Rachel Coles - Learning Log

Me too, agree…
but it has already improved! There were more flat bends and the “flatness” was worse, or my ears must be cheating me today! :slight_smile:

It’s great to see you advance!

1 Like

I agree about the bends Rick…
Rachel, as a BLIM alumni, has lifetime access to a lesson Justin created for the course that is perhaps even better suited to revisiting the technique in the BLIM course, Unit 1.
Blues Bending in 10 Steps

1 Like

Day 7 - Blues Improv 30 day challenge

Two short video’s trying to get my bends right and also my vibrato.


2 Likes

Rachel

You are finding some good, melodic lines and, to my ear, the bends are improving. It’s enjoyable watching your development.

Brian

1 Like

This is cool! Just started with Justin. Blues player at heart and am looking forward to this kind of progress, nice!

1 Like

Thank you all for the comments on my bending and vibrato techniques and how I need to improve them. I spent most of today practicing my bends/vibrato and trying to get them right, hence the short video’s mainly focusing on doing bends and some vibrato.

1 Like

The best thing you can do now Rachel is to listen to your videos with an objective mind and really listen to your bends. They are getting better at hitting the right note but then you cut them off or fall back into releasing then slightly.
You need to hit the correct note and hold it to pitch for a full beat.

You are getting better with every video and I don’t want to sound like a broken record but with bends you need to get them right or you will get used to hearing bad bends. You are not just learning bends you’re training your ears to hear what good bends should sound like.

By getting the basic technique down and being able to hit the notes you want to hit(1 1/2 tone, full tone, half tone, curl) is the most important thing to improvising or soloing in general.

Keep up the good work looking forward to tomorrow’s video.

2 Likes

Learning Log
‘Albatross’ by Peter green (Fleetwood Mac)
Me playing Albatross by Peter Green. Some some minor tweaks to iron out but nearly there.

3 Likes

Hi Rachel
I’ve always loved Albatross and learned to play it about a year ago.
Like you, I got it all into place but I’d only just started with bending so it always sounded a bit off.

How long have you been learning it?

Hi David,

Only learnt it last month, by accident and then left it as I was concentrating on my blues improv. Picked it up yesterday again and decided to video myself playing it today. Will do a better version this week. I do love the song. As you can see from the comments my bends need work but for Albatross I think I got the bends down.
Just keep practicing the bends and they will get better :blush:

1 Like

Yep!….:grinning_face_with_big_eyes:

You’re doing well with Albatross for one month in.
As you say, it needs ironing out but the only advice I can give you is to listen to Justin playing it in the lesson and then keep trying to emulate his sound. If you can keep getting closer to it, then you’ll keep improving.

Hearing you play this has inspired me to pick it up again when I’ve finished Blim. I have some ironing to do too! :roll_eyes:

1 Like

Good job Rachel your bends are getting better. I’d suggest listening to Justin’s 3rd lesson of Albatross. It starts with the full tone bend release to a half tone then back to full bend, pay attention to how he holds the full tone bend at pitch before releasing it to the half tone hold then full tone again.
Each note needs to be at in tune.
I think this is whats missing in your bends. You need not rush, each bent note needs it’s own space of clarity. Just like playing 3 seperate note.
If you can get this one section right and to pitch your off to the races.

Please take your time and make sure each bend is in tune. Remember you are also training your ears. If you keep playing flat bends you will have a really ha4d time breaking that habit later

2 Likes

Good effort Rachel. Another timeless masterpiece by Peter Green.
And its a real ‘bendathon’ this one, so its a great teacher. All the bending techniques and skillsets are pretty much in this one.

There’s certainly impovement overall; just keep working on both bend pitch and duration.

Try softening the pick attack too overall, which helps give this song its mellow, dreamy tone.

Whenever I listen to the original, its almost as if it’s playing itself, emanating from the ether. Peter Green will do that to you…:smiling_face_with_sunglasses:

Cheers, Shane

2 Likes

Day 8 - Blues Improv 30 day challenge
Decided to try and use all the patterns (1-5) and once again practice my bends and vibrato.
Took notice of what people where saying about my bends and I now use the app ‘Soundcorset’ (recommended by a friend) - it basically shows you what note you are playing or trying to bend it. Actually very helpful. So trying to look at the app while playing to see if I’m bending to the right note.

Using a different backing track today:

Videos:



2 Likes

Rachel

Your last video, 8C, is reported as private.

Very impressed by your playing: the bends are definitely improving and the phrases you’re playing are melodic, with enough variation to maintain interest. Keep on keepin’ on!

Brian

1 Like

Hi Brian,
Checked the video and it’s set to public and friend tested and seems to be working fine.

Thank you for the nuce compliment and I really getting into it. I’ll try and vary the tempo of the backing track over the next week.

Hey Rachel,

I think you’re doing a great job with the improv work. You have a really good sense for phrasing and letting notes breath. Keep it up!

1 Like

Nice. Love the hat!
Cheers,
Paul

Hi Paul,

Thank you, which one? :grinning_face:

The black fedora :smiling_face_with_sunglasses:

1 Like