New update, or rather not so new at times.
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"I Walk the Line" by Johnny Cash
Getting a good rhythm is still the hardest part. I actually now do it slightly slower and it seems a whole lot better for me. I think I was rushing it.
"Save the Last Dance For Me" the Drifters.
Still very pleased where this is right now.
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"Black Mountain Side" by Jimmy Page
From last time,"Started, but tough sledding so far. Real life intrudes. Will probably tune my 355 12 string jumbo to DADGAD in the near future. May help inspire me on this one."
Well I dropped the ball on this, but started it up again last week, so still under construction. Not as easy as I thought (hoped?) it might be.
On the other hand, a couple of weeks ago I did tune my 355 to DADGAD, but since I started tuned at D# standard, I ended up tuned down two semitones to C# Keltic for lack of a better term. Sounds great though, maybe because I'm used to my 12 strings being tuned down a notch. Real life is unavoidable, but finding a bit of time here and there.
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"Ain't MIsbehavin"
. . . kind of petered out. I guess I misbehaved. Couldn't come up with an arrangement that I liked, so it's on the shelf for a while. Oddly enough, I do go back to earlier stuff, just not always sooner than later.
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"Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out"
Got a more than working version going, but ran out of gas deciding which lyrics to use. Ended up using a lot of arpeggios as I thought, and swapped out that D7th in the E shape for a cowboy D7th to make the fingering easier, and also to use my little finger to hint a 'D' note/shape during the measure. That 'D' note also serves as a passing note to the next 'E' note on the treble string which is also becomes the passing 6th for the G6th Chord which ends the measure and verse. Using arpeggios, the F major followed by the F# dim still sounds delicious.
I think I'm talking myself back into getting back into this song again.
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Random recent thoughts and things:
"Somethin' Else" by Eddie Cochran has been running round my brain. Thinking of using a Mr Bassman kind of thing to fill in the drum/bass parts in between the words. Just a catchy thing is this song. Might lead to a rejuvenation of "Summertime Blues" for me too.
Playing as instrumentals, the Irish song, "Rising of the Moon", and Donovan's "Three Kingfishers" raga style on the now C# Keltic-tuned 12 String was a epiphany for me. Wow. The drone effect was amazing, which closely mimics a Uilleann pipes role for the "Rising of the Moon". And the drones played a big part in filling in for a multi string raga instrument like a sarod or a sitar.
And because I renewed my acquaintance in the Music Association Game thread with the Johnny Cash versions of If "I were a Carpenter" (duet with June) and "You Are My Sunshine", I kind of put those songs into my sights (and ears and brain). Already picked out the chords and notes for "You are my Sunshine", along with the lyrics. Actually a sadder song than I remember.
Due to too many barre chords, I now play "My Back Pages" in C instead of E on my 458e-R 12 string (tuned standard to D#). Good news is the solo can still be played in the octave courses.
Always loved the Byrds version. And speaking of which, "The Bells of Rhymney" is still in my mix, mostly using a Thumb and two-finger picking with occasional lapses back to thumb and three.
About "Walk Don't Run", I wrote,
"Kind of stalled out with not having something I like for the drum solo. Tried a few finger tapping things, but didn't like any of them. Thinking of something along the lines of slapping the strings over chord(s) and capping it off with a descending note thing, maybe the same one used a few times already from the Ventures version. Maybe just slap descending chords instead of notes (E,D,C,B,A) for that part?"
Haven't come up with anything I like yet, so I guess I'm waiting for inspiration, but that's not something you can conjure up. Might even come from something totally unassociated with music. Just have to be open to receive it.
Enough for now, Hopefully not too wordy, but I get a kick out of learning and researching new things. Which is why I will eventually get back "with Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out". With which I have already had a great deal of fun. Gonna try it on 12 string tomorrow with my 458, which is tuned standard, down to D#. Just got that idea while writing this. Might spark up "Ain't Misbehaving" too.
Edit> So I took my own advice, tried 'Down and out' on both 12 and 6 strings. Especially after playing it twice on the 12 string, this song is a lot more fun again now on both 12 and 6 strings. Renewed my interest in an interesting song. Hit me with your best shot. Bam!
Be well all, and be safe,
Don
