|
Post by fatfingerjohn on Mar 31, 2020 18:25:00 GMT
This is for those of us (I guess most of us) who are locked down now. Instead of me just aimlessly doing bits and pieces over the next 2-3 months I'm the sort of person who needs some discipline to actively learn things and not settle into the comfort zone or flit around everywhere. So I make a list! Here's mine ...
1. Try to finally crack doing a proper Travis pick at speed and then apply it to at least 6 songs, starting with The Boxer. 2. Have another serious go at DADGAD; not as a different way of accompanying songs that I know, but to learn new ones suitable to this tuning and try some solo pieces. I tried to get this going after Halifax 2 or 3 years ago but gave up. 3. Expand my repertoire of songs that I do in Open D. 4. Spend at least 2 full weeks not playing anything that I know now and play quite well; force myself to do new stuff (which can be related to the above). In this 2 weeks do NOT go back into the comfort zone. 5. Get back to some serious songwriting; time available is no longer an excuse.
I'd be interested to read other people's Top 5 (or 3 or even 1); it may make me change the above.
FFJ
|
|
|
Post by bellyshere on Mar 31, 2020 19:00:26 GMT
I’ve trying to learn some ragtime blues pieces and I may even try and learn a Davy Graham tune.
|
|
|
Post by martinrowe on Mar 31, 2020 20:01:08 GMT
I usually meet with another guitarist for a day every couple of weeks and this mean that a lot of the things that I play are little fills and attempts to fit in with the other guitar player and attempts at new arrangements - that has stopped happening due to the present circumstances. I also switch between different styles/instruments and have been concentrating on the Mandolin for quite a while. I've gone back to some solo guitar
I'm playing a lot of fingerstayle blues and trying to apply Lute technique to it. The thumb goes inside the fingers (towards the palm) instead of outside and you pick the treble strings with the part of the finger furtherest away from the thumb - this means little finger resting on the fingerboard - I know, tut, tut. I'm also trying to use rest strokes when using the bass runs. So far all of this has improved the sound and is keeping things interesting.
This means I'm usually playing Gary Davis' Hesitation Blues, a combination of Robert Johnson bits that I've merged into one, and most of the time, Willie Walker's South Carolina Rag - I've been trying to play that for years. As with the others I'm happy to have even got to the stage where I can attempt this and play some acceptable music.
I'm also trying to get that bluegrass strumming. This has meant playing Dylan's When I paint my masterpiece. I've always found strumming difficult so this is stretching me - getting there though. Today I got a decent sound on The Beatles' I saw her standing there - my version is E7. B7, and A7 - happy with that. I'm also applying the Lute technique to Martin Simpson's Jock O'Hazledean that I learnt from one of his old teaching tapes I've been struggling with that for years as well.
The gardening has taken over though, which means I'm playing for enjoyment when I want to - which is nice..
Martin
|
|
|
Post by Onechordtrick on Mar 31, 2020 20:13:57 GMT
1. Try to play the pieces I “know” fluently. 2. Refine my left hand on my nylon guitar. This involves a new position but I’m playing notes more cleanly. 3. Master at least one tune from my O’Carolan book* 4. Play more stuff in standard tuning; although I find myself in drop D quite a lot * not our O’Carolan, the other, less notorious one
|
|
|
Post by bellyshere on Mar 31, 2020 20:42:29 GMT
I’ve rethunk mine. I should relearn most of my own songs.
|
|
mandovark
C.O.G.
Posts: 2,987
Mini-Profile Background: {"image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/Birds_eye_maple.jpg","color":""}
Mini-Profile Name Color: ff003a
Mini-Profile Text Color: 05b724
|
Post by mandovark on Mar 31, 2020 22:00:59 GMT
So far I’ve been spending a lot of time with the octave mandolin that davewhite made for me a couple of years ago. I’ve usually used it when I’ve been playing with other people, mostly doing fills and a few chords. What I’ve never really done with it is solo arrangement, and that’s what I’m getting into now. At the moment I’m working on a couple of old hymn tunes, which is a handy place to start for me because I know the four-part choral arrangements so am starting with an idea of how they’re usually harmonised. I don’t have any specific plans beyond working on these pieces, but will see where it leads.
|
|
|
Post by dreadnought28 on Apr 1, 2020 9:25:20 GMT
Currently I'm doing further work on mandolin and banjo and adding new songs to my solo repertoire, Appalachian dulcimer and cittern to follow. Must admit I'm enjoying the forced solitude, discovering walks I had never bothered to try all around here and experimenting with vegetarian cooking. The silence, other than natural sounds, leaves so much space to think and play. Added bonus, I've lost 12lbs in 2 weeks.
I wonder how people will react to cranking life back up again after a sustained period of lockdown? And who will afford to?
|
|
|
Post by andyhowell on Apr 1, 2020 9:32:26 GMT
I’ve rethunk mine. I should relearn most of my own songs. I know. It can be embarrassing.
|
|
|
Post by andyhowell on Apr 1, 2020 9:34:42 GMT
Finish off writing those songs that I haven’t been bothered to finish;
Some rehearsal for some YouTube sets.
Practice more instrumental tunes and maybe compose some new ones.
Planning a transatlantic concert with my Brazilian sister in law.
Give the guitar a clean (nah scrub that)
|
|
|
Post by delb0y on Apr 1, 2020 9:43:00 GMT
Mine is not to break any more guitars!
I'm still trying to find a way into the world of gypsy jazz guitar (or even non-gypsy jazz guitar) and to be able to solo over the rapidly (or even slowly) changing chords. To figure out how to do this - or even to figure out a roadmap on how to do this - is my current plan.
Luckily (!) I'm able to work from home, so I've not much extra learning time to any other period in my life. The big difference, however, is no gigs, so this is the one time in my life I don't have to practice other styles in order to be ready for gigs, thus leaving me free to try something new.
Derek
|
|
|
Post by andyhowell on Apr 1, 2020 9:58:52 GMT
Luckily (!) I'm able to work from home, so I've not much extra learning time to any other period in my life. The big difference, however, is no gigs, so this is the one time in my life I don't have to practice other styles in order to be ready for gigs, thus leaving me free to try something new. I'm surprised how much I'm missing gigs and realised how often I'm playing at clubs around me. I've realised it is important to practice singing more often as well as the guitar! Am goiung to be doing some YouTube mini session things as I realise I have missed the simple act of performing. The advantage this time is that I don't have to duck the rotten tomatoes!
|
|
|
Post by martinrowe on Apr 1, 2020 10:32:09 GMT
dreadnought28 'I've lost 12lbs in 2 weeks'. What do you think is the cause of that - vegetables and walking?
|
|
|
Post by fatfingerjohn on Apr 1, 2020 12:34:41 GMT
dreadnought28 'I've lost 12lbs in 2 weeks'. What do you think is the cause of that - vegetables and walking? Or 18 hours a day strumming?
|
|
minorkey
C.O.G.
Too many instruments, too little time
Posts: 2,992
My main instrument is: hurting my fingers!
Mini-Profile Background: {"image":"","color":"72dd98"}
|
Post by minorkey on Apr 1, 2020 12:43:46 GMT
Hmm pretty much no difference here except the kids are home so I have to wrangle to get practice space
|
|
|
Post by NikGnashers on Apr 3, 2020 6:02:21 GMT
1 - Perfect my cover of 'never going back again' by Lindsey Buckingham, because it's terrible.
2 - Try some Nick Drake songs (I only play Pink Moon).
3 - Try some John Martyn songs (I only play may you never).
4 - Learn some old rag stuff.
|
|