THE FINEST GUITAR LESSONS ON THE PLANET 243 MAY 2015
20 YEARS OF THE FINEST GUITAR LESSONS
BANISH BORING SOLOS! BLUES THEORY
Go beyond Pentatonics to play the solos you always knew you could!
USING CHROMATICS Add outside notes and nail those ‘secret’ licks!
CLASSICAL
TCHAIKOVSKY
Play his beautiful piece Waltz Of The Flowers
STYLE STUDIES CLASSIC TABBED!
STEVE
HOWE
Clap L Learn this hi solo l master work from The Yes Album Every note fully tabbed!
OZ NOY
Play ‘twisted’blues
JOHN DENVER
His acoustic style revealed
STEVE MILLER
Master seriously big bends
DJANGO REINHARDT Learn those outrageous licks
ISSUE 243 MAY 2015
Just some of your regular GT technique experts... SHAUN BAXTER One of the UK’s most respected music educators, Shaun has taught many who are now top tutors themselves. His Jazz Metal album is considered a milestone.
JON BISHOP Jon is one of those great all-rounders who can turn his hand to almost any style. No ‘Jack of all trades and master of none’, he nails every one with ease!
JIM CLARK 2002’s Guitarist Of The Year runner-up, Jim has been a busy TV and session guitarist in the UK and US, as well as working alongside a host of top artists.
PHIL CAPONE Phil is a great guitarist who specialises in blues and jazz. He teaches at ICMP in London, writes for GT and Total Guitar and has published 10 top tuition books.
CHARLIE GRIFFITHS Guitar Institute tutor Charlie first came to fame in Total Guitar’s Challenge Charlie series. He’s also one of the UK’s top rock, metal and fusion guitarists.
PHIL HILBORNE The UK’s original magazine guitar tutor, Phil’s something of a legend. A great player, he’s currently touring Europe with the Champions Of Rock show.
PAT HEATH BIMM Brighton lecturer, ESP product demonstrator and all-round busy musician, Pat brings you six cool licks each month in 30-Minute Lickbag.
DAVID MEAD As ex-editor of both Guitarist and Guitar Techniques magazines, and author of top-selling tutor books, David is the perfect choice as Theory Godmother.
THE
FINEST
GUITAR TUITION YOU CAN BUY !
Welcome
BLUES AND THEORY! Compatible as chalk and cheese, surely? Isn’t blues the one music form that’s pure feel, the playing coming from some deep, shared well of experience? It’s certainly true that many artists who purport to know nothing about theory, go on to play great music that seems to underline their point. Either their sense of harmony is innate they know intuitively what to play over which chord - or have practiced to the point where they are comfortable in any musical situation. To the casual listener, the results are the same. The truth is, most of us fall somewhere between ‘natural gift’ and having no idea of what to do without guidance. And here music theory is often our best friend. For many self-taught guitarists, learning minor Pentatonic shape 1 is WKHLU ¿UVW IRUD\ LQWR PXVLF WKHRU\ %XW because they know it as a ‘shape’ they often don’t connect the fretboard positions with the intervals underlying them. Yet doing so would be a massive leap forward, as would having someone to demonstrate why. If your playing lacks that certain something, or you repeatedly hear yourself meandering up and down the same old patterns,
Jon Bishop’s cover feature this month might prove the perfect tonic for your playing. You will have seen some of this stuff before, but what Jon does is join up the dots to provide a cogent feature that ties in chords, scales, ‘added’ notes creating ‘uber’ scales and so on; he marries the way the best self-taught players work things out for themselves, with down-toearth theory guidelines that together act as a road-map towards fretboard enlightenment. Although we’ve tagged the feature as ‘blues’ the same ideas will also work in other styles, since it’s often the approach, the musical context or even the guitar tone that separates one genre from the next. So if blues is not for you, this lesson most certainly still is. Anyway, connect Bish’s feature and John Wheatcroft’s one on introducing chromatics into your playing, and the fretboard is indeed your lobster! So have fun, and I’ll see you next month (by which time I expect you to have mastered Steve Howe’s instrumental work-out ‘Clap’, too). Good luck!
Neville Marten, Editor
[email protected]
DON’T MISS OUR AMAZING DIGITAL Guitar Techniques’ digital edition is now even better!
BRIDGET MERMIKIDES Guildhall and Royal Academy trained, Bridget is a Royal College of Music, examiner, a respected classical player and award-winning blues guitarist.
STUART RYAN Head of Guitar at BIMM Bristol, Stu is an acoustic guitar virtuoso who performs throughout the UK. His latest book/CD ‘The Tradition’ is available now.
ANDY SAPHIR A top teacher at the Guitar Institute (ICMP), Andy is a phenomenal player in a host of styles. He mixes just the right degree of flash with consummate taste.
TRISTAN SEUME One of ACM Guildford’s leading tutors Tristan is also mega busy on the folk circuit playing with Jackie Oates. His brand-new CD, Middle Child, is out now!
JOHN WHEATCROFT A truly phenomenal guitarist, John heads up the guitar facility at Tech Music Schools in London. He’s a master at all styles, but a legend in Gypsy Jazz.
Animated t Fin ing your way around the magazine is easy. Tapping the feature titles on the cover or the contents page, takes you straight to the relevant articles. Any web and email links in the text are tappable too!
Songs and lesso audio built in, with a moving cursor showing you exactly where you are in the music. Simply tap the ‘play’ button then you can fast-forward or scroll back at will.
ay t in of accompan useful insight and additional information. Once again, tap the play buttons to enjoy video masterclasses on your iPad or smartphone.
PLUS! Get a FREE iPad/iPhone sample of GT. For full details and how to receive our digital edition regularly, go to bit.ly/guitartechniques (if you live in the UK) or bit.ly/guitartechus (overseas). You can also find us on www.zinio.com (Please note: Zinio editions do not have interactive tab or audio).
May 2015 GuitarTechniques 3
& 21 7 ( 1 7 6 0 $<
LEARNING ZONE LESSONS INTRODUCTION
55
Music editor Jason Sidwell introduces another packed-to-the-rafters lessons section.
30MINUTE LICKBAG
56
BIMM’s Pat Heath has six new licks to play at easy, intermediate and advanced levels.
BLUES
58
Les Davidson takes a look at the style of the amazing Israeli guitarist Oz Noy.
ROCK
62
Martin Cooper says “Abracadabra” and conjures up the guitar style of Steve Miller.
CREATIVE ROCK
74
Shaun Baxter continues on his quest to give you total knowledge of the fingerboard.
CHOPS SHOP
80
Andy Saphir has some more string-skipping übertips to pass on to you.
BRITISH R&B
82
Phil Capone shows you how to play like those raves from the grave, The Zombies.
JAZZ
86
John Wheatcroft begins a new jazz series with an in-depth look at the pioneering gypsy jazz maestro Django Reinhardt.
COVER FEATURE BLUES THEORY
MUSIC READING
16
Jon Bishop explains all of the nuts and bolts behind blues guitar soloing, and more, to take your musicianship to the next level.
WELCOME
SPECIAL FEATURE #2 John Wheatcroft shows how you can use ‘outside’ notes to add extra depth, colour and character to your guitar solos.
3 7
N Part 4
66
Carl delivers another jaw-dropping first-take solo over a track he’s never before heard!
More of your insights and opinions.
THEORY GODMOTHER
9
David Mead sorts out your musical malaises and creative conundrums.
INTRO
TRANSCRIPTION #1
10
News and regulars, plus Phil’s One-Minute Lick, That Was The Year, Hot For Teacher and more.
36
Learn Steve Howe’s acoustic guitar show piece from the legendary 1971 Yes Album. Acoustic supremo Stuart Ryan is your guide.
BACK ISSUES
54
Missed one? See how you can get it – here!
SUBSCRIPTIONS
72
Save time and money – get GT delivered!
ALBUMS
TRANSCRIPTION #2 TCHAIKOVSKY Waltz Of The Flowers
TALKBACK
94
VIDEO MASTERCLASS
Nev talks about this issue’s main features.
CHROMATIC IMPROVISATION Spice up your lead! 28
STEVE HOWE Clap
ACOUSTIC
Stuart Ryan on the acoustic style of Henry John Deutschendorf Jr, also known as John Denver!
REGULAR FEATURES
FEATURES
92
Charlie Griffiths explains repeat signs, first and second time endings and a whole number of other essential musical markers.
97
New guitar CDs and DVDs reviewed and rated by our very own Roger Newell.
46
Bridget Mermikides arranges and transcribes an infectious piece by the awesome Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.
NEXT MONTH
98
Nail your intervals, learn Muse’s New Born and master ragtime fingerpicking. Plus Strauss’ Blue Danube for classical guitar and the styles of Eric Gales, Chickenfoot and much more!
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Post: Guitar Techniques, Future Publishing, Ivo Peters Way, Bath, BA2 3QS. Email:
[email protected] - please use the header ‘Talkback’.
Dr Levenson provides the last word on hand injury rehabilitation
LAST WORD ON INJURIES Recovery from severe injuries like Mr Modern has (GT238) is complicated and multifaceted. These recommendations for recovery come from the article abstract ‘Hand Therapy For The Musician: Instrument Focused Rehabilitation’ by J Warrington. Rehabilitation using the instrument LQFOXGHVHDUO\UHWXUQWRPRGL¿HG SOD\LQJLQVWUXPHQWVSHFL¿F exercises, sensory reeducation and manual therapy, improving musical ¿WQHVVDPXOWLGLVFLSOLQDU\WHDP approach, and instrument PRGL¿FDWLRQVDQGVSOLQWLQJZKHQ necessary. Education regarding good practice habits is essential to avoid secondary problems on return to full playing. This treatment approach is valuable IROORZLQJWUDXPDWLFLQMXU\IRU degenerative conditions, and for QRQVSHFL¿FZULVWDQGKDQGSDLQ A rehabilitation program for this gentleman is dependent upon ZKHWKHUWKHUHLV 1. Bone and tendon damage 2. Muscle function as a result of the fractures, bracing, immobilisation of the extremity, stability of IUDFWXUHVZLWKLQWHUQDO¿[DWLRQRI the orthopaedic injury or not. 6SHFL¿FDOO\SHULSKHUDOQHUYH damage affecting muscle function and recovery of the nerve injury ZKLFKFDQWDNHPRQWKVWR recover. Nerve conduction tests of the extremity and electromyography of the muscle groups involved can be performed by a physiatrist or neurologist to GHWHUPLQHKRZTXLFNO\WKHQHUYHV DUHUHFRYHULQJDVZHOODVDVVHVVPHQW of muscle strength and tone by a
physiotherapist. This is related to a loss of motor or sensory function as ZHOO5RERWLFVFDQEHXVHGWRDVVLVW LQUHFRYHU\DVZHOODVHOHFWULFDO stimulation in some cases. 7LPH ZKDWLVUHTXLUHGIRUDFWLYH and natural recovery of the injuries irrespective of the program used. Some rehabilitation programs may KDYHYLUWXDOVRIWZDUHWRHQDEOHDQ injured person to see simulated YLVXDOPRYHPHQWVFRUUHODWLQJZLWK brain function of injured arm or H[WUHPLW\EXWVWLOOKDYLQJGLI¿FXOW\ moving the extremity. This is the PRVWGLI¿FXOWSDUWRIUHFRYHU\ SV\FKRORJLFDOO\IRUDSDWLHQWZLWK injuries and the immobilisation DZD\IURPZRUNDQGDFWLYLWLHVRI daily living, the dependence on other people for self care and DVVLVWDQFHZLWKSHUVRQDOLVVXHVWKH LPSDWLHQFHRIVHHLQJRQO\VORZ recovery of these injuries day after GD\ODVWLQJLQWRZHHNVDQGPRQWKV Being creative is an important focus on the things one can do despite the injury and listen to more music and VORZO\WKHSOLQNLQJ noises on his guitar ZLOOEHFRPHIXOOQRWHV and then riffs to IROORZLQWKHPRQWKV ahead. Above all, keep positive and NHHSZRUNLQJWRZDUG the goal of getting EHWWHU$VZHVD\D ORWRIZKDWZHKXPDQVGRWR communicate and live is in ‘our KHDGV¶DQGUHTXLUHVSDWLHQFHLQWKH face of pain and suffering and ‘tincture of time’. 5. Medications can effect cognitive IXQFWLRQDVZHOOPRWRUIXQFWLRQRI an injured extremity. 3URJUDPVIRUPXVLFLDQUHFRYHU\ LQ(XURSHDQGWKH86 WKHSURJUDP at the Chicago Rehabilitation Institute for injured musicians may be useful for Mr Modern to contact DVZHOODVIRUDGGLWLRQDOUHIHUHQFHV for medical and physiotherapy professionals in England and HOVHZKHUH Henry Levenson, MD. Medical Director of Rehab, LAC+USC Medical Center, Los Angeles 36 ,ORYH*XLWDU7HFKQLTXHV
from one so eminent I thought yours would be well worth us taking heed of, as you never know what’s round the corner! And I’m glad you like the magazine enough to lend such sage advice and information!
Thanks so much for that, Dr Levenson. We weren’t going to add any further comments to the debate, but coming
7KDQNVIRUWKH3OD\LQJ:LWK Fingers feature. I’ve never been a great picker – can’t seem to
LOST IN MUSIC I’ve only just got a hold of your 20 7LSV 3OD\%HWWHU6RORV7RGD\LVVXH (GT239) as I live in the back of beyond. The reason I love Guitar 7HFKQLTXHVLVWKDWLWDOORZVPHWR immerse myself in my playing, forget the day’s toils and get lost in a feature for hours. I’m no Angus Young but I do my best. I’ve got a OLWWOHEROWKROHZLWKDFRPSXWHU set-up and a decent soundcard so I can record my efforts using GarageBand. What I tend to do is VSHQGDIHZGD\VJRLQJWKURXJKD particular feature – in this case the 20 Tips – and then record myself doing something based on the DUWLFOHLQTXHVWLRQ7KDWZD\,FDQ check if I’ve improved! Sometimes I use your backing tracks but I KDYHDIHZRIP\RZQ that I enjoy playing over too. Jon Bishop’s ‘commandments’ gave me a lot of food for thought, and I really WKLQN,FDPHXSZLWK some of my best stuff this time. I’ve not gone WKURXJKWKHZKROHPDJ yet, but I’ll be very interested in trying the Soul Chords DQG)RRO)RU
FRRUGLQDWHWKHWZRKDQGVZHOO enough to do it to the level I’d like – and so it had occurred to me that JRLQJµ¿QJHUVRQO\¶PLJKWEHP\ EHVWZD\IRUZDUG,¶GEHHQ WLQNHULQJDERXWXVLQJÀHVKRQO\ but your lesson gave me the chance WRVLWGRZQZLWKDELJFKXQNRI ZRUNDQGJRIRULWSURSHUO\,WZDV interesting to see the different approaches of the various players you chose for the examples, and I WKLQN,¶PFRPLQJGRZQRQWKH µWKXPEDQG¿UVW¿QJHU¶VLGHRI things, as Jeff Beck does. I love .QRSÀHU¶VSOD\LQJEXWKLVDSSURDFK LVDOLWWOHTXLUN\DQG,¶PDELWRID simple soul. I might also have a go ZLWKDWKXPESLFNDVWKHUHDUH some great players I admire that have used one. I also like the fact WKDW¿QJHUVRUWKXPESLFNSOD\LQJ might put me put me in a smaller SRQGRISOD\HUVUDWKHUWKDQ¿QGLQJ P\VHOIVZLPPLQJLQDYDVWVHDRI far superior alternate pickers! Stu Laing Certainly playing with fingers makes you a little more unusual. Those that use flesh alone always have great tone and seem to be able to manipulate their sound due to the immediacy of contact. Not to say that pick players can’t, of course. I love using fingers and do it a lot, but I’m not sure I’d have the courage to completely forego that little plastic security blanket. GT writer Steve Laney, who did our recent Country Workout, is a thumb pick convert who loves it and now wouldn’t have it any other way. He gave me one of his to try and, while I confess to finding it great fun, again I’m not sure I could make such a wholehearted leap of faith. Glad you enjoyed the feature and good luck with your fleshy forays!
FINGER-PICKIN’ GOOD! Flesh only playing would you take the big leap of faith?
May 2015 GuitarTechniques 7
Q&A Theory Godmothe
Post your playing posers and technical teasers to: Theory Godmother, Guitar Techniques, 30 Monmouth Street, Bath, BA1 2BW; or email me at
[email protected] - every wish is your Godmother’s command! Accept No Substitute Dear Theory Godmother Please could you explain to me how tritone substitution works? Derek Tritone substitution, or b5 substitution as it is also known, is one of the more confusing areas of music theory. When I was ploughing my way through theory books many years ago I read the basic rule that went something like: “You can substitute any chord which has the flat 5th of the original chord as its root”. All well and good, but it’s not strictly accurate or very clearly explained; furthermore, they don’t say why it works. So let’s look at why tritone substitution can be used in jazz and other related music styles. The chord that lives at the heart of tritone substitution is the dominant 7th. The dominant 7th demands some sort of resolution, the most common of which is the V-I. The reason why this works is that every dominant chord has a dissonant b5 interval between its 3rd and 7th (Ex 1) and when this is followed by the I major, that dissonance is resolved. What happens in a V-I resolution in C major is that the G7th’s 3rd and 7th both shift by a semitone to form the C’s major 3rd, the most consonant interval in music (Ex 2). So what you’re hearing is the movement between a dissonant (tense) interval to a very consonant (settled) one, hence the sensation that things have resolved and the music is now at rest. Tritone substitution exploits the fact that a b5th can be looked at in two ways. In our example, the notes B and F moved a semitone each in opposite directions to form C and E, but what happens when we look at it upside down? That gives us F and B which just happen to form a b5th interval too. No other interval in music will do this, so if we look at the dominant chord that contains F as its 3rd and B (here referred to a ‘Cb’ because of the key signature) as its 7th, we find Db7 – a dominant chord exactly a b5th away from G. Db7 will resolve nicely into Gb major (Ex 3) but, because of the b5th or tritone in common between G7 and Db7, it will also ‘stand in’ for G7 and make a plausible substitute for it. Try comparing both in Ex 4 and you should hear that the resolution is sound in both cases.
