breakthrough with "you shook me"

Finally! On the last day we're practicing it before the recital! I got the darn song right! (mostly right!). There was one note I was playing wrong, and it threw me off; my timing was messed up and it just didn't sound right. But I didn't catch it until today. Now I sound much better! NOT perfect (there are other timing problems I'm still working on), but at least this part is figured out!!

Also, tomorrow I will call back my contact on the 339. I hope he has good news. I've been thinking of a plan B if he can't get one. Anyhoo, let's wait and see what he says.

from blues to jazz

yes, I think the transformation is beginning. I plan on another year of blues, and then I want to move to jazz. It seems to fit my personality more than blues.

plans for the 339

plans to get the gibson 339 are underway. I've got the name of a contact. there should be a discount. maybe in a few weeks I"ll get it. We went to a GC yesterday to try out the two neck profiles, 50s and 60s. Very little difference, I think. I"ll go with either; the 50s style is more like my epi dot. The color is still red.

new loops and youtube

i'm using more of the loops on the fender g-dec jr. amp. the hip hop and shuffle loops are great for pentatonic scale improv. one or two others are pretty good too.

I'm putting more of my improvs on my youtube channel; it's my sketchbook of ideas, riffs, and the record of my playing.

blues jam

new youtube video:

http://www.youtube.com/user/robfilmer?feature=mhw5

audio quality is adequate only!

great jam session and jazz tracks!

had a great jam session today; about 2 hours.

found out that i can improvise with jazz backing tracks with pentatonic scale! Wow, that opens up a whole new world. it works most of the time, except when the song changes key, but that's usually only a brief section. We'll see how it goes. But, jamming with jazz tracks.... that's great!

And my epi dot's tone is really well suited for jazz; better than for blues, actually, since I don't use any overdrive.

jazz!

current amp and guitar settings

for my current tone (good for jazz and blues!)

amp:

gain on 0

volume on 2

tone on 5

amp modeling: tweed 2/2

effect: reverb 3/4

guitar:

neck pickup only

volume on 10

tone on 8