What, I’m the first? Greetings from Winnipeg

[James Paskaruk]

Hey, umm, everyone :>

I’m a guy from Winnipeg, I now live outside of town but we have a band we’re starting up. This site is a bit like the internet heard my prayers for guidance.

I’ve been a guitarist most of my life but I got an RSI in my fretting hand a few years ago and basically realized that my index finger is done bending and pushing. I have lately managed to adapt my remaining three to a bit of lead playing but I am no longer a rhythm guitarist, to speak of.

Anyways, long story short, it doesn’t hurt (like, literally, my hand doesn’t hurt when I do it) to play piano or keys, so round xmas 2020 I started playing scales and basically taking keys seriously in a way I never had, cause life without music, I can’t cope. And things are going really well, actually, once I did months of scales and a lot of stumbling around and a lot of circle of fifths memorization, etc, I’m on my way.

As things were going good and I understood how the bubble worked (I have played rhythm guitar in reggae bands a couple times before) I answered an ad and joined a band as keys/guitar/backupvox. We are now called the Dub City Foundation and we almost did our first show earlier this month in support of a local artist named Lyberal (check him on Youtube, very nice stuff) but it got postponed by a blizzard, so now we’re doing our first set at a Ukraine benefit next month.

We’re still just starting up really, and I still have much to learn, both about reggae keys and keys more generally, but this site right here? Like a gift from heaven. Or the internet, either or. Anyways, looking forward to connecting with folks in other places, and building my craft.

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[Matt Jenson]

Hi James,
It’s me again…ha! As you see the forum is just getting going. Don’t worry, eventually it will grow and more responses will be posted.

So great you are putting reggae in line to help the massive suffering in Ukraine. I have been in touch with a Ukranian A of R member and we are working on doing a little video using some of his awesome original dubs tracks as a way of helping to uplift.

You said you have been doing a lot of scales. Check out the ‘practice routine play along’ for the piano courses on A of R. (You can play them on the organ as well.) This will further help you to get fluent with inversions, voicings, and eventually voiceleading….since you’ve done some of this work, this routine will be excellent for you!)

I hope it stopped snowing in Winnipeg (and it’s May 7th, [2022]!!)

[James Paskaruk]

Well y’know, Canadian I may be, but Paskaruk definitely ain’t a Russian name ;->

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