GradOVATION

G1R, ready to rock!

Well you did it. You graduated from a guitar class at the Old Town School of Folk Music!
I gotta hand it to you--you all did a terrific job. Both Thursday and Sunday chose to perform Hey Jude, and both classes really gave it their heart and soul. I genuinely think that we were some of the best groups up there--not that it's a competition or anything. (But based on audience enthusiasm, we totally brought the house down. Just sayin'.)

It was a pleasure to be your teacher, and an honor to take the stage with you. I hope to see you all again next session, and in the future!

The Sundays!

A friend of mine who takes a different class on Sundays was kind enough to take video of that performance (thanks, Ryan!)--which this blog doesn't seem to want to embed at the moment. But you can see it by following the link below. You sound great, you look great and I am SO proud! Feel free to share it with all your friends and family because you earned some bragging rights with this show. Just listen to the cheers! Yeeeeaaaah!!!

http://youtu.be/VH0_kz71Ybc

Hey Jude Strumming

Thursday night, you guys have done it again--picking one of the hardest tunes--that we've only played for one week--to turn out for the big show. Good on ya!
There was a lot of strummy business to talk about, which you nailed, but just so we're on the same page, here's the break down.

For shorthand--the "rock star strum" is: V V vv vv. If you were counting it aloud you'd say "One, two, three-and, four-and," and it's the same rhythm as good old down down down-up down-up. What makes is rock and roll is that it's ALL down strokes: Down Down down-down down-down.
I'll refer to it as "RSS" below (for rock star strum).

The other pattern we used is just straight quarter notes, one on each beat, all down strums: V V V V
I'll refer to it as "SQ" (for straight quarters).


I'll write out the lyrics below, with the strumming pattern to the left of each line. We ended some verses and choruses differently than others, so if it's a three strum ending, I'll put (!!!) and if it's a four strum ending, I'll put (SQ)--because a four strum is the same as straight quarters!

Drop me a line if you have any questions or confusion at all. I'm here to help you make this an even more out-of-the-park show than your last one (for those of you who were with me in G1--those of your who joined the band this session, we have a stellar rep to maintain!)
Please try your best to SING! That is always the thing that distinguishes a class from the rest, and you can cover up a world of sins on the guitar if you raise your voice. It works for me anyway!

Can't wait to take the stage with you next week! It's been a pleasure to lead you through G1R.

RSS    Hey Jude, don't make it bad, take a sad song and make it beter
RSS    Remember to let her into your heart, then you can start to make it better (!!!)

RSS    Hey Jude don't be afraid, you were made to go out and get her
RSS    The minute you let her under your skin then you begin to make it better (SQ)


SQ     And anytime you feel the pain, hey Jude, refrain
SQ     Don't carry the world upon your shoulders
SQ     For don't you know that it's a fool who plays it cool
SQ     By making his world a little colder  na na na
SQ     Na(!) na(!) na na na na (!!!)


RSS    Hey Jude, don't let me down, you have found her now go and get her
RSS    Remember to let her into your heart, then you can start to make it better (SQ)

SQ     So let it out and let it in, hey Jude begin
SQ     You're waiting for someone to perform with
SQ     And don't you know that it's just you, hey Jude you'll do
SQ     The movement you need is on your shoulders  na na na
SQ     Na(!) na(!) na na na na (!!!)

RSS    Hey Jude, don't make it bad, take a sad song and make it better
RSS    Remember to let her under your skin then you begin to make it better
RSS    Better better better better better yeahhhhhhhh(!)

SQ     Na na na Na-na-na na Na-na-na Na, Hey Jude
RSS   Na na na Na-na-na na Na-na-na Na, Hey Jude [repeat last line]

Glam Bam Thank You Ma'am!

Clear your calendars next Friday (June 21st)!
Grab a boa, buckle your platforms, and come on down to the Armitage branch of the Old Town School for a Glam rock themed 6-String Social led by yours truly!

Everyone is welcome. All playing levels, all instruments, all alien hairdos.
If you've never been to a 6-String Social before, here's how it works:
from 6:30pm-8pm, we get together in a classroom down at Armitage. The teacher brings in a dozen or so songs based on a theme of their choosing, and you spend 90 laidback minutes playing through 'em with other friendly folks, just for fun! There's no better way to spend a Friday evening, and it's only $10 ($5 for OTSoFM Members).

