Really nice, Tony. Relaxed & steady. Front porch/campfire/open mic-- I'd want to hear that anywhere.
Well done.
tovo learning Streets of London guitar lesson
Tony,
I take a small break from TG and look what happens. Excellent job!!! This song has "Tony" written all over it. Meaning it fits your voice extremely well. You look Soooooo comfortable performing it. Yup it's a Tony song. Apart from the vocals sounding very nice, I didn't hear any mistakes so if there were some you pulled it off without a hitch. A very good trait to have when you take this to open mic night I'm sure. I thought your playing was really good as well. I now know that these songs can be quite difficult and you must have put a ton of work into this because it sounded very good. I noticed the F as well and that's easily fixable. However hitting that 5th string instead didn't take anything away from the song at all. I really like your videos Tony. Thanks for putting another one up!!!!!
MarkM
I take a small break from TG and look what happens. Excellent job!!! This song has "Tony" written all over it. Meaning it fits your voice extremely well. You look Soooooo comfortable performing it. Yup it's a Tony song. Apart from the vocals sounding very nice, I didn't hear any mistakes so if there were some you pulled it off without a hitch. A very good trait to have when you take this to open mic night I'm sure. I thought your playing was really good as well. I now know that these songs can be quite difficult and you must have put a ton of work into this because it sounded very good. I noticed the F as well and that's easily fixable. However hitting that 5th string instead didn't take anything away from the song at all. I really like your videos Tony. Thanks for putting another one up!!!!!
MarkM
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cosmicmechanic
- Posts: 0
- Joined: Sat Apr 04, 2009 8:39 am
- Status: Offline
Hi Tony,
This is a super video, and it hits home for me in more ways than one.
My print-out of "Streets of London" (SOL) is the most dog-eared of all the TG lessons I have on paper.
I've stared at it so often that my eyes have worn some of the ink off of it. Believe me !
Neil put the lesson out maybe 6 months into TG's existence, and I practiced it for months using all the bad habits I had accumulated over the years.
Then I had to start from scratch again when I decided to adapt to "home position", correctly assigning picking fingers to strings.
I find your interpretation of it is relaxing and easy-going, which for this tune is surely part of the definition of "making it your own".
I tend to tense up a bit because I'm trying sooo damn hard to follow the tab exactly.
Although I'm aware that this is a debatable and maybe even masochistic approach, it's also an exercise in fretting and picking patterns that don't come naturally to me.
So at some times it's a pretty series of notes, and at others it's a recognizable tune. Talk about delayed gratification !
Neil mentions that Ralph McTell himself doesn't play this in one single way, and that an important part of the SOL lesson is learning how to adapt it. A very exact comparison of differences between your playing and the tab isn't at all the point then.
I am curious, though, about a bit after the beginning of the chorus, where C goes from G/B to Am ... I don't see the G/B in the video, seems that you fret the A string at the third fret where the tab indicates the third fret of the B string. Is that a conscious decision ?
This is not a criticism in any way, I'm just asking because I should probably loosen up on this tune and want to get a feeling of how strict your approach to it is.
It's great to see that you're really doing swimmingly with it, even able to add vocals (I can mumble or a bit better right now). I'll be watching this many times.
Thanks for your input on SOL, it will help me make some extra progress for sure.
Pierre
This is a super video, and it hits home for me in more ways than one.
My print-out of "Streets of London" (SOL) is the most dog-eared of all the TG lessons I have on paper.
I've stared at it so often that my eyes have worn some of the ink off of it. Believe me !
Neil put the lesson out maybe 6 months into TG's existence, and I practiced it for months using all the bad habits I had accumulated over the years.
Then I had to start from scratch again when I decided to adapt to "home position", correctly assigning picking fingers to strings.
I find your interpretation of it is relaxing and easy-going, which for this tune is surely part of the definition of "making it your own".
I tend to tense up a bit because I'm trying sooo damn hard to follow the tab exactly.
Although I'm aware that this is a debatable and maybe even masochistic approach, it's also an exercise in fretting and picking patterns that don't come naturally to me.
So at some times it's a pretty series of notes, and at others it's a recognizable tune. Talk about delayed gratification !
Neil mentions that Ralph McTell himself doesn't play this in one single way, and that an important part of the SOL lesson is learning how to adapt it. A very exact comparison of differences between your playing and the tab isn't at all the point then.
I am curious, though, about a bit after the beginning of the chorus, where C goes from G/B to Am ... I don't see the G/B in the video, seems that you fret the A string at the third fret where the tab indicates the third fret of the B string. Is that a conscious decision ?
This is not a criticism in any way, I'm just asking because I should probably loosen up on this tune and want to get a feeling of how strict your approach to it is.
