Nothing motivates practice like a gig! With a twist.

[JohnW63]

I've heard that phrase before and now it makes sense!

I was trying to be sly and get a song from my friends originals to learn by asking what would be a cool song to learn. His first e-mail was suggesting Classical Gas and the theme to Popeye the sailor. That was out of the blue! Then he came back with a song of his. He's a very good guitarist and posted a lot of songs in an online forum. It's not an easy song. Beyond what I have ever played in the first section. I'll take up the challenge and do my best, with my instructor on bass to help fill out the double tracked parts or something. The twist is he kind of challenged me to learn it to play at his service. My friend has terminal cancer. I don't know how long he will be with us. It could be months. I don't know. So, the gig date is " hopefully not too soon. "

 

[Opsimath]

So sorry about your friend. Best of luck with the song. I hope you have a long, long time to learn it.

 

[JohnW63]

Here is the piece I need to learn.

A Site for Songwriters

SongRamp

www.songramp.com

 

[JohnW63]

That's interesting. The song on Song Ramp listed by the title is NOT the song he sent me in e-mail. I'll need to ask him which tune I need to learn! The one he sent is much faster paced in the first section.

 

[JohnW63]

Yep, the song online is a bad link. Here is what I've got to work with.

Neo Classical Flatulence

It was his go at a new version of Classical Gas... get the title now?

 

[Nuuska]

My best friend and bandmate at teenage years - I played drums - he played guitar - he taught me to play guitar. He died @ 25 09 2009. Before his death he had asked his wife to ask me to come and play Blowing In The Wind at his funeral. A song that we sang together back then. Basically quite easy to play and sing. But at his funeral - words did not want to come out - my voice must've been thinner than hair ( it's not a tempest to begin with . . .)

Before I played I told the audience - if this goes well, it is because he was a good teacher - if it goes haywire, it is because I'm lousy student.

Not easy by any measure - hope you have the strength.

 

[JohnW63]

I can only hope. Luckily, I don't have to sing. If it works out, I'll have a bass player friend there. I'm thinking about trying to get it down as quick as I can and sending him a recording, to get feedback. I mean, he would never hear my efforts, if I waited until it was too late. Where is the fun in that?

 

[JohnW63]

Got the news than my friend Rob passed away. He service will be in 5 weeks, so, the "gig" has a date. His wife said she knew he sent me a hard song to learn as much to give me something to really work on as anything and said I have no need to play it at his service. I told her I'd see what I can do in 5 weeks.

 

[Westerly Wood]

Got the news than my friend Rob passed away. He service will be in 5 weeks, so, the "gig" has a date. His wife said she knew he sent me a hard song to learn as much to give me something to really work on as anything and said I have no need to play it at his service. I told her I'd see what I can do in 5 weeks.

sorry for your loss John. Rob's family will be totally blessed by you playing a song at the funeral. no doubt.

 

[Opsimath]

So very sorry.