Author Topic: David P's Road Case (Read 36604 times)

Barend · « **Reply #75 on:** December 20, 2017, 06:06:36 pm »

Quote from: Barend on December 19, 2017, 08:21:01 pm

Caravan fully loaded...

I enjoyed the rythm and energy of 'before you accuse me'... sounds like great fun, have to add it to the to do list. Well done

DavidP · « **Reply #76 on:** December 20, 2017, 07:43:16 pm »

Quote from: Barend on December 20, 2017, 06:06:36 pm

I enjoyed the rythm and energy of 'before you accuse me'... sounds like great fun, have to add it to the to do list. Well done

Thanks Barend. Still having lots of fun with it myself, aways to go to be able to play sections of it cleanly.

DavidP · « **Reply #77 on:** July 28, 2018, 01:57:25 pm »

My Road Case has not been updated for quite some time ... the system tells me more than 120 days

I had planned to update it last weekend and just didn't get to it. So brace yourself, here's a summary of the last 6 months.

At the start of year 2, I decided to focus on three elements from the orange grade of the BC: adding a bass note into my rhythm play, the minor pentatonic scale and finger-picking.

In a nutshell, I've made good progress on all, reflected in a number of recordings made.

I was quite anxious about starting on finger-picking. In my pre-Justin moments of trying to learn I'd tried once or twice and it felt so foreign that I just went back to bad strumming. To my surprise the very first night I tried I made more progress. It seems as if all the other learning has formed new neural pathways that already helped me to get started with finger-picking. Encouraged by that I stuck at it and now have posted three songs with finger-picking, two of which include singing while finger-picking.

One of the first songs I used to try to play previously was As Tears Go By. I made a multi-track recording of this song for the Contest. Three guitar parts being played differently over a drum beat. To my delight, my timing was good enough that it sounded OK, unlike attempts last year where I was so far out that it was just a mess. One part was finger-picked. I also decided to try my hand at a simple solo. Used the approach in which you follow the chords tones through the progression and I think it came out OK ... my wife was astonished when she heard it the first time ... completely unexpected.

Made a start on recording with bass notes added and would like to do better, but a good start made.

And most recently tried a recording approach to most closely simulate playing live and recorded two songs, knowing up front that however they came out on that first take is how they'd be posted.

Here the links to all the songs posted:

https://soundcloud.com/david-preece-24770685/after-the-goldrush-20180101
https://soundcloud.com/david-preece-24770685/a-girl-like-you-20180107
https://soundcloud.com/david-preece-24770685/hallelujah-20180210
https://soundcloud.com/david-preece-24770685/love-is-all-around-20180317 (bass note and strum)
https://soundcloud.com/david-preece-24770685/as-tears-go-by-20180428 (finger picking and first solo)
https://soundcloud.com/david-preece-24770685/from-hank-to-hendrix-20180427 (bass note)
https://soundcloud.com/david-preece-24770685/love-is-all-around-20180609 (finger picking)
https://soundcloud.com/david-preece-24770685/jane-s-piddy-20180721 (one take)
https://soundcloud.com/david-preece-24770685/hate-street-dialogue-20180721 (one take)
https://soundcloud.com/david-preece-24770685/this-years-love-280727 (finger picking)

During this period I suffered a couple of bouts of GAS ...

While in the USA for work, I found the opportunity to buy and electric irresistible. Prices are far more reasonable as a rule but throw in a President's Day sale ... who can blame me. I came home with an Epiphone LP Pro in a quilted finish. Shortly after that I was able to sell my 12 string acoustic which funded purchase of an amplifier.

Just before my birthday I was looking a FaceBook page of a shop that sells used ... yup, risky business doing such a thing without anti-GAS medication. I spotted a resonator and it was already in my mind that I would need such a guitar one day ... well why wait until later when you can GAS today. Came home from the recce with a Hohner resonator. My luthier (ok, the luthier that I use), gave it a good service and declared it to be in fine condition.

While enjoying my time out in this treasure trove of musical goodies, I spotted vintage mics and more current models. Cut a long story short, picked up a Shure dynamic mic in the hopes that I'd be able to record vocals more effectively.

That worked out well. The last few songs were recorded using a condensor mic to record the guitar and the dynamic to record the vocal. Now I have a little bleed of guitar on the vocal track and vice versa but able to mix the way I want when recording "live".

My mixing has also kicked on and acquired some commercial plug-ins that have made it much easier to mix in vocals and to record the electric guitar directly and add amp, cabinet and pedal effects in afterwards.

And I think that is pretty much it. Continue to enjoy the journey. I feel like I have made huge progress over the last 6 months or so.

