Comments for Rikky Rooksby's site

Comment on Notes from a composer’s journal by rikkyrooksby

rikkyrooksby — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 11:50:29 +0000

My publisher doesn’t keep spare copies of the CD – they are only pressed in the same quantity as the books. My suggestion would be to buy a secondhand copy of the book.

Comment on The chord that dare not speak its name … by Michael Bonett

Michael Bonett — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:52:48 +0000

Do You Believe In Love Chords – Huey Lewis And The News
Verse
B Ebm
I was walking down a one way street Just a looking for someone to meet One

Sweet Talkin’ Woman By: Jeff Lynne/ELO
C
I was searching (searching) on a one-way street,
Am F
I was hoping (hoping) for a chance to meet.

Comment on Notes from a composer’s journal by hbinswanger

hbinswanger — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:16:52 +0000

I have lost my CD to Rikky’s book “Melody.” Does anyone know how I can get a substitute (physical CD or downloaded audio file)? (Sorry if this is a duplicate comment.)

Comment on The chord that dare not speak its name … by Michael Bonett

Michael Bonett — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:35:14 +0000

I found something but usually guitar songs tune down to get this chord or use a capo. Or it is a piano/keyboard not a guitar song. A pure use of the chord on guitar without manipulation from standard tuning on a U tube video? Probably a rare event for a guitarist. Let me know what you think of the below songs anyways.

Guitar + Capo

Artist: The Kooks Title: Naive Album: Inside In/Inside Out (2006)
Chorus:
E B Ebm7
I know, she knows that im not fond of asking
————————————————————
Luka-Suzanne Vega
D#m C#
If You Hear Something Late At Night
D#m C#
Some Kind Of Trouble, Some Kind Of Fight
————————————————————————————-
The Kooks – Ooh La
- – - – CAPO 1ST FRET – - – -
Am F G Dm
And ooh la, she was such a good girl to me
————————————————————————————-
Hanging By A Moment- Lifehouse
Capo 1st Fret
Bridge
F G Dm
There is nothing else
————————————————————————————-
Keyboardy

Glory Box – by Portishead
Verse:
Ebm C# Cmindim B
I’m so tired, of playing, playing with this bow and arrow,
Chorus:
Ebm C# C
Give me a reason to love you,
————————————————————————————-
Spice Girls 2 Become 1 Key: F#
Verse 1:
Ebm C#/F
Candle light and soul forever
————————————————————————————-
…SUPERSTITION… by Stevie Wonder
*from ‘Talking Book’ (1972)*
*CAPO 1st FRET*
(Original Key: Ebm)
——————————————————————————–
I JUST CALLED TO SAY I LOVE YOU – Stevie Wonder
C# C#m7 C# C#
covered candy hearts to give a-
Ebm Ebm Ebm(M7) Ebm(M7)
way … no first of
Ebm Ebm Ebm(M7) Ebm(M7)
spring… … no song to
Ebm7 Ebm7 Ebm(M7) Ebm(M7)
sing… …here’s
Ebm Ebm7 Absus4 Ab
just another ordin- ary

Comment on Notes from a composer’s journal by rikkyrooksby

rikkyrooksby — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:00:30 +0000

Hello Clinton,
Thanks for your comment. I agree with you – there is much to learn from the greats of composition. I find myself becoming more and more conscious of how important structure is. Coming up with great musical ideas is one thing; extending and developing them across a coherent structure that lasts anything between 5 and 20 minutes at a stretch is another thing altogether …

Comment on The chord that dare not speak its name … by rikkyrooksby

rikkyrooksby — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:58:10 +0000

Hello Michael,
Yes I agree. The flat keys become uncomfortable on the guitar quicker than the sharp keys. To my guitar students I usually define guitar-friendly keys as from F-E inclusive. ‘Born In The USA’ is in deed in B but only uses B and E and thus sidesteps the barre-issue.

Comment on The chord that dare not speak its name … by Michael Bonett

Michael Bonett — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:36:54 +0000

I mean B

Comment on The chord that dare not speak its name … by Michael Bonett

Michael Bonett — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:36:13 +0000

Even songs in Bb Gb and Db are rare in guitar pop music. California Girls, Born in the USA, Calling Elvis, Have a Nice Day, Yellow, It ain’t over till it’s over, God put a smile on your face. None were found with a D#bm=Ebminor chord. Need to look further.

Comment on Notes from a composer’s journal by clintonrobertlefort

clintonrobertlefort — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:21:59 +0000

Thanks for sharing the process. As time progresses I see the virtues of the “great” composers shine out so brilliantly when I begin to sketch; for example, Beethoven was able to draw out so much material from so few notes and integrating it all into a whole. He, too, used the piano as the preferred instrument. Schoenberg refers to the central role the original idea of a composition as containing so many seeds for development. An interesting side note comes to mind. Several years ago when composing a piece for 80piece orchestra while at USC film scoring program, I sketched on the computer, it sounded fine, but when I actually got in front of the orchestra to conduct the piece, in front of my peers, etc., I was blown away by the power and force of those simple ideas. I never get those feelings when I compose electronically. That experience taught me a huge lesson: the composer with limited means has to rely more upon his imagination for the final outcome of the piece. I had the same experience when at LSU working on my Masters in music composition under Dinos Constantinides. My “world premieres” were a tremendous experience for me, since to have a live human being perform a piece of yours in an unforgettable experience. I think working with an electronic keyboard does have its drawbacks, but it does provide a great pallet which our famed predecessors had not the pleasure of having.

Anyway, thank you for sharing and good luck in the final outcome. By the way, thanks for all the great books, I have all of them and use them almost everyday. Clint LeFort

Comment on Lost Bowie clip screened by rikkyrooksby

rikkyrooksby — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:30:53 +0000

Hello Trevor,
Thanks for your comment on my post about Bowie and ‘Jean Genie’. I will give your suggestion some careful thought. Glam rock was an interesting phase – not for the dressing up, but for the way it re-invented certain musical devices from the rock’n'roll era and made something new of them. So I think there are songwriting approaches and guitar techniques that could be talked about.