151 Topic by Strummerboy Bill

(17 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

I'm trying to take our friend Classical Guitar's advice: Practice one song over and over till you get it right.

https://soundcloud.com/user-830135866/recording-7

This was the 7th take, not counting all the "practicing" ones after which I almost puked.

As for the strumming, I have picks, but prefer not to use one right now. As you can tell I'm blocking strings like crazy and what else?

Could we have a new educational section in the forums which deals with singing and playing guitar?

Please critique. I have no one else who can help me through this, folks.

Thanks

Bill 

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152 Topic by Strummerboy Bill

(3 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

TWO cover songs and Jim's song "Soul Stability", to be as exact as I can be.

BUT...... I have a problem...... I can't sing as well as I need to - to do your song justice, my brother, so until I get it right I will continue practicing it.

The other two "cover" songs have the same problem: it isn't so much the chords but the voice, so instead of subjecting you all to something Dondra says "sounds like a cat in severe pain, if we had one", I will give it a few more days.

Thanks for understanding, brothers and sisters.

Your friend

Bill 

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153 Reply by Strummerboy Bill

(12 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

Peatle Jville wrote:

For me playing guitar has been hard to do as I am not a natural. I have never really ever got that good at it. I use to get very frustrated trying to play scales and so on. Now I have limited movement in my arms and fingers when I do have a play if I get something out that has a basic nice  sound I am happy. I most probably only play a few minutes a week now as I get a bit pain when I try and play even though I have pain killers in my  system. . My Maree has never liked my guitar or piano playing. Even though I am retired I have plenty of other things going on. Music is only a small part of my life nowdays.  I will attach a song  for  you Bill.  I wrote it four years ago with my friend Darcy playing guitar for me about the frustrations, for me of  trying to play guitar. Funny thing about Darcy he is  a really good guitar player but he will only plays bass proffesionally  in the many bands he has been in.
Good to see you posting .
Love to you and Dondra.
Your friend Pete

https://soundcloud.com/eatleville/come-on-guitar

Thank you for the song, Pete. my brotha! I had to smile at your frustrations ! You sang for me as well!

Bill     

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154 Reply by Strummerboy Bill

(12 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

The internet. Yep, completely forgot about that one, my friend, and here's something else internet-related which gets me "hung up": The guitar-education sites. There are so many out there, Phill, and maybe I'll subscribe to one having good intentions of visiting it and using it to make me a better guitarist, but then one of the aforementioned "blocks" gets in the way and I may as well have thrown the money away.

Thanks for the input. It's good to know that even the pros deal with these things!

Bill     

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155 Topic by Strummerboy Bill

(12 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

......... and what do you think you need to get you out of it and begin playing again?

First, this post isn't about those of you who, like our friend Classical Guitar are dedicated to your instrument, and it's not about those of you who play for a living or even those of you who love music so much you would sleep with your guitar if folks didn't think you were weird for doing so.

It's for folks like me who are having problems with motivation - which turns to guilt - which turns to self-anger at being so lazy.

I'm just going to throw some things out at you which I am experiencing and maybe you can relate or maybe you can't, but these are real and they keep me from playing. Bear with me......

1. My fingernails need trimming. Being that I have thick fingers and am arthritic in them, the best thing to get a clear-sounding chord is for me to keep my nails short, but for some reason not trimming them when they interfere, makes me say "Oh well, I won't sound good anyway and I don't think they need it yet, so I'll just wait"

BOOM - A chance to play or practice is missed.

2.  Worried about something. This may be one you can relate to, but as my dad once told me, "Worry is like a rocking chair. You can do it all day, but it gets you nowhere." Still, I give in to it and......

BOOM Another one gone.

3. "I Just don't feel like it, okay????" That's the one I have the most trouble defending, especially since I almost daily hum a song in my head or am working out some words.....

"There they sit, Bill. All three of them in their little stands, just waiting for you to pick one of them up and work that tune out, but you're gonna pass them by, aren't you?"

Yep, and BOOM that's three down.

There may be more, but that's what came up in my befuddled brain on short notice.....

Now, what can happen to get me to pay attention to those three fine ladies again?

Someone could knock on my door, and upon opening it, I'd see an old friend with his guitar case in his hand (and maybe a six-pack of cold ones, but not necessary) asking if I have time to do some pickin' and grinnin'.

THAT'S what would do it. That's the thing.

