low and slow works

low and slow works.  got the gain on very minimum.  no reverb, no effects at all!  Tone around 4 or 5.  Jazz emulation setting.  guitar tone set on 5 or so.  using various pickups with strat -- overall a good set up and no ring a ding ding.

my current form of 12 bar:  I chord is a 6th (like an A6 on the second fret -- that form - bar the 4 high strings), and IV and V chords are ninths (with root as lowest note on 5th string -- that form).  I play major pent in the I chord, and mix major and minor in the IV and V.  Mostly play major pent.  gives it that uptown feel.  trying to use chromatic chord changes, like T Bone Walker.  Like a 9th in this way: C-C#-D for the IV chord.  sliding up and down to the I IV V chords.

low and slow

OK, next experiment.... play it low and slow.  quiet slow blues.  i'm tryin' it.  seems to work OK.  call it smooth blues, whisper blues... low and slow.

ring a ding ding

So I've been playing guitar with my amp the last few days.  Been careful as usual: jazz setting, low gain, moderate tone, moderate volume.  Only a little reverb.  Still got some ringing.  Man, what's the deal?  I know it will go away, but I can't even use the amp a little without some ringing?  How am I supposed to play guitar???? I can't use my classical nylon stringed gittar -- that thing makes my ears ring!  Am I limited to unplugged electrics?

Is this another reason to move from blues to jazz?  blues tends to be loud, more percussive, more aggressive in tone.  Jazz can be more mellow -- like smooth jazz guitar.  So many more colors in jazz, too.  The pentatonic palate, even with some added scales (I've messed with mixolydian) still has its limits.  Plus the I IV V pattern 12 bar.   Yeah, there are 8 bar blues and other chord patterns, but the core is the 145.

liken' the t-pick!

yeah, the thumbpick is working well so far.  feels good -- no thumb joint pain yet.  and no new pains!  also it sounds good with the strings.  it's heavy!  maybe heavier than most jazz picks!  so a good tone emerges.  feels good that it stays on with no effort.  why don't more guitarists use them as picks? will something else come up to rain on my parade?  new pains?  weird side effects?  who knows!  for now I like it, dude!

Maybe the only downside is on an upward pick there is a chance to get the pick caught on the string, depending on the angle.  Hasn't bothered me so far.  I even did my scale triplet practice with the t-pick and had now problems like that.

got a thumbpick....

trying out a thumbpick to use as a regular pick, or plectrum...!  Also wanted it to go with my metal finger things for picking.  what do they call those things?  banjo dudes use them a lot.  anyhoo, i have some, but didn't have the thumbpick, so I got one today.  A National medium.  I'll see it works as a pick for blues.  So far I like it -- just gotta get used to a different feel.  Maybe it will eliminate the pain in my thumb joint I get after using a standard pick for too long.   ah, the aches and pains of gitar!

Pullman Green: BackTracker

so now it's gonna be back trackin' that's my thing.  Unless I get really good -- not likely -- I can at best achieve decent mediocrity.  Hey, most of us are average, by definition!  So, what can an average gitar playin dude to make himself sound better?  backing tracks......

I downloaded a bunch more blues tracks.  Now I've got almost 30 -- way more than I need right now.

the plan: for each track, develop the lead guitar part.  Specific themes, riffs, etc. to improv with.  Make it structured.  Also, I'm gonna use all the sounds from my vg strat.  Gonna choose a tone for each song. I'll write this all down and prepare a set list.  then I'll have the product I"ve been yearning for -- the ability to perform for an audience.

ear trouble?

well, it's close.  i notice my ear ringing is slightly increase with today's playing.  neck pup?  probably!  i cut the gain a little, and that might help, but it also cuts the bell like tone.  leaves it more flat.  maybe i should just go back to bridge/middle combo.  it's safe and effective.

yeah, just a/b 'ed the two, and bridge/middle wins, as usual.  neck pup is bellish -- those are the frequencies that ring my ear.