Joined: Sat Dec 22, 2007 3:07 pm Posts: 7088 Location: Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
Re: Having troubles learning this thing? Tell us...
Boaz wrote:
Something that may sound simple yet (for me) it is not: Playing the same note on the same fret with different finger-over and over-fluently.
This is something a lot of Stick players have trouble with, mostly because they don't feel comfortable shifting their hand along the board to make it happen.
This was one of the first things I learned to do (I wanted to play "The Sheltering Sky").
One answer is hand movement. As long as you anchor your thumb in one place, it's hard to do this kind of thing fluidly...
This is the reason that repeated notes are the very first thing in the warmup exercises in The Stick Book (pages 2-1 and 2-2), and why I use them as a way to develop finger independence. Stick Book Chapter 5, and Basic Free Hands Technique DVD, section
Repeated notes are the foundation of rock and roll, they are at least 20% of all simple melodies we learn as kids, they are everywhere in classical music and jazz, as I like to say, "Charlie Parker also had a tongue..."
Skeptical? Don't knock the hand movement concept until you try it. Your "One Note Samba" will thank you, your "Mary Had a Little Lamb" will thank you, your "Barracuda" will thank you, your "Beethoven's 5th" will thank you, your "Sheltering Sky" will thank you,and your Mr. PC will really, really thank you...
So.... check out this video for more encouragement along these lines:
Re: Having troubles learning this thing? Tell us...
Some interesting replies, and a fun read. There were definitely some issues that I had earlier on that I was pretty frustrated with... I feel that I now have a series of strategies in place that are dealing with them pretty effectively. (Of course, I am nobody, just an enthusiast)
Anyways, my main issues (towards a longterm goal of being able to self-accompany) were as follows...
1) How long it takes to learn a piece of music... (I have radically reduced my timeframes) 2) Playing "separate" things "simultaneously" with both hands and 3) A definite practice methodology that fosters continuous and rapid growth
Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2008 12:28 am Posts: 1059 Location: Melbourne, AUSTRALIA
Re: Having troubles learning this thing? Tell us...
kevin-c wrote:
i want to hear an entire piece from you.....not just 60 secs... just saying. peace and luv kev
Kev , cutting straight to the chase
_________________ Bruce Jacques Melbourne Australia.
Mon Oct 09, 2017 7:26 pm
Jayesskerr
Elite Contributor
Joined: Sun May 18, 2014 9:43 am Posts: 4039
Re: Having troubles learning this thing? Tell us...
kevin-c wrote:
i want to hear an entire piece from you.....not just 60 secs... just saying. peace and luv kev
Tough crowd. All good, I get it. I'm doing my best...
(Since July 17, all quite terrible) Layla Giant Steps Satin Doll Imperial March (Darth Vader Theme) Carry On My Wayward Son Minuet In G (Bach) Billie’s Bounce Tapdance (Steve Adelson) Perpetual Motion (Paganini) Thursday Night (Original from score, 2 versions) Sound Of Silence Owner Of a Lonely Heart Folsom Prison Blues Like Jeff (Steve Adelson) I can See For Miles Low Rider Sleepwalk Dreaming (Yngwie J. Malmsteen) Sad But True I’ll be There for You Invention 1 (Bach) All Of Me (Video) Eleanor Rigby (Video) PB and J (Original) I shot the Sheriff So What Rhiannon Hell's Bells
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2010 12:42 pm Posts: 2536 Location: Jersey
Re: Having troubles learning this thing? Tell us...
Yeah, i'll keep my mouth shut until I can post a completed piece...
_________________ Peace, Marty "The present day composer refuses to die" -Edgard Varese
Mon Oct 09, 2017 11:46 pm
piratebruce
Multiple Donor
Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2008 12:28 am Posts: 1059 Location: Melbourne, AUSTRALIA
Re: Having troubles learning this thing? Tell us...
Come on Scott, speed up a bit, thats only 28 songs in 12 weeks. World Record holder I'd say!
_________________ Bruce Jacques Melbourne Australia.
Tue Oct 10, 2017 1:36 am
mike kemp
Master Contributor
Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2009 4:09 pm Posts: 1020 Location: Erie, Pa
Re: Having troubles learning this thing? Tell us...
Time independence! Everything is a distraction it seems. Deep in my heart, I know I want to play this thing well. But as I have discussed in "all around mentoring" time with SA, you wouldn't know it by how easily life can get in the way of my actually picking the Stick up. My goal was to make "office hours" for myself(aprox. 1 to 2 hrs per day) when the kids went back to school and I was off to a great start for a week or so. Now it appears I have fallen off the wagon and need to get back on, ASAP! before the wagon starts going up that next hill.
On the subjects of repeated and legato notes...I highly recommend giving Greg's method of fingering and hand/forearm movement an extended attempt. Not just a once-over and decide it isn't working for you. I don't have an example of my own playing (right now) to post as a supplemental argument for this, but I assure you(c'mon, you can trust me) it makes a great difference.
Mike
PS. Congrats on the impressive list, Scott.
_________________ Midway upon the journey of our life I found myself within a forest dark, For the straightforward pathway had been lost. --Dante(translated by Henry W. Longfellow)
Tue Oct 10, 2017 6:21 am
ArmyDoc
Contributor
Joined: Thu Nov 26, 2015 9:03 am Posts: 244 Location: Augusta GA
Re: Having troubles learning this thing? Tell us...
How do you eat an elephant? ...one bite at a time. For me, a large part of the problem is that I want to "understand" what I am doing musically. It's never been enough for me to be told "do this". I just get bored. And eventually quit because I'm not "good enough" "fast enough".
With the Chapman stick, it stimulates me to understand the theory / structure behind the music. Even when I'm not making progress in terms of making music, I am making progress in my understanding of music, which keeps me going.
So, I guess for me the hardest thing is "drinking from the fire-hydrant" without getting washed away..
_________________ #6877 Rosewood, 12 String Grand, PASV-4, turquoise linear inlays and Pearl Gray tuners, tuned in Mirrored 4ths
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