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Originally Posted by D'Aquisto Fan
In C this would be your G7. Want a more interesting sound with still lots of tasty tension? Come in from a half step above and use the lydian dominant.
Spend a LOT of time exploring the subtleties of the lydian dominant chord. It's got a raised 4 which as tense and unsettling as that comes across as, has a very sweet resolution. Why? because if make a line that runs that #4 it's gonna sound wrong...but if it's followed by another chord a half step below, that note is then the 5 of the next chord, a very strong consonance.
In other words it's very wrong until you hit the bar line, then it becomes a strong note that you anticipated before you even arrived at the chord.
You figure out how to use a lydian dominant, and you'll have some great melodic options. Hint: It's a favourite chord and sound of both John Scofield and the late Michael Brecker rest his soul. A lot of times when you hear those "What IS that and how is he playing that?" sounds, it's a tritone sub with a lydian dominant chord. A very good chord to get friendly with.
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01-21-2021 09:24 PM
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Angel Eyes first version. Friday, 5th day of review
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A treasure trove of ideas for you to analyze, transmute and put into your tool box. Don't use anything until you see what's going on and you've figured a way of coming up with your own.
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Week 7 Day 4. 90 BPM. Highly modified BB&B ireal pro backing in Bb. Another day in my happy alternate BB&B universe. The lines keep flowing nicely with a lot of variety and a focus on real melodic content. I tried to push the tempo up a bit and the melodic content of the lines get just out of reach so I went back to 90. I'll need to have my conversation with the Angels earlier in the day tomorrow as I have a zoom meeting through my normal practice time...
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A strong and memorable solo always has at its core strong simple ideas. They embody an idea that shows intention, elegance, a strong relationship with harmony that makes sense to the ear. No matter what you play, it it shows strength and intention, and it's executed well, you have the makings of a good solo.
As a melody craftsman, you must be able to find notes that convey strength. The most common notes of strength are your chord tones. But it's not enough to know what they are, or to be able to "recite" them by playing an obligatory arpeggio; you have to MEAN it. So less can say more.
You take a major chord. C E G. Recognizable. Strong. Not moving or stirring though. Now let's take that first C and put a shadow on it. See the way that arpeggio is going up, ascending? Let's get a running start...
B C E G. Yes, nice. We're creating movement.
Let's look at that C to E jump, and let's create a flurry of faster movement; instead of a leap, we'll run a set of steps in there and speed up the movement.
B C D E and then we go to G. Nice little fragment and we go to the G as our high pitch.
Heeey... let's change direction at the G and come down. How do we break that momentum? Let's over shoot it a bit and change direction... like a Parkour jumper changing direction, change the flow of energy:
B C D E (wind up with D E) overshoot and approach the G
B C D E - D E A G E D C... See how we've created a sense of movement by "ornamenting and embellishing" the strength of a simple triad?
This passage is something you may know as the beginning of Danny Boy, with chord tones embellished by a pickup note to C, a passing note connecting the 1 to the 3, an upper approach note leading to a downward movement to the 5 which jumps back down.
So Danny Boy is a very memorable little ditty, but it's got the strength of a simple set of chord tones tastefully accented by embellishments.
Here are some ideas to explore.
Start a bar with a strong note, but start an approach to that note from the measure before. This is a pickup note. Be mindful of this idea, practice it and learn to use it. It'll create and organic introduction to a phrase.
Think of a leap (a narrow or little leap is like a third, a wider leap can be a 4th or even wider) and connect those chord tones with scale steps that pass between. These are passing notes. They are defined by strong notes at either side (as opposed to noodling on scales).
If you want to change direction, pivot on a chord or strong note, and you can overshoot and begin the change of direction by embellishing your pivot note. Practice this until it's second nature.
You can shade any note with another note that doesn't even take up time. Like a gliss, or a slide into the note. This is a nice ornament that makes any note into a note of note (pun intended) like a nice shirt on an ordinary guy. Lots of different ornaments as a matter of fact:
Any chord tone can be approached from below, chromatic note preceeding it is nice.
