BLUES LANGUAGE 101 part 2

BLUES LANGUAGE 101 part two

Major Pentatonic-based blues a la B.B. King

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MICK RONSON LEAD SOUND

How to get a Mick Ronson "singing" lead sound-- without spending a fortune on vintage gear. 

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Raunchy Wah-wah Pedal Sound

"Diamonds and Rain" has a ton of raunchy wah-wah Telecaster by me, Karl Straub.

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Blues Language 101, part 1

Blues Language is partly about notes-- including many that fall between the cracks of the western system. It's also about how to resolve those notes. 

Interestingly, it's very much about articulation too. Without slurs, grace notes, and pick attack, you're not playing any kind of blues I'm familiar with. 

I talk about all that stuff in this lesson. Phrasing and storytelling are a big part of blues language too, but those will be in future lessons. 

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DUANE ALLMAN et al, "DREAMS," 1970 FILLMORE GIG

Duane Allman--using different pickup combinations to add variety to a solo.

There's great playing from everyone here, of course, but Duane really shines. It's interesting to hear him playing some biting fills, then switching to a mellower tone for the first part of his solo. Then back to bridge pickup, presumably, for more of his aggressive sound, then finishing it out with more of the mellow sound. After a while, he puts on the slide for even more variety. Was Duane Allman the Johnny Hodges of rock? He certainly gives us a lesson here in how to structure a longish solo by using different tones, attacks, and ideas.

 http://youtu.be/0CrBIK_E7kk 

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KARL STRAUB COMBO FRI, MAR. 30, 8:30 pm, OPENING FOR LITTLE FEAT'S PAUL BARRERE AND FRED TACKETT, AT THE HAMILTON

The Karl Straub Combo (stripped down version for increased intimacy) will be performing Friday, March 30, at D.C.'s hip newish venue @Thehamiltondc. Ariel Francis (keyboards) and Jerry Del Rosso (bass) will be my support cats for another one of those rare shows where you'll be able to hear the lyrics. Don't miss Karl Straub (830 stage time) opening for Little Feat veterans Paul Barrere and Fred Tackett. Doors will be opening at 7 pm, and unless you ate dumb flakes for breakfast, you'll be standing there with your wallet when they open. (Is that too aggressive? I'm never sure how far I can go with this promo material.) @The Hamilton has a website with excellent FAQ, photos, etc.
for info, click on bit.ly/Ha5CA2
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KARL STRAUB GUITAR WORKSHOP, MARCH 22, 7 TO 9 PM, WITH OBSCENELY LONG TITLE--"HOW I LEARNED TO PLAY ROCK AND ROLL, PUNK, ROCKABILLY, COUNTRY, JAZZ, BLUES, CLASSICAL, WESTERN SWING, BLUEGRASS, AND FOLK GUITAR, AND LIVED TO TALK ABOUT IT"

March 22, 7:00 - 9:00 PM
NOVA Music Center
12704 CHAPEL RD., CLIFTON, VA 20124
(not as far away as you think)
"HOW I LEARNED TO PLAY ROCK AND ROLL, PUNK, ROCKABILLY, COUNTRY, JAZZ, BLUES, CLASSICAL, WESTERN SWING, BLUEGRASS, AND FOLK GUITAR, AND LIVED TO TALK ABOUT IT"

novamusiccenter.com/workshop-genre-mixing-guitar-workshop-march-22-7-00-9-00-pm/

Guitarist and Music Educator Karl Straub has led a checkered career. He has played many different styles professionally and spent more than thirty years studying the connections between different musical genres. Karl has shoehorned Monkees guitar licks into Thelonious Monk pieces, watched his audience slam dance to pop songs written when Jimi Hendrix's parents were young, and played Yardbirds fuzztone guitar while being pelted with enough fake blood, glitter, and chicken bones to stop his wah-wah pedal from working.

This workshop is partly a history of American guitar styles, and partly a master class on how to mix these styles together. Straub will talk about how slight adjustments to your playing can take you from psychedelic rock to blues to country to jazz faster than a Lady Gaga costume change.

Karl Straub has a Music Education degree, and almost 30 years professionally performing, recording, and writing. His songs have been recorded by numerous local artists, and he has played guitar with Last Train Home, Eric Brace, the Grandsons, the Graverobbers, the Kennedys, Little Pink, and Exit 10.



NOVA Music Center
12704 Chapel Rd
Clifton, VA 20124
703-830-7141
novamusiccenter.com/workshop-genre-mixing-guitar-workshop-march-22-7-00-9-00-pm/
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