hows this for a slight beginner?

[RobertLee]

just a few quick things I'd like to point out....

the backtrack is the one some of you used in a collab about a year ago "slow blues in D".
my playing was completely improvised in one take (after hours of noodling around to try to get the feel for the backtrack) so I do appologize for the mistakes, but as most of you know, with any improvisation there really is no rehersal.
most of the short stops were intentional, some weren't, I'm sure you'll tell the difference.
and I think next time I'll try it with less distortion. this was just a "throw together" to give a sample of my current playing skills (or lack there of ).
so, here it goes

download/file.php?id=955

[MikeJackal]

I think what goes in your credit is that you don't try to overplay. I know a year ago I tried too hard and tended to cram notes in, it is only since listening to the folks here and more importantly to me, hours of listening to Peter Green, that I learned that the blues needs lots of room to breathe in between licks. You have the presence of mind thats needed to be a good blues guitarist, then fluency in your playing will obviously come with more time and practice.
Overall I enjoyed listening and your playing and tone reminds me of me! (without trying to sound pompous).

[VikingBlues]

Mike has pretty well covered what I would think of saying.

It is clear from listening to the recording that you are playing with regard to the backing track - your improv is tying in well with the structure and chords of the BT. And yes, with more time and practice the fluency will get better.

Like Mike I approve of the economy of notes in your improv and the use of pauses to let the music breathe. You seem to feel there would be a benefit from less distortion and I would tend to agree - but be aware that I have a bit of a mental block with this in that I hate my own playing in direct proportion to the amount of overdrive I use.

"One take after hours of noodling" is a good road to travel, and while there may have been "mistakes" in there, I didn't hear any glaring errors. Overall I think you're definitely on the right road and heading in the right direction.

[RobertLee]

Thank you Mike and VB for your reviews. I greatly appreciate everything that you guys have said. It gave me a good feeling to not be put down as so many others have done in the past. So again I say Thank You!

[HalfBlindLefty]

Well done !
Mike @ VB said most of what I could have :)
Leaves me with the task to tell you, to try not to fret the notes so strong they sound exactly right for the whole sustain period.

I can hear you thinking WHAT... What I'm trying to point out is give the notes with a longer sustain a little room. F.I. with a very slight vibrato.
Towards the end of the note, try and start releasing the pressure ever so slightly. That makes the note less chopped of sounding. The light vibrato adds flavour to the note.
I do it a lot, just to add flavour. Most people won't even notice the vibrato or recognize it for what it is. the string movement is miniscule sometimes no real movement, just pressure changes sideways. (Works only if you are not pressing too hard to fret the note)
If your press hard on a guitar with mini jumbo or jumbo frets the note will go out of tune a little. My guitars have smaller frets :)

Another trick I use, is to just about fret the note, hit the string with my pick and push down to really fret the note. Makes the note start softer.

Hehe, the more I think about how I play these things, more, more and more trick techniques etc surface, things I gout used to using without even thinking about them.

Still Good job from your side

[RobertLee]

Thank you HBL for the review and advice. I do try to incorprate vibrato in to long sustained notes, guess my technique just doesn't pick up on the recordings as well as it does live, but that could be for the reasons you stated. The current technique I use it to release my grip from the neck so that only the finger being used to fret the note is touching and basically lightly shake my hand (and finger as a result) back and forth. I may still be fretting the notes too hard. I will try to lighten up and see how that works out for me. Again, I thank you for the advice, it is much appreciated.

[ratfinkdan]

Good job Robert, you had some good ideas in there. I think its a good idea to record stuff, it lets you listen back to what you really play. We don't really hear ourselves in the mix when were sitting and noodling over something, I know myself I think WOW that was really cool, then I listen back to the recording and go well maybe not. But it forces us to really listen and start pulling out the parts that do work and then we can work on the other parts, and if you keep recording stuff you can go back and hear how you are improving as a player. As you mentioned, I would use less distortion, go for a smoother slighly overdriven tone and maybe try and pull the lead guitar down in the mix a little, you want to hear it over everything but you want it to sit in the mix so it feels like part of the mix, hope that makes sense. Keep up the good work!

[12bar]

For a "slight beginner" this was too good! Jamming 3:46 nonstop without sounding boring is really hard work. It shows that you have plenty ideas of what to play, I especially like the tone change around 2:28
You also have the basic technique, things will improve with practice. Bends get more precise, phrasing more fluid, nothing to worry about - just keep on playing on this level.

[RobertLee]

Thank you guys for your encouraging words and advice.

Ratfinkdan, your advice about the mixing levels makes perfect sence to me. I have often encountered this problem before, but will make sure I listen harder next time to get the levels more even.

For a "slight beginner" this was too good!

I say "slight beginner" because it is my journey into the world of Blues that has only just begun. though I have spent the better part of the last 4 years focusing on the composition of music rather than my skills as a player.

[losaavedra]

Good effort this, in my opinion. The most useful (hopefully!) comment I might make is that, because the blues originated from a sung (rather than purely instrumental) form, the latter gets to be 'more the blues' if what's played on the lead guitar follows, or rather is offset against, whatever might be there as the vocal part. The purpose of the backing track is just to lay down the beat and provide the clues for where the chord changes occur ... i.e. give you the framework of the tune. The vocal bits can do almost anything as long as they broadly fit that framework. The job of the lead bits is to interact with the vocal, usually by providing fill-ins and answerbacks and providing the bit in the middle where the vocalist shuts up for a while. Neither vocal or lead need to stick rigidly to the time of the backing as long as they rejoin it now and again, whereas the backing has to be 'rigid' else everybody just gets lost! The word for what the blues vocal and lead parts are all about is 'syncopation' (see Wiki). A lot of it is about moving the stress points around in 'unexpected' ways or even dropping the beat notes altogether.
Hope this helps a bit.

[DeaconBlues]

From one "beginner" to another, for a "slight beginner"it was very good. The only thing I could suggest is to try using less distortion and play the same licks again but cleaner.