Band Names - Take Two

Even if I am between bands, it’s fun to come up with a list of band names to be prepared when the occasion arises. You never want to be caught off-guard sans a good band name. It is that one word or phrase that summarizes who you are all about. What a great deal of pressure for a few letters to carry.

I’m certain many a band split on the account of never reaching consensus on what to be called. Do not pass go; do not collect $200. Imagine all the bands that never made it farther than the garage because their name sucked. Would the Grateful Dead survived all these years with a band name like The Warlocks. See what I mean?

This is my list to date:

• General Lee and the Rebel Yell (thanks Foxy)
• Velcro Snatch (offensive, yet funny in the Spinal Tap line of humor)
• Jazzhole (good to know this is already taken so I'll never have to use it)
• Sadder Days (poor word play; 2/3rds of a pun is P U)
• Javawocky (this should be the name of a hip café)
• The Slithy Toves (unique, but not original)
• The Fronds (ferns are second to moss in terms of botanical coolness)
• Veronica's Veil (powerful symbol of pain and compassion, might be sacreligous to use)
• Victoria's Veil (mix between the abovementioned and Victoria's secret)
• Cassandra's Dream (check Greek mythology; idea of an unavoidable tragedy)
• Solipsist Syndrome (interesting philosophical idea; bookstore chic)
• Cumulonimbus (autumn days spent daydreaming, looking at clouds)
• New Old Stock (vintage / analog guitar collector's jargon)
• Oblique Streets (random words that paint an interesting image)
• In Watermelon Sugar (Richard Brautigan's tale- read the first line of the story)
• iDEATH (from Watermelon Sugar; would take on new meaning in today's culture)
• L’esprit D’escalier (I can’t pronounce it, but what a cool concept)
• The Dreaming (From Neil Gaiman’s comic Sandman)
• A Game of You (more Gaiman Goodness)
• Words Are Worlds (hey, I already have the domain registered)
• Wolfmother Wallpaper (words from a Tom Robbins novel)
• Saturnine (hey, Melon Collie and the Infinite Sadness was already taken)
• Ennui (similar concept, different word)
• Bloody Butterfly or Butterfly Scream (contrasting concepts)
• The Delawhale (a local phenomenon; funny concept, though not a great name)
• Chillax (spoonerism of chill out and relax, as in "Would you just chillax a second")
• A Thief & Two Phebes (line out of the movie Stand by Me; thanks Caroline!)

885 GAAT - Tom Marshall & Co, Amfibian Tales

A review to follow later.




A review of my top 10 albums to date:

Violent Femmes, Violent Femmes
The Beatles, Abbey Road
The Smiths, Hatful of Hollow
Radiohead, OK Computer
Phish, Rift
Nick Drake, Pink Moon
Wilco, Summerteeth
Tom Marshall & Co, Amfibian Tales

Guitar Lesson #3

Major Chord Progression

Remember last week when we looked at the chord progression for the G major scale? Review: how many unique (meaning they don’t appear twice) major chords are there in a major scale? Did you say three? Correct! They would be G, C, and D. Give it a strum.

E!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
B!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
G!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
D!!---!-E-!---!-F#!-G-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
A!!---!-B-!-C-!---!-D-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
E!!---!---!-G-!---!-A-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,,,,@,@,

Now what if we moved into another scale, how would we figure out where they were? Simply shift the major scale up or down the neck of the guitar to find out. Lets consider the A major scale:

E!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
B!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
G!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
D!!---!---!---!-F#!---!-G#!-A-!---!---!---!---!---!
A!!---!---!---!-C#!-D-!---!-E-!---!---!---!---!---!
E!!---!---!---!---!-A-!---!-C-!---!---!---!---!---!
,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,,,,@,@,

Give me a I, IV, and V

Yup, the major chords would be A, D, and then E. Guitarists realize that they don’t need to learn every note of every scale- they just need to learn the patterns. Considering that the root note is the first note and eighth note, and chords follow the same pattern- they also give a numeric name to where a chord falls in the shape. Consider the following.

