Les Wise: Fretboard Freedom workshop

**richb2** · 08-13-2014, 08:49 PM

I started taking Les Wise's Fretboard Freedom 8 week workshop on Truefire.com today. The first week started with doing the maj7 arpeggio from "any finger" on the lower four strings. I already know my two octave maj7 arps but I can already see how this is going to give me much more freedom to start my arps from the middle of the range, rather than from the high E string or the low E. And it also promises to give me different paths to follow (depending on what finger I start with). This seems like a pretty good course with which to build basic skills.

**MarkRhodes** · 08-13-2014, 09:54 PM

Wes has been around and knows his stuff. He seems like a genuinely nice guy to boot. I hope you get a lot out of the course.

**richb2** · 08-14-2014, 08:34 AM

Yes. I also have his Bebop Licks book which has lots and lots of ideas for bebop licks. The reason that I am taking this workshop is that I want to try to get a little more fluent in the fretboard. I have certain positions that I rely on for different arps and although I can usually find one not too far away from wwhere I am, it would be nice to not have to move my hand at all. In the last year or so I have gotten less arp centric and a little more scale orientated which is also somewhat helping with voice leading, which has been a major issue for me.

**docbop** · 08-14-2014, 11:47 AM

Wes was one of my teachers at GIT and have to say one of the most dedicated guitar teachers, he really cares about helping guitarist learn.

**MarkRhodes** · 08-14-2014, 01:03 PM

Originally Posted by docbop

Wes was one of my teachers at GIT and have to say one of the most dedicated guitar teachers, he really cares about helping guitarist learn.

I'm glad to hear that, Doc. I've never met him, just used some of his material and exchanged a few emails. It does my heart good to hear that a good guitarist who teaches is also a stand-up guy.

**srlank** · 08-14-2014, 01:31 PM

Originally Posted by docbop

Wes was one of my teachers at GIT and have to say one of the most dedicated guitar teachers, he really cares about helping guitarist learn.

That has been my experience as well.

**AlsoRan** · 08-14-2014, 01:40 PM

Originally Posted by richb2

I started taking Les Wise's Fretboard Freedom 8 week workshop on Truefire.com today. The first week started with doing the maj7 arpeggio from "any finger" on the lower four strings. I already know my two octave maj7 arps but I can already see how this is going to give me much more freedom to start my arps from the middle of the range, rather than from the high E string or the low E. And it also promises to give me different paths to follow (depending on what finger I start with). This seems like a pretty good course with which to build basic skills.

Thanks for sharing some of Les Wise knowledge.

I have been really working on being able to get those chord tones located all over the 'board. Sounds like a great additional exercise to add to my arpeggio studies. I am referring to practicing arpeggios on just the lower strings.

It's coming along.

**richb2** · 08-15-2014, 08:57 AM

AlsoRan, I am also finding that the maj7 arps starting on the low E and the A strings are pretty easy. It is the arps starting of the D and G strings that I need to work on from each finger. I am slightly concerned about getting into the habit of starting on the root and i am hoping that Les will address that later on in the workshop.

**richb2** · 08-20-2014, 10:22 PM

I am up to the 2nd week out of 8 weeks. This week we are doing the m7 arps starting on the E A D and G strings from each finger. Is it the most exciting training I ever did? Not really. But it is very valuable for me. The idea is to keep me from having to run all over the neck to get to a specific chord's arp while soloing. I have been running the neck for a few years now and it makes your solos very choppy and I dare say, non-melodic. Knowing how to play any arp within a fret of where you are located is valuable. The only problem is that I just don't play Maj7, Min7, and Dominant arps. I am also playing half diminished, diminished, diminished b9, etc, plus a splattering harmonic minor, melodic minor and gypsy, plus the major scale in a few different modes. And even after I get all these Maj7, Min7, and Dominant arps down, I will still need to run to my few limited positions for these additional arps.

**Nabil B** · 08-21-2014, 03:49 AM

Originally Posted by richb2

The only problem is that I just don't play Maj7, Min7, and Dominant arps. I am also playing half diminished, diminished, diminished b9, etc, plus a splattering harmonic minor, melodic minor and gypsy, plus the major scale in a few different modes. And even after I get all these Maj7, Min7, and Dominant arps down, I will still need to run to my few limited positions for these additional arps.

If you know how to add alterations and extensions your basic maj, min and dom arpeggios, you can use the same shapes as a basis for all the variations. In my opinion, practicing this is one of the most important things to do. It really gives you a better understanding of the fretboard.

**docbop** · 08-21-2014, 11:22 AM

Originally Posted by Professor Jones

If you know how to add alterations and extensions your basic maj, min and dom arpeggios, you can use the same shapes as a basis for all the variations. In my opinion, practicing this is one of the most important things to do. It really gives you a better understanding of the fretboard.