Any chord tone can be approached from above, but be mindful of the sense of direction you're trying to create. This as an upper neighbor approach tone. Put these into your lines and you will start sounding more multi dimensional.
You can combine upper and lower notes to make a single ornament that acts as one unit. (C E G becomes C E A F# G)
You can ornament on the beat or off the beat. If you ornament off the beat, it makes for a strong chordal presentation, if you ornament on the beat and that brings you a strong note, it has the effect of swinging. Really explore this.
Start to look at music not as licks you copy or thing of as one single complex string of notes, but rather see if you can discern ornaments and where they lead. When you get this, you can play ornaments and target notes and the thought process is simpler, you can think a LOT faster!
Now there's a LOT of information here. Start with exploring this idea when you make a phrase, and really play with it until you get it, in your ears and in your fingers. Contrast embellished lines with unembellished ones. You'll start to develop tasteful textures in your playing.
That example above that HR has embellished lines throughout. Like measure 10, there's a lot of chromatic approach notes, can you see them?
Once you understand the idea behind creating strong simple ideas and embellishing them, you will not fall into being bored with your lines again. There'll ALWAYS be so much you can do.
More on this topic as we progress, but for now, give it a go. See what happens.
Have fun!
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Originally Posted by Jimmy blue note
Now I just need more time...
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Originally Posted by Jimmy blue note
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Originally Posted by Jimmy blue note
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Week 7. Day 4 of BBB at 125 bpm. Ramping up the tempo is certainly getting more challenging. Like last night, the first time through, especially the initial passes in the first few minutes is like getting reacquainted with the exercise. I definitely was fumbling around a bit. But I stuck with it and things got better and better. I find myself going back to ideas I had uncovered when we first tackled these exercises weeks ago. It's like they've become motifs for me on the tune. By the third 10 minute block I'm able to follow my ear more.
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Week 7 Day 5. 90 BPM. Using the "official" ireal pro backing in Dm. Fit right back in to my previous place on this, grumbling about the sparseness of the harmonic movement of the A sections and feeling awkward with the harmonic movement of the last half of the B section. I would alternate choruses between just keeping to the tone center as the chords move beneath or chasing each change neither feeling quite right. Ah well another one for the record books...
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Saturday. Last day of review, and it brings us up to where we left of last week.
How's it going? Trying out any new approaches to line construction thinking of things in terms of CT and embellishments? I'll continue this discussion if it seems informative. Great things ahead!
And in the interest of applied line techniques:
See if this has any recognizable line shaping devices you can see. Take note of note order, direction, relationships between chord tones and other notes, range, leaps and how they're treated. Take note and see if you can incorporate one new "attitude" of note and line making every day or so. You'll be surprised at how quickly you can really build facility in very sophisticated (and beautifully satisfying) lines.
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Week 7. Day 5 "Angel Eyes" at 130 bpm. Once again the initial pass through had a lot of "Nice to see you again" getting to know you moments. I decided to masochistically record myself.
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Originally Posted by guido5
Grumbling is good...when it's followed by enough frustration to confront the walls you meet. Get really frustrated and pissed at your ideas, then take the break and think. What's on that list of things I promised myself I'd try? (groupings of notes in 3 as opposed to 4, follow a line up one string until it takes you into another position then change direction when you get there, too many scale steps? how about a series of arpeggios in the same direction, from the 3rd, from the 5th and then a bluesy passage when you get to the 1, focus on 2 chord tones and see how many sides, sounds and ideas can come out of them with approach notes, put the accent of your notes on the beats-then on the "and" of the beats-what happens? Just because a set of changes sets out an outline doesn't mean you can't learn to hear alternative changes: If something says Amin for 2 bars, you CAN play a half bar of Bb7 and come back to Amin. You master this and you've got the seeds of tons of phrases you can construct in your "bag")
Try beginning the recording with the B section, let the changes inspire you to ideas that move quicker, then see if you can take some of that attitude into the A.
