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I Kick Botox....

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(@scrybe)
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Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 2241
Topic starter  

Oh yes, I do. I even find cunning variants to bypass the profanity filter. ^^

I was sitting there, guitar in hand, just strumming some chords. They're a bit weird, and I'd asked NoteBoat earlier if he'd check my notation of them to make sure I was naming them correctly and getting the transcribing bit right also. In the middle of this, I kinda felt like playing some jazz. Now, I love jazz, in a big way, but I don't really play it (yet), and I certainly don't improvise chord progressions using a lot of extended chords. But I did. I don't know how - it must be one of those oh so rare Aha! moments, but I wanted to play something jazzy so strongly, and had learned enough to do it. As I was playing an Amaj7 chord, I just thought, "yeah, I'll move up a third in the bass, and play this chord (uh, one of the has-many-names-depending-on-context ones), and then I'll go to a Csharpm7 and walk down to to the ii7-V7-I via a C7 chord". Seriously, I was thinking like that while making this up, and on the V7 I figured why not chuck in a tritone substitution too, for good measure. A couple of days ago I had but the vaguest idea what a tritone substitution involved, and yet I was planning and executing one in an improv'd chord-noodle like it was nothing. I was even thinking melody lines to fit it at the same time as choosing the chords.

I'm under no illusion whatsoever that this is gonna be "the norm" for me for a very long time, if ever. Or that what I came up with is particularly great. But it just happened, and quite randomly, too. It was such a magic and awesome feeling, like I was doing something, thinking about how what I was doing worked, and sitting back going "how the heck is this happening?!?" all at the same time. Beyond awesome.

I gotta give serious props to Fretsource and NoteBoat for answering all my annoying questions over the last couple of days (and all the questions I asked before that bunch, too, heh heh) - without their help I doubt this would have just happened. But, ah, what a feeling! If you happen to have 7 bottles of Absinth, I believe an approximation of how I feel right now might be approximated by downing all of them in one go. Maybe. I love it when something happens musically that makes you feel like that. You struggle with getting something for ages, and then one day you just do it like it's the most natural thing in the world and you have three beats to spare. Sweet. 8)

There is no point to this thread. I'm just so stunned I had to squeal about it.

Ra Er Ga.

Ninjazz have SuperChops.

http://www.blipfoto.com/Scrybe


   
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(@dan-t)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 5044
 

Good for you Sara! 8)

I've had those moments myself, and it's like you said, something just clicks and you get it. :D

"The only way I know that guarantees no mistakes is not to play and that's simply not an option". David Hodge


   
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(@chris-c)
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Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 3454
 

A couple of days ago I had but the vaguest idea what a tritone substitution involved, and yet I was planning and executing one in an improv'd chord-noodle like it was nothing. I was even thinking melody lines to fit it at the same time as choosing the chords.

:mrgreen: :note1: :note2: :note1:

Great stuff!! Equal parts Kudos and Jealousy from me.

Contrary to some opinions, the Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything is not 42. It's chord noodling. 8)

I was hoping to keep it quiet, but I guess it's out now....

A while back I saw an interview with Paul McCartney. He'd bought a mandolin and was enjoying learning it. He said that it reminded him of the good old days when he and the lads were working out guitar by going "I wonder what happens if you move that finger and put it there instead'..... The interviewer passed it by as if it was just a throw-away line, but I thought YES!!! that's exactly it. The joy of musical discovery in a nutshell, and it probably goes a fair way to explaining some of the stuff they wrote.. Ever since, I've used his line to justify my own erratic but deeply enjoyable way of going about it.

Sounds like a truly wonderful moment you had there. That mixture of partial understanding and an unexpected magic ingredient is something special - a real joy. I remember a while back trying to figure out how to play a (fairly simple) little solo line and slip it in between some chord strums. I don't really solo, so it was just seizing up when I tried it. I hammered away at it for a while and then sighed, decided to leave it for another day, and stopped and gazed out the window. But as soon as my brain let go of the job, my fingers just played it perfectly. All by themselves as it were... :shock: It was the bizarrest thing. Quite surreal, but convinced me once again that some parts of music are just voodoo, not science at all.... :)

May you have many more such magic moments (rituals involving goat sacrifices are optional....).

Cheers,

Chris


   
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(@blue-jay)
Noble Member
Joined: 15 years ago
Posts: 1630
 

I would like to kick Botox too, but will probably have to use the Patch, a little longer. :shock:

Nice going Scrybe! Cup of tea, piece of cake and all that sort of thing. 8)

Like a bird on the wire,
like a drunk in a midnight choir
I have tried in my way to be free.


   
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(@joehempel)
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Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 2415
 

Very cool Scrybe! I wish I could think like that.

I'm working on a fingerstyle solo original, and all I think is....."If I slide this here up two steps how will it sound in relation to everything? It worked for such and such song, so why not now?"

