Sept-October '22

Howdy all!

HOT ITEM: Remember the New Years Resolutions?????

2022 Guitar Resolutions page and check your progress from the beginning of January!

RECITAL: Next recitals will be....SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30!! Additional details soon...but ark the date!

VIDEO option is available for anyone not attending in-person recital....AND (if you video your performance at the video, send me your youtube link!).

SONGWRITING SERIES: As of this writing, I have NINE lesson articles in the new "Sonic Sorcery" songwriting series, which you can access HERE. Unlike the songwriting workshops, we're deconstructing individual songs to look at chord progressions, forms, lyrics, and more. ALSO in the works: the new 8-week songwriting class video series!

SD MAGAZINE: The songwriting series mentioned above is not all at SD Magazine. We also have 80+ articles from the "Guitar Gods" interview series (unknown gurus to Grammy Award winners), music reviews, art & photography, and more...including an up-dated article from a while back about The 27 Club which now includes SEVEN song charts. 

WEB RESOURCES: If you haven't already, please sign up as a member at the SDML membership page so you will have access to all the material we offer.

TUITION: Those students signed up with me, I do all invoicing via SQUARE, but if you prefer you can use one of the following methods: you can pay with card or Paypal account at my directly link http://www.paypal.me/skinnydevilmusic or Venmo at www.venmo.com/David-McLean-47 ....and I'm told I need to open a BITCOIN wallet, so I suppose I'd better look into that, also (if you have advice there, please let me know)....though I'm told you can use Bitcoin or Etherium via PayPal and Venmo, so if that's your preferred method of payment, that works for me!

1) GROUP STUDENTS - NEW CLASS begins Thursday, May 5 at Willis Music (with Zoom option)! Link & password to the entire 8 weeks session is below the schedule....The schedule is as follows:

4pm - G4
5pm - G3
6pm - G2
7pm - G1

Join Zoom Meetings at:
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/5343966529?pwd=N09CWXhvOFFzY0RHSjBBaWs2TWUzUT09
Meeting ID: 534 396 6529
Password: 949288


2) PRIVATE STUDENTS - The above link should also function for ALL private lessons. You'll simply be directed to the "waiting room" if you log in early.

Each of you should be receiving (via email and/or text) your individual lesson sheets (in some cases with links to doc or video supplements). I'll be sending these weekly, as a general thing, unless we are just reviewing.

If you have NOT received these, please contact me immediately so we can rectify the situation today!

3) SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL - Below are videos that include several song walk-thrus & play-alongs, as well as a drill material. Some of this several of you started on last week. The rest is new material.

All videos are UNLISTED (except where noted), so you have to have the link to access the video.

This page will be up-dated throughout the month with additional material, so check back each week (though I will often be sending notifications).

Video Drills

G3 and G4 level:
Workout #1 (dexterity, rhythm, scale drills)
Workout #2 (chord drill, including barre chords)
Workout #3 (improvisation - minor blues)
Am Blues Improv Track
C major Improv Track

Advanced Only:
Rhythm drill call & response

Rhythm drill 4-level counting

NEW:

12 Bar Blues with verbal cues

rhythm video "two exceedingly difficult rhythm drills"

Song Charts

Celebrating 60 years of Bond films....TWENTY FIVE James Bond theme songs at my article "The Music of James Bond".

"Thinking of You" Katy Perry (2008)

(note: written & performed in 2002)

verse

E - - - /B - - - /C#m - - - /A - - - /

E - - - /B - - - /C#m - - - /A - - - /

pre

B - C#m - /A - - - /B - C#m - /Am - - - /

chorus

E - - - /F#m - - - /A - - - /B - - - /

E - - - /F#m - - - /A - - - /Am - - - /

transition

E - - - /F#m - - - /E - - - /A - - - /

bridge

C#m - - - /F#7 - - - /A - - - /A - B - /

C#m - - - /F#7 - - - /A - B - /A - B - /

"The One That Got Away" Katy Perry (2010)

verse

E - - - /E - - - /G#m - - - /G#m - - - /

C#m - - - /C#m - - - /A - - - /A - - - /

chorus

E - - - /E - - - /G#m - - - /G#m - - - /

C#m - - - /C#m - - - /A - - - /A - - - /

(repeat as necessary)

bridge

B - - - /B - - - /C#m - - - / F#m - - - /

B - - - /B - - - /C#m - - - / F#m - - - /

B - - - /B - - - /C#m - - - / F#m - - - /

B - - - /B - - - /B7 - - - /B7 - - - /

"You Are My Sunshine" Johnny Cash version (1969)

A - - - /A - - - /A - - - /A7 - - - /

D - - - /D - - - /A - - - /A - - - /

D - - - /D - - - /A - - - /A - - - /

A - - - /E7 - - - /A - - - /A - - - - /

"Creep" Radiohead (1992)

