Jazz Guitar Harmony Lesson: V of V substitutions

[Jake Reichbart]

Hi! Here is a two part lesson I posted on YT a few months ago about the V of V, some people call this the sub V. I was told that folks here might enjoy it, so here it is. Part one is the theory, part two is examples (the good stuff...). Enjoy!

YouTube Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3GdziNPXbo[/YOUTUBE]

[Jake Reichbart]

YouTube Video

[brwnhornet59]

Great ideas Jake, This is a subject that is talked about frequently, in one way or another, in the forum. Modal interchange, tritone subs, reharms and how to do it with a system of rules, while keeping things sounding fresh yet natural.

Obviously things can get deep really fast, as you demonstrated, yet you made it seem effortless and logical.

Your playing is excellent BTW!! I really dig your bass lines and substitutions. It kills me how naturally you do this that you are not even aware of exactly what you did until you analyzed it! I hope to be this fluid some day.

I also really dug the videos you did with Sylvain!!

Now I am going to practice!!

[AlohaJoe]

Thank you Jake... that's a great lesson! My brain hurts, but in a good way! I should be able to play the scales & arpeggios of the sub over the original chords as well, right?

[brwnhornet59]

Originally Posted by AlohaJoe

I should be able to play the scales & arpeggios of the sub over the original chords as well, right?

Absolutely!! It works both ways!! Like he said, "anything can be played and sound good if played with conviction". Just resolve it in a logical way.

[va3ux]

Very good and interesting lesson. My limited knowledge of music theory prevents me from grasping it all at the moment but that in itself gives me a reason to learn some of the missing pieces.

And for me, there's a 2nd lesson presented here : for all the fussing we do over our guitars - what factory was it made in; what country; what materials; what scale length; what kind of frets; tall frets; wide frets; who made the pickups; who made the tuners; solid top; laminate top; craved top; pressed top; neck material; number of pieces in the neck, and on and on and on - here's an accomplished player who's too busy actually playing music too worry about all that trivia. He's playing a tired looking, Chinese Ibanez Artcore worth about $250 used, and it doesn't matter. In his hands, there's good music coming out of it. It's just dawned on me how much time I've wasted over the years thinking about the guitar itself, instead of spending that time on learning more how to play it. Lesson learned ! Buying another guitar or more guitars, isn't going to help me (as much fun as it is)

[brwnhornet59]

Originally Posted by va3ux

here's an accomplished player who's too busy actually playing music too worry about all that trivia. He's playing a tired looking, Chinese Ibanez Artcore worth about $250 used, and it doesn't matter. In his hands, there's good music coming out of it.

Lesson learned ! Buying another guitar or more guitars, isn't going to help me (as much fun as it is)

Very good point. My main practice guitar is a fender acoustic cutaway that goes new for $400. I bought it off of a guy for $50. He said he hated the way it played. I had a Luthier set it up for $85. Really did a great job, frets the works. Now it plays like a $1000. I keep my good guitars for serious practicing.

[Kojo27]

Originally Posted by brwnhornet59

Very good point. My main practice guitar is a fender acoustic cutaway that goes new for $400. I bought it off of a guy for $50. He said he hated the way it played. I had a Luthier set it up for $85. Really did a great job, frets the works. Now it plays like a $1000. I keep my good guitars for serious practicing.

I never understood that, though - why let your cool F-hole sit idle, when it's jazz you're playing... and JEEZ, isn't all practicing "serious" practicing?

(I know this bum.)

JAKE: awesome. You're a natural for composition and improv, and your technique is so good. Clean, smooth, assured, all that.

I, too, dig the guitar! I play an Artcore (or try to play, compared to you) -- and the middle position pickup setting doesn't work, and I NEVER use the bridge pickup - so I'm tempted to rip that sucker out and slap on some duct tape! What a statement that makes - like Metheny's toothbrush.

Post more and more! This is super.