That's what the last part of Les' course does. He presents three what he calls structures of arpeggios. Major 7, then shows how to adjust to make Mi7 and Dom7. Then finishes with modding those to alter 5th and add the 9th.

**djelley** · 08-22-2014, 11:40 AM

The workshop runs for eight weeks, but it says that you can download all of the material. Does that simply mean that you have access to Les for eight weeks and can review the material "forever"? I really want to do this, but am in time crunch mode for the foreseeable future.

**richb2** · 08-22-2014, 12:21 PM

well you definately can download the pdf's that show you the notes for each arp. I don't think you can download the video's.

>> Does that simply mean that you have access to Les for eight weeks and can review the material "forever"?

yes, that is my understanding

**djelley** · 08-22-2014, 02:12 PM

Thanks for the reply - I just double-checked this with TrueFire (awesome customer service) and they confirmed that everything is downloadable except anything one-on-one with Les. So the videos are downloadable as well. I have a ton of TrueFire cash available, so the workshop will cost $100. I think I'm going to go for it.

**richb2** · 08-22-2014, 03:41 PM

I don't think you will be sorry. I have found the two weeks so far to be affecting my playing already.

**srlank** · 08-24-2014, 04:45 PM

I have been continuing to use Les's workshop in conjunction with a mini course on playing through changes by Tim Miller. Tim has been showing different chord shapes that he uses, and I discovered today that I can use Les's concept of starting on each finger for each of Tim's shapes, and it is really cool!!!

I love Sundays....free all day to practice, and not falling asleep exhausted from work.

**richb2** · 09-12-2014, 10:46 AM

I wanted to give you guys an update of where I am with this course. I am on week 5 (of 8) called "applying alterations to master structures". Basically we are making each of the arps we learned (maj7, m7, and dominant) into b5 or #5 (for each finger). So for example we are practicing maj7b5, maj7#5, m7b5, m7#5, and finally 7b5 and 7#5. I am finding this part challenging. Other than the m7b5 which I have heard a thousand times, the other sounds are new for me. Other than the m7b5, what other ones of these have you guys seen used often in jazz tunes?

**M-ster** · 09-12-2014, 12:43 PM

Originally Posted by richb2

... we are practicing maj7b5, maj7#5, m7b5, m7#5, and finally 7b5 and 7#5 ... other ones of these have you guys seen used often in jazz tunes?

maj7b5 is (usually) a synonym for maj7#11.

maj7#5 is not uncommon (at least in use - maybe it's less common on leadsheets) -- it's built from the 3rd degree of a jazz melodic minor scale.

m7#5 (other than when used in a line cliché) is a synonym for an add9 in first inversion. I.e. Em7#5 is C(add9)/E.

7b5 may be 7#11, depending on context.

7#5 may be 7b13, depending on context.

#5 is also commonly indicated with a "+" or with "aug." So C7#5 may also be encountered as C+7 or Caug7.

**docbop** · 09-12-2014, 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by M-ster

maj7b5 is (usually) a synonym for maj7#11.

maj7#5 is not uncommon (at least in use - maybe it's less common on leadsheets) -- it's built from the 3rd degree of a jazz melodic minor scale.

m7#5 (other than when used in a line cliché) is a synonym for an add9 in first inversion. I.e. Em7#5 is C(add9)/E.

7b5 may be 7#11, depending on context.

7#5 may be 7b13, depending on context.

#5 is also commonly indicated with a "+" or with "aug." So C7#5 may also be encountered as C+7 or Caug7.

The Ma7#5 is a sound you hear more modern guitarist use some using with the Harmonic Major scale. Then I picked up from Tim Miller using the iii mi7#5 for sub.

Plus Maj7b5 and Maj7#5 voicing are part of the "Magic Chord" voicing. Quick description take a upper stringset voicing for a C Maj7b5 for example then change the bass note to each of the other eleven chromatic notes and figure out the chord it creates. I used to have paper with the names of all the voicings doing that creates. A lot of great sounds from from that. I first heard this and the Magic chord term from John Albaugh and Sid Jacobs at GIT and later called "Chord Pluralities" by Sheryl Bailey and others from the East Coast. I hear this also comes from Joe Diorio investigations.

**henryrobinett** · 09-12-2014, 02:53 PM

Interesting. I've never heard the term Magic Chord, but I use them all the time: Maj7b5 and Maj7+5 and permutations of various bass, especially the Maj7+5. I've written a lot of tunes with that chord. I really like the sound. Then I produced and arranged music for a jazz singer doing standards where I threw that chord everywhere. Sound great and not at all weird. No one said a thing.