Just great to have you here Ellen, to share in the lunacy, navigate the shoals without getting pulled down the whirlpool (whirlpools scare the hell out of me) and putting up with we freeloaders.
Would probably like your brother, just don't let him see my posts.
Likewise and thanks, David. It feels quite daunting a lot of the time, but having kindred souls and friendly spirits makes all the difference. Which you are one!
I think you and my brother would be very simpatico.
I got on board the Substack train in July 2024 and the timing was perfect - you had me at Todd!
I appreciate this post and will take this opportunity to say that while you may question your own 'qualifications' in the face of old rock obsessives like me or pro writers like Wayne, Dan, etc, your true love of the music comes through and your perspectives as a psychologist adds an element that sets your work apart.
And with all due respect to your brother, I enjoy your writing very much and look forward to anything you post!
Oh, and I'm one of those guys who learned to play guitar with a few teachers in my teens and then hours & hours of playing along with records - you can hum a few bars & I'll fake it, but if you want to shut me up, just put a chart in front of me! I only got into it to impress girls. . .
Thank you, Hugh, I really appreciate those words of appreciation and support.
I do sometimes question writing about a topic I love rather than a topic where I have professional expertise and might attract a great many more readers. But I can't get motivated by those professional topics no matter how hard I try, whereas you're right that I love writing about rock music and find never-ending fascination in learning about that world.
Not to mention, the music substack community is a very supportive and welcoming one, and music writers are in general a passionate lot.
I'm so glad you played along to records. I'm planning to learn how to play acoustic guitar in the new year and there's no way I am going to learn using sheet music. When you think about it, most musicians down through history learned by ear. Why mess with a proven method! But I do wonder, will it impress the guys...
You know what’s really great stuff to play along with to learn guitar - even on acoustic - is Creedence. For the most part they are simply structured songs, usually in major keys, and generally recorded in A440 tuning - which is to say not speeded-up or messed around with like the Beatles recordings often are. I could never understand why it was so hard to play along with Beatles records until I realized they were often messing with the pitch.
Get your major first-position 'cowboy chords' down plus Am and B7 and you should have it pretty much covered.
Uh-oh, I just realized your bro is going to bust me for "your perspectives as a psychologist adds" in my original comment - one too many plurals!
Thank you for that really useful advice. No doubt I would have started with the Beatles and gotten as confused with that as I did with eight-note triplets.
My brother is going to love it when I tell him he's being perceived as the grammar police by Hugh from Seattle. It's cracking me up just thinking about it.
I see you're a newbie. My advice is to send a DM to Brad Kyle on Chat and ask to do a Tune Tag with him (if he hasn't already been in touch). That's a great way to get introduced to the music community. Start the Tune Tag right away, as there'll be a delay in getting posted. Good luck!
Thanks, Thea, appreciate that and feel the same way about you. We are blessed, aren't we, with the supportive, diverse, and fascinating Substack music family.
Thanks so much, Ellen, for your kind and overflowing compliments toward our little vacant-lot rock-mobile, FRONT ROW & BACKSTAGE (next week, we'll feature chips'n'queso for lunch hour)!
You're a welcome voice in the #MusicStack press room, Ellen, and I echo Hugh's and Thea's pronouncements about your talents and contributions in their comments!
🎵As Kansas and CSNY have both said, in various keys'n'harmonies, "Carry on!"🎵
De nada, and can I have some of that chips 'n' queso? Yum.
Appreciate the kind words of support, and I do intend to carry on. I just need to get more focused and consistent, as you are. Make a schedule and follow it. When I go off piste, people get confused and the posts don't do as well. So, I'm gradually learning! It takes a while to catch up to you ol' radio hands who know how to broadcast and promote!
It’s interesting to know who is reading the material. Thanks for the breakdown. You’re enjoyable to read because you tell the story from your view of it. A lot of writers try to over emphasize their role in the “play”. You report on what the play looked like from where you were sitting, which is the correct strategy.
“Won’t you tell me who I am?” Catchy hook for a song…🤔🧐
Big fan of Supertramp's Logical Song. (Slightly different, and there's always room for the Al B song!)
Literary license. Hopefully Roger won’t mind.
Just great to have you here Ellen, to share in the lunacy, navigate the shoals without getting pulled down the whirlpool (whirlpools scare the hell out of me) and putting up with we freeloaders.
Would probably like your brother, just don't let him see my posts.
Likewise and thanks, David. It feels quite daunting a lot of the time, but having kindred souls and friendly spirits makes all the difference. Which you are one!
