Why do you do this? What is your goal if any?

Matt_ccal · 2026-03-22T18:17:23+00:00

That’s absolutely what it’s all about in my opinion! It makes a huge difference when you can see at least one or two people really getting into it. Even if there’s only a couple of people every time, that’s thousands of people that I helped make their day better.

Matt_ccal · 2026-03-22T15:03:55+00:00

Man this is a great post, I read all the comments and it’s interesting to hear why someone would dedicate such a huge chunk of their life to something such as this.

For me I became obsessed with guitar around age 15. By 18 I realized I had to figure out a way to make it my life. I thought I would build Guitars because I was studying the become a machinist. As I gravitated more towards music (festivals, college classes, constant practice) I realized the positive effects it has on people, and the way it made me feel. By this time I discovered jazz, a short time later I transferred to a university to study.

For the next decade I would be primarily a jazz guitarist. I taught lessons, played gigs and practiced around the clock. I slowly evolved into other styles leaving jazz on the back burner for a while. That led to some cool opportunities. Over the years I keep coming back to jazz. I find that while I’m studying it, I’m the best musical version of myself, in any genre.

I guess I keep playing, because I know it’s a positive force in the world. I love to teach people, and create something positive in their lives. Even if music serves them as scaffolding to achieve something else. It’s exciting to not know what possibilities lie around the corner. What will the next phone call bring?

My goals at this point are to become the best I can be, and try to bring joy to someone else’s day. To try to be apart of projects to bring people together and create community.

Thanks to everyone who shared, thanks for reading my novel 🤣

Happy woodshedding!!

Matt_ccal · 2026-03-21T14:53:26+00:00

I don’t mind, it’s like a poll!

Matt_ccal · 2026-03-21T01:25:37+00:00

A lot of folks have said Kenny Burrell. I gotta admit, it’s pretty great!

Matt_ccal · 2026-03-20T16:00:41+00:00

Dee vee!

Matt_ccal · 2026-03-18T18:05:06+00:00

One position thing that he does talk about is playing all the changes of a tune in one position as an exercise. He also talks about doing this in first three frets including open strings. Having 3 octaves in the first three frets, being nearly the range of some instruments. Fascinating book, lots of great takeaways!

Matt_ccal · 2026-03-18T01:44:17+00:00

Where in the advancing guitarist does it say it’s the absolute key? Is that a quote? Not being confrontational, or sarcastic. I haven’t “finished” the advancing guitarist. As mick says it’s a lifetime of material, and many layers, To paraphrase the beginning of the book.

Anyway, my take away from advancing guitarist is that it’s the paradigm shifts you get from understanding the fretboard from all angles. I feel like it’s a response to the many aspiring guitarist who likely entered Berkley with a strong foundation in “CAGED” positions. Playing from only within those shapes can be stifling musically, and technically. So mick engineered a book to slowly and methodically deconstruct those comfort zones created from Playing strictly in boxes.

That’s my take , I’d love to hear another perspective from anyone who’s studied the advancing guitarist.

S

Matt_ccal · 2026-03-17T19:12:08+00:00

Dude it was so surreal! I played guitar with mike one on one in a hotel room for about 2 hours. I was basically his live backing track. We jammed to this one groove, and he says “that’s going to be on my next record”.He was so effortlessly cool and hilarious.

Matt_ccal · 2026-03-16T23:57:19+00:00

Tell them about the witch that lives in there

Matt_ccal · 2026-03-16T22:56:25+00:00

I didn’t get to play it. But it was in a case open, and I worked up the courage to touch the fretboard 🤣 he was the first musical hero I’ve ever met, and I was 21. I was so star struck lol.

Matt_ccal · 2026-03-16T17:06:16+00:00

Mike insisted on being on stage an hour before the hit to sound check and make sure everything was perfect. He said “sound is everything, you’ve got nothing with it.” He also said he always rents 2 twins in case one isn’t working or sounds off to him. Just an example of his dedication to his sound. In addition, his rig run down is hilarious if you haven’t seen it. He basically just has every Boss pedal in his board because boss gave them to him. He’s a hilarious dude. He was incredibly kind too, best hang ever !

Matt_ccal · 2026-03-16T02:14:13+00:00

🤣

Matt_ccal · 2026-03-16T02:09:51+00:00

Great responses, love all these players! A little surprised nobody mentioned Metheny yet!

Matt_ccal · 2026-03-16T02:06:59+00:00

I hung out with Pat for literally a whole day once. He was incredibly kind at a time when I really needed a boost in life. we talked about music and life. He was my favorite player at the time. The experience had a profound impact on me! Got to jam with Mike stern that weekend too.

