is not a chunky classical, more like hybrid between a classical and steel string. Very nice to play live indeed.  I use it often for the Open Mics.

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Thanks V7#5b9. Looks like a great site and I've seen this man on Youtube not long ago.  I will definitely consider that at one point.

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