G - - - /G - - - /B7 - - - /B7 - - - /
C - - - /C - - - /Cm - - - /Cm - - - /
repeat throughout

"Get Free" Lana Del Rey (2017)

capo @3

verse

G - - - /G - - - /B7 - - - /B7 - - - /
C - - - /C - - - /Cm - - - /Cm - - - /
repeat

pre

G - - - /G - - - /Em - - - /Em - - - /

G - - - /G - - - /Em - - - /Em - - - /

chorus

G - - - /G - - - /A7 - - - /A7 - - - /

repeat

"The Air That I Breathe" the Hollies (1974)

(see note after song about verse)

verse

C - - - /C - - - /E7 - - - /E7 - - - /

F - - - /Fm - - - /C - - - /C - - - /

repeat

pre

Em - - - /Em - - - /Fm - - - /C - - - /

Em - - - /Em - - - /Fm - - - /C - - - /

chorus

C - - - /C - - - /G - - - /C - - - /

C - - - /G - - - /C - - - /

C - - - /G - - - /

Gm - - - /F - - - /C - - - /G - - - /

Gm - - - /F - - - /C - - - /G - - - /

note: if we change the key to G, note the similarity of the verse of this song to the above two songs:

G - - - /G - - - /B7 - - - /B7 - - - /
C - - - /Cm - - - /G - - - /G - - - /

"Gravity" John Mayer (2006)

chorus

G - - - /C - - - /G - - - /C - - - /

verse

Am - - - /D7 - - - /Gm - Ebmj7 - /D9 - - - /

solo/out vamp:

G - - - /C - - - /G - - - /C - - - /

repeat as needed

"Gravity" Sara Bareilles (2007)

verse

Dm - - - /G - - - /C - - - /Am - F - /

Dm - - - /G - - - /C - - - /Am - F - /Am - F - /

chorus

Dm - - - /G - - - /C - - - /Am - Am7 - /

Dm - - - /G - - - /C - - - /Am - Am7 - /

F - - - /Bb - - - /Bb - - - /

bridge

F - G - /F - G - /F - G - /F - G - /

F - G - /E - F - /Dm - G - /(F) - - - /NC - - - /

Dm - - - /G - - - /C - - - /Am - Am7 - /

Dm - - - /G - - - /C - - - /Am - Am7 - /

F - - - /Bb - - - /Bb - - - /

Dm - - - /G - - - /C - - - /Am - G - /Am - G - /

"Let's Twist Again" Chubby Checker (1961)

capo @1

chorus

D - - - /D - - - /Bm - - - /Bm - - - /

G - - - /G - - - /A - - - /A7 - - - /

D - - - /D - - - /Bm - - - /Bm - - - /

G - - - /A - - - /D - - - /D - - - /

bridge

G - - - /G - - - /D - - - /D - - - /

G - - - /G - - - /A - - - /A7 - - - /

D - - - /D - - - /Bm - - - /Bm - - - /

G - - - /A - - - /D - - - /D - - - /

"Back to Black" Amy Winehouse (2006)

verse/chorus:
Dm - - - /Dm - - - /Gm - - - /Gm - - - /
Bb - - - /Bb7 - - - -/A - - - /A7 - - - -/

bridge:
Dm - - - /Dm - - - /Bbmj7 - - - /Bbmj7 - - - /
F - - - /F - - - /A7 - - - /A7 - - - /

"More Than Words" Extreme (1990)

(see live or video lesson for specifics of picking - timing on chart is NOT exact)

intro/transition

G - - - /Cadd9 - - - /Am - - - /C - D - /

repeat as necessary

verse

G - - - /Cadd9 - - - /Am - - - /C - D - /

G - - - /Cadd9 - - - /Am - - - /C - D - /

Em - - - /Am - - - /D7 - - - /G - - - /

chorus

Em - - - /Am - - - /D7 - - - /G7 - - - /

C - - - /Cm - - - /G - - - /Em - - - /

Am - - - /D - - - /

"Pink Houses" John Mellencamp (1983)

intro

G - - - /C - G - /G - - - /C - G - /

repeat as necessary

verse

G - - - /G - - - /G - - - /G - - - /

G - - - /G - - - /F - C - /G - - - /G - - - /

G - - - /G - - - /G - - - /G - - - /

F - - - /C - - - /G - - - /G - - - /

repeat

chorus

C - - - /G - - - /C - - - /G - - - /

C - - - /D - - - /D - - - /C - - - /C - - - /

"Cover Me in Sunshine" Pink (2021)

(capo @3)

verse

D - - - /D - - - /G - - /D - - - /

D - - - /D - - - /G - - /D - - - /

G - - - /A - - - /

chorus

Em - G - /D - A - /Em - G - /D - A - /

Em - G - /D - A - /Em - G - /D - A - /

"Heroes" David Bowie (1977)

covered by Hollywood Vampires (2019)

