Hi Robert, I just had the opportunity to sit on a plane to Baltimore for 2 hours (well, ok) and listen to The Very Best of T-Bone Walker. I was really struck by the long, very smooth triplet licks he plays across several measures. Tonight, I just finished making a listen to your T-Bone Scuffle, and it is genius. It gives a great deal of insight into T-Bones style of playing. I'm gonna make a few more listens on T-Bone and your playing before I get to touch a guitar again, and then dive into this one for a bit. Best wishes as always. 

Hey, watcha doin' in Bald'mer, Bluffy?

My office is downtown.

Thanks, it was a lot of fun to record that solo. I stole some of his licks, made a few of my own. I hope it's not too difficult. I admit that some of the licks are hard for me! But many are doable I think.

I'm hoping for some more T-Bone, Robert. I have been persistent on this one, and up to 90%. Still a bit iffy on the longer licks, but I will get it down. I love the triplet licks, and it such a cool lesson...Will

Posted by: zwantedone

I'm hoping for some more T-Bone, Robert. I have been persistent on this one, and up to 90%. Still a bit iffy on the longer licks, but I will get it down. I love the triplet licks, and it such a cool lesson...Will

Thanks Will! I sure hope to hear some of you guys record your takes and share with us! 

Ok, it took some time to make it my own. I don't worry about spending a lot of time with just one piece of music. I become aquainted with the muscial language someone speaks/spoke  (i.e. T-Bone Walker talking via Robert R.) and it finds its influence on my playing. So here is my version. A bit slower as the original backing track. "We would play faster - if we could" (Johnny Cash in "Walk The Line").

I hope the link to the BOX works not only for me.

T-Bone Scuffle

Wow Gottfried. Nice effort. A whole conversation. Coming back to the original theme at the end really frames it nicely. Did you do it in one take? Was the guitar recorded - direct in? 

Thx for your compliment. 2 x Yes. It's one take and the guitar was plugged in my interface, the distortion effect comes out of Cubase.

Best regards

Gottfried

Fantastic, Gottfried- Old School is the New Cool!  You really did make this your own, and it sounds great.  You must be very happy with the skills acquired from practicing this piece, they make an excellent foundation in a cornerstone of Texas blues styles.  

What really impresses me is getting the timing and feel of T-Bone Walker in his shuffle sound.  Hard to describe but you have to play right on the note(s) which are skipping along on top of that shuffle- on the mark but never rushed.  Really nice work.  Extra points for playing at your speed because that's where it sounds best now.  Speed comes in time, but it never gets there if you don't master the notes, timing, AND feel of the performance.  

And I am really looking forward to your work on another essential shuffle blues solo style: Reconsider.  Thanks for sharing!

Thank you very much, Clayton.

What I like the most here on MGA is - beside the high quality of Robert's work and his lovely, stable, always concentrated and distinct, never flibbertigibbety (says my dictionary, I like it and I hope it's right) way of presentation.... -  the encouragement we can get in here.

I will post my Scuffle like you suggested .

Your day started a few hours ago, here best regards out of a snowy afternoon.

Gottfried

Hey Gottfried, that is fantastic playing! You have excellent timing, which as we all know is paramount for sounding good. 

Not much I can offer for improvement here. It's just as good as my recording.

Uuuuh, that makes me proud, truly. Thank you very much!!!

And, selfaware: The bendings from time to time not that accurate as it should be. Specially these triplet bendings on two notes in the second half, it should be clearer pronounced

One of my favorite T-Bone lyrics: "I'm too lazy to work, too nervous to steal."

Gottfried

Please allow me to also commend your playing. You did a great job, as others have said superb timing. I also though your guitar sat very nicely in the mix and sounded great. That's a pretty long piece, it would have taken me months just to memorize it. Well played!