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The Combo Club
- Thread starter ChefKen
- Start date
... ... Music theory. If I had it to do all over again I would stay with the lessons I started when I was 12 (60 now) .... As it was I hated my guitar teacher. He used to paint his shoes a different color everyday! For some unknown reason that bothered me lol. And I didn’t want to learn no stinkin’ Jingle Bells! I wanted to play me some Beatles! When I went to return the guitar he said your never gonna be Elvis. And I said I don’t wanna be Elvis and walked out!... ...
I can totally relate to that, Michael! At 13 I started taking lessons with the first guitar of my very own. I'd been using my cousin's cheap-o Silvertone acoustic for a few years. Mine was a Kauai electric solid body that Santa had brought, with a 3 or 4 watt Alamo amp with a tube in it!
Many times I've wished I'd continued to study fingerpicking. But I've managed to get a few patterns down OK for my own enjoyment and jamming. Now I have plenty of time for Folk, Bluegrass, Country (old & new), Contemporary Christian, whatever I can appreciate the harmonies in.
It's only a good deal if it suits your goals at the time and can sustain your interest. It's the very rare young person that's got time, or interest, to listen to, much less follow, good advice. But I go ahead and tell my grandkids, anyway. Then, later, I can say, "I told you so," which I'm now doing to my kids!
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There were 3 of us electrified rockstar wannabees in the class. The teacher strolls in wearing a bowtie(!), carrying a nylon-(or gut?)-string acoustic guitar, and proceeds to expertly fingerpick and sing the doleful "Hang Down Your Head, Tom Dooley"!! Yeah, Folk songs were still fairly big then. Well, the next week it was just two students, the next just me. And then there were none. Yeah, we wanted to be Beatles, with no time to waste on Folk. No, we never actually made it. But, I've had a few moments in my life, pursuing my bliss, that came close enough for me!
Many times I've wished I'd continued to study fingerpicking. But I've managed to get a few patterns down OK for my own enjoyment and jamming. Now I have plenty of time for Folk, Bluegrass, Country (old & new), Contemporary Christian, whatever I can appreciate the harmonies in.
It's only a good deal if it suits your goals at the time and can sustain your interest. It's the very rare young person that's got time, or interest, to listen to, much less follow, good advice. But I go ahead and tell my grandkids, anyway. Then, later, I can say, "I told you so," which I'm now doing to my kids!
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Great story @G-Dog . "Hang Down Your Head Tom Dooley"! Ok yea I'm out! What no Jingle Bells G-Dog!?
- Oct 22, 2015
- 21,167
- 257,006
- Disclosures
- I am an affiliate for Ari Cap.
American Airlines Admiral's Club at Chicago O'Hare, my home .... Also a member of the United Airlines Red Carpet Club. There are others, and there are reciprocal agreements with partner airlines. Pay your fee, get your club card and
and what it means for a hard traveler is a place where
I'd say it's a place where your needs are seen to. I'm known on sight, and by name, in so many of these ports ... when your flight home is delayed (it always is) the club is a place to kick back and enjoy the show
just never know who you may meet in there
"hard traveler"
to sleep soundly through takeoff and wake for the first in-flight coffee of the day.
to hold an infinite capacity for boredom (because everything in-flight that is not boredom is un-good)
to know the FA's pre-flight instructions word-for-word, and recite along for fun
by no mean chance I am in Chicago again this summer, in the American terminal (I let the club membership expire) and know this place as I know my own life — flags in the concourse of every nationality hold the periphery of my attention.
A 5 Euro note — enough to buy a good coffee on my way to baggage claim — is always in my wallet, same as my passport. It feels good to know I'm always just steps from the gate on some level
The gate I take in retirement doesn't need a noise gate. Basses are dead quiet, even the single coil Cat bass. Different destinations need different visas and coming back to re-learn music theory is the gate I use.
Uni level music theory was, for me, the most singularly difficult course I ever took. Writing out exercises that sound liturgical — that was supposed to be a flat note, darn again, erase, erase, only use a pencil for music theory ... before that there is saxophone. Play the notes as written. Watch the conductor. Why music works the way it works is never discussed.
My brain goes all cross-eyed inside when I read a piece intentionally written with all ascending accidentals written as sharps, and all descending accidentals written as flats.
Can think of very few things more attention-consuming than reading note-for-note with a bass 
There's pit work, it ain't a bad gig, really. The orchestra pit should be home to a vintage Peavey combo. Truth.Tom Tedesco was a guest teacher at MI. It's not playing what's written. It's playing what the producer wants to hear, he tells us. Still taking that lesson in these 40 years later.
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It was such a snoozey song.
I can't imagine that he thought that would keep our attention, ... for four friggin' 1-hour lessons! At least "Dooley Slippin' Up The Holler" has some pep to it!! 
It was January, so "Jingle Bells" was out..
That's how it's supposed to be Contessa!
Like your lounge BTW !!
I think it's probably been at about 2 years since going into a McDonalds. Probably closer to 10 years since I entered one by my choice.I went to McD's yesterday...the first time in over a year. Big Mac, med. fries and drink = $9.60. Guess it's COVID Inflation. If I am going to pay that much, I should eat healthy
I was told the 5 Guys fries were great. To me, they suck. For chains, Checker's/Rally's. I like 'em crisp and seasoned. Was gonna get some on the way home from tonight's gig. Closed early. Crap.I'll take the fries at 5 Guys over the ones from Checkers/Rallys any day.
Speaking of(sorta): Gig Friday night at local American Legion. Crowd loves us. We play the songs they know and wanna hear-60s/70s rock, some crossover country, whatever. Coupla requests(which we happen to know). We never work off a set list. We 'feel' the crowd and play what's appropriate. They want us back. Unfortunately, the place is booked for awhile. We're back there 12/17-by which time we'll be forgotten. We should be on a 3 week rotation.
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- Oct 22, 2015
- 21,167
- 257,006
- Disclosures
- I am an affiliate for Ari Cap.
Trying to lose weight - despite all the Belgian mussels & fries, and beer, and chocolate surrounding me
Trying to lose weight - despite all the Belgian mussels & fries, and beer, and chocolate surrounding me
Temptation is just another form of GAS!
- Oct 22, 2015
- 21,167
- 257,006
- Disclosures
- I am an affiliate for Ari Cap.
Trying to lose weight - despite all the Belgian mussels & fries, and beer, and chocolate surrounding me
Asterix in Belgium is not really fiction, is it.
IT IS REALAsterix in Belgium is not really fiction, is it.
and we always carry umbrellas so the sky ain't fall on our heads
@swink - same in Flanders ?
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I have never understood jazz. And I am playing over 20 years now.
