Comes out different every time … here I am today 🤷🏻‍♂️

I stumbled on to this tune after Marc talked me down from the ledge (Misty). Never heard of the tune (I fall in love too easily) before but the harmonic movement hit me like a ton-o-bricks...this is one of Marc's 'essentials' recordings. I listened to a Frank Sinatra version to understand where the tune came from...didn't care for it much but started listening to the essentials version mostly non-stop for days. Learning the voicings and the sheet itself was not bad save for several tricky/new/rapid fire fingerings, the learning has gone well. Then I tried to maintain conveyor belt and all my dreams were shattered. This is a slow, slow ballad...should be easy right???? I have a lot a work to do. Gorgeous tune though. Looking forward to the day when I can do it justice.

Doctor Gabriel prescribed me the key switching neighboring tone etudes after my recent improv practicing post over the C-Eb progression. Here they are after a few days of drills. As @Coach Gabriel Sebrian has intended, these have also helped increase my fluency in Eb (a current weak spot). Note that in addition to whatever exercises I'm working on nowadays, I've also been focusing on reducing the pinky flyaway that Marc pointed out that I should address awhile back. This has really taken some diligent, intentional focus, but I feel it's finally starting to pay off some. The intent is to really keep the pinky as close to the fretboard as practical when not in use so it's ready to engage again quickly, and not let it coil way back as it seems it naturally wants to do. I've notice that this actually has improved my playing some! That's not to say there isn't still a bit of ongoing work to do, but at least it's starting to occur more without conscious focus on it. Anyhow, here are the key switching etudes (essentially the same drill in different positions). Feedback always appreciated! Thanks. https://youtu.be/17d_RwJlYqY https://youtu.be/XIJPcymLmLI https://youtu.be/3pihRlTTlbE https://youtu.be/VaHO22MbovM

@Philip Halton @Casey Childers With Philip recovering from his wrist injury, I thought it was worthwhile to repost an article written by Julian Lage https://www.premierguitar.com/digging-deeper-the-diving-board-effect where he discusses his journey to reduce tension in both his right and left hands. I've posted this article before, and it is something I return to periodically. There is a good summary by former JGA member Peter Marco https://www.skool.com/jazz-guitar/julian-lages-picking-exercise where he details how he incorporated this into his daily practice. I've attached a pdf of Peter's practice plan - it is worth reading after going through the initial article.

After showing the work leading up to this, here is the chord melody followed by an improv. I also did a version where I comped and played the head, but it was too long - so I just end after the improv. Elements of what I played are definitely in the various previous etudes for scales, guide tones, and arpeggios. I did practice the various steps daily and eventually things began to fall into the improv. The only real plan I had for the improv, was that I wanted to start going down the scale - since the melody goes up and I wanted a contrast. I also targeted the "out" notes in the various diminished chords in the song. So I land on the Ab against the F dim, the F# against the C diminished, and C# on the E diminished - even though those notes are not diatonic to the key of the song (C). This is also different than the melody of the song which is 99% diatonic to C (except for a single G# at the end). To me, I heard those notes in the chordal movement and it felt very natural to play them.