EXAMPLES 1 6 Ex 1 B -F b5 interval
Ex 4 V-I and bV chord resolution
G7
E B G D A E
b
B to F = a diminished 5th ( 5)
1 0 0 0 2 3
1
E B G D A E
2
Ex 2 V-I interval resolution
C
b b b b
n
1 0 0 0 2 3
0 1 0 2 3
4 6 4 6 4
3 5 5 5 3
C
3 2
E B G D A E
2 3
Ex 3 Db7-Gb chord resolution b
D 7
b b b b b b
D 7
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ
C Major
C Major Pentatonic
G
3
0
2
0
3
2
0
1
4 6 4 6 4
0
3
0
2
Ex 6 Aadd9 chord
1
2
b
b &b b
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ C Minor
E B G D A E
C
Ex 5 Diatonic and Pentatonic Major and Minor
G7
Diminished 5th resolves to a major 3rd E B G D A E
b
G7
2 2 3 4 4 2
To sum up, if you find a V-I resolution in a tune, it’s often true that you can substitute the V chord for a dominant a b5th away. There are more uses, too, but I think it’s best that you fully understand the basic concept before you move on to its more advanced applications.
Scaling The Blues Dear Theory Godmother Could you tell me why the six-note minor Blues scale is considered to be minor Pentatonic with an additional note (b5th), and not a diatonic sevennote scale with one note subtracted? Jakob I think the reason is because that’s how many guitarists come to the Blues scale in the first place, Jakob - they learn the minor Pentatonic and then find this extra ‘cool’ note to tack on. But you can’t view the Blues scale as a diatonic scale because the truth is there are no regular scales that contain three semitones in a row, as the Blues scale does (4-b5-5). If you took one note away from any diatonic scale you wouldn’t end up with the Blues scale at all. Theoretically, the minor Pentatonic is the Natural minor scale with two
E B G D A E
3
0
1
3
0
œ œ œ œ œ œ C Minor Pentatonic
1
3
1
notes missing (2nd and 6th), and the minor Blues scale simply adds the b5th as a passing note. But in practical terms for most guitarists it really is the minor Pentatonic with the b5th added. (There’s also the major Blues scale, which is major Pentatonic with b3rd added, but we won’t go into that here, although Ex 6 shows Major and Minor scales beside their relative Pentatonic). Getting back to minor Blues scale, if you factor in the blues ‘curl’ - the b3rd pushed slightly sharp or slightly ‘major’ - you get a scale that looks relatively simple on paper but which can cover a multitude of musical situations. Many guitarists then add the full Major 3rd, and then the 6th and the 9th to create hybrid scales that are great for pretty sophisticated improvisations. And, as if by magic, turn to page 16 and Jon Bishop will explain this very concept in glorious Technicolor!
Locomotive Breath Dear Theory Godmother I love playing Every Breath You Take by the Police (Guitar Techniques Dec 2014), not just for the great tune but also as an exercise in strict timing, arpeggio technique and palm muting.
3
1
3
0
3
1
But no matter how much I work on my fretting hand I cannot do the stretches from static chord positions. So I end up racing up and down the neck fingering every note separately. Is there some other solution? Colin The span of the hand does improve with practice, Colin, and this tune is a good workout in order to bring it about. The only tip I can pass on here is one that Andy Summers himself told me, which is that he uses his first fretting hand’s finger to play both the bass note and the major 3rd in the tricky Aadd9 chord (and likewise for the b3rd in the F#m9) which actually makes it a lot easier to play and cuts down the stretch somewhat (Ex 6). The only other thing I can advise you to try is to capo the neck around the 4th or 5th fret and practise the tune in a different key (with smaller fret stretches) until you nail the fingering, then drop the capo back a fret at a time until you’re playing it in the correct key. As I say, the span of your hand should increase over time and you should soon be perfecting your performance of the song - take it one breath at a time!
May 2015 GuitarTechniques 9
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Jam tracks tips
Below left and right: Hendrix’s ring and George Harrison’s 1963 Mastersound guitar
1. Groove in C Here’s a simple feel-good jam track in C major. The two chord progressions are C-Am (repeated), followed by the chords Dm-CDm-G. You can use the C Major scale (C-D-E-F-G-A-B) and C major Pentatonic (C-D-E-G-A). Alternatively, think A Minor scale/A minor Pentatonic. This should make it easier to visualise the notes on the fretboard and might make you come up with different licks as well. 2. Funky 7/8 Shuffle (Am) This odd metre funk groove backing track is perfect for improvising with A Dorian mode (A-B-C-D-E-F#-G), but of course your standard A minor Pentatonic (A-C-D-E-G) works a treat too. The chord progression moves continually between Am7 and D7. For extra colour, try using E minor Pentatonic (E-G-A-B-D) and B minor Pentatonic (B-D-E-F#-A). 3. Rock & Roll Blues (D) Here we have an uptempo 12-bar blues in D. Soloing-wise, D minor Pentatonic (D-F-G-A-C) is a sound place to start - and you can of course include an Ab note as well (the b5 - aka the ‘blue note’) to make it the Blues scale. Other scales to consider: D Mixolydian mode (D-E-F#-G-A-B-C), D Dorian (D-E-F-G-A-B-C) and D Major scale (D-E-F#-G-A-B-C#).
Above left and right: Clapton’s 1962 SG LP Standard and Lady Gaga’s stage worn face mask
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4. Medium Swing 2-5-1 (Gm) Here’s an easy-to-approach jazz play along in G Minor. The chord progression is the classic minor II-V-I (Am7b5-D7-Gm-Gm). Scale suggestions would be G Minor scale (G-A-Bb-C-D-Eb-F) for the Am7b5 and Gm chords - and G Harmonic minor scale (G-A-BbC-D Eb F#) for the D7 chords. Also, try out these arpeggios: A-C-Eb-G (Am7b5), D-F#-A-C (D7) and G-Bb-D-F (Gm7). Created for you by Jacob Quistgaard. For free scale maps and hundreds more tracks, visit www.quistorama. com. Also subscribe to www.youtube. com/QuistTV to get all the latest free jam tracks and licks!
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IK’s brand new iRig 2 guitar interface
PHIL HILBORNE’S ONE-MINUTE LICK FUNKY COUNTRY LICK I’ve long been a fan of the slick, funky, double-stop licks of the great country players. Albert Lee, Danny Gatton, Jonny Hyland, Brent Mason and others have all played similar licks to the one I have shown here. This idea can be played using HLWKHU¿QJHUVW\OHRUDSLFNDQG ¿QJHUVDSSURDFK,UUHVSHFWLYH of which method you use, your aim should be to make all of the double-stops sound as ‘snappy’ as possible. So dig in and play with plenty of attack. Notice also the open string pull-offs that occur in bars 1 and 2. These don’t serve much of a melodic function - their role is primarily rhythmic and it is probably best to treat them like ‘ghost’ or ‘x’ type percussive notes. In bar 3, notice that I have
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The closing part of the lick in bar 4 can be seen as a G Mixolydian styled phrase with added b3 and b5 passing notes (G-A-BbB-C-Db-D-E-F). Play this line as smoothly as possible, and notice
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May 2015 GuitarTechniques 11
New Gretsch book
John Renbourn: influenced many folk and rock players
The Gretsch Electric Guitar Book is the latest book from author Tony Bacon. It offers carefully researched text partnered with a gallery of full-colour pictures of great guitars, rare memorabilia, and famous Gretsch players from Chet Atkins to Eddy Cochran, Billy Duffy, Duane Eddy and Brian Setzer. Gretsch electric guitars have a style all their own - a glitzy, wacky, retro charm that over the years has drawn players from unknown teens to timeless stars playing all kinds of popular music. This book takes the reader from the introduction of Gretsch’s first electrics, through to the famous models, and on to the recent guitars and the Fender era. Tony Bacon draws both from fresh and archived interviews with Gretsch players. Visit www.halleonardbooks.com for further information.
GHS add to Boomers
DAVID REDFERN / GETTY IMAGES
Acoustic legend Renbourn dies 7+( +8*(/< ,1)/8(17,$/ DFRXVWLF IRON JXLWDULVW DQG VLQJHUVRQJZULWHU -RKQ 5HQERXUQ KDV GLHG IURP D KHDUW DWWDFN DJHG DW KLV KRPH LQ WKH 6FRWWLVK %RUGHUV +H ZDV GXH WR SOD\ D JLJ LQ *ODVJRZ DQG GLGQ¶W VKRZ XS VR IULHQGV DQG FROOHDJXHV FRQWDFWHG WKH SROLFH ZKR IRXQG KLP WKH IROORZLQJ PRUQLQJ 5HQERXUQ ZDV EHVW NQRZQ IRU KLV FROODERUDWLRQV ZLWK IHOORZ JXLWDULVW %HUW -DQVFK DV ZHOO DV KLV SLRQHHULQJ ZRUN ZLWK WKH IRON EDQG 3HQWDQJOH ZKR EOHQGHG IRON ZLWK RWKHU JHQUHV LQFOXGLQJ MD]] DQG URFN 3HQWDQJOH ZHUH D FRQVLGHUDEOH LQÀXHQFH RQ PXVLFLDQV DV GLYHUVH DV IRON URFNHUV )DLUSRUW &RQYHUWLRQ DQG 3HWH 7RZQVKHQG ZKR GHVFULEHG WKHP DV ³IUHVK DQG LQQRYDWLYH´ ,Q 5HQERXUQ DQG RWKHU
12 GuitarTechniques May 2015
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Renbourn was best known for his work with Bert Jansch and also the pioneering folk band Pentangle.
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GHS have augmented their popular Boomers string range with the addition of the Thin and Thick Core Boomers for electric guitars. The Thin Core Boomers have been designed to provide lightening quick action to enable fast speed runs to be combined with accurate arpeggios and musical bends. The Thin Core Boomers are in available in Extra Light, Custom Light, Light, Thin-Thick and Medium sets with gauges ranging from 9 to LC52. In contrast the Thick Core Boomers (also available in a variety of gauges) are for players who want a beefier sound, which focuses on the low end, thick tones. The stiffer tension offered by these strings produces better sustain, which allows for greater emphasis of sound features. Visit www.ghsstrings.com for further information and other products.
Sends i...
MIKE PRIOR
It only takes a minute to find out what makes a great guitarist tick. Before he jumped in his limo for the airport we grabbed a few moments with Alan Nimmo, guitarist with Glasgow-based blues band King King. GT: Do you have a type of pick that you can’t live without? AN: I used to use massive triangular things because Paul Kossoff used them in all the footage I used to watch. Then I increased thickness until I found what was right for me. I now use the Dunlop Tortex .88 picks (the green one). I rarely get more than one or two gigs out of a pick as I tend to lean in quite hard on them. GT: If you could have only three pedals, what would they be? AN: I don't use many pedals so for me to save three of them would pretty much mean I wasn't giving any up! I couldn't live without my trusty George Dennis wah-wah, and I suppose the other two are my Line 6 Chorus Modeller and Line 6 Delay. GT: Do you play another instrument well enough to be in a band (if so what, and have you ever done it?). AN: I love to get behind a drum kit. Over the years I did it often enough to get to a reasonable standard. I got tired of playing in bands with drummers who wouldn't know a shuffle if it smacked them between the eyes so I thought, I'll do it myself! I did it for the sheer fun of it and eventually people started asking if I was available to do gigs, so I thought, 'Yeah why not?' If I stuck at it then at least I have an excuse that I'm not actually a drummer! GT: If a music chart were put in front of you, could you read it? AN: If someone put a chart in front of me with one of my OWN songs on it I wouldn't know what it was! GT: Is there anyone’s playing (past or present) that you’re slightly jealous of? I don’t view music as a competition. There are loads of players that I think are superb. People like Paul Kossoff, Peter Green, Clapton, SRV, Satriani, Steve Vai, Hendrix and Brian Robertson, but I would never be jealous of them. These guys are an inspiration and make me strive to be a better player. There will always be someone better than you but it's a matter of how you look at it. GT: What’s your favourite amp and how do you set it? AN: Right now I'm using two amps - a Budda SuperDrive 30 and an orange
Alan Nimmo with the gorgeous wine red Les Paul Std his parents bought him when he was just 15. Rockreverb 50. These amps are actually quite similar I think... Or maybe it's just that I set them the same and it's the same pair of hands and guitar that's playing through them. I reckon it's a mixture of all of that! I try to get the cleanest sound so that I have a good base to start from, then let my drive pedal do the rest. GT: What strings do you use? AN: I'm lucky to endorse Elixir strings. I used them long before I got the deal too! Not only do they actually work, I can get loads of gigs out of one set with the protective coating on them, but I really enjoy the tone from them too. I use .011s but most of the time I ask my friends at Elixir to make a hybrid set. So instead of the standard 11-49 I have 11-52. I really enjoy the heavier thicker tone.
GT: Who was your first influence to play the guitar? AN: I'm a huge fan of Free. When I was young I heard Fire & Water and I'll never forget Paul Kossoff’s tone. But more than that it was the way he played. Such passion and fire! It still gives me shivers today when I hear the guitar solo on a live version of Woman. GT: What was the first guitar you really lusted after? AN: Being a fan of Koss and Peter Green I always wanted a Les Paul. My parents bought me one when I was 15. It's the same wine red Les Paul that I'm using today and I couldn't imagine life without it! Thanks mum! GT: What’s the most important musical lesson you ever learnt? AN: I think we are always learning new lessons whether it be musical or in life.
I've known a lot of musicians who let their demons get the better of them and it's hard to watch - especially when some of these people are your friends. So I think the most important lessons I've learned being involved in music is that life can be very short and it can be tough too. But depending on how you choose to live it, life can and is a beautiful and fantastic thing. If you're true to yourself and you work hard and put passion and meaning in to everything you do then you can have a wonderful life and a great career! GT: If you could put together a fantasy band with you in it, who would the other players be? There are so many people I would've loved to play with. Let's start with drums: Buddy Rich, John Bonham, Simon Kirke, Levon Helm! Bass: Marcus Miller, Keith Ferguson, Pino Palladino. Keys: John Lord, Billy Preston and Dr John. Guitar: Koss, Clapton, Green, Stevie Ray, Bob Cray, BB King, Gary Moore. Singers: Paul Rodgers, David Coverdale, Danny Bowes and Steve Marriott! GT: Who’s the greatest guitarist that’s ever lived? AN: There will always be innovators who come along like Eddie Van Halen, Steve Vai, Eric Clapton but I think if we have to pin it down one player then I just don't see how anyone could argue that Jimi Hendrix was the pioneer that changed the world. There were no restrictions and no rules with Jimi. GT: Is there a solo you really wish you had played? AN: David Gilmour's solo in Comfortably Numb. I played along to that every day for a long time. GT: What’s the solo/song of your own that you’re most proud of? AN: I recorded an album with my brother around the year 2000 and my daughter was only a tiny baby at the time. I wrote a song for her called You're The Reason and ever since then I dedicate every recording I do to her. You're still the reason sweetheart. Love you loads! King King’s new album Reaching For The Light is released on May 5th. King King play London’s Jazz Café on May 6th. Further info: www.kingkingblues.com
May 2015 GuitarTechniques 13
ns Awards, Power Plants And Dominators HOFNER PRODUCES ITS first solidbody guitars, the 160 with one pickup and the 162 with two. The construction is very basic with a cutaway body and glued-in (set) neck with two or four controls on the tear-drop shaped scratchplate. In the late 50s Henri Selmer in Charing Cross Road begin importing the upgraded versions (with the trade mark rectangular control panels) and give them the name Colorama. MISSING SPIES GUY Burgess and Donald Maclean are seen in the Soviet Union; Pakistan becomes the first Islamic republic; Australian television broadcasting commences; the transatlantic telephone cable begins operation; the Chew Valley artificial lake in Somerset is inaugurated by the Queen and will provide drinking water for Bristol and the surrounding area; Mach 3 is finally conquered by the Bell X-2 aircraft; and the UK’s Calder Hall becomes the world’s first commercial nuclear power plant. NEWCOMER ELVIS PRESLEY is criticised for his suggestive movements while performing Hound Dog on a US TV show; My Fair Lady opens on Broadway; Doris Day records Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be) featured in Alfred Hitchcock’s The Man Who Knew Too Much in which she co-stars with James Stewart; and following the unprecedented US release of Laurence Olivier’s Richard III in theatres and Television on the same day Olivier is nominated for an Oscar. GUILD RELEASESS THE Johnny Smith Award cutaway acoustic archtop guitar yet curiously Johnny never used one. Smith had sent in his design that specified the top be carved before the cutaway was taken out but the plant foreman insisted on doing it the other way round. Smith pronounces it an excellent instrument but refuses to accept or play the guitar. It sells well, however, but due to the popularity of electric guitars most are sold with a floating pickup fitted. GIBSON’S FIRST ELECTRIC guitar the ES-150 is phased out after 20 years in production; Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis get together at Sun Studios for the first and only time; Brigitte Bardot’s performance in the Roger Vadim film And God Created Woman earns her the title of sex kitten; Prince Rainier III of Monaco marries actress Grace Kelly; Shirley Bassey’s first single Burn My Candle (At Both Ends) is released; and Humphrey Lyttelton and his band record Bad Penny Blues in London with sound engineer Joe Meek. BRITISH GUITAR AND electronics innovator Charlie Watkins introduces the Dominator amplifier with a V-shaped front to offer greater sound dispersion. It offers two channels, four inputs and tremolo and employs a pair of EL 84 output valves and two 10-inch Elac speakers. It delivers 17 watts and the finishes and control knobs bear a striking resemblance to the popular Dansette record player.