[JakeAcci]

Great stuff in there, some really nice reharms I wouldn't have thought of. Thanks for posting, keep them coming, please...

[whatswisdom]

Originally Posted by Jake Reichbart

Part one is the theory, part two is examples (the good stuff...).Enjoy!

Great playing, J. Reminds me of Earl Klugh's great Solo Guitar recording. Looks like you've got long nails? Care to share some info on your right hand approach? Thanks!

[mattymel]

shed that in jail for a few years and you got Joe P...i like it.

[Jake Reichbart]

Thanks again everybody, I'm blushing... As for the fingernails, I have acrylics easily and cheaply done at any nail salon, it's very useful for my solo guitar style. I've been doing it for about 3-4 years. I've seen some country guys use it and it increases my dynamic range enormously. I can hit and pull on the strings with lots of energy and also go down to whisper quiet. This has helped influence what tunes to play as I can now cover rock and funk tunes with greater conviction. Jake

[whatswisdom]

Originally Posted by Jake Reichbart

Thanks again everybody, I'm blushing...I have acrylics easily and cheaply done at any nail salon

No need to blush. The lesson is just great, Jake! I've saved it & will revisit it repeatedly with guitar in hand. Thanks so much for sharing your nail approach. I've never tried the acrylic option but may give it a go. Can't keep them from breaking/splitting Again, I really dig your playing. The first thing that hit me was the sound, which reminds me of Earl Klugh's Solo Guitar record (nylon string). Check it out if you're not hip to it--standards played with great skill and invention. His voicings are very sophisticated (and tasteful).

[FatJeff]

Originally Posted by whatswisdom

Thanks so much for sharing your nail approach. I've never tried the acrylic option but may give it a go. Can't keep them from breaking/splitting

A word of caution re: acrylic nails. I used them a couple times when I had broken nails back in my CG days, and they absolutely wreaked havoc on my real nails and the nailbed. That adhesive is caustic stuff. The best result I got (besides my real nails, of course) was the Rico Nail system. Good thing to carry in your gig bag.

[Kojo27]

Originally Posted by FatJeff

A word of caution re: acrylic nails. I used them a couple times when I had broken nails back in my CG days, and they absolutely wreaked havoc on my real nails and the nailbed. That adhesive is caustic stuff. The best result I got (besides my real nails, of course) was the Rico Nail system. Good thing to carry in your gig bag.

Oh, ye speak the truth -- my fingernails are naturally pretty good, but like you, I gave acrylics a try, used them for about four months, loved them - but not much better than my real nails, and they cost $$$.

But uh-oh!!! When I tried to let my natural nails grow back, Noooo! All that remained of my natural nails was a thin, mealy something...useless for guitar playing. And as you say, Jeff, there was probably damage to the nail bed, as I could never grow my fingernails back. Maybe if I'd waited a year... or two? I don't know. Costly experiment. If your nails are shitty - go acrylic! But if you have good nails already, quell any curiosity you have and stay out of nail salons.

[Kojo27]

Originally Posted by mattymel

shed that in jail for a few years and you got Joe P...i like it.

Not implying that Joe Pass was in jail for a few years, are you? If he was it's news to me.

He did spend 2 1/2 years at Synanon, one of the few drug rehab places that actually cured some people. Formed an all-junkie jazz band in there, and played "non-stop." So yeah, already-pro-Joe got much better in the detox-and-brain-scrub unit. Imagine, Joe Pass, playing *non-stop* (practically) for 2 1/2 years... whoa. Virtuoso? That record probably came right out of Synanon with the new Joe.

On with the thread - no hijack intended, just speaking about J. P.

kj

[Franklin52]

Thanks for this great lesson Jake, please keep doing the great job.

[Jake Reichbart]

Thanks everybody, I appreciate it! In the coming weeks I will try to post a video lesson on how to expand your major chord vocabulary by about ten gazillion. Jake

[brwnhornet59]

Hey Jake, I will settle for just a gazillion. I am not greedy!!

Thanx Brother.