importance of mastering triads and inversions?

**GuitarGerry** · 10-10-2015, 09:09 AM

Originally Posted by Irez87

All great ideas, which I will try this weekend. Thanks!

Some basic 4ths stuff here for you Irez:

**jordanklemons** · 10-10-2015, 03:09 PM

Originally Posted by Irez87

Henry, what you and Jordan are doing should serve as a model to us as well. Seek out the best musicians to study with. You did that with Bishop, Mingus, and countless others. Jordan is doing that now with Stefon Harris and Pete B.

To name just a couple.

I've been a very lucky man these last few years!

I second this advice. I was self taught most of my life and figured just about everything out by ear on my own for the first 8-10 years. I had a few small encounters with great teachers during those times... but they were short lived. And I was never given a method or a book.

And because I was able to figure out so much on my own, I sort of assumed that teachers weren't so important. That I could get by on my own and figure out everything I needed to know without anyone. No teachers, no books, no methods... just playing.

And that was true-ish. I did really well for myself with that model.

But yeah, moving to NY and studying/working/playing with the guys I've been able to cross paths with is a whole different level. I probably learn more in any given month here than I was able to figure out on my own in the previous 5 or 10 years. None of them are using anything that different from other musicians... but seeing how they think about, apply, and hear things - even basic things - is just on a different level. And I doubt that I would have figured out a fraction of that stuff just working by myself even if I had 10 lifetimes on this planet.

While working with them, a visual dawned on me. I began to see the musical tradition as a tidal wave that's been going back for hundreds of years... or more. One great genius teaches and shares his ideas with the next generation who grow up and share and on and on. And it's formed this massive tidal wave or power and brilliance and tradition. And anyone is welcome to hop onto that wave and become a part of it. Listening to records, reading books, talking shop with others... all that stuff is great. But actually seeking out the people that are making up the current, living wave... getting to know them in person, study with them, play with them... man... that's how you really drown yourself into that world and let the wave lift you up.

I know some people feel like at a certain point you don't need teachers anymore. I agree and disagree. Nobody ever needs teachers for any part of it at any point. There's no part where you need teachers and then magically stop needing them. Plenty of great musicians were self-taught and never had guidance. My journey was backwards from that mentality. I started with mostly no teachers, and decades later realized just how powerful and important having that guidance was. I'm sure I won't continue studying on a weekly basis after my masters program is done... but I'll definitely continue working with different people at different points.

I love the story of Miles seeing Mike Stern practicing the ear training stuff that Charlie Banacos had him doing, and asking Mike if he'd give him Charlie's phone number so he could take some lessons with him. Man... if Miles is open to it, it's probably a good idea for me to be.

To 2nd irez's point... if you can come to NY and study with someone whose music rocks your world. Do it! Get to know them in person and try and build a relationship. That's as much part of the lesson as anything musical you'll talk about. If traveling isn't an option... there's always Skype.

**Jonah** · 10-10-2015, 04:59 PM

I love the story of Miles seeing Mike Stern practicing the ear training stuff that Charlie Banacos had him doing, and asking Mike if he'd give him Charlie's phone number so he could take some lessons with him. Man... if Miles is open to it, it's probably a good idea for me to be.

not necessarily so...

**Irez87** · 10-10-2015, 11:32 PM

Whatevs mcgevs

By the way, if you really wanna study triads in all their glory...

Go over to Mikesmasterclasses.com and click on Mr. Steve Herberman. Go through all of his courses. I will go up to DC this year to take in person lessons, as Skype lessons are kinda hard... you can't play together due to lag

But yeah, Steve Herberman is quite the musician

here's a taste: