# Classical Gas in one week... a guitar challenge!



## BushMogulMaster (Sep 23, 2009)

And no, Classical Gas has nothing to do with Mozart's farts.......


Just saw a video on YouTube of this Toby Turner character who learned Classical Gas by Mason Williams in 7 days in order to get out of doing homework.  Well, I consider that a challenge.  I intend to learn an even harder arrangement (Tommy Emmnanuel's) in 6 days.  I think it's doable.  I'm 2 1/2 days deep, and I'm almost halfway through it.  I'll post a vid ASAP.  The final cut after 6 days will be posted as a video response to this video:





And I'll bet I can do it without the cheap whiskey. :wink:


Any other takers?????  Get your guitars out, and give it a shot.  Immersing yourself in a time-sensitive project is a great way to improve your chops.


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## Greg (Sep 23, 2009)

I suck at finger picking. In fact, considering I first picked up a guitar when I was 15, I pretty much suck overall... :lol:

Good luck with it.


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## deadheadskier (Sep 23, 2009)

BMM 

if classical is your thing, the chair for guitar performance at UVM was taught by Segovia.  I'm not sure if he gives lessons or not


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## Marc (Sep 23, 2009)

I think every amateur guitarist, or professional, or any instramentalist or vocalist, can benefit immensely from a background in classical training.


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## BushMogulMaster (Sep 23, 2009)

It's sorta, um, classical rock actually.  I play primarily fingerstyle and jazz guitar, but am classically trained on the organ, so I have a solid set of music fundamentals to work with.   Now I just have to work with them.... :wink:


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## Marc (Sep 23, 2009)

Organ is sucky in that it's hard... some music written for it is just outrageous.  If you can play some of those Bach fugues... sometimes six part... good Lord, then you can laugh in the face of any manager that asks if you can multitask.

I have a hard enough time with his 3 part inventions and the well tempered clavier, never mind asking my feet to play notes too.


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## bigbog (Sep 23, 2009)

well I can do the horn(trumpet) line....LOL..(if there were any trumpet lines, trombone I know...)


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## BushMogulMaster (Sep 23, 2009)

Marc said:


> Organ is sucky in that it's hard... some music written for it is just outrageous.  If you can play some of those Bach fugues... sometimes six part... good Lord, then you can laugh in the face of any manager that asks if you can multitask.
> 
> I have a hard enough time with his 3 part inventions and the well tempered clavier, never mind asking my feet to play notes too.



That's why I love playing.  It's as much a mental and physical exercise as it is musical.

I still have yet to master the BWV565 Fugue, but I've got the Toccata in the bag!  I'm actually 3/4 finished with the fugue, but there are a couple of lines that are absolutely daunting, with conflicting and dynamic rhythms between the three staves.  I'm also almost finished with the BWV551 Prelude.  The fugue on that one is tough, and I haven't broached it yet.  I'm getting there... I don't have an organ to practice on at home, so I rely on practice time in Stowe at Blessed Sacrament Church (I'm the Director of Music there).

And I don't want to hear one bloody dirty joke about "practicing on my organ......."


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## SkiDork (Sep 23, 2009)

For anyone who's an organ afficianado (my dad was a Hammond organ dealer for 20 years) they're making the B3 again, but digital behind the scenes.  Check out some demos here:

http://www.hammondorganco.com/B3video.htm

And the home website:

http://www.hammondorganco.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1


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## BushMogulMaster (Sep 23, 2009)

Well, I've been working on Classical Gas for the past hour.  I think it's safe to say I'll have it learned in less than 7 hours, let alone 7 days!  I've got about 4 hours in it so far.  I need 2 more to learn the rest, and 1 to clean it up get it "performance" ready.  I'll post it as soon as I'm finished.  Probably not tonight... my fingers are killing me.  I hadn't played much in the past couple months until this little project, so it's quite a wake-up call for the calluses!


Dork - I used to play a B3 in a Catholic church.  That's a bad match!  The B3 is a rockin organ for jazz, blues, rock, etc...... but it makes a horrible instrument for a traditional liturgical setting.  I'm playing an Italian-made Ahlborn Galanti in Stowe now.  Great instrument.


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## BushMogulMaster (Sep 23, 2009)

Here's the kind of routine I'd really love to be able to improvise (the master Tommy himself):


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## Marc (Sep 23, 2009)

I just watched that YouTube vid (couldn't at work) and man... that kid must have had a lot of that whiskey to make him think his guitar was even remotely in tune.  Ouch.  Made my head hurt listening to that.

