My Blues with Brains DvD review..

[Blaze]

I just completed the viewing of Chuck D'Aloia s Blues with Brains DvD,
i must confess that i am pleasantly surprised by the sound quality, excellent simple visual and the vulgarization of this document..

Chuck entrust here its secrets and those of other great guitarists Robben Ford as such, all this in a relaxed atmosphere where he surprises himself to take off in unexpected and subtle improvisations ..

This DVD focuses on the jazzy side of blues and with the help of his beautiful Hofner Chuck brings us explore modern lines & licks with a simplicity and respect for listeners of all levels.

I m suspecting Chuck to play with the well reviewed Zen Drive pedal or is it a Dumble amp ?

One bad comment tho, i would take another hour or so..

Finaly i m givin a personal 9 of 10 for this well done DvD wich BTW comes with excellent sounding backing tracks to improve your playin..

Bravo Chuck ,waiting for the next one ..:bravo:


Blazes (http://www.bluetracks.ca/labels/blazes?label_renomme=blazes&label_renomme=blazes&screen_width=1280&change_lang=en)
:AOK:

[tjcurtin1]

Sounds interesting, Blazes - where did you find it?

[Ch0jin]

Thanks for the review Blazes.

I did do a double take on the title though because given the name, it could also be translated as "Blues with Chojins family"

[Blaze]

Sounds interesting, Blazes - where did you find it?

http://www.chuckdaloiamusic.com/id2.html

I been told that Chuck is playin on this amp http://www.brownnote.net/

[cdtele]

Thanks for the kind words Blazes.....
Very nice of you. and yes, Brown Note D'Lite 22 amp on the video lesson.

Chuck

[cdtele]

A really nice review to check out in TGP Webzine by Scott Auld.

http://www.tgpwebzine.com/?page_id=1226

Chuck

[cdtele]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBrm-BvZRjg

[Spudman]

I like that you are doing slow numbers to really allow absorption of the note choices. Looks like a great instructional DVD.

[marnold]

RBrm-BvZRjg
I watched and enjoyed that video. I'm considering getting Blues with Brains, my only concern is how much it is going to veer over into Jazz. Not that that's an inherently bad thing, but it's just not my thing. What I am interested in is making the leap from simply playing scales to playing the cool blues solos I can hear in my head. When I listen to my blues noodling, I'm happy that I can play something that might be construed as a blues solo, but my sense of melody leaves a lot to be desired. I'm still thinking patterns too much instead of what the notes sound like, if that makes sense. Will the video help in this regard?

[cdtele]

I watched and enjoyed that video. I'm considering getting Blues with Brains, my only concern is how much it is going to veer over into Jazz. Not that that's an inherently bad thing, but it's just not my thing. What I am interested in is making the leap from simply playing scales to playing the cool blues solos I can hear in my head. When I listen to my blues noodling, I'm happy that I can play something that might be construed as a blues solo, but my sense of melody leaves a lot to be desired. I'm still thinking patterns too much instead of what the notes sound like, if that makes sense. Will the video help in this regard?


Hi MA,

The video deals with melody in a big way. Connecting ideas is a large part of what I talk about.
The only thing that would be considered jazz is that I do touch on the 1/2-1 diminished scale. I wouldn't call it a jazz lesson at all.
I play and demo over a minor Blues, dom 7th blues and a one chord groove.
I made the lesson for players that are looking to expand their blues vocabulary. Other than the dim part I talk about pentatonic scales and variations of them to get through the chord changes. So yea, I think that you will really benefit from it from what you are saying.
Hope this helps. Let me know how it goes if you get it.

Chuck

[marnold]

That's what I was hoping to hear! Ordered.

[cdtele]

That's what I was hoping to hear! Ordered.

Thank you, here's more info.

"Blues With Brains" is a 1 Hour and 15 min lesson with Chuck D'Aloia. The material is blues based using pentatonic scales and variations to deal with the chord changes. Chuck touch's on the 1/2-1 dim scale as well, again, approaching it with variations on pentatonic ideas. Throughout the lesson Chuck demos the ideas w/ play along tracks (the same tracks are included with the DVD) that open doors to more complex harmony without a lot of theory. The lesson concept's are strong on melodic content and connecting ideas with the aim at expanding blues based vocabulary.
The physical DVD, reviews, downloads of the DVD, his "Mode Backtrax" play along mp3's and new CD, "Circle 7," are available at

http://www.chuckdaloiamusic.com/id2.html

[tot_Ou_tard]

Chuck, is there sheet music or tab included with the DVD?

[just strum]

Maybe I am not finding a sample of what is on the DVD or is what I see on youtube it?

I consider the youtube to be you playing a song, not giving a lesson. I think you are good, but I don't see myself learning anything from a distant shot of you playing.

[cdtele]

Chuck, is there sheet music or tab included with the DVD?

No, using our ears is encouraged, but I do explain things at a slow pace and demo the ideas.

Chuck

[cdtele]

Maybe I am not finding a sample of what is on the DVD or is what I see on youtube it?

I consider the youtube to be you playing a song, not giving a lesson. I think you are good, but I don't see myself learning anything from a distant shot of you playing.

I discuss at length all of the ideas that are presented. There is more talking than playing but also plenty of playing so you hear the ideas and approaches in context.