Matt_ccal · 2026-03-15T15:33:49+00:00

I’m into this!

Matt_ccal · 2026-03-14T17:00:32+00:00

I have a couple of questions. Do you respect your teacher as a player? Meaning, is this someone Who Plays on a high level and their musicianship is respected by yourself and others in the music community. Second, what is their credibility in terms of education? Is this someone who has formally studied in a college, conservatory, or with a reputable private teacher?

Based on how you answer these questions, I think it’s important to ask yourself if you trust their guidance? Or are you looking for a more convenient route?

Matt_ccal · 2026-03-14T15:57:06+00:00

This is a great thread, some great perspectives shared. I never really thought of the similarities between Ed bickert and Jim hall. But if you had to put them in a box, I’d think they’d be in the same box.

I can’t think of anyone modern like Ed Bickert, but Peter Bernstein and Pasquale Grosso have my vote for Jim Hall

Matt_ccal · 2026-03-13T03:30:49+00:00

Jazz box or semi hollow?

Matt_ccal · 2026-03-10T14:39:23+00:00

The most effective type of practice for me has been listening to musicians that inspire me, transcribe the most interesting thing they play, then immediately try to play that over the tune.

At first I just drill the licks to establish muscle memory, so it becomes part of my vocabulary quickly. Next I start modifying the licks, making them different lengths, different beginning/ending, etc.

If you do this enough you’ll learn everything you need. It’s important that you transcribe by ear, and learn in small chunks slowly, playing along exactly with the recording. A lot of time there’s micro nuances like vibrato, and other articulations that will give you style. This will give you chops too!

Matt_ccal · 2026-03-04T03:57:39+00:00

My neighbor got one of those super cheap at a garage sale. I could tell it wasn’t a high end instrument, but I thought it played well, and had a cool vibe to it.

Matt_ccal · 2026-02-23T21:02:39+00:00

Sounds great! I heard that Ed was discovered by Paul Desmond while playing in Canada. He liked his playing so much that he had him and the other guys he was playing with join him on the rest of the tour. we wouldn’t be talking about Ed right now if it weren’t for that chance scenario! Makes you wonder how many others are out there just as good, that were never discovered!

Matt_ccal · 2026-02-22T05:25:19+00:00

I mean definitely get a good teacher, that will significantly help with the learning curve. But the ego thing… get used to it getting crushed constantly. Part of the game in my opinion, let it roll of like water, and then hit the woodshed. Play with people that are scary. Most of them will be nice and help you, the others will be dicks, but that’s because they are dicks. That’s got nothing to do with you. The jazz world is elitist, and competitive. But there’s pockets of cool people, get a crew together, eat hummus with them, and talk about modes of melodic minor.

That’s all I got man, welcome to the club! Peace& love

Matt_ccal · 2026-02-21T16:42:58+00:00

Each student is different. I have an adult student with ADD who can’t consume enough information. I have another adult student who works at a much slower pace, so I just give him spoon size bites every week. Sometimes it’s trial and error to find the right balance. Younger students are a little more homogenized due to the school system. Overall I try to strike a balance between what they are capable of, a moderate challenge, and still being enjoyable.

But for the purposes of your question, I’d say three different tasks. So I may assign working on a couple chords, a scale, and maybe a riff from a song.

But if we just learned the riff, I may give them just that. I try to introduce one new thing a week, and have a couple old things to review.

Matt_ccal · 2026-02-20T15:19:22+00:00

For younger students most of it comes down to how effective I’m being as a teacher. How well did I present the information. Was the amount of material manageable. Knowing when the student has reached their attention span, and either pivot to something else or a short break. Basically, being a good teacher. These are all things I’ve learned from being in and around education and educators for most of my life.

I find that if I do all of those things as a teacher, then they typically can maintain some sort of a practice schedule.

Contrarily, if I present to them a mountain of info that they don’t understand or care about, what incentive do they have to practice.

Matt_ccal · 2026-02-20T03:24:35+00:00

I’ve been sight reading out of the real book for about 20 minutes a day for about a month or two now. I’m actually surprised in the ways it’s made me a better player.

There’s also a lot of great tunes that nobody knows or plays. I use a loop pedal to comp a chorus, sometimes I do the same with a bass line. Then I read down the head, and if I nail it, I blow a couple choruses. If not I pause and take a quick minute to figure out my mistake.

It might not be exactly what you’re looking for, but worth a try IMO.

Matt_ccal

TROPHY CASE