Giving up playing chords (for a little while, at least)
Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 5:44 pm
Having broken a nail recently, and waiting for it to grow back before I can resume finger style or classical studies that I'm working on, it kind of kicked my thinking into another gear, so in that aspect, maybe breaking a nail was one of the best things that could have happened to me.
Like I said in another post, you guys got me started and whetted my appetite to get BIAB. So in the meantime, while money is tight, I bought some Christmas backing tracks and have been working with them. The great thing is that with backing tracks you can simply play melodies on single strings without any chords and it can actually sound real pretty because the backing Instruments can carry a lot of the weight on what might otherwise sound pretty thin.
So I've been working with it, and I thought about it, and it occurs to me that Chet was super at this aspect of playing. Of course, it's just one aspect of fingerboard mastery, but nevertheless it's real important.
Working on classical pieces a lot as I do, I see that I have for the most part ignored it, because in order to master classical studies, well, it's just a whole 'nother world. There is little to none of the single string melody mastery required. A lot of classical pieces involve chords, and of course, forming melodies from those chords.
Ahhhhh! But think of Chet and Yakety Axe!! Great example of his prowess! Chet was SO GOOD at it!! I can think of lots of Chet tunes where he dispensed with chords and just played melody on the strings.
So I've spent the last few days just thinking of my favorite melodies, including the Christmas tunes, and just seeing if I can play out the melodies by ear, finding the correct notes, avoiding the wrong notes, changing keys, playing up and down the neck, whatever it takes to improve in this area. It's a great challenge! I want to become GOOD at mastering the fingerboard. Maybe the better word is gaining a "command" of the fingerboard.
I know there are guys out there who are truly developed in this area. I bet there are guys who, no matter WHAT tune you name, with no written music, they can instantly find the melody and even embellish it or play variations on it. Yeah! That's where I'd like to go.
I've also worked hard this year on scales and modes, and hopefully I can tie them in.
So I know where I'm heading. I have a goal to attain, and I just have to work hard to get there. I won't give up classical and finger-style studies, but I'm definitely going to change my practice habits to incorporate the expanded goals.
Like I said in another post, you guys got me started and whetted my appetite to get BIAB. So in the meantime, while money is tight, I bought some Christmas backing tracks and have been working with them. The great thing is that with backing tracks you can simply play melodies on single strings without any chords and it can actually sound real pretty because the backing Instruments can carry a lot of the weight on what might otherwise sound pretty thin.
So I've been working with it, and I thought about it, and it occurs to me that Chet was super at this aspect of playing. Of course, it's just one aspect of fingerboard mastery, but nevertheless it's real important.
Working on classical pieces a lot as I do, I see that I have for the most part ignored it, because in order to master classical studies, well, it's just a whole 'nother world. There is little to none of the single string melody mastery required. A lot of classical pieces involve chords, and of course, forming melodies from those chords.
Ahhhhh! But think of Chet and Yakety Axe!! Great example of his prowess! Chet was SO GOOD at it!! I can think of lots of Chet tunes where he dispensed with chords and just played melody on the strings.
So I've spent the last few days just thinking of my favorite melodies, including the Christmas tunes, and just seeing if I can play out the melodies by ear, finding the correct notes, avoiding the wrong notes, changing keys, playing up and down the neck, whatever it takes to improve in this area. It's a great challenge! I want to become GOOD at mastering the fingerboard. Maybe the better word is gaining a "command" of the fingerboard.
I know there are guys out there who are truly developed in this area. I bet there are guys who, no matter WHAT tune you name, with no written music, they can instantly find the melody and even embellish it or play variations on it. Yeah! That's where I'd like to go.
I've also worked hard this year on scales and modes, and hopefully I can tie them in.
So I know where I'm heading. I have a goal to attain, and I just have to work hard to get there. I won't give up classical and finger-style studies, but I'm definitely going to change my practice habits to incorporate the expanded goals.