|
Post by Kevin Thompson on Oct 20, 2004 17:13:41 GMT
Hi Michael Thnx if u can answer a question cos I know your really busy. I really like blues music & I like to play guitar as well but nobody is into blues here cept me & TJ. So I thought okay there are books but now on your forum it sounds like the books are wrong & there are no rules & even the words meant something else. So now I dont feel like I know how to get started anymore. I know I didnt make this into a question but I guess you know what I mean. Thnx again.
|
|
|
Post by Richard on Oct 20, 2004 19:15:09 GMT
We are all beginers in one way or another and there are some good books out there but, maybe a video type lesson might suit you better?
|
|
|
Post by Michael Messer on Oct 20, 2004 22:19:02 GMT
MESSAGE FOR KEVIN THOMPSON >
Hi Kevin,
Good to hear from you! My apologies if I have confused you in one of my messages, that wasn't my intention at all.
When I was growing up it was the same problem, there was nobody else into playing blues except me & my brother David. As time went by I started playing old 1920s & 30s Miss'ippi delta blues & even my brother deserted me because he was into modern blues! I kept on going & eventually met up with like-minded people and the rest is history!
What I said about DVDs & tutorial books was perhaps a little harsh, but I do believe the more you find out for yourself, the deeper the knowledge goes in. If you need to get started and don't know where to turn, then certainly a book or DVD will get you started (it's gotta be a good book though!) and from there you can see where the journey takes you.
Some of the threads on this website can get pretty serious about stuff, especiallly the one about song lyrics. There are some amazing blues songs that maybe don't relate to our lives today, but don't let that stop you singing them & having fun with them.
Have you read about PLAY THE BLUES ? It is a 3 CD box set of 12 bar blues in every style for jamming along with. Check out my website, follow the link to Music Sales and get a copy for you & TJ to jam along with. It's a great learning tool and you'll have a blast playing along.
Are you Ella's son? That thread about Willard Johns and his National guitar is amazing. There are some very cool pics of him with his guitars!
What kind of blues music do you like to listen to?
Keep in touch Kevin, I hope I answered your question...? If not just keep writing to me 'till I get it right.
Shine On, Michael.
|
|
|
Post by Sonya on Oct 21, 2004 7:23:52 GMT
Hi Michael, Regarding Kevin's question about getting started with slide guitar - is your tuition video/DVD still available? For someone who is a total beginner it is the best tuition video I have seen so far. I keep recommending it to people in the hope that they can get hold of a copy! Sonya
|
|
|
Post by Sonya on Oct 21, 2004 9:34:35 GMT
MESSAGE FOR KEVIN THOMPSON Hi Kevin, I can sympathise with your frustration - I know from my own experience that when you first set out to discover more about the blues and guitar playing etc there is a bewildering amount of information to sift through. Bear in mind that many of the guys who post on this forum have been playing the blues and researching the music, musicians and instruments for 20 years or more - which is why they know so much about it all. As a relative beginner myself (but much older than you!) I'd recommend that you listen to a wide range of recorded music, and go and see lots of live music too. You'll learn so much from watching and listening, and from this you'll develop your own style of playing. It's easy to get too serious about it - just have fun! Sonya
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 21, 2004 17:36:47 GMT
Hi Michael, Yeah Ella is my Mom & TJ is my bro. Hes younger than me . Its cool about Willard Johns & I wish I had that guitar except their really heavy. I got into blues music cos Ry Cooder was on TV & he did this stomp-me-stupid amazing song about a guy hiding & running from a vigelanty with a shotgun looking to get him. I kept remembering the song & you can almost see in yr mind what is happening like rainy nights & hiding in boxcars on a train. Ry Cooder is singing how its really cruel & the guitar sounds like crying. So I started looking at magazines & buying stuff & trying to find that song but I still dont have it. I like all the blues stuff I have but I listen most to Son House & Robert Johnson & Big Bill Broonzey for old music. I don’t play electric but I like Muddy Waters & John Lee Hooker. For music from now I listen a lot to Catfish Keith & Ry Cooder & YOU. I found out about you cos yr on a list with Ry Cooder. TJ said for sure you have a website so we looked. I guess Im not totally 100% beginning I do know things like 12 bar & I can fingerpick a little bit but not much. I made a slide but somebody already told me its too little & thats why it bounces all over the frets. Plus you have to retune yr guitar but I don’t know much about that either, except for drop D. I want to get the Play the Blues CDs I didn’t know about that. Also the video Sonya said thats on my list for Xmas. So that’s me I guess. Thnx Michael & Richard & Sonya.
|
|
|
Post by MM on Oct 21, 2004 18:02:31 GMT
REPLY TO KEVIN>
Hi Kevin, cool! Now I know some stuff about you guys. The song is Vigilante Man, it was originally written by Woody Guthrie and later recorded by Ry Cooder. I think it's on Ry's first album, if I am wrong I am sure someone on this forum will put me right. There was a TV show in the UK back in the 1970s and there's a wonderful film from that show of Ry performing the Vigilante Man. Interestingly....my brother Alan Messer is a photographer and was at that show & took the still pictures. I don't know if he would allow me to publish it on this forum, I ask. Ry Cooder was a big one for me back in the 70s & 80s, he made some great records.
Your taste in blues is pretty cool and very similar to my own! Don't stop....you & your bro should just keep on doing it.
