I’m certainly no expert on this - but this is what I do. I play it/sing it in the key of the recording I’m trying to emulate. If I can’t sing it, I drop it. You can usually tell if you’re voice is close - or if you are really straining. If I’m close - I try a half step. If It’s really hard - maybe I drop it 2 steps - or more. It may take a few tries before I get the right key.
For the sake of ease - you may want to use a capo during this process. I don’t ever really use a capo to play songs - but using one to get your key is helpful to me. Easier than re-thinking the chord progression every time I go up or down to a different key. Some people can do this instinctively - not me.
Where do these sounds really come from when we sing??
I sing some words differently than I speak them.
And when most sing gospel It sounds like it’s really comin’ from a place, in the soul.
Really, think about it. …
What really moves us to move in dance or sing out. So primative, natural, automatic .
Flippin groovie :flower
Make noise! Sing out! Dance and let the music move you…is it june yet :festivarian :sunshine
I just met a girl that wants to sell her full size Cello. Now all I know about Cellos is I love the way they sound and I want to know more and make some noise on one… :lol Any guidance at all would be greatly appreciated :flower
I haven’t taken a lesson since September, and haven’t practiced in months. :rolleyes, I really need to get back into this. I did get a concertina for my birthday, but haven’t figured it out yet.
I am making a somewhat late NYE resolution to start practicing my mando and singing at least 4 times a week. When did life all of a sudden get more complicated?
Beth :flower
Boy are you preaching to the choir. Good luck Beth. I know I have a problem trying to carve out time too. If you want a good kick in the pants to practice, do what I just did.
I’ve connected with another musician and am working on a 2 man acoustic project. Here’s the kicker. We meshed so well in the first few weeks in Dec - I booked us some gigs at an area bar. First one is mid-March. Now, we’ve sorta slowed down on our progress with only about 25 songs stage ready. I need almost 3 times that. Talk about preasure to practice.
Hey Landy. I’m playing at The Glenn (in Northglenn - Irma & 112th) on March 19. We’re in there about twice a month. If you like, I’ll link you up to us on Facebook when I build that page. I think we’re going to call ouselves “Colorado Acoustic”. I want to get a few pictures of us playing outside and a few music clips before I set it up.
Also, I’m looking for someone to help me make a logo (free of course). I’ve got no graphic ability. Know anyone?
Would be great to meet you finally! Have a great weekend!
That sounds like a great time, I finally picked up my mando the other night and fixed the concertina. My husband told me the concertina is an outside instrument though, Hmmmmm. I need to practice more chord progressions and am really getting excited about this summer. So many great shows. Good luck with the taxes Mik and keep practicing Pen I’ll mark the date in my calendar.
Beth :flower
Good luck with tax time Landy. Facebook isn’t all that bad. IMO it gets a bad rap by some. As long as you don’t “friend” everyone, your page is easily managable. It’s not really a “real time” chat site either. I know lots of ppl that just create a page and keep it pretty bare. They use FB to access info from others - not to talk about themselves.
Things Facebook does for me I love:
-tells me automatically when my friends and family are having a birthday (can’t tell you how many times that has saved me)
-allows me to post pictures of the family. When my family wants to see what the kids look like, they just look on my Facebook page. No need to bother me for pix.
-Lets me keep my fans up to date on when my shows are. Much better than an email blast.
Anyway - my 2 cents. You guys have a great rest of the weekend!
Maybe I could build a shed outside with heat and electricity for a jam room. We have a spare bedroom that I practice in but that concertina is really loud and I have no idea what I am doing. It’s like learning to play the clarinet. Ouch, painful to the ears. Brian much perfers the mando. I semi know what I’m doing and it’s a lot quieter. HeeeHeee :lol I really like the idea of the Angeline the Baker group thing. Which version? The fake book version A is the one I know. Let me know which version you are learning.
Beth :flower
still pickin’ but slow going. been going to a weekly jam that i LOVE. also trying to learn to sing ‘walls of time’ its been requested by my jam friends
So I carved out an hour to practice this morning in between my work (I work from home in my basement). So I bust out my job stuff. Break out my mando - tune up. Open my practice book. Start to practice my first scale and then - BOOM.
The litter box is in the basement as well. My 20 pound cat came down and took the most helacious cat dump in the history of the feline world. OK - screw this. I’m going on sales calls…
Maybe I should learn that song Phoebe sings “Friends” called Smelly Cat.
Hey Landy - do you like The Decemberists? Just got their new album The King is Dead and love it. Great lyrics and very melodic. Sort of like REM meets The Smiths.
Great job - keep it up Landy. Here’s a new one for you learn - try Ashokan Farewell. Not super difficult and the tabs can be found fairly easily online (I think mandolincafe has it).
Had our first show as a duo on Sat. I gotta say - after well over 100 shows in a full band, it was nice to do a stripped down all acoustic thing. Although, there’s a lot less room to hide. Pretty obvious if any mistakes are made.
Thanks Landy. I enjoy Chasing Cars - gets a good reaction. We just added a couple songs we’ll do this weekend that I just love playing (Little Lion Man & Teenage Dream).
Did anyone else at Fest take note of the new Artistworks Academy of Bluegrass. This is HUGE!!
Tony Trischka, Mike Marshall, Darol Anger, Bryan Sutton and Missy Rains all teaching on line!!!
This is a mountain girls dream come true. This winter when I am stuck up here I will be learning Mandolin with Mike Marshall, are you kidding, off the charts!!! YESSSSSSSSSSSSSS!