He should also probably get a metronome.


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## BushMogulMaster (Sep 23, 2009)

Marc said:


> I just watched that YouTube vid (couldn't at work) and man... that kid must have had a lot of that whiskey to make him think his guitar was even remotely in tune.  Ouch.  Made my head hurt listening to that.
> 
> He should also probably get a metronome.



Yeah, 10-4 on that.  His A string was out of tune, and it sounds like his guitar has some intonation issues in general.

My first video to come soon!


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## Greg (Sep 23, 2009)

I'm gonna go learn some Goo Goo Dolls.

:lol:


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## SkiDork (Sep 23, 2009)

BushMogulMaster said:


> Dork - I used to play a B3 in a Catholic church.  That's a bad match!  The B3 is a rockin organ for jazz, blues, rock, etc...... but it makes a horrible instrument for a traditional liturgical setting.  I'm playing an Italian-made Ahlborn Galanti in Stowe now.  Great instrument.



Yeah - it's much better for Baptist/revival type services.


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## deadheadskier (Sep 24, 2009)

BushMogulMaster said:


> Here's the kind of routine I'd really love to be able to improvise (the master Tommy himself):



While amazing in skill level.......meh, completely lacking in soul.  humorous, but no soul.  not exactly what I'd call improvisation either.......more like regurgitating the sunday comics

I'll take Jorma over that dude any day


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## BushMogulMaster (Sep 24, 2009)

Oooooo... did you do your research first?  TE's got tons more soul that Jorma.  Don't get me wrong, I love Jorma.  I'm working on Water Song right now as well.  But I've heard plenty of both of them, and no one beats Tommy IMO. I saw him live in Boston - unmatched.  Here, check a few of these out:






















Lots more where that came from!  The guy is incredible!


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## SkiDork (Sep 24, 2009)

I never heard of Emmanuel before but looking at a bunch of his stuff on youtube last night I was in awe.  He's got mad skillz.


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## BushMogulMaster (Sep 24, 2009)

He's a household name in Australia, and becoming even more popular globally every day.  Stunning musician.


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## BushMogulMaster (Sep 24, 2009)

Alright... after three days, I have the whole song learned.  It still needs a lot of cleaning up and there are a few problem spots, but I've still got three days until my self-imposed deadline, so I think I'm fine.  Below is a low-res video, single-channel audio recording of what I have so far.  Before being too critical, bear the following in mind:

1. I haven't played more than a handful of times in the past month until NOW, so my fingers are killing me...... two of them are pretty close to tearing open!
2. 13 pages of music, 3 days
3. I learned the last section of the song 10 minutes before I attempted to record it
4. I have 3 days left to clean up this mess

So taking all of those lame excuses into account, what do you think?


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## Greg (Sep 24, 2009)

BushMogulMaster said:


> Before being too critical, bear the following in mind.................I have 3 days left to clean up this mess..........................So taking all of those lame excuses into account, what do you think?



Stop it. You already know you kill it on the guitar. I'll never be able to play with a classical/finger picking technique like that.


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## Grassi21 (Sep 24, 2009)

BushMogulMaster said:


> Alright... after three days, I have the whole song learned.  It still needs a lot of cleaning up and there are a few problem spots, but I've still got three days until my self-imposed deadline, so I think I'm fine.  Below is a low-res video, single-channel audio recording of what I have so far.  Before being too critical, bear the following in mind:
> 
> 1. I haven't played more than a handful of times in the past month until NOW, so my fingers are killing me...... two of them are pretty close to tearing open!
> 2. 13 pages of music, 3 days
> ...



Killer!  Well done.


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## BushMogulMaster (Sep 24, 2009)

Thanks, but it needs mucho worko.  I'm pleased with it for the 3 day mark.  But I would never be satisfied with that as "performance" quality.  I'm somewhat of a perfectionist in my musical endeavors.  If it weren't for the damned ski industry, I'd probably be sitting in a practice room at a music conservatory instead of posting videos on AZ.  Point being: THANK GOD for the ski industry :lol:


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## SkiDork (Sep 24, 2009)

Well played!


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## Marc (Sep 24, 2009)

Sounds like it's coming along, just one thing...in my limited live performance experience, I've learned it's very easy, especially the better you get to know a piece to rush it.  Most of it seemed pretty good, maybe just a tad fast, which you can get away with playing solo, but there were places where the tempo was rushed.  I bet if you go back and listen to a Mason Williams studio recording, you'll find the tempo is quite a bit slower.