14 GuitarTechniques May 2015
Music For All classes full
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HOT FOR TEACHER YOUR RGT TUTOR NAME: Scott Morgan TOWN: Port Talbot STYLES: Pop, rock, funk, jazz (Bossa nova & gypsy) SPECIALITY: Jazz-rock fusion LEVELS: Beginners to advanced, RGT Electric and Acoustic grades offered SIGHTREADING: Beginners to Intermediate CHARGES: £20 per 1 hour lesson (block booking available) SPECIAL: Fully functioning private studio; can record lessons; guitar set-up service, strings/accessories TEL: 07875 210440 EMAIL:
[email protected]
PLAY: THEORY
ON THE CD
TRACK 4-13
Blues Theory Jon Bishop pulls out the ingredients used to cook up some hot blues. If you’re looking for an extra layer of taste in your soloing or rhythm playing, then this feature is sure to spice things up! ABILITY RATING
Moderate INFO
WILL IMPROVE YOUR
KEY: A TEMPO: Various CD: TRACKS 4-13
Lead feel and phrasing Accompaniment skills Theory knowledge
THE MAIN IDEA we’ll be exploring here is using various scale and chord concepts as jumping-off points to provide ourselves with a somewhat more interesting vocabulary within the blues idiom. The aim of studying each of the examples is to increase both your solo playing and rhythm guitar potential. Early blues featured a very much, ‘hand-me-down’ tradition of learning, with HDFK JHQHUDWLRQ LQ WXUQ EHLQJ LQÀXHQFHG E\ the last. Many of the great bluesmen of the 20th century extensively played by ear, and probably knew very little in the way of formal music theory. However, modern blues players like Robben Ford, Larry Carlton, John Mayer and Joe Bonamassa have raised the bar of what is expected from the blues guitarist, and there has never been a better time to expand your palette of harmonic possibilities. There is a popular urban legend that a knowledge of music theory in some way inhibits creativity. While it is no doubt incontravertible that some of those great blues players knew just enough to get by, the fact is, knowledge is power, and will only ever give you more options should you choose to use them. In this lesson we aim to showcase a variety of scales and chords to help your blues guitar work get to the next level - or the next!
In order that you can try out today’s rhythm and soloing ideas I have provided you with four full backing tracks, complete with WDEEHGRXWJXLWDUSDUWV7KH¿UVWWZRWUDFNV IHDWXUHH[DPSOHVWKDWLVRODWHDVSHFL¿F scale that is of interest to the blues soloist. First you’ll hear a demonstration of the scale ¿QJHULQJIROORZHGE\DFRROVRXQGLQJOLFNWKDW exploits that sound. The chord section features some useful blues shapes, and puts them into context in a rhythm study - this is a great deal of fun to play, just on its own. Finally we have two blues solos, again complete with backing tracks. This will give you a chance to contextualise the examples
Knowledge is power and will only ever give you more options should you choose to use them. and hopefully develop ideas of your own clearly the ultimate goal. The 10 recorded scale examples are separated by a two-bar drum break to give you a chance to change pickup and effects. Once you have learned the examples you can practise playing along to the backing tracks. The 12-bar minor blues chord progression we are using looks like this. ||Am7| / | / | / |Dm7|/ |Am7| / | |Fmaj7|E7#9|Am7|E7#9|| The 12-bar major blues chord progression looks like this. || A7 | D7 | A7 | / | D7 | / | A7 | / | E7 | | D7 | A7 | E7 || We can also refer to each of the three
chords in the blues as a Roman numeral. A is the I chord, D the IV and E is the V chord. This QXPEHULQJDOORZVXVWRODEHOWKHLGHDVWKDW¿W each of the three chords. It is then easier to transfer them to other situations such as playing in a different key. In the interest of accessibility the 10 examples and the two jam tracks are in the guitar-friendly key of A. When you become familiar with a new idea it is important to move it into other keys as well. On the guitar this is simply a case of shifting fret positions, EXWÀDWNH\VOLNH%E'EDQG(EFDQVWLOOEHD ELWFRQIXVLQJWRXVHDW¿UVW Why not try constructing or improvising your own minor and major blues solos using some of the techniques and concepts showcased in this article. As ever, have fun and I’ll see you next time.
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When beefing up the guitar to sound big for blues, many players choose thicker strings and a light overdrive. The Ibanez Tube Screamer is a popular choice of overdrive pedal as it provides a pleasing blues tone. The examples on this month’s audio were recorded with a James Tyler SE guitar, and this was plugged into an Ibanez Tube Screamer and a Fender Blues Deville amplifier. The ideas here can be played on any type of guitar. All of the pickup selections and effects are notated alongside the relevant examples.
TRACK RECORD Great blues records are numerous and the genre has endured well through the decades. Obvious starting points for your listening pleasure are records by the ‘Three Kings’ (Albert, BB and Freddie) It is hard to ignore anything by Stevie Ray Vaughan, Scott Henderson, Larry Carlton or Robben Ford. For even more up-to-date offerings try The John Mayer Trio or Joe Bonamassa.
16 GuitarTechniques May 2015
LUIGI ORRU / ALAMY
BLUES THEORY
Robben Ford: his theory matches his playing technique
May 2015 GuitarTechniques 17
PLAY: THEORY
ON THE CD
TRACK 4-13
PART 1 TEN DIFFERENT SCALES WITH APPROPRIATE LICKS Example 1: MINOR PENTATONIC Rb345b7 The minor Pentatonic is the most well used scale in the blues as it works over both the dominant 7 and minor 7 chords. This first example links together three popular minor Pentatonic scale fingerings to create one useable pattern. The lick is in the style of players like Eric Clapton and exploits classic blues techniques like string bending and finger slides. Check out the picking directions, as some of the notes are plucked with the third finger. This hybrid picking style adds more tonal colour.
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Example 2: MAJOR PENTATONIC R2356 The major Pentatonic is most useful for outlining the sound of chord I in the major blues. Many players mix the major and minor Pentatonic scale to outline the chords as they go by. The most popular trick is to use the minor Pentatonic scale over chords IV and V, and then resolve to the major Pentatonic over chord I. This lick again contains some hybrid picking. If you move this whole lick up three frets it will work as an A minor Pentatonic lick. Try it! And remember to shift these shapes in order to see how they sound in different keys.
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17
18 GuitarTechniques May 2015
j œ
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2
m
5
2
4 (6 )
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BU 2
2
m
5
2
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4
2
4
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BU
4 ( 6)
6 (9)
‰
BLUES THEORY PART 1 TEN DIFFERENT SCALES WITH APPROPRIATE LICKS Example 3: BLUES SCALE Rb34b55b7 The blues scale is a minor Pentatonic scale with added flattened 5th interval. The b5 is often referred to as the ‘blue’ note. The addition of the b5 provides a six-note scale that helps to make ascending and descending lines flow; it also adds a colourful dissonance. We have included the fingering for this scale above the notation as this makes life much easier. The lick starts with a catchy repeating phrase, followed by a classic descending run. The idea in beat three of bar 32 is a popular way to include the b5 interval in a great-sounding phrase.
#
‰
E B G D A E
j œ
7
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BU ( 9)
5
7
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6
19
m
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23
3 5
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7
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Middle Pickup With light overdrive 5
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7
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Middle/Neck Pickup With light overdrive
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2
m
34
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etc
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Ex 4 - The Major Blues Scale Fingering Drum Break
9
8
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5
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29
9
3
3
10 8
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Drum Break
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E B G D A E
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etc
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8 10 11 12 11 10 8
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The Blues Scale Lick Example
©»¡™º ‰ E B G D A E
6
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Middle/Neck Pickup With light overdrive E B G D A E
m
2
Ex 3 - The Blues Scale Fingering
©»¡ºº Drum Break 2
E B G D A E
Example 4: MAJOR BLUES SCALE R2b3356 If we move this fingering down three frets we get the major version - the major Pentatonic with an added minor 3rd. This scale is often used in country and country rock, but is also useful in the blues. Just like our major and minor Pentatonic ideas, our blues scale and country pentatonic licks are interchangeable by simply by moving the shape up or down three frets. Remember, especially when improvising, that what was the root note note in the A minor Blues shape is now the major 6th in the major Blues shape.
~~~
5
7
TRACK 5
6
5 7
3
5 7
3
8
9
8 7 5
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3
6
17
3
3
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~~~
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5 2 0
May 2015 GuitarTechniques 19
PLAY: THEORY
ON THE CD
TRACK 4-13
PART 1 TEN DIFFERENT SCALES WITH APPROPRIATE LICKS Example 5: MIXOLYDIAN MODE R23456b7 The Mixolydian mode is the fifth mode of the Major scale. It fits perfectly with dominant 7 chords as essentially it’s the Major scale with its 7th degree flattened. Most blues guitarists will rarely play it as a scale from bottom to top sequentially. Instead melodies are improvised using string bending and other
A7
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Drum Break
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Bridge Pickup With light overdrive
6
n
2
Drum Break
3
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2 4 (6)
4 (6 )
4 2
4
m
n
2
4
3
m
4
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5 7 9
5 7 9
6 7 9
2
4
3
m
4
4
7
3
8 10
2
3
0
m
œ 3
3
2 3
m
3
3
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5 7 9
3
3
3
7 9 10 12 10 9 7
3
10 8
7
3
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3
9 7 6
9 7 6
9 7 5
etc
45
9 7
The Mixolydian Mode Lick Example
©»¡™º #
A7 Drum Break
3
Middle/Neck Pickup With light overdrive
5
#
3
‰
BU BD 6 ( 7) (6)
20 GuitarTechniques May 2015
BU 7
7
7
5
4
(8 )
10
9
10
12
9
BD
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10
9
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51
5 2
~~~
m
2
E B G D A E
n
2
Middle/Neck Pickup With light overdrive
48
4
Ex 5 - The Mixolydian Mode Scale Fingering
E B G D A E
4 2
3
©»¡ºº #
E B G D A E
5
4
(6 )
4
41
BU 2
7
n 5
2
5
~~~
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E B G D A E
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5
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37
techniques that make the scale come alive. If you prefer, you can think of the Mixolydian as the major and minor Pentatonic scales combined, but with the b3rd removed. This scale fingering is nice and easy to play in triplets. The lick uses all of the notes of the Mixolydian mode, but breaks them up to give you an idea of how to create phrase with it.
The Major Blues Scale Lick Example
©»¡™º # E B G D A E
TRACK 5
5
7
5
6
BLUES THEORY PART 1 TEN DIFFERENT SCALES WITH APPROPRIATE LICKS Example 6: BLUES HYBRID SCALE R2b334b556b7 By combining the minor and major Blues scales, this nine-note ‘uber’ blues scale is produced. This scale provides us with a run of six chromatic notes from the major 2nd up to the perfect 5th. The lick exploits this chromatic run by bending up the run of semitone intervals. Chromatic notes sound great and add extra colour and sophistication and are great at bending the ear.
TRACK 7
Example 7: DORIAN MODE R2b3456b7 The Dorian (mode 2 of the Major scale) sounds great over minor or dominant 7 chords. Just be careful when using Dorian in a minor blues as it will only work over chord I. The lick showcases the Stevie Ray Vaughan trick of sliding into the root note from a semitone above. The use of the b2nd interval as a passing tone is most effective, and would go on to become an SRV trademark.
Ex 6 - The Blues Hybrid Scale Fingering
©»¡ºº #
A5
2
Count In
3
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Neck/Middle Pickup With light overdrive
2
E B G D A E
3
3
3
5 7
8
4 5
1
6
7
4
5 7
4
6 7
5
3
3
3
3
5 7
8
8
5
3
8 7 5
3
3
n œ
3
8 7
6
5 4
7
5 4
7
6 5 4
8 7
etc The Blues Hybrid Scale Lick Example
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A7 Drum Break
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. b
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BU
BU
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BU
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(15 )
(16)
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13
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m
m
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8
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m
2
5
7
6
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3
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Ex 7 - The Dorian Mode Scale Fingering
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2
A5
Drum Break
n
3
3
3
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Neck/Middle Pickup With light overdrive
2
E B G D A E
12
5 7
3
3
8
5 7
4
4
5 7
5 7
5
7
8
3
3
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3
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3
8 7 5
3
n
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8 7 5
7
3
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7
5 4
etc
7 5
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3
The Dorian Mode Lick Example
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Drum Break
Bridge/Middle Pickup With light overdrive E B G D A E 15
5
A7
1/4
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8 7
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7
6
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5
8 5
7 (9 )
5
May 2015 GuitarTechniques 21
PLAY: THEORY
ON THE CD
TRACK 4-13
PART 1 TEN DIFFERENT SCALES WITH APPROPRIATE LICKS Example 8: NATURAL MINOR SCALE R2b345b6b7 The Natural minor scale is most useful when soloing over chord IV of the minor blues. The minor 6 is a tricky interval to use over chord I as this interval is only a semitone from the perfect 5th. The lick exploits the sound of the F (minor 6th) when played against chord IV of the A minor blues (Dm7). In this context the F note is functioning as the b3rd of Dm7, and sounds most effective.
#
Example 9: ADDING NOTES TO THE PENTATONIC TARGET TONES A nice way to add colour to solos is to add one note to the minor Pentatonic. Guitarists like Robben Ford are masters of this. The scale here is simply A minor Pentatonic with the major 6th added. This makes the scale particularly useful when played over chord IV (D7), as the F# functions as the 3rd of D7. Our lick showcases this concept so you can get an idea of how to phrase with it.
~~~
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TRACK 7
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~~~
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7
5
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8
3
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E B G D A E
23
7 [ 7]
5
n
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3
3
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etc
8
4
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6
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3
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5 7
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8
8 (10)
8
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5
7
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E B G D A E
4
3
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Dm 7 Drum Break
5
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5
3
7
5
30
7
3
3
Neck Pickup With light overdrive
E B G D A E
5
7
The Natural Minor Scale Lick Example
©»¡™º #
#
6 ( 5)
Am
2
Drum Break
Neck/Middle Pickup With light overdrive
26
BD
( 7)
6
Ex 8 - The Natural Minor Scale Fingering
©»¡ºº #
E B G D A E
8
19
5
5
3
5
5
8
5
7
7
5
7
5
7
5
7
5
3
Ex 9 - Adding Notes to the Pentatonic Scale Fingering
2
A5
Neck/Middle Pickup With light overdrive
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Drum Break
2
34
22 GuitarTechniques May 2015
5
n œ
8
5
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7
4 etc
5
7
5
7
5
7
8
5
8
7
5
7
5
7
5
4
7
5
8
BLUES THEORY PART 1 TEN DIFFERENT SCALES WITH APPROPRIATE LICKS Example 10: THE ALTERED DOMINANT SCALE Rb2b33b5b6b7 Blues guitarists often ignore the chords of the turnaround section, and choose to force the minor Pentatonic of the root chord to fit it. This can work well, but it is nice to also nail the sound of the V to I cadence. The Altered Dominant scale
n
D7 Drum Break
‰
#
A7
‰
7
5
(9 )
5
8
8
5
7
8 5
7 7
5
5 7
7
~~~ ~~ ~
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5
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~~~
5
5
41
8
7
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5
7
1/4
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5
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Bridge Pickup With light overdrive
37
is great for playing over the V chord, and guitarists like Robben Ford and Larry Carlton have made a career out of including such scales in their blues soloing. The lick uses the E Altered scale to create a melody over chord V (E7#9#5) and then resolves to A minor Pentatonic over chord I.
Adding Notes to the Pentatonic Lick Example
©»¡™º # E B G D A E
TRACK 7
( 8)
Ex 10 - The Altered Dominant Scale Fingering
©»¡™º #
Drum Break
#9 E 7#5
Neck Pickup With light overdrive
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2
2
E B G D A E
7
45
b n
5
8
6
8
5
6
5
7
8
9
6
8
6
9
8
6
5
7
5
8
6
5
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etc The Altered Dominant Scale Lick Example
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Drum Break
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8 9 7
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8
10
6 8
9
6
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48
6
5
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8
5
6 5
7
5
6
5
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7
5
5
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7
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7
5
7
5
6
7
5
7
5
7
5
3
May 2015 GuitarTechniques 23
PLAY: THEORY
ON THE CD
PART 2 CHORDS THIS SECTION CONTAINS SOME GREAT BLUES CHORD FINGERINGS Here you’ll find some chord boxes to study and then a demonstration piece that puts these shapes into practice. Many of the fingerings work well in other styles too, as the blues genre forms the foundation of rock, jazz and soul music. It is worth noting that the best results often come from using chord fragments,
TRACK 4-13
NO TRACK and most players rarely play the full five or six-string chord shapes - particularly live, where bass or keyboards will be taking care of certain frequencies and we don’t want to muddy the water. The 7th chords are often used in the blues and these are embellished by various extensions (9th, 11th, 13th). To add yet more colour, these extensions can be altered (b9, #9, #11, b5, #5).
Dominant 7th chord shapes
Minor 7th chord shapes
The dominant 7th chord is constructed from the Root, 3rd, 5th and b7th intervals and forms the foundation of the major blues.
The minor 7th chord is constructed from the Root, b3rd, 5th and b7th intervals and forms the foundation of the minor blues.
Major 7th chord shapes
Extended Dominant 7th Chords
The major 7th is constructed from the Root, 3rd, 5th and major 7th intervals. It sounds too sweet to form the foundation of the blues, but we can use it in a minor blues as a passing chord to the V chord. (Check out our minor blues for the F major 7).
The 9th, 11th and 13th can be added to our dominant 7th chords to provide extra colour and sophistication. Here we concentrate on the 9th and 13th as these are popular and easy to use.
Altered Dominant chords
Diminished 7th chords.
By altering the 9th, 11th and 13th extensions we can add more tension to the dominant 7 chord sound. The dominant 7#9 is a popular addition to the blues and a favourite of Jimi Hendrix.
The diminished 7th is constructed from the Root, b3rd, diminished 5th and a double flattened 7th. The diminished 7th chord works well as a passing chord in the blues and these three fingerings sound great when a sixth, fifth or fourth -string root is required.
24 GuitarTechniques May 2015
BLUES THEORY PART 2 12 BAR BLUES RHYTHM STUDY PIECE
TRACK 9
This will work as a performance piece that you can use to accompany a soloist, record with a loop pedal to accompany yourself, or in a band if you leave out the bass notes (to be covered by the bass player). The Leslie speaker sound is very effective but will work nicely on acoustic or electric without a Leslie sound. The piece is played fingerstyle with the thumb playing the bass and the fingers Swing feel
#
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7
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6
5
D
5
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2
3
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3 4 3
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3
4
5 6 5
6 6 5 6
X X X
5 5 4 5
7 5 5 4
5
X X X
X X X
5 5 4 5
5 5 4 5
D
E B G D A E
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7
7 7
7
5
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7 7 6 7
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7
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7 7 7
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X X X
5 6 5
5
4
5 D
X X X
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A
D/F #
A7
j œ
X X X
8 9
A7
D/F #
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7 7 7
5
A b7
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A9
X X X
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5
X
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X X X
5 6 5
5
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5
4
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1
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. . F With Fingers
Neck Pickup With Leslie Speaker Effect
E B G D A E
D9
.
