What New Song Are Your Currently Working On?

[donlyn]

What New Song Are Your Currently Working On?

"Save the Last Dance For Me" by the Drifters.

For me, and probably like a lot of players, no piece is ever truly finished. Many times the initial completed run-through is really only the start. And with no particular plan, sometimes I'll play (or think of) a song, and realize it's time for something else to be added in. Or subtracted out, as sometimes both may happen. So it's not a 'new' song to me, but it is a new arrangement to an old favorite. And the one that's gotten a lot of recent attention from me. Been into the Drifters for a long, long time.

As you can tell, I've been playing "Save the Last Dance For Me" for quite a while. In 'E'. While playing it recently, I just started to play around with it. Somehow the rhythm suggested a Spanish influence, so I added a nice little Spanish style fill to end each verse. Some days later I decided to add an instrumental solo, right after the ". . . . I will never ever let you go, I love you oh so much" part. Yes, the addition is before the last verse and the recorded version violin solo. After I tried a few different things, I ended up with a fifties rock and roll style semi-solo thing comprised around the song chords with arpeggio based notes and harmonies, reminding me of something from a 'back in the day' R&R song. This played out over a whole verse and chorus iteration during the song.

And added an ending using the fill, in ritard(ando), for good measure.

To be clear, I love puns.

After I let this ruminate, I will re-examine the changes, and go from there. To my mind, this is a 'new' project. And the current omens are auspicious.

Don

[Marco Polo]

...For me, and probably like a lot of players, no piece is ever truly finished...

Amen Don!  Always works-in-progress.  That's what makes it fun!

I've been spending the past several weeks with Randy Rhoads.  What a talented player and his music is both challenging and so rewarding to recreate.  I could only image the music he would have written if he was still with us.

With the exception of the solos (way beyond my skill set), I've been fiddling with Revelation (Mother Earth) and Diary of a Madman.  My fingers hurt.

[donlyn]

Marco,

Thanks for the reply. I like to put a little meat on the bones, so I mention a few extra things. Maybe giving hints will help people if they want to follow my trail.

By the way, there is no right or wrong result. Only Try or Do Not.

Don

[Frettingflyer]

I am working on a drop D version of Here comes the Sun, as well as Let it Be. Plus standard tunings of Photograph, as well as revisiting some old favorites. As Don said, no version is ever finished, always time for some tweaks...

[donlyn]

Hey Dave,

So you got me curious now. If you do drop D tuning, do you (and/or are you still doing) the capo thing? What key are you using?

I ask mostly because I do it capo 7 in a D formation making the key 'A'. Not that you have to do it note for note or original key (I don't always; it's like horse-shoes), but while the drop D sounds interesting, it may force fingering or note changes when you want to play the 'E' string in whatever position.

I used to play it sometimes in open 'A' on my 12 string so I could use the 2 note octave-apart sound on all those neat note runs, starting with "Sun, . . " on the 'C' chord. Maybe I'll resurrect that one, just for kicks.

Don

[Frettingflyer]

Hi Don,
I am using a version by Mark Hanson for both of those Beatles songs, with no capo and ranging thru 1st and 2nd position on Sun and through 12 frets on Let it Be. Been away for a while so not making as much progress as I like but they are coming and I have added too many new songs to the currently learning list,
Demons, Imagine Dragon’s
Let Her Go-Passenger
I’m Yours-Jason Mraz
All are fingerstyle solo arrangements with no singing.
I don’t have the musical vocabulary to explain everything, or really understand it, but it is slowly coming along. Feel free to PM me if you like.

[donlyn]

Hey Dave,

Will do a pm thing soon.

Sometimes my stream of consciousness thing gets things wrong. When I mentioned 'open A' for my 12 string, it was incorrect. Meant using open strings in key of A. So same key, but no way I am going to open tune a 12 string, at least at the moment. I have been thinking of DADGADing one of them, but not yet. Maybe after I learn 'Black Mountain Side' I'll try that on 12er. Not holding my breath though.

Update from last post on this thread. Really liking where 'Save the Last Dance' is right now, so that's the way I'll be playing it for a while.

Currently playing around with "Ain't Misbehavin' ". Don't know where this will end up, but I have the lyrics and figured out some chords. Now for some melody and fills.

Don

[donlyn]

OK, time for some current updates on things I've mentioned so far in this thread.

* *

Post #5 "Walk Don't Run".
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?

"Bells of Rhymney" and Arlo's "City of New Orleans" are in the 12 string learning mix too. As usual, the hardest part is remembering the words. And still is.
Still. Close with both. Also playing "City of New Orleans" on 5 string ukulele. Also started fiddling with "Coming into Los Angeles" by Arlo. He plays it on a 12 string.

*

Post #13 "Amazing Grace".

In DADGAD.

Got a working version that can still use a few harmony fills.

If you are at all interested in this DADGAD tuning fling, it is probably worthwhile to (re)read Post #13 to this thread. A few good hints on where I went while researching this topic.

*

Post #25 "I Walk The Line" by Johnny Cash.
Got a decent working version with some walking bass lines and alternating bass in a bass-note / strum kind of thing, topped off with a working hook for an ending.
I wrote, "Hard part is to memorize all the lyrics, and working on the pace of the song. You know, 'get rhythm"."
Well turns out the hardest part is to get and maintain a good rhythm for the song from start to finish.