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## BushMogulMaster (Sep 24, 2009)

Marc said:


> Sounds like it's coming along, just one thing...in my limited live performance experience, I've learned it's very easy, especially the better you get to know a piece to rush it.  Most of it seemed pretty good, maybe just a tad fast, which you can get away with playing solo, but there were places where the tempo was rushed.  I bet if you go back and listen to a Mason Williams studio recording, you'll find the tempo is quite a bit slower.




I do need to practice it more slowly.  But as far as performance goes, it's actually quite a bit faster than that.  I'm not going for the Mason Williams version, this is Tommy Emmanuel's arrangement.  Of course, he's plays it a little differently every time, and usually adds an interlude of some sort, but he definitely plays it fast (and clean).  Here's kinda what I'm aiming for:


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## deadheadskier (Sep 24, 2009)

watched through your postings.  I'll check out more.  There's no doubt the guy is a maestro, probably technically more able than Jorma.  That said, 'soul' is the last thing I think of when it comes to him.  I liken watching Tommy more to a stand up comedy performance than a concert.  I would really enjoy watching him play, but it's just not my thing.  Too many notes most of the time, too gimickey bordering on cheesy....overall too busy.

How much of his own material does he write?  Most of that material seems to be cover tunes.  

I'm a live music junky who is typically out at shows 3 nights a month, more if I have the time.  I'm looking for one of two things, to be moved emotionally or to dance.  I just don't see that happening for me at Tommy show.  Entertained ??definitely!!!!  But I'll take Jorma and Jack

different strokes.....


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## BushMogulMaster (Sep 24, 2009)

deadheadskier said:


> How much of his own material does he write?  Most of that material seems to be cover tunes.
> 
> 
> different strokes.....




He's released something like 12 albums of originals.  Angelina, Mombasa from above are two of them.  Chet Atkins named him a CGP.  There's no higher honor in the acoustic fingerpicking world.  The covers he does get a lot of airtime on YouTube because people love them.  But his originals are incredible.  Definitely more cerebral.

But +1 on the different strokes.........


Here are some originals for reference:


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## Greg (Sep 24, 2009)

Never even heard of Tommy Emmanuel before this thread. Wow. Scary talent.


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## deadheadskier (Sep 24, 2009)

Are you a Stanley Jordan fan BMM?

There's guitar method I have a real hard time wrapping my mind around.  Essentially plays the guitar like a piano.


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## Marc (Sep 24, 2009)

deadheadskier said:


> watched through your postings.  I'll check out more.  There's no doubt the guy is a maestro, probably technically more able than Jorma.  That said, 'soul' is the last thing I think of when it comes to him.  I liken watching Tommy more to a stand up comedy performance than a concert.  I would really enjoy watching him play, but it's just not my thing.  Too many notes most of the time, too gimickey bordering on cheesy....overall too busy.



Lol, too many notes?  Are you the emperor of Austria?



Come now DHS, I readily and heartily agree with the different strokes sentiment, but your post was full of back handed compliments.  More technically proficient than Jorma but is like stand up comedy?  You'd enjoy watching him play, but it's gimickey, bordering on cheesy.

I think I get where you're coming from.  You're a fan of the folk and blues genre, it seems.  That's cool, I like that stuff too from time to time, but blues and folk were genres that never really centered around technical proficiency, either.  Guys like Sonny Boy Williamson, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf... most people will think "musical pioneer" when they think of those names as they rightly should.  But they aren't known for their mastery of the instrument.  (Side bar: which is a little ironic since blues was more or less an off shoot of jazz, which evolved from the roots of the late Romantic/Impressionist period melded with an African influence that brought steadier rhythm, syncopation, the swing beat, etc, and late Romantic period giants were known almost as much for their virtuosity as anything else, e.g. Rachmaninoff, Prokofiev, Schoenberg, Tchaikovsky).  Folk really found it's modern footing (even though it's been around for several hundred years) when, around the Vietnam War (or shortly before?) with guys like  Dylan, the Guthries, Pete Seeger... these guys weren't heralded for their musicianship either, despite all being enormously talented in other ways.

Coming from a slightly different angle is BMM.  Anyone who studies Bach can tell you the enjoyment of his music only really comes when you add that element of intellectual engagement.  It's not music to which most people would dance.  People who seek music immediately pleasing to the ear will often not enjoy sitting through a Brandenburg Concerto and certainly not a Fugue or Prelude for organ.  It's more complicated music, and to really get into it, you have to pay close attention and listen critically for things like the interaction of separate parts, the counterpoint.... key change progression, part repetition and variation.  Baroque music eventually of course evolved into Classical and then Romantic music when showing raw emotion eventually became more accepted and even fashionable (of course if you were to play a Liszt Etude in the 1600's, if you had a pianoforte, it would've been considered obscene and blasphemous!)

