I just posted this half-hour video exploring some song arrangement and related technique ideas for all of you. The song in question is "Time After Time". This video breaks it down into component elements.

I hope you find it helpful, even if you don't want to learn the song.

Thanks to everyone who offered feedback in the other thread about the song video. Your input helped me design the lesson.

If there is still something missing from your perspective, please let me know. And please feel free to leave comments on YouTube as well, for the benefit of people who are not on the forum.

enjoy:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1IJpL6zoXM[/youtube]

Very cool!!

My only question is...is it possible to show the changing bass side chords on the "same" fretboard animation?

I'm just curious if that would be easier to see, and closer to what goes on in the players mind and sight.

Great lesson.

Brett

Thanks, Brett,

It's a good suggestion about the bass tabs. There are a couple points in the video where I did that, to show a slide in the bass from chord to chord. It becomes a question of screen real estate, and the hand covers so much ground that much of the chart would often not be in use. The Stick's vertical position is not so 16:9 friendly compared to bass and guitar,

Any other feedback from you would be most welcome. I really value your opinion as a player and teacher.

Greg, this is a great video, wish I had this on your Hands Free DVD. Great explaination on left hand positlions.

Thanks Greg, I'll be spending some time with this one!

Hi Harpo,

Glad you like it. Since I couldn't fit everything I wanted on the DVD, I'm planning on putting out a series of videos that will take up where the DVD leaves off. Any specific feedback about the content here will help shape future videos, so please post anything that occurs to you or doesn't work for you.

I used the video the other night to try and learn the song a bit and wow, that went pretty well !
I sometimes miss the tabs a little bit. I discovered a little trivial thing. The last phrase on of the intro. It's played twice before the verse starts. In the lesson, you play the last note with the third finger, but that makes it difficult to play the same phrase right after the first one. I checked with the video where you play the whole song, and there you end differently (only different fingering) so as to set up for the second phrase. It's just a tiny trivial thing, haha.
I like the format in general a lot. What would make it even more useable is that it's played through a player where you can easily ayback a part in a loop, like most truefire courses have. As far as the tabs and animations, amazingly good to work with



Cheers,
Bas

So far it's quite awesome; not unlike when I have a Skype lesson with you (although for video, of course you have your "on camera" persona happening)...minus the interruptions for correcting me. LOL

It'll take me a while to get through it, as I often don't have much more time that to sneak a little bit here & there while I'm working, but I'll get there. I think this is the next tune I'll be working on!

Hi Bas, Thanks for taking some time with the video, and I do appreciate your comment about the different fingerings at the end of the intro. I had intended to include that part in the explanation. It's an important omission, because as you noted, the first time, the fingering for the B and C sets up the repeat of the introduction.

I've added an annotation at 14:15 explaining it. Please let me know if you think it is adequate.

Hi Luc, Glad you like it. I didn't realize I had an on-camera persona.... Most people complain that I don't smile enough....