"Monkeying Around"

[keener]

Although I had not planned to do any more tutorial videos, I got enough email requests to get me to give it another stab. This video is another one of my thoughts on innovating on the guitar:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JAaekFHnHM

Probably no new insights for most of you, but if it helps anyone, then I'm pleased to have done it.

Bruce

[Tom Workman]

Hi, Bruce...
Thought I'd check the Chet Board to see what's new before turning in for the night and found this. Thanks for taking the time to post it. I saw/heard several things in there that I really liked and will steal...er...borrow, that is! This is what I love about this six-stringed device we are all so passionate about... the possibilities are endless. Thanks, Tom W.

[HeyMerle]

I really like Mr. Keener's calm approach in these videos.

Very "Chet Like"! Well done.

[RandeDager]

Hi Bruce,

You stimulated a few of my brain's creative areas in a slightly different way. What I think you are trying to accomplish in teaching or sharing your ideas is for us to take away something with us and create our own licks as opposed to merely duplicating yours. This worked with me because it's nearly impossible for me to learn something without something else being triggered.

By the way, was I "the friend who stopped by" that you mentioned? I've been playing "Teen Scene" for a number of years and what you demonstrated sounded like it, though I use a different technique. I remember playing it when I was there and that may be what you were referring to.

Thanks for sharing again!

[chetbaker]

A couple of years ago I had a blog called Keener Music (how original, huh?). After I started doing YouTube videos, I pretty much abandoned it ... blogs can consume way too much of your time if you don't watch it.

Anyway, I've decided to start it back up. It has a few entries, including a tribute to Paul Yandell. I plan to introduce most of my new videos there instead of here.

Although I had not planned to do any more tutorial videos, I got enough email requests to get me to give it another stab.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[keener]

Tom, HeyMerle, and Rande: thank you guys. Tom, yes please steal anything you like. As Steve Jobs said: "Good artists borrow; Great artists steal." (Some say Picasso originated the quote, but it is not definite.)

Rande, yes you were the one "who visited" ... I didn't think it would be right to mention your name without prior approval, and I did the video sort of on the spur of the moment.

HeyMerle, you are way too kind.

Thank you all
Bruce

[RandeDager]

Hey Bruce! (as opposed to HeyMerle......lol)

I feel that my relationship with you is solid enough that it would be fine to use my name in cases like this. The difference in how you and I played "Teen Scene" is that it appeared that you were picking each note and I was doing
hammer-ons and pull-offs. The challenge for me when I was learning this was to "equalize" each of them. Usually you can notice when changing back and forth between hammer-ons and pull-offs. I try to make this unnoticeable. In fact, I would say that any long sequence of notes that mixes techniques of how each of them are played along the way should be practiced so that any transitioning between techniques remains unnoticed.

No comments for "ChetBaker"? I appreciate your contributions, Bruce.

[keener]

Jack,

Thanks for the scoop on that quote. Interesting.

Rande,

Thanks buddy. I hadn't thought of doing hammer-ons and pull-offs for that, but sounds like a good approach. I don't think I ever had the album that it was on, and that I learned it from watching either Jimmy Atkins or Robert Ward, both of whom I saw about once a week for a couple of years (Bob and I would often pick together until the wee hours of the morning). Now that you mention it, I stated that it was a Jerry Reed tune, but I'm not sure of that now that I think about it.

Anyway, take care guys.

Bruce

[RandeDager]

Hi Bruce,

"Teen Scene" was from Chet's album with that same title. It was probably the very first song I ever heard him play when a pianist friend of mine loaned me the very first Chet album I ever laid my hands on. I was 13. I've worked on various versions of that song over the years and decided that he played it the way I play it now.

Over the many many hours that I spent with Tommy Jones over nearly a quarter of a century, I used to watch him play those really long runs that were similar to the ending of Chet's recording of "Blue Angel", where the notes continue to ring as he makes his way through that final high speed sequence. Tommy told me that his goal was to create a similar feeling to playing a long run on the piano while holding down the sustain pedal. For the few who can play a run like that, it's pretty difficult to avoid "choppiness". Trying to maintain the ringing of each note while simultaneously moving to the next one is a very difficult accomplishment.

It seems that I've watched you improve throughout the progression of your posts. Have a great weekend, Bruce!

[keener]

It seems that I've watched you improve throughout the progression of your posts. Have a great weekend, Bruce!

Hi Rande,
No doubt I have improved some. I've basically gone from my first recording being after not having played for several months to recordings where I played maybe once a month ... to once every couple of weeks ... to a couple of times a week ... to the recent videos which have been with me playing close to every day. So hopefully there has been improvement. Of course I doubt that I'll ever pick as well as I did 40 years ago, but I don't really do Anything as well as I did then. Lots of things I can't even do at all.

I think part of my increased interest in playing has been due to taking Skype lessons from Richard Smith for the past few months. Not only is he an inspiration, but I also don't want to look like a total idiot when I play something for him (too late).

All of which makes me glad you mentioned that Tommy had specific goals in his playing. It's been a long time since I've had those ... I can't even think of what I want to learn from Richard on the next lesson. So thanks for the reminder of how valuable goals are.

Have a great weekend, too!
Bruce