Mari’s Learning Log

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I got my first guitar the Christmas I had just turned 10. I remember holding it reverently, knowing that there was magic in that little 3/4 size guitar and that I would need to find a way to coax it out of that beautiful instrument. It’s nearly 50 years later and I still believe in the magic inside the guitar, and I’m still trying to coax it out.

Dec 19/21 entry:
I’ve enjoyed starting to look through some of the other Roadcases where folks have posted links to prior recordings. I’ve not been at all organized about saving my recordings so I spent way too much time on that tonight, but I’m happy to have done so because it really does show improvement over the years. My first post on the old Forum was Sept 13/14, wondering if Justin had any plans to come to Canada again, and then Oct 1/14, asking a question about overseas delivery for Justin’s songbooks. No posts after that until Jul 14/17, when I became an active member of the Forum. There were only 2 recordings that I couldn’t find (Wake Me Up, and Tears in Heaven), not counting Christmas songs, and soloing / improvs. If I count the 18 tracks on the ‘Album’ of covers my partner and I recorded in the fall of 2020 (and I am counting them!), that leaves me with 42 recordings altogether. There’s a few I’d like to revisit, but it’s nice to be able to see that I have learned a lot in the last 4 1/2 years - and that’s thanks to Justin, and everyone who posts and replies and encourages. This is a great community, and I’m very happy to be part of it.

There’s not enough electric guitar in these tracks - I hope to start changing that in 2022.

01 Distant Dream Stream Distant Dream by emb | Listen online for free on SoundCloud
Jul 15/17
Original Song, written ~ 1985

02 Nobody Knows You Nobody Knows You 2015 07 18 - YouTube
Jul 21/17
Recorded Jul 15/15
Krista on Vocals

03 Into the Mystic Stream Into the Mystic by emb | Listen online for free on SoundCloud
Aug 17/17

04 This Old Guitar Stream This Old Guitar (John Denver cover) by emb | Listen online for free on SoundCloud
Sept 16/17

05 Narrow Daylight Stream Narrow Daylight - Diana Krall cover by emb | Listen online for free on SoundCloud
Oct 10/17
Mostly piano, short section with acoustic guitar lead
Krista on Vocals

06 Layla Layla 2017 12 10 - YouTube
Dec 10/17

07 Closer to Fine Stream Closer to Fine dec 23-17 by emb | Listen online for free on SoundCloud
Dec 24/17
Krista on lead Vocals (me on harmonies!)
Recorded on iPhone, poor sound levels

08 At Seventeen Stream At Seventeen Jan 11 - 18 by emb | Listen online for free on SoundCloud
Jan 11/18
Krista on Vocals

09 Let It Be Stream Let It Be Jan 28 - 18 Final by emb | Listen online for free on SoundCloud
Jan 28/18

10 Hallelujah Stream Hallelujah by emb | Listen online for free on SoundCloud
Apr 4/18

11 Harvest Moon Stream Harvest Moon (JG May - June 2018) by emb | Listen online for free on SoundCloud
May 31/18

12 Breathless Stream Breathless by emb | Listen online for free on SoundCloud
Jul 21/18
Original song
Recorded ~ 2008 (poor quality recording)
Krista on Vocals

13 Love Is Hard Stream Love Is Hard by emb | Listen online for free on SoundCloud
Jul 21/18
Original song
Recorded ~ 2008 (poor quality recording)
Krista on Vocals

14 Listen to the Music Stream Listen To The Music Cover by emb | Listen online for free on SoundCloud
Aug 24/18

15 Fallin Stream Fallin (music & lyrics by Krista Reinelt) by emb | Listen online for free on SoundCloud
Dec 6/18
Written by Krista Reinelt
Krista on Vocals
My only part is a short lead guitar bit

16 Autumn Leaves Stream Autumn Leaves (Jazz #1) by emb | Listen online for free on SoundCloud
Jan 19/19

17 Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door Knocking On Heaven’s Door - YouTube
Oct 2018
Collaboration with DavidP
I’m on lead & electric guitar, David’s on everything else