That guitar of Willard's is a beauty & is pretty close in sound to the guitars used by Catfish Keith, Son House, Bukka White, myself and numerous others!
Gotta go now,
Please say hi to your bro for me & keep in touch. Shine On, Michael.
|
|
|
Post by Larry Conrad on Oct 21, 2004 19:05:54 GMT
Hi Kevin, Woody Guthrie's song Vigilante Man was recorded by Ry Cooder on his "Into the Purple Valley" album I think in the early 1970s, and it is available on CD. Check it out here: www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000002KBW/qid%3D1098383641/sr%3D11-1/ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F1/102-1149437-1646565#product-detailsYou can get it new and used here for as little as $5.00, and on the Amazon link you can hear a clip from every song and see some reviews of what other people have thought of it. It really is a great album. I think maybe the best way for you to experiment with the song is to tune your guitar to "open D", which is (low to high) DADF#AD. Here are the Woody Guthrie lyrics and some background on what the song is about: www.geocities.com/nashville/3448/vigil.htmlHere you can find the way Ry Cooder played it (somewhat different lyrics): lyrics.duble.com/R/rycooderlyrics/rycoodervigilantemanlyrics.htm There is a lot more to say about your message that I am sure you would find helpful, but others may want to join in. The bottom line is that you should feel most welcome. Everyone who comes in here has had the same questions at some point, the big difference is that in your case there is an easy way to get some ideas and advice. On slides, for example, have a look at the part of Michael's site where he reviews guitars and equipment. There is a piece on slides there. Say hi to your Mom for me, and thanks again to you and TJ for your comments on my piece about the Royal Hawaiians. You will see that I did take your ideas on board! Have fun, Larry
|
|
martinw
Serious MM Forum Member
Posts: 31
|
Post by martinw on Oct 22, 2004 9:34:18 GMT
|
|
|
Post by Larry Conrad on Oct 22, 2004 19:07:57 GMT
Hi again Kevin,
I was very busy last night so I didn't have a lot of time for your message. One point I would like to comment on now is the way you say that your slide "bounces" over the frets. That sounds to me like you are trying to slide on a guitar that is not set up for that style of playing. That is, it is set up with a low action for fretting and so forth; as the action is so low, that is why your slide is clattering across the frets. Playing slide on a guitar like that will always be a bit difficult. A guitar set up for slide will always have a high action, for exactly this reason.
You should also know that playing slide guitar isn't just about hitting notes. Vibrato and dampening are crucial to getting the right sound, and for that you need some kind of direct assistance that you can see. Can you get Michael's slide guitar tutorial on video or DVD? I think that really is the best place to start. It is true that there are no specific "rules", but there are special ways of getting the sound you want, and for that a bit of guidance at the beginning is a good idea.
Are there blues guitar workshops in your area? That would be a great way to meet people who have similar interests and get some good ideas.
Slide on, Larry
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 23, 2004 12:13:39 GMT
Hi Michael & everybody & thnx for all the info. Its unbelievable I got all that stuff so fast about Vigilante Man.I did check google but i mispelled it I put my guitar in open D & its amazing its like a different way to do everything! But yeah I can see the slide bounces cos the strings are low. TJ & me are going to State College after chores to see what they got there slides & stuff cos they have cool music stores cos of all the college students. I didnt know about Into the Purple Valley at all. Here were the only village for miles & miles & its just a couple hundred people sitting up side the mountain thats it lol. So i guess i just missed it. I want to ask about slides if thats ok.The one I made its just a piece of pipe & I thot it sounds okay & I like it cos I made it myself. but my finger sticks out & everything I see where you talk about it is a lot bigger & heavier & really thick. If I get a new slide should I get one like that? Its not like a sound thing I guess its just im asking whats best if yr just learning. Sorry if i should already know all this.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 25, 2004 16:39:15 GMT
Saturday I got told thin slides like what i made are fine, but thats all the guy had so maybe he just wanted to sell me a slide. On the net & ebay lots & lots of slides r a lot bigger & heavier. So r they better?
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 27, 2004 16:40:41 GMT
Hiya Michael, I just made a new slide last night & ground down the edges this am. A bit longer so my finger dont stick out but still a piece of pipe & I like the idea i did it myself . I thot i saw photos of players with something that just looks like a bit of pipe but i forget who. Yr forum is amazing. I cant beleive all the stuff that comes in & soon as u ask something u get piles of info u never even thot about. & really friendly too.
|
|
|
Post by Michael Messer on Oct 27, 2004 22:23:33 GMT
Hi Kevin,
That's the way, make your own from a piece of pipe. You should try making a bottleneck from an old wine bottle, but BE CAREFUL of those hands! Glass will give you a different tone to metal. You just gotta try these things, it's the only way.
I am glad you are enjoying this forum. My intention has always been to keep it friendly & informative. I am very grateful for how everyone pitches in to help if someone asks a question, it's great.
Shine On, michael.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 28, 2004 11:09:34 GMT
Cool - Im tellin my Dad I need to empty a wine bottle now cos Michael Messer told me i need it for a slide . Maybe lots of slides for diffrent sounds? ;D I heard a totally brill song from a friend he didnt keep the title & I dont know it. But its about James Dean & hes too fast to live too young to die, bye bye!!! Lyrics like that. It has slide right? Anybody know the song? I googled for it but i got a half million hits for James Dean. I really want that song, no way you can sit when its on you have to turn it up & get on yr feet. Late 4 class got to roll. Thnx!
|
|