PlayJazzGuitar.com Forum

[Hitdoggie]

Hey Guys,

Here is a link to a clip I put up of me playing through 3 choruses.
time remebered solo.mp3 - 2.41MB

http://www.zshare.net/audio/16670496966392d3/

Some background- I used to go to music school for a short while. After a year of gigging a lot, and with a roster of private students I decided the music thing might not be for me, that or I realized I just didn't have the passion to make a job of it.
When I left school in May I quit playing jazz. The only playing I did was in lessons with my students. I like to consider jazz my hobby and myself to be a "reformed hack!" I now only play jazz gigs to get laid!!! Jk.

My critiques:
On a whim last week I put aebersold on and just tried to play through some changes. The only thing I thought was that I anted to use some bigger intervals. It always seems really hard to do that and make your lines have a nice contour and inherent logic.

Diaharea of the fingers

I like most of the last chorus when I start singing my lines. Every teacher I have ever had has told me to do that. I like the effect it gives of being a little more rhythmic, but you are now forever called a kurt fan boy when you do it.

Having said that.....let me have it!! I won't cry to bad. I'd like to repost the clip every month with some new ideas to see what happens. Forums are always a good place to put yourself out there and be accountable.

P.S> No head as it wasn't my intention to post this until today.

Sorry for the quality. I'm using a fast-track to pick up the audio from pc speakers and my guitar from a blues junior.

[patrik]

hey

i´ve listened to your clip a couple of times and i can agree with you that you seem to be more at home when you´re singing your lines.
however, this is an extremely complicated tune to achieve some kind of flow on - i can only think of bill evans himself and abercrombie...

if you want your playing to be properly evaluated i suggest you play a minor blues or something like that. skip the aebersold background track, use a metronome on 2 or something or just try to swing without it.

you are a very lyrical player and you have good taste but i can´t really hear your time or your ability to outline chord-changes on a tune like this.
don´t get me wrong - i love this tune and you seem to have some good ideas but it´s a really tough one...

[jazzerchick]

You have really good ideas and fine sound. It's a shame you have lost your passion for the music, although it doesn't sound like you have from your playing. But the music "business" surely is difficult at best, and doesn't seem to be getting any easier,even if you want to teach.So I can understand
losing interest in that part of it.
Hopefully you can find your passion in doing something else as enjoyable as playing music.
Any chance of hooking up with some other players that would be an inspiration to you? You could keep your music at least as a sideline since
you have obviously put in lots of time and effort.
Sometimes you just have to step back a little and see what happens
without worrying about it too much for a while.

[Hitdoggie]

Thanks so far guys....anyone else please chime in.

Patrik- I hear ya. Maybe I'll record another Bill Evans tunes with standard changes. There isn't a lot of pressure to be ready for the next gig anymore, so I haven't been to afraid to stick to one composer that I like a lot. It is no doubt a tricky tune, though I think I am the MOST scared of "Very Early." Appreciate the feedback.

Jazzer- Thanks for the feedback as well. I'm not looking for sympathy or anything, not saying you laid it on, it just wasn't for me. The teaching is fun; I will do it to get through my undergrad and my PhD, should I go that far with the other degree. Music was one of those things that I didn't want ruined by the mundane aspects of the business or the general stress that it can bring with it. That is what happened and why I stepped back. Now I listen to myself play and smile. It's not that I'm killin or anything, I just enjoy the progress I made. I don't regret anything. Music taught me very instrumental ways on how to teach myself, and how to break complex things down or see the symmetry of complex systems. That is something I will forever value.
"Sometimes you just have to step back a little and see what happens
without worrying about it too much for a while"-that is what I am certainly doing.

On local players-it's pretty dismal. I set up jams at local colleges and would get people to come out occasionally. Old buddies from music school talk of getting together and playing or writing, but it is mostly just a lot of jive. I live in a state where the talking far surpasses the playing! Some good local talent that I used to go out and support, but it got to the point where I didn't want to deal with some of their egos when you'd go to chat and say "hi." This doesn't take into account the fact that most everyone I know who plays lives 20 miles or more from each other. Most of the gigs I did I was driving an hour to and and hour back from. Maybe I am cynical but I found a lot of negativity in the jazz community...at least here. To the point where I'd rather play lead behind some singer songwriter who has a passion for music as their hobby. Rather than listening to every friggin' guy tell me what they were going to do, only to not do it and bitch about it endlessly after. There are only so many of those "more people should listen to jazz" pity sessions I could do in a month. That is a silent jab at anyone at this forums, just where I am at.

[ed norton]

Some butts popped up , and those Myspace type ads, nothing virusy or abnormal, it's the norm to have to look at stupid adds when listening to you guys. I didn't listen today, but I remember I really liked your playing before. Stay cool Brandon!, you are one of my heroes from the KR forum. I've always loved the trials and tribulations you share. I hope the great state of Maine is treating you well this summer, you are lucky to live out in God's Country, just chillin. See ya

[Hitdoggie]

Thanks Ed!