It's great to see that you're really doing swimmingly with it, even able to add vocals (I can mumble or a bit better right now). I'll be watching this many times.
Thanks for your input on SOL, it will help me make some extra progress for sure.
Pierre
Hey Mark, I'm glad to see you still about the place, thanks for your comment. I agree with you, still very relevant and that situation shouldn't be acceptable anywhere.
Thanks Chris, very supportive.
Same to you Al, thanks very much.
Pete cheers mate, it's a tune I've liked for a long time and thanks to Neil I can now play a version. Certainly not his version but heading in the right direction. Glad you liked it.
Hey Mark. Yeah that 5th string eh?! I will be conscious of that in future and as you said, easy fix. I did feel the song sits very well in my limited range, so glad you liked that. Really appreciate your input Mark.
Hey Bob. I feel I am going to have to work up the courage at some point and give the pub performance a try. One of those things that will nag on me if I don't. You and others are giving me the confidence I will need to try. Thanks a lot.
Hey Pierre my friend, thanks for sharing all of that. I was right with you brother, I was looking at the tune way back when, in fact I felt real bad as I certainly did my bit to hassle Neil to do a lesson on it, and then I think Jay has been the only one to take it on (extremely well I must say) to date. I struggle also with tunes that can be interpreted in several ways. To answer your specific question on the chorus, yes it was a conscious decision in so far as I struggled to grasp the fingering Neil has on the tab and so I went with something that sounded good to my ear, in the spirit of trying not to be robotic about the sequence. Make sense? If I am lucky enough to get a review I'm sure Neil will tell me how successful or not he thinks that was, and I'm sure he will show me how to correct if necessary. By the way, I would never interpret your question as criticism. One of the great strengths here is that 99% of people are able to point out aspects of playing that might need improvement in a very constructive way. So no problem.
Thanks Chris, very supportive.
Same to you Al, thanks very much.
Pete cheers mate, it's a tune I've liked for a long time and thanks to Neil I can now play a version. Certainly not his version but heading in the right direction. Glad you liked it.
Hey Mark. Yeah that 5th string eh?! I will be conscious of that in future and as you said, easy fix. I did feel the song sits very well in my limited range, so glad you liked that. Really appreciate your input Mark.
Hey Bob. I feel I am going to have to work up the courage at some point and give the pub performance a try. One of those things that will nag on me if I don't. You and others are giving me the confidence I will need to try. Thanks a lot.
Hey Pierre my friend, thanks for sharing all of that. I was right with you brother, I was looking at the tune way back when, in fact I felt real bad as I certainly did my bit to hassle Neil to do a lesson on it, and then I think Jay has been the only one to take it on (extremely well I must say) to date. I struggle also with tunes that can be interpreted in several ways. To answer your specific question on the chorus, yes it was a conscious decision in so far as I struggled to grasp the fingering Neil has on the tab and so I went with something that sounded good to my ear, in the spirit of trying not to be robotic about the sequence. Make sense? If I am lucky enough to get a review I'm sure Neil will tell me how successful or not he thinks that was, and I'm sure he will show me how to correct if necessary. By the way, I would never interpret your question as criticism. One of the great strengths here is that 99% of people are able to point out aspects of playing that might need improvement in a very constructive way. So no problem.
Hi Tony
It does seem like a long time between vids, but this shows your improvement is continuing as you look really relaxed and in control, lol i know exactly what you mean about the period of waiting for the review :laugh: It is like ripping off a band aid when trying to open the first reply. But your way beyond anything you try being a disaster.
I like your choice of songs too , you go for the less known songs, to me anyway and introduce me to knew songs.
can you tell me a bit about your taylor? pricing etc.. size
anyhow very solid and enjoyable to watch.. good to see you again
Brad
It does seem like a long time between vids, but this shows your improvement is continuing as you look really relaxed and in control, lol i know exactly what you mean about the period of waiting for the review :laugh: It is like ripping off a band aid when trying to open the first reply. But your way beyond anything you try being a disaster.
I like your choice of songs too , you go for the less known songs, to me anyway and introduce me to knew songs.
can you tell me a bit about your taylor? pricing etc.. size
anyhow very solid and enjoyable to watch.. good to see you again
Brad
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neverfoundthetime
- Posts: 48
- Joined: Sat Aug 01, 2009 2:14 pm
- Status: Offline
Brad, Tony sold two guitars and the wife and kids into slavery to pay for that Taylor so be careful what you ask....can you tell me a bit about your taylor? pricing etc.. size
neverfoundthetime wrote:
Brad first thanks for your comment. Your continued improvement it evident also, must be something about the environment eh?!