Oh, I remember what I wrote previously about joining our church band, but that didn't really turn out as planned. I mentioned it to our pastor, and he said he'd pass it along, but since then - nothing,  and my personality is such that I usually don't ask twice - this may also be why I didn't have many dates in high school. THAT and I thought one really had to have feelings of love for a girl to ask her out, but that's another story,

So how about you,  dear friends and family? Got anything you wanna share? smile

Thanks

Bill

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156 Reply by Strummerboy Bill

(14 replies, posted in Songwriting)

TF, I understand whole-heartedly about the fear of performing, but if you ever get close to doing it and need a little extra "impetus", just go to my recent SoundCloud upload. You have got to be an improvement on that, my friend.

The bad news is now that I know how to work BGD's gifted Snowball mic along with the simple record/playback function on the computer, I plan to do some more caterwauling.

I read/sang your little parody tune to Dondra who commented, "Cute!". This is high praise coming from a woman whose sense of humor matches that of a martinii on the  very "dry" side. smile

Your Friend

Bill     

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157 Reply by Strummerboy Bill

(10 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

The last duet I saw him play was with Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown; it was an old Duke Ellington standard called "Take The A Train". Roy Clark's musicianship knew no bounds and he had the uncanny ability to adapt himself to anyone's style and make the tune sound twice as good. CG is right: If it had strings, he could play it. Did he and Glen Campbell ever perform together?

RIP, Mr. Clark!     

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158 Reply by Strummerboy Bill

(16 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

Our sincere condolences as well, Derek.

Bill and Dondra Craig     

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159 Reply by Strummerboy Bill

(16 replies, posted in Songwriting)

Note left on YT. I don't know what "ingredients" are necessary to sing and play the blues like this, but whatever they are, you have them in spades!

Bill     

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160 Reply by Strummerboy Bill

(5 replies, posted in Songwriting)

Jim, thank you for this song and the lyrics which are spot on describing me! I really do live my life in the past - some of that is my mental condition, being that I remember things from long ago better than I remember short-term stuff, and some of it is just the way I am: I sometimes have to be dragged into changing times.

Also, you helped me score some points with Dondra who said she didn't realize I listen to her as closely as I do.

Note left for you on SC and thanks once again for taking the trouble. Now that I have the chords, I will try to cover it as I said previously.

Thanks for thinking of me/us, my friend!

Bill     

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161 Reply by Strummerboy Bill

(8 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

Thanks for the comments, guys and ladies. Now that I know how to work the Snoball and the W10 record function, I will try to do better. The Joe Cocker version of "Friends" has always been my favorite and that little Def Lepard "intro" at the start was just to relax me a little. I'll do better next time - I hope.

Thanks

Bill     

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162 Topic by Strummerboy Bill

(8 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

https://soundcloud.com/nachtflieger-bei … -be-humble

Bill 

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163 Topic by Strummerboy Bill

(11 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

I almost forgot, so while it is still Sunday evening at just after 8, Dondra and I would like to wish you a happy one! Thanks also for all the extra help and care on my behalf, it is ALWAYS appreciated!

Semper Fi and HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Marine!

Your Friends

Bill and Dondra Craig 

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164 Reply by Strummerboy Bill

(25 replies, posted in My local band and me)

I feel very fortunate to have these in my "Classical Guitar Collection" and listen to them often, CG.  We feel very fortunate to count you among our talented friends and treasure (of course!) the piece you wrote especially for Dondra. I wish we lived close enough to drive to see one of your performances - it would definitely be a highlight of my life to meet you - as it would to meet other of our family here!

One can hear the love of your instrument in every note you play, my friend!

Bill and Dondra     

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165 Reply by Strummerboy Bill

(2 replies, posted in About Chordie)

joey³, this is happening with me as well and there are a lot of artists' names involved. One instance where this doesn't  happen is with artists like Johnny Cash, who have many albums. Here, you just choose the album, find the song and click on it - no problem. But on groups such as GACKT (?) you won't find anything - just a blank page.

Thanks

Bill

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166 Reply by Strummerboy Bill

(19 replies, posted in My local band and me)

Sorry, Pete I meant to comment on this last night, but literally fell asleep at the keyboard - been doing that a lot lately. I agree with neo - Steve just continually  amazes me with those clean blues of his, but this time it's Jim I wanted to compliment. He's right ON with those fast downstrokes, isn't he? Don't know much about Mr. Doakes - is he a "guest" on Steve's shows? The two complement each other very well! Thanks for including it!

Bill     

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167 Reply by Strummerboy Bill

(474 replies, posted in Bands and artists)

Wow! Just......... WOW!. I would've been hard-pressed as a drummer to keep up with Ray's bass. Those guys were/are? terrific! DId they not ever get down this way, TF?

Thanks!

