Though I’ve never had the priviledge of seeing The Beatles (other than George Harrison that is) in concert, I did see The Rolling Stones three times and even got back stage once! So, you might say both groups have had quite an influence on me musically. I was also heavily influenced by Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell, among others.
Though my music has rock and folk overtones, I don’t try to sound like anyone else when I write a song. However, I will sometimes get an idea from one of my “music mentors” and incorporate that into a song. For example, not too long ago my husband and I wrote and recorded an original song called “Hope.” I’ve always liked how the Indigo Girls use overlaping verses in some of their songs and wanted to try that idea in our song. So we created a bridge where my husband is singing a verse with a particular melody and then I come in singing something entirely different over the top. It’s pretty cool, and we don’t sound anything like the Indigo Girls!
You will begin to develop your own original sound when you start using your unique personality, experiences, and perspective to express yourself musically. By combining these attributes and perfecting your musical skills, you will be moving along the road to success.
GUITAR TIPS:
Have you ever tried bouncing a chord? That’s my own phrase, so I doubt if you’ve ever heard it before. You can get a grasp on the concept by imagining a bouncing ball. Here’s what you do:
1. Strum any chord (let’s use C Major).
2. Lift all your fingers up off the fretboard, while still holding the shape of the chord, and strum the strings again.
3. Set them back down on the strings and strum the chord.
Your goal is to place your fingers exactly where they need to be. Try to set all your fingers down on the strings at the same time. This is a great exercise for training your fingers how to memorize a chord shape.
4. Practice strumming this with a count:
one (fingers down) two (fingers up) three (fingers down) four (fingers up)
5. Switch to another chord (use F, G or G7)
(Repeat steps 1-4)
Continue practicing this exercise until you can change smoothly from one chord to the next without losing the shape of the chord.
FOR MORE INSPIRATION:
Here’s a very good article written by Bob Baker, a renowned indie music promoter and publisher –
Unleash Your Talents
Find out what’s been happening in my ongoing blog about The Beatles –
Kathy Unruh’s Guitar & Indie Music Blog
Thanks for subscribing to the ABC Learn Guitar Newsletter, offering free tips and ideas for guitar players and indie musicians. See you next month!
Musically yours,
Kathy Unruh
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