I tend to finish the "fun" lessons first (Prettiest Girl, Pepper, Tiramisu)..and procrastinate finishing a bit on the "hard" ones like...Chet's Little Bit of Blues...(jeez!) And that's why (as you say in the lesson) they call him "Mr. Guitar!" But may I request a lesson for "Nellie Bly?" All the lessons I have are enjoyable...but the ones on your compositions are more so because the tunes themselves are so great!
I thought I had responded to this thread before but I don’t see my post.
Firstly all of Jim’s lessons kick my butt. I definitely have a preference for the “song” lessons. Probably because I know the tune. My favourites are
Cat under the Car - the first lesson I bought and one of my favourite campy songs
Lipton Tea - pretty song that was easy enough to pick up,
Pepper - another pretty song but a little harder than Lipton Tea
Prettiest Girl in New York - my go to lesson if I need to give my fingers a work out. Even after 5 years I still can’t play at Campy speed
Wishful Thinking - beautiful song that sounds great played solo. I play it really slow like in the Princeton video, slower that on the record
The Past is Looking Better and Better - I really like playing the solo on this one
Playing the Blues/Nailing the Changes - lots of neat litttle tidbits in this one that I use
Step it up - this is the lesson Jim gave away for free a few years back. It forced me to finally put some effort into hybrid picking which is now a standard part of my arsenal
I have about 10 other lessons but these are my favourites
Wow! Warren - Thank you for your sweet post and thank you for buying the lessons...
"...Prettiest Girl in New York - my go to lesson if I need to give my fingers a work out. Even after 5 years I still can’t play at Campy speed..."
I wish I could works with you - there's a bounce one has to get - and it's the same picking pattern over and over and over. One of the open strings lick is difficult, but very doable.
I got the Prettiest Girl lesson. Great song! The meoldy is fantastic.
I'm having trouble in the first ascension, where you recommend to play it with pick as down, up, down. I think it would cost me less effort if I try instead a hybrid picking, as down pick, middle finger, down pick.
Should I go that way? or it would be worthwile to practice and get it just with the pick: down, up, down? Thanks,
I too have struggled with Jim's way on that first "Prettiest Girl" ascension and found that the hybrid-style "down-pick, middle-finger'' way came more naturally. And now with our instructor's approval...I can feel free to play this tune without guilt:)
ha ha ... All fingering and picking approaches are debatable... as long as there is logic. And you all seem VERY logical! Have a great day -and keep on caring.
I think this subject might fall under a "lessons" conversation: I've recently become more aware of the lack of independence between my ring and middle finger. It's like they share the same twin bed! I understand that (for most people) these two fingers share a tendon...unlike the other fingers that have their own. Anyway...I started noticing this more as I began practicing Jim's "Formatting & Organising" lesson. Not exactly the most "fun" lesson..but one that truly pays off. More of an excersize really. This lesson sort of reminded me of the piano lessons I took from my Catholic grade school music teacher, Sister Lou Ann, back in the mid-60s. She was super-strict (but not mean) ...and the convent was actually a pretty nice environment considering what a weird kind of place it was. And those nuns were all about "No Fun...only Work!" And please forgive my digression, But: Does anyone one concern themselves with this 2nd and 3rd finger independence issue? Am I being too obsessive?...or am I just getting old? (or both?) Actually my favorite by-product of this lesson is that I can now "waste" hours on my comfortable couch watching cool stuff on TV...and play these excersizes at the same time. This would have pleased Sister Lou Ann:)
Danny. Yes, for me those two fingers seem to like going together most times. Jim gives is a hybrid picking excercise in the True Fire dvd, I think it may me in the Nang Nang song or before in the introduction series of videos. It is like playing an open C chord and then a weird and nice kind of G, which I don't know its name. Like a run (5,4 & 3 string, then 4,3&2, then 3,2&1) first note with the pick, then middle and then ring finger. Nice excercise for noodling too!
I purchased “Over the Rainbow” as a reward to myself for practicing my arpeggios, based on all the positive remarks here. It’s a marvelous arrangement that doesn’t have a single difficult grip in it- I read through Jim’s tab before I even listened to the lessons. This is definitely going to the top of my “things you play when you pick up a guitar in a music store” list.
I also bought the “Country Lead in G” lesson, thinking it would be familiar sounding licks based on our favorite major pentatonic form, but of course this is Jim’s playing we’re talking about. It’s a real eye opener, both in form and in sound.
I have a question on the "My Funny Valentine" lesson: Jim's guitar during the playback on my laptop is does not sound like it's tuned to an E. Anybody else notice this? Or is this just happening on MY download or computer etc.? It was great fun to learn it anyway and now I have a classy & classic chord-melody piece to play in a guitar store:)
...Actually, it's been a good learning experience to (have to) transpose this to another key in order to play along with the lesson:) And truthfully....I get so much out of every lesson I tend to ignore the "typos"...so what?..ya know:)
Yes there was a few older lessons that we tweaked that were a little off after the analog to digital transfer . They might be a semitone off 440 but we thought they were consistent throughout - If you feel it’s too distracting please send me a private message and I’ll refund you no problem thanks so much for ordering the lessons I really appreciate it
I want to say I had one lesson like that...Sweet Dreams maybe? Anyway, I recall using a software tool on my Mac to adjust the pitch. Worked really well. I think it was called Amazing Slow Downer. Not sure if it's still being made, but I'm sure there are other similar tools out there.
Comments
Learn every time a play this dvd , top !!
Greatings
Clavan
Thank you rlando
Firstly all of Jim’s lessons kick my butt. I definitely have a preference for the “song” lessons. Probably because I know the tune. My favourites are
Cat under the Car - the first lesson I bought and one of my favourite campy songs
Lipton Tea - pretty song that was easy enough to pick up,
Pepper - another pretty song but a little harder than Lipton Tea
Prettiest Girl in New York - my go to lesson if I need to give my fingers a work out. Even after 5 years I still can’t play at Campy speed
Wishful Thinking - beautiful song that sounds great played solo. I play it really slow like in the Princeton video, slower that on the record
The Past is Looking Better and Better - I really like playing the solo on this one
Playing the Blues/Nailing the Changes - lots of neat litttle tidbits in this one that I use
Step it up - this is the lesson Jim gave away for free a few years back. It forced me to finally put some effort into hybrid picking which is now a standard part of my arsenal
I have about 10 other lessons but these are my favourites
Cheers
Warren
"...Prettiest Girl in New York - my go to lesson if I need to give my fingers a work out. Even after 5 years I still can’t play at Campy speed..."
I wish I could works with you - there's a bounce one has to get - and it's the same picking pattern over and over and over. One of the open strings lick is difficult, but very doable.
Anyway, thanks again and have a great day - Jim
Prettiest Girl: On that opening ascension...there IS a sort-of ghost note, open B string being picked everytime...correct?
I got the Prettiest Girl lesson. Great song! The meoldy is fantastic.
I'm having trouble in the first ascension, where you recommend to play it with pick as down, up, down. I think it would cost me less effort if I try instead a hybrid picking, as down pick, middle finger, down pick.
Should I go that way? or it would be worthwile to practice and get it just with the pick: down, up, down?
Thanks,
Santiago.
Thank you for buying the lesson and I'm glad you like my song. Have a great day - Jim
Have a great day -and keep on caring.
I also bought the “Country Lead in G” lesson, thinking it would be familiar sounding licks based on our favorite major pentatonic form, but of course this is Jim’s playing we’re talking about. It’s a real eye opener, both in form and in sound.