E!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
B!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
G!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
D!!---!---!---!-vi!---!vii!-I-!---!---!---!---!---!
A!!---!---!---!iii!-IV!---!-V-!---!---!---!---!---!
E!!---!---!---!---!-I-!---!-ii!---!---!---!---!---!
,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,,,,@,@,

They use Roman numerals to correspond with where that chord places in the major scale. Major chords are usually noted in capital letters, and minor chords in lowercase. Notice that the major chords are I, IV, and V. Learn that pattern well!

Familiar Open I, IV, V Chords

Going back to the open chords we learned last week, the following fit that I, IV, V major chord progression:

I IV V
---------
G C D
A D E
C F G
D G A
E A B

Give it a whirl. Even though the key changes, the relation from the I to the IV to the V chord will always remain the same. Another easy way to change the key, is to learn one chord progression and then use a capo to adjust the key of the song as necessary.

Blues Progression

Whether you plan on learning folk, funk, soul, rock and roll, or shred metal, most of our American musical heritage can be traced back to deep roots within the blues. Not to mention that every guitarist eventually learns the blues; so when in doubt, jam to the blues. Twelve bar blues is the most common form, so lets learn the following:

I / I / I / I /
IV / IV / I / I /
V / IV / I / V /

Just substitute your favorite I, IV, V chords into this progression. For example:

G / G / G / G /
C / C / G / G /
D / C / G / D /

Also try to jam the blues in the key of E, as this is the most audibly recognizable form of the blues.

E / E / E / E /
A / A / E / E /
B / A / E / B /

Keep Practicing!

885 GAAT - Wilco, Summerteeth

A review to follow later.



A review of my top 10 albums to date:

Violent Femmes, Violent Femmes
The Beatles, Abbey Road
The Smiths, Hatful of Hollow
Radiohead, OK Computer
Phish, Rift
Nick Drake, Pink Moon
Wilco, Summerteeth

Susan G. Komen 5K (not in review)

It was like Noah’s second coming: a steady downpour for the past seven consecutive days. I had to cancel a cross-country home meet this past Friday. Runners can brave all sorts of elements, but the course was literally filled with pools of water; I don’t mind the runners getting wet and muddy, but it is out of the question to have them wade through the course. All right, a bit of an exaggeration there.

Needless to say, I was not entirely surprised that the Susan G. Koman 5K was cancelled Sunday morning due to unsafe running conditions. It is a shame, because it is such a worthy cause that has fallen far behind their donation goal by a half-million. It is still possibly to pledge a donation through Kintera.

My running partner, Jon, called me from Princeton shortly after reading the news on the website. He came up and we spent that time kayaking the Delaware River instead. Bright idea that was. Think about this for a minute: it downpours for days on end and we decide that although it wasn’t safe enough to run in puddles, we will kayak the Delaware instead Yeah.

The launch went smooth. We crossed at low tide, and there wasn’t much of a current at that time. We explored the lower regions of a lesser-known D & R Canal lock that empties into Crosswicks Creek / Delaware River by Bordentown City.

A combination of change in tide and the wind hit us on the return trek. At moments our situation was frightening, as we carried backwards despite our attempts to paddle our hearts out. The only strategy was to hug along the coast, where the current would be at its weakest. I made a dumb maneuver and cut across the river too soon. The choppiness of the river scoped buckets of water up and over my kayak that began to fill. Luckily I made it back to the beach before the stress of added water weight and fatigue took its toll.

That simple mistake is a lesson to never underestimate the overwhelming power of nature. This venture reads in the same vein of the “13 Worst Disaster” article in Outdoor magazine. Safety should always be a first priority.

Blake Kilgore Last Night at Bridgetown Pub

I am still recovering last night- hitting the pillow at 2 in the morning only to wake up at 7 to attend an important meeting for the National Writing Project at Rutgers. Due to lack of sleep alone, I couldn’t maintain my mental focus all day. The drowsiness was well worth the sacrifice of seeing Blake play live.

