Author Topic: Wants to play The Ventures but live in N.E. PA.  (Read 623 times)

Offline Noel

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Wants to play The Ventures but live in N.E. PA.
« on: February 07, 2012, 07:33:05 am »
I live in North East Pennsylvania, between Rts. 80 and 78. I'm starting to get the hang of playing guitar, but I make up for inexperience with age and determination. I need people to play Ventures music with if I'm ever going to get better. I'm willing to travel a couple hours or so to have an opportunity to play with and learn from better musicians.

My immediate goal is to be get good enough to play something at the October Jams.

I can also host on Saturdays and Sundays with some advance warning. I have extra gear, including a bass and amp, and my son's drum kit, plus a room to play in. Plenty of off-street parking too.

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Offline wstagner

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Re: Wants to play The Ventures but live in N.E. PA.
« Reply #1 on: February 07, 2012, 08:55:27 am »
What other musicians would you like to play with?  Does your son play drums?

Which songs are you wanting to learn the most?
Have you ever played around with Ventures midi files?  These are great because with a midi player you're able to turn on/off any track(s) such as lead, keyboard, drums, bass, etc.

Our band uses midi files when our drummer is MIA (most of the time).

Offline Noel

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Re: Wants to play The Ventures but live in N.E. PA.
« Reply #2 on: February 07, 2012, 02:58:03 pm »
My son wanted to be a drummer, but without the years of hard work necessary. So the kit sits.  In this he is like me when I quit guitar around 1965. He will occasionally play Wipeout with me, but hasn't gotten past the intro and first drum solo.

I'm learning to play guitar now as I learn to play Pipeline, Telstar, Walk, Don't Run, Perfidia, Wipeout, Rumble (Link Wray), Peter Gunn (Duane Eddy), Miserlou (Dick Dale) and so on. I'm having trouble getting up to 155 bpm, which is a typical Ventures speed. I have a Ventures tune book with CD that I use. The biggest trouble I have, apart from playing at full speed, is the solos in Peter Gunn, Rumble and Miserlou. It's like the bass solo in Wipeout. I don't know how to free play scale-based solos. It's not a large part of covering Ventures tunes, so I haven't focused on it yet.

I also have friends who play bluegrass. Yowee! My how their fingers fly. I'd love tolearn how to play walking chord solos like Maybelle Carter. Who wouldn't?

Offline wstagner

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Re: Wants to play The Ventures but live in N.E. PA.
« Reply #3 on: February 07, 2012, 03:06:50 pm »
So, have you tried downloading/playing along with some Ventures midi files?
You can control the BPM in addition to turning tracks on/off.

Offline Noel

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Re: Wants to play The Ventures but live in N.E. PA.
« Reply #4 on: February 07, 2012, 03:30:02 pm »
Never used a MIDI file. Don't really have a place to use my computer where I practice. I guess I should change my practice area to allow that. It sounds like a great idea.

Also here's two other things I'd like to learn when I learn to sing and play at the same time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEzSuFShgYc&feature=related Elvis. "Tryin' to Get Back to You." Be nice if I could sing like him too.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WpRnjxuBys&feature=related Roy Orbison. Go, Go, Go. Move on Down the Line. This kills me every time.

Offline wstagner

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Re: Wants to play The Ventures but live in N.E. PA.
« Reply #5 on: February 07, 2012, 03:40:06 pm »
Yes, get setup to play midi files.
follow this link: wstagner.com/band/midi/vkaraoke.exe

to download the file, then installit on yer pooter.

When you've done that, let me know and I'll send you a cupla midi files.

Offline Noel

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Re: Wants to play The Ventures but live in N.E. PA.
« Reply #6 on: February 10, 2012, 01:01:05 pm »
Done! Thanks for reminding me.

Offline wstagner

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Re: Wants to play The Ventures but live in N.E. PA.
« Reply #7 on: February 10, 2012, 01:44:25 pm »
Here's a bunch of LIVE midi files to get you started:

http://wstagner.com/band/vlivemidi/

They are midis of the live65 version of these tunes.  Nice thing aboot the midis is you can turn off any track including a plaws!
Happy practicing.