If you stuck it out to this point ... I hope that reading about my progress is encouraging to you. Yes, I still play a number of days a week, but am not practising 2 hours a day, 7 days a week ... which shows how much progress can be made with a very reasonable amount of practice.

So go to it and you too can live your musical dreams...no worries, keep fretting

CT · « **Reply #78 on:** July 28, 2018, 04:02:18 pm »

Great read, DP, and that is a stunning blue guitar!

I'm of a like mind when it comes to recording. Playing your tracks live the way you want them to sound in the end saves a lot of production time, and allows you to recreate the song later for live play. There's also a lot of value in learning to dial in the delay, reverb or whatever tone you like for live music. Sims and production elements are fun to play around with though.

embishop · « **Reply #79 on:** July 28, 2018, 05:02:51 pm »

You've accomplished quite a lot in the year and a half you've been on JustinGuitar, it's so great to hear your progress. I also like the can I say bare bones structure you set for your practice and learning? First the Beginners Course, then a focus on 3 targeted elements. I tend to go more from total structure to no structure at all, still wandering around without a clear plan to get where I'm going. You inspire me with your attitude on continual improvements without needing to have every last detail penned in, or even to necessarily have a final destination in mind. I'm going to be looking for a bit more of that flexibility in my practicing. Glad you're continuing to enjoy the journey.

Mari

DavidP · « **Reply #80 on:** July 28, 2018, 05:03:48 pm »

Quote from: CT on July 28, 2018, 04:02:18 pm

Great read, DP, and that is a stunning blue guitar!

I'm of a like mind when it comes to recording. Playing your tracks live the way you want them to sound in the end saves a lot of production time, and allows you to recreate the song later for live play. There's also a lot of value in learning to dial in the delay, reverb or whatever tone you like for live music. Sims and production elements are fun to play around with though.

Thanks CT

At this stage I record dry through the AI and all the processing to enhance the overall sound afterwards. I guess if I were to ever perform live seriously then would be nice to have one of those amps with a channel for guitar and mic, with some effects builtin on each with ability to store some preset combinations plus maybe some pedals in front of the amp. But at this stage, good enough to use my plugs-ins in the DAW, for both vocal and guitar.

DavidP · « **Reply #81 on:** July 28, 2018, 05:06:13 pm »

Quote from: embishop on July 28, 2018, 05:02:51 pm

You've accomplished quite a lot in the year and a half you've been on JustinGuitar, it's so great to hear your progress. I also like the can I say bare bones structure you set for your practice and learning? First the Beginners Course, then a focus on 3 targeted elements. I tend to go more from total structure to no structure at all, still wandering around without a clear plan to get where I'm going. You inspire me with your attitude on continual improvements without needing to have every last detail penned in, or even to necessarily have a final destination in mind. I'm going to be looking for a bit more of that flexibility in my practicing. Glad you're continuing to enjoy the journey.

Mari

Thanks for giving this a read Mari and for your ongoing encouragement and support. Your support and many others here are instrumental (excuse the almost good pun, since you are all quite vocal) in my progress, motivation and achievements.

DarrellW · « **Reply #82 on:** July 28, 2018, 06:02:23 pm »

The thing I really admire about what you’ve done David is being patient and improving consistently, there’s a lot to be said for what you’ve done and the way you’re doing it.
All in all a fine example to others of what following the course (more or less) to the letter can do for any aspiring guitarist, well done!!!

DavidP · « **Reply #83 on:** July 28, 2018, 08:39:59 pm »

Quote from: DarrellW on July 28, 2018, 06:02:23 pm

The thing I really admire about what you’ve done David is being patient and improving consistently, there’s a lot to be said for what you’ve done and the way you’re doing it.
All in all a fine example to others of what following the course (more or less) to the letter can do for any aspiring guitarist, well done!!!

Thanks very much, Darrell, a generous compliment.

No doubt, following the programme, level by level using the new colour grading, playing songs and making recordings has worked for me. I think being active in the Community has also contributed.

Matek · « **Reply #84 on:** July 30, 2018, 08:06:17 am »

When do we get to hear the resonator David?
Are you thinking of learning slide in the future?

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DavidP · « **Reply #85 on:** July 30, 2018, 09:29:28 am »

Quote from: Matek on July 30, 2018, 08:06:17 am

When do we get to hear the resonator David?
Are you thinking of learning slide in the future?

Good question, Matek ... can't say.

I bought it with a view to playing slide and more finger-style blues. And I am not ready to start on either of those ventures yet.

I guess I could just play something, like say my take on Before You Accuse Me that I posted before, so folk could hear it. But that wouldn't really be doing it justice ... kind of like taking a 4x4 off-road vehicle for a test drive through the suburbs ... though in our suburbs pot-holes can be a challenge

Recording time at Back Room Studio #5 is precious, but maybe a LoFi recording made with the tablet ... though again, doesn't really do justice ...

