DEC 24 AVOYPS - "Bb Smoothie" - Blues Instrumental Original in Bb

Community Recordings Audio-Video Of You Playing
21

So if I’ve got this right, I take everything we have been learning for 6 months and notch it up a fret and we’ll all get something like this ? :rofl:

Can’t be that simple can it ? Well nooop because that was one sweet Blooze Shane, tastefully put together. Nicely done. :+1:
:sunglasses:

2 Likes
22

It’s the fret markers in the new key Toby.
As soon as you start looking at the fretboard they mess with your head!!

1 Like
23

When I see spots before my eyes, I go for a lie down !!

24

For sure Richard. Not only a great sounding key for Blues, but getting away from fretmarkers as signposts is both challenging and liberating at the same time.

Cheers, Shane

2 Likes
25

Shane, that was fantastic. A huge inspiration that maybe someday I can do something half as great.

Thank you for sharing it.

Bob

1 Like
26

I have this exercise where I take the Unit Medley’s and shift them around the frets, couple here couple there. Its like going on a walk that seems familiar but you’re not sure where you are. Just let the fingers do the walking, they know where to go ! :sunglasses:

2 Likes
27

Sounding really good, Shane. All that dedicated and focused practice you’ve been putting in is paying off big time. Well done.

That’s because you’re always on that treadmill :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

1 Like
28

When I immersed myself in blues some years back, I came to enjoy the key of C.
Pattern 4 based off the root at fret 3 has some satisfying down-the-neck bends and bottom-up linking from 4 through 5 to pattern 1 rooted at fret 8 is cool.
I have a gorgeous Greeny-style backing track in C minor I used a lot.

1 Like
29

Yes, it too enjoy C. That A>G>E>D>C shape across the neck feels good.

30

Same here. Also 30° and a bit warm for this time for this time of year in Minnesota. But it’s 30° F, not C.

1 Like
31

Someone very experienced told me he wished he started sooner (practice) playing guitar without watching the fretboard all the time. I am actively trying this. I discovered two easy ways to force this: 1) play standing up - gravity makes guitar more parallel to your body (even with belly :slight_smile: ) and it is difficult to lean over and see fretboard clearly 2) print tabs in front of you and follow them, although you know song by heart.
As you said, I was surprised how much our fingers work well even without visual ques. It seems also that this way I am more relaxed and less thinking about “difficult” parts, what comes next, etc. and enjoying more.

4 Likes
32

I don’t have anything to add to others comments about the playing, other than to say that was soooo good :+1::+1:

33

SWEEEEEEEEET!!!
Very Tasty Bit 'O Blues you’re sharing Shane!!! Really enjoyed the tempo… it’s a stressful workday & playing your track several times while I’m punching away on the keyboard is a for-sure way to De-Stressify! Thanks for sending some warmth to us folks up North of you!

Tod

1 Like
34

When i first started this journey I played with a friend who’d been gigging since the early 60s. He said most of the time you are on stage you can see f all, so learn to play in the dark or with your eyes closed. After 25+ years I’ve just started to do that again and it teaches you loads.

1 Like
35

You need a PRS!

1 Like
36

Sweet piece of bluezin’!

My feedback;

  • Smooth notes, clean technique; diligent practice paying off.
  • good sense of storytelling your phrasing (you know where oyu are in the 12 bar and how that intuitively forms a storytellign structure). This is hard to quantify in a metric but THE most crucial aspect to blues lead. You show that you got a good sense of it so kudos!
  • A bit bit “scaley up-and-down” at times. You can actually use that by repeating a few notes as a quick motif and even move/down up the motif a note.
  • A bit “evenly timed notes” at times, try to experiment with dynamics of some faster runs with slower; It doesn’t have to be much, a few shorter note licks built in here and there with make the lbues machine a bit more expressive ,) With your clean technique, I’m sure you’re up to it.
1 Like
37

Very much appreciate the listen and the detailed feedback Leiven.
Some self-crititique has highlighted similar to your observations, so good to know that some things I feel that could be improved upon are similar to what you’re hearing.
ie mixing it up a bit more, and finding more interesting ways to get to that next chord tone/chord change; and perhaps with less notes at times.
Thanks again mate. Much appreciated.

Cheers, Shane

2 Likes
38

Hey man you’ve got the blooooze! :sunglasses:
Well done Shane. Super stuff.

1 Like