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Can’t think of a Life without Music

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“There’s nothing like music to relieve the soul and uplift it.” – Mickey Hart

Rex Lee Bell guitar teacher

If we are the best creation of God, then music is arguably the greatest creation of man, and is probably the most powerful thing on this planet. Music keeps us going actually, and a life without music would be the last thing on earth we would have wished for. Music makes this world lively and active, it brings cheers and happiness in our life. Anartist playinga musical instrument and the person who listens to it, both equally enjoy the music. Music is one of the most cherished human experiences and everyone enjoys some sort of music. Music can not only be enjoyable it can also have a positive effect in our life in various ways.

Music, the universal language, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, an American poet in the 19th century said that music is “the universal language of mankind.” Because of the kind of effect music has in our life, music has crossed boundaries to unit people from different countries, background and cultural heritage.There is nothing like music to take you to a place in time. Music bridges the cultural divide: a study conducted by Researcher Thomas Fritzfrom the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Germany has shown that regardless of culture or previous exposure, people in Cameroon were accurately able to recognize three emotions in Western music – happiness, sadness and fear.

Music can make you smarter, “Mozart effect”which refers to a set of research results indicating that listening to Mozart’s music may induce a short-term improvement on the performance of certain kinds of mental tasks known as “spatial-temporal reasoning”. In short it will make you smarter. It is, also, said that music training at an early age helps develop certain parts of brain which are involved with language and reasoning.

Music improves creativity, according to a HuffingtonPost article,music is a great way to enter “mind-wandering mode,” which can unlock creativity. This article talks about Levitin, a professor of neuroscience at McGill University, according to whom there are two primary modes of brain operation: Either you’re paying attention to something very closely and you’re deeply engaged in a task, or you’re in “mind-wandering mode”. It’s in this “mind-wandering mode” where most of the creativity takes place, and we’re able to come up with innovative solutions to problems.

Music reduces stress and anxiety, the calming effect of music is a well-established fact. It has a unique link to our emotions, and henceit isvery effective in managing stress. According to a study at Mind-Body Wellness Center and Loma Linda University School of Medicine and Applied Biosystems stress can be reduced on a genomic level by playing a musical instrument.

Music is everywhere, and it can set the ambiance in any room by only changing the style and sound of it. Soft music in a restaurant creates a great romantic ambience for a couple, while loud and inspirational music increases the motivational level of athletes before a match.

For decades different music genres like classical, jazz, rock, blues, hip hop, country, rap, bluegrass, folk, metal, etc. have evolved and ruled the heart, mind and soul of people. Music is a great force which can bring people together and create international peace, love and brotherhood.

So, if you want to add music to your life by learning to play an instrument, then just visit my website guitarconfidence.com and give me a call. I’m Rex Lee Bell and I have been doing mobile guitar lessons for many years. I will come to your home and give you private guitar lessons at your home. Guitar Confidence covers over 30 cities in the East Bay and South Bay areas; including Danville, San Ramon, Dublin & Pleasanton.

Also, this #labor day, buy one month lesson and get the second month at 50%

Visit www.guitarconfidence.com for more info.

Contemporary Christian Music

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Learning to Play Contemporary Christian Music on Guitar

Today we explore CCM (Contemporary Christian Music) hit song “Breathe” by Michael W Smith. Contemporary Christian Music and occasionally “inspirational music” is a genre of modern music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith.

From Wikipedia – Today, the term is typically used to refer to the Nashville Tennessee – based pop, rock, and worship Christian music industry, currently represented by artists such as Mercy Me, Casting Crowns, Jeremy Camp, Third Day, Matthew West, Toby Mac, Chris Tomlin and Michael W. Smith. The industry is represented in Billboard Magazines “ Top Christian Albums” and “Hot Christian Songs” charts, and by Radio and Records magazines Christian AC ( Adult Contemporary ) Christian CHR ( Contemporary Hit Radio), Christian Rock and Inspirational ( INSPO) airplay charts, as well as the iTunes Stores “ Christian & Gospel genre.