‰
playing the chords. From a theory point of view, any chord can be preceded by another chord a semitone away. This approach is used throughout the piece. Any dominant 7th chord can be substituted for another a semitone away (tritone substitution). For instance, in bar 12 the E7 is substituted for Bb7 which leads into the A7. The diminished 7ths in bar 16 lead nicely back to the A7.
j œ
X X X 9
7
X X X
7 7 7
X X X
7 7 7 5
5 6 7
5 6 5 7
9
7 7 7
8
8
#
E7
E b7
CHORUS 2 B b7 A m 7 A7
E7
7 6 7
6 5 6
7 6 7
7 6 7
6
.
5 5 5
D9
6 X
7 7 7
6
5 D13
5 5 4
5
D #dim7
D9
7 6 5 6
16
# E B G D A E
C #m 7
5
F #9
2
3
3 4 3
4 5 4
5 6 5
3
4
5
F #dim7
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5
7 5 7 6
5
5
Bm7
E9
10
9
A7
7 5 7 6
7 7 7
5 6 5
5
.
A7
D
5 4 5 4
X X X
5 6 5
5
7 7 7 5
7 7 7 8
7
9
10
6
7
7 7 6
A7 b 5
A7
9
10
6
7
X X X 9
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9 9 8
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5
5
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5
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20
6
5
7
5 5 4
A
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Let ring E B G D A E
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5
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5
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12
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4
5
6
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4
6
7
4 6 5 5
May 2015 GuitarTechniques 25
PLAY: THEORY
ON THE CD
TRACK 4-13
PART 3 12 BAR MINOR BLUES JAM
TRACK 10
Our first jam offers an opportunity to try out some the concepts in the 10 examples. A solo has been performed and tabbed for you to study. It starts with a two-bar introduction, followed by some simple yet effective minor Pentatonic lines. Really dig in with the pick and give it as much emotion as possible. In bar 7 we use the A Natural minor scale to outline the sound of the D minor 7 chord.
©»125
j œ
2
j œ
A m7
2
3 RP
BU 12 ( 13 )
~~
BD
15 15 13
6
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10
14
14 12
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7 7 5
7
5
j
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12
12 10 10
6
5 8
5
j Am7 œ
7
7
15
D m7
15 (17 )
15 (17 ) 15
(15 ) 13
.
13
‰
8
7
5
5
~~~ 10 13 15 13
~~
w/bar 13 10
12
10
#
E7 9
Am7
10 9
~~~
7 7 5
12
7 5
7
~~~
E7#9
4
5 4
6
16 (17 ) ( 16 ) 14 12
14
26 GuitarTechniques May 2015
5
1/4
~~~
7 7
5
7
1/4
~~~
13
5
7 5
Scoop
7 5
3
6
7
8
6
5
8 5
~~ ~~~
w/bar 4
5
5
4
5
Am7 w/bar
Scoop 5
7
14
F maj7 3 ~~~ œ
w/bar Scoo ~~~ Scoop . w/bar ~~~
7 7 5
12
~~~ 8 5
BU
4
14
BU 5
15
13
12
Am7
#
8 7 5
5
7
1/4
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7 ( 9 ) ( 7 ) 5 9 (12 ) 7
7 5
5
BU BD
3 BU BD
7
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3
24
~~~
1/4
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9
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~~~ 8 5
3
E B G D A E
~~~
14
w/bar . ~~~
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7
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BU 12
8 7 5
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BU BD
15 (17 )
12
16 15 13
9 (10 ) ( 9)
12 12 10 10
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j œ
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19
BU BD 13
.
5
10
15
Am7
CHORUS 2 Am7
E B G D A E
17 ( 20 )
14 12 10
~~~ 8
15
14
3
9
E B G D A E
BU
BU
Let ring
7
BU BD 15 ( 17 ) (15 ) 13
12 ( 13 )
13
j œ
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BU
j D m7 œ
~~
E B G D A E
~~~~~ w/bar
(13 ) (12 ) 10 13 ( 15 )
1
j œ
j œ
w/bar ~~~~~
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Bridge Pickup With Overdrive E B G D A E
The F major 7 to E7 chords are negotiated with chord tone arpeggios, which nail down the sound. Chorus two uses more classic blues vocabulary. The D minor arpeggio in bar 19 outlines the sound effectively. Again the turnaround section uses chord tones as opposed to a stock A minor Pentatonic lick. Bar 27 uses the whammy bar to augment the sound of a simple E Major triad arpeggio.
BLUES THEORY PART 3 12 BAR MAJOR BLUES JAM
TRACK 12
Our major blues solo is performed over the rhythm piece we looked at earlier. It’s a fun challenge to perform both with a loop pedal, or a jamming buddy. This solo uses plenty of chord tones to nail the tonality. All the picking directions have been notated, and again the odd bit of hybrid picking has been used in
©»¡¢º Swing feel #
.
A7 Count in
f
Middle Pickup With Light Overdrive E B G D A E
E b9
n
8 10
b
nG 7
D9
~~. n
A 7
~~
8
1/4
A7
8
10 12
A b7 n A7
A9
1/4
8
10 10
6
1
#
~~
5
5 7
A7
~~. n
j nœ
3
5
D
the interest of tonal colour. The lick in bar 19 and 20 is like something Derek Trucks might play and is tricky to get right - make sure the string bend is in tune. In bar 23 we’re right up the dusty end and plucking with the second finger (m) really helps the notes to sing. The ending is an old cliché but works a treat.
j D9 œ n
D 13
D9
m
~~~
3 BU E B G D A E
10
11
6
#
A9
11
13
11
12
BD
12 (13 )
11
D A7 ~~~ E 9 j œ
~~~
BU BD
(12 ) (13 ) (12 ) 10
11
j œ
j œ
5
7
E 13
D/F
j œ
5
8
5
7
7
8
9
10
A A7 n D j
#
1/4
D/F
#
œ
3
~~~
E B G D A E
7 9
5
4
4
10
2
n
1/4
b
1/4
D /A
1/4
1/4
‰
n
A7
1/
~~
1/4
‰
m
b
D9
G7 A 7
A7
n ..
A
..
1/4
1/4
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(9 )
5
1/4
E B G D A E
5
8 7 7
7
#
j œ
8 7
8 7
D9 D 13
b
1/4
8 7
5
14
1/4
1/4
j œ
D9
n
n
3
8
5
(9 ) 7
E m7 A 13
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
n #
n #
5
7
n # 3
3
1/4
1/4
8 5
7
8 7
5
n
8 7
8 7
8
m
#
5
3
~~~
D dim7
3
7
3 1/4
1/4
j œ
BU
8
( 7 ) 5 8 10
8 7
BU 7
CHORUS 2 B 7
b
BD
7 7 (8 )
5
6
4
E7 E 7 E7
#
BU
1/4
7
#
F dim7
A7
j œ
D
A7
j œ
9 10
8
9 10
8
9 10
C #m7 F #9 ~ ~ ~~
3
~~ ~~~
BU E B G D A E
10
12
10 11 10
8 10 8
10
12 (15 )
8
10 11 10 8 10 8
10 10
12 14
12 14
12 13 12
10
17
10 11
19
() #
Bm7
j œ
n
~~
E9
A7 n ‰
j nœ
1/4 1/4
1/4
‰
b
~~~
A7 5
3 BU 19 ( 20 ) 19
E B G D A E
17
19
~~ 17
8 17
23
m
m
m
m
~~~
1/4 1/4
7
5
5
1/4
8
5
7
5
6
X X 7
5 6
7
May 2015 GuitarTechniques 27
PLAY: CHROMATICS
ON THE CD
TRACKS 14-35
Improvising with
Chromatics
For our cover feature’s perfect companion John Wheatcroft shows how to broaden your options adding colour, interest and sophistication to solos using all 12 notes of the chromatic scale. ABILITY RATING
All Ability Levels INFO
WILL IMPROVE YOUR
KEY: Various TEMPO: Various CD: TRACKS 14-35
Melodic playing Application of concepts Single-note improvisation
THE WORD CHROMATIC originates from the Greek word khrõmatikos, a derivation of khrõma meaning colour. In Western musical culture, the chromatic scale is the series of 12 pitches, each a semitone apart that encompasses all musical ‘colours’ and as far as guitar is concerned, this is a structure that uses each and every available fret location with no omissions. The chromatic scale can be used as a structure in its own right, such as in the atonal serial compositions of Arnold Schoenberg, or the free improvisations of Derek Bailey and John Zorn, and it’s impossible to think about the chromatic scale without mentioning Nikolai RimskyKorsakov’s Flight Of The Bumblebee. However, for most musical applications its EHQH¿FLDO WR XVH WKH VFDOH VHOHFWLYHO\ DGGLQJ chromatic decoration and embellishments to RWKHU VFDOHV ZH NQRZ OLWHUDOO\ ¿OOLQJ WKH JDSV of our conventional scalar, modal, Pentatonic or arpeggio based structures to give us greater options and a wider palette of melodic ‘colours’ when composing or improvising melodies, riffs and solos across all musical styles ranging from folk to bebop, country to metal and more besides. The purpose of our lesson today is to look
at 10 distinct approaches we can use to add ‘chromaticism’ to your playing style. For the sake of clarity I’ve presented all the examples in the key of C major, along with a selection of this key’s associated modes, such as D Dorian, G Mixolydian and A Aeolian. This way, it is immediately clear in the music as to which notes are derived from the diatonic tonality (all the natural notes) and which are FKURPDWLFYLVLWRUV WKHVKDUSVRUÀDWV ,¶YH gone for a moderately overdriven tone throughout, so this alludes to a modern blues
Anybody that studies improvising long enough will eventually get to the point where they can find a way to get all 12 notes available all the time. Pat Metheny and fusion stylistic vibe, although these ideas can work equally well with a completely clean jazz tone, a twangy country snap or a heavily saturated metal distortion. It’s really up to you which way you go. As is customary with these lessons, we ¿QLVKZLWKDVKRUWFRKHVLYHVWXG\DURXQGD heavily chromatically embellished classic rock vibe 12-bar blues, with both riff and solo sections and more than a passing resemblance to guitar players you might have heard of with names such as Clapton, Hendrix and Beck. As usual, these examples are literally the tip of the iceberg, so you should see each as just one practical illustration of a bigger
concept at work. To get the most from this lesson I’d suggest you dedicate one practice session on each of the 10 ideas independently and see what ideas you can come up with, both composed and improvised. While it’s fair to say that all players have their favourite ideas that they like to fall back on - their ‘licks’ if you prefer - the better improvisers deal predominantly in concepts, travelling light to any performance situation safe in the knowledge that they’ll be able to create something appropriate on the spot, free from the shackles of having to memorise a whole gig’s worth of material beforehand with all the pressure and stress that this carries with it. Chromatics can be used as a concept in their own right - Derek Bailey et al - or employed to embellish what you already do. I hope you enjoy the journey!
GET THE TONE 6
6
5
6
3
GAIN
BASS
MIDDLE
TREBLE
REVERB
As we’re dealing mainly with conceptual ideas here, you can use pretty much any guitar, even an acoustic, for the majority of the examples presented here. I used a Gibson ES-335 throughout in Guitar Rig 5. As we’re dealing with predominantly single-note line based ideas you can add overdrive if you wish à la Allan Holdsworth or Bryan Baker, or go for the clean route, just like Pat Metheny or Pat Martino. The one thing that we always want to keep clean however is articulation, so ensure all notes ring true and that you keep all idle open strings at bay with adequate muting.
TRACK RECORD There are literally loads of amazing guitarists that use chromatic ideas liberally in their playing. For starters why not check out Still Life Talking (1987) by Pat Metheny, Allan Holdsworth’s Hard Hat Area (1993), John Scofield’s Still Warm (1985), and anything by Steve Morse, Derek Bailey, Bryan Baker, Django Reinhardt, Randy Rhoads, Robben Ford, Oz Noy, Mike Stern and Pat Martino.
28 GuitarTechniques May 2015
LIVEPIX
IMPROVISING WITH CHROMATICS
Joe Satriani enjoys using concepts such as chromaticism
May 2015 GuitarTechniques 29
PLAY: CHROMATICS
ON THE CD
TRACKS 14-35
EXAMPLES ADDING CHROMATICISM
TRACKS 14-18 to plug the gap with the chromatic passing tone, or ‘bridge’, between the two stable Pentatonic ‘pillars’. You can hear ideas of this nature in the riffs of Tom Morello and Rage Against The Machine, and the soloing style of rockers such as Slash, Joe Perry and Steve Morse.
Example 1: Minor Pentatonic with bridging Let’s begin with our old friend, the minor Pentatonic scale (A-C-D-E-G). If we look at the intervallic structure, we find tone (two-fret) gaps, between the b7 and root (G-A), the b3rd and 4th (C D) and the 4th to 5th (D E). Our task here is
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Am
‰
E B G D A E
‰ ‰ œ œ
3 5
3 5
1
‰
# n
5 7
5 7
5
4
3
3
#
4 5
‰
œ
X 5
6
7
5
6 7
X 1/4
6
6
œ# n #
# n # E B G D A E
œ
œ
6
6
œ
6
6
6
1/4
8 10
5
3 5
4
3
4 5
3 5
4
3
4 5 5 7
6 5 6 7
5 7
Example 2: Dorian legato with bridging Taking this idea a stage further here are a selection of small cell ideas that exploit the five two-fret tone gaps that are present within each regular scale or mode. In this example we’re looking at D Dorian (D-E-F-G-A-B-C), so the
©»§§
E B G D A E
6
5
5 7
6 7
5
#
b n
7
8 5
7 8 10 7
5
8 10 12
8
5
6
7
7 10
1
b n
E B G D A E
9 12 11 9 10 12
9 12 10
9 12 11 9 10 12
9
8
9 10
8
6 7 7 9 8 7 8 9
gaps are R-2 (D-E), b3-4 (F-G), 4-5 (G-A), 5-6 (A-B) and b7-8 (C-D). We initially present these cells within a three-notes-per-string configuration, expanding to cover a greater number of strings moving vertically within one position on the guitar.
Dm
5
6
10 13 12
10 13 10 11 12
b #
n
9
7
8
8 12 11
9 10
.
b
10 13 10 11 12
4
Example 3: Eight-note modes with chromatic ‘guest pass’ Again we’re selecting D Dorian (R-2-b3-4-5-6-b7) and our task is to figure out which notes we’ve left behind. We’re going to add each ‘outside’ note in turn and consider this as a note, albeit unresolved, within Dorian, creating an
E B G D A E
Dm7 a) add 2
b
7 5 4
1
30 GuitarTechniques May 2015
eight-note scale, sometimes referred to as ‘Bebop scales’. All five are possible and all work. Remember, they’re not all resolutions, but this doesn’t mean they’re not available to you when you improvise, ultimately giving you access to all 12 notes at any time.
b
3) add 5
b) add Maj 3
7 5
7 5 4 8 7
6 5
7 5
4
7 5 4 8 7 5
7
6 5
8 7 5
IMPROVISING WITH CHROMATICS EXAMPLES ADDING CHROMATICISM
b
d) add 6
E B G D A E
7 5
4
TRACKS 18-22
d) add Maj 7
8 7
7
5
8
7
6
5
e) phrase with Maj 7 & Maj 3
4
5
7
7
5
8
7
5
6
7
4
5
7
5
4
5
3
2
5
5
Likewise, approaching arpeggio tones from the semitone below and scale or chromatic tones above can be found in the playing of guitarists as diverse as Django Reinhardt to Randy Rhoads, Les Paul to Gary Moore. This example illustrates both pivots and enclosures and is based around the tonality of G7 (G-B-D-F) and its associated Mixolydian mode (G-A-B-C-D-E-F).
Example 4: Mixolydian pivots and enclosures A great way to add stability and ‘correctness’ to your chromatic phrasing is to pivot from a stable tone or tones, usually one of the core notes from the underlying harmony such as a root or 5th degree. You can hear examples of this ‘pedal point’ approach used in classical, jazz and rock-based styles.
©»¡ºº
œ
G7
œ
3 E B G D A E
12
12
12 11
12
10
10
9
12 10 11
12
12
11
12
10 11 10
11 10
13
13 10
12
1
E B G D A E
12
9
10
10
8
bœ #
b n
9
14
11
12
14
13
11
12
12
13 12 11
12
10
11 10
12
10
~~~
œ
9
13
10
15
~~~
4
Dorian to be all the white notes on a keyboard - the ‘inside’ notes - then all the black notes must be the ‘outside’ notes. Considered collectively, these notes form Eb minor Pentatonic scale, so D Dorian (D-E-F-G-A-B-C) plus Eb minor Pentatonic (Eb-Gb-Ab-Bb-Db) equals all 12 chromatic tones. The pianist Herbie Hancock is a master at using this technique effortlessly and beautifully.
Example 5: Sidestepping (minor Pentatonic a semitone up) Sidestepping is a simple but effective way to introduce chromaticism with wonderful effect. Essentially you shift whatever you were doing up a semitone. This works better if you keep your ideas flowing, rather than stopping on one phrase to just start again one fret higher. If we consider D
©»¡™º
E B G D A E
10
b b b
b b œ
D m7
12 10
12
10 12
10
12
11
13 11
13
11 13
11
8 13
10 8
10
8 10
8
9
10
11
9
11
9 11
9
11
1
b b
b
b
j œ
BU E B G D A E
10 13
13
10
10 13
12
10 11 14
13
11
11 13
13
11
12
10
10 12
12
10
10 12 13
11 13
13
11 13
11
11
12 (14 )
4
May 2015 GuitarTechniques 31
PLAY: CHROMATICS
ON THE CD
TRACKS 14-35
EXAMPLES ADDING CHROMATICISM
TRACKS 24-28 any combination thereof. To go along with these ‘altered’ chords we have the Altered scale, or Superlocrian. G Altered is G-Ab-Bb-B-Db-Eb-F, which when combined with our C Major scale gives us 11 of the 12 chromatic notes. Or we could swap to C Lydian (C-D-E-F#-G A-B) from C Major to get the complete set.
Example 6: Altered V to I resolution In jazz a common practice is to imply a move from dominant V7 to tonic. This implied ‘perfect’ cadence could be made stronger still by raising or lowing the extensions on the V7 chord to create a sharp or flat 5, sharp or flat 9, or
©»¡ºº
G7 alt
b
Cmaj7
3
3 E B G D A E
9
9 11
11
10
11 9 13
9
12
11
6
10
9
8 10 8
6
8
7
8 10
8 10
8
12
9 10
1
b b
G7 al
E B G D A E
11
b
9
7
Cmaj7
11
10
9
8
10
8
11
9
11 9
8
11
8
9
8
10 10
10 10
9
8
9
10
10
4
tones, minor and major 3rds and finally tritones (six semitones). The trick to using this ‘motif-cycling’ effectively is choosing a secure resolution, usually one of the core notes from your underlying harmony. You can hear such ideas in rock, too, as in the legato flurries of EVH and Dimebag Darrell.
Example 7: Intervallic motif cycling In this Michael Brecker jazz idea we take a scalic lick and achieve chromaticism by shifting it through a selection of intervals, up or down (here we plump for the latter). For the purposes of illustration we’re going down in semitones,
©»¡¡º
Am a) Initial mot
E B G D A E
7
7 5
5 7
b) Semitones
7
7 5
5 7
7
7 5
5
c) Tones
6 4
6
4
5
5
3
7
3 2
7 5
5 5
5
3
3
8
8
6
6 7
1
e) Major 3rds
d) Minor 3rds
f) Tritones
œ E B G D A E
7
7 5
5
4
4 2
2
6
6 4
7
4 3
7 5
5
8
8
6
6
Example 8: Chromatic notes within outside triads Here we access all 12 tones by implying a shift in harmony to a new chord that contains the five ‘outside’ notes missing from a seven-note scale (D#, F#, G#, A#, C# in D Dorian). We introduce these by creating a triad with two notes Dm a) (F - maj3)
#
#
9
9
5
©»¡ºº
œ
# 7
7
7
7 5
8
5
6
œ
# 6
4
4
12
1
32 GuitarTechniques May 2015
11
12 9
10 10
#
j œ
b) G (C - maj7)
12 [ 12 ] 9
5
3
3 5
from D Dorian and one from outside, such as Bm (B-D-F#). We then imply a superimposed chord change from Bm to Dm. Each choice introduces a new chromatic ‘guest’ so all 12 notes are possible. You can take this further ‘out’ by implying triads where two or even all three notes are from outside the scale.
œ
# #
c) E (G - 4)
12
9
11
9
12
9 10
~~ ~~
BU E B G D A E
5
œ
10 13 (15 ) 11
9
9
9 12 9 12 13
IMPROVISING WITH CHROMATICS EXAMPLES ADDING CHROMATICISM b
d) Cm (E - min2)
b
b b
~~.
j œ
TRACKS 28-33 f)
e) Gm (B - 6)
r n esolution
b
œ 3
BU E B G D A E
10 13
12
11 15
13
13
10
~~
13 (15 )
12
12
11
10 13 10
12
11
10
12 13 12 10
10
13 12 10
12 9 10
10
9
12
5
note the ear accepts these outside notes, assuming they are delivered with conviction and intent. You can effectively choose any ‘outside’ interval or group of intervals that you like as the target note carries the harmonic weight. You can hear examples of this type of phrasing in the playing of the great fusion guitarist Bryan Baker.
Example 9: Inside-out harmonisation Here we look at a method of approaching diatonic material by decorating a top note that is inside our chosen A minor harmony with a selection of lower notes that don’t belong; in this case we’re implying major/b5 arpeggios in first inversion (3-b5-R). As each melodic idea always resolves to this ‘correct’
©»¡ºº
œb
E B G D A E
8
10
12
17
10 11
10
9
8
8
7
9
12
11
12 17
10
12
13
10
12 10
13 12
13
1
#
E B G D A E
10 11
9
10 12 13
11
12 13
13
12
10 11
9
10
12 13
14
11
12 10 11
9
10
13
12
13 12 13
14
11
12
10
6
and move them up or down by an octave while leaving the surrounding note or notes in tact. The pattern here in both ascending and descending forms is based around every 3rd and 5th note in sequence. Due to the wide intervallic nature of these lines you might wish to consider a combination of hammerons, pull-offs and hybrid picking, although Pat generally picks each note.
Example 10: Octave-displaced chromatic scale We round up our lesson with one purely chromatic example, using each of the 12 semitones equally and only really considering the harmonic weight of the root note. The twist in the tale comes from a Pat Martino endorsed device referred to as ‘octave displacement’, where we take select notes in a sequence
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#
F maj7
E B G D A E
8 8 1
E B G D A E
œ #œ nœ
17
16
15
#œ nœ #
0
16
15
14
9
œ
0
15
11
n
14
13
8
10 8
9
0
13 12
10 11
13
15
14
16
16
# n
0
14
13
12
10 13
3
13
13 12 11
10 13
12 11
11 13
May 2015 GuitarTechniques 33
PLAY: CHROMATICS
ON THE CD
TRACKS 14-35
FULL STUDY CHROMATIC BLUES
TRACKS 34-35
To illustrate a selection of these ideas in action, here we see a 12-bar blues in A, decorated with the proverbial kitchen sink of chromaticism but maintaining
#
©»85
a clear sense of inside ‘correctness’. The first time around the block we are in riff mode, so the general theme is decorated arpeggios and chord tones.
A7 1/4
1/4
n #
œ E B G D A E
. nœ #œ
œ
j #œ
1/4
1/4
4
1
#
3
5
4
5
2
3
7
6
5
6
5
3
D7
1/4
1/4
n # œ . nœ #œ
œ
4
4
œ
œ œ
œ
œ œ
PM
œn #
1/4 E B G D A E
1/4
4
4
#
5
3
4
5
5 2
3
4
4
6
7
5
7
5
5
5
A7
œ œ
œ
œ
n
œ bœ
5
3
5
4
5
5
0
1
2
1/4
n # œ . nœ #œ
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œ
.œ œ
PM E B G D A E
1/4
5
5
5
3
5
4
5
4
3
2
1
4
7
#
#
#
E7 9
E B G D A E
0
10
8 7 6 7
0
0
8 7 6 7
6
7
8
#
0
3
34 GuitarTechniques May 2015
#
F 7 9
5
2
#
G7 9
‹
9 8 7
8
7 8
10 9 8
9
9
10
3
4
4
4
5
4
0
11
1/4
8 7 6 7
8 7 6 7
5
7
6
5
5
8
8 9
7 7
5 5
5
6
A7
12 11 10
œ
7 6 7
9
8 7
n œ bœ
6 5 4
3 2
~~
1/4
1/4
j nœ
œ 2
11 10 9
A7
‰
n #
13
4
œ œ
E7 9
# E B G D A E
0
3
# #
F7 9
œ œ
5
‰ 1/4
5
PB 4 BD 5 4 5 4
( 5 ) ( 4) 5
~~ 6
7 8
1
‰
IMPROVISING WITH CHROMATICS COHESIVE STUDY CHROMATIC BLUES
TRACKS 34-35
The second chorus takes the form of a mock-improvised solo in a classic rock vein, so we see approach tones, complete chromatic passages and Pentatonic
#
n
E B G D A E
9
b
8
7
7
6
ideas shifted in semitones to create a solo that outlines the changes but exploits each and every one of the 12 chromatic tones.
5
5
4
n
8
7
6
5
8
7
5
5
6
7
5
5
8
7
16
#
b n
D7
7 5
7 5
7
6
5
7
6
5
8
7
5
4
6
5
7
6
6
6 E B G D A E
~~
b n
6
7
5
6
7
5
6
7
5
6
7
~~ 5
6
7
18
#
j . œ .
A7
E B G D A E
5
8
5
4
5
7
3
5
6
2
5
5 9
j nœ
10 9
10 8
10 7 5
5 6
7
7 7
7
5 5
6 14
20
#
#
#
E7 9
12
16 15 14 13 12
12 15 14 13 12 14 (16 )
12 15 12
15 (17 )
G7 9
j nœ
j nœ
BU 12
#
F 7 9
j bœ
j œ BU
E B G D A E
# #
F7 9
BU 13
13
13 16 13 16
14 (18 )
j #œ
BU 14
17
BU
17 (19 )
15
15
16
16
18 (20)
22
#
#
A7
E7 9
j nœ
j œ
19 ( 21)
j œ
1/4
BU
BU E B G D A E
1/4
17
17
17
20 (22)
20
j œ
BU 17
20
17
20
19 ( 21)
BU BD 17
17
20 17
19 ( 21) (19 ) 17
19 24
May 2015 GuitarTechniques 35
PLAY: ACOUSTIC
ON THE CD
TRACK 36
Steve Howe Clap Virtuosic acoustic playing is nothing new, declares Stuart Ryan as he unveils Steve Howe’s party piece from his early days with legendary proggers, Yes. ABILITY RATING
Advanced INFO
WILL IMPROVE YOUR
KEY: D TEMPO: 225 bpm CD: TRACK 36
Travis picking Speedy chord work Fingerpicking lead lines
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Although body size won’t matter too much with this one you’ll certainly want a guitar that is easy to play – high actions won’t be your friend in this case! For acoustic stuff Howe is often be seen with a Martin 00-18 (played high up on his chest). I recorded the GT version on a Taylor GS Mini.
TRACK RECORD The live Lyceum Theatre version of Clap originally appeared on The Yes Album (1971). For the 2003 re-issue of the album by Rhino Records, this was replaced with the studio version - which Howe had wanted all along. It’s also worth checking out Steve Howe’s solo release Not Necessarily Acoustic (1994) which contains a further version of this timeless track.
36 GuitarTechniques May 2015
ELLEN POPPINGA / GETTY IMAGES
STEVE HOWE: CLAP
Howe in full flight on his 00-18, and almost certainly playing Clap
May 2015 GuitarTechniques 37
PLAY: ACOUSTIC
ON THE CD
TRACK 36
PLAYING TIPS
CD TRACK 36
[Bar 1] It’s worth getting these major chord shapes under your fingers as they reappear at various points in the piece, sometimes as these original shapes and other times shifted up and down the fretboard. [Bar 11] Here’s a classic alternating bassline sequence that reappears several
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Clap Music & Lyrics by Steve Howe. ©1971 Universal Music Publishing Limited UK/EU reproduced by kind permission of Music Sales Limited US/CAN reproduced by kind permission of Hal Leonard Corporation. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured.
STEVE HOWE: CLAP
PLAYING TIPS
CD TRACK 36
[Bar 37] This is a classic country phrase which really brings to mind the Chet Atkins/Jerry Reed influence inherent within Clap. There are some tough fretting-hand stretches within this sequence as well!
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May 2015 GuitarTechniques 39
PLAY: ACOUSTIC
ON THE CD
TRACK 36
PLAYING TIPS
CD TRACK 36
[Bar 56] More of the traditional Travis picking approach here with the basslines alternating between fifth and sixth strings. Note however that sometimes Howe strikes the same bass note several times in the bar and doesn’t always alternate as a strict Travis picker would.
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Also Available: Pioneers Of American Folk Guitar (Guitar TAB notation (with lyrics & chord names), 72pp. £16.95 ref. AM1005598). Learn to play twelve classics of the Folk guitar repertoire, all specially arranged from the original recordings, in the original keys, in guitar tab & standard notation. Includes full lyrics, chord symbols, guitar chord boxes and a biography on each artist. Including: Redwood Ramble (Robbie Basho), The Poor People Of Paris (Chet Atkins), Embryonic Journey (Jorma Kaukonen), Freight Train (Elizabeth Cotton) and eight more.
STEVE HOWE: CLAP
PLAYING TIPS
CD TRACK 36
[Bar 77] This long strumming sequence is fun and I wouldn’t worry too much if you catch the open fifth string at various points where it isn’t
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PLAY: ACOUSTIC
ON THE CD
TRACK 36
PLAYING TIPS
CD TRACK 36
[Bar 96] Be careful of chords like the one that appears on beat 3 here. The top note on the first string is important to get in place so check out my suggested fingering (this is how Howe himself plays it).
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STEVE HOWE: CLAP PLAYING TIPS
CD TRACK 36
[Bar 119] We get another bluesy Travis picking style sequence here which really helps drive the piece along. Keeping an even time with the picking hand thumb on the bass strings is critical here.
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May 2015 GuitarTechniques 43
PLAY: ACOUSTIC
ON THE CD
TRACK 36
PLAYING TIPS
CD TRACK 36
[Bar 157] This lick can be tricky for a fingerstyle player if you are not using a pick. Aim for as much legato (hammer-ons, pull-offs, slides) as you can, though be aware that you can pick many of these notes using an alternating motion between the picking hand thumb (p) and first finger (i).
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[Bar 161 to end] The final lick is a real challenge! Perhaps banjo influenced, its dissonance means you have to get it up to speed just so everything sounds okay! This is a real tour de force of acoustic playing and, considering that Steve Howe recorded it 46 years ago, is more than a little impressive!
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44 GuitarTechniques May 2015
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PLAY: CLASSICAL
ON THE CD
TRACKS 37-38
Pyotr Tchaikovsky Waltz Of The Flowers Continuing her trawl through the classical canon Bridget Mermikides arranges and tabs an instantly recognisable piece by the Godfather of Russian classical music. ABILITY RATING
Moderate/Advanced INFO
WILL IMPROVE YOUR
KEY: D TEMPO: 140 bpm CD: TRACKS 37-38
Melody and chord separation Fretting hand stamina Classical repertoire
IN THIS INSTALLMENT of our classical column we are going to tackle a work by Tchaikovsky (1840-93), a composer with a great talent for producing widely accessible yet technically sophisticated melodies. So great is the popularity of his works, that his many themes for ballet and orchestra (including the 1812 Overture, his 6th Symphony, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker Suite and The Sleeping Beauty) are instantly recognisable DQG XVHG HQGOHVVO\ LQ ¿OP 79 DQG popular culture) around the world. As is not always the case with the great composers, Tchaikovsky did in fact have great success during his lifetime. Sadly however, he suffered terribly with depression, feelings of worthlessness, intolerance of his homosexuality, and an unhappy marriage. In fact some believe that his death at age 53 may be attributed to suicide. Yet within his music is a magical, innocent joy and that’s
Tchaikovsky was a composer with a great talent for producing widely accessible yet technically sophisticated melodies.
certainly evident in the beautifully engaging Waltz Of The Flowers, which I have arranged here. This waltz is from Act II of the magical Nutcracker ballet (1892) (and also in the orchestral work Nutcracker Suite Op.71a) which received very mixed reviews at its premiere but is now a hugely popular and often performed ballet (and orchestral) work. The Waltz Of The Flowers is heard in the EDOOHW DV PDJLFDO ÀRZHUV GDQFH LQ KRQRXU RI Clara, the protagonist, who has been led to The Land Of Sweets, by an animated wooden
Tchaikovsky: the much troubled musical genius
TECHNIQUE FOCUS
Rest stroke and free stroke In classical guitar we have two ways of plucking the strings; rest stroke where the string is plucked by a push of the finger or thumb which then rests on the adjacent string, and free stroke where the finger plucks free of the next (thicker) string. Rest stroke gives a warmer, fuller tone and is used for single-line melodies; to help a melody stand out from an accompaniment, or to accent or emphasise a single note.
nutcracker toy. The whole ballet is full of Christmassy magic and wonder, and this piece is no exception. Tchaikovsky’s writing has WKH VZD\RID9LHQQHVHZDOW]EXWLWV gorgeous melody and lush harmonies lend it an irresistible sparkle. In order to get this huge orchestral work pared down so that it will work for solo guitar I’ve made sure that the most important thematic and harmonic material remains in place. Therefore I’ve arranged it for drop D tuning - which also maintains the original key of D major. While this piece needn’t be played particularly fast, maintaining the appropriate Waltz feel and legato melody may take quite a bit of work. The fretting hand gets a real workout in negotiating the sustained melody and interjected chords, so refer to the tab captions to get you through the trickier sections. However, once it’s IXOO\XQGHU\RXU¿QJHUVDQG\RXKDYH started add your own expression to it, you’ll have a wonderful piece to add to your repertoire. NEXT MONTH: Bridget arranges Strauss’ s iconic Blue Danube
TRACK RECORD There are many excellent recordings of the Nutcracker Suite (like RCA 2011 Philadelphia Orchestra) and to hear the wonderful ballet in its entirety (as well as the equally wonderful Swan Lake) try the classic 1987 TELARC (CD-80151). In addition, classic jazz fans might enjoy Duke Ellington & Billy Strayhorn’s big band arrangement of the suite (Harmonia Mundi 2013).
46 GuitarTechniques May 2015
PYOTR TCHAIKOVSKY SCÈNE FROM SWAN LAKE PLAYING TIPS
CD TRACK 38
[General] Although an abridged version of Waltz Of The Flowers it still comes out as quite a substantial piece. As usual I have added some picking hand fingering to show the best way to organise that hand at the start of the piece. This fingering is pretty intuitive and you should continue in a similar
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May 2015 GuitarTechniques 47
PLAY: CLASSICAL
ON THE CD
TRACKS 37-38
PLAYING TIPS
CD TRACK 38
[Bars 17-37] At bar 13 the fretting hand needs a half barre on the second beat, which then tilts like a hinge on the third beat for the open E in the melody. From bar 14 to 18 barres are needed in every bar – I use a fourth
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48 GuitarTechniques May 2015
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PYOTR TCHAIKOVSKY SCÈNE FROM SWAN LAKE PLAYING TIPS
CD TRACK 38
carefully and remember to let go of bass notes when you no longer need them. At bar 33 we need a barre for the first beat only – no barre is needed now until bar 36. At bar 37 the famous waltz melody kicks in with its lush
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dominant major harmonies. This part works really well as a guitar piece but make sure the melody is sustained where necessary and staccato where necessary. Follow the fretting hand fingering given, to help technically.
