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occaissional smoke

| guitarbeau

Occasional Smoke a music video

What I am working on.
‘the occasional smoke’
a demo of a song.
Here so others can access it and contribute their part.
I can’t quite put my finger on where the ideas come from.
Though now that I think about it, there is quite bit of combining going on.
The first chord is a variation of Gm7 and C9 from Rocket Man by Elton John.
The intro bass line is possible because my current abilities can easily combine to make that happen.
When it changes to the slower bluesy part that’s where I get to struggle and where my effort needs to be focused.
Voicing the chords, using different inversions but the same notes whilst the bass line left hand part does its thing that’s the challenge.
Le Défi as the french say.
There are other recognizable musical conventions employed throughout, to make it accessible.
Recognizable yet still demonstrating some originality.
It is as much a learning process as it is a creative production.

There are of course other issues.
Energy to follow through.
What should be addressed next.
The other aspects of producing multi media art.
Distracted by the next stimulating thing.
This can be another song, sketch, video photo op, thankfully not just a tv show or some such.
And of course wanting to make it the best it can be.
Perfectionism it can derail the process because it can always be better.
But it also is what it is so there you have it.

Words to live by

IRREGARDLESS

So ‘irregardless’ (I know some hate that word I used to be one of them, I’m not anymore) because in the overall scheme of things what does it matter?
If it gets noticed by any or ignored by many.
The point seems to be, does it matter to me enough to do it irregardless.

My cousin, my evil twin recently passed and she know that I did not care for the word ‘irregardless’
So being the evil twin that she was made a video game avatar and facebook page for the character she named:

Irregardlessee

Irregardlessee.

She did this because in my linguistic capabilities or the lack there of especially in french.
I would conjugate at whim and did so with the word I now think I live by:

probablemente

Probably.
Seems like a useful life motto
She said the construct did not exist in her experience and it offended her.
So of course make an avatar name her ‘Irregardlessee’ to try and provoke my ire.
It did not, but we had fun dealing with such things.

Ironiquely I don’t really care that much about the word, I was just parroting off some comment another had made that I must’ve thought sounded intelligent so I adopted the posture of linguistic exemplar to foster an aspect of my identity I could feel good about.
Hence another example of creative combinating I’ve put to use to have something to say.

But wait there’s more

As if to demonstrate the evilness of both twins, she eventually did hear a French newscaster use the word ‘probablemente’
So vindicated I was right all along and my identity as a linguistic exemplar remains intact!
However I miss my evil twin immensely.

I have my memories to keep me challenged by our new proximity.

We visited Carcassonne France in 2016 here are some memories of that.

M E R C I

hot milk

| guitarbeau

Hot Milk a video.
Another creative expression using the tools at my disposal.
The music is by A.C. Hampton Sr,
We have been collaborating for a while now.
I am learning a lot about how to make my tools do things I haven’t thought of.
Animating this way and that.
So progress is always being made.
Still being drawn in many directions trying to make sense and cents of it all.

mission statement

| guitarbeau

So whilst working on a video for my friend A.C. Hampton, Sr. View ‘rumble bugs‘ here and ‘morning fog’ here. I got to the end of the project and wanted something to indicate my efforts in this regard. As I was doing my amalgamation of animating techniques I realized I do not have a suitable card to acknowledge my efforts. The above is a screen shot of a portion of the video end credits that I was quite pleased with generating. My animating techniques are still some what in the developmental stage but I have fun doing it!

This has been my mission statement ever since I decided to pursue a business. I was already busy but have bought into the notion of capitalizing on my busy-ness! I generated the simple but effective thought pictured above as an over arching intention so I would have a reference point if I get lost along the way.

“No man is an island but some are peninsulas” (Woody Allen)

As my efforts here on the blog suggest, I get lost along the way, a lot! I think the main reason is, I don’t have the confidence to really just go for it. The ‘so here I am deal with it, or not‘ motif. Ironiquely it is both, the dealing with it or not, that puts me off. On the one hand, if others are interested then I feel obligated to do more of the same and being somewhat commitment phobique (Yes I do francify a lot of my linguistique platitudinalness, as well as obfuscate words behind my wordinesss but that is what makes me literary!?) This despite being very committed to…