The Taylor is a GA (Grand Auditorium) so it is a smaller body that a dreadnaught. The back and sides are Koa and the top sitka spruce. There's a video of the guitar on my profile page if you want a real good look at it. In terms of price...well it was not cheap. The ticket price was about 6500 bucks and I got it for about 4500 which was a big call at the time. What I find is that I am motivated to continue my effort to improve in an effort to do some justice to this wonderful instrument. I was fortunate to be in a position to afford the outlay. I am very conscious that there are far, far better players than me who simply can't afford such a guitar so I am very lucky.
Ain't that the truth Chris!Brad, Tony sold two guitars and the wife and kids into slavery to pay for that Taylor so be careful what you ask....can you tell me a bit about your taylor? pricing etc.. size
Brad first thanks for your comment. Your continued improvement it evident also, must be something about the environment eh?!
The Taylor is a GA (Grand Auditorium) so it is a smaller body that a dreadnaught. The back and sides are Koa and the top sitka spruce. There's a video of the guitar on my profile page if you want a real good look at it. In terms of price...well it was not cheap. The ticket price was about 6500 bucks and I got it for about 4500 which was a big call at the time. What I find is that I am motivated to continue my effort to improve in an effort to do some justice to this wonderful instrument. I was fortunate to be in a position to afford the outlay. I am very conscious that there are far, far better players than me who simply can't afford such a guitar so I am very lucky.
Tony- another very competent effort from you on a challenging finger picking song. But knowing me I can't resist a couple of suggestions.
My single greatest challenge is what I call "musicality" or making the blending of singing and playing into something that sounds like a song. I think the Travis picking in any song always has to be the background or foundation that the vocals are laid upon. Unless you are playing at a crazy advanced level it has to be this way.
But this song has enough tricky patterns with mini-runs, walking bass runs and reverse rolls that it really takes a disproportionate amount of concentration to keep the foundation solid. If you were like me, I spent hours and hours just playing the Travis patterns over and over. And even then it wasn't that easy. And then trying to sing this to that same picking pattern was almost ridiculous. But some of the pattern changes gave enough tags so you can sing to it.
Where you are having problems is trying to sing over a picking pattern that you don't own yet. And because the vocal clues aren't where you are always expect them, the song isn't sounding musical (or smooth) to you.
I think you have a couple of options. If this is your all-time most favorite song, right next to Born in the USA, and you'll play it every time anyone asks you to play a tune, you can spend the time to perfect the pattern.
Or, what I have done is to fall back to a more basic Travis picking style that I can play in my sleep and doesn't cause me to complete with the vocals. It isn't as fun or rewarding but I can count on it in a pince. Then, if you remember the trickier parts of the picking you can throw them back in depending on how much you want to impress your audience.
On a side note, I think Ralph McTell is an enormously underestimated singer/songwriter and his large body of work seems to be mostly overlooked in this country. He does some really cool stuff with not only Travis picking but also other musical techniques and styles like early american blues.
Anyway, nothing to be ashamed of here with your perfromance. I just think you are at a crossroads where you go from here. I ended up deciding I didn't have the time to commit to it fully but you may come to the totally opposite conclusion.
Great work and thanks for posting Tony. I always love your videos!
My single greatest challenge is what I call "musicality" or making the blending of singing and playing into something that sounds like a song. I think the Travis picking in any song always has to be the background or foundation that the vocals are laid upon. Unless you are playing at a crazy advanced level it has to be this way.
But this song has enough tricky patterns with mini-runs, walking bass runs and reverse rolls that it really takes a disproportionate amount of concentration to keep the foundation solid. If you were like me, I spent hours and hours just playing the Travis patterns over and over. And even then it wasn't that easy. And then trying to sing this to that same picking pattern was almost ridiculous. But some of the pattern changes gave enough tags so you can sing to it.
Where you are having problems is trying to sing over a picking pattern that you don't own yet. And because the vocal clues aren't where you are always expect them, the song isn't sounding musical (or smooth) to you.
I think you have a couple of options. If this is your all-time most favorite song, right next to Born in the USA, and you'll play it every time anyone asks you to play a tune, you can spend the time to perfect the pattern.
Or, what I have done is to fall back to a more basic Travis picking style that I can play in my sleep and doesn't cause me to complete with the vocals. It isn't as fun or rewarding but I can count on it in a pince. Then, if you remember the trickier parts of the picking you can throw them back in depending on how much you want to impress your audience.
On a side note, I think Ralph McTell is an enormously underestimated singer/songwriter and his large body of work seems to be mostly overlooked in this country. He does some really cool stuff with not only Travis picking but also other musical techniques and styles like early american blues.
Anyway, nothing to be ashamed of here with your perfromance. I just think you are at a crossroads where you go from here. I ended up deciding I didn't have the time to commit to it fully but you may come to the totally opposite conclusion.
Great work and thanks for posting Tony. I always love your videos!