Tag: tips

Posted in From the major scale to (hopefully) understanding how things work., Getting it all together

Basic Music Theory for Beginners Pt 2:on Guitar, Practical Application.

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Basic theory knowledge pt 2: on Guitar!

Let’s now go back to the basic theory post (quite successful over 10k views just the day I posted!) , and let’s see how things apply to guitar…just read the explanatins in red and watch the videos!

Let’s start again:

The natural sounds are:

English

C

D

E

F

G

A

B

You might also find in some books the name of these notes in Italian (nothing to do with ‘solfege’!) Do,Re,Mi,Fa,Sol,La,Si and in German C,D,E,F,G,A,H.

Sharps and flats.

# = sharp: raises the given note of a half step.

One half-step on guitar is a fret, easy. When you move up a fret (from the headstock to the body of the guitar) you are playing two notes that are a semitone/half-step apart from each other. From G natural to G# you would move up one fret.

## = double sharp: raises the given note of two half steps (also noted ‘x’).

From G natural to G## you would move up two frets.

b = flat: lowers the given note of a half step.

From G natural to Gb you would move down one fret.

bb = double flat: lowers the given note of two half steps.

From G natural to Gbb you would move down two frets.

= natural: cancels sharps and flats (double natural cancels double sharps and flats).

The Chromatic scale.

In this first video I start from the chromatic scale and show you how to build a major scale:

The chromatic scale contains all 12 natural and altered sound (using sharps and flats).

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
C C#/Db D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A A#/Bb B

Notes called with a different name, but identifying the same sound, are called enharmonic (i.e.: C# e Db). The shortest distance between two sound of the chromatic scale is a Half Step, the distance of a fret on the guitar.

Intervals.

An interval is the distance between two notes.

Intervals of a second, third, sixths and seventh are called major. If a major interval is raised by an half step it is calledaugmented. If a major interval is lowered by an half step it is called minor. If lowered by two half steps, diminuished.

Intervals of a fourth, fifth and octave are called perfect. If a perfect interval is raised by an half step it is calledaugmented. If a perfect interval is lowered by an half step it is called diminuished (note the difference).

All the intervals from the tonic of a major scale to any other note of tha scale are major or perfect (i.e. between C and D=major 2nd, C e E=major 3rd, C e F=perfect 4th, and so on…)

Intervals can also be calculated summing up half steps: one half-step on guitar is a fret, easy. When you move a fret up (from the headstock to the body of the guitar) you are playing two notes that are a semitone/half-step apart from each other.

N.of htps

 1 2 3 4 5 6 6 7 8 8 9 10 10 11 12
Interval m2 M2

m3

M3

P4

4aug

5dim

P5

5aug

m6

M6

6aug

m7

M7

P8

where m=minor, M=major, P=perfect, dim=diminuished, aug=augmented.

How to build a major scale.

Read the theory and watch the video below:

The spacing of the notes in a major scales follow this rule:

WWHWWWH

Where W = Whole step (a major second)  H= Half step

Example : C major

To build major sales in other keys use exclusively either sharps or flats choosing the notes so that a note with the same name is never repeated. In doing so you will only use Diatonic half steps (given by two notes with different name, i.e. C-Db, opposite to Chromatic half steps given by two notes with the same name, as in D –D#).

ON GUITAR:

Major scale – fixed position patterns

These are the famous 5 ‘box’ movable patterns for the major scale. Of course you can
play all the major scales with these, as long as the tonic, aka the note that gives the name
to the scale, sits in the red circles. The example is in G major, like in the video, but as I
said, these patterns can be transposed to all major scales. The roman numeral stands for
the fret number.

The Major scale template above is from TrueGuitarist.com’s ‘The Guitar Kit’, a free collection of guitar templates.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD ‘THE GUITAR KIT’ FOR ALL THE SCALES AND TEMPLATES YOU’LL EVER NEED!!

This is a list of all the major scales in all keys. The order follows the amount of sharps and flats in the key.

Keys with flats.

C D E F G A B
F

G

A

 Bb

C

D

E
Bb

C

D

 Eb

F

G

A
Eb F G

Ab

 Bb

C

D

Ab

 Bb

C

 Db Eb

F

G

Db

 Eb F

Gb

Ab

Bb

C

Gb

Ab

Bb

Cb

Db

Eb

F

Cb

Db

Eb

Fb

Gb

 Ab Bb

Keys with sharps.

C D E F G A B

G

 A B C D E F#

D

 E F# G A B C#

A

 B C# D E F# G#
E F# G# A B C# D#
B C# D# E F# G# A#
F# G#

A#

 B C# D# E#
C# D# E# F# G#

A#

 B#

Relative minor (key)

Every major key has one relative minor which is made of the same notes, but starting from the sixth note. In other words, starting a minor third below (or a major sixth above) the root of the major scale. For example if we take C major its relative minor is A minor, spelled A B C D E F G.

On guitar: To play the relative minor, just start two notes before the note in the red circle.

Circle of fifths.

The circle of fifths one of the most used ways to summarize all I explained so far. It is very useful to memorize how many and which alterations a specific key has.

I find very useful to memorize FCGDAEB and the same sequence backwards BEADGCF. The first is the order of sharps the second, of flats. So if a key has, for example, 3 sharps (A major) they will be the first 3 notes in the first seqence (F# C# G#).

Harmonized major scale – How to build chords.

A practical application on guitar:

In the example below every note of a major scale identifies a ‘degree’ of the scale. In the example I have used C major, but this is valid for every other major scale in any key.

If I stack on every degree two more notes a diatonic third apart (basically every other one) I end up with different kinds of triads (triad=group of three notes). These triads are shown in the example below. If we analyse the intervals between notes:

a Major Triad has a Maj 3rd and a Perf 5th (Eg. C-E-G: C-E=maj 3rd , C-G Perf 5th).

a Minor Triad has a min 3rd and a Perf 5th.

a Diminuished Triad has a min 3rd and a diminuished 5th.

You will have the same series of chords in all the other keys Eg: F major: F, Gm, Am, Bb, C, Dm, Em.

Already with this knowledge we can understand how to Analyze simple songs or how to write pop songs:

 

If we stack another note a diatonic third apart from the last note of the above triads we will have Seventh chords.

This again is valid for all the 12 keys. This concept is vital to understand how songs are built and how to pick the correct scale for a solo.

On Guitar this note choice for 7th chords might not work…let’s see some more popular choices to play this on guitar:

With this we can now analyse more complex songs like a simple jazz standard…watch the video:

I hope you enjoyed this lesson!

Posted in From the major scale to (hopefully) understanding how things work., Getting it all together

Basic Music Theory for Beginners

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Basic theory knowledge

What follows is just a brief summary of basic theory and harmony necessary to understand practical applications on your instrument.

The natural sounds are:

C – D – E – F – G – A – B

You might also find in some books the name of these notes in Italian (nothing to do with ‘solfege’!)

Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Si and in German C, D, E, F, G, A, H.

Sharps and flats.

# = sharp: raises the given note of a half step.

## = double sharp: raises the given note of two half steps (also noted ‘x’).

b = flat: lowers the given note of a half step.

bb = double flat: lowers the given note of two half steps.

= natural: cancels sharps and flats (double natural cancels double sharps and flats).

The Chromatic scale.

The chromatic scale contains all 12 natural and altered sound (using sharps and flats).

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
C C#/Db D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A A#/Bb B

Notes called with a different name, but identifying the same sound, are called enharmonic (i.e.: C# e Db). The shortest distance between two sound of the chromatic scale is a Half Step, the distance of a fret on the guitar.

Intervals.

An interval is the distance between two notes.

Intervals of a second, third, sixths and seventh are called major. If a major interval is raised by an half step it is called augmented. If a major interval is lowered by an half step it is called minor. If lowered by two half steps, diminished.

Intervals of a fourth, fifth and octave are called perfect. If a perfect interval is raised by an half step it is calledaugmented. If a perfect interval is lowered by an half step it is called diminished (note the difference).

All the intervals from the tonic of a major scale to any other note of tha scale are major or perfect (i.e. between C and D=major 2nd, C e E=major 3rd, C e F=perfect 4th, and so on…)

Intervals can also be calculated summing up half steps:

N.of htps

 1 2 3 4 5 6 6 7 8 8 9 10 10 11 12
Interval m2 M2

m3

M3

P4

4aug

5dim

P5

5aug

m6

M6

6aug

m7

M7

P8

where m=minor, M=major, P=perfect, dim=diminished, aug=augmented.

How to build a major scale.

The spacing of the notes in a major scales follow this rule:

WWHWWWH

Where W = Whole step (a major second)  H= Half step (a minor second)

Example : C major

To build major sales in other keys use exclusively either sharps or flats choosing the notes so that a note with the same name is never repeated. In doing so you will only use Diatonic half steps (given by two notes with different name, i.e. C-Db, opposite to Chromatic half steps given by two notes with the same name, as in D –D#).

This is a list of all the major scales in all keys. The order follows the amount of sharps and flats in the key.