18 Here Comes the Sun Here Comes The Sun no vocals - YouTube
Jun 9/19

19 The Valley Runs Low The Valley Runs Low 2019 12 14 - YouTube
Dec 14/19

20 Honky Tonk Woman Stream HTW Feb 9-20 final by emb | Listen online for free on SoundCloud
Feb 9/20
Krista on Vocals
Guitar sound is poor (I think we recorded this on an iPhone)

21 – 38 Just Because Stream emb | Listen to Just Because (Krista & Mari) playlist online for free on SoundCloud
Nov 11/20
‘Album’ of covers, recorded Summer/Fall 2020
All vocals by Krista

  • We’re Here For A Good Time
  • Old Time Rock and Roll
  • I’ll Be
  • Have You Ever Seen The Rain
  • Your Song
  • Blue Moon
  • Time After Time
  • Nobody Knows You
  • You’ve Really Got a Hold On Me
  • The Break Up Song
  • Wagon Wheel
  • Heart of Gold
  • Long as I Can See The Light
  • Dock of the Bay
  • Eclipse
  • This Old Guitar
  • The Break Up Song (remix)
  • Wagon Wheel (remix)

39 Brown Eyed Girl Login • Instagram
Dec 31/20

40 Some Day Stream Some Day (lyrics & music M Bishop) by emb | Listen online for free on SoundCloud
Mar 28/21
Original Song

41 Blue Stream Blue (a Lucinda Williams cover) by emb | Listen online for free on SoundCloud
Jul 2/21
Collaboration with my cousin Greg
Greg Bishop - lead vocals
Krista Reinelt - backing vocals
Cohen Bishop - shaker egg
Chris Goodchild - mandolin, percussion, organ
Mari Bishop - guitar, bass, strings

42 Tears in the Rain Tears in the Rain - a work in progress - YouTube
Jul 18/21

43 She Talks to Angels (Collab with The Madman) She Talks to Angels (Collab with The Madman)
Dec 30/21

44 Society (an Eddie Vedder cover) Society (an Eddie Vedder cover)
Jan 4/22

45 Fire and Rain (w Krista on vocals) Fire and Rain (w Krista on vocals)
Jan 9/22

46 Fly Me To the Moon (Ukulele!) Fly Me To the Moon (Ukulele!)
Apr 13/22

47 Wonderful World / 59th St Bridge Song mashup Wonderful World / 59th St Bridge Song mashup
Aug 20/22

48-51 Fingerstyle Guitar
#1 - It Must Have Been Love https://youtu.be/t9jFBy8ZmGQ
#2 - Stand By Me https://youtu.be/QNAxIAY4P8E
#3 - Summertime https://youtu.be/Hbk9oYPKPAw
#4 - Sacrifice https://youtu.be/Hbk9oYPKPAw
Apr 15/23

JG Open Mics
OM 1: Far From Me (John Prine), and I remember Everything (John Prine)
JG Livestream: The Man Who Sold The World (Bowie / Nirvana)
OM 2: Mama Tried (Merle Haggard / The Everly Brothers), and The Heart of Saturday Night (Tom Waits)
OM 4: Only You (Yaz), and Sister Golden Hair (America)
OM 6: Ain’t Even Done With the Night (John Mellencamp)
OM 7 - with Krista: Wild Horses (Rolling Stones)
OM 8 - with Krista: Nobody Knows You When You’re Down & Out (Clapton)
OM 10: 59th St Bridge Song / Wonderful World mashup (Paul Simon, Louis Armstrong)
OM 15: It Must Have Been Love

Mari

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And doing a mighty fine job of the coaxing, Mari. Though for sure the guitar is an infinite spring of magic and always more for the coaxing.

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I suspect the guitar and its followers over the years, have coaxed the magic out of you ! Always a pleasure to hear you play. :sunglasses:

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What a charming story Mari. You most certainly do coax the magic out of those hollow boxes.

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I :heartpulse: your guitars magic!

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You do a very fine job at coaxing it out Mari.

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7

Looking forward to some more of the story Mari. There’s a lot more magic in there I’m sure.

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9

Thanks for sharing your catalog, Mari, a catalog to be proud of.

The two originals are fabulous. I can hear the influences that I know you have but without calling out anybody specifically.