Blake Kilgore- the name sound straight out of a Kurt Vonnegut novel- is both a new friend and co-worker. Last night he played at the Bridgetown Pub in Mount Holly, NJ. Like Bordentown City, Mount Holly as a colonial town that has amassed architectural and historical character over the years only to see the main street businesses recently resurrected. I would like to think that people are retreating back to community-based city in fear of the McMansion and Condo Association building boom in what was once rural area.

Not much to say about Blake than this guy sings his lungs and heart out. He plays acoustic guitar to back his vocals. As a comparison, he reminds me of David Grey with American-influenced soul. You can hear the passion that drives his music; I could only hope to capture a fraction of that much power and emotion in just one song. I hope to invite my parents and a few friends out to see his upcoming shows.

Enough Band Names to Go Around...

Like domain names, all the good band names are already reserved. There are enough people AND then some that have already thought of the same THE "insert lame name here" to go around. Other attempts at spoonerisms, lead man and the "insert lame name here", literary references, etc. masquerading as band names to circle the world several times over. It seems harder and harder each day to think of something original.

Then I hit that lucky golden pot at the end of the rainbow. My friend posted the words "Dorkus Malorkus" on her website with this link. There is enough catchy and seemingly hip phrases for the next hundred bands. Dig in fellahs!

Is This the Price Tag or the Amp Speaking?

I am growing weary of the sound of my Peavey Classic 30w. First it was the feedback caused by poor grounding in the spring reverb. Then came the well-known problem of tube rattle (this is so well known that an eBay manufacturer sells a fix for this issue). The amp has never been quiet; there is an audible hum in the background. I ordered a new set of tubes from Bob over at Eurotubes. This gave me one of the best sounding amp distortions for any amp in this price range- creamy like Santana, over the edge with my AnalogMan Tube Screamer- but did not correct the noisiness. On the flip side it does have a nice warm tone and that overdriven distortion. I have a love-hate relationship with the Peavey ever since receiving it as a gift for Christmas. Not to sound unappreciative of a gift, but I would like to upgrade to something that I completely love.

Now this is my issue- guitar is an equipment related activity. How well you play and sound relies partially on the quality of your equipment. The same is also true of bike racing: you could be the next Lance Armstrong, but will likely suck if you are riding a Huffy in place of that $$$ Cannondale or Trek. This is also true of stock car racing, golf, scuba diving, etc. This is opposed another activity that doesn’t depend on having decent equipment, such as singing, basketball, or running.

Considering that improvements in tone stretch as far as your wallet, I like to consider myself a budget boutique guitarist. You get what you pay for, but I am only willing to spend so much. My discerning question is, “Am I really going to get my monies worth?” Do I really need a $600 Epihone Sheraton II when the $300 Ibanez Artcore sounds just as decent? In turn, does a $3000 Gibson ES-335 sound five times better than the Epihone, or ten times better than the Ibanez? Will I appreciate every last bit of the $300 Maxon Analog Delay, or the $100 SIB! Mr. Echo fit my needs. I don’t have money to burn, and I am only an amateur hobbyist. Plus it isn’t likely that I will recoup $$$ playing gigs anytime soon.

Case in point: the other day I was testing amps at my local Guitar Center. Line 6 modeling amps violate my analog ideal. Fenders are too bright and common sounding. Marshal amps just aren't my style. Solid state doesn’t offer the response, dynamics, or characteristics that I am looking for. I came across a Budda combo amp, and decided to give it a try (despite the $1300 price tag). Because of what appeared to be a rectifier tube, it had crunchy distortion, but didn’t offer anything else tonally.

I unplugged and was about to walk away when I saw a Hughes and Kettner Puretone sitting side by side with the Budda. It had the same price tag, and despite the cost I plugged and played. LET ME TELL YOU, it sounded like heaven- just pure and clean. I could hear the full tonal range, ringing out every note clear as a bell. Move over Johnny B Good! The growl feature gave it some bite (more like a mild overdrive). The best I can describe the sound was warm and glassy at the same time. Although it was only 25w, this amp could move air! Is the difference between A/B and pure class “A” amps? Dunno. It appeared to have an attenuator built into this combo unit. Handy.