Keys with flats.

C D E F G A B
F

G

A

 Bb

C

D

E
Bb

C

D

 Eb

F

G

A
Eb F G

Ab

 Bb

C

D

Ab

 Bb

C

 Db Eb

F

G

Db

 Eb F

Gb

Ab

Bb

C

Gb

Ab

Bb

Cb

Db

Eb

F

Cb

Db

Eb

Fb

Gb

 Ab Bb

Keys with sharps.

C D E F G A B

G

 A B C D E F#

D

 E F# G A B C#

A

 B C# D E F# G#
E F# G# A B C# D#
B C# D# E F# G# A#
F# G#

A#

 B C# D# E#
C# D# E# F# G#

A#

 B#

Relative minor (key)

Every major key has one relative minor which is made of the same notes, but starting from the sixth note. In other words, starting a minor third below (or a major sixth above) the root of the major scale. For example if we take C major its relative minor is A minor, spelled A B C D E F G.

Circle of fifths.

The circle of fifths one of the most used ways to summarize all I explained so far. It is very useful to memorize how many and which alterations a specific key has.

I find very useful to memorize FCGDAEB and the same sequence backwards BEADGCF. The first is the order of sharps the second, of flats. So if a key has, for example, 3 sharps (A major) they will be the first 3 notes in the first seqence (F# C# G#).

Harmonized major scale – How to build chords.

In the example below every note of a major scale identifies a ‘degree’ of the scale. In the example I have used C major, but this is valid for every other major scale in any key.

If I stack on every degree two more notes a diatonic third apart (basically every other one) I end up with different kinds of triads (triad=group of three notes). These triads are shown in the example below. If we analyse the intervals between notes:

a Major Triad has a Maj 3rd and a Perf 5th (Eg. C-E-G: C-E=maj 3rd , C-G Perf 5th).

a Minor Triad has a min 3rd and a Perf 5th.

a Diminished Triad has a min 3rd and a diminished 5th.

You will have the same series of chords in all the other keys Eg: F major: F, Gm, Am, Bb, C, Dm, Em.

If we stack another note a diatonic third apart from the last note of the above triads we will have Seventh chords.

This again is valid for all the 12 keys. This concept is vital to understand how songs are built and how to pick the correct scale for a solo.

The above concept in all keys looks like this:

Harmonized major scale – Keys with flats.

Cmaj7

Dm7

Em7

Fmaj7

G7

Am7

Bm7b5

Fmaj7

Gm7

Am7

Bbmaj7

C7

Dm7

Em7b5

Bbmaj7

Cm7

Dm7

Ebmaj7

F7

Gm7

Am7b5

Ebmaj7

Fm7

Gm7

Abmaj7

Bb7

Cm7

Dm7b5

Abmaj7

Bbm7

Cm7

Dbmaj7

Eb7

Fm7

Gm7b5

Dbmaj7

Ebm7

Fm7

Gbmaj7

Ab7

Bbm7

Cm7b5

Gbmaj7

Abm7

Bbm7

Cbmaj7

Db7

Ebm7

Fm7b5

Cbmaj7

Dbm7

Ebm7

Fbmaj7

Gb7

Abm7

Bbm7b5

Harmonized major scale – Keys with sharps.

Cmaj7

Dm7

Em7

Fmaj7

G7

Am7

Bm7b5

Gmaj7

Am7

Bm7

Cmaj7

D7

Em7

F#m7b5

Dmaj7

Em7

F#m7

Gmaj7

A7

Bm7

C#m7b5

Amaj7

Bm7

C#m7

Dmaj7

E7

F#m7

G#m7b5

Emaj7

F#m7

G#m7

Amaj7

B7

C#m7

D#m7b5

Bmaj7

C#m7

D#m7

Emaj7

F#7

G#m7

A#m7b5

F#maj7

G#m7

A#m7

Bmaj7

C#7

D#m7

E#m7b5

C#maj7

D#m7

E#m7

F#maj7

G#7

A#m7

B#m7b5

In a simple chord progression/ tune things should now be easy to analyze:

| C7    | … the V7 of F major, the key is F major.

| Cm7 F7 | Bbmaj7 |  … a ii – V – I in Bb major. The Key is Bb major.

| A maj7 F#m7 Bm7 E7 | … a I-vi-ii-V in A

Of course this is  simple when the tune is all in one key, it becomes a skill to be able to spot these in a tune that features key changes and other compositional tricks. This is beyond the scope of this lesson.

Hope this helped!