However, not all modern music which  lyrically identifies with Christianity is part of the Nashville Contemporary Christian Music industry. Alternative genres such as punk, hardcore, heavy metal, and hip hop groups deal explicitly with issues of faith but are not normally not considered Contemporary Christian Music.

Also, several mainstream artists such as The Byrds, Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Elvis Presley, Kanye West, Creed, The Frey, Evanescence, Lifehouse, U2, the rapper DMX have dealt with Christian themes in their work but are not part of the Christian Contemporary Music industry.

The pdf sheet music for Breathe is in standard lead sheet format. This means 3 parts. On top of music stave paper is Chord Changes for guitar and piano. Then the melody. Then finally the lyrics written below. The mp3 of the melody for those whom want to sing or play melody on their instrument along with pdf file with standard music notation and also guitar tab and guitar chord diagrams with best fingerings is at the bottom of this post.

I currently have a few students whom perform in churches in Sacramento, Vallejo, Benicia, Walnut Creek and San Ramon that want to incorporate jazz chords with Christian music. In other words not just basic minor and major 7th chords but upper extensions such as 9ths, 11ths and 13ths and altered chords meaning sharp and flat fifths and ninth chords. These jazz formations turn heads and I fill bring in the essence of giving that sweet melody and lyrics of praise and worship to His glory.

Please stay tuned to upcoming lessons also for beginners on enhancing Christian music as well as all levels of guitar performance.

I highly recommend downloading this arrangement and take it to your Pastor or church worship team leader. I guarantee they will enjoy this arrangement. God Bless.

Guitar & Banjo Lessons
East Bay CA
(925) 695-7060

Guitar Melodies – Lessons of the Heart

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Music Moves the Soul Because Music is Close to Our Nature

Can you imagine a world without music? I can’t – and I’m not referring to bands, CDs or lyrics. I’m talking about the music of life, the music that is everywhere, the music that dances through our heart, souls and bodies.

In July’s Guitar World, Carlos Santana says, ” Ever since I was a child I’ve always been attracted to melodies. Whether I hear Jeff Beck, a choir, an ocean or the wind, there’s always a melody in there. There’s a melody in everything. And once you find the melody, then you connect immediately with the heart. Because sometimes English or Spanish or Swahili or any language gets in the way. But nothing penetrates the heart faster than the melody.”

As  a guitar instructor for beginners to advanced levels, I encourage students to sing a melody or even whistle a melody. Locate it on your guitar fretboard and you’ve given birth to your emotions for that moment.

Check out the melody by one of my advanced guitar students Devin Turner at age 21. “Late Friday Evenin.g” During lesson Devin plays beautiful melody so we recorded it on my IPhone and then I added chords and here it is, a beautiful expression of Devin Turner.

Download Late Friday Night by Devin Turner Music Score

Marvelous Night for a Moondance

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Pleasanton CA Guitar Lessons

The other day, I was talking to a guitar student in Pleasanton CA about Van Morrison. Years ago, I did my own arrangement of Moondance by Van the Man.

MoondanceMoondance is 3rd solo album by Northern Irish singer – songwriter Van Morrison released on Warner Brothers Records Feb 28 1970 and climbed to #29 on top 100 Billboard trade magazine hits songs. Moondance was critically acclaimed when 1st released and established Morrison as a major artist. This song helped introduce him into Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. In 2003 it was ranked #65 on Rolling Stone magazines list of “The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

In my arrangement (download Moondance pdf) in both standard music notation as well as tab, it’s the rhythm accompaniment so you can sing with it or have another guitarist play the melody which will be in my next Blog. It’s in a standard jazz walking bass groove and an advanced arrangement I created.  I welcome your comments and also questions so please sign up on my home page and I will gladly answer your email questions or instant messages or even set up a SKYPE internet session for free to help you on this arrangement.