I've heard the phrase mentioned here tons of times, but this amp, "spoke to me."
Then reality (a.k.a. the price tag) set in- $1299 for a used 25w combo (retails new at $1900). Ungh. I had to ask myself if this was the price tag or the amp speaking. I went back to Guitar Center today, and played it again. Simply said, the amp is beautiful. It has everything that I need, and nothing that I don’t. It is tough to swallow that I could never comfortably afford this amp. Even selling my Peavey for $300, and maybe scrounging up another $100 through eBay, I fall short at least by $1000. That is a significant amount of cash! Consider it one sixth of what I paid for my ’95 Volkswagen, or little less than the price of a graduate course. Plus with a baby in the near future, Caroline and I need to scrimp and save every last bit of income. Sigh.

Then, in response to my financial frustrations, I imagine an episode of Leave it to Beaver that goes something like this: Beaver has his eyes set on an expensive DIY go-kart kit. He begs and pleads his parents for the money. They refuse at fist, but proposition him with upping his allowance if he agrees to take on added work. The poor kid saves over the course of the summer, doing hard and heavy labor. Five cents here, a quarter there…all until he has save enough cash. Then comes the day, but then he realizes that the go-kart was a passing fad, not worth all the extra work it took to afford that luxury. Rather he gives the money to charity, treats his family to ice cream or something equally as campy. Gee, swell.

That is where I am now. On one had I know I could afford it at great sacrifice to other people and things (that absolutely hold higher priority in my life). That money could be better spend on tons of other things. But at the same time, why can’t I work hard toward this goal if it is something that I really want? It is the American ideal that if you work hard enough, you might just get what you are aiming for. Frustrating, eh? Hughes and Kettner or not, the days of the Peavey are limited. My second (and more affordable) option is the beautiful Wine Red Traynor 40w amp. I can practically pay for this amp now based on what I would may eBaying my Peavey. Maybe I just need to accept my middle class station in life. Hey, being a school teacher has many rewards, money just isn’t one of them. But who am I to complain?

"A Test (Make Me a Man)" ~ Mauger & Conroy Collaborative

"A Test (Make Me a Man)", the fourth song by the Mauger & Conroy Collaborative, came together relatively quickly. Just like the first song, "Sigh Alone", Mauger came to the table with lyrics and a melody in mind. I carefully listened to what he had in mind, and wrote chords to match the melody and emotion. The entire process of writing, revising, practicing, and recording was completed under an hour. We even managed to record another song sketch that same evening, one I would like to call the "Vishnu Drinking Song".

Learning from our previous trials and errors, we addressed the issue of the guitar and singing parts not meshing when recorded in seperate locations at seperate times. This time my acoustic was directly mic'ed as Mauger stood and sang outside the field of recording. This way we could vibe off each other, and have that sentiment and voicing present in the recording. Mauger went back and recorded a clean copy of his singing over the guitar track. Double props to him for experimenting with layering his vocals to achieve a rich chorusing effect. Listen carefully, everything meshes beautifully. I would say that this song has the best recording of what is now up on SoundClick.

Well, listening and enjoy!

Guitar Lesson #2

The Chromatic, or Twelve Note Scale

At some point it will be necessary to know all the notes on the guitar neck. You could drive yourself crazy memorizing the name of every single fret and string. Trust me that will come with time! Refer to the following just for the sake of discussion; use it as a reference guide. Notice that there are twelve possible notes (counting # sharps / b flats and naturals) before a note gets repeated. Funny to think that in all music there is only twelve notes. This is the chromatic scale.

E!!-F-!#-b!-G-!#-b!-A-!#-b!-B-!-C-!#-b!-D-!#-b!-E-!
B!!-C-!#-b!-D-!#-b!-E-!-F-!#-b!-G-!#-b!-A-!#-b!-B-!
G!!#-b!-A-!#-b!-B-!-C-!#-b!-D-!#-b!-E-!-F-!#-b!-G-!
D!!#-b!-E-!-F-!#-b!-G-!#-b!-A-!#-b!-B-!-C-!#-b!-D-!
A!!#-b!-B-!-C-!#-b!-D-!#-b!-E-!-F-!#-b!-G-!#-b!-A-!
E!!-F-!#-b!-G-!#-b!-A-!#-b!-B-!-C-!#-b!-D-!#-b!-E-!
,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,,,,@,@,

The Major, Eight Note, Scale

All of western music is based on an eight note system. If we were learning piano, the instructor would start with the C natural scale (all the white keys): C, D, E, F, G, A, B, and back to C. The scale is named for the root, or first note. Notice that there are only eight notes, and that there are no sharps or flats (the black keys).