Posted in Guest Post

Getting into the studio by Guy Gardner

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This is a guest post: by Guy Gardner. Gifted jazz pianist and author, Guy's début recording as a leader is 'Emma's Dream' with Bassist Jeff Clyne and Drummer Trevor Tomkins, featuring original material. ‘New Directions’ will be available later on this year. You can find more about him @ www.GuyGardner.co.uk 

It’s a cold November morning, and we’ve been driving since 6 am.  We get to the studio which is called Red Gables, and located in south east London. Richard the bass player isn’t there yet and so we bang on the door which is answered by Dick Hamett, the engineer and owner of Red Gables. 

We start shifting the drum kit in whilst Dick puts the kettle on. I see this particular studio for the first time in seven years, since I did my last trio album. The piano (a beautiful Steinway loved my many pianists both classical and jazz) crouches sulkily behind a partition covered in blankets looking like a large unmade bed.

 I feel doubt set in. It seems like an impossible task at times; in a few moments I’m going to be sitting at that piano with a pair of cans on and I am going to try to play like myself and get something down which will, after all, be around for a very, very long time. 

 I was incredibly nervous on the first album recorded there Emma’s Dream (available from Cd baby). But I used that I suppose the way an actor might, and made the album about the presentation of the compositions which were all mine apart from two standards. I knew it wouldn’t be a roof raiser in that sense, so I concentrated on creating a world of sound, light and shade. 

 Listening to it now I think it worked well, but that kind of thing is a one trick pony, you need to be able to do more than that the second time around or what was interesting becomes merely tedious.

 In the intervening years between then and now I worked in a lot of different situations which I think is what built my playing up. I did everything from concerts with musicians who far surpassed me in musical intellect and ability to really play, to pop gigs and anything and everything else. 

 When you play enough you begin to get comfortable in your own musical skin. You learn the standards, and you begin to get an overview of how and more important when to play. I found that just learning to play with, and listen to other people to an enormous amount of practice. 

 ‘Time,  said pianist John Horler, my teacher throughout the time I studied music at Dartington College of Arts,  is everyone’s biggest problem.’ I think it is the single most true statement I’ve heard. So I worked on my time, not just the metronome beat but the pulse which runs through all good music.

 So, aspiring musicians you get all this stuff together. What next? You are ready to take on the world, but actually the world isn’t much interested. 

 That’s the truth; there are many people who can play beautifully, and they all deserve their place in the sun. I didn’t know this really when I recorded the first album, if I had I might have approached it differently, so perhaps then it was a good thing. Ignorance is bliss they say.

 I spent a lot of time promoting the first album and I got a good review from the late Ian Carr and about 11 really nice gigs…eventually. It was very hard, I mean really hard. You have to get on that phone and pester people who don’t know who you are and have a lot of other stuff to do. To them you are a massive pain in the backside, but if you pester them enough they might relent or they might not.

 But you have to go on. Try everything. That’s my advice. Get a recording together, which is the highest quality you can make it, with the best musicians you can. Put your heart in it and believe it is a true statement of your artistic soul. 

 Done that? Good. Now view it as a product. That’s what you are selling after all. Your brand, your unique selling point.

 Look at the images of Miles Davis. He was a product and he knew it and used it as a vehicle to speak the truth through his music.

 As a musician especially a jazz musician. You have to expect disappointment. The musical market isn’t geared for us and it hardly makes any money. If you get a record deal you are doing extremely well, and if you earn enough money to buy a sofa from it you are in the elite few.

 You can’t blame the record companies. They are in the business of selling products and jazz is a bit like some amazing brand of crisps that a few people love, but well, they’re not Walker’s crisps are they? 

 So why then bother trying it at all? I went into the studio knowing all this, feeling about 50 years older in musical experience, knowing our next cd will be a hard slog (a trio album is even harder to sell by the way). I know there will be a lot of difficulty and we will find it hard to make our money back and get gigs.

 As Richard calmly puts rosin on his bow and Simon experimentally plays a few licks on the snare (one of 5 he brought to the session). I know the reason and it’s simple. 

We all belong here. We make music and that’s the truth of it. 

 

‘New Directions’ will be available  in the new year.

Posted in The Jazzy stuff (but good for every style!)

Interval Color for Soloing

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One of the ways to fight ‘patterns’ playing is to explore all the intervals you can find in a scale. It is a really easy concept you can apply to ANY scale. This is also a great exercise for your chops. Try to practice more with your ears than your fingers…enough said. If applied to soloing every interval has a specific ‘color’ or ‘sound’. Many styles are based around that color, just watch the video and you will understand.

Printable PDF: Scale in Intervals