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May 2015 GuitarTechniques 49
PLAY: CLASSICAL
ON THE CD
TRACKS 37-38
PLAYING TIPS
CD TRACK 38
[Bars 133 to end] At bar 130 the next section starts and again it fits well on the fingerboard and includes plenty of fretting hand fingering. At bar
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PYOTR TCHAIKOVSKY SCÈNE FROM SWAN LAKE PLAYING TIPS
CD TRACK 38
before and then at bar 280 a chunk of the original piece has been cut and the ending section begins. The triplets need a good tidy hammer on D9/F
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May 2015 GuitarTechniques 51
PLAY: CLASSICAL
ON THE CD
TRACKS 37-38
PLAYING TIPS
CD TRACK 38
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May 2015 GuitarTechniques 53
NEVER MISS ANOTHER ISSUE
72 Turn to page e! ib cr bs su to
BACK ISSUES
MISSED IT? GRAB IT NOW! Missed one of our recent fabulous issues? Get one now while stocks last!
SPRING GT242
APRIL GT241
MARCH GT240
25 LICKS YOU NEED TO KNOW
PLAYING WITH FINGERS
4 LEVELS OF BLUES
Perk up your blues and rock lickbag with 25 great intros, endings and fills. Master one of Queen’s most outrageously good tracks awesome riff, great chords and cool lead! Plus, learn rock ’n’ roll rhythms, play like The Doors, The Hollies, Carlos Santana and more...
Ditching the pick is all the rage: we show you how some of the greats use fingers only to sound GREAT! Learn The Who’s classic Baba O’Riley (Mr Big version tabbed too!). And take our monster Country Workout to learn cool Nashville chops. Plus much more!
Play better blues solos, no matter what level you are, in a variety of classic and modern styles. Learn the Shadows classic Atlantis. Plus the styles of Mars Volta, Manfred Mann, Joe Bonamassa, Mike Stern and John Frusciante’s acoustic style uncovered!
FEBRUARY GT239
JANUARY GT238
DECEMBER GT237
PLAY BETTER SOLOS TODAY!
BLUESROCK POWER!
HOTTEST BLUES EVER!
Improve your soloing with 20 pro tips and sound better right now. Learn Whitesnake’s classic, Fool For Your Loving (with extra Steve Vai solo!). Learn the chords that put Stax and Motown on the map, play like Jimmy Page, Mark Knopfler and many more!
Wonder how three-piece guitarists fill the space? They use tried and trusted tricks any player can employ. We reveal all! Discover Diminished & Augmented, learn Bad Company’s Can’t Get Enough, and cop the styles of Neil Young, Billy Gibbons and more!
Play shred-style blues licks like the best electric virtuosi. Master the sublime style of Bossa Nova. Learn Every Breath You Take by The Police. And play in the styles of Eric Clapton, Coldplay, Alexis Korner and Fleetwood Mac’s Lindsey Buckingham.
TO ORDER BACK ISSUES: Call 0844 848 2852 or visit www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk Please do not call or email the magazine directly as we cannot deal with subscriptions or back issues. We regret that we cannot photocopy transcriptions from back issues
Each back issue costs (including postage and packing) QUK: £5.99 QEurope: £6.99 QRest of the world: £7.99
54 GuitarTechnique May 2015
LEARNING ZONE LESSONS GT243 30MINUTE LICKBAG
.....................................
56
Pat Heath has six more cool licks at easy, intermediate and advanced levels.
BLUES................................................................................................. 58 Les Davidson unveils the adventurous blues guitar style of the incredible Oz Noy.
ROCK .................................................................................................. 62 Martin Cooper plays the joker and apes the style of the one and only Steve Miller.
VIDEO ................................................................................................ 66 Guitarist extraordinaire Carl Verheyen in the fourth of his series of video masterclasses!
CREATIVE ROCK ......................................................... 74 Shaun Baxter aims to improve your fretboard SURZHVVZLWK¿YHQRWHWKUHHRFWDYHFHOOV
CHOPS SHOP ..................................................................... 80 $QG\6DSKLUKDVVRPHK\EULGSLFNHGVWULQJ skipping exercises to boost your soloing.
BRITISH R&B ....................................................................... 82 I HOPE YOU’RE enjoying the issue. Jon %LVKRS¶V%OXHV7KHRU\DUWLFOH SDJHV should answer any queries about scales and chords for blues playing. I’d also suggest spending time with John Wheatcroft’s super DUWLFOHRQLPSURYLVLQJZLWKFKURPDWLFV 0DQ\JXLWDULVWVXVHFKURPDWLFVVROHO\ IRUSUDFWLFH SHQDQFH VRQRZ¶V\RXUFKDQFH to use them in actual playing scenarios. And we’ve plenty more to submerge yourself in. 7KH¿UVWLV/HV'DYLGVRQ¶V2]1R\WKHPHG blues lesson; you might wonder why a funky jazz fusion guitarist is appearing in blues, but with two ‘blues’ albums under his belt 7ZLVWHG%OXHVYRODQG 2]LVVDYY\ZLWK the approaches of all the blues greats. With this understanding Les presents Oz’s colourful approach using blues scales, chord tones, chromatics, intervallic skips and octaves; it’s a wonderful mix we’re sure you’ll love. 7KHMDZGURSSLQJFKRSVRI&DUO Verheyen continue to provide a bountiful supply of licks for you to learn and develop. Here Carl tackles a progression that switches between two key centres &DQG(E ZKLOHVWLOO having space to unfurl lines that are full of jumps, chord tones, chromatics and string bends. There’s plenty on offer both from a technical and a harmonic viewpoint;
FKHFNRXWEDUVZKHUHKHRXWOLQHV WKHFKDQJHVEHWZHHQ(EPDM&PDMZLWK 16th notes that jump and slide around with amazing skill. Andy Saphir’s Chops Shop isn’t designed to be chops busting per se, but rather to present approaches to maintain and develop broad ability when soloing. This issue, Andy demonstrates how using hybrid picking can encourage bigger string skips since it offers PRUHÀH[LELOLW\WKDQSLFNDORQH7U\RXW ([DPSOHVDQGSOXVWKHORYHO\([DPSOH and you’ll see exactly what I mean. Lastly, John Wheatcroft settles himself LQWRWKH-D]]FROXPQZLWKDWZRSDUW appreciation of Django Reinhardt. If one were to isolate the ‘musical genes’ that make up guitar DNA, it would be an unwise scholar to overlook Django. John addresses his arpeggio picking, melodic ornamentation, the use of the 6th interval, WKUHHQRWHFKRUGVDQGFKURPDWLFVWRQRW only highlight what Django brought to guitar playing ([DPSOHLQ $LVVRSUHWW\ EXWDOVR areas you may like to bring to your own playing. Enjoy the issue!
Phil Capone shows how you can rise from the dead and play guitar like a Zombie!
JAZZ ...................................................................................................... 86 John Wheatcroft begins a new series with a look at the gypsy jazz legend, Django Reinhardt.
READING MUSIC ........................................................ 92 &KDUOLH*ULI¿WKVH[SODLQVUHSHDWVLJQV¿UVWDQG second time endings, and a whole lot more!
ACOUSTIC ................................................................................. 94 Stuart Ryan shows how to play acoustic guitar LQWKHVW\OHRIVLQJHUVRQJZULWHU-RKQ'HQYHU
ON VIDEO! Join the incred
ible Carl Verheyen as he continues his superb masterclass series. Page 66
May 2015 GuitarTechniques 55
LESSON: 30-MINUTE LICKBAG
30-Minute Lickbag Pat Heath of BIMM Brighton brings you varied selection of fresh licks to learn, at easy, intermediate and advanced levels.
Brought to you by...
EASY LICKS EXAMPLE 1 ERIC CLAPTON‘CREAM’STYLE
CD TRACK 39
Eric Clapton’s playing style in Cream was the perfect bridge between blues and rock. It was fat and distorted but elegantly played and with great vibrato.
©»¡¡
With this example you can develop a vocabulary of ideas just by varying a few notes here and there. Don’t forget a loud amp or fuzz pedal.
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EASY LICKS EXAMPLE 2 ROBERT CRAY STYLE
12
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CD TRACK 40
Use a chorus pedal and a compressor with a strong slap fingerstyle technique to reproduce this rhythm part that echoes the great Robert Cray.
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INTERMEDIATE LICKS EXAMPLE 3 ERIC JOHNSON STYLE
CD TRACK 41
The octaves of jazz legend Wes Montgomery and the Curtis Mayfieldinspired fills of Jimi Hendrix are both apparent in Johnson’s style.
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Reproducing this requires a bright single-coil tone and a dynamic emphasis on beats 1 and 3 of each bar.
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56 GuitarTechniques May 2015
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ON THE CD
LEARNING ZONE
30-MINUTE LICKBAG
TRACKS 39-44
INTERMEDIATE LICKS EXAMPLE 4 PAUL GILBERT STYLE
CD TRACK 42
Gilbert is known for his mind boggling technique, and this intermediate level ascending run will allow you to build up your picking power.
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Again, adapt it to as many of your own licks as you can; push and pull it around and make it your own.
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ADVANCED LICKS EXAMPLE 5 KEE MARCELLO STYLE
CD TRACK 43
The Swedish blues-rock giant is best know for his devastating playing in the band Europe. Kee is incredible at mixing note groupings; for instance this
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moves from 3s to 4s to 5s and a 6, all within a Pentatonic scale. A metronome is vital for this lick, but it’s very cool sounding.
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ADVANCED LICKS EXAMPLE 6 DIMEBAG DIMINISHED FINGERSTYLE
CD TRACK 44
This idea was inspired by Pantera’s Dimebag Darrell, and requires moving a dim7 chord up and down in minor 3rd intervals with a fingerpicking technique. G #dim7
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May 2015 GuitarTechniques 57
LESSON: BLUES
Oz Noy
ON THE CD
Brought to you by...
From hot blues to cool bebop and hip-hop grooves Les Davidson takes a look at the modern-day guitar wizard that is Oz Noy.
TRACKS 45-47
24, he was one of the most established studio guitar players in the country. Oz was also a member of the house band on Israel’s top-rated television show, Dudu Topaz’s Rishon B’Bidur, for more than two years. Oz Noy has clearly developed his own voice on the guitar and, although one can KHDUPDQ\GLIIHUHQWLQÀXHQFHVLQKLVSOD\LQJ from Pat Martino to BB King, there is no mistaking who it is when he plays. The following musical examples serve as an introduction to Oz’s unique approach to playing and, as this is GT’s ‘blues’ column we’ll look in particular at this side of his style. Both examples should be used to expand both your vocabulary and general overall technical
Oz can use pick, pick and fingers, or fingers only. facility. Oz uses a conventional plectrum technique although, like more and more guitarists these days, sometimes he also takes WR HPSOR\LQJ ERWK SLFN DQG ¿QJHUV DQG ¿QJHUV RQO\ 2XU WZR H[DPSOHV DUH SOD\DEOH ZLWK SOHFWUXP DQG ¿QJHUV There are many ways to build up speed, but GT recommends learning tricky parts slowly and correctly before pushing up to tempo. This means you learn accurately and, once you do attain the desired speed, you will not have built in ragged technique. You can then add the next few notes and gradually take the tempo back up, again taking care to play cleanly and accurately. This way we’re making progress by expanding a few notes at a time, rather than playing an entire phrase at a fraction of the desired speed. In a balanced practice session a variety of approaches will reap the greatest rewards. NEXT MONTH: Les examines Memphis’s super-hot blues soloist Eric Gales Oz Noy here playing with fingers only
ABILITY RATING
Moderate/Advanced INFO
WILL IMPROVE YOUR
KEY: E TEMPO: 110 bpm CD: TRACKS 45-47
Blues, rock and jazz vocabulary Stamina in both hands Speed and articulation
OZ NOY WAS born in Israel and has lived in New York City since 1996. Soon after his arrival in NYC, Oz made a huge impact on the US and international music scene. His unique and playful style has established him as a new
force and energy of instrumental guitar music. Although known for his range of musical styles one thing he always does is focus on the groove. Some of his regular rhythm sections are a veritable who’s who of top drummers and bassists, with Keith Carlock, Anton Fig, Vinnie Colaiuta, and Dave Weckl often on drums and bassists Will Lee, James Genus, and Reggie Washington holding down the bottom end. Oz started his professional career at the age of 13 playing jazz, blues, pop and rock music. By 16 years old, he was playing with top Israeli musicians and artists. By the age of
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Oz tends to use Fender guitars, both Strats and Teles. Part of his sound is created by a large number of stomp boxes on his pedalboard, which he constantly tweaks while playing. Oz likes to use whacky effects like a ring modulator to take the solos into the stratosphere! He favours a Two-Rock as his main amp but is also known to use a Fender Hot Rod or Twin Reverb. We’re aiming for a single-coil sound with a moderate level of overdrive. I’m using a 1961 maple neck Strat with the neck pickup on, into a Mesa Boogie Transatlantic Amp. I’m also using a Charlie Stringer wah-wah pedal.
TRACK RECORD Oz Noy has been releasing albums for well over a decade and all are filled with what he himself describes as “twisted blues” or “jazz but it doesn’t sound like it!” So there are many to choose from but we’d heartily recommend Ha! (2005), Schizophrenic (2009), and Twisted Blues Vol 1 (2011) and Vol 2 (2014). Everything he’s done is worth a listen and there’s lots on YouTube too!
58 GuitarTechniques May 2015
LEARNING ZONE
OZ NOY EXAMPLE 1 OZ NOY TWISTED BLUES
CD TRACK 45
The disciplines we face here are accuracy, stamina and articulation to produce the lines. Our first example is based upon some E7, G7 and A13 simple blues phrases which switch to be-bop type lines. The 16th notes are fast alternate picking with some hammer-ons, so plenty of accurate
Swing feel
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E7
chops are required. Aim to make the blues licks speak and the be-bop and chromatic lines strong, with accents on the important notes in the phrase. Use alternate picking throughout, unless otherwise stated. As Oz has said it’s all about the groove!
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May 2015 GuitarTechniques 59
LESSON: BLUES
ON THE CD
TRACKS 45-47
EXAMPLE 2 OZ NOY TWISTED BLUES
CD TRACK 46
In this example once again it’s based on the sequence of E7, G7 and A13. It are typical of Oz Noy’s approach to the blues. It’s important to get the lines to starts off with a Robert Johnson style lick, then some string skipping. Then to have solid time and flow, especially the 16th notes and string skipping. They top it off, some be-bop lines and a bit of Mixolydian action. These shifts in style must be played with accuracy but without speeding up. Have fun!
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60 GuitarTechniques May 2015
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LESSON: ROCK
ON THE CD
TRACKS 48-50
Steve Miller Band This month Martin Cooper checks out the rock style of the great Steve Miller and - Abracadabra! - realises that he wasn’t a Joker after all!
Steve Miller’s playing style is often characterised by large string bends, chord driven riffs and single-note melodic rhythms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¶V VWULQJ EHQGLQJ WHFKQLTXH NEXT MONTH: Martin looks at Joe Satriani’s modern rock playing in Chickenfoot
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The tone is classic rock territory, with guitars such as the Fender Stratocaster and Gibson Les Paul being employed. Amp gain is in the crunchy Fender Tweed ballpark and there is quite a lot of delay and modulation on some of Steve Miller’s lead guitar work. I used a Tom Anderson Drop Top Classic, and also blended a very clean guitar with a more overdriven one on the rhythm guitar part.
TRACK RECORD Miller initially found success with The Joker (1973), which as well as the title track also included Your Crash Ain’t Nothin’ But Trash. Critically acclaimed Fly Like An Eagle (1976) featured Take The Money And Run, while the Book Of Dreams (1977) the following year included Jungle Love. There is also a Greatest Hits album, which features the big hits including Abracadabra.
62 GuitarTechniques May 2015
MICHAEL PUTLAND / GETTY IMAGES
STEVE MILLER STARTED learning to play guitar at the tender age of four, and later became a fan of jazz and learnt the art of being a recording engineer. He ZHQW RQ WR ¿QG VXFFHVV LQ D FDUHHU WKDW KDV ODVWHG IRXU GHFDGHV DQG FRXQWLQJ 0LOOHU DOVR WDXJKW KLV brother how to play the JXLWDU DQG JDYH %R] 6FDJJV OHVVRQV ZLWK D IHZ FKRUGV VR KH FRXOG MRLQ WKH EDQG LQ LWV HDUO\ \HDUV $IWHU VWXG\LQJ OLWHUDWXUH in America and Europe, ZKLOH SOD\LQJ PXVLF DV D VLGHOLQH LQWHUHVW 0LOOHU PRYHG WR 6DQ )UDQFLVFR LQ WKH HDUO\ V DQG EHFDPH devoted to a life writing and SOD\LQJ PXVLF DIWHU VHHLQJ WKH %XWWHU¿HOG %OXHV %DQG DQG -HIIHUVRQ $LUSODQH DW the Fillmore auditorium. ,Q WKH ODWH V KH UHOHDVHG D VWULQJ RI DOEXPV ZKLFK LQFOXGHG PXVLFLDQV VXFK DV 6FDJJV DQG DOVR RQ RQH RFFDVLRQ 3DXO McCartney (he and Macca KDYH UHPDLQHG IULHQGV HYHU VLQFH DQG 6WHYH KDV returned the favour on VHYHUDO RFFDVLRQV %XW ZKLOH WKHVH UHFRUGV IHDWXUHG PRGHVWO\ RQ WKH Steve Miller with US Billboard chart, there three-pickup Les ZDV QR VLJQ RI D KLW VLQJOH Paul Custom with which to propel 0LOOHU¶V FDUHHU IRUZDUGV However in 1973 with The Joker, the Steve ABILITY RATING 0LOOHU %DQG ZKLFK DOVR IHDWXUHG *HUDOG Moderate -RKQVRQ RQ EDVV JXLWDU 'LFN 7KRPSVRQ RQ NH\ERDUGV DQG GUXPPHU -RKQ .LQJ VFRUHG D INFO WILL IMPROVE YOUR 86 DQG 8. QXPEHU VLQJOH DQG D KLW DOEXP RI KEY: E major Rhythm and lead playing WKH VDPH QDPH 0RUH VXFFHVV FRQWLQXHG TEMPO: 132 bpm Theory knowledge WKURXJK WKH HDUO\ WR PLG V ZLWK D VWULQJ RI CD: TRACKS 48-50 String bends and phrasing KLW VLQJOHV DQG DOEXPV 7KH EDQG DOVR SOD\HG D
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LEARNING ZONE
STEVE MILLER BAND EXAMPLE RHYTHM PART
CD TRACK 49
[General] The rhythm part needs to be played aggressively, but with a lot of control, and watch out for unwanted strings ringing with the small three-
note chords and single-note lines. There is some slight palm muting on the rhythm part in bars 17-24.
