40-Day SWAT Camp Course Blog

[ChrisBuono]

Day 40 - excellent for a change of pace. difficult to get the beat just right, especially at a high tempo, I need a lot of practice to get my speed up. will revist this lesson again.

Thanks Chris for all the work on Swat camp- I have a lot of work to do on prior lessons, need to spend a few days on each individual track. I have recorded a number of my efforts over the last 40 days on my Jamman, and will probably have to redo a number of these, (if not all!) since I can tell I need more practice.
Gary

Can't say this enough: It was my pleasure.

Good to hear a looper is in your arsenal. BIG TIME tool. Everyone should consider one.

[emeryr]

There's nothing to say about Day 40, but WOW! and I'll keep working with it. I'm going to spend sometime on the 2 Bonuses, probably a week on each to start, then I want to start over picking the Days I like the most, then from there start with the hard Days and move to the harder ones. You've really done a great job on this. I think it's great of Truefire to fix the mistakes in the course and send us a new one. I've had a great time on the Blog reading everybody's questions and comments, especially your insight on the next lesson, your answer to our questions and your encouragement to keep trying. I've learned a lot and had a great time looking forward to the next one. Thanks Chris

[wvgman]

I have been asking TrueFire for some Latin music courses for a while, so I am thrilled with our final day at camp. This is great stuff, but as they say, “be careful what you ask for.” Examples 7 - 9 left boot impressions on my backside. They will take some more work, but stuff worth knowing does take effort.

I have really benefited from going through the 40 Day SWAT Camp. It contained such a variety of styles from Bo Diddly to Western Swing, from Hooker’s Blues to Jazz Chord Melody, from Funk to Latin. I love it and recommend it to anyone wishing to expand their chops. Some of the lessons are easy enough and some push you way beyond where you thought you could go, but whether you get the content down in your first or second sitting or if you have to take some of them to the shed, they make you a better player. Thanks, Chris, Brad, and all the TrueFire Staff, and all my fellow forum friends for making this a great learning experience.

[ChrisBuono]

There's nothing to say about Day 40, but WOW! and I'll keep working with it. I'm going to spend sometime on the 2 Bonuses, probably a week on each to start, then I want to start over picking the Days I like the most, then from there start with the hard Days and move to the harder ones. You've really done a great job on this. I think it's great of Truefire to fix the mistakes in the course and send us a new one. I've had a great time on the Blog reading everybody's questions and comments, especially your insight on the next lesson, your answer to our questions and your encouragement to keep trying. I've learned a lot and had a great time looking forward to the next one. Thanks Chris

Cool!! Hopefully those DVDs get to you soon.

[ChrisBuono]

Guys,

Not that we're on Day 40 and some of you (if not all) are in the groove and will probably jump right to the Bonus material. My suggestion is to wait until the new DVDs come as the syncing issues are annoying to say the least. Ren and the crew and feverishly working on getting those together and they should go out VERY soon.

Carry on.

[Leedelta]

Looks like the hardest was saved till last.

I don't have time to get indepth into this one.

Thanks to Sarge & Truefire for this 40 day lesson in humility, its been an eye/ear/finger opener!!!

[ChrisBuono]

I was just going to post the next days assignment ...

Can you believe this is Day 40!!

CONGRATS TO YOU ALL!!!!!

[tev77]

The last day was a killer, I didn't get very far on this one at all.

Thanks for doing this blog Chris, its been an awesome 40 days and I have learnt so much from the different lessons and styles that you have introduced to us.

[ChrisBuono]

The last day was a killer, I didn't get very far on this one at all.

Thanks for doing this blog Chris, its been an awesome 40 days and I have learnt so much from the different lessons and styles that you have introduced to us.

AWESOME! Thank you~

[abbettjc]

Thanks again. I played things that I Never ever would have attempted on my own. I really feel like my depth has increased. I need to work on execution, but all the new stuff all every day helped me be more flexible there too. I'm willing to attempt new things, and work on it where I used to to just move onto something I already knew because it was under my fingers.

All in all a great course. I have three truefire courses that I need to do the same thing with, I'm excited to dig into one of them. I think 335 blues is calling me.