*

Post #30 "Save the Last Dance For Me" by the Drifters.
Really very pleased where this is right now. See previous post on this. 'Nuff said.

*

Post #36  "Black Mountain Side".
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.

"Ain't Misbehavin' ". Don't know where this will end up, but I have the lyrics and figured out some chords. Now for some melody and fills.
No change. Haven't advanced this idea much at all, and still haven't learned the lyrics, so it's kind of stalled. Will be that way until I learn the lyrics and put together a basic working version of the song.

* *

OK, some background notes are in order.

First is a reminder that I fingerpick all my instruments using my fingernails. Many of my 'strums' include 3-finger down-strokes which are split-second sequential the way I play it. While the pieces should prove easily recognizable to the listener, I am not using a regular pick nor a thumbpick, which means I have to make some musical compromises at times. Most of my multi-note harmonies are not accidental, but are backfilled as I work on and re-play a given piece.
 
I also play solo (as in only one guitar), so my pattern of learning includes getting some basics like melody and chords down and filling in any quiet spots where wanted/needed with whatever is wanted/needed. Thus my playing versions are an attempt to put as much into the piece as I can without making it too fat or leaving it too lean.

I also have no real time pressure learning new pieces, so they are presentable when I feel they are but they are also never truly finished.

So what I end up with is pretty much my own take on a piece and not a slavish imitation. But I like to think that anyone familiar with the piece will easily recognize it.

Don

[donlyn]

"Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out"


Don

[Strumming Fool]

Two originals - one with no melody or lyrics- just an instrumental for now. The other has both music and lyrics, but it's not soup yet!

[Munich_ghoul]

So a while ago, I found a wonderful ensemble of people called “40 fingers” on YouTube.

They did a Disney medley (here’s the link: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=D6hYcSvYQkA ) and I instantly fell in love with the “you’ll be in my heart” part by Phil Collins, so last night, I started fooling around the song and I hope to arrange an easy fingerstyle version of it sometime in the future.

[plivemusic]

Currently working on "The Girl From Ipanema"

[donlyn]

Over the last couple of weeks since the holidays, I have resurrected a Beatles tune, "It's Only Love", which I used to do many years ago. Instrumental only at the moment, but I may add the lyrics and re-arrange the song again. Lovely tune.

Not sure yet about "Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out". Seems most modern versions only do a couple of the 4 ? verses, and I've been changing keys a bit to find one I like. So now on YouTube I'm listening to Bessie Smith sing it, and it sounds real good. Just found a version by a lady named Dixie Michell(e) who does it with her own solo guitar backing, in key of 'C'. Kind of nice uncomplicated accompaniment, so I'll try that next. Sounds very nice on her 6 string, but I'll probably muck around a bit on a 12 string with it. Then start over with the lyrics. This one may be a while unless I do a deep dive.

Most times the journey is more than half the fun, even if it's just around the block.

Don

[donlyn]

> Not sure yet about "Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out".

Well I'm sure. Took a deep dive. Marianas Trench deep dive.

After listening to a half dozen versions of this song, I love it. Except none of the versions are the same. I love it. Everybody uses different lyrics, number of verses, and other variations within the song. I love it. As far as I can tell, song was written sometime in the 1920s, possibly by someone named Jimmy Cox, and became famous in the 30s when Bessie Smith sang it. The song seems to have followed a route akin to a folk song where everyone ends up with a different lyric version except for the title, the first line, and the multiple refrain(s) of the title. I love it. All this research shows it's kind of fair game for anyone, and probably public domain at that.

I'm looking to start with 2 verses, much like people from Scrapper Blackwell to Eric Clapton have done. Add a ragtime intro and song feel and maybe a rock and roll break, repeat second verse, and add a ragtime outro. I have chosen Key of 'C', mostly because I like how the chords fit in naturally with the song. Speaking of chords, everyone seems to have their own, of course, but I have made some notes on different versions and think I have my first foray in place.

On the third line, I did end up using an F major chord followed by a diminished F#, followed by a quick semi-tone walk-up to the semi arpeggio of C, ending with an A7. And on the back end of the 4th line, Dixie used a well placed D7, done with a C7 shape leading on the 5th fret. I liked this because if I play the open high 'e' string with it, it becomes something like a D9 and sounds great. Especially followed by a cowboy 'G' with some notes added/subtracted and walking around to make it a G6 (open lower e) and then the D on the B string and back up again to G while harmonizing with the lower notes of the G chord.

So now I have a plan all ready, and the next step is to make sure it's proficient, this of course is the hard work portion. And then stir in some lyrics. The first verse is very similar for most versions, but after that it's Dodge City. Rollin', rollin', rollin'. Keep them doggies rollin'.

And this one's now rolling along like an out of control freight train.  Hmm. Freight Train.

Don

PS > I've had a wicked lot of fun with this so far.

[donlyn]

One more note on this. Because it's been the dry indoor season (winter radiators) in New England for a week (15% indoor RH as I write this), I have done all my prep work for this on my laminate B&S  EJ-200, and I have a new appreciation of this guitar after playing only this one for 5 days straight. (Maybe a record with me for playing only one guitar since I only had one guitar.) Considering the upcoming weekend forecast (single digits with huge negative wind chill factors), I'll be using it for a while longer.

Have some experience dealing with humidity effects, and my bigger solids seem to sound a bit off right now, but the laminate sounds fine. Go figure.

Or maybe it's just my ears, poppin' to the pressure drop. Snows a'falling

Don