I've got no idea what it really means, but the fact that you are thinking like that while improvising....is just....WOW!!!!

NICE JOB!!!!

In Space, no one can hear me sing!


   
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(@dogbite)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 6348
 

I know the feeling and it is sublime. wish it could be bottled and opened when needed.
wait. I take that back. I think the thrill is the natural appearance of the experience.

thanks for sharing.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=644552
http://www.soundclick.com/couleerockinvaders


   
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(@scrybe)
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Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 2241
Topic starter  

Very cool Scrybe! I wish I could think like that.

I'm working on a fingerstyle solo original, and all I think is....."If I slide this here up two steps how will it sound in relation to everything? It worked for such and such song, so why not now?"

I've got no idea what it really means, but the fact that you are thinking like that while improvising....is just....WOW!!!!

NICE JOB!!!!

Yeah, that's more how I usually operate! Or when I do hear where to move to, I'm often not immediately aware of why that's a good place to go. :lol: That, or taking mini breaks in playing to think which chords might work. That's why it was so amazing to be doing it all in real time. Everything just sorta combined for a moment - thinking theory, the physicality of playing it (not a single fluffed note, nice groove, etc), hearing the part and a sketch of a melody over the top. Whew! I'm still on a high from this. I'm definitely gonna try to repeat the experience again!!

Ra Er Ga.

Ninjazz have SuperChops.

http://www.blipfoto.com/Scrybe


   
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(@scrybe)
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Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 2241
Topic starter  

Thanks for all the kind words everyone - given how much we (myself def included here lol) post about our problems, lack of progress, motivation running dry when in a rut, etc., etc., I figured it worth posting about one of the times everything fell together in a totally unexpected way. The feeling it gives you is worth the work to get there, ten thousand times over. :D

Ra Er Ga.

Ninjazz have SuperChops.

http://www.blipfoto.com/Scrybe


   
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(@urbancowgirl)
Reputable Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 428
 

I don't know what any of that means but it sounds impressive. :wink:
I like hearing about everyone's Aha! moments. It makes me want to persevere in order to have more of my own. My dad was a jazz drummer and if jazz is half as complicated to play as it is to listen to, then you are doing great!

All my life I wanted to be somebody. Now I see I should have been more specific.


   
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(@dogbite)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 6348
 

I saw this on youtube and thought of this thread.
it's 1957 big band at it's best. 1937 but aounding mcontemporary.
I like the clarinet. I am going to try to play that lick on my strat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9J5Zt2Obko

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=644552
http://www.soundclick.com/couleerockinvaders


   
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(@ricochet)
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Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 7833
 

I've just been sitting too much on my botox.

"A cheerful heart is good medicine."


   
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(@coolnama)
Prominent Member
Joined: 15 years ago
Posts: 590
 

NICE going, I wanna be a jazz musician someday, and Im just psyched to see that it CAN be done!

Most of what I do is a random sequence of extraordinary events that I later look back and analyze and see the complexity behind it, but doing it at will is awesome!

Its like an Am9 chord, I know there are easier ways to do it, but the voicing I really like is taking an A 9 in open position and making it minor by changing the C# to a C ( in the second string ) I hope you can see what I mean. This leaves me with a span of 4 frets and 4 strings, and alot of times the first string gets muted, but when I hit it its like YES!

Idk what that had to do, I just wanted to express how much I love/hate that chord :D, good luck, I hope you can learn alot so u can teach me ^^ xD.

I wanna be that guy that you wish you were ! ( i wish I were that guy)

You gotta set your sights high to get high!

Everyone is a teacher when you are looking to learn.

( wise stuff man! )

Its Kirby....


   
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(@rparker)
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Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 5480
 

Well Scrybe, I just read that post.....again, and I couldn't follow it......again. Someday....

Congrats on your breakthrough or epiphany or whatever it was. I do like Jazz noodling a little bit myself, but can't do it for too long as barre chords tend to make my hand sore still. Fun to do, though.

Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin


   
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(@scrybe)
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Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 2241
Topic starter  

Idk what that had to do, I just wanted to express how much I love/hate that chord :D, good luck, I hope you can learn alot so u can teach me ^^ xD.

I get the feeling that you might be just a little bit determined to become a great player. Am I right? :lol:

Ra Er Ga.

Ninjazz have SuperChops.

http://www.blipfoto.com/Scrybe


   
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(@coolnama)
Prominent Member
Joined: 15 years ago
Posts: 590
 

Right ^^.

Yep gotta set your goals high so you can get high. ( wow that is gonna be like my new catch phrase )

Everyone is a teacher when you are looking to learn.

( two wise sentences in one post :O )

I wanna be that guy that you wish you were ! ( i wish I were that guy)

You gotta set your sights high to get high!

Everyone is a teacher when you are looking to learn.

( wise stuff man! )

Its Kirby....


   
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