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Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
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Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 175
Apprentice
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OP
Apprentice
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 175 |
Hey friends, great day to you. This is in no way wanting to disregard other instruments or musicians. Please join in if it is relevant. It is just that I am a budding guitar player and am seeking expansion with my tools.
I realize this has likely been covered in other posts over the years but using the search function/results can be daunting at times as I don't really know what I am searching for. Perhaps this new forum can consolidate some of your collective wisdom.
How are you using BIAB as guitar player? Or how COULD it be used to improve on your instrument.
The more specific with details the better if you would be willing.
I am admittedly still new to BIAB in that I use it/learn it on a need to know basis. I believe there is a whole world of support I am not accessing...and I am want to be on the fast track. Using Steven Covey as a mentor "Deliberate Slow and Focused" is the fast track. So I want to be more deliberate and get out of some learned familiar habits that are not supporting my goals.
I use BIAB to practice major scales...write backing tracks to play over (at various speeds and keys) and I use it to look at Nashville number charts. That is it. I don't even use Real Band as I don't quite understand the differences/benefits yet etc.
Any insight, any methods, any approaches...all would be so very appreciated.
Thank you in advance.
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Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
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Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 147
Apprentice
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Apprentice
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 147 |
What type of music are you interested in learning to play?
Cheers! -Alastair
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Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
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Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 175
Apprentice
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OP
Apprentice
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 175 |
Quote:
What type of music are you interested in learning to play?
Thank you. Country - Jazz - Blues. They all interest me, though country is my primary interest right now.
AlastairLC, if you use BIAB for practicing, how do YOU use it? I would like to know.
Cheers~
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Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
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Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 147
Apprentice
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Apprentice
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 147 |
I play a lot of jazz, so I use BIAB as a jazz combo backing track. I set it for three choruses. On the first, I play melody, on the second I solo/improvise, and on the third I do a bit of each. Great learning tool and great fun! I play mostly jazz standards which you can download from several sources, the best being http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Band-in-a-Box/. Just join the group and access two long lists of songs. They also have some country, blues and pop. You can then pick/create your own style (use Real Tracks), tempo, key, etc. It's like playing along with a professional jazz combo. My dogs are big fans. Cheers!
Cheers! -Alastair
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Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
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Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 175
Apprentice
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OP
Apprentice
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 175 |
Alastair, thanks for the link. I appreciate it! Anybody else? There must be dozens of guitars players here.  Anybody copy riffs from the real tracks? Learn new chord shapes or progressions? Anybody learning to read music with BIAB? Write Music? Anybody else use the Nashville number system? How are you measuring progress? Any particular feature you find most helpful for YOU? How are you using this in general? I would really like to hear. Thank you!
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Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,492
Expert
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Expert
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,492 |
Quote:
Anybody else use the Nashville number system?
No I use regular chord names.
Quote:
How are you measuring progress?
Fewer errors and if no errors more beats per minute.
Quote:
Any particular feature you find most helpful for YOU?
I can make a "loop" of one to several measures to just practise points of interest (rename that: hard or tricky sequences) and I can adjust the speed from very low to a bit faster than I need to play that tune.
Guido
Desktop; i7-2600k, 8 GB mem., Win 10 Pro, BIAB 2017; RB 2017 - latest build
Laptop: i5-2410M, 4 GB mem, Win 10 Pro, BIAB 2017; RB 2017 - latest build
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Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
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Joined: May 2012
Posts: 2,936
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 2,936 |
Hi Rodney
As mentioned before I am embarking on long overdue guitar lessons this year. I acquired BIAB at the end of last year and up till now I have just used it for writing my own stuff and also making backing tracks for me to perform live with. I am being kept very busy with exercises from my guitar teacher. He has also given me specific backing tracks to learn to solo with. I am sure I will get to use BIAB for practice at some stage. I do use the Nashville numbering system to try and get commonly used chord sequences into my brain...but not there quite yet. Following on your excellent example video I have also decided I am going to take a video of myself soloing every month so that I can measure my progress.
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Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
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Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 2
Newbie
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Newbie
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 2 |
One aspect I've discovered using Real Tracks with BIAB is that a great rhythm makes you solo better. I entered in the chords to "Volare", sheet music that I have owned for 50 years or so and it made the song come alive. When you hear the proper chords and a great groove, soloing becomes more natural and relaxed. In many years of playing guitar, I have only found a few great rhythm players. I am trying to become one by practising along with BIAB tracks. Real Tracks add an authenticity and feel that most midi tracks can't. (I have been working with midi for 30 years or so and feel qualified to make that statement).
Cheers,
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Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,926
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,926 |
TexasGuitarGuy,
Despite having played for nearly fifty years, I feel that I only truly discovered myself as a guitarist beginning in around 2005-2006. Until then everything I did was derivative and primarily rhythm based. I have never seriously tried to copy anybody's music so I have a hard time emulating some of my influences, primarily what I consider to be the best of British power pop and prog rock.
In the time period I mentioned I entered and left an artistically inspiring relationship. (I'm still friends with the lady, we just didn't work out long term.) Afterwards I found myself with a lot of emotion and time on my hands. I began digging into BIAB v. 2006.
I am also a composer. It was when I began entering my own chord progressions into BIAB and playing over them that I found a melodic side of myself that I had only imagined. Now I think of myself as an original. It's not the guitar work that is so unusual; rather it's the setting--British-inspired electric blues over eighties-style electronica coupled with some nonstandard changes. Think Stevie Ray Vaughan with David Bowie, Carlos Santana with Weather Report, or Jan Hammer's faux guitar lines over his compositions. At least, that's what I'm shooting for. I'll post some stuff soon and let you guys decide.
Regards,
Richard
"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."
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Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.
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Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac Videos
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