Anyway, where was I going with this?  Oh yeah, just because you don't enjoy that kind of thing doesn't call for your denigration of it.  I don't need to point out that often times the quality of "soul" is associated with simple musical structure, very basic chord progression and key changes, imperfect technique, extended monophony. When emphasis is shifted to the language related poetic aspects of music, the musicality necessarily diminishes in importance.  Anyone can appreciate the beauty of the vocal parts in the fourth movement of Beethoven's 9th without knowing what the hell those screeching ladies are actually saying.  Not the same can be said for said, Dylan's interpretation of Blown' In the Wind.

I apologize to BMM for the hijack and to anyone who read through that and found it tear jerkingly dull, let's resume his previously scheduled shredding


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## deadheadskier (Sep 24, 2009)

yes too many notes.

I'm huge Phish fan.  I think Trey often plays too many notes as well.  The rest of the band does too and often cracks on him for it.  Music isn't just about the notes played, it's about what lies between the notes too.

Am I impressed with Tommy's skill?  Yes, but his style on stage has a lot of comedy to it.  Nothing wrong with that, just not my thing.  And if you're going to call me out for my degeneration of Tommy's style, don't do the same with your analysis of my take on his music compared with your broader understanding of classical styles.

Plenty of people understand Bach from an intellectual stand point, appreciate his skill and still think the music sucks.  I would not be one of them and with that statement I'm not suggesting Tommy sucks, it's just not something I'd listen to often.


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## Marc (Sep 24, 2009)

deadheadskier said:


> yes too many notes.
> 
> I'm huge Phish fan.  I think Trey often plays too many notes as well.  The rest of the band does too and often cracks on him for it.  Music isn't just about the notes played, it's about what lies between the notes too.
> 
> Am I impressed with Tommy's skill?  Yes, but his style on stage has a lot of comedy to it.  Nothing wrong with that, just not my thing.  And if you're going to call me out for my degeneration of Tommy's style, don't do the same with your analysis of my take on his music compared with your broader understanding of classical styles.



I apologize, I didn't really mean to sound denigrating.  Some of it is a knee jerk reaction to the attitude that "classical" music is any style from before about 1920 and is dismissed out of hand as an entire genre.  Which is funny when people don't realize they're referring to three or four centuries of music, all of it eventually evolving and culminating into what we know as modern music.  I blame music stores as much as anyone for this.  Can you not see my confusion though?  You say you'd be entertained but it was gimicky and cheesy.  I am not often entertained by things I think are gimicky and cheesy.



> Plenty of people understand Bach from an intellectual stand point, appreciate his skill and still think the music sucks.  I would not be one of them and with that statement I'm not suggesting Tommy sucks, it's just not something I'd listen to often.



Well, I'm not at liberty to say how many people understand Back and still think his music sucks since I don't know.  I can tell you that studying music theory and his music in particular will certainly increase the chances one likes that sort of thing.

Not that I've even really studied him much.  My limited knowledge comes only from a music minor and the frustration of studying a few instruments without much talent to go on.


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## deadheadskier (Sep 24, 2009)

Marc said:


> I can tell you that studying music theory and his music in particular will certainly increase the chances one likes that sort of thing.



I would say appreciate his talents, not necessarily like the music.  Billy Shaheen and Steve Vai are both immensely talented modern musicians.  Their skill is amazing.  Do I like the music? no  I think it's cheezy :lol:


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## Marc (Sep 24, 2009)

deadheadskier said:


> I would say appreciate his talents, not necessarily like the music.  Billy Shaheen and Steve Vai are both immensely talented modern musicians.  Their skill is amazing.  Do I like the music? no  I think it's cheezy :lol:



Yeah but Steve Vai plays in front of a fan to keep his huge hair out of his face, that's not fair to bring him up.

I'm only kidding of course.  I wish I had half the virtuosity Vai has developed/was born with.

Scratch that, make it Mark Andre Hamelin or Evgeny Kissin.


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## BushMogulMaster (Sep 24, 2009)

I guess I just can't see how Tommy is "gimicky" or "cheesy."  Granted, he tells some dumb jokes, and has his fun.  But when it's time to play, he's as serious as they come.  It's all about the passion, the music, the raw emotion.  Watch some interviews of him, and you'll see that his music is pure emotion and passion.  No "cheese" or "gimicks."  Any of that is mostly on covers, so he's just having a bit of fun.


