The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #26

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    Quote Originally Posted by princeplanet
    I don't quite see any advantage in limiting early improvs to just 4 of the 5 possible pentatonic notes. Why not just use maj and dominant 5 note pentatonics as a starting point? Still way easier than full modes, plus easier to "see" chromatic links for the 5 notes. I understand he adds the 3rd and 7th later, but why wait?


    One thing, it didn’t hit me the first time I saw this.

    there is a very important reason for this. That little figure, pulls the ear up to the new key center. IMO it’s an absolutely critical element to his system. It teaches your ear to really hear the harmonic movement through a tune.

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  3. #27

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    Quote Originally Posted by vintagelove
    One thing, it didn’t hit me the first time I saw this.

    there is a very important reason for this. That little figure, pulls the ear up to the new key center. IMO it’s an absolutely critical element to his system. It teaches your ear to really hear the harmonic movement through a tune.
    It does, and is an interesting aspect to his system, where you can imply changes without the 3 and 7. Just don't see how it's better to learn that before using 3rds. Mark can already play and he's road testing this system, it seems, to perhaps see what it's merits are. But if you were a beginner wouldn't you be more encouraged by the early practice if the lines you created were a little more melodic - i.e. - at least including 3rds?

    And you're right, there's much I do agree with about this type of basic approach (without me fully understanding it), as an alternative to the usual modes/arps drill prior to attempting any improv. I was just wondering if it could/should be tweaked to suit guitar players. Anyway, I'm happy to let Mark report in the weeks to come how the later stages build upon the earlier ones. I'll watch this space....

  4. #28

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    Quote Originally Posted by princeplanet
    It does, and is an interesting aspect to his system, where you can imply changes without the 3 and 7. Just don't see how it's better to learn that before using 3rds. Mark can already play and he's road testing this system, it seems, to perhaps see what it's merits are. But if you were a beginner wouldn't you be more encouraged by the early practice if the lines you created were a little more melodic - i.e. - at least including 3rds?

    And you're right, there's much I do agree with about this type of basic approach (without me fully understanding it), as an alternative to the usual modes/arps drill prior to attempting any improv. I was just wondering if it could/should be tweaked to suit guitar players. Anyway, I'm happy to let Mark report in the weeks to come how the later stages build upon the earlier ones. I'll watch this space....


    Just fyi, I advised mark how to finger it roughly, and he did the above in a day. Now perhaps im wrong and parts of it he was working on himself, but as far as I know, he did the above in 1 day.

    With regard to your first question, why initially leave out the 3rd. I can think of a couple reasons. First, it’s easier with less notes, and there’s no chance for sounding bad with the pent pairs. Second, they create great little jazz melodies. Third, as an ear training device, they not only assist in really hearing your way through the tune, but once you have the sound of the pairs in your head, when you add the 3rd, the sound really hits you how the 3rd colors the chord.

    Hope that help understanding it. Take care.

  5. #29

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    This exercise takes the pairs (5&6, 1&2) through the cycle in a series of ii-Vs. (One measure of the ii, one measure of the V7.)
    The rhythms start simple but become fairly complex by the end. (I flub several.)

    Somewhere Willie refers to the pairs as a "TPS" (on the analogy of a vehicle's GPS): Tonal Positioning System. This way you know where you are all the time.

    Lot of good music in just four notes.
    I think several of these lines are great. My playing is poor. Apologies. One drawback---for me, so far--- to using the pairs is that I have to pick notes on adjacent strings where I would normally pull off on a single string with my normal fingering / position playing. (Nothing in Willie's system speaks against pull-offs and slurs, but I'm lining up the pairs the same way in each key, regardless, so that awkwardness is there. And that's all on me, not Willie.)


  6. #30
    I'm a baritone sax player and have been using the Willie Thomas method for over 10 years now. I agree with the comments that I've heard about how effective it is in getting your ear inside of the changes and making music out of it. The pentatonic pairs along with chromatic connectors is used as a kind of gps system to navigate through the chord changes and make music in the bebop mode.

  7. #31

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    Glad to see this thread is still alive. I was thinking about Willie over the weekend. It's been a year since he died (2/16/19).

    I haven't worked with this material in a while.
    But I'm going to give some of it another crack. Now that I've switched guitars, it's good to make old things feel familiar on the new guitar.

    Another aspect of Willie's approach is the constant emphasis on rhythm. If your rhythm is strong, almost anything sounds good; if your rhythm is weak (or unvaried), nothing sounds good.

  8. #32

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    Mark I tried to send a private message and it failed but perhaps a public message is better anyway, more in the spririt of the forum.

    I enjoyed the music you shared re Willie's program, it sounded musical (as does everything from his school) and In understood what was going on. It has a 50% off special at the moment.

    I (and maybe others also) would be interested how you found you progressed in his online school. How long dig you spend on it and in it. What are your key takeaways etc.

    Cheers


  9. #33

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    Quote Originally Posted by gggomez
    Mark I tried to send a private message and it failed but perhaps a public message is better anyway, more in the spririt of the forum.

    I enjoyed the music you shared re Willie's program, it sounded musical (as does everything from his school) and In understood what was going on. It has a 50% off special at the moment.

    I (and maybe others also) would be interested how you found you progressed in his online school. How long dig you spend on it and in it. What are your key takeaways etc.

    Cheers

    Don't know why a PM didn't work. I get them from time to time, so it should be working, but I don't mind being asked in this way.

    Let me think about this and get back to you tonight. My mom fell and fractured her hip. She's in the hospital and I am not quite myself this morning.

  10. #34

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    Oh, best wishes Mark

  11. #35

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    I'm still busy with my mom, trying to get her out of the hospital and into a rehab facility.

    But I do have news for those interested in Willie Thomas. He was born in February and died in February. February is his month, you might say.

    You can join the site for $10 a month TODAY ONLY. (Actually, it was good for the whole month but this is the only day left of the month.) It's normally $20. There is a lot of material at the site, from the beginner's corner to very advanced stuff. Lots of pdf files. (Lots of things you may already know but want to use when teaching others.)

    At least visit the site and look around.

    Coupon Code: M50
    Jazz Everyone - Online jazz lessons, all instruments, all levels

  12. #36

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    Best wishes Mark
    I have jumped in.
    Spent an hour on lesson one. Really dig it. Like the clarity and it is simple enough I can use my ear rather than looking at the charts. Heavily blues focused so far also which I dig.
    Best wishes with you Mother (they should always have a capital M).