Would You Hop On A Bus and Go Cross Town To Learn a new Chord?

Well John and Paul (as in George + Ringo) did...

Now that's what I call dedication... they knew the chords E + A, but needed the missing 3rd chord to the Blues progression, the mysterious B7!

They were told of a guy who lived cross town who actually knew how to play the B7 chord, so off they went via a bus to meet this chordal wizard who knew the missing B7!

 

I fear that a bit of laziness has crept into singers + muso's of late.

A young fella (who's name shall remain nameless, because Phil would be really upset if he knew I'd mentioned his name), came in and recorded his songs, but only wanted to record ONE chorus and to cut + copy the other 3 Chorus's.

So what you say... Well, I would have thought this 18 year old songwriter would have wanted to sing his enjoyable little ditty till the cows come home, seeming he's at the very start of his career. Looks like cows walk faster these days!

The problem is, what's he gonna be like in 5 years time, will I be cutting + pasting, consonants + vowels cause he want to cut + paste the 2nd verse?

The way anyone learns anything, is to do it a bloody lot of times so you get really good at it. The only thing you get good at when you cut + paste, is cutting + pasting!!!!!

What's poor Phil gonna do when he gets married.... have sex once then say "OK darling, there you go, cut + paste that!"

He's presumedly, gonna enjoy having sex and therefore will want to do it again, why not sing the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Chorus? Enjoy it. It's part of the craft of learning and getting really good at something.

At my studio, I have some music magazines, DVD's and stuff on the noticeboard, and as time goes on, I notice less + less of that material is being utilised, kinda like table manners at a footballers convention.

I think it's really important to spend time on your craft. When clients come to my studio, they expect me to be REALLY-REALLY good at what they're paying me to do and I am good at what I do because I've done the homework + the hours... Put those 2 things together and you end up being good at whatever you do. Drive your car into your mechanics workshop, he'll probably tell you what's wrong with the car before you get out of it - why... he's done his homework and he's been doing this job for a while.

To become good on your chosen instrument, you HAVE to give a bit time looking into the history of that instrument and the great muso's who have come before you.

If you wanted to be a great actress you wouldn't study Paris Hilton.

If you wanted to be a great comedian you wouldn't study Rove.

So below, God bless my little cotton socks, I have compiled a very modest "gotta have a listen to that" list.

Now, a word of warning to those of you who disagree with my list. You will fall into 2 categories -

1. Truly helpful comments on my choices - Email away, I'm always happy to hear from my learned friends
2. The fanatics - go away, I'm either too busy or asleep and don't have a go at me about how some modern artist should be included!!!

Almost all current artists / musicians has roots that go back to the 40's, 50's or 60's.  Joss Stone goes directly back to Aretha Franklin, so that's why her name isn't on the list, Aretha was first. So here we go, mind your step.

1. Female Vocals - don't start with Kylie!!! (and don't finish with her either)
• Aretha Franklin
• Ella Fitzgerald
• Janis Joplin
• Karen Carpenter (for sweetness)
• Anything Motown or Stax
• Patsy Cline
• Any Blues singer
  
  
2. Male Vocals
• Ray Charles
• Anything Motown or Stax
• Little Richard
• The Beatles
• Elvis (for tempo)
• Sinatra
• Al Jolson
• Robert Plant
• The Beach Boys
• Louis Jordan
• James Brown
• Nat King Cole
  
  
3. Drums
• Gene Krupa (the original star)
• Buddy Rich (the best ever)
• Ginger Baker
• Anything Motown or Stax
• John Bonham
• Ringo
• Hal Blaine (the most recorded drummer in history) 
• Earl Palmer
• Jeff Pocarro
  
  
4. Bass
• Anything Motown or Stax
• Jack Bruce
• Paul McCartney
• Ron Carter
• James Jameson (Motown)
• Stanley Clarke
• Larry Graham
• Jaco Pastorius
• Ron Carter
• Ray Brown
  
  
5. Guitar
• Django Reinhardt
• Hendrix
• BB King - Albert King - Freddie King
• Hank Marvin
• Any Blues guitarist
• Eric Clapton
• Angus Young
• Chuck Berry
• Wes Montgomery
• Steve Vai
  
  
6. Piano
• Ray Charles
• Leon Russell
• Jerry Lee Lewis
• Oscar Peterson
• Dr John
• Professor Longhair
• Jimmy Smith
• Fats Waller
• Johnny Johnson (Chuck Berry)
  
  
7. Sax
• King Curtis
• Lester Young
• John Coltrane
• Clarence Clemons
• Charley Parker
  
  
8. Slide Guitar
• Elmore James
• Duanne Allman
• Ry Cooder
• Any Blues player
• George Harrison
• Robert Johnson
• Derek Trucks