[the-old-coach]

Gerry and others-

Thanks for the reply(s)! And sorry about THIS long-winded thing…….

So, the Looper—- One part of me- (that’s just the way I am- always wanting to be “real”)- thinks that it’s somehow “cheating” to use a pre-recorded soundtrack to play music; that it somehow makes it less authentic- (even though **I** had just made the mini-recordings myself, right then and there).

Like you (maybe?), I would use it only as a TOOL.

1. A tool to improve my timing consistency as far as BPM goes- (never realized that FOOT-TAPPING is soooooo important!). I admit I have been waaaaay too lazy using a metronome.

2. A tool to learn and realize how recorded music is REALLY made these days- and help me when I do get around to building my own “home studio”. I’ll have SOME knowledge…..

3. A tool to separately identify all the “layers” within a song I hear- (you CAN hear them if you really listen for them!).

4. A tool for BRINGING ACTUAL SOUND TO SOME OF MY OWN TUNES- (this is the coolest part for me– the number 1 reason– it would bring my own songs to LIFE!!!!!).

5. A tool to improve my “ear” and my timing– within a song as it’s playing– with regards to improvising little licks, riffs, and solos. I think it would unlock a whole new level of creativity! It would “fit” PERFECTLY with the entire last section of Fretboard Wizard 2!!!!!

and 6. A tool to help me learn to add VOCALS to my own songs- (I can sing along with MY OWN music!—- (now, if I could just sing…… yeah, there is that…..)).

In another thread I mentioned seeing Vince Gill at the Grand Ol’ Opry recently- (fairly close-up)- and I was quite focused on just WATCHING him play guitar. With an unbelievable amount of creativity and expertise I might add)- he mainly just played little licks, riffs, and solos within a song that was mostly being carried by the Grand Ol’ Opry Band. It was AMAZING how small little chunks thrown on top of a song already being played by others can add sounds soooooo full and rich! And he was havin’ a blast– he wasn’t workin’— he was PLAYIN’!!!!

So—– that’s what has got me all jacked-up on this “Looper” thing.

While I don’t necessarily think it would make me a better PLAYER by itself, I think it WOULD
“open-up” my mind and my music world to new levels of knowledge and creativity.

Thanks, discostew, for the VIDEOS!!!!! They are spot-on!!!!

Back home- along the Washington Coast- and lovin it!- (forecast for today—- high of 40, rain, windy, gusts to maybe ~55😀).

theoldcoach

[the-old-coach]

For me, anyway, it’s hard to stay focused when there are soooooo many different ways to go….

• This reply was modified 3 years, 9 months ago by  the-old-coach.

[the-old-coach]

It was all started & stopped with his foot. Each layer. Start/stop……. on/off.

It was cool watching him. He’s start out with just a simple chord progression. Then add a layer of percussion- (hitting his guitar with his hand or thumb, tamborine, maraca, whatever), then play a bassline, then some short solo-sections scattered thru, then “back-up singing” in short sections where needed.

After EACH layer/addition, the recording would then have ALL the layers in there. He’d just listen to each layer he had just added for a few seconds, and see if it sounded OK. Then when all that sounded good— he’d take off actually performing the song.

When he actually was playing/performing the song, I think basically he was really just playing more chords and really cool solos– ALONG WITH a backing track– one that he had just created!

It didn’t hurt that he was an excellent guitar all by itself– but adding in the depth of other sounds really changed things.

Some songs took only a few “layers”- (2-3, maybe 30 seconds)- some “bigger” songs too a little longer. It was really fun to watch.

I think it would a great TOOL to work on your own music.

I really wanna find out more.

theoldcoach

• This reply was modified 3 years, 9 months ago by  the-old-coach.

[the-old-coach]

An ant can eat an elephant— one bite at a time

[the-old-coach]

Thank you ALL for your replies!

As far as the dailies goes, I think I’m gonna give a quick “once-over” during the usual warmup-part of a practice session- (maybe ~5 mins), mostly because they are “progressive”.

I think I’ve seen all but maybe the last week’s worth– from their last time thru.

And then do as you all say– just move on and grab onto what’s new, peek back into FBW2- to refresh my memory a little, and then also grab onto a couple of songs I can play- to put the “music-y” back into my head.

Full disclosure- part of our time was four days in Nashville watching and listening to music— some up-close— and got to see one of my all-time favorites at the Grand Ol’ Opry— Vince Gill!!! And THEN four more in New Orleans….

Mexican Strat- That whole damn thing has been sort-of a disappointment for sure. I think it’s all just a mirage…….. or a unicorn……… something…….. It’s there but isn’t. Frustrating for sure. I’m not countin’ on it happening anymore. One day “yes”, one day “maybe”, one day “we’re working on it”. I’ve all but given up- because I just don’t want to be that person who says “where’s the d*mn guitar”.

Anyway– thanks to all for your responses. I’m thinkin’ that “significant time away” from playing guitar happens to a LOT of people- (for various reasons)- and just needed advice on the right way to crank it back up…….

theoldcoach

[the-old-coach]

Reminder–

If for any reason you want to save any or all of the Daily Challenges for this last month- (Jan ’23)– (favoritize them/ print them/ whatever)– THEY GO AWAY at midnight tonight.

