Hi pbraun,
Your improvement and confidence are shining through on this one.You appear more
relaxed with a few looks at the camera ,and the whole process in general.The harmonica was a nice addition too.
pbraun Heart of Gold V3 guitar lesson review upload
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Hydroman52
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Hi Pete,
You are a brave soul for attempting the Neil Young trifecta (guitar, vocals, harmonica). Do you have most of this song correct? The answer is yes. If I had this song this far along, this is what I would do:
1. Clean up the hammer-ons and bass runs. They are a little bit off on the timing (too rushed as others have said). Watch Neil Hogan’s video carefully and then the Neil Young video below to polish it up. Actually, the C run down to the G (C, B, A, G) may be done a little differently in the version in the video below. I think he slides to the C at the third fret (A-shape bar) before playing the G chord barred at the third fret. You can see this from the back at about 4:49 into the video. It really doesn’t matter which way you play it . . . . he has probably done it that way at some point in his career.
2. Work on the harmonica separately. I would take it out of the neck brace thing (get rid of the complications) and work on getting the basic melody down while playing along with the Neil Young video below. Your playing sounds a bit monotonistic (is that a word? monotone-ish), and with very little effort, you could polish this into a fabulous sounding piece. After I got the melody down, I would put it back into the neck brace thing and play along with the video (not playing any guitar or singing at this point) while maybe hanging onto the neck brace thing to keep it steady if needed. Then I would hang onto my guitar, but not play guitar or sing, and go through it again. Then I might add the singing and finally the guitar. I know this is a guitar site, but the reason that I would concentrate so much on the harmonica is that a lot of people can play the guitar part and sing this, but, at least in my experience, whenever you jam with others, there is never a person that plays the harmonica part and has one handy. And let’s face it, more than one acoustic guitar playing this song at one time can sound a bit cluttered.
3. Vocals? Don’t try to sing this like Neil Young or you could hurt yourself. You are fine here and what you’re doing sounds good. Any subtle nuances you will pick up as you practice along with the video or the album.
4. Add the Neil Young signature D/F# (D chord with an F# bass) to the chorus (. . . . . “Em - Keeps me searchin’ for a - D/F# - heart of - G – gold – Em – Keeps me searchin’ and I’m – D/F# - growin’ – Em - old” . . . . . ). He does this by wrapping his thumb around the neck in the “baseball grip” fashion to fret the F#. I think this is one of the few places where Neil Hogan advocates doing this type of thing. If not, then this is where I deviate from his teaching. This sounds too good not to do it. You can see this done in the video below at about 4:34 and again at 4:40. It’s a great view from the back and is pretty obvious. I had suspected he was doing this when I saw him in a live acoustic set way back in the 70’s, and this confirms it.
[video][/video]
This all looks like a lot of suggestions, but are really only a few tweaks that have been helpful to me to make progress and ad a little body to this song. You really sound fine right now and would be welcome to play it around my campfire anytime.
Hydroman52
You are a brave soul for attempting the Neil Young trifecta (guitar, vocals, harmonica). Do you have most of this song correct? The answer is yes. If I had this song this far along, this is what I would do:
1. Clean up the hammer-ons and bass runs. They are a little bit off on the timing (too rushed as others have said). Watch Neil Hogan’s video carefully and then the Neil Young video below to polish it up. Actually, the C run down to the G (C, B, A, G) may be done a little differently in the version in the video below. I think he slides to the C at the third fret (A-shape bar) before playing the G chord barred at the third fret. You can see this from the back at about 4:49 into the video. It really doesn’t matter which way you play it . . . . he has probably done it that way at some point in his career.
2. Work on the harmonica separately. I would take it out of the neck brace thing (get rid of the complications) and work on getting the basic melody down while playing along with the Neil Young video below. Your playing sounds a bit monotonistic (is that a word? monotone-ish), and with very little effort, you could polish this into a fabulous sounding piece. After I got the melody down, I would put it back into the neck brace thing and play along with the video (not playing any guitar or singing at this point) while maybe hanging onto the neck brace thing to keep it steady if needed. Then I would hang onto my guitar, but not play guitar or sing, and go through it again. Then I might add the singing and finally the guitar. I know this is a guitar site, but the reason that I would concentrate so much on the harmonica is that a lot of people can play the guitar part and sing this, but, at least in my experience, whenever you jam with others, there is never a person that plays the harmonica part and has one handy. And let’s face it, more than one acoustic guitar playing this song at one time can sound a bit cluttered.
3. Vocals? Don’t try to sing this like Neil Young or you could hurt yourself. You are fine here and what you’re doing sounds good. Any subtle nuances you will pick up as you practice along with the video or the album.
4. Add the Neil Young signature D/F# (D chord with an F# bass) to the chorus (. . . . . “Em - Keeps me searchin’ for a - D/F# - heart of - G – gold – Em – Keeps me searchin’ and I’m – D/F# - growin’ – Em - old” . . . . . ). He does this by wrapping his thumb around the neck in the “baseball grip” fashion to fret the F#. I think this is one of the few places where Neil Hogan advocates doing this type of thing. If not, then this is where I deviate from his teaching. This sounds too good not to do it. You can see this done in the video below at about 4:34 and again at 4:40. It’s a great view from the back and is pretty obvious. I had suspected he was doing this when I saw him in a live acoustic set way back in the 70’s, and this confirms it.