I don’t want to have to do anything! On the other hand, I don’t have to be miffed that nobody cares if there is nothing there to care about!? Having a diluted and deluded sense of self. I saunter and spend the hours and days and weeks and months and years in an off hand way. So much else is really just another effort at dilution and deluding. And what is life but spending the time we have as best we can irregardless and irrespective of any other as we are all only accountable to ourselves? I say this despite having a fairly well rounded education regarding biblical statutes as well as a growing interest and study of buddhism. Which has lead me to the self accountability assessment. Of course that is not entirely true. We are dependent on and depended on by others unless we have fallen off a cliff that suggests otherwise, at which point I mean we are dead! “No man is an island but some are peninsulas” (Woody Allen) So accountable we are, its just to what degree are we willing to commit to that, and this despite no one caring whether we do or not! See, it is self accountability in certain contexts.

So what was my point? Clarity is over rated, and half if not all the fun in life is about being surprised by the next thing coming around the bend! Despite some of that resulting in a collision of sorts that leads to…?

Nevertheless, I do manage a bit of consistency for the dependability principle to stay in effect, both outwardly and inwardly.

combinating creatively

| guitarbeau

manifesting musical multi media musings

Here are couple of video’s I made for A.C. Hampton, Sr. to share his music on youtube.

The one titled ‘look at the sky’ is of the Arizona sky at various times, some shots might be a bit dizzying!
Like humanity the sky has many moods.
As we watch it will change.
As do moods and the thoughts that create them.
Best not to leave the light on one thought or mood too long and miss those that are yet to come.

For the song ‘cruzin’ I made a video animating some questions.
These questions are usually the result of the plethora of options seemingly available to pursue.

Which way is forward?
Which way is up?
Why is?
Why not?
Optionalities abound.

poetically incorrect

Yes I get creative linguistically.
Taking liberties with verbiage.
As well as what constitutes animation.
Proffering another way to imagine and experience.
Part of my process to invigorate innovation.

impressions ? comment below

Either of the music or imagery or both!


Contact me for availability to create video and music for your project.

merci

Bloviating briefly in b flat major

| guitarbeau
Seems pertinent to the title

video LINKS to B flat major scale on the guitar

Some video’s displaying ‘the sonique spiderweb’ and its utility.

B flat major scale demonstrated at various positions on the fretboard

B flat major chord built from the triad of Root, Major 3rd and Perfect 5th.

C minor chord built from with in the B flat major scale.

bref

NOTE NOTES
So in dealing with the B flat Ionian we can use the sonique spiderweb further by building relative chords found with in the scale.
Most chords have a Root, a 3rd (major or minor) and a 5th.
A triad of 3 pitches, these pitches can repeat with in a chord to give it a fuller sound.
Or …., which also gives the chord a unique flavor.
(you can fill in the blank, I learned recently that leaving something to the imagination is pertinent to the readers expectation whilst digesting information and can more actively engage the mind more than spelling everything out! [this is going to happen some more just so you’re aware, this is a teaching effort after all])
Looking at the sonique spiderweb with the B flat Ionian on display we can see on the outer perimeter the Root Major 3rd and Perfect 5th being displayed
Bb D F
The premier triad.
By following that pattern around the sonique spiderweb we next come to C Eb G
A root pitch C a minor 3rd Eb and a perfect fifth G
Notice how we skip a displayed pitch to get to the 3rd and 5th
The outer perimeter of the web does not indicate these intervals, the relationship of intervals remain static.
Root > m2nd > M2nd > m3rd etc..
It is how we are using them in this context that their definition changes.
Above are a couple of videos demonstrating the chord assembly technique available in the sonique spiderweb as well as fretboard examples.
Your mission should you decide to accept it is to follow the pattern all around and ….?
See I told you you would have to use your imagination.

speaking of imagination

PERFORMANCE NOTES

So I gave my keyboard an erection recently.
Yep raised the stand it sits on so that I have to stand to play it or get a taller stool!
I find it offers a challenge and a way of focusing my thinking, changing up my position that sitting sometimes does not allow.
It is incredibly easy to get caught up in thoughts that are in no way focused on the task at hand, and subsequently distract from said task.
In this case, the practice of an instrument I am determined to get better at.
So changing my position in an effort to gain some focus is helpful.
Also I want to improve my vocals so standing helps with that as well.
To stand or sit whilst playing the guitar is also something to consider.
There are advantages to each.
The closer the guitar is to your chest can make playing certain things easier.
But for looking cool, a guitar slung low off the shoulder while standing really sets a mood, (I wanna rock!)
But that can make some playing techniques difficult to manage.
Take a look at your favorite performers at various points in a performance.
Do their instruments proximity change from time to time depending on the song being performed?
Even while sitting movement can be detected to enable reaching certain portions of a piece practical.
When playing do you watch to pick hand or your fret hand?
What can we learn from this?
What does it tell us we know or don’t know while looking at our instrument?