You can expect Bowie, Iggy, and Lou (pictured), aka "The Golden Triad." We might also take a ride on a Gemini space craft with such passengers as Alice Cooper, T.Rex, Elton John, Slade, Sweet, Mott the Hoople, Gary Glitter, Suzy Quatro, Roxy Music, Queen, New York Dolls...bang the whole gang!

Register here: http://www.oldtownschool.org/classes/detail/?courseid=2114

G1R Summary

At long last--here's a rundown of songs and strums we've covered this session, for your reference:

California Stars --
Golden Strum (V V^ ^ V^), otherwise known as D, DU, U, DU

Three Little Birds --
Reggae Strum (V^ ^ ^ ^), or DU, U, U, U; regular down-up on the first beat, upstrums on the "and" only for the remaining three beats

Evangeline --
In 3/4 time, aka a waltz. Down strums on all three beats; pick the bass note on the first beat

Linger --
For most of the song: Quarter Quarter Eighth-eighth Eighth-eighth (V V V^ V^), also known as down down down-up down-up.
The riff at the beginning uses triplets (trip-el-lets) and broken chords. Instead of subdividing the beat into two parts like you do for eighth notes ("one and"/ down-up), you subdivide into 3 parts: "one-e-and". Strum straight down the broken chord, hitting one string at a time like an elevator making all stops down.
You play one triplet per beat so a full measure is 12 notes long.

Under the Boardwalk --
Golden Strum (V V^ ^ V^), otherwise known as D, DU, U, DU
Remember the stop-chords in the chorus. You strum those over two measures on 1,2 and 4,1. BOARD-WALK (pause for one beat) BOARD-WALK (pause for three beats)

The One I Love --
Golden Strum (V V^ ^ V^), otherwise known as D, DU, U, DU
Play the riff INSTEAD of the first measure of Em in each line of the chorus (under "fire!")

Everyday is Like Sunday --
Quarter Quarter Eighth-eighth Eighth-eighth (V V V^ V^), also known as down down down-up down-up.

(Thursday class only)
Take it to the Limit --
Golden Strum (V V^ ^ V^), otherwise known as D, DU, U, DU
There are some self-explanatory stop-chords in there too.

WHEW! That is a lot of turf we've covered! Don't forget that we also banged out a bunch of tunes from the songbook using the Golden Strum too.
Let me know if you have any questions about any of this. You've done brave and good work this session!

Good Chord/ Bad Chord

For those of you intrigued by all of this music theory business, here's a little light reading.
To start, check out this article on the perfect fifth--an interval we've talked about a little bit in class. It's familiar if you're a movie fan (confidential to Phil from Thursday nights: this is the one that quotes Bear McCreary of Battlestar Galatica and lots of other sci-fi scoring fame). It's not just music...it's SCIENCE!
http://io9.com/5883406/the-physics-behind-your-favorite-science-fiction-theme-songs

On the other hand, charges against rock and roll calling it "the Devil's Music" aren't just rubbish, if you look at music history. The "tritone" is a classically evil sound that genuinely terrified the Medieval church-goers that heard it. Black Sabbath may or may not have known that when they co-opted it, but in any case, there's something not quite right about it. BBC explains:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/4952646.stm

I Won't Let You Down

Oh boy do I have blogs to catch up on!
Later today I'll post a recap of the songs we've covered so far this session, and the strumming patterns to go with them. I'll also post an interesting article about minor intervals, and also a link to the Bowie documentary on Vimeo.

But first, in case I haven't mentioned it 100x already--music is good for kids! Those of you who have children of your own, I can't encourage you enough to get them into lessons. Even better still, play music WITH them! Bring home what we've learned in class and share it together. (Sometimes they even write their own lyrics, like Tom from Thursday class's genius offspring who rewrote 'Sons & Daughters' to be about 'Sons & Otters.' I love that!) I firmly believe that all kids have an intuitive grasp of music that, with the tiniest nurturing, can blossom into great things later in life, like superior math and science skills, self-discipline, creativity, empathy...it's a long list.

If you don't believe me, just look at this little guy...

Discount Code Expires TONIGHT

Oh dear what a terrible blogger I've been. I'm so sorry, friends. That business trip last month threw off my mojo and I can't apologize enough for not updating this page in over 2 weeks. I'll do better.

But there's important news now. You'll save $15 on the next session if you register TODAY and use the code: SUMFUN13 when you check out. You must do it today because the code expires at midnight.
Click it! http://www.oldtownschool.org/
Let's have some summer fun together in Guitar 2!