-John

[mel999]

i like this style very much. could dig 1-7, 8 was a little bit harder, and ran out of time for ex. 9.

after the 40 days it's time to spend some time on family and friends, who got neglected in the past weeks. and then it's time to revisit all lessons and to do the bonuses with my friend keef. with sending replacement dvd's, t-shirts and employing awesome teachers like our drill sarge i wonder, how truefire are actually making their money.

thank you for the swat camp. it's perfect this way! without the blog i'd never have finished it. i'm rather the guy buying courses and putting them into the shelves

it was a great time! in some weeks i'm ready for new challenges ... and already curious about the upcoming things

private mel

[Rgalvez]

thank you for the swat camp. it's perfect this way! without the blog i'd never have finished it. i'm rather the guy buying courses and putting them into the shelves

Exactly !!! This course taught us that with a little discipline we can improve dramatically our playing and that we can fully use the materials we already have!

[ChrisBuono]

Exactly !!! This course taught us that with a little discipline we can improve dramatically our playing and that we can fully use the materials we already have!

Can I hear an Amen, brothers?

[jimiclaptoncarl]

Amen bro'! (*plays a plagal cadence*)

[ChrisBuono]

Amen bro'! (*plays a plagal cadence*)

You just wrote plagal cadense. NIIIIIIIICE.

[davek]

Day 40:

Ironically, this was my favorite in the series!

Thanks Chris..you are a great instructor & this was a blast!!!!

Dave

[Piztolpeet]

I totally agree that Swat Camp has improved my practice discipline dramatically.I now have the confidence to know that I can take on lessons and come out the other side stronger no matter what they are..Amen !!! Day 40 went pretty good actually I was on ex.4 and just got improvising on a pretty good riff.I think playing the bass made the right hand positioning easier for me I found it went pretty smooth.Not enough time to get ex 8 and 9 down but I'm confident I can play it with practice.
I will hold off on Keef on Sarge's instructions even though I want to rip into them.My tele is modded after Keef's one so I can't hardly wait .I'm ready for more looks like 50 Blues Licks with Cap'n Jeff is next.Thanks brothers for a great ride

[rjbasque]

I viewed Day 40's lesson during lunch, and it just made you feel have and want to dance.
So was looking forward to making an attempt at playing so Latin music.
And I come home to a 'Blue Screen of Death'. Not sure I even want to know what my son was trying to do.
So last night was Windows restore, and then full back restore. So no guitar playing last night.

If you have kids that use your computer, BACK UP OFTEN!

Chris this has been a great ride, and I'm really looking forward to going back and spending some
quality time with some of these lessons.

[ChrisBuono]

Day 40:

Ironically, this was my favorite in the series!

Thanks Chris..you are a great instructor & this was a blast!!!!

Dave

Indeed it was and thank you for taking the ride!

[ChrisBuono]

I viewed Day 40's lesson during lunch, and it just made you feel have and want to dance.
So was looking forward to making an attempt at playing so Latin music.
And I come home to a 'Blue Screen of Death'. Not sure I even want to know what my son was trying to do.
So last night was Windows restore, and then full back restore. So no guitar playing last night.

If you have kids that use your computer, BACK UP OFTEN!

Chris this has been a great ride, and I'm really looking forward to going back and spending some
quality time with some of these lessons.

Know all about it--I have a 7 and 5 yr. old who have recently discovered on-line games and that Power Rangers are on YouTube along with anything and everything dinosaurs, knights, legos, etc.

[ChrisBuono]

Boys,

THAT was the real deal. In the words of Freddie Mercury, "I thank you all".

Those of you off to McErlain's 50 Licks blog, have a great time and be sure to let us know if doing the blog on the Comments section of TFTV is a better way to go.

Those of you off to hide--you earned it, just be sure to stay with this groove you're in. This was only 40 days, imagine the changes in 4 months, 40 weeks, 4 yrs. ...

See you on the next one!

DIIII-SMISSED!

[Rgalvez]

Hoorray for the Sarge !!!!!

[MidnightExpress]

Well that's all folks. Forty days of Blood, Sweat, and Tears have come to a close. Congrats to everyone and a big hip hip hooray to Sgt Buono and True Fire for hosting this awesome Blog.

I echo and second a lot of sentiments others have already expressed and the input by both student and teacher was second to none. I proved to myself that with a little perseverance and dedication any True Fire course is well within my cross-hairs. And what a way to close out the 40 day SWAT with one of rocks all time Rhythm kings.