Close my eyes during practice.
I do this with the keyboard from time to time in hopes of becoming better acquainted with it.
Try to get a feel for where my hands need to be.
I did this whilst jamming with some friends with the guitar recently, but that was more to focus on the sound we were making.
To listen more I shut my eyes to limit sensory input so my brain could process the sound more closely.
With the end goal of getting the song we were playing to sound good!

Merci

locating the locrian

| guitarbeau
More Extraction Abstraction

So I was thinking about writing about Locrius who lived in Locria amongst the Locriites during the Locracious period but thought better of it and decided to stay with some of the more technical aspects relating to guitar playing and such!

THE LOCRIAN MODE

Primer on locating the Locrian on the guitar fretboard video

A very odd sounding scale that can evoke notions of the mysterious or ambivalence.
Is interesting because of the proximity of the m2nd right next to the ROOT and the 4th has a diminished or flat 5th rubBing up against it so to speak.
Who is the naughty one here!?
In relation to the Ionian in A Major, the Locrian has as its root G# / Ab.
By beginning the mode with this as the root point, the interval relationships change as they also do in the other modes.
No less than 4 minor intervals in this mode. m2nd, m3rd, m6th and m7th.
Plus the 5th is diminished, (a type of minor pitch relative to the ROOT) so there is technically 5 minor intervals!

playing in the Locrian mode

So much is off when compared to the relative Major that it practically begs for resolution.
That is to say it builds a sonic tension when expressed.
You don’t have to begin on the Root of course. But it does show its color when played against a chord based on it the intervals it contains.
Fingering such a chord does get the mind involved if we are not familiar employing the intervals in the mode in this way.
EXERCISE: Make up a chord with as may of the pitches in the mode as possible without repeating one i.e. an octave.
EXERCISE: Play the mode or a portion thereof against the chords suggested from the other intervals.
EXERCISE: Using the sonique spiderweb Dial in the intervals to the LOCRIAN MODE. You can reference the actual intervals on the outer perimeter of the SSW
ROOT, m2, m3, P4, dim5, m6, m7,

OR;
Knowing that the notes of A MAJOR are also the notes used in LOCRIAN G#/Ab find which intervals to display that way.
A, B, C#, D, E, F#, G#

experiments

Experimentation is involved to get to the usefulness in expressing this mode in our playing.
Remember to develop our technique in the various modes by not just playing them forwards and backwards, but crossways and slideways!
The creative muscle is strengthened by searching out ways to make it relevant to our musical expression.
I discovered whilst generating a fret board diagram of the Locrian / Ionian in the key of A that, across some frets on all strings an associated pitch could be found that is in key . See Diagram.
I point this out as an additional exercise that does not demand too much mental effort looking for ‘pitches in key’ to make playing around with the scale an exercise in exploration and finger gymnastics without the associated ‘is that a relative pitch to the scale’ thought process.
So in this case the relative pitches are found on all strings at the 2nd 7th and 9th fret.

Try that on for fun!

MERCI

axercising the aeolian

| guitarbeau
2021 11 28 j’ART Original Digital Art by BEL

Did you see what I did there? Combining exercising with ax, a term some people use to describe a guitar, clever no?
Not certain when that terminology came into use, or when the riffs musicians played came to be known as chops? But as a species we do like to change things up, to keep it interesting. It was very probably someone trying to be clever that brought about such changes to descriptive analogies amidst the mix of humanities linguistic propensities. I personally don’t think things ever get boring, and this post is about the need to be interested in order to make progress.

About the image

Why is there an interest to share the vicissitudes of my life thusly? I don’t know, but there it is, a mangled morass of my mental ambiguity modified for mass consumption.
I multitask to make this.
First as a digital journal entry of my scatterbrained thoughts and then, by further manipulating that output I can express my experience of life to the light of day.
The thoughts rendered thusly can then be considered processed by me and leave something of interest I feel comfortable sharing.
There is also video of the process, to add as a visual backdrop for music I generate.
That will be available when the next musical composition is finished.

