AndyE's Blog: March 2009

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QNotes from Lloyd

In this module I will share the notes and wisdom from my Friend and "Q" Coach as I learn how to master my "Q" . My "Q" is due to arrive on Monday October 18th, 2010. I will name her "Susie Q", in Memory of one of my most loved Chihuahua's that I even had the pleasure of know and love. I miss her oh so very much.

Remember to see the very latest words of wisdom and encouragement from Walt.
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10/20/2010
Here’s the formula for turning on the Heavenly Setup (McGuffey page ten). I do this by habit every time I boot up the Q. I like the sound much better. Remember to stick with EZ play until you master chord changes. Run up the MIDI voices, find those you like.

1. Tap Bass Control twice.

2. Tap F# Major once. This turns on the 100 MIDI voices,

3. Tap A Major once. This lowers the Strum one octave.

4. Tap Bass Control once.

5. Set Strum Sustain at ¾ (more or less to your taste).

6. Set Strum Control ¾ (more or less to your ear).

10/18/2010
Forget rhythms until you are really comfortable with chord sequences. Stick with EZ Play; let the Strum set the tempo. The rhythms plow on no matter what you do. Patience. If you have to think about chord changes, you can’t play with a rhythm.

Always lower the Strum and turn on MIDI voices; Heavenly Setup, McGuffey Page 10. Pick a few tunes and master them. Practice three-chord songs, there are thousands. Crawl, walk, run. No other way.

Song cards will do nothing for you. If you want canned tunes, go with a CD or iPod. You can strum along with any music, if that’s what you want. Just fumble around until you find the key; write it down.

Happy Q-ing.

Q’s were made for non-musicals. And the McGuffey was made for non-musicals who get Q’s. Google McGuffey QChord for a look. The handy, interactive manual will get you playing simple tunes I short order—a fun CD walks you through each lesson. You’ll love the McGuffey.

The first McGuffey lesson walks you through Q geography, introducing all its controls. It may seem complicated at first. Don’t worry about that. Most training programs overload the novice; that’s why we wrote the McGuffey. We learn by repetition. Give yourself time. Study Lesson One carefully. It’s hard to talk about the Q until the person learns its parts and their functions.

I asked a question about getting a case ans strap for Susie Q... His answer: Forget both the strap and case. Any sack will do—the hard case is a pain and the soft case is fine but pricy and really not necessary. The Q is tough, easy to transport. But remove the cards.

As to the strap—it will only frustrate you. Learn to play flat first. If you play for a group, probably you will be plugged into a sound system and mike. Strap playing is a whole new configuration, awkward at best and useless, in my opinion, unless you need to prance about. When you can play with your eyes closed, you can think about a strap. Don’t let the photos on the box fool you.

While learning Q basics is simple, mastering the instrument is complex. It is configured like the chord buttons on an accordion, C in the middle, flats to the left in order, sharps to the right. There are seven basic chords for each of the 12 keys, always the same combination of buttons. Most common complaint: no melody line (supplied by the piano keys on an accordion). Think auto-harp. All you have are chords and rhythms. The Strum is a repeated, three-note arpeggio controlled by the chord. The Q melody feature is next to useless, though fun to monkey with. You can play it with rhythms, but not with chords. You will learn all that.

Note the Q info on www.lloydmattson.com.

I suggest you listen through Kevin’s walk-through CD beginning to end. Then lesson by lesson, patiently. Practice the three-chord tunes. That’s what the pastor on the audio was doing with Amazing Grace. You can play a jillion songs with three chords. Pick two or three and practice until they become automatic. Then you will add the other chords. Most important: learn to drop the Strum-plate an octave and turn on the 100 MIDI voices—a much richer sound. Practice until that becomes automatic every time you power up. Any songbook with guitar chords will guide you. Endless song/chords on the web. You are in for a lot of fun.

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Enjoy the McGuffey and Q. Patience is the key. Bear in mind: the Q is an accompaniment instrument; it does not play melody, though you can come close with practice.

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