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May 2015 GuitarTechniques 63
LESSON: ROCK
ON THE CD
TRACKS 48-50
EXAMPLE SOLO
CD TRACK 49
[Solo] With the lead part, there are a lot of over-bends, and these are sometimes fairly slow in reaching the intended mark - so with the first bend in the solo you’ll need to bend up a minor 3rd from B to D, and then when you
bend the 17th-fret A note up in bar 29, it’ll also be a minor 3rd up to C. Most of the other bends are also tending towards sharp of the usual note (sometimes in between two semitones), so play around with this idea to get used to it.
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LESSON: VIDEO
VIDEO
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Carl Verheyen masterclass Carl continues his masterclass series with a solo that fluctuates between C and E flat. Milton Mermikides transcribes. ABILITY RATING
Moderate/Advanced INFO KEY: Various TEMPO: Various CD: CD-ROM
WILL IMPROVE YOUR Vocabulary over major 7 chords Pentatonic sophistication Melodic phrasing
CARL IS A rarity, a guitarist’s guitarist who has received accolades from heavyweights such as Robben Ford, Joe Bonamassa, Steve Lukather, Robben Ford, Brad Praisley, Steve Morse, Scott Henderson and Albert Lee. He also has a 40-year playing career with countless sessions on albums (artists ranging from Dolly Parton WR$OODQ+ROGVZRUWK LQQXPHUDEOH¿OPVFRUHV and an active solo career. When Carl came to visit the GT studios during his European tour, we asked him to play over several backing tracks. He listened to each one once, then with just a simple chord chart, proceeded to lay down stunning, masterful improvised solos. In a couple of hours he had given us a masterclass on guitar Carl Verheyen has amazed us with his skills as a soloist
improvisation – and musicianship - in a wide range of styles, and enough material for even professional guitarists to work on for years. I’ve transcribed Carl’s improvisation over Jason Sidwell’s pop fusion backing called Ambient Groove (In C). Despite the title, it DFWXDOO\ ÀXFWXDWHV EHWZHHQ WZR NH\ FHQWUHV Eb (Ebmaj7-Fm7-Bb-Gm7) and C (Cmaj7-C). In this session type environment Carl draws on a huge vocabularly of melodic material, spontaneously building an engaging solo, with chops to spare, and sounds like he could FRQWLQXH LQGH¿QLWHO\ ZHDYLQJ LQYHQWLYH melodies through the chords. In particular he
Even if some chops are beyond you now, there is still a huge amount of inspiration to gain. shows an ability to not only work with the chord sequence but draw out really beautiful harmonic implications. Carl employs different strategies for each chord, in order to to keep the solo fresh. On the Ebmaj7 he uses a combination of Eb Major scale (bar 21, bars 61-62), an implication of C Minor with chromaticism (bar 45), and Pentatonic components (Eb major Pentatonic (C minor Pentatonic) (bars 41-42) and G minor Pentatonic (bars 2 and 53). The C major 7 gets similar treatment, and collectively one can see that Carl’s soloing strategies include: OVER MAJOR OR MAJOR 7 CHORD 0DMRUVFDOHRUPDMRU3HQWDWRQLFRQURRWRI chord 0LQRUVFDOH ZLWKFKURPDWLFLVP 3HQWDWRQLF on 6th degree of chord 0DMRU3HQWDWRQLFRQWKRIFKRUG EDUV and 57) 0LQRU3HQWDWRQLFRQUGGHJUHHRIFKRUG 2FFDVLRQDOXVHRI0L[RO\GLDQ%OXHVRQURRW of chord (bar 31-32) OVER MINOR 7 CHORD 0LQRUVFDOHRQURRWRIFKRUG 0LQRU3HQWDWRQLFRQURRWRI chord 0LQRU%OXHVRQURRW
CD-ROM
PART 4
And that’s in this piece alone (he uses others in the various tracks he did for GT). Knowing these approaches, and of course having fretboard knowledge and vocabularly for these scales, can enhance your soloing options vastly. Carl uses his characteristic string-skipping ideas which breathe life into otherwise IDPLOLDU 3HQWDWRQLFLVP)RUH[DPSOHEDUV 15 and 43 show how C (and G) major Pentatonic (and some connecting Major scales) can be played in ultra-wide melodic phrases around the fretboard. Rather than seeing the key areas as LVRODWHG KDUPRQLF LVODQGV&DUONQRZVH[DFWO\ which notes change between chords, so there LV D PHORGLF ÀXHQF\ DQGORJLFWRFKRUG WUDQVLWLRQV 6HH IRU H[DPSOHWKHWUDQVLWLRQ from Bar 20 to 21, where a similar motif connects the transition from Cmaj7 to Ebmaj7, or the Bb to B natural in the bent phrase from bars 46 to 47. Control over the guitar adds an important OD\HU RI H[SUHVVLRQ 6XEWOHDUWLFXODWLRQVVXFKDV slightly shortened or muted notes (which escape even the most detailed transcription) are really important to the vibe. Also notice his KDELW RI ÀLFNLQJ WKH SLFNXSVHOHFWRUIURPQHFN to bridge - even just for one note – to add a little ELWH ZKHQ QHHGHG $QG ¿QDOO\&DUOXVHVWKH vibrato bar to add a type of vibrato and bending FRORXU WKDW LV LPSRVVLEOHZLWKMXVW¿QJHUVDQG LV UHDOO\ ZRUWK H[SORULQJLQ\RXUSOD\LQJ6HHLQ SDUWLFXODU EDU DQG EDUV 7KLVVRORLVH[WUHPHO\LQVWUXFWLYHDQGHYHQ if some of the chops are beyond your current technical level, there is still a huge amount of melodic and stylistic inspiration to be gained from Carl’s solos and approach. NEXT MONTH: Milton brings us more from this Carl Verheyen video series.
GET THE TONE 7
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Carl played his signature LSL ‘CVS’ guitar through a Marshall JTM45 head using mostly his neck single oil pickup. Overdrive came courtesy of Jason’s Free The Tone MS SOV MS-2V pedal. The examples could be played on any type or model of guitar, but single-coils sound great for this ‘open’ feel. Go for a clean tone but not too bright a sound and a dash of reverb.
TRACK RECORD You are spoilt for choice when it comes to Carl’s output, but to hear work similar to this lesson check out Diamonds on Slingshot (Mighty Tiger 1999) or the blistering lead on Fusioneers Disease (Mustang Run, 2013 Cranktone Ents).
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LEARNING ZONE
CARL VERHEYEN MASTERCLASS PT 4 EXAMPLE CARL VERHEYEN MASTERCLASS
CD -ROM
[Bars 1-2] Check out Carl’s use of pickup selector to change the timbre of a particular note or passage. He does it instinctively (and it’s easy to miss), but it’s worth adding this to your playing, to make the most of your guitar!
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[Bar 8] The first of many string-skipping Pentatonic implications. See how this phrase uses the first, third and fifth strings of shape 3 of C major Pentatonic, before sliding back a position to a play a more linear Pentatonic phrase.
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May 2015 GuitarTechniques 67
LESSON: VIDEO
VIDEO
ON THE CD
CD-ROM
EXAMPLE CARL VERHEYEN MASTERCLASS ...CONTINUED
CD-ROM
[Bar 15] Here’s the same idea as found in Bar 8, but this time using a connecting figure along the fifth string to move up from shape 3 to shape 4 of C major Pentatonic. And always remember that you could extend this idea through all the shapes.
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[Bar 20] The last two beats of bar 20 employ a four-note motif moving through shapes 1 and 5 of C major Pentatonic. Notice how it continues down to a figure from Bb major Pentatonic (or G minor Pentatonic), smoothly negotiating the transition between chords.
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68 GuitarTechniques May 2015
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LEARNING ZONE
CARL VERHEYEN MASTERCLASS PT 4 EXAMPLE CARL VERHEYEN MASTERCLASS ...CONTINUED
CD-ROM
[Bars 27-28] The Bb triad is interpreted as Bb7 here, and you can hear (and see) a string-skipped broken Bb7 arpeggio. [Bars 31-32] Similarly, the C Major triad is interpreted in a bluesy manner in
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May 2015 GuitarTechniques 69
LESSON: VIDEO
ON THE CD
EXAMPLE CARL VERHEYEN MASTERCLASS ...CONTINUED
CD-ROM
[Bars 39] Use the bar here to lift the double-stop up a tone, then pull off to the barred 11th fret before releasing it down and hammering on to the 13th fret of the second string. Complicated, but worth it!
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LEARNING ZONE
CARL VERHEYEN MASTERCLASS PT 4 EXAMPLE CARL VERHEYEN MASTERCLASS ...CONTINUED
CD-ROM
[Bar 53] A touch of country here, with a cross-string over-ringing phrase to change the texture a little. This uses a G minor Pentatonic implications over Ebmaj7, and in bar 64 a similar phrase uses C major Pentatonic over Cmaj7.
[Bar 57-61] This final section shows a lovely ‘ethereal’ use of the vibrato bar utilising a combination of bar raises and pull-offs, as well as subtle ‘scoops’ on each note (bar 60).
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May 2015 GuitarTechniques 71
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May 2015 GuitarTechniques 73
ON THE CD
5-Note string-pair cells Shaun Baxter continues his series on mapping out the fretboard using two-string clusters of notes called ‘cells’. This month: five-note cells.
VWULQJSDLUVWKH¿QJHULQJZLOOUHPDLQ the same in every octave (perfectly symmetrical), providing both physical and visual convenience: E & A; D & G; and B & E. For example, an Am triad (threenote entity) can be arranged on the ORZHUVWULQJSDLU VL[WKDQG¿IWK strings) as follows: Cell (3-0) (2-1) (1-2) (0-3)
ABILITY RATING
Moderate/Advanced INFO
WILL IMPROVE YOUR
KEY: C TEMPO: 120bpm CD: TRACKS 52-53
Interval recognition Seeing octave relationships Extending musical range
THIS PRESENT SERIES is devoted to the practice of compressing the information of a musical entity (triad, arpeggio, Pentatonic scale etc) into a single string-pair, so that the same shape (’cell’) can be shifted up and down over three octaves via the other string-pairs. ,IZH FRQ¿QH RXU DSSURDFK WR WKH IROORZLQJ
Sixth-string A-C-E A-C A -
Fifth-string E C-E A-C-E
6RWKDW¶VIRXUSRVVLEOHFRQ¿JXUDWLRQV that can each be shifted up in octaves onto the other string-pairs (fourth and WKLUGVWULQJVDQGVHFRQGDQG¿UVW strings) without changing shape. Furthermore, each entity (here, Am) can be played in different inversions depending on the starting note. For example, in this case, it is possible to play three different inversions of Am by starting from a different note each time: A-C-E; C-E-A (A has been taken off the front and placed on the end); and E-A-C (A and C have been taken off the front and placed on the end). And, like the original inversion, all the others can be FRQ¿JXUHGLQWKHVDPHIRXUGLIIHUHQW ways on each string-pair (3-0, 2-1 etc). ,QWKH¿UVWIHZOHVVRQVRIWKLVVHULHVZHORRNHG at playing two, three and four-note cells across three octaves via various string-pairs. 7RGD\ZHZLOOIRFXVRQ¿YHQRWHFHOOV 7KHVHFDQEHFRQ¿JXUHGDVIROORZVZLWKLQ each string-pair: 5-0; 4-1; 3-2; 2-3; 1-4; and 0-5. Note that different ways of playing the same thing will provide us with different PXVLFDOSRVVLELOLWLHV$OVRQRWHWKDW¿YHQRWH cells are particularly applicable to Pentatonic VFDOHV DOORIZKLFKKDYH¿YHQRWHVSHURFWDYH As usual, once you have worked through the various practical examples in this lesson, you should establish some useful shapes of your own in each of the CAGED patterns of the various scales that you know.
TRACKS 52-53
Establish the various possible noteFRQ¿JXUDWLRQV FHOOV LQDV\VWHPDWLFZD\DQG audition each one against a backing track so that you can hear it in context, making a note of your favourites, and experimenting with various ways of employing them in the most musical ways. But remember the following: You don’t have to play something from the root of the underlying chord or scale that you are using. You can apply ideas starting from any note of that scale. You are not obliged to play all three octaves each time, as this will severely limit your musical approach. Instead, you might want to use two ‘cells’, or even just one: the important thing is that the musical
Note that different ways of playing the same thing will provide us with different musical possibilities via new technical opportunities. idea might spring from the underlying ‘concept’ of string-pair cells. Don’t forget to work out the inversions too ¿YHQRWH HQWLWLHV KDYH ¿YH LQYHUVLRQV
GETTHETONE 7
7
5
5
4
GAIN
BASS
MIDDLE
TREBLE
REVERB
I’m keeping to a typical rock tone for this series. I use a Fender Strat, so I always use a distortion pedal to boost the signal before it gets to the amp. Generally, try to go for 25% of your distortion from the pedal and 75% from the amp. You’ll find that the results are sweeter and more compressed (even and tighter sounding) than when getting 100% of the distortion from the amp. Finally, some delay will also added to the guitar track that is in tempo with the track. This helps to give both size and smoothness to the guitar sound.
TRACK RECORD Keyboard player Jan Hammer has worked with guitar names like John McLaughlin, Jeff Beck and Al DiMeola, as well as writing the theme tune to the TV series Miami Vice. Check out Jan’s fiery Mini Moog and Moog Probe soloing on albums like Al Di Meola’s Elegant Gypsy (1977), Mahavishnu’s Between Nothingness And Eternity (1973) and Jeff Beck With The Jan Hammer Group Live (1977).
74 GuitarTechniques May 2015
DAVID LYTTLETON
LESSON: CREATIVE ROCK
LEARNING ZONE
5-NOTE STRING-PAIR CELLS
CD TRACK 52
EXAMPLES 5NOTE STRINGPAIR CELLS EXAMPLE 1 These examples feature five-note string-pair cells that follow a 2-3 configuration. Example 1 is based around A minor Pentatonic and uses a combination of slides and micro-tonal bends. Although you may have heard this shape before, have you worked out the other four inversions? EXAMPLE 2 Talking of which, this example is based around another inversion of an A minor Pentatonic scale string-pair cell arranged in a 2-3 configuration. Here, slides have been added as a means of adding more earcatching articulation and expression.
©»¡™º
Ex 1
EXAMPLE 3 As mentioned earlier, any five-note scale can be classed as a Pentatonic scale. The string-pair cell in this example is based upon the Japanese pentatonic scale (in this case, in A): 1 2 b3 5 b6 A B C E F Although it employs several techniques (slides, hammer-ons, pull-offs, fretting-hand taps, picking-hand taps etc), it’s important to keep all the notes equal in both volume and relevant distance (rhythmically, they should all be played as 16th-notes).
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May 2015 GuitarTechniques 75
LESSON: CREATIVE ROCK
ON THE CD
TRACKS 52-53
CD TRACK 52
EXAMPLES 5NOTE STRINGPAIR CELLS EXAMPLE 4 Although you may think of a major 7th arpeggio as having four notes, it’ll have five notes if you go from root to root (in this case, we have Cmaj7 comprising the following notes: 1 3 5 7 1 C E G B C Like the previous example, this one is played using a combination of legato techniques but, rhythmically, must be played as 16th-note triplets. EXAMPLE 5 This example uses the same string-pair cell hat was employed
over three octaves in Ex1, only, this time, we are ascending and using different forms of articulation: the combination of picking and fretting-hand taps, as well as bends, all conspire to give an effect that is reminiscent of keyboard player Jan Hammer (mainly due to the absence of attack due to no picking). EXAMPLE 6 Here’s another example of this Jan Hammer-style approach. Again, we are using the same A minor Pentatonic cell on each string-pair as Ex1 and Ex5; only, this time, over two octaves only.
Ex 4
~~~
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76 GuitarTechniques May 2015
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LEARNING ZONE
5-NOTE STRING-PAIR CELLS
CD TRACK 52
EXAMPLES 5NOTE STRINGPAIR CELLS EXAMPLE 7 This is the first of two examples that feature five-note stringpair cells that follow a 3-2 configuration. Here, the same five-note A minor Pentatonic cell is treated differently in each octave (on each string pair). Also, note the use of accents in order to add rhythmic expression. EXAMPLE 8 Again, here, the cell is treated differently each octave. This particular cell comprises the following notes: 1 2 b3 4 5 A B C D E
EXAMPLE 9 14 The string-pair cell used in each octave of this example also comprises notes of the A minor Pentatonic; however, here it follows a 1-4 note-configuration, executed using a combination of picking and frettinghand taps. Again, concentrate on keeping the notes to an even 16th-note triplet count throughout. Ideas like this sound great whether you play them flat out like a machine gun; or slow them right down and add bends, vibrato and as much feel as you can muster!
Ex 7
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May 2015 GuitarTechniques 77
LESSON: CREATIVE ROCK
ON THE CD
TRACKS 52-53
CD TRACK 52
EXAMPLES 5NOTE STRINGPAIR CELLS EXAMPLE 10 Now for the first of two examples in which the five-note stringpair cell follows a 5-0 note-configuration. This particular cell comprises the same notes as Ex8 moving in an ascending sequence and, again, is treated differently in each octave. EXAMPLE 11 Here, we’re using the same cell as in Ex10 on each string pair; only this time in a descending sequence. Once again, the cell is treated differently in each octave.