Guitar is easier in the sense that you just need to use your visual and tactile senses to remember guitar shapes. There is no mumbo jumbo with black and white keys. For the sake of this instrument, lets learn the note names for the G major scale we learned from last week. Remember this scale pattern?

E!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
B!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
G!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
D!!---!-X-!---!-X-!-X-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
A!!---!-X-!-X-!---!-X-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
E!!---!---!-X-!---!-X-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,,,,@,@,

Lets look at the letter notes for G major: G, A, B, C, D, E, F#, and back to G. Each one of these notes also corresponds with a chord. Each chord takes on the name of the root, or first note in that chord. For example th G chord has G as its root note. C chord has a root of C. For now, look to see what gets a major, and what is minor.

E!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
B!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
G!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
D!!---!-E-!---!-F#!-G-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
A!!---!-B-!-C-!---!-D-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
E!!---!---!-G-!---!-A-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,,,,@,@,

Chord Progression for G Major Scale

Look at the following chord progression for the G major scale. The G chord would look like this on the guitar:

E!!---!---!-X-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
B!!-O-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
G!!-O-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
D!!-O-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
A!!---!-X-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
E!!---!---!-X-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,,,,@,@,

or could be written more simply like this:

G major or I Chord
320003

A minor or ii Chord
X02210

B minor or iii Chord
X24432

C major or IV Chord
X32010

D major or V
XX0232

E minor or vi
022000

F# diminished or vii
2342XX

Notice how many unique major chords there are in the major scale. Count them up. One, two, three, right? Go ahead and strum G, C, and D. Sounds lovely, eh? These three chords are the magic key that will unlock most every rock and roll song that you will ever learn. Throw in one of those minor chords for variation.

Bar Chords

Seriously, that is the way that a diminished chord is supposed to sound! That seventh note, or the diminished chord, holds a tremendous amount of tension: it just wants to neatly resolve back to the G note / chord. Not pretty, eh? Many singer-songwriters will mellow out those notes, and choose to bring the tense F# sound down a bit. Try playing a F major in place of the F# diminished and your will hear a chord that you could work into a song. Give both of these a try:

F major (cheaters way, using all four fingers)
X3321x

F major (the tough bar chord)
133211

The F and Bm chords are tough to play because they require one finger to stretch across all the strings and hold them all down at once. This is only possible if your thumb is in proper position, parallel on the back of the neck. Think of your hand working like a clamp. At first these chords may have a slight buzz, or will tire your hands out quickly. Keep at it, as the more you work at it, the stronger your fingers will get.

Now we have reviewed all the major chords, note that you call find the chords to your favorite songs using OLGA, or the OnLine Guitar Archive- a free internet resource. You can search through the database of hundreds of bands and songs. You can also look up chords and variations (there is more than one way to play them) using the online Chord Finder. Look up a favorite song, play the MP3, listen along for the chord changes, and try to match the strumming pattern.

Keep Practicing!

Music and Cultural Exchange

Last night I watched a PBS documentary on Bob Dylan and other heirs of the Woody Guthrie legacy. One driving point of the documentary was the borrowed culture of the folkies. These guys would jam together, exchanging picking patterns and old songs. They kept a heritage alive by reinventing American standards to fit a contemporary audience.

In the same vein, the Grateful Dead were purveyors of Americana, taking old traditional songs and reinventing them under wailing rock guitar. Although they will forever be labeled as psychedelic rock, when taken out of the 60’s, 70’s context, you can hear those influences shine through. Music You Can’t Hear on the Radio, a WPRB radio program hosted by John Weingart documents the cultural exchange and preservation of Americana.

