Christian Music

Was never into Contemporary Christian music, but was asked to play guitar with some singers and other musicians tonight. Went well. Was good for my soul, too. There was a great song they played on a CD or computer about how the singer trusts in God during the storms of living. They showed slides during the presentation and one that touched me was how God wants us to be joyous. Pretty cool how God not only lets me, but wants me back after I mess up so royally.

Blues Guitar . . . Inside and Out

Had the book for awhile, but just dived into it again today.
"Blues Guitar Inside and Out" by Richard Daniels.
Nice reading something like that which seems from the heart, in a world that sometimes seems full of folks with tiny hearts.

Learning how to remember the root notes in Patterns 1 through 4.

My First Gibson

After much internet shopping, I took the plunge yesterday and traded my American Strat. What I got was a 2007 Gold Les Paul Premium Studio. Now, back to practicing.

March 13, 2011

Yesterday I sent away for a tone control knob to work on tweaking the volume of my Hot Rod Deluxe. I'm quickly becoming a gadget fan for my guitar stuff. Today I added learning the fourth (of five) major scale positions.

"Me and You"

Took out the acoustic today, and here's a song I'll be playing soon at a wedding. This will be played as the wedding party enters...its Kenny Chesney's "Me and You."
http://www.box.net/shared/f8239qxo4n

Conquering the World

Played the Strat in rehearsal with band tonight and it was cool. Time to conquer the world with my guitar! Played "I Saw Her Standing There," "Twist and Shout," "Lay Down Sally," "After Midnight," "Spider and the Fly," "Kansas City," "Tequila (w/sax!)," "Sleepwalk (w/sax!)," "I'll Follow the Sun." First time I tried the new chorus pedal tonight, and I like it. It was definitely worth the money.

Looking forward to getting the acoustic out this weekend.

Blue Sunrise

"Blue Sunrise" made its debut last night at a local parish's Mardis Gras celebration. It was alright. We played two sets, and I sang some, too.

Some comments:
1) It would be nice to play somewhere and people would actually get into it, or at least applaud after a song! Didn't happen last night...
2) My strat behaved. For the most part. But I still need to get better used to the different tones available.
3) I continue to not be impressed with my Digital Delay pedal. Either I try to get better used to it, or it will be sold/traded.
4) My amp is heavy, and maybe too powerfully loud for my needs. Thinking of selling it and downsizing to a different amp thst doesn't weigh a ton. Would like a lighter tube amp, and it doesn't need to have too many effects other than reverb.

Time to get busy, and serious:
1) Its now Lent, so I'd like to use Lent as an opportunity to get back to walking daily and eating better.
2) Time to get serious about practicing for thr wedding gig that is quickly approaching.

Miscellaneous:
1) Received my Danelectro Chorus Pedal and Fast Fret yesterday!
2) Christian music gig is approaching, also.
3) Strat is at the shop getting a "set up" being paid mostly by the cash earned at the Mardi Gras gig
4) Another "country club gig" is also quickly approaching for the Blue Sunrise band. Will have a drummer there, and we'll need to learn more songs for that one.
5) Been listening to the Stones. Exile is great, Goats Head Soup isn't. Exile makes me want a telecaster!

Gig Time

Playing a Mardi Gras tonight...looking forward to it.
Went to guitar store last night. Found out my guitar needs a set up. $50...not looking forward to it.

Cruisin'

Missed Mass today, and I ain't too proud about that...

The Strat is still acting up. I guess I'll just have to "bite the bullet" and take it to get set up. Frustrating.

Had a short but pretty prodictive practice session today... just about done with the 3rd major scale position, and still learning new chords from the Baker book.

Still tempted to trade for a Les Paul Double-Cutaway, and I got some feelers out there for that. It'd be nice if I could just play one of them to get it out of my system.

Lent is right around the corner, and our "Blue Sunrise" band is playing a Fat Tuesday gig at a local Catholic Church.

Oh yea, i also sent away for a Danelectro FAB Chorus pedal and Fast Fret to help the squeekiness on my acoustic's neck.

Some People . . .

. . . just really seem to express beautiful things with their music.... I saw a guy playing a Les Paul Custom Special on youtube and it was just so nice.....another guy on youtube played the guitar and just seemed to be just expressing so much beauty and hearfelt love of the music...and so original, too....

The Beat Goes On

Learning, practicing, yada, yada, yada.
Put some feelers out there to sell my strat or trade for a Les Paul, but I don't think I'll do it. Just love the strat tones too much.

No one said it was going to be easy

My strat is acting up...the third string sounds somewhat weird, the tremolo was acting weird. Trying to get that rectified is a drag. Tempted to get a guitar that may be seem to be less high maintenace... Those first two patterns fought me tonight...finding it difficult to remember them, and I'm getting ahead of myself wondering how I'll remember all the other patterns and things that are to be remembered and/or memorized or at least internalized. Practiced tonight with the band, and it looks like we have a name: "Blue Sunrise."

More Hendrix

Listening to more of Jimi, and appreciating his art more... Listening to Axis: Bold as Love.
Getting more knowledge of practicing, etc., as I'm reading more of the Chord Tone Soloing Book.

Appreciate how artists like Hendrix and Thelonious Monk seemed to be more concerned about their art than what others thought of that art...This can connect with Christianity in that there is a verse which says something like 'blessed are you when they ridicule you because of me (my paraphrase).'

Be yourself with your art, don't be afraid of standing up for your art, and your Christian beliefs, and your Roman Catholic beliefs, and ypur belief in Jesus Christ. Don't be afraid of being yourself when you know what you are is true in Jesus.

These days its not considered cool to be a fervent believer in Jesus, and if you talk about it, you are seen as a weirdo...

But let your freak flag fly.....