I think you and my brother would be very simpatico.
I got on board the Substack train in July 2024 and the timing was perfect - you had me at Todd!
I appreciate this post and will take this opportunity to say that while you may question your own 'qualifications' in the face of old rock obsessives like me or pro writers like Wayne, Dan, etc, your true love of the music comes through and your perspectives as a psychologist adds an element that sets your work apart.
And with all due respect to your brother, I enjoy your writing very much and look forward to anything you post!
Oh, and I'm one of those guys who learned to play guitar with a few teachers in my teens and then hours & hours of playing along with records - you can hum a few bars & I'll fake it, but if you want to shut me up, just put a chart in front of me! I only got into it to impress girls. . .
Thank you, Hugh, I really appreciate those words of appreciation and support.
I do sometimes question writing about a topic I love rather than a topic where I have professional expertise and might attract a great many more readers. But I can't get motivated by those professional topics no matter how hard I try, whereas you're right that I love writing about rock music and find never-ending fascination in learning about that world.
Not to mention, the music substack community is a very supportive and welcoming one, and music writers are in general a passionate lot.
I'm so glad you played along to records. I'm planning to learn how to play acoustic guitar in the new year and there's no way I am going to learn using sheet music. When you think about it, most musicians down through history learned by ear. Why mess with a proven method! But I do wonder, will it impress the guys...
You know what’s really great stuff to play along with to learn guitar - even on acoustic - is Creedence. For the most part they are simply structured songs, usually in major keys, and generally recorded in A440 tuning - which is to say not speeded-up or messed around with like the Beatles recordings often are. I could never understand why it was so hard to play along with Beatles records until I realized they were often messing with the pitch.
Get your major first-position 'cowboy chords' down plus Am and B7 and you should have it pretty much covered.
Uh-oh, I just realized your bro is going to bust me for "your perspectives as a psychologist adds" in my original comment - one too many plurals!
Thank you for that really useful advice. No doubt I would have started with the Beatles and gotten as confused with that as I did with eight-note triplets.
My brother is going to love it when I tell him he's being perceived as the grammar police by Hugh from Seattle. It's cracking me up just thinking about it.
Very Ellen of you to take the time to celebrate your readers like this! Thank you!
Thanks for your ongoing support, Charles.
Love your writing, Ellen. Keep on keepin’ on! (And thanks mucho for the plug!)
Thanks, Dan, and the feeling is mutual. Hope more discover you!
That was brilliant. Thank you!
Thanks, Chris!
Thank you for your thanks! Looking forward to more insights!
I see you're a newbie. My advice is to send a DM to Brad Kyle on Chat and ask to do a Tune Tag with him (if he hasn't already been in touch). That's a great way to get introduced to the music community. Start the Tune Tag right away, as there'll be a delay in getting posted. Good luck!
Whoa that’s very cool of you. I’ll search out Kyle. Thank you.
🙋♂️Ellen was so kind in directing you in my direction, Chris! Happy to have you aboard!
You’re a rockstar, Ellen! We are truly blessed with our Substack music family!
Thanks, Thea, appreciate that and feel the same way about you. We are blessed, aren't we, with the supportive, diverse, and fascinating Substack music family.
Thanks so much, Ellen, for your kind and overflowing compliments toward our little vacant-lot rock-mobile, FRONT ROW & BACKSTAGE (next week, we'll feature chips'n'queso for lunch hour)!
You're a welcome voice in the #MusicStack press room, Ellen, and I echo Hugh's and Thea's pronouncements about your talents and contributions in their comments!
🎵As Kansas and CSNY have both said, in various keys'n'harmonies, "Carry on!"🎵
De nada, and can I have some of that chips 'n' queso? Yum.
Appreciate the kind words of support, and I do intend to carry on. I just need to get more focused and consistent, as you are. Make a schedule and follow it. When I go off piste, people get confused and the posts don't do as well. So, I'm gradually learning! It takes a while to catch up to you ol' radio hands who know how to broadcast and promote!
It’s interesting to know who is reading the material. Thanks for the breakdown. You’re enjoyable to read because you tell the story from your view of it. A lot of writers try to over emphasize their role in the “play”. You report on what the play looked like from where you were sitting, which is the correct strategy.
Thanks, Daniel. Appreciate that!
I found it interesting who's reading as well. A bit of a surprise.
This is brilliant! Definitely feeling -queue wanye’s world meme - not worthy.
Thanks, Chris, and you are a welcome and worthy member of the substack music family!
Thank you!