Had to watch Nobody Knows You again, it inspired me then, it inspires me today to dream of playing the song like you do, rather than the simple campfire cowboy chord strum a dum dum way that I can do (need to dust it off and add it to my repertoire)

And I can also put Layla on my Dream list. I had a look at that as I had a vague recollection of you starting that off with the electric, having a laugh, before performing on the acoustic. But no electric on the video, so either I’ve the wrong song or the fun bit has been (regrettably) edited out.

You’ve been an inspiration and encouragement to me since I joined the Forum in 2017. I look forward to the next 42!

Bravo, take a bow, my friend.

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You have the right song, David, but no editing out I just couldn’t find the video with the electric riffs as an intro. Perhaps that’s telling me to revisit / relearn both versions??

Thanks for dropping in and commenting :smiley:

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Mari

Great to see your RC and the back catalogue, so pleased you found them. I’ve bookmarked this so I can come back for a listen but again its good to see and hear how folks have progressed. This can do nothing but encourage those new to the Community or those who were maybe lurking in the shadows on the old forum.

Thank you.

Cheers

Toby
:sunglasses:

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…And then along comes Mari!

So cool to see you here. I’m digging the history of tracks as well. Nice!

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I (re)started Justin’s Major Scale Maestro course, and as per other discussions decided to share my progression. Any input / tips / suggestions would be gratefully accepted. I’m not a snowflake, I don’t melt, so fire away! (Snowflake reference comes about from a different topic :slight_smile: ). My plan is to complete Major Scale Maestro 1, Rhythm, and Maestro 2, then go and explore Justin’s blues courses.

I did try a G major jam in one of the Forum competitions, and I recall that it’s one thing to get something melodic, and something else entirely to get something that feels like / sounds like a solo. I’m still working on melodic, hopefully at some point I will figure out how to make it sound like a solo!

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Sound like a solo to me Mari. You did good for your first solo post

:sunglasses:

I think you need to work on your bends. When soloing using a Major Scale quarter tone bends can sound off (they work well using minor pent) I do like you slow bends they add to the melodic feel

Your phasing is good but you could hold some of the note longer and instead of picking every
note or putting in a bend try sliding up to the next note and then back to the previous note.
Adding this to you play will help your ear judge whether or not your bends are in tune.

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Wow, that’s quite a catalogue Mari. I’ll gradually work my way through listening to them over the next while. A lot of them are from before my time on the old Forum.

Well done on finding and putting your back catalogue together.

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Thanks for the comments and suggestions @stitch . On the bends I was thinking it would be easier to just bend up 1 fret, so i think the only notes I tried to bend were F# to G, and B to C. Definitely needs practice, I will check out your suggestions. I’m working on learning Parisienne Walkways (minus the 1 super fast little section), and my bends aren’t great but at this point they’re way better than my vibrato!! :smiley:

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Thanks Gordon. Some are crap, some are decent, I hope you find one or 2 you like! Let it Be is possibly my favorite. The lead guitar is far from perfect in it but I liked the overall idea I had.

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@mari

Lovely tone. Your lines followed the chord progression in a melodic way.

In addition to what Stitch suggested I’d add “remember to breathe” if soloing is like singing with guitar then break it up into phrases, pause for breathe, and tell the story.

Good for you. I’m not even at the point of dreaming about working on learning PW :grin:

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Hi Mari,
I just listened to a lot of songs… also discovered a little more how …soundcloud… works, and came across a whole CD there,…great to hear some more songs there… .
And I have a lot more than one or two that I really liked to listen/see. :sunglasses:
Saw a compilation on the forum a while ago in your garden…that was good to see too.
Now I’m busy myself again in the hope to be able to post something in the sondcloud myself…my break is now over, guitar time now.
Greetings, Rogier

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Mari

Sounded good for a first attempt. I can only echo what Stitch and David have said. Work on the bends and don’t be afraid of the silence, even a whole bar of nothing. Its oh so easy to think you need to fill everygap,Istillfallintothattrap.

There are some good phrases throughout the piece. If you can pick some sections out that sound good to you, try looping them in Reaper and see how you can develop them, maybe let them linger. Collect some go to runs, that can be used again, maybe in a different part of the neck.

All in all, a good foundation to start from.

Cheers

Toby
:sunglasses:

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21

Thanks for listening and commenting David. And I know I’ve heard similar descriptive language before but I think maybe a lightbulb just went off. We’ll see how that translates into music when I practice.

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