Maine is good. It's done nothing but rain for a month, but fall is right around the corner. You haven't experienced autumn until you've done it in New England.

I miss that forum! There probably the best source of information in the past posts of that place. They don't even need to bring it back, just the logs to search through. Tons of insight and really heavy and wild stuff there. Lot's of it probably still way over my head!

[Jake Hanlon]

that forum was ruined by fanboys. Sure it was Rosenwinkel's site and you can expect a certain amount of that to be cool, but it was getting out of control with "when's the book out when's the CD out what strings do you use, what delay are you using" posts. It drove me crazy when they'd post about "Kurt listen to my shit and tell me I'm good" posts. There used to be good information there, and I agree bring it back for that.

We don't need more of that other crap though ~shudders~
_________________
Guitarist, Composer, Professor of Music St Francis Xavier University

www.jakehanlon.com


Debut Album Follow @ Itunes http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/follow/id406062013

[Hitdoggie]

That kind of becomes inherent with jazz guys who become the "in" guy for the moment. I'm not dismissing Kurt as being just that, but it happens.

The worst thing he ever did there was open himself up to questions and actually respond. It was a great gesture when that place was booming, but it set him up for more and more of that. Like anything it is always much easier to be a critic of someone else than to walk a mile in their shoes.

I don't know where all those kids got the money to switch guitar and effects every time he did

Every forum eventually descends into idiocracy. It is only a matter of time.

[Jake Hanlon]

yeah I can dig why it all happened. You need exposure in the industry and I'm sure Kurt's website for a while helped. I think they've been working on a 'new site' for about 3 years now. At least one thing they do really well is keep the tours page and front page reasonably up to date and I think that's so vital to a webpage. The only other guys I can think about are the big Three guys Frisell, Scofield and Metheny who keep that shit nice and clean. Martino's isn't that bad either.

Nothing can be as disappointing as wanting to get to your favorite cat's page and there hasn't been a gig listed since 2003 or something like that or they're only listing their gigs as a leader, nothing as a sideman.
_________________
Guitarist, Composer, Professor of Music St Francis Xavier University

www.jakehanlon.com


Debut Album Follow @ Itunes http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/follow/id406062013

[Jake Hanlon]

and yes I've hijacked your thread damn it
_________________
Guitarist, Composer, Professor of Music St Francis Xavier University

www.jakehanlon.com


Debut Album Follow @ Itunes http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/follow/id406062013

[ed norton]

Oh Brandon that actually sounds real nice. You should find a keyboard player to jam with, it would sound great.
I appreciate that Kurt took the time to explain some concepts. He would just post one little idea and it would always open a big door. Some other contributors were very intelligent great players .... and here as well.. Kurt explained that symetrical scale harmony and some of the other things mentioned here as questions. His explanations were always real brief and real good. I can't explain that stuff without rambling and going on forever. Anyway his posts were fantastic, I really appreciated it.

[Hitdoggie]

Thanks Ed. I'll certainly keep at this music thing the rest of my life. Now that the onus of doing it for a job is over with I feel like a 13 year old kid who just learned his first song. Everyday I pick up the guitar with wonder and not out of some subliminal obligation.

I've never really played with a good keyboard player. I played with a piano player once. It was kind of a train wreck as the piano was way out of tune. I've always wanted to play with someone who played some good rhodes.

I also agree with the insight kurt had on his boards. Unfortunately, like Jake said, the gear obsession with what he was playing day to day was a little crazy. Every time I've seen him live there has been kids walking up to his gear with cell phones and taking pictures, or writing stuff down. At the same time I am sure it is flattering.

Anyone else with a critique please feel free to add. I'm ready to get ripped up a bit here.

[Peter C]

I thought your phrasing and tone (despite the recording method) were very good with some work needed on note definition in the faster runs.

Edit
After a second listen, I'd add that you're definitely playing from within the progression, with a good lyrical sense, too. It's the hammer-ons (and offs) which are in need of more definition and fluidity, like you needed to build up finger strength (again?).

[trotsky]

I liked it a lot.
I love Bill Evans and I'll be honest and say that just about all of his compositions are a little beyond me at the moment.....but heres hoping!
Good on you for taking a run at a hard tune and for having the guts to post it here.
I love listening to all the people on here.

I'll certainly keep at this music thing the rest of my life. Now that the onus of doing it for a job is over with I feel like a 13 year old kid who just learned his first song. Everyday I pick up the guitar with wonder and not out of some subliminal obligation.

Boy that sounds familiar

I hope to hear more from you.

BTW....does anybody know what kind of strings that Kurt uses????!!!!!!!
jk
Gene

[Hitdoggie]

Hey Peter,

I just caught the edit. Thanks for that, as I do believe you are right. I don't practice that kind of stuff much. In fact, even in music school I never worked on hammerons and pulloffs. Of late I feel like my phrasing is changing and I am using a lot more of that kind of technique. I will take note.

I hope to repost it for better or worse in the next few weeks. It is a great tune to work on SUS structures with.