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Small Win: Improv over C-Major
Hi Acoustic Lifers ~
I’ve been away from the family here for awhile, got lost, but feel like I’m found again. Thanks for still being here. On my wayward journey, I tried to make friends with the mysterious Chinese abacus like thing, known as the “fret board.” Here’s my first video of an improv EVER. (Have also suffered debilitating performance anxiety so this is my not-so-small WIN!!! 👏
Thanks for listening! 🌺🐶🌺
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This discussion was modified 2 years, 1 month ago by
camilla.
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This discussion was modified 2 years, 1 month ago by
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24 Replies
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Nice and smooth. Good job with the K9 lead vocalist. Welcome back.
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Thank you so much, albert_d. Me and Baa Baa, my little, K9 love to squeak and sing together, so that may be a post in the near future!
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Camilla that was beautiful, really really nice you nailed it…very smooth and relaxed playing I really enjoyed that and makes me want to work on my own improv more so thanks for posting your pup liked it too…he knows good music when he hears it😉
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Thank you, Braden! That heartens me so much.
Oh yes! I want to encourage you to play around with the improv using Pentatonic scales – it’s a lot of fun! You’ll enjoy it immensely as its quite relaxing (even with K9 accompaniment 😂)
Thank you again! 🌺 Camilla
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That was wonderfully played Camilla. Nice control of your notes, smooth and relaxed, well done! Very enjoyable. And congratulations on your first post too! Jeep them coming!
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Thank you for your encouragement, Beatrice. It helps! (You have one of my favorite names by the way!) Thanks again!
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Oh really? glad to hear that 😀 and happy to be of help too along the way… 🙂
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This reply was modified 2 years, 1 month ago by Beatrice.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 1 month ago by
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All I can say is wow!!!!!
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Thank you, bell24! You’re lovely to comment and encourage me so….
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Sounding smooth and dreamy. Well done!
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Thank you so much, Philb! I’m staying with it! Appreciate your positive reflections – a real gift!
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So nice. Beautiful.
When you say improvise, do you mean you were making it up while you were playing it? Or did you know before what you were going to play? I’m new to TAC and I’m finding I’m struggling just to get somewhat through what he shows us in the daily challenges and the improvisation one has me lost. Today I was just focused on learning the A scale not even close to being able to mess around with it. 😃 I’m telling myself just do what you can and eventually you will get there, or at least I hope I will start to pick up new material faster.
You did this wonderful was nice hearing you play it. How long have you been playing?
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Improv normally means making it up as you go along. However there are phrases of 2-5 notes that you will often repeat, and most people have a few of their favorite go-to phrases, so in that sense it is something not necessarily created on the spot. Still have to decide where to insert that phrase.
Improv took me awhile to get, but it’s now my favorite part of the week. What got me over the hump was learning that you can improv with just a single note. You don’t have to memorize the entire scale before being able to do an improve. Just one or 2 notes is enough.
Be patient, it will come with time.
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Hi Joyfinder! What a fun and inspiring name!
I’m so sorry to be so slow in my response! My answer to your question about improvising is “both!” What I mean is that I know the key and the chords of the song ahead of time, and which pentatonic scale I’m going to use for that chord or for the key (Or both). I also tend to repeat a sound – like hearing a motif – so there’s some repetition that gives my ear a sense of musicality.
I too was very lost simply doing the Challenges and needed more context, i.e theory to feel like I wasn’t just learning piecemeal. I recognize now and appreciate more the Challenges methodology and it’s definitely going to help us to build some solid guitar skills, so do be patient. For me, it helped so much to learn the 5 pentatonic scales that give me a roadmap to the key and the notes (and some chords) within that key that sound good. I think the Challenges are a boon to building range and solid skills to play lots of different styles over time (at least that’s what I’m hoping!)
You have the right attitude and approach – Stay with the lessons and move on without first feeling like you need to perfect anything. I think you’re right – you’ll pick things more readily as you go. Maybe learn the 5 pentatonic scales (for any key) and have some fun fooling around a bit. These 5 scales repeat just in different positions on the fret board. Backing tracks can be a fun way to learn the scales and fretboard (though there always seems more to learn – that’s the journey 🙂
It took 8-10 months for me to learn the pentatonic scales (1-5) and diatonic scales (1-7) so that I understood how they connected and could move around.
I hope this helps, Joyfinder! I wish you great enJoyment on your guitar playing journey!
Warmest Wishes, Camilla
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Wow that sounded amazing
Did you learn your guitar with Tony and if so how long have been playing. I am in week 5 and struggling a bit
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Hi tmicallef! I apologize for my slow response…
I’ve come and gone and come back to working with Tony’s Challenges for several years now. I felt lost a lot too yet now I see that staying with the Challenges builds your skills and range almost invisibly. Still for me, I did find learning the pentatonic scales and how they fit together helped significantly understand the “grid” and allowed me to have a lot of fun just fooling around with backing tracks. I’m back to the Challenges and getting more out of them now… and appreciating what they uniquely offer!
Hope this helps, and I truly wish you fun and enjoyment on your guitar journey!
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This was so sweet, so well timed and absolutely spot on. You are a rock star.
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Thank you kindly, riccsnet! I never imagined the wonderful support I would receive from posting… Truly grateful!
I hope your guitar journey is fun, fruitful, and feels like it gives back more than you dreamed it would…
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I wish I had the up the neck freedom that you do.very cool
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Thank you, Mrfredsporty! I’m going to get back to my attempts to complete the “Fretboard Wizard” as that is what is giving me “freedom up the neck”… For me, it’s meant getting a real feel and understanding of the five Pentatonic scales that repeat up (and down) the neck (and in any key just in different positions). I’m pretty sure Tony will have that covered in the course, so if you haven’t already check it out! It’s a lot of fun playing to backing tracks and it’s a great way to “learn the neck” too!!
Thanks again! I wish you all the freedom and fun with you playing you can imagine, and more…
☺ Camilla
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This reply was modified 1 year, 10 months ago by camilla.
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This reply was modified 1 year, 10 months ago by
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Wow, that was really nice!!
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Thank you so much, ChuckS! You made my day! ☺ Camilla
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You play with your heart… I loved it.
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So grateful for your comment, Marisa. It’s my highest hope to be able to play freely and with heart so it means a lot that you could hear or feel it.
Wishing you a heartfelt fun-filled acoustic guitar journey, Marisa! May it give back more than you put in!
Thanks again!
☺Camilla
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