I would like to share with you my new one song I learned.
Its Unchained Melody arranged by Chris from Six String Fingerpicking.
It took me around 3-4 weeks, the song is “really” long and it has some tricky sections or chords like “Bb”. The recording is not cleanest as usual… I am doing really bad mistakes while camera is on. The mistakes I dont do at all while playing without camera.
On the other hand I dont wanna hide my mistakes for camera… I am trying not to that tough on myself and just enjoy and move on. Because if I drill it to 100% perfection it would cost me really lot and perfect takes goes always without camera.
This song taught me some sweet slides and exercise for fingers - the spread is sometimes really big. Also new chords… and I just enjoy some parts of this song so much! I can play it all day and not get bored.
That’s so true, unfortunately… There was even a topic on how to overcome a certain degree of ‘performance fear’ when things get worse as soon as we hit that RECORD button
But even without perfection I like your interpretation of the song (not the easiest one, indeed) very much.
Really nice playing Michal. I see progress in each of the songs you post. You are great example for new students of guitar. I added Unchained Melody to my songs to learn list, so thanks for that! Now someone needs to invent an invisible camera so we won’t know we’re being recorded and will play perfectly.
Thank you all for kind words.
More I listen back to this recording more I see how critic I am to myself. I really like this take and I am gonna jump straight to play it live for myself again. ^
I am gonna “rest” few days and then I will jump to another piece so my repertoire grow!
@mfeeney0110 I am really happy for that. I can really say everything is possible. I am also glad to inspire you! Definitely check out tutorial on Six String Fingerpicking.
One technique I have used in the past it to leave the camera running. Don’t turn it on at the beginning of each ‘take’. After a while it becomes less of a distraction, if not entirely invisible.
@mathsjunky Yeah, I got in mind that getting use to it is only way to do it. If I compare my first recordings and now… I am like on movie star level now.
But there is still a lot to do!
I think lot of “kid” streamers on middle or high school did live stream playing so they can improve their verbal and nonverbal skills. And through many of their content you can really see how much they improve.
And if I should be more specific… Paul Davids has some quality of videos 7 years ago and now and its really noticeable how he improved.
One more thing I would like to share… and I am not sure if I can explain it enough, but…
When I was learning that song through whole time… I was hearing the melody line different. I think it was my internal error… and into this place really comes that I will start to record myself more often and analyze that.
Because after I performed this and was listening to it… I was like “hey why does it sound different and much better than when I play it live” and then I noticed my brain somehow did not took the 4th beat as melody one in the beginning. Because there is note that is ringing through pattern and somehow… I just did not hear it like that. It was the difference also when I was listening to Chris performance vs. mine. Like I still learned it right and in the end… the result was better than I felt through whole process. It is just strange.
And I really put time into writing down TABs… listening to original by Righteous Brothers and also version performed by Elvis Presley. Maybe little difference is that original song and this arrangement feels different, because in original there is main thing the singing line and in fingerstyle way there is everything done by playing with melody… hmm… I dont know.
Is it some user error for the first time or somehow… I “re-learned” how to hear some melodies?
Did it happen to you, anyone?
I am not sure if I can explain it enough.
By the end of this… I would like to mention here, that when I was doing my driver licence 8 years ago… my instructor told me I am really philosopher.
Good job Michal. Very delicately played, good articulation.
If you want to next level this - I think your timing drifts a bit on some of the chord changes. It is fine for a solo acoustic guitar but getting that timing perfect will make it sound a bit better.
@Corpral Thank you, you started with this song year ago or with learning guitar?
Btw, I can see this is your first post ever in community. Maybe if you want… you can make topic about introducing yourself and tell us your guitar story.
@jkahn Thank you very much for right bad review point (I really appreciate it).
You are right. I got here few spots where I cant do chord change that smooth and also… my enemy and I think I wont change it. I am playing it by feel and ear, not with metronome. Like everything.
Now I got this in my repertoire pocket and I think if I play it daily like I wanna enjoy the tune, it will get better through time without extra pressure and I can get more into something else… right now working on Boom Base Licks vol. 1 by Justin and I am loving it. I am learning it really “fast” and it is starting to sound good.