Culture- the sculpture artist of Pacem in Terrace, a quaint sculpture garden in New York State, once defined it as the exchange of ideas between people. His argument is that media and advertising is all one way. People don’t talk while watching TV. We don’t communicate ideas back to the media artists, producers, and directors. He feared the death of an American culture, an experience shared between people.

Fast forward to the Internet explosion. I’m challenged to think of ways that my musical ideas can be shared with others. I’ve posted songs up on SoundClick, updated my solo songs through my web page, reaching out to a worldwide audience. A step above, MySpace allows bands and their fans to interact, not to mention discussion boards pointed at the following of certain types of music. Or the fact that I can post a music classified ad online and use my sound samples as my preliminary audition. I can get advice about equipment or technique from a variety of people- from amateur to professionals- all in a single keystroke. I can even promote my live shows free of charge, no matter how large or small the venue. We are no longer limited by distance. I’ve heard stories of people that collaborate on songwriting and recording even though they are located at the far ends of the continental United States.

Mind-boggling. What would Woody Guthrie say about our newfound interconnectedness? The MP3 revolution has won back the music from the hands of the major record labels, gently placing it into the open palms of our global village. In this vein of thought, I have uploaded two of my solo song sketches to my web page. Give the songs “Figures Fights,” both electric and acoustic as well as “Headlights” a listen. Something may come of these seeded ideas one day.

Tommy May 5k in Review

One of the founding pillars of the Greek tragedy is that the hero sees the warning signs of imminent danger beforehand. However, due to a combination of tragic flaws or fate (a.k.a. the will of the gods) they are unable to avoid their downfall. Consider Odysseus, how many times was that poor sob given warnings? Ah, what is so easy for us to see in others. . .

The Friday night before the race bore many of those similar tell-tale signs of imminent doom: my training / racing partner did not register for the race; Weather.com predicted steady and heavy rain until the beginning of next week; that afternoon I ran speed work with my student athletes during practice, and my quads were sore. Perhaps the largest omen was a phone call I received during dinnertime- two cohorts that planned to run the race with me called from a bar drunk off their asses. Not good. Yeah, I ignored all the warnings and prepared to race the next day- rain, shine, or rapture.

According to the volunteers at the registration table, 40 runners pre-registered, and, based on past experience, they expected about 100 race day applications. As you could have guessed, only the 40 showed that rainy morning. Maybe they were overly enthusiastic about running, or didn’t want to bite the registration fee. The entire crowd could be described one of two ways- my students or their parents. Oh yeah, and those two co-workers did manage to show despite their outing the night before!

Although the turnout was so small, it was a special race: I had the opportunity to run against the students I teach / taught and athletes I coached. Above all I was glad to show that I practice what I preach- a running coach that runs. The kids were psyched at the idea of possibly outrunning their coach. One particular eight grader (that shall go unnamed for the protection of privacy), one of the top runners on my cross-country team, had challenged me to the runners’ equivalent of a duel- showdown at the start line. I thrive on friendly competition.

There was nothing glorious about this race: the course was an out and back through the suburbs, the race waited several minutes for road traffic to clear; and there was no official starting gun, just the command to “GO!” As typical with medium to smaller sized races, I positioned myself in the very back of the pack so that I could pass runners (rather than be passed by others). Within a few minutes of the start, I passed most every one of my athletes and their parents all save that particular eighth grader. My mentality for the entire race was to stay locked into this position.

Although out-and-back courses aren’t particularly inspiring, they are great for judging pace and distance. I had a rough idea of how well I was running at the halfway mark, knowing that the second half of the race would be dedicated to the task of catching my challenger. By this point the rain subsided, but the wind picked up, blowing gusts of air, slowing my stride. Out of nowhere I heard an onlooker cheer me on. I turned my head to see one of my co-workers shouting my name from her front porch. I pushed on. The harder I pushed, the more I felt myself overheat and begin to fatigue. For every foot I gained on my competition, he managed to press ahead that same distance.

