Frustration

[mick hearn]

Do you ever have one of those days? I certainly am at the moment. A sudden truth hits about how much I don't know about music, or even about the guitar that I am playing. Throw anything at me and I will have a go at it and will usually be able to play it. Call it a gift if you wish but it is very frustrating. Why?

I am sitting here trying to get to grips with Joaquin Murpheys solo in Panhandle Rag. I have the recording and the music in front of me. Hang on though - I can't read music. Looks like a piece of paper covered in fly poo. So I draw a stave to try and work out the notes. Good so far but very slow 'cos I am writing the notes down in alphabet. Then the sudden realisation that I don't even know what the notes are on the steel - so draw another chart.

I will get it eventually but how I wish I had taken the time to study what other players have advised to do - learn where the notes are on your instrument.

Oh well - on we go - now wheres that pen.

[Uncle Roy]

You are certainly not on your own Mick. I should have study these things instead of the pair of legs up the road

[rogerp1]

I learnt where all the notes were on my lap steel once........damned if I can remember where they are now though!

[Ken Byng]

Mick - you are certainly not on your own in this matter. Virtually all of my pupils when they come to me have never taken the time out to learn the basics. Scales and where the notes are on each string up the neck. It is very well worth while going through the labourious and repetitive task of learning major and minor scales, plus the notes on each string. Also where the basic chords are - major, minor, augmented, diminished, suspended, moving on to 6ths, 7ths, 9ths, major 7ths, minor 6ths, minor 7ths, m7b5 etc.

[mick hearn]

You are absolutely right Ken. I once enquired about music lessons and the teacher told me that after the second time round on a piece I would be playing it by ear without reference to the music - therefore a waste of time. I don't really think she wanted my custom - didn't make sense to me.

I suppose really I am impatient. When I think of some of the things I can play on C6 lap steel-Four Wheel Drive - Steel Guitar Rock - both a challenge, and also going through Joaquin Murphy stuff I suppose on the theory side I am lazy.

This morning before the wife gave the orders for the day I slowed down the Panhandle Rag solo and got though 2 sections very quick. Can't wait for tonight when I can sit down and continue. So now I won't have to go through that chore - at least not now. Having said that I know where my limitations are so really must get down to work.

C6 lap steel playing - am infected but I won't be going to the Doc for a cure.

[JohnDavisStringsHere]

Mick, I understand and share your frustration with the theory side of things when I went for 6 string guitar lessons (from Blind Erny Bonham) he told me "You have to forget all you have learned so far and start from scratch"! ) , as I had already been twanging for about 18 months and could play quite a lot of Shadows stuff that was not going to happen..... but of course he was right as my limitations now prove.
I think the theory thing should be taught before your even allowed to touch any instrument and done at a very young age as, it is a lot harder to absorb once you have started twnging,

[Donny Johnston]

Ken, what does etc mean after that big list of chords ?

[Ken Byng]

Ken, what does etc mean after that big list of chords ?

Donny - you then start getting into the realms of bichords and polychords, with two or more chords on top of each other or chords on top of bass notes. E.g. D/B or F/C

The C6th 10 string tuning for psg (5+1) has quite a few polychords contained within it, and indeed the basic open C6 tuning has C and F chords plus C6 and C9 where there is a D string on top.

[Nick Bidmade]

Mick - if you have a tuner that gives the note you are playing, you can speed up the 'peck and hunt-a-note' a bit.

[mick hearn]

Nick - you hero. It's so obvious so why have I not thought of this? Good one mate.