Once you have control of your fingers, reach for the reins that control the ideas. It's a constant exchange of mastery. That's the real point in these 20 weeks. You'll get it!
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Week 7. Day 6. "Angel Eyes" in A minor at 135 bpm. I tried to incorporate some of JBN's comments on guido5's post from last night to freshen up my ideas. The faster tempos make it more challenging to construct lines incorporating ornamentation, targeting specific notes, etc. I'm often torn about ramping up the beats per minute during this course. I don't want to keep repeating the same ideas obviously. But I also feel the need to push myself. Like so many others, I can feel stymied by my right hand technique. Not that I feel the need to shred. Look at Jim Hall. But I'd like the ability to do more with my right hand. More than anything I want to play tasteful musical ideas.
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Originally Posted by D'Aquisto Fan
Lack of speed in the right hand can sometimes, and oft times be blamed on hesitancy of the left hand. Yes, you hear notes in the right hand because that hand is responsible for making sound, but it's also going to avoid producing sound if there's not the confidence of playing the correct notes in the fretting hand. If you can increase the speed of thought and execution, of placement of the notes, of creating flow and intention in your left hand, your right hand will play them. Once again, a lexicon of ornamental figures, once integrated with a savvy, trained ear, will allow you 2,3 or even 4 notes with one practiced thought process. You can create lines as fast as you can think. Once you believe and hear those lines, your hands will play them as fast as you can create them.
Also try reframing the duties of the right hand to include dynamics and swing. Those are functions that connect that hand with the ear.
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Week 7 Day 65. 90 BPM. Using the "official" ireal pro backing in Am. Tried to incorporate some of the new approaches per JBN suggestion but I'm still suffering from brain fog. The static A section is killing brain cells and the impenetrable B throws the survivors under the bus. I just really do not understand what HR is doing with the B section at all. The tonal motion just seems arbitrary and nonsensical to my ears.
But I don't have to play it again tomorrow so I can sleep happy...
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Originally Posted by guido5
Let's take a look at this. The B section is in three sections, I've put them in red, green and blue.
RED:
To get the most out of this section, you'll need to understand the two common uses of the dominant chord.
1) The tritone substitution. That's a 7th from a half step above. Usually a mixolydian #4 scale. Get to know this and practice it so you can hear and use it.
2) The secondary Dominant. That's a 7th chord from a 4th below (or a 5th above) any other diatonic or any chord for that matter.
These two dominants will be the ways you graduate from "Oh yeah" sound to "Oh Wow!" sounds. They serve to accentuate the line of the phrase with surprise and contrast. They're the unexpected adjectives of harmony.
Now I've written out a harmonic analysis of the B section but before you start, understand that that B section is in three keys. First is a section in F, with some II V stuff bringing you there. That's in red.
The second section is in E, with some II V stuff bringing you there. That's in green.
The last section is the gateway back to the A minor section. That's in A and it's a II V to the parent key of A, (A minor).
Finally, when you see a III minor chord, like A- in the third measure, that's a III chord substitute for the I chord. Try to play this at an F/A, or an A- with a flat 6 (5 - - 5 6 -) that's F/A. Don't just play an A minor scale, hear it as an F scale starting from the third degree.
You want me to walk you through the section measure by measure?
1) this is the II of F, the new key of the piece when you get to the B section.
2) Here's the V7 followed by the Gb7(#11), this is the tritone sub that leads your ear to F.
3) Now there's a switcheroo here, instead of the F Major, you have the F starting from the third degree. It sounds quite the same but it's not as obvious and it flows better.
4) This is the secondary dominant, the D7 sets your ear up to go to the II chord
5) Here's the II chord, it's diatonic, and it's going to take you home.
6) On the way home, we go down by 1/2 step and the tritone sub
7) HOME chord! Here's the F we've been setting up. It arrives...and then instead of just sitting on a static chord, we walk up the diatonic chords II, III and this is NOT a mandate to play every one of those chords. God no! Just do something in F. We're about to leave the key.
8) Now we're in E. Measure 8 is the II chord of the new key, setting up a II V movement.
