This is sort of precious.
It’s an oldie from Britney. Continue reading “Born to Make You Happy”
The music of Mark Urso, including videos of live performances!
This is sort of precious.
It’s an oldie from Britney. Continue reading “Born to Make You Happy”
Who’s got two minutes and forty-four seconds to spare? Go!
This song was written in 1927. It was the theme for our AM radio station’s (Westerly, RI) nostalgic music format, many years-ago. Stardust was on my license plate. After all the years, I conceded the MANY varieties of notations of this song weren’t working for me on guitar, so I arranged it myself. I wrote all the chords you see me playing, and when I was done, I remember thinking it was kind of amazing that I didn’t listen to the song once, and I don’t think I’ve heard it in years. It’s just in there, in my brain! Continue reading “Stardust”
It was fifty degrees and I ran out of excuses, so this evening I made my way to the Strange Brew Pub in Norwich, CT for an open mic! Continue reading “Mark Urso Live at Strange Brew Pub 2/22/22 – Making Pies”
Lesson three will begin as this document.
I may make it into a video later.
It’s inspired by a Quora question. Read on!
That’s a great question!
I can assure you, when you start playing barre chords, you’ll also start to learn how to play the guitar! You’ll begin to understand the simplicity of how the guitar is laid out and how to find all the notes you need!
Everything on a guitar is done is sections, even when it appears a guitarist is flying all over with his hands. There are simple reference points, which can be found by counting up to what fret you’re on, using the dot markings as reference points, or, most likely, using your current position as a reference point (where you’re moving from).
Let me show you how versatile and simple the guitar can be, by starting in one place. There are many things you can “assign” to a location on the neck of the guitar. Then, I’ll show you how you can move at once, to another location, and, relatively-speaking, everything stays the same.
In other words, I’ll show you freedom and simplicity you can never see if you don’t come up the neck for both single notes and chords, as well as logic Continue reading “Guitar Lesson Three – Barre Chords”
I’ve produced a couple of guitar lesson videos and plan to make more as well. I enjoy discussing my own journey learning guitar and helping others. I find music is an important part of my daily life! I enjoy giving beginners tips in a sometimes-confusing art, where lingo can turn into a different language when a teacher has education chops.
Did you get a new guitar for Christmas?
Today’s article comes from a Quora answer from me.
Q: How many psychiatrists does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: Only one. But the lightbulb has to really want to change!
First of all, you have to really want to do it! I can tell you what I do!
I practice every day, and I have no idea why, generally! But I do remember picking up the guitar about ten years-ago when I was older, and I put a completely different, stronger, effort into it than I had as a young person.
There seems to be two ingredients to getting into a regular relationship with my guitar, and they’re not easy: time and patience. Oh, I love the way the guitars sound, and touching and playing them, creating music … Continue reading “How To Be a Guitar Beginner”
We don’t know much about this song. It was on John Mellencamp’s “Life, Death, Love and Freedom,” which would make number 5 on the Rolling Stone’s list of 50 Best Albums of the Year in 2008.
We know the original was produced by T Bone Burnett, who gives the song some depth and texture … and heavy smoker Mellencamp was experiencing a late-in-life voice change, getting rougher every minute.
I’ll put the lyrics and chords below. The song is about a man who just wants to be left alone and has no friends. It’s the ultimate blues song, and the way Mellencamp presents it, you’d immediately think it was about himself. Continue reading “John Cockers”
Written by Paul Siebel.
This song was made famous by Bonnie Raitt in 1977. Continue reading “Louise”
We’re on a mighty trip!
We never get it right!
But God grades on a curve
You get what you deserve! A song!
By popular demand (not my cat!) I’ll do a Turkey Day share.
This is still in process, and represents my latest project.
It’s called “Neaky Freat.”
It’s about dancing.
I play all the instruments, designed the drums and wrote the tune.
Working on this in iMovie as I migrate to a better interface (DaVinci).
Also getting to know Apple Motion a little better, which is fun!
At this point, I haven’t added the bass guy, some FX and finishing. Continue reading “Neaky Freat”
I do a lot of research.
I spend a lot of time with my dad, who doesn’t tolerate if I don’t know what’s going on. He’s tough. I’ve got to deal with it.
Don’t get me wrong, I like to know what’s going on, and I don’t mind if my dad insists I do. He’s been in politics, business and law and is a great sounding board and place to learn. But I have to know what’s going on! It’s on one hand a game we play, the two of us … but on the other hand it’s life or death.
This is a game I’m more than willing to discuss with someone who thinks, someone who cares. But it’s odd, and can be insulting for me to run into a random person who claims to “care,” but they obviously don’t know what’s going on. You don’t want to get into it with me, or my dad. Some of my “friends” on Facebook; where do you live, in a hole?
I can’t spoon feed the information Continue reading “The Most Depressing Movie Ever Made ~ Highlights of Two Years of Stupidity”
Many things have happened since we last talked. I’m seriously considering trying the Italian Sausage Panini with Roasted Red Peppers, Arugula and housemade Peperoncini Aioli next week at Perks and Corks, an award-winning coffee bar downtown (Westerly, RI). That’s because they have a great photo of it, and I was just there but I didn’t eat anything. I just had a chai. At nine o’clock at night. Hey, don’t judge.
That chai was just right. And when I snag a masterpiece panini next Monday, the Monday night open mic will take place again, and I can work with that! I’ll bring some of my originals! Perks has awards all over the walls; best drinks, best menu, best food, you name it! It’s truly a first class joint, just the kind of place where you WANT to be seen! I was sure to thank host Keith Cowley for having the event and making everyone feel welcome!
Here’s yours truly performing one of four tunes. Continue reading “Mark Urso Live, and Monday Night’s Sandwich”
From Iris DeMent’s “Infamous Angel” (1992)
The background is worth the price of admission!
“Iris Luella DeMent (born Jan. 5, 1961), an American two-time Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter, was born in Paragould, Arkansas, the 14th and youngest child of Pat DeMent (1910–1992) and wife Flora Mae (1918–2011). Iris’s mother harbored dreams of going to Nashville and starting a singing career. Although she put those plans on hold to get married, her singing voice was an inspiration and influence for her youngest daughter Iris.
DeMent was inspired to write her first song ‘Our Town’ by a drive through a boarded-up Midwest town, at the age of 25. The lyrics came to her “exactly as it is now”, without need for re-writing, and she realized then songwriting was her calling in life. ‘Our Town’ was played during the closing scene for the final episode (July 26, 1995) of CBS’s television series Northern Exposure.”
She was fourteenth and youngest! Way to go Flora Mae! Continue reading “Our Town”
Written by Bob Weir and John Perry Barlow. Continue reading “Mark Urso @ River Song | Cassidy”
Just me performing a Van Morrison song! Continue reading “Into the Mystic (Music Video)”
A great new lesson video to help make music refreshingly simple!
Starts with lesson and explanation of EZ Chords for Performers
Continues with three songs performed by me
The EZ chords are posted below!