Slowing Down

[cettyboy]

Really impressed with the progress of one of my friends and student, Dan Northrup.
He's re-learning "Baby's Coming Home". His approach is different than the first time we did it.
He is slowing things up to a crawl to make sure the bass notes are perfect measure to measure.
This takes a great deal of patience but what results it brings.
I guess alot of players sort of blow over this aspect of the Chet Atkins style of playing.
Anyways, sometimes it pays off to be "OCD" in nature!
Great playing Dan!
Mark

[Dan Northrup]

Hey Mark what do you mean OCD?? never heard of that, maybe thats why Kelly keeps saying "WOULD YO PLAY SOMETHING DIFFERENT!" LOL!!
I have noticed an improvement in my consistency and attack as a result of making a disciplined effort to slooooow it down and concentrate, still havin fun trying to get better!!! Thanks for all your help!!!
Dan

[DagerRande]

Hi Mark,

I definitely agree with what you've said. I can tell by listening (and watching) someone's playing whether or not they went to the trouble of learning something carefully. Glossing over a difficult passage may impress the uninformed but I know what it feels like to impress someone, in spite of "slop", and yet being very dissatisfied with myself because I knew that my performance wasn't flawless, even of others couldn't tell. It's very wise to start off on the right foot. Bad habits and technique are much more difficult to change after they've been formed. Thanks.

[cettyboy]

Excellent points Rande!
Mark

[rhudson]

Mark, I don't think I can play slow enough to play all the licks you do. Merry Christmas.

Richard

[DagerRande]

Sure you could, Richard, but then you'd have to keep it to yourself.......lol.

[cettyboy]

I dunno Richard.
I just like playing slow.Easier on the hands!
Merry Christmas Guys!
Mark

[Norm]

If you can't play it correctly slow, what makes you think you can play it correctly fast?

Do you think your listeners won't notice you're playing it wrong?

[Pickin Palmer]

IMHO, it is all up to what “floats yer musical boat.” Personally, if I waited until I could play something “flawlessly” - which I doubt if many of the “boarders”can really do, either – I wouldn't ever be able to play anything in front of, or better yet – with – somebody else. If I were to have waited to be able to play Three Little Words “perfectly” I would have never been able to play the tune with Mark when he came to CAAS a few years ago....one of the highlights of my imperfect musical life!!!!!! The guy is like playing with a karaoke machine – that knows where the hell you are going...misteaks and all.

It isn't like I don't try, however. I've been SLOWLY practicing the A riff in the bridge of Chet's “Dizzy Strings” for at least 13 years – nope. My buddy, the late Billy Tustin, could rip that riff off like he was clearing his throat. The whole melody of Sugar Foot Rag is another riff (key of A – up around the 5th – using ALL my fingers) I just can't seem to “tuck away.” I use them both as finger warm up exercises – so, I can quickly get to the latest “slop” I'm werkin' on.

Seeing how I'm boring anybody that is still reading this diatribe - “perfection” can actually be a deterrent to the success of a new finger style player – as happened just recently here in the Ohio Fingerstyle Guitar Club. I had been getting “nervous” little emails from a guy that found us on the internat had bought a real nice acoustic and was working hard on tabs he had purchased – and, was “thinking about coming to our club jams” to learn more. (What the hell is there to “think about” - unless you are a nervous perfectionist?) And, that's exactly what he turned out to be. ---- Once he got there, he came to just about everything we held – and, over time did join in most tunes.

However, after only a few months I got a call from this guy and he was really frustrated that he didn't seem to be getting better. I tried to calm him down (“with my gospel tunes” – from “Stoney,” Jerry Jeff Walker) by explaining that only the truly gifted folks really get to play this level of guitar – quickly. Most of us have to work YEARS to get anywhere – actually. Some of us – never get most of it. However, relax and just have fun with it. NOPE – he wadn't about to “just have fun.” We've never seen him, again... Too bad, too – he was a real nice guy and was coming along fine.

Merry Christmas, Mark – thanks for the thread...

EOT - “end of thread” LOLOL

[LMark]

In any performance of any tune, at least one note could have been played "better" . . . . Palmer! Bravo to your post! LMark