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## BushMogulMaster (Sep 24, 2009)

As far as Bach goes... no one can truly understand or master the art of Bach.  The closest you can come to understanding Bach is when attempting--and probably failing miserably--to learn a 25 page fugue for organ, as you read 6 distinct parts on three staves, trying desperately to maintain some semblance of accuracy in the relationship between the parts.  That is music, that is art.  Even if you don't like it, you certainly must appreciate it.  Personally, I love it.  And I hate it.  It depends on whether I already know the song or not!


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## deadheadskier (Sep 24, 2009)

BushMogulMaster said:


> I guess I just can't see how Tommy is "gimicky" or "cheesy."  Granted, he tells some dumb jokes, and has his fun.  But when it's time to play, he's as serious as they come.  It's all about the passion, the music, the raw emotion.  Watch some interviews of him, and you'll see that his music is pure emotion and passion.  No "cheese" or "gimicks."  Any of that is mostly on covers, so he's just having a bit of fun.



are you serious?  

If you don't think he's a total cheese ball, stand up comic with a guitar in his hand for the majority of the initial video you posted.........I don't really know what to say. 



Like I said, nothing wrong with his approach to entertainment, just not my thing.  He seems to have a bit of Weird Al Yankovick in him only it's voiced through his expression on the guitar and his stage mannerisms, but obviously not lyrics.  This comes out in many of the other videos I watched.  And when I mentioned my opinion that he plays too many notes, in that way it's like a someone who is trying too hard to be funny.

Perhaps I prefer performers and music that's a bit more 'serious' in it's tone. It's very rare that I look to music for a funny funny ha ha experience.  I look to music to get get my gut wrenched or my ass movin'.

it's all good......one of my favorite paintings ever is this........not at all serious.  Love it because it's hilarious to me, often what I look for in art.  You might thinks it's cheesy.   different strokes of the paint brush and guitar strings........


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## BushMogulMaster (Sep 24, 2009)

Alright, alright... the medley vid is "cheesy."  Can we get past that one though?  I'm pretty sure he only did that _once._  Tell me what's cheesy in "Angelina" or "Since We Met" or "Those Who Wait" or "Endless Road."

Different strokes, I know.  Just trying to understand here!


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## SkiDork (Sep 25, 2009)

Check out "The Hunt"


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## awf170 (Sep 27, 2009)

DHS, even though you probably don't mean it, you're sounding really condescending.  Something can be seen as funny to you but be completely serious and emotion to someone else.   What do you think of this?  



Probably laughable, right?


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## ski_resort_observer (Sep 27, 2009)

Very impressive Patrick! Bravo! Like most art there can be alot of diferent interpretations of the same music. The first guy played the more "classical" version, classical is an adjective here not a genre of music. Just like the original minus the orchestra in the background, of course. I remember well when it was a big hit, playing constantly on the AM radio. It's a great song, not too many instrumentals make the pop chart top twenty back then. Tubular Bells was another instrumental which was a big hit.

Your version was a diferent interpretation, a more creative one, diferent timing. You two played on two very diferent instruments. His, traditional folk sound with looser strings making more twang, nylon strings, being out of tune non-withstanding. Yours was much cleaner, strings much tighter but that's, again, partly due to the diferent instruments. Metal strings? Your finger transitions much tighter.  From a Alpinezone Idol perspective you win hands down but I still was pretty impressed with the first guy, it's a hard song.


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## BushMogulMaster (Sep 27, 2009)

Thanks, SRO!  Definitely different arrangements.  One could argue that one is better than the other, but each has musical merit.  I am obviously partial to the Tommy Emmanuel arrangement.  It is more technically demanding, and more interesting.  But the original Mason Williams tune is great as well.

High def version of the "final" product coming soon.  It's not quite perfect, but I'm pleased with it.  Will post soon!


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## BushMogulMaster (Sep 27, 2009)

Recording and audio/video production and mastering is complete.  Vid is uploading in HD to YouTube as we speak.  2 hours or so to go.  I'll post the link in the morning...


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## BushMogulMaster (Sep 28, 2009)

Here it is, in all its HD glory:


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## Warp Daddy (Sep 28, 2009)

Kudos  Patrick !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Nicely done , we really enjoyed YOUR version 

Warp  & The Queen


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## BushMogulMaster (Sep 28, 2009)

Warp Daddy said:


> Kudos  Patrick !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Nicely done , we really enjoyed YOUR version
> 
> Warp  & The Queen



Thanks!


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