9) Instead of a normal V7, here's a tritone sub with its own II attached. A common way to approach a chord and create some tension.
10) E chord. Our new I chord, but played from the III chord. You want to hear this as E chord first inversion.
11) VI chord in E. This chord has so many notes in common with a I chord that it's a brother to the I chord. I, VI and III chord are known as TONIC chords. They're kin.
12 and 13) this is a little passage that takes you out but announces something coming that will make it all make sense.
14) NEW KEY of A, we're going home!
15) Tritone sub to A minor.
Look at the section called NOW HEAR THIS.
This is the essential tonality. Use this to hear what's going on and then if you can hear it, GET OFF BOOK, hear it and play to this. Then as you become familiar with the tritone subs, Tonic chord subs and secondary dominants, start to use them.Last edited by Jimmy blue note; 01-24-2021 at 07:17 AM.
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Hey, JBN. Thank you so much for the analysis of the B section of "Angel Eyes." I get most everything you're saying. A couple questions if I may.
#8: Now we're in E. Measure 8 is the II chord of the new key, setting up a II V movement.
Just to clarify. I realize Am7 is still in the key of F. I don't see this measure as the II of the new key. Are you simply saying the Fm7 is setting up the F#m7 in the next measure, which of course is the ii in the new key?
#14 So Bm11 is the ii of A minor? If it was written as Bm7b5 that would make it easier for me to see on the fly.
#15 Lastly how does the C/Bb in the last measure function as a tritone sub? I'm always a bit thrown by that chord here. I typically just start going home to A minor. With the Bb in the bass is that sort of like a C7? Is the Bb in the bass the tritone sub? If so, why C major above the bass note?
Again, thank you so much for taking the time to explain all of this. I know we all really appreciate it!
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Originally Posted by D'Aquisto Fan
If anything, this exercize project shows the interchangibility of turnaround "adjectives".
I will note, that each of the types of dominant substitutes I mentioned deserves full attention and mastery. In this way, these superchops exercises will introduce and broaden your own ear and facility beyond what is contained merely in the original standard version. These are actually thoughtful etudes that demand you become facile in some very hip techniques that will serve you way beyond the project and standard itself.
If it doesn't make sense, it's good that you say so, because like ornaments, turnarounds and harmonic substitutions are just a HINT or SUGGESTION of what to play. If you don't hear it for its spirit, you can't be convincing in the act. If you don't have a sound in your head, you can't make a sound with your hands.
Explore how these devices can be played and you'll form your personality on the instrument. Hey, it doesn't come overnight, be patient, but be mindful in the process. That's why I did this analysis.
Originally Posted by D'Aquisto Fan
SOOOOO, all of this is only the guideline by which you can learn to actively open up your ear and thoughtfully add spice to a form which you must, as you astutely point out, be able to hear if you want to be convincing. If you understand spice, and use it sparingly while knowing the flavour you wish to bring out, you'll play with taste and suprise. Until you can know the spice, you'll wind up with obligatory note playing; that's our enemy.
Each time you play through these, you make small breakthroughs.
I hope this helps.
That section labelled NOW HEAR THIS is a good beginning point. If you hear the bones, and you know how muscle and tissue works, you can put together a very hip solo. That's the real project.
Now I will say next week's piece is a similar vehicle: a familiar and MUST KNOW standard with HR treatment (that's why the HR versions are ostensibly more problematic than the standards they're based on) and if it would be helpful, I'll prepare a full blown analysis and break down so it makes sense.
You can then see the process, the difference between a "read through" and a deeply informed compositional process that marks a compelling solo.
Would that be helpful?
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JBN -- Thanks for these fantastic annotations and descriptions. Sort of packing an entire advanced theory class into sixteen bars. A whole lot to try to absorb while trying to simultaneously work on technical speed and accuracy. I guess I know what I need to work on for my day off...
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Originally Posted by guido5
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Originally Posted by Jimmy blue note
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Originally Posted by Jimmy blue note
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Originally Posted by D'Aquisto Fan
16" 1920s/30s L5
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