[video][/video]
This all looks like a lot of suggestions, but are really only a few tweaks that have been helpful to me to make progress and ad a little body to this song. You really sound fine right now and would be welcome to play it around my campfire anytime.
Hydroman52
Hi Pete brave man indeed for trying all three things here. Now I've never played the harmonica, bought a book on it but it gathers dust, singing well I just don't really go there, so I really take my hat off to you. Good tips from Hydro, If I had a dollar for the number of times I've watched that particular video and never noticed the F# coming over the top I'd be a rich man lol.
Good on ya mate
Good on ya mate
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neverfoundthetime
- Posts: 48
- Joined: Sat Aug 01, 2009 2:14 pm
- Status: Offline
Great video Pete! Harmonica too! That's a lot to handle on camera for sure. Hydro has given you all the tips you need so I won't add any except to say this is shaping up really good. Just wondering if the harmonica is in the right key... did anyone mention that?
Chris
Chris
Fantastic multitasking Pete. You're really close to having this nailed. All you need to do is follow the advice you've already been given and you've got it in the bag. It's already sounding good, so it will be great when you've got the nuances licked. I can't play the harmonica, but I think I'd have a really hard time playing the guitar, singing and doing a harmonica also all in the one song. Singing at the same time is hard enough. Karma to you - oops - make that pizza and beer!
Michele
Michele
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AcousticAl
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- Joined: Wed Mar 25, 2009 3:10 pm
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Hi Pete,
Talk about aiming high! Really great upload and improvement.
Loads of good tips before I got here- a few of which I was going to mention. Namely- nail the timing of all the hammer ons. You're hitting some of them too early.
- as Chris wrote- I questioned to myself whether the harmonica was in the correct key as well. Someone (chas?)posted a funny vid of Mr Young checking all of his pockets for the correct keyed harmonica in his live at massy hall show.
- really liked your singing
Talk about aiming high! Really great upload and improvement.
Loads of good tips before I got here- a few of which I was going to mention. Namely- nail the timing of all the hammer ons. You're hitting some of them too early.
- as Chris wrote- I questioned to myself whether the harmonica was in the correct key as well. Someone (chas?)posted a funny vid of Mr Young checking all of his pockets for the correct keyed harmonica in his live at massy hall show.
- really liked your singing
AcousticAl wrote:
I put out my G and tryed to play along,,from my ears Pete's one was a G,,but could'nt get all the same notes out,,Hi Pete,
Talk about aiming high! Really great upload and improvement.
Loads of good tips before I got here- a few of which I was going to mention. Namely- nail the timing of all the hammer ons. You're hitting some of them too early.
- as Chris wrote- I questioned to myself whether the harmonica was in the correct key as well. Someone (chas?)posted a funny vid of Mr Young checking all of his pockets for the correct keyed harmonica in his live at massy hall show.
- really liked your singing
I have loved this song for many years, most of NY's stuff is great especially his acoustic songs. I really have been trying to play it for along time, putting it down in favor of a new lesson the going back to it again and again. I bought a harmonica a few years ago but it never sounded right (learned there are different keys!). Then there was the collaboration and then the first 2 uploads that Neil responded to, anyway I will keep working on this song.
Willem- Thanks for your comments, I will look into the talk group and some you tube on the harmonica!
Marc- I will try the alternate picking, not my strong point that's for sure.
Bob- I know I tend to rush those hammer- ons and runs, Neil pointed it out in his review of my song. I hear it one way and react the other I guess, I need to slow it down at those points.
Pierre-Thanks, I want to try Harvest at some point too. Just so many lessons out there it's hard to stay focused!
Craig- Thanks, don't know how far the harmonica will go but I also thought the song wasn't complete without it.
Anton- Thanks, I have watch your progress on this song and really enjoy the way you sing it. I did this video about 3 weeks ago, but since listening to yours, it has been playing in my head! The harmonica is a G. I don't know much about them really, so I don't know if it's a blues harp or if that is just a term used for harmonicas in general.
Takhak- Thanks, I would probably perfer not to look into the camera!
Chas- Thanks, I never noticed the wrap around either and never would have heard it that's for sure!
Chris- Thanks, it is in G, probably just played wrong!
Willem- Thanks for your comments, I will look into the talk group and some you tube on the harmonica!
Marc- I will try the alternate picking, not my strong point that's for sure.
Bob- I know I tend to rush those hammer- ons and runs, Neil pointed it out in his review of my song. I hear it one way and react the other I guess, I need to slow it down at those points.
Pierre-Thanks, I want to try Harvest at some point too. Just so many lessons out there it's hard to stay focused!
Craig- Thanks, don't know how far the harmonica will go but I also thought the song wasn't complete without it.
Anton- Thanks, I have watch your progress on this song and really enjoy the way you sing it. I did this video about 3 weeks ago, but since listening to yours, it has been playing in my head! The harmonica is a G. I don't know much about them really, so I don't know if it's a blues harp or if that is just a term used for harmonicas in general.
Takhak- Thanks, I would probably perfer not to look into the camera!
Chas- Thanks, I never noticed the wrap around either and never would have heard it that's for sure!
Chris- Thanks, it is in G, probably just played wrong!