Goodness, that's a whole lot of text, to give not much of an answer

DarrellW · « **Reply #86 on:** July 30, 2018, 10:49:27 am »

Here’s a really nice easy one for that guitar to have a go at, especially bearing in mind how your finger style is coming on!

DavidP · « **Reply #87 on:** July 30, 2018, 11:46:56 am »

Quote from: DarrellW on July 30, 2018, 10:49:27 am

Here’s a really nice easy one for that guitar to have a go at, especially bearing in mind how your finger style is coming on!

Ah Darrell, yea of great faith

Thanks for that ... could resist a quick look. I agree ... can imagine it sounding good on the resonator.

As it happens part of my late night practice routine includes playing the minor pentatonic scale alternating picking notes on strings 3-1 with my index and middle fingers plus doing some steady bass work on E and Am using one finger per string on strings 3-1, anchoring with the pinky.

I'll add in a little of this to keep it interesting. No promises as to how long it will take me to play through just one cycle of the 12 bars ... but an exciting next goal.

Barend · « **Reply #88 on:** October 03, 2018, 07:42:05 am »

Go Boytjie!!!

Nie sleg vir n "soutie" nie.

... with reference to your general attitude, practice elements, progress, etc..

I now have serious GAS / guitar FOMO. Maybe i can sneak in an extra practise session today.. to divert the urge to take my wallet for a stroll.

Cheers
B

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DavidP · « **Reply #89 on:** October 03, 2018, 12:04:23 pm »

Quote from: Barend on October 03, 2018, 07:42:05 am

Go Boytjie!!!

Nie sleg vir n "soutie" nie.
... with reference to your general attitude, practice elements, progress, etc..

I now have serious GAS / guitar FOMO. Maybe i can sneak in an extra practise session today.. to divert the urge to take my wallet for a stroll.
Cheers
B

LOL

Thanks Barend

No doubt, GAS is a challenge... somebody posted once that the right number of guitars to have is one more than you currently have

Barend · « **Reply #90 on:** October 04, 2018, 04:27:49 am »

Quote from: DavidP on July 30, 2017, 03:44:23 pm

Hey there,

Decided to post this here as I do consider it a success story ... another moment I never imagined when I started the BC on 16 Dec 2016. As it is not a full performance I decided not appropriate for AVOYP.

Oh and seeing as I nagged Rick about singing, which he has more than delivered and he asked about a video of me, I felt obliged to post it once I had it. I think it was you, Rick, if not apologies

I don't feel ready to perform for an audience but when I knew I'd have time on my hands I thought I could play for myself and if anybody paid attention, then so be it. A colleague enjoyed a few of the songs and recorded a couple of clips on his phone.

I'm still getting over some of the facial contortions me and that

So careful what you ask for Rick, here it is ....

Hi David. Only stumbled on this now. I enjoyed it and agree with others that your in-person performance adds a further positive dimension to your playing and singing.

So... beware of the Groupies.

which A very smooth performance.

Sent from my [device_name] using JustinGuitar Community mobile app

DavidP · « **Reply #91 on:** October 04, 2018, 05:44:40 am »

Quote from: Barend on October 04, 2018, 04:27:49 am

Hi David. Only stumbled on this now. I enjoyed it and agree with others that your in-person performance adds a further positive dimension to your playing and singing.

So... beware of the Groupies.

which A very smooth performance.

LOL ... you on a roll with laugh-inducing posts

Thanks Barend.

DavidP · « **Reply #92 on:** October 28, 2018, 09:00:34 am »

Time for another update. It's been another 3 months that include some major milestones.

I have continued with the same practice routines focused mostly on finger-picking and scales. Since the last update I recorded a version of House of the Rising Sun, singing and finger-picking https://soundcloud.com/david-preece-24770685/house-of-the-rising-sun-20181020

Continuing in the vein of recording songs that could be played through in a single take, even if not recorded with a first single take, I recorded Dylan's The Times They Are A Changing https://soundcloud.com/david-preece-24770685/times-are-a-changing-20181021

But the big steps forward here are the producing of my first two originals. The first Song For Lesley was entered into the Community Contest and I was fortunate to win the Contest ... a dream come true https://soundcloud.com/david-preece-24770685/song-for-lesley-180829

The second Dear Johnny Blues was a simple 10 bar minor bluesy tune that featured rhythm double-tracked, one played with my acoustic and the other with the resonator, which made it interesting. I also included a guitar lead https://soundcloud.com/david-preece-24770685/dear-johnny-blues-20180923

Speaking of lead, when I was away in the South Sudan on business, I spend spare time on music theory and have mad a start on Grade 3. I am now at the point there and in the Beginner Course, where the focus shifts from learning the scale patterns to trying to make some music. Or as Justin would say, using the scale alphabet to make up words and string those words together to say something musical.

