Yikes, what did I get myself into?

As I wrote, I was thinking that it wasn't quite here yet. Keep me posted! Your gig sounds interesting and like a fun project.

I missed to wish you luck for the first session, but I was convinced
That you were gonna leave a good impression on these guys.
Great to hear all went well. Congratz svl!

Night two tonight. The keyboard player who could not make it last week is coming this time I think.

Went pretty well again! I made progress on some of the songs, got introduced to some others, and got along fine with the keys guy. They asked me if I could come next week, so we'll just keep it rolling!

I have been practicing, and listening, and playing along with the initial songs we have jammed on from the attached set list. This list was what they have played out at some cafe type gigs, and with some changes, what I might play out with them if it works out.

A very fun exercise. As a number of the songs are not typical blues sounding pieces, I have been forced to explore more major tonalities. Also, some of the original tunes do not have simple chord structures such as regular blues and rock songs, so again I can't just camp out in the minor pentatonic of whatever key the song is in.

One technique I have been trying is using the pentatonic shapes, which I have learned up and down the fretboard, but shifting so that I can use the major pentatonic shape. I learned this from some tutorials I found in iTunes. You just shift the standard shape we all think about so that the normal root note is on the right, and not the left. So then it is the note that extends 4 frets above the lowest note in the pattern on the low E string. Then I can expand the pentatonic shapes from there. Obviously you have to remember that the roots are in different places than when you are playing this shape as a minor pattern.

This is easier for me at this point than knowing the full major scales, though I am trying to learn those too. Also, I think it is more flexible for me as it is simple shape based so it gives me a map, but doesn't lock me in as much, and I can experiment and find other tones I can use, such as chord tones that are not in the basic shape.

Ideally, I could just have the fretboard be my canvas and find notes by ear, but being a mid life newbie, having a road map to get started helps. Anyone else use this approach or try this?

Very cool, Steve. It sounds like a great opportunity and a good reason to venture out into some new fretboard territory. Keep us posted!

Very cool to see "Green is the Colour" on that setlist. Nice to know some cover bands realize that Pink Floyd has more albums than the "super-classic" ones. "Green is the Colour" is a beautiful song that can be jammed out endlessly.

Great for you SVL just go for it I^'m sure you'll fit in just fine, relax and enjoy the music !

Rock on Steve!

Had another good night. I played decently. I am making progress on the originals, and finding my spots to play. Some moves are becoming licks for me. Those songs are stretching me, because the keys are different and I can't just camp out in minor pentatonic and chord tones. It's coming. Now on the covers, I need to work on getting some signature hooks and licks down that the audience expects. Right now on the covers I don't know, I am just coming up with my own stuff. That is fine, and my stuff fits well enough, but I need the hooks at least on some of the songs.

Gearwise, although I listed my strat as my "weapon" in Robert's thread, this situation really calls for the Hagstrom in most cases. It blends with the acoustic rhythm guitar. And the fact that there is only a bass and no drummer tends to favor the warmer, fatter flavor over the single coil bite of my strat in most of the songs.

Best news of the night though (I am still smiling) is that Johnny looked over at me about half way through and said, "So, should I book a gig?" Sweet! It will be low key at the local brewery. That should be quite fun. Shooting for like sometime in April it sounds like. :thumbsup:happy

Woo-hoo, rock on! Man, you're getting me all wanting to gig and ****.

:thumbsup Thanks Brian!

Sounds good Sunny, I guess you're in for a nice bunch of gigs :dude Cool go and rock the place :dance

Congrats, SVL!
It sounds like you're this close to becoming a professional musician!

( Which is great, 'cause when the gigs start paying, you can buy more gear...:AOK)

HaHa, I don't know about "professional musician". But it should be fun. Thanks for continuing support guys.

Into the Mystic was my wedding song. Good song to cover SVL!

Steve, if you're looking for ideas for "Into the Mystic" here's a nice live version by the current incarnation of the Allman Brothers Band with Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks.

Cool! I will check that out. Thanks guys. StingX, that is a great song for a wedding. It was mystifying me a bit so to speak, but I will get it down.

sunvalleylaw said:

Best news of the night though (I am still smiling) is that Johnny looked over at me about half way through and said, "So, should I book a gig?" Sweet! It will be low key at the local brewery. That should be quite fun. Shooting for like sometime in April it sounds like. :thumbsup:happy

Click to expand...

Ok, yikes again. Gig time, friday night at the local brewery. Opening for Abraxas, a well regarded Santana tribute band that is supposed to be the bomb. The gig is official and in the paper and everything. http://www.mtexpress.com/index2.php?ID=2005136076 Yikes!! We are mentioned three paragraphs down.

We are going under the moniker for this show of "Those Guys". I think Johnny just kinda threw out a name to cover us for now. It was mis-printed in the paper version of this paper as "Those One Guys". LOL! I might like that even a little better. "Hey, who's opening for that Santana band?" "Hmm, wait, let me think, . . . it's Those One Guys."

We are not being paid, other than free beer, but they are charging a cover because of the other band, so I have been practicing as I would like to sound decent. We will play for about 35-45 minutes with about 5 or 6 of Stonewheat's originals and two or three covers, including probably Wooden Ships, Into the Mystic, and maybe Norwegian Wood. Mellow, sit down and eat dinner before the big band comes out stuff. Should be fun!

Rig will be my Hagstrom, my Peavey C-30, my delay pedal and maybe the boost in my ZYS. I will probably bring my tele for if I break a string or something with my massive bends 2 to 5 step bends. ;-)

Break a leg Steve!

For me, gigging is where it's at! Have fun.

As always Steve, enjoy yourself. Look forward to hearing about it.

Have fun Steve. Video would be nice... :thumbsup

Cool stuff, SVL -- I'm jealous. I hope it goes well.

Good luck Steve, be sure to bring along a video camera!

Well, I thought it went pretty well. I had fun anyway. The room was mostly getting toned up with food and beer prior to the main show, but we got a lot of complements and the main band (who was really good) gave us some props as well. I meant to have my daughter film me, but I received some concerning health news about my father, and got a little scattered before the show. (we are hoping that although it is concerning, it will be ok in the long run). I did manage to get all my gear there though! Johnny V. recorded it with a decent recorder so maybe I can post some clips later. I blew one portion of a cover lead, but otherwise was pretty solid I thought. I may have been a little low in the mix. We will see what the tape shows.

Well done Steve, glad you had a good time. Hope all works out well with your Dad.

Congrats on the gig. Sounds like it went well for you. I hope your father is ok.

Sounds like a very cool evening to me.

I hope all turns out well for your father.

With that in mind:

Not very exciting stage presence being demonstrated there. LOL! But evidence nonetheless. First time I had ever played out sitting down. But it worked ok for this dinner music gig. The keyboard player did not make it into the frame and was to the right of Brian on the right with his Taylor.

Hey, you're out there doing it, sitting or standing. The Hag's looking good, are you playing through the Peavey?

Also, any info on what that bass is? Obviously a flipped righty, but that headstock isn't ringing any bells for me.