Rounding the last corner, I managed to gain a good amount of ground on the eighth grader, but knew that there was no way that I could catch him in the last hundred feet. I was shocked to see official time at the finishing line- 22 minutes 50 seconds and counting. Pushing with my last reserve of energy, I darted for the finish line clearing in 23 minutes flat; about 80 seconds better than my best time ever, managing to smash my personal goal of finishing under 24 minutes.

That day all of my students placed within their age category. The eighth grader managed to best me by 20 seconds, a feat he will be able to brag about through track and field season, until the end of this year. My one cohort managed to finish despite a toe injury, and placed second in her age class. I PR’ed that day, and placed third in my age category. Now I can brag to Jon, my running partner, that I beat the 24-minute barrier. My new goal is to run a 22 minute race.

"The Time Has Come" ~ Mauger & Conroy Collaborative

I wanted to write a song that had a Beatles feel the way that Weezer’s Buddy Holly song was reminiscent of 50’s rock and roll; although the songwriting and performance sounds very modern, there is some intangible element that points back to an earlier time in rock and roll.The chords were written around the musical concept that a progression from D major, D augmented, to B minor has a three note chromatic step. Good use of tension and release in a way that doesn’t go overboard.

The rest of the song carries the idea of a melody / bass line as played through a strummed chord pattern. Most notably, I really enjoy the G major to G minor change, as that feels particularly Beatles'esque. It took me the greater part of two weeks to get the chord progression to work, and with much help from my guitar teacher."The Time Has Come" is one of my favorite songs so far because it one of the more complex songs to date. Mauger's lyrics and singing are a great compliment. This guy knows how to write and sing with emotion and dynamics.

Like "Earn It," the guitar vocals were recorded in seperate locations. Whereas that method seemed to work on a previous occasion, it didn't work all that well this time. Listen to my strumming caefully: my right hand technique is off tempo in certain locations. Similarly the singing seems off at times. I don't attribute this to anything we did wrong individually so much as not meshing when the two halves are combined. When played live, this song takes off.

Guitar Lesson #1

STRING NAMES

Starting from the top and working toward the bottom: E A D G B E. This is funny because tablature is usually written upside down, as if you flipped the guitar around in your lap. Consider the following illustration as the strings up to the twelfth (double dotted) fret.

E!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
B!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
G!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
D!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
A!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
E!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!

,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,,,,@,@,

For the purposes of using this tablature, X means you place your finger on that fret, and O means you play that string open (pluck it without placing your finger on any of the frets). The @ is my best attempt at the dots on the side and neck of your guitar. They should be at the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, and 12th (double dotted) frets. Hey, this is the best I could do with ASCII images!

TUNING

I know of three simple approaches to tuning your guitar; typically I find that two used in combination have proven most useful.

1. Finger the fifth fret of the E string and ring out an open A string. This should sound like the same note. It will take time and ear training to get an exact match. Move onto the next string except . . .

E!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
B!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
G!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
D!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
A!!-O-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
E!!---!---!---!---!-X-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!

,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,,,,@,@,

When you get to the G string (I love saying that). Finger the fourth fret of the G string and ring out an open B.

E!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
B!!-O-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
G!!---!---!---!-X-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
D!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
A!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
E!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!

,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,,,,@,@,

It will take time and ear training to get an exact match. This works all well and good, other than the fact that you have to take your finger off the string to tune. Ah well, there is always options #2 and #3.

2. You can use artificial harmonics to free up your hands. To get a harmonic, lightly touch your finger just below the twelfth fret and pluck the string. You should get a bell like sound. Now try it in this order: 12th, 5th, 7th, 3rd, and 9th – it gets progressively harder with each one. You can tune your guitar with the A.F. between the 5th and 7th frets. Consider the following:

E!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
B!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
G!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
D!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
A!!---!---!---!---!---!---!-X-!---!---!---!---!---!
E!!---!---!---!---!-X-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!

,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,,,,@,@,

Again, it doesn’t work well with the G to B string.