You can go here for reviews, links and info:

http://www.chuckdaloiamusic.com/id2.html

Chuck

[marnold]

Well, I ordered it and promptly got the download links from Chuck. I watched the entire video this evening. Here's my initial thoughts. Hopefully it will be of some help to Strum or t0t. First of all, the YouTube clips give you the basic idea of what to expect, but I don't think give you a good feel for the whole video. That's not the fault of the clips per se, there's just only so much that can be shown without giving everything away.

When I got done watching, I had that "my brain is full" feeling--but in a good way. There's no way I could absorb everything with just one watching. However, I immediately got a couple of good ideas. One was using scales in different keys, so instead of using A minor pentatonic all the time over an A minor progression, there are other minor pentatonic options that work great and add a slightly different flavor.

Another was not one he mentioned directly, but his presentation made me think about it. He introduced the mixolydian pentatonic which I thought sounded cool in his presentation but then I thought "Crap, another pattern to memorize." He read out (while playing it) that the mixolydian pentatonic is 1, 3, 4, 5, b7. I wrote out the minor pentatonic and realized that it is 1, b3, 4, 5, b7. So basically take the minor pentatonic with a major third and there you are! The point I wish to make is that Chuck got me thinking and I made some cool new discoveries on the way through.

I don't think the video would be good for beginners. You'd get lost too quickly. Conversely, you don't need to be fluent in theory to figure it out either. If you understand the concept of the major scale, can play the minor pentatonic, and know what someone means when they talk about a I-IV-V chord progression, you're ready to roll.

The first about 30 minutes of the video will give me plenty to ruminate on for a good while. That's just about making a quick one-note change to the pentatonics and then the alternate keys of the pentatonic to play over the same chord. The concept is simple, but it opens up a huge new world.

I should point out that he includes the backing tracks that he uses in the video so you can practice with them yourself. It's a cool feature that really helps apply what you learned.

[marnold]

Forgot to mention the best part: Chuck's manner of presenting everything. He's so laid back and clearly enjoying himself. At the end of the last solo that he plays he gets that knowing grin on his face like "Hehe, I landed it afterall!" I could envision myself sitting in front of him in some Northern Wisconsin cabin with my guitar and a beer in hand, just soaking it in.

[cdtele]

Forgot to mention the best part: Chuck's manner of presenting everything. He's so laid back and clearly enjoying himself. At the end of the last solo that he plays he gets that knowing grin on his face like "Hehe, I landed it afterall!" I could envision myself sitting in front of him in some Northern Wisconsin cabin with my guitar and a beer in hand, just soaking it in.


Thanks for the good words MA!

Chuck

[cdtele]

Hey guys,

A little off the topic but......
Here's a tune from my latest CD w/Art Bernstein on drums, "Circle 7" I got Art's drum track first and off I went.
Tele/ DiMarzio Area T's/ Brown Note D'Lite 22 ODS/ Hermida 1x12 Ported Cab w/G12-65 for OD and the tele into a BN Brownfox 18/ BN 1x12 cab/w G12-65 for the clean parts. Delay/verb post. Synth, synth bass
A little departure from the blues stuff.
I liked the tones on this cut, what do you think?

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=674781&content=songinfo&songID=7891523

Chuck

[jpfeifer]

Hi Everyone,

I ordered the Blues with Brains download (nice option if you want it right away).

I watched the whole thing when I first got it. And I really liked it.
This is the perfect DVD if you're already comfortable with the Blues but you're looking for a way to take it to the next level. The nice thing about this is that Chuck starts with the basic pentatonic blues scales that you already know and then shows you how to reapply them and extend them by changing a few notes or re-using minor pentatonics in new ways.

He also covers some very useful examples of the whole-half scale for taking your licks outside and creating some cool tension over dominant chords.

The best part of the DVD though is just to watch Chuck demonstrate these concepts over the jam tracks. He is a world-class player with fantastic tone and phrasing. It's like getting a private lesson with Larry Carlton or Robben Ford.

Highly reccomended if you are wanting to take your blues playing to the next level, or if you just want to steal some licks from Chuck :-)

I'm told that Chuck will be following up the Blues with Brains project with some other projects that go into some more advanced improvisation topics. I can't wait for those.

-- Jim

[cdtele]

Hi Everyone,

I ordered the Blues with Brains download (nice option if you want it right away).

I watched the whole thing when I first got it. And I really liked it.
This is the perfect DVD if you're already comfortable with the Blues but you're looking for a way to take it to the next level. The nice thing about this is that Chuck starts with the basic pentatonic blues scales that you already know and then shows you how to reapply them and extend them by changing a few notes or re-using minor pentatonics in new ways.

He also covers some very useful examples of the whole-half scale for taking your licks outside and creating some cool tension over dominant chords.

The best part of the DVD though is just to watch Chuck demonstrate these concepts over the jam tracks. He is a world-class player with fantastic tone and phrasing. It's like getting a private lesson with Larry Carlton or Robben Ford.

Highly reccomended if you are wanting to take your blues playing to the next level, or if you just want to steal some licks from Chuck :-)

I'm told that Chuck will be following up the Blues with Brains project with some other projects that go into some more advanced improvisation topics. I can't wait for those.

-- Jim

Thanks so much for the good review Jim, I really appreciate it.

Here's a link for more info and reviews.

http://www.chuckdaloiamusic.com/id2.html

And yes, I'm going to be following up with more lessons on a variety of topics.

Thanks again Jim,

Chuck
I'll get started in Sept and hopefully have Pt II by Oct.