So when Omar posted a first backing track to kick off a weekly jam, I decided the time was right. Since the first post I have now recorded a jam every weekend for 5 consecutive weeks. Posting the jam involves getting the track into the DAW, studying the relevant scales, some exploration to develop some feel for the time, rhythm and harmony to be able to produce something melodic that sounds good. When I returned from South Sudan I downloaded Justin's backing track in G. But trying to use the letters from G maj to say something was beyond me ... the track just seemed so "busy", couldn't make sense of it. A month later and my latest jam was over that track.

https://soundcloud.com/david-preece-24770685/weekly-jam-1-20190929
https://soundcloud.com/david-preece-24770685/weekly-jam-2-20181007
https://soundcloud.com/david-preece-24770685/weekly-jam-3
https://soundcloud.com/david-preece-24770685/weekly-jam-4
https://soundcloud.com/david-preece-24770685/weekly-jam-5-20181027

This shows that with a combination of theory study, practical application and doing it regularly ... which for me was weekly, not even daily ... progress can be made.

And apart from all that, I have to say that playing lead over the backing track, expressing myself in what I play and the tones I choose, is great fun and somehow makes me feel more of a musician than playing covers does. Not that playing covers isn't fun, it is and I will continue. But this addition plus writing a couple of songs, has been another giant leap forward.

And lastly, I shared in detail about my experience with Justin, so won't repeat that, it's here https://justinguitarcommunity.com/index.php?topic=42493.msg392477#msg392477

Can only say what an amazing experience it was and gave me a the confidence to take a step forward into starting with the IM. According to Justin my E and A barre chords are already looking good, as a Beginner moving into Intermediate. So I've started work in a deliberate, disciplined way on 1/16 note strumming.

We also discussed this matter of "talent" and long story short, agreed that for greatest majority it is about study and practice. I don't consider myself talented, if I were then surely back in 1984 when I was shown the basic open chords and some songs I would have mastered playing them and sounding good. But I didn't. But in the last 22 months, through study, practice, playing songs and recording I have been able to play a range of songs OK, write a couple and play some lead.

If I can, you can ... so dig in, have fun and make music

DarrellW · « **Reply #93 on:** October 28, 2018, 09:31:37 am »

David, what you’ve done is an inspiration to anyone who comes new to the forum in fact anyone!
In my opinion it deserves the recognition of being made a ‘sticky’ or pointed out clearly to newbies so that they don’t miss it!
So very well done, kudos to you and good vibes!

DavidP · « **Reply #94 on:** October 28, 2018, 10:44:59 am »

Quote from: DarrellW on October 28, 2018, 09:31:37 am

David, what you’ve done is an inspiration to anyone who comes new to the forum in fact anyone!
In my opinion it deserves the recognition of being made a ‘sticky’ or pointed out clearly to newbies so that they don’t miss it!
So very well done, kudos to you and good vibes!

You're too kind, Darrell. I really do feel that I am just one of many here, just maybe more talkative than most

close2u · « **Reply #95 on:** October 28, 2018, 10:57:14 am »

A fantastic and comprehensive update David.
And yes, inspirational.

DavidP · « **Reply #96 on:** October 28, 2018, 02:10:34 pm »

Quote from: close2u on October 28, 2018, 10:57:14 am

A fantastic and comprehensive update David.
And yes, inspirational.

Thanks Richard ... it is hugely gratifying to think that maybe I can offer just a little inspiration to others, sharing the inspiration I have received from so many here.

CT · « **Reply #97 on:** October 28, 2018, 03:02:09 pm »

You're the real deal, @DavidP! First and foremost you are an inspiration as a person. You keep taking your music to the next level. It's been a lot of fun hanging out with you here.

DavidP · « **Reply #98 on:** October 28, 2018, 04:52:32 pm »

Quote from: CT on October 28, 2018, 03:02:09 pm

You're the real deal, @DavidP! First and foremost you are an inspiration as a person. You keep taking your music to the next level. It's been a lot of fun hanging out with you here.

The feeling is totally mutual, Clint. I'd say we are all here, sharing and learning together!

Rufusragatip · « **Reply #99 on:** October 29, 2018, 01:37:48 pm »

Hi,

To be half as good as that after 22 months would be a dream come true and the icing on a big bun.
BUN I said!

Way to go, David. Awesome.

Kind regards,
Rufus