If you like this digital distortion of my thoughts and would like to see it in full, without the ‘Sonique Spiderweb Title’ obscuring the image, email me and I will send a .jpeg.

In the mean time here is another strand from the Sonique Spiderweb.

So I have been demonstrating the Sonique Spiderweb within the framework of the Ionian in the key of A. I have went through all the basic modes thus far now leading to the Aeolian in F# a natural minor scale.

So once again as with all modes Ionian, we have all the notes in A major but F# is the root making the A note the minor 3rd in the sequence.

The natural minor is remarkably fun to play in, and offers so much to use in any number of corresponding chord sequences, in whatever key we are playing in of course.

This is a fundamental skill that can best be appreciated by applying it within our practice.

The point of learning to use the scale to develop improvisational skill is demonstrated here in this short video about the mode.

FINDing THE WILL TO MAKE PROGRESS.

What is of interest when we imagine reaching our musical goals?

Performing a song perfectly, proficiently, painterly?
That term ‘painterly’ I mean as a painter paints, the brush strokes they use to express a tree or mountain for example, may not look like that at all, before the picture is complete. The same with playing a song, we may not hit every note exactly but we have sufficient grasp of the piece to convey it satisfyingly!

this could also be interesting.

Being on stage performing, playing in a band
Your music being streamed online and you’re banking some bucks.
Conveying a deep emotion to a significant other.
In a recording studio, comping some riffs for another musician you admire.
Writing music to inspire, to incite insight, to invigorate innovation.

options require CHOICES be made

Regardless of our level of interest though, the consistency of pursuit remains the determining factor in a sense of accomplishment.
What are we willing to do so that we can be the musician we want to be?
There is a lot of advice available to encourage action in accord with our aspirations, but such motivation can be short lived. I know this to be true, as my blog posting schedule seems to suggest. That is, I don’t really have one!?

Thus in anything we want to do, it helps if the thing that interests us is also compelling enough for our best effort to be engaged.
Consistent, constant, constructive, instructive, these are all words that are part of a vocabulary of attempting successful accomplishment. But wait there is so much to…

We CAN DO ANYTHING (+/-) we CANT DO EVERYTHING.

It is problematic to want to do everything. The wanting is possible, the doing is not.
There is always something else to pursue or is perhaps easier or more fun to do.
Distractions likewise abound and confound, challenging us to try to continue to make any real meaningful progress.
If we focus on why we want what we want then we can put in the effort needed to attain the level of success desired. To be a musician this effort will take many forms, practice, study, listening, recording, to name a few. So if we cant do one, another is available. Or we can distract ourselves and do such things later.

What matters and why? To me its all about being interested and involved, and that can have many degrees of intensity and attention. Given time we will become the musician, artist, idealistic aspirant we want to be!

So whatever the goal or task at hand then, please, prudently and patiently pursue the process of making proactive progress possible that are pertinent to your proclivities!

merci

Mixolydian mix up

| guitarbeau
Title card from the instructional video

Mixing up the mixolydian

I like alliteration for some reason. Perhaps it offers a supposed semblance of cleverness. I do imagine myself clever though there is limited feedback on that front, so my assumption that I am clever remains intact.

Making the best of what is available to present said cleverness to the world is challenging. Just keeping track of it all is a job. The blog posts, the videos, the related social media accounts, the desire to proffer more of what is me and what I produce. To what end I do not know. I see others with thousands of followers and imagine I would not know how to interact with an audience of that magnitude!? So there is…

Time and the learning process

I read that in order to slow down time learn something new. That thought comes from the author Michael Easter who wrote a book titled, ‘The Comfort Crisis’. The idea resonates with me. A lot of what makes for the passing of time gets ignored because it is so seemingly ordinary. But when learning something new, the time spent can have an impact and be meaningful. And, depending on our level of presence, be involving. But that can be true of the ordinary and mundane as well.

This effort is that for me, I am learning something new. Current technology is new to me, as far as employing it goes to get my imagineerings out into the world in some useful fashion.

But time is a concept seemingly unique to humankind as far as watching it is concerned. Animals seem to not give a wit what time it is. Maybe they do. But they do not mark time in a fashion that resembles observing a clock or calendar on a wall, as near as I can tell.

If my pets are any indicator of how to best spend time it seems it would be to enjoy it. Be curious, find something interesting to do, or rest. They rest a lot!