Bill     

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168 Reply by Strummerboy Bill

(13 replies, posted in My local band and me)

Beautiful! If you ever need a deep male voice to do that "Yeeeess?" part, I'm your guy. I alluded to it on SoundCloud, but my Mom and Dad also loved this one, originally done by The Andrews sisters, and when the band on my American Dad's Army Post would play it, the drummer, known to me only as "Piccolo" used to let me sit in his lap and he and I would play brushes on his snare. Great memories, Jan! Don't make us wait so long next time.

That also goes for another certain female Chordian - and you know who you are - whose singing I also love. We have way too many guys' songs and we need to even them out a bit.

Anyone else think so too?

Thanks!

Bill     

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169 Reply by Strummerboy Bill

(19 replies, posted in My local band and me)

I knew there was more to my friend Pete than meets the eye - or in this case - ear. I left some comments on your video, but I'll say right here and now, when you turn loose of that anger and frustration and put it in the words of a song, you rank right up there with a Howlin' Wolf or John Lee Hooker. That growl of yours puts just the right amount of exasperartion needed to make the blues personal.

Thanks also for the lore you added here, my friend! The late Harry Chapin supported World Hunger Relief, and he too would have liked this song, I know.

Your Bro

Bill     

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170 Reply by Strummerboy Bill

(7 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

Pete and all: I won't be using any fancy stuff such as reverb, over-dubbing, etc. I will be using the very simple "record" and "stop" feature that's on my computer, so what y'all will hear will be all me - raw and all. Beamer, a couple of years ago, our friend Doug tutored me on how to use audacity, and I wrote it all down on a note card (so I'd be sure to have it to go by), but somehow I managed to lose it along with other cards which had my passwords on them. So after I get this first song done the simple way, I'll play around with audacity some more. Right now it's really "information overload" for me.

Please don't expect too much, okay? As a matter of fact, I am thinking of recording three versions of the same tune, and choose the best of the the three to upload - mistakes and all - so y'all can critique me. Speaking of which I hope you will be as critical as you need to be, because it can only help me.

I gotta go out and buy some superglue to put on my fingers and practice. I am looking toward this weekend for recording this thing, and Jim, Dondra will be visiting family this weekend, so there will be no distractions or "holding back" out of embarrassment. smile

Thanks, you guys!

Bill

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171 Reply by Strummerboy Bill

(474 replies, posted in Bands and artists)

On "Ramble On"; Isn't it strange how much one misses on the original when one listens to just the instrumental versions? I was never much of a Page fan except for "Stairway" and it was always the group as a whole that turned me on on tunes like "Whole Lotta Love", but here with Kelly Valleau's cover, I can hear the nuances I missed the first time around.  A great choice, my friend and I look forward to more of this which actually makes me "pay attention" to what I am hearing.

Thanks!

Bill     

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172 Reply by Strummerboy Bill

(474 replies, posted in Bands and artists)

On Eva's piece, you say it isn't technical, TF, but when she started that "on the neck picking" she had me (in my own bird-brain) yelling, "Wait! Wait! What's that you're doing????? I can barely play a B and/or B7 and you're doing all that fancy dancing on the neck! What's that called, anwyay???"

That's what I would say, if I had been one of those folks throwing those things into her case.

As far as the music itself, I found it to be a very light and pleasant work to hear and it wouldn't be out of place in a movie soundtrack.

I'm a little behind on my comments, sorry. I'll catch up with Led Zep.

Thanks

Bill     

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173 Topic by Strummerboy Bill

(7 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

I was just sorta getting things ready and I can't seem to find where one can record directly onto this service. There is a section which says "Upload", but that lets you upload from a file already created, apparently.

I then looked over to where the three dots are, but there too I found nothing which sets me up to begin recording and I wanted to get all the "learning" done before I actually play and sing a song for y'all.

So do I need to join for money or is it free and I'm just not choosing the right button?

Thanks!

Bill 

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174 Reply by Strummerboy Bill

(14 replies, posted in Recording)

You're speechless??? smile

Or have I "overstepped my bounds"? smile

Whatever the case, I'm getting ready to put something on SoundCloud, but before I do - does it have to be original or can I cover something else? I don't know for sure if I have ever seen a post where one of you might have done a cover, so that's my reason for asking. The song I want to cover is also easy to strum, not so easy for me to stay on-key, so I want to be as "safe" as I can be.

Thanks

Bill     

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175 Reply by Strummerboy Bill

(11 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

Hey! Snuck one in on me, huh? smile

Hope it was a good one, Sir!

Your Friend

Bill     

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