Monday, July 29, 2013

I Got Rhythm....Slowly

Key of Bb.  Here's the wiki details:

"I Got Rhythm" is a song composed by George Gershwin with lyrics by Ira Gershwin and published in 1930, which became a jazz standard. Its chord progression, known as the "rhythm changes", is the foundation for many other popular jazz tunes such as Charlie Parker's and Dizzy Gillespie's Bebop standard "Anthropology (Thrivin' From a Riff)".

Just playing the chords now, slowly.  It sounds totally different from the peppy song we all know.  It's weird how these chords work with the melody.  My version sounds totally different, just strumming chords and fingerpicking.

Same with the previous song.  Played the chords and came up with my own arrangement.  Ignored the melody.

Sunday, July 21, 2013

"Hey There"

current song I'm working on.  Key of E flat.  

from Wiki:

"Hey There" is a show tune from the musical play The Pajama Game, written by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. It was published in 1954. It was introduced by John Raitt in the original production. It was subsequently recorded by a number of artists. The recording by Rosemary Clooney reached #1 on Billboard's chart in 1954. Another version was also recorded about the same time by Sammy Davis, Jr., reaching #16 on Billboard's retail chart. The song (counting all recorded versions) also reached #1 on the Cash Box chart in 1954.
In the context of the show, Sid sings it to a recording device, telling himself that he's foolish to continue his advances to Babe. He plays the tape back, and after responding to his own comments, sings a duet with himself.
A popular edit of the single is in Only Fools and Horses, in the episode "Tea for Three", when Uncle Albert (played by Buster Merryfield) sings the song (replacing "Hey There" with "Ada", the name of his wife) in the talent contest at their local pub, the Nags Head. He later tells Rodney that he won the talent contest, much to his horror.

Sunday, July 14, 2013

follow the chords, not the genre

so now I"m thinking to let my study of chords guide me in my guitar study, more so than any particular genre or label.  Jazz is great, but I don't think of myself as a jazz guitarist.  i like the chords I've studied, and will continue to work with them.  What I play will depend on what interests me at the time.  It might be jazzy, or more in the blues genre, or more rock.  I'm eclectic, and not good at sticking to one genre.

Sunday, July 7, 2013

Wrist is better

Wrist is better.  Have stopped minecrafting.  Stopped guitar for now, but will start up again soon.  Rest for the wrist!

Friday, July 5, 2013

music plans on hold

Wrist acting up again.  Numb feeling, with some pain.  Must cut down on guitar, or stop again, for a while.  Forget any jazz plans.  I've stopped old style tablet use and use a stylus all the time, and that has helped a lot.  I suppose too much Minecrafting is stressing the wrist.  Cut to cut down on that.  Also, I've been playing some ragtime and fingerstyle blues again, and that may be stressing the wrist too much. 

Just got  to take it easy.  Maybe just some nice jazz chords, slowly.  Nothing fancy.  I'd like to get a Real book, or at least look at one. 

Thursday, July 4, 2013

July 4

Happy birthday, America!