That’s the thing about time, and wanting to enjoy it. Enjoyment requires a commitment of some sort. A pursuit of happiness, and what that is will be unique to everyone, but we can and should try to help each other along the way.

inciting insight invigorating innovation

Well as far as this musical educational effort is concerned here is a video link comprising my take on the Mixolydian Scale. A Mixing up the Mixolydian tablature of some ideas to pursue in advancing guitar technique, as well as a quick tip video on identifying sharp (#) key signatures with relative ease. Hope it is helpful.

merci

Languishing in the lydian

| guitarbeau
Lydia Languishing

How does the word languish factor into a musical scale, other than the alliterative letter ‘L’ beginning both words? Well there is the time I spent putting this together. Hoping for a useful result.

So I imagined a person alone lying on on a guitar fret board somewhere with an arm outstretched to a stormy sky yearning for…

Some traction in gaining some useful working knowledge of the guitar.

I imagine many experience a struggle in that effort. That might feel like one is toiling and not making much if any progress.

Even after many years of playing I have sometimes felt that way.

Results might not even be seen or seem relevant to the end one imagines the effort should be leading to.

Nevertheless lessons continue to present themselves.

Lydian wants to exclaim “learn about me, I am interesting and worth knowing”

But wait there’s more !?

But we might rather right now be, watching TV, trying to get to sleep, looking at alternative art on Pinterest, reading comic books, drawing, rearranging the furniture, anything but advancing guitar playing ability, the audacity!

However to get to another level as a musician we have to approach our efforts dilligently.

A claim of being this or that, of going to do this or that, will make no difference until the this or that is actually done!

Despite compulsions, the weather, various obligations all around. We can usually choose to do what we want, we just might need to focus our intention into attention.

That seems simple enough, so how can we stimulate momentum in the direction of our goals?

Answers but the questions still remain

Some questions might help.

(Why) am I working at this? ( I put why in parenthesis because, I think most times it is not needed to ask a question.

And ‘am I ?’ suggests that we have more control or capability in the equation than we give ourselves credit for)

So my answer to ‘am I working at this?’ is:
Here is an opportunity to grow as a musician, to further develop skills that I want to share.
I want to take music seriously and to share my enjoyment of the creative process.

Which in my case, is a perpetual work in progress.

Is it enough to be creative without any reward or recognition?


YES. I would still be and am creative sans reward or recognition. I have to be to survive this existence.
AND. To create something and attempt to share it, with so many options available to do so these days.
NO. Recognition and reward are not my tasks as a creative.

That is someone else’s task to recognize or ignore, reward or refute. Though as I think of recognition and reward now, I realize that in fact:

the mind never stops making connections

re = again; cognition = to learn; is happening within and,

re= again; ward = to watch over (of germanic origin); it is rewarding in and of itself to produce something even if the only one enjoying the result is the one making the effort. But that is rarely the case. I believe we cannot undertake a creative task with out having the effort affect us and subsequently those with whom we interact in some particular way, regardless if the result produced is put on display or not.

However I didn’t get to this point in my existence without input from and acknowledging the efforts of others

SO. Creative output can and should be shared as best one can for any of the above to have an effect.

inciting insight invigorating innovation

What do I hope is going to come from this effort?
A blog post that incites insight and invigorates innovation.

An outlook, an approach, a take on life and the making of music that keeps it real and at the forefront of my life

What I offer to benefit myself and any one else that might find this then, is another video demonstrating how to use the sonique spiderweb with an emphasis on the Lydian mode as found within the Ionian in the key of A major. Languishing in the Lydian video link

While the obvious forward and across the fret board approach is all that is needed for a cursory understanding of the scale.

Should one be so inclined to develop it to another level I offer my take on the subject.

There are many ways to play scales on the guitar that are unique and instructive.

Which can advance ones musical vocabulary significantly.

These that I offer can of course be applied to other scales and modes, as knowledge of the fret board becomes increasingly innate or 2nd nature.

The options available to have scale study impart a unique aspect to ones musical vocabulary can thus always be improved upon.

There is truly a wealth of possibilities available in the so called ‘basics’ if one can make some time to for it!

There is a Turning the Lydian inside out.pdf of some of the scale studies I’m advocating, available here as I’ve recently got some new software that helps me to produce that. Hope it proves useful!

MERCI