I have been busy working out a guitar arrangement for the song "Christmas Time is Here", by Vince Guaraldi. I am hoping to share it during our praise band's Christmas performance on December 21.
I sort of remembered the song from the Peanuts cartoons. However, it was not until I heard Steve Vai's version that I became more interested in the possibility of playing the song. So when our praise band decided to do a Christmas performance, I thought it might be a good opportunity to give the song a try.
Boy was I in for a musical workout! I couldn't find any guitar sheet music for the song, but I found a piano book that had the chords written above the musical staff, however, no fingering diagrams. So I have been trying to figure out the fingering to strange chords like F maj 7 and E flat with a sharped 11 and a 13. When I first started arranging the song I didn't think I would be able to master it enough to play it. Now I think there might be a chance that I can pull it off. I just need to practice it every day. Instead of playing it like Vai, I am trying for a more jazzy approach, like Joe Pass. I think I'll have the band vote on whether I should play it or not.
Now on to the drawings. The owl is a sketch for my series based on the lessons that I teach the kids. I just need to put a few more touches on the final art work and it will be done.
The other sketch is for my Illustration Friday piece. The topic for the week is "Opinion". It seems everyone has an opinion about how things should be. Recently in California, Proposition 8, which bans homosexual marriage, was passed. Opponents are in an uproar and are trying to get the courts to overrule the vote. Proponents are having their say as well.
Both sides, in my opinion, have been hateful to each other. Both have engaged in acts of destruction and violence. I am pretty tired of it and wish we could all just live in peace with each other, regardless of our worldview.
Maybe next time we could vote on a peace initiative. We could call it the Golden Rule.
I sort of remembered the song from the Peanuts cartoons. However, it was not until I heard Steve Vai's version that I became more interested in the possibility of playing the song. So when our praise band decided to do a Christmas performance, I thought it might be a good opportunity to give the song a try.
Boy was I in for a musical workout! I couldn't find any guitar sheet music for the song, but I found a piano book that had the chords written above the musical staff, however, no fingering diagrams. So I have been trying to figure out the fingering to strange chords like F maj 7 and E flat with a sharped 11 and a 13. When I first started arranging the song I didn't think I would be able to master it enough to play it. Now I think there might be a chance that I can pull it off. I just need to practice it every day. Instead of playing it like Vai, I am trying for a more jazzy approach, like Joe Pass. I think I'll have the band vote on whether I should play it or not.
Now on to the drawings. The owl is a sketch for my series based on the lessons that I teach the kids. I just need to put a few more touches on the final art work and it will be done.
The other sketch is for my Illustration Friday piece. The topic for the week is "Opinion". It seems everyone has an opinion about how things should be. Recently in California, Proposition 8, which bans homosexual marriage, was passed. Opponents are in an uproar and are trying to get the courts to overrule the vote. Proponents are having their say as well.
Both sides, in my opinion, have been hateful to each other. Both have engaged in acts of destruction and violence. I am pretty tired of it and wish we could all just live in peace with each other, regardless of our worldview.
Maybe next time we could vote on a peace initiative. We could call it the Golden Rule.
2 comments:
Good luck on the song. I'm on a quest for wedding-type material for acoustic guitar that a fellow picker and I want to perform for a friend getting married in May. She has asked us, but we're bluegrassers and that doesn't blend well with a wedding. I'm looking at fingerpicking style material. With enough practice I can probably pull it off. Same dilemma as you.
It sounds like you are learning a lot with your music. I hope they vote for it with all that effort behind it.
I agree we need more, much more, of getting along with others. It doesn't help when prior to the election people were stretching the truth about the issues and sometimes downright lying so they could sway people. I think a lot of people are getting tired of the world not getting along. And THAT is my OPINION! lol.
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