If anyone needs any of them from about the last two years, send me a PM. We’ll figure out some way to get them to you– there are several different ways.

theoldcoach

[the-old-coach]

Just type in the song you want. Add the word “tabs” on the end. Hit enter. Example— “Yesterday tabs”. You’ll get lots of free sites- ultimateguitar, echords, cowboylyrics, etc. all free unless you want the enhanced version(s).

[the-old-coach]

Hello, all–

This is a great thread.

With-OUT “steering” the thread from being about what strings are recommended……. if I may, can I throw out a simple question?…..

When considering and hearing about “how long strings last”, is that in reference to how long they have been on the guitar(?)…….. or how many hours they’ve been PLAYED(?).

I have 4 guitars and don’t play them all, all the time. I have two that I play about a half-hour each pretty much everyday, and two that I maybe play a half-hour a WEEK.

So the first two get a LOT more hours of actual playing- and in a shorter time frame, than the other two.

Which is it– “calendar time”, or actual “playing time”?

Thanks for any thoughts on this- and I REALLY don’t want to steer away from the original thread………

theoldcoach

[the-old-coach]

Sorry about my loooong original post on this. This one, too, it seems…..

In the FBW lesson about transposing a song- I think there was a word or two about actually transposing a song in the “Now You Try It” area- sort of as an assignment(?) maybe.

While I understood the process clearly while going thru FBW, I didn’t actually take a song and do it at the time.

So…. fast-forward…. there I was– with three similar-sounding songs…….

I went from ground-zero. Followed the FBW course. Figured out the Key/chord family from my song, figured out the chord progression- (the hardest part), converted it to Nashville numbers, and then just listened to songs in other keys- hoping I could find one I wanted to change my song TO, to get a “general sound” I wanted.

Songs in the key of “A” sounded good- so why not?

Funny thing is- actually changing the song- (in my case from “G” to “A”)- was remarkably simple. So then it was a matter of applying my-own-song’s Nashville-numbered chord sequence to the NEW Key/chord family chords.

Voila- done- (easy-actually!).

I knew HOW to do it before-hand- (from the FBW course materials)….. but actually DOING IT was the fun part! And it sounds great- and my voice “matches up” better in that key.

Again- I’m sorry if this seems to many of you that this is a “so what”, as many are way ahead of where I’m at– but it’s a pretty big light-bulb moment.

Note- It actually took longer to write this post that to actually change/transpose the key to a song.

So…… just for kicks……. Take a song you like- (but maybe isn’t easy for you to sing-along with)- and do what I did………. Change the key/chord family to a different key!- and if you don’t like THAT- change it to another one.

The FBW-lesson said being able to do this is a GREAT skill to have— it would allow you to easily play along with others who only know a song in one key- you could adapt a song to THEIR key and play along!?

theoldcoach

[the-old-coach]

Another reminder- the end of the month- (December)- is near.

“Favoritize” or print- (or whatever)- if you want to save any of this month’s Daily Lessons.

[the-old-coach]

Welcome John!

My two cents— Along with joining TAC in the first place, you made a great choice by coming into the Forum.

There’s lots to learn in HERE also- just read thru some recent threads- you may learn a lot just from others’ posts and answers.

Others’ threads and posts are one of my favorite things in TAC- different perspectives, thoughts, ideas, hints, and videos are extremely valuable and helpful- they are GOLD.

theoldcoach

• This reply was modified 3 years, 10 months ago by  the-old-coach.

[the-old-coach]

Mike-

Once again you have nailed it.

This is a great response you have made here.

To me, your “implied question” point is spot on, but even in this thorough- (and fun-to-read)- post, the sentence that hit me like a hammer, was maybe your shortest.

In the last paragraph, the sentence- “And it doesn’t end.”

I had to pause and think about only those four little words for a couple of minutes.

Jeff & I used to talk & chuckle about “keeping pushing that boulder up the mountain”.

I believe you gotta —-keep—- movin’….. keep learnin’…… Or you will forget all that you HAVE learned.

You can NOT steer a boat unless it is moving.

Thanks for your insight– as always–

theoldcoach

[the-old-coach]

I have them all- if you can’t figure out another way to get them- we can figure a way I can send them to you…….. keep in mind however that I am REALLY not so much computer-savvy, so there is that. I have ’em- we can figure out a way.

theoldcoach

[the-old-coach]

Mike-

Yeah, I see your original post is POOF-gone!

I’ve noticed also now & again all the “weird” symbols and words, etc, that seem to show up whenever something is either italicized or made BOLD– or both. It’s weird….. and frustrating for sure.

And my/our old nemesis—- The Pink Screen of Death—- aaarrrggghhh……

Anyway– they are/were great lines, and maybe someone can get something out of ’em.

yeroldpal-

theoldcoach

[the-old-coach]

Mike-

There are two small lines hidden in your post that hit it right on the head for me-

“so I can figure out to play a certain song myself”— and—

“just by trying, we are engaged. We figure something out every time that can help us make cool sounds”.

Right on— yet again👍.

theoldcoach