[troy1g]

Hello,
Some confusion regarding the Bo Diddley Strum
and the 12/8 strum is Chris saying to play an upstroke
Where normally we would be playing a down stroke on a down
beat? 1,2,3 down up down then UP on the next 1? this has always confused me regrding 12/8 or any kind of three beat groupings.
Thanks to all.
Troy

[ChrisBuono]

Hello,
Some confusion regarding the Bo Diddley Strum
and the 12/8 strum is Chris saying to play an upstroke
Where normally we would be playing a down stroke on a down
beat? 1,2,3 down up down then UP on the next 1? this has always confused me regrding 12/8 or any kind of three beat groupings.
Thanks to all.
Troy

That's right! It's an odd number hence the reversed strokes. If you travel back to page 2 or so, you'll find a lot of discussion on this Day.

Good luck!

[wvgman]

Looks like the camp is empty and awaiting a new cycle of recruits for next time. I have been off sick a few days from work and today we have off for Veterans Day, but when I felt like playing (and sometimes when I didn't), I worked on materials from the Camp.
I started the Jeff McErlain Blues course today and I have sat most of the day playing his Clapton turnaround lick and mixing his first "Essential" lick with things from the Camp, like lesson 28 Swamp Music. I really benefitted from your course and I am sure I have picked up things I will use for the rest of my playing days. I am also starting my list of things from the Camp to go back and master. What great fun and no one gets arrested! WOW!

[Brad]

Two more days to make the deadline for the Graduate award if you qualified. See below for details ...

- - - - - - -
I promised all of the graduates a special award for completing the entire 40 Day SWAT Camp and I'm chiming in now to deliver on that promise.

Although the original rules of engagement required 100% participation with a post for each day, we're going to lighten that up a bit because Chris reports that the platoon worked real hard and deserves a break after all of the abuse, callouses and challenges that have been suffered through.

So here's the deal ... If you've participated and posted in at least 30 of the 40 days, you graduate with honors and special recognition. Now its gotta be at least 30 daily posts - not 29, not 28 -- at least 30 legit posts. And the sarge will be checking so no fudging soldiers!

If you've done your 30 days and 30 posts, then go to the link below to claim your award between now and November 15th.

Congrats to all and thanks much to Chris for all of the work he's put into the SWAT Camp!


http://truefire.tv/page.html?p=00000...z6ktic35bqgf7g==

[ez-one]

I have about 20 or so of the TF titles, I have the orignal 40 day swat camp, but I learn easier with the vids, the orignal does not have vids, just audio bites. I am planning on buying this course in the near future, I am hoping that it will be on the discount promo around Xmas, since funds are kind of tight latley, but I am using some of my free time for the 50 blues licks that I got to work on some of this while I wait. Good stuff

[ChrisBuono]

I have about 20 or so of the TF titles, I have the orignal 40 day swat camp, but I learn easier with the vids, the orignal does not have vids, just audio bites. I am planning on buying this course in the near future, I am hoping that it will be on the discount promo around Xmas, since funds are kind of tight latley, but I am using some of my free time for the 50 blues licks that I got to work on some of this while I wait. Good stuff

Cool man! Hope you dig it!

[wvgman]

I received my 40 Day Rhythm Guitar SWAT Camp Tee shirt today and it is SUPER-COOL!!! It has the TrueFire: United We Stand logo across the back and on the left front it has a cool logo of a guy with a guitar and "40 Day Rhythm Guitar SWAT CAMP" written on it. This is an excellent design. The shirt is sort of an olive green so it looks very official!
THANKS, Brad!

[wvgman]

I really like the shirt! This is the front left side logo.

[gadlaw]

That does look cool as can be Wvgman. Now that makes me wish I could have hung with it better. You certainly have a unique shirt there dudes.

[Wolfboy1]

It is very cool! I love it

[rjbasque]

Yupp olive drab uniform arrived today

[Leedelta]

Got mine today.

[emeryr]

Got mine Tuesday like the color and the design, Thanks Brad. Hope everyone at Truefire has a Merry Christmas & Happy New Year.

[jimiclaptoncarl]

Yep, got mine 2 days ago. It rocks!

Thanks TrueFire!!!

[Rgalvez]

I've just received it!!!! super cool!!1 Thanks Brad and all the Truefire gang!
Last but not least thanks Chris...our cool Sarge!

[ChrisBuono]

YES! I just got mine

It rules, right?!

Guys: this was monumental beyond description. We broke all the records and set the standard for "moderated" blogs.

Thanks again and see you on the next one after Carlton's blog. If you're not there--get there! It's a great hang and 335 Improv is a fantastic course. For real.

and hey...

GET BACK TO WORK!!