Alice Cooper, Johnny Depp, Joe Perry, etc

verse

D - - - /D - - - /G - - - /G - - - /

D - - - /D - - - /G - - - /G - - - /

pre

C - - - /C - - - /D - - - /D - - - /

Am - - - /Em - - - /D - - - /D - - - /

chorus

C - - - /G - - - /D - - - /D - - - /

"The Boxer" Simon & Garfunkel (1969)

(note: Mumford & Sons 2012 version featured Paul Simon)

intro

C - - - /C - - - /repeat as needed

verse

C - - - /C - Am - /G - - - /F - - - /

C - - - /C - Am - /G - F - /F - C - /

G - F - /C - - - /

chorus

Am - - - /G - - - /Am - - - /G - - - /

"Ice Cream Man" Van Halen (1978)

(cover of old blues song by John Brimm - standard 12-bar blues)

intro

E7 riff...

verse/chorus

E7 - - - /A7 - - - /E7 - - - /E7 - - - /

A7 - - - /A7 - - - /E7 - - - /E7 - - - /

B7 - - - /A7 - - - /E7 - - - /B7 - - - /

"We're Not Gonna Take It" Twisted Sister (1984)

verse

E - - - /B - - - E - - - /A - - - /

E - - - /B - - - /E - - - /B - - - /

repeat

chorus

E - - - /B - - - E - - - /A - - - /

E - - - /B - - - /E - - - /B - - - /

==========

For "broken finger" and improv purposes, I told several of you I'd post the following song:

"House of the Rising Sun" traditional

(note: chart below is written as 4/4, but most do this song in 3/4 or 6/8)

Am - - - / C - - - /D - - - /F - - - /

Am - - - /C - - - /E - - - /E7 - - - /

Am - - - /C - - - /D - - - /F - - - /

Am - - - /E - - - /Am - - - /E7 - - - /

repeat

Suggested Reading

1) Steve Lukather Interview - I had the good fortune to interview Steve! 5 time Grammy Winner w/ a dozen Grammy nominations (as well as Musicians Hall of Fame and Guitar Players Lifetime Achievement Award), TOTO co-founder, guitarist, & songwriter Steve Lukather has also played on hundreds of albums as a session player (including Michael Jackson's "Thriller" & albums by Cher, Alice Cooper, Elton John, Earth, Wind, & Fore, Olivia Newton-John, Kenny Rogers, Eric Clapton, Ozzy Osbourne, & more), I got to interview Steve way back in 2004 for Tinfoil Magazine, and republished the interview at SD Magazine in 2012.

2) Nile Rodgers Interview - (warning: strong language) Fender Guitars interviews one of the most successful guitarists of all time (Rodgers - as guitarist, songwriter, & producer - has sold over 500 million records worldwide). Nile has played with Chic, David Bowie, Madonna, Daft Punk, Lady Gaga, Keith Urban, Beyonce', Mick Jagger, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and many, many more!

The VIDEO interview features Nile playing parts of various hit songs, from "Freak Out" to "Let's Dance" to "Get Lucky".

Suggested Listening

"Mediterranean Sundance" (1980) Al DiMeola, John McLaughlin, Paco deLucia from the album "Friday Night in San Francisco" to celebrate the 2022 release of the lost tapes "Saturday Night in San Francisco".

"My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama" by Frank Zappa (1970), performed live at G3 by Eric Johnson, Joe Satrinai, & Steve Vai (1997).

"Thinking of You" played live solo acoustic by Katy Perry (2008) for Sprint Live Lounge. Note: Watch her hands closely for the chord shapes (watch how she plays the E5 at the 7th position and pushes the bass line against the static chord....and how the F#m is voiced as an open Asus2/F#, for 2 examples). There is an older clip of her playing this song long before fame - a 2006 performance at the Hotel Cafe in Hollywood, CA.

Happy Birthday

Mark Ronson, Kim Thayil (Soundgarden), Dweezil Zappa, Chrissie Hynde (Pretenders), Pink, Aimee Mann, Joe Perry (Aerosmith), Tommy Shaw (Styx), Ben Folds, Dave Mustaine (Megadeth), Nick Jonas (Jonas Bro), Nile Rodgers, Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme), Don Felder (Eagles), Joan Jett, Ani DiFranco, Lita Ford, Bruce Springsteen, Avril Lavigne, Les Claypool (Primus), George Lynch (Dokken, Lynch Mob).....

....Sting (Police), Don McLean, Chubby Checker, Lindsey Buckingham (Fleetwood Mac), Steve Miller, Lewis Capaldi, Thom Yorke (Radiohead), John Mellencamp, Bruno Mars, David Lee Roth (Van Halen), Sammy Hagar (Monstrose/Van Halen), Paul Simon, John Mayer, Alan Jackson, Steve Lukather, Katy Perry, Mattias Jabs (Scorpions), Glenn Tipton (Judas Priest), Keith Urban, KK Downing (Judas Priest)....