Guitar & Banjo Lessons
Pleasanton CA
(925) 695-7060

Dublin – Pleasanton Guitar Lessons

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Music Theory – Scales, Keys and Chord Progressions

Aspiring guitarists should know that every song is based on a major scale, usually referred to as the “key” you are playing in, which denotes the “key signature” (more on that later). The major scale consists of 7 consecutive tones or notes. For example, if you are playing in the key of C major, the notes are C,D,E,F,G,A,B (only major scale with no sharps or flats).

All chords are then constructed  on each of the 7 notes of scale. It’s easier for visualization if you look at the piano keyboard and start on the 1st note of the major scale (in this example C is the first note also referred to as the root).  Chords are referred to using roman numerals – the “I” chord in the key of C major uses the 1,3 & 5 notes of the scale to make up the chord.

Chords consist of at least 3 notes.  So, a C Major chord is made up of the notes: C,E & G known as the root, 3rd degree and 5th degree of the C Major scale. This is called a triad.

A seventh chord would be the root,3,5 and 7th degree of scale. A 9th chord would be Root,3,5,7 and 9th degrees (9th degree is the octave of the 2nd).

A popular rock and blues chord progression used in literally hundreds of songs is the I-IV-V pattern.  The I (C), IV (F) and V (G) are all major chords. All other chords built on the 2,3, 6 and 7th degrees of the scale would be minor chords.

When you are first learning a song, you should analyze the chords using the roman numeral system and get familiar with the progression.  For example La Bamba uses the I-IV-V pattern in the key of C Major. The chord progression would be C to F to G.

Why is it important to know chord patterns using roman numeral system? Because you can transpose to any other key instantly.  For more help on theory check out “ Music Theory For Dummies” and if you’re looking for an instructor in the San Ramon, Danville, Dublin, Walnut Creek or Pleasanton areas to help you take it to the next level, let me know

JB’s Cafe – Concord CA

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Jazz Express Performing JB’s Cafe

So back in the day when I was performing  a lot with my local San Francisco Bay Jazz Quartet known as “Jazz Express”, we’d normally do Sunday brunches at local restaurants in the Bay Area. We were hired by a young chef to play at his establishment –  John Bradley Café also known as J.B.’s Café in downtown Concord CA.

We played standard jazz selections like “Take  The A Train: and “Take Five”. We played every Friday evening 6-9p.m. outside. Big crowds would gather. The Jazz Express Quartet consisted of local Bay Area musicians.

One Friday night John Bradley said – here is your last check!  No more live music because the BMI/ASCAP crew paid a visit and measured out his square footage and said he would need to pay about $2000 in royalty fees which will be distributed to all the composers of the different jazz standards we performed  by great composers as Duke Ellington, George Benson, Coltrane, Jobim and etc. I told John in one week each band member will compose 5 original compositions and we will perform all originals.

And that’s how J.B.’s Café came to life. Enjoy a listen

California Church Blues & Music Notation

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East Bay Guitarists, Guitar Students & The Art of Music Notation & Composition

This post is like my Line 6 floor pedal (mentioned later) – crammed with features (things on my mind!).

A quick shout out to a student –  John Hill, who is a now a great blues musician. He plays at many churches in California: Oakland, Modesto, Antioch, Pittsburg, Fairfield, Vacaville and Sacramento.

Guitarists in bands like the Allman Brothers or the Gypsy Kings play in different notes – intervals of usually thirds or sixths or  5th’s or even octaves. For example in the key of C major if one guitarist is playing a C, another can play a 3rd up counting C as the tonic or the root note. That would be E. It adds rich tonal color to the music.

At Berklee College of Music, I performed as a guitar and music arranger major 3 days a week  with 20 piece guitar ensemble. Chair 1 and 2 were the most difficult charts with lots of syncopated notes and then chairs 10 – 20 were just simple half notes and quarter notes and chord charts.

We performed songs by Chicago and big band jazz charts. We performed with a 5-piece sax section, a 5-piece trombone section and a 5-piece brass section where each part played different notes as harmony. What a great sound. This is part of the inspiration behind forming the RGS Rock Ensemble.