3. Even if you are 1/8th of a note off, your tuning can sound off whack by the fifth or sixth string. I usually strum an open G chord to hear if everything sounds in tune. A good way to double check and pick out slight mistuning is to use 12th fret harmonics Hit the harmonic on the 12th fret, and check against the 2nd fret two strings over. Consider the following:

E!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
B!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
G!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
D!!---!-X-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
A!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
E!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!-X-!

,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,,,,@,@,

Now you can diagnose that pesky G to B string, as you can do the following:

E!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
B!!---!---!-X-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
G!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
D!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!-X-!
A!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
E!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!

,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,,,,@,@,

4. Heh, let’s be tech savvy now. You can always go out and buy a guitar tuner, or use a free one online such as on Emil’s Phish Tablature Page. Guitar tuners are quick, easy, and sometimes necessary when you can’t hear your guitar (such as when playing live). Trust me, it is a short cut. Train your ear to hear your guitar tuned; it will pay off in the long run.

MAJOR SCALE

I hate to say it, but some things just need to be memorized. If you are serious about learning music, then you need to learn to hear and play the major scale sooner rather than later. Most of what I am learning in music – chords, triads, chord progressions, the blues, keys, and modes - are all based on the major scale. Choose to ignore it and you can only go so far in music before hitting a major wall. For now, study the shape and know that the scale is always named for the root note, or the first note of the scale.

E!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
B!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
G!!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
D!!---!-X-!---!-X-!-X-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
A!!---!-X-!-X-!---!-X-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
E!!---!---!-X-!---!-X-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!

,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,,,,@,@,

Or if you want to play it on all six strings:

E!!---!-X-!-X-!-X-!-X-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
B!!---!---!-X-!---!-X-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
G!!---!-X-!---!-X-!-X-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
D!!---!-X-!---!-X-!-X-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
A!!---!-X-!-X-!---!-X-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!
E!!---!---!-X-!---!-X-!---!---!---!---!---!---!---!

,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,,,,@,@,

Or my favorite six string major scale shape. This one will really stretch your fingers. Use your pointer to hit the first note, middle finger to hit the second, and pinky to hit the third.

E!!---!---!---!---!-X-!---!-X-!-X-!---!---!---!---!
B!!---!---!---!---!-X-!---!-X-!-X-!---!---!---!---!
G!!---!---!---!-X-!-X-!---!-X-!---!---!---!---!---!
D!!---!---!---!-X-!-X-!---!-X-!---!---!---!---!---!
A!!---!---!-X-!---!-X-!---!-X-!---!---!---!---!---!
E!!---!---!-X-!---!-X-!---!-X-!---!---!---!---!---!

,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,@,,,,,,,,,,@,@,

Don’t just become familiar with the shapes, but begin building a memory for the sounds as well (especially the difference between a whole or half-step jump). Hum the notes along with the guitar, as it will reinforce that sound in your head. This strategy will also help later on when you are learning to play lead guitar.

Keep practicing!

Teaching, Guitar, and Teaching Guitar

A neighbor and good friend asked if I would give her guitar lessons. Said yes without hesitation, as I love teaching, love guitar, and figured that I would also probably love teaching about guitar. Plus educators know that the best way to learn something is by teaching someone else.

After having been through the experience myself, I now know how my guitar teacher must feel. Thirty minutes isn’t much time at all; barely enough to touch base, conduct a lesson, and such. Plus I have to find that balance between show and tell. Need to avoid that play just like this routine, or explain something in too much depth for what can reasonably absorbed in one sitting. I’d like to strike a balance between “This is why you do it,” and “This is how you do it,” like my guitar teacher does so well.

I was somewhat unprepared for the lesson- just feeling out what that person knows and what I think they need to know in order to show improvement. From now on I would like to have a lesson typed for them to take home and practice. I’ll post these lessons up on the blog, as I know a few other people that would like a little guidance as well. Feel free to comment, as I am just learning how to teach guitar.

885 GAAT - Nick Drake, Pink Moon

A review to follow later.



A review of my top 10 albums to date:

Violent Femmes, Violent Femmes
The Beatles, Abbey Road
The Smiths, Hatful of Hollow
Radiohead, OK Computer
Phish, Rift
Nick Drake, Pink Moon