Ex 10
5
œ œ E B G D A E
L
7 91
37
EXAMPLE 12 This final example features a five-note string-pair cell that follows a 0-5 note-configuration. The cell is treated the same in each octave, and is played using a combination of fretting-hand legato and picking-hand taps with slides. The octaves at the very end of this line are just one example of how these cells can be integrated with other techniques in order to create well-balanced musical results. As I mentioned in the main body copy, the whole point of learning any technique is to be expressive with it.
5
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78 GuitarTechniques May 2015
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LESSON: CHOPS SHOP
VIDEO
String Skipping
ON THE CD
CD-ROM TRACK
PART 3
Missing out one or more strings can allow you to play ear-catching intervals and licks. Andy Saphir skips his way through another great lesson. TO CONCLUDE OUR string skipping theme, this month we look at it from a hybrid picking perspective. If you’ve never hybrid picked before, these exercises might be challenging, though I hope not prohibitively so. Hybrid SLFNLQJLVWKHXVHRIWKHSLFNDQG¿QJHUV,W¶V commonly used when playing country music, although it is being adopted more and more in other styles. When you get used to this
WHFKQLTXH\RXPD\DFWXDOO\¿QGLWHDVLHUWR play certain string skipping ideas, as your SLFNLQJKDQG¿QJHUVDUHDOUHDG\SRVLWLRQHG over different strings. Using the pick for such licks can entail some tricky alternate picking challenges. There are some great sounding ideas here, but a tip: keeping the heel of your hand resting on the bridge area will ‘root’ them in place for more accurate results.
EXAMPLE 1 STRING SKIPPING IN 6THS
CD ROM
This exercise looks at playing a descending E natural minor scale, E-F#-GA-B-C-D (also known as E Aeolian mode), in intervals of a 6th. Note how the
second finger of your picking hand plays the higher note of each ‘6th’ shape, and how much easier this is than doing the same thing with a pick.
-
#
E B G D A E
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10
8
12 11
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EXAMPLE 2 STRING SKIPPING IN TRIPLETS
4
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CD ROM
A similar exercise, this one uses the same E minor scale, but in triplets this time. Pay attention to picking hand directives throughout the exercise.
Play as slowly as necessary to ensure accuracy, and only then build up to speed. The metronome marks are a guide only.
-
# 3
E B G D A E
12 12
10 12 11
m
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EXAMPLE 3 ADDING PEDAL TONES
CD ROM
Again using the same scale as a basis, this exercise uses triplets, but incorporates an open first string pedal tone on the third note of each triplet. This is quite tricky technically, as I’ve suggested the use of alternating third
and second fingers of the picking hand. You can experiment here, as you may find it easier to only use your second finger (m) to play the pedal tone, although this way it might be harder to achieve the faster tempos.
-
# 3
3
E B G D A E
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80 GuitarTechniques May 2015
3
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BROUGHT TO YOU BY...
LEARNING ZONE
STRING SKIPPING PT3
EXAMPLE 4 STRING SKIPPING OCTAVES ASCENDING
CD ROM
This demanding octaves based exercise skips from the first string to the fourth string then to the sixth. This is an ideal opportunity to see how hybrid
picking can work more easily than straight alternate picking. The E Major scale is used here (E-F#-G#-A-B-C#-D#).
-
#
E B G D A E
12
11 14
9
13
13
12 a
m
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11
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EXAMPLE 5 STRING SKIPPING OCTAVES DESCENDING
CD ROM
A very similar exercise, this one still descends down the E major scale, but switches the string order, so you play the sixth string first.
-
#
E B G D A E
12
11
14
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EXAMPLE 6 HYBRID PICKING ARPEGGIOS
CD ROM
This 10-bar exercise is very challenging as it uses some tricky fretting hand arpeggios combined with intricate hybrid picking over a chord progression.
-
#
E B G D A E
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9
1
m
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m
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10
4
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9
11
12
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E B G D A E
Practice this one very slowly and aim to get each arpeggio section mastered before moving on to the next. Nail it though, and you’ll sound great!
m
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May 2015 GuitarTechniques 81
ON THE CD
The Zombies Armed with one of the best band names in the business, The Zombies walked on the jazzy side of the British R&B movement, explains Phil Capone.
The Zombies recording at Abbey Road in 1967
ABILITY RATING
Moderate INFO
WILL IMPROVE YOUR
KEY: Various TEMPO: Various CD: TRACKS 54-65
Use of octaves Double-stop riffing Authentic R&B repertoire
THE ZOMBIES ORIGINALLY formed in 1961 (while still at school) in the town of St Albans, +HUWIRUGVKLUH7KH¿UVWLQFDUQDWLRQRIWKH band, originally called The Mustangs, featured Rod Argent (piano, organ, vocals), Colin Blunstone (vocals), Paul Atkinson (guitar, vocals), Paul Arnold (bass), and Hugh Grundy (drums). After suggesting the band change its name to The Zombies, bassist Arnold quit to become a physician and was replaced by Chris White in 1962. The band’s big break came when they won a talent competition hosted by WKHLUORFDOQHZVSDSHUWKH¿UVWSUL]HEHLQJD
recording contract with Decca. This led to WKHLU¿UVWVLQJOH6KH¶V1RW7KHUHLQ 7KH song was an instant success, peaking at No 12 in the UK charts and, in an unprecedented feat for an unknown British band, also topped the USA charts. The song showcased the band’s impressive levels of musicianship and the writing skills of keyboard virtuoso Rod Argent. ,QDUHFHQWLQWHUYLHZZLWK9+PDJD]LQH Argent revealed that he wasn’t worried about FKDQFLQJKLVKDQGDWVRQJZULWLQJIRUWKHLU¿UVW Decca recording session, “That’s the naiveté of youth, because when you’ve never done it before, you just imagine a completely successful scenario. And I thought ‘Yeah,
She’s Not There was an instant success, peaking at No 12 in the UK and topping the US charts.
TRACKS 54-65
great, we’ve got our session coming up, I can write a song that’s as good as The Beatles and it’ll be number one.’ And it was!” However, such instant success was hard to follow and The Zombies’ next single Leave Me Be failed to chart. Their third release, Tell Her 1RRQO\MXVWPDGHWKH7RSLQWKH8.EXW achieved No 6 in the US charts. A string of further unsuccessful releases took its toll on WKHEDQGDQGWKH\¿QDOO\GLVEDQGHGLQ with Argent going on to form the group that took his name, while Blunstone established himself as a solo artist. The band eventually UHIRUPHGLQ DQGLVVWLOOWRXULQJDQG releasing new material. What is most striking about the The Zombies’ early years is that their sound was probably just too sophisticated for the time. Colin Blunstone’s haunting, breathy vocal style was just not raunchy enough to compete with other British R&B singers; the band’s VRXQGZDVMD]]\DQGDOVRGRPLQDWHGE\ Argent’s keyboards at a time when guitar was heavily in vogue. Nonetheless Zombies’ guitar man Paul Atkinson contributed plenty of interesting material, underpinning Argent’s keyboards with his eclectic style that included DUDQJHRILQÀXHQFHVLQFOXGLQJURFN¶Q¶UROO MD]]FRXQWU\ERVVDQRYDDQGEOXHV Single sales were still the mainstay of any EDQG¶VPHDVXUHLQWKHPLGVDQGKDG7K Zombies split even a year later, they would likely have had more success in the album market. However, regardless of their apparent lack of commercial success, The Zombies’ back catalogue provides a fascinating insight into one of the most creative of all of the British R&B bands. So grab your guitar and get ready for a healthy slice of supernatural inspiration, Zombies style! NEXT MONTH: Phil looks to the West Country when he examines The Troggs
GETTHETONE 5
6
6
10
4
GAIN
BASS
MIDDLE
TREBLE
REVERB
This is a general setting for solo work. For clean rhythm tones simply back off your guitar’s volume control. For a more authentic lead sound try adding a delay pedal in front of your amp (these work best as the last effect in the chain if you’re using several pedals). Keep the delay time and repeat controls low and the mix control at 50% to achieve a 50s slapback effect. There were very few effects available to guitarists in the mid-60s; analogue tape echo units were extremely popular and used by guitarists well into the 70s to ‘fatten up’ their solos.
TRACK RECORD Start with the milestone singles: She’s’ Not There” (1964), Tell Her No (1964), and Time Of The Season (1968). Recommended albums include Begin Here (1965) and Odyssey And Oracle (1968). It's also worth checking Argent's later material with his own band, Argent (with guitarist Russ Ballard who last month we mistakenly said was in The Zombies!).
82 GuitarTechniques May 2015
KEITH WALDEGRAVE / REX FEATURES
LESSON: R&B
LEARNING ZONE
THE ZOMBIES EXAMPLE 1 LATIN ROCK GROOVE WITH‘CHIPS’
CD TRACK 54
Although only two- and three-note chords have been indicated in the tab, fret the full Am and D7 barre shapes; then simply focus your pick onto the
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CD TRACK 56
For this example, try fretting the first position D minor shape using your first, second and fourth fingers (using your fourth to fret the second string). This not only makes it easier to avoid inadvertently damping the first string, Dm
..
. .
E B G D A E
it also makes the change to the first inversion E minor chord at the 3rd fret considerably easier: simply slide the shape two frets higher then add your third finger on the fourth string.
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as indicated in the tab) while you re-pick each note. In bar 4, the double-stop lick is easy when fretted with your first and third fingers, barring across both strings simultaneously.
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CD TRACK 58
Use your pick or hybrid picking to sound the double-stop bend at the start of this lick, which should be fretted using your third and fourth fingers. The bend can then be gradually released (you don’t need to step down literally
©»¡™º Double time feel
. .
8
EXAMPLE 3 FAST ROCK N’ROLL STYLE LICKS
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EXAMPLE 2 ARPEGGIATED CHORDS AND JAZZY OCTAVES
..
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strings required. Don’t use your picking hand to mute the strings; release the pressure of your fretting hand while keeping your fingers on the strings.
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1/4
7 7
8 8
7 7
5 5
7 7
5 5
..
. .
May 2015 GuitarTechniques 83
LESSON: R&B
ON THE CD
TRACKS 54-65
EXAMPLE 4 JAZZY COMP USING THIRDS
CD TRACK 60
Diatonic 3rds (using only notes from the key you’re playing in) are very effective when used to create riffs over chord changes. You’ll need to ensure that you only sound the notes indicated - this is especially important when
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. .
E B G D A E
‰ 4 4 4 6
4 4 4 6
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picking notes out of a chord shape (ie the A major shape in bar 1); don’t fret all the notes just those shown, releasing fretting pressure between double stops to prevent the notes ringing into each other. F m9
j # œœ
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4 4 4 6
4 4 4 6
‰ ‰
6 7
5 6
7 9
5 9 6 9
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7 8
6 7
5 6
EXAMPLE 5 WESTERN ROCK’N’ROLL STYLE RIFFS
CD TRACK 62
Spaghetti Westerns and the numerous American Western TV shows that abounded, were extremely popular in the 60s so it was no surprise that the
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E B G D A E
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theme tunes of these shows also inspired many of the 60s R&B bands, as in this example.
A7
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4 4
7
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EXAMPLE 6 FINAL JAM
. .
1 1
CD TRACK 64
Note that the chords are simplified in the solo to provide the perfect to achieve authentic results. To ensure you’re getting the rhythm of each backdrop for the Paul Atkinson style, 50s flavoured guitar work. There are no phrase spot-on, practise each one with a metronome first (ideally starting particularly challenging licks here but strong phrasing is essential if you want around 80 bpm).
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84 GuitarTechniques May 2015
2
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LEARNING ZONE
THE ZOMBIES EXAMPLE 6 FINAL JAM ...CONTINUED
CD TRACK 64
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May 2015 GuitarTechniques 85
LESSON: JAZZ
ON THE CD
Django Reinhardt
PART 1
In the first of a two-part feature John Wheatcroft presents the incredible Django Reinhardt, guitar genius and legendary patriarch of gypsy jazz.
TRACKS 66-83
visited America as guest of Duke Ellington, and on his return switched to electric guitar, incorporating the radical new ‘bebop’ jazz style into his playing and compositions. Grappelli stayed in Britain throughout the war but Reinhardt returned to Paris, where he reformed the Quintette with clarinetist Hubert Rostaing as musical counterpart. We have nine examples in three sections based around Django’s soloing style: from his mid-30s Hot Club period, through the bebop inspired 40s style up to his bluesy and melodic early 50s era.
Django not only improvised with melody, he tried and he succeeded in reproducing on a guitar the effect of a large orchestra. Stephane Grappelli
ABILITY RATING
Moderate/Advanced INFO
WILL IMPROVE YOUR
KEY: Various TEMPO: Various CD: TRACKS 66-83
Authentic vocabulary Negotiation of chord changes Articulation and delivery
DJANGO REINHARDT WAS a true guitarist’s guitarist. As George Benson states, “Django stretched the guitar imagination to its limit. He was the fastest, the most creative, he had great rhythm, and was a good composer too”. BB King has a similar take on the Belgian virtuoso, “Django was one of my idols. His guitar seemed to talk. He played music that was sophisticated, but a layman like me could still understand it”. The list of devoted Django enthusiasts goes on and on, and for extremely
good reason - simply put, he was a musical genius and guitarist extraordinaire. Born in 1910 in Liberchies into a family of Manouche gypsies, Django was prodigiously talented and by age 13 was performing with the street entertainers of Paris. In 1928 he VXUYLYHGD¿UHWKDWOHIWKLPZLWKDVHYHUHO\ GLV¿JXUHGOHIWKDQGDQGRQO\IXOOXVHRIWKH ¿UVWDQGVHFRQG¿QJHUV+HRYHUFDPHWKLV disability by evolving a new method for ¿QJHULQJXVLQJMXVWWZR¿QJHUVIRUVLQJOH notes and making limited use of the third and IRXUWK¿QJHUVIRUFHUWDLQFKRUGVKDSHV Inspired by the new art form of jazz, and the hot trumpet style of Louis Armstrong in particular, in 1934 he formed the Quintette du Hot Club de France with virtuoso jazz violinist Stephane Grappelli. This all-string group featured two rhythm guitars, violin, bass and Django on acoustic lead. In 1946 Reinhardt
NEXT MONTH: John looks at the great guitarists following Django’s legacy
GETTHETONE 3
5
6
7
1
GAIN
BASS
MIDDLE
TREBLE
REVERB
As this style is predominantly acoustic, the best thing to maximise tone and projection is to sort your picking out. Use the heaviest pick you can manage and play each new string with a down stroke. The gypsy style uses a relaxed wrist posture; pick through each string, so a note on the second string ends with the pick resting on the first, rather like a classical guitar rest stroke. Use gravity and the weight of the hand rather than brute force, as this will create tension in the wrist, slow you down and produce a sound that is tight and forced, rather than fluid and smooth.
TRACK RECORD Most of Django’s recordings are available on CD. The three JSP box sets cover his career from the earliest Quintette 78s to his later electric guitar sessions. But if you want just one CD choose Jazz In Paris – Swing 48 (SSC 2002). For a modern take you could check out the album Ensemble Futur (EmuBands 2014), by a guitarist you’ll hopefully hear more of called John Wheatcroft!
86 GuitarTechniques May 2015
ASK IMAGES / ALAMY
Django Reinhardt: his disfugured fretting hand clearly shown
When researching any musician it's good to listen in chronological order. This way you can trace their evolution, witness them exploiting new discoveries and hear how their playing develops. While we're not expecting you to listen to Django’s 800 recordings, it would be good to check out his playing from each of these periods. Perhaps select all the versions of Minor Swing or Confessin', tunes he revisited and re-recorded many times to see how each version differs from the last. One can only guess where the creative muse would have taken him next, as in May 1953 aged just 43, Reinhardt returned to his home in Samois-sur-Seine following a gig in Paris and suffered a fatal brain hemorrhage, depriving the jazz world of a true musical pioneer and the gypsy community of an inspirational and world renowned role model.
LEARNING ZONE
DJANGO REINHARDT 1930s EXAMPLE 1 ORNAMENTS & DIMINISHED ARPEGGIOS
CD TRACK 66
Decorated arpeggios formed a huge part of Django’s soloing style through the decades. This example relies upon a pick-hammer-slideslide combination using some deft re-placement of the first finger and
Swing
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C6
5 7 5
4
5 7 5 4
5 6 5
5
4
5
5
4
5
7
8 10
7 10
11
8 15
8
1
Cdim
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3
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‰
3
3
5
b
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coordinated picking. Django would approach the wider intervals in bars 3-4 and 7-8 in quite a staccato fashion, which produced a nice jaunty bounce to the lines along the way.
5 7
5
4
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C6
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3
3
5
b
5 7 5
4
5
5
6 5
4
5
5
4
7
7
5
10
8
10
10
11
8 10 8
8
6
1930s EXAMPLE 2 ARPEGGIOS OVER THE BEAT
CD TRACK 68
The rhythm of Django’s lines is always worth examining, and this example mixes 6-over-4 rhythmic displacements (bars 1-2) with swing phrasing (bar 3) and straighter 16th-note lines (bar 4). Again, a huge percentage of his soloing vocabulary is derived from arpeggios. Often, as in this case, these
#
E B G D A E
Straight
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6
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8
6
6
7
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#
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are quite straightforward triad arpeggios (R-3-5), although we do see a potential Gmaj7 in bar 4 (G-B-D-F#). It’s possible that Reinhardt is seeing this as a Bm over G (B-D-F#), achieving a similar although arguably less cluttered sound as a result.
10
12
14
3
17
15 17 15
3
10
10
12 14
10
12
11
12
9
12
11
12
10
14
12 14 12
~~
4
May 2015 GuitarTechniques 87
LESSON: JAZZ
ON THE CD
TRACKS 66-83
1930s EXAMPLE 3 CHORD TONES & BENDS
CD TRACK 70
Here we see Django mix straight C major ideas with Dm/G lines to create a bouncy and bluesy line that has bags of sophistication for such a simple idea. Reinhardt’s phrases have a huge amount of rhythmic variation and Swing
©»™ºº