Every month my guitar, bass, banjo, mandolin and uke student rehearse with celebrity friends from the Greater San Francisco Bay Area including East Bay communities like Oakland, San Ramon, Dublin, Danville, Walnut Creek and Concord  to jam ina big theater venue.

I score out three guitar charts, one for rhythm and beginner and one for intermediate lead guitar and one for advanced guitar along with music charts for drum, keyboards, bass guitar , percussion and saxophones. If you want to get into writing music for all instruments (over 650),  then check out “The Art Of  Music Copying “ and  “ Music Arranging “ by Don Sebesky (if you can find a copy!)

Below is the rock ensemble performing Hip To Be Square, a great Huewy Lewis and the News classic rock pop number which hit #1 on Billboard Magazine.

It features guitar solos by me and Adam Gabriel. Guitar students played the melody. The original soundtrack had no horns so I came up with horns using power  music arranging and composing software known as Sibellius. It allows you to type in a complete score and then have it played by other instruments. You need to be able to read music and know some music theory to use a program like this.

Our rendition of Hip to Be Square (at the end of this post) features Orestes Vilato, ranked in the top ten percussionists in the world for Latin Music. Listen to all the polyrhythms he does and how he uses stick dynamics. At the end of song Adam Gabriel does some great blues lead fills. I’m doing all the screaming rock fills using a Line 6 Spider Amp and Paul Reed Smith Guitar with whammy bar and Line 6 pro floor pedal with Volume Pedal as well as built in Wah Wah Pedal – ya gotta love all the add-ons!

Hip to Be Square performed by RGS Rock Ensemble

More Today Than Yesterday – East Bay Rock Ensemble

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Guitar Students & Pros Cover More Today Than Yesterday

More Today Than Yesterday was a great  one hit wonder group known as “Spiral Staircase”. The original vocalist vocal range was insane. Check it out on You Tube. I kept it traditional pop shuffle as original recording but added more horn parts. It features guitar students playing the melody and  some student sax solos and great guitar solo from professional guitarist Adam Gabriel.

From Wikipedia – The Spiral Starecase was an American band, best known as a one-hit wonder for their 1969 single “More Today Than Yesterday”. The band, from Sacramento, California, was a popular 1960s group, recognizable for its horns and lead singer/guitarist Pat Upton’s distinctive voice. The group also included Harvey Kaye (organ), Dick Lopes (saxophone), Bobby Raymond (bass guitar) and Vinny Parello (drums).

Starting as the Fydallions, they released that song, one album, and a few more singles including “No One for Me to Turn To” after signing with Columbia. The band is known for their hits “More Today Than Yesterday” (U.S. #12), released in January 1969, and the follow-up “She’s Ready”. “More Today Than Yesterday” has been widely covered by, among others, Diana Ross and the band Goldfinger, and was featured in the 1991 film My Girl, on the soundtrack of The Waterboy in 1998, and in an episode of Ally McBeal entitled Silver Bells.

East Bay Rock Ensemble Performs – More Today Than Yesterday

Rock Ensemble Performs Mission Impossible Theme

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Guitar Students & Pros Perform Mission Impossible

Mission Impossible features great sampling of original T.V. series of 1960’s Mission Impossible and Christopher Milne samples from current Mission Impossible sound tracks.

The arrangement by me. I kept it following similar format of movie soundtrack and song  really rocks for going from 4/4 time signature to traditional 5/4 time signature from 1960s TV series “Mission Impossible.”

All the rock in guitar fills is me on my Carlos Santana guitar, a Paul Reed Smith. The bass track were done by excellent bass guitar students – Krista and also Justin Walker.

Theme from Mission Impossible Performed by RGS Rock Ensemble

RGS Rock Ensemble Performs Europa

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Guitar Students & Pros Play Europa

Europa is one of my all-time favorite Carlos Santana hit rock ballads and starts off with me feature playing normal melody on first verse and then on 2nd verse I take it up an octave.

Then I let my students solo and then a great Hammond B3 organ solo featuring Christopher Milne and then I come back in and finish the song.

Europa Performed by RGS Rock Ensemble

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Guitar Confidence
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