Patterns for Jazz Study Group - June 2019

[matt.guitarteacher]

I can't imagine anybody is interested in watching me play through each drill in all twelve keys.

Ha! I'm actually trying to imagine ANYONE being interested in ANYTHING I've posted from this, other than other curious jazz students like myself. :-) Combined, my last 2 have gotten about 25 views. So, I kind of view them as mostly being for me.

I *do* think it's cool that we've gotten some guitar versions of this posted for posterity. My initial search, several months ago, didn't really yield anything.

Personally, I will probably post 12 keys in one position for each, but not 2 positions for each one, the way I've done for others.

[matt.guitarteacher]

Patterns for Jazz #37 - Deadline version. Comments welcome.
(BTW, I know that the exercise is supposed to start on the descending line but it doesn't matter. At least not to me. )

Hey, Jim. Thanks for posting with us.

Am I remembering correctly that you're a pedal steel player?

[matt.guitarteacher]

There are six exercises with two lines each, so I think I'm going to do each line a 4th higher and that will cover all twelve keys and all twelve finger patterns around the circle.
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Yeah. 4ths are kind of my default and the way that I've been playing these. Might be cool to do a different cycle for each one. Thirds, seconds etc.

[MarkRhodes]

Ha! I'm actually trying to imagine ANYONE being interested in ANYTHING I've posted from this, other than other curious jazz students like myself. :-) Combined, my last 2 have gotten about 25 views. So, I kind of view them as mostly being for me.

I *do* think it's cool that we've gotten some guitar versions of this posted for posterity. My initial search, several months ago, didn't really yield anything.

Personally, I will probably post 12 keys in one position for each, but not 2 positions for each one, the way I've done for others.

Good post, Matt. Yes, I'm glad there are guitar versions of these. Someone just starting out now could benefit a great deal by starting off with these examples of how to do this on guitar. And just do it. Over the years, this will become a repository of valuable guitar pedagogy (mixed with some silliness and rambling.)

My next video will be 1231 and 1321 (is that #38 and #39)? I'm not sure how I'll record it but I am practicing them daily.

[jasaco]

Hey, Jim. Thanks for posting with us.

Am I remembering correctly that you're a pedal steel player?

That's correct. Pedal steel is my main instrument. I try to improve on guitar when I have a little free time. Always open to constructive criticism and no ego in the way.

[ErikWasser]

38 and 39. I found two ways of playing them which where difficult to me and did it like that in different keys (only recorded in one, or else it would have been a really long video).

I am also trying out different ways of recording the audio and direction of cameras, so it’s a bit messy in the AV apartment.


Patterns for jazz. Pattern 38 and 39. Deadline version. For study group - YouTube

(edit: not sure why it doesn’t display a in post preview)

[ErikWasser]

I was wondering that too.
I don't think playing through each exercise in all 12 keys ON VIDEO is needed. Though one might play through each exercise in two or three areas of the neck. Just a thought.

Good idea, Matt! I watch all the videos posted and enjoy them no matter what, but I see your point on these ones. Would be different for, say a piano study group working through the same book.

[ErikWasser]

40

[MarkRhodes]

Just one pass at each pattern. Still learning 3 nps fingerings and getting used to those stretches. #40 is MUCH more difficult for me than 38 and 39. Perhaps by tomorrow...

[ErikWasser]

Just one pass at each pattern. Still learning 3 nps fingerings and getting used to those stretches. #40 is MUCH more difficult for me than 38 and 39. Perhaps by tomorrow...
[/video]

Good work, Mark. I’m sure you’ll get 40 down too!

[FwLineberry]

Just one pass at each pattern. Still learning 3 nps fingerings and getting used to those stretches. #40 is MUCH more difficult for me than 38 and 39. Perhaps by tomorrow...

The descending line on exercise 40 is tough to finger cleanly especially where the scale crosses from the B string to the G string or anywhere that one finger is covering notes on two frets.

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[MarkRhodes]

The descending line on exercise 40 is tough to finger cleanly especially where the scale crosses from the B string to the G string or anywhere that one finger is covering notes on two frets.

Agreed!
I find this one trickier than the others ascending too. Not as tricky. But a little.

But there is real value in 3 nps fingerings and I'm gonna get me some! ;o)

[matt.guitarteacher]

40

Thanks for posting, Erik. Do you remember what the tempo on this is? Sounds like quarter note triplets over kind of a double time tempo?

[matt.guitarteacher]

Just one pass at each pattern. Still learning 3 nps fingerings and getting used to those stretches. #40 is MUCH more difficult for me than 38 and 39. Perhaps by tomorrow...

Good job, Mark. Thanks for posting this.

[matt.guitarteacher]

The descending line on exercise 40 is tough to finger cleanly especially where the scale crosses from the B string to the G string or anywhere that one finger is covering notes on two frets.

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A year or so ago I was working on Bert Ligon material, and he utilizes the same pattern ascending and descending. It was kind of a big adjustment for me, because I always learned these patterns in a way in which they "flip" when you change and go the other direction.

So, basically, I was just awful at all of the "backwards" patterns - like playing a descending pattern while ascending the scale or vice versa. You really can't practice these enough as an entire unit to ever feel like you're getting traction, because the direction you're already good at just keeps getting better, making the more difficult part just sound worse and more and more frustrating.

I eventually just practiced the "backwards" patterns in isolation until they were at least in the same ballpark. It really helped with the frustration aspects.

[FwLineberry]

A year or so ago I was working on Bert Ligon material, and he utilizes the same pattern ascending and descending. It was kind of a big adjustment for me, because I always learned these patterns in a way in which they "flip" when you change and go the other direction.

So, basically, I was just awful at all of the "backwards" patterns - like playing a descending pattern while ascending the scale or vice versa. You really can't practice these enough as an entire unit to ever feel like you're getting traction, because the direction you're already good at just keeps getting better, making the more difficult part just sound worse and more and more frustrating.

I eventually just practiced the "backwards" patterns in isolation until they were at least in the same ballpark. It really helped with the frustration aspects.

Same here. Take pattern 38 for example. I always practiced that as given for ascending but using C B A C, B A G B, etc, for descending. I have to stop and think about it to do the same pattern descending.

I'm surprised at the patterns chosen here, though. I don't think the majority of them are particularly musical. I would think running scales in 3rds through 7ths would be a more valuable practice and is something I have neglected but plan to put some effort into.

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[MarkRhodes]

A year or so ago I was working on Bert Ligon material, and he utilizes the same pattern ascending and descending. It was kind of a big adjustment for me, because I always learned these patterns in a way in which they "flip" when you change and go the other direction.

Agreed! Matt, I think we've talked about this before. I've had the same trouble. And you're right: the ascent gets better while the descent, although it gets better too, never catches up! So I think you hit on the right solution: just play the backwards pattern.

I think Reg said something about this once. Something like 'backwards is a different pattern!' It is. And it should be learned that way.

We may be fooled by the beginner exercise 1234 from the low E to the high and 4321 from the low E back to the high. (Though sticklers would say, 'go back the same way.') That's easy enough to do that way and I think it gave me the idea that everything should be as easy in reverse and if I keep f**king up, well, time to change my picking again! Aaarrgh! ;o)

[matt.guitarteacher]

Yeah . The problems presented by those backwards patterns are actually great technical work . When you stop practicing them alongside the ones you're already good at, it really helps with frustration factor too. Always best to practice things you don't already know how to play. :-)

[ErikWasser]

Thanks for posting, Erik. Do you remember what the tempo on this is? Sounds like quarter note triplets over kind of a double time tempo?

Yes that’s what I was trying to do the bpm was around 160.

[MarkRhodes]

No metronome today. Wanted the liberty of taking the descent slower, as I still have trouble with it.

[FwLineberry]

Here's my offering for the next two sets of exercises. I combined all six patterns into one drill with each line changing scales a 4th higher and using a different finger pattern. Patterns 38 and 39 are at 134 bpm. Patterns 40-43 are at 100 bpm. I took a little liberty with the last pattern and changed it to G7 to set up a blues ending on C7.

[jasaco]

Pattern #38 for deadline. Comments welcome.

BTW, I've realized that these are really good exercises to slow down and work on economy picking while building the muscle memory.

[matt.guitarteacher]

You guys are awesome. Thanks for posting. I'm out-of-state on a college visit with my youngest child and awaiting news of the birth of a second grandchild with my oldest. I'll try to get something up later this week.

[jasaco]

Patterns for Jazz #39 for deadline. Comments welcome.

[ErikWasser]

Here's my offering for the next two sets of exercises. I combined all six patterns into one drill with each line changing scales a 4th higher and using a different finger pattern. Patterns 38 and 39 are at 134 bpm. Patterns 40-43 are at 100 bpm. I took a little liberty with the last pattern and changed it to G7 to set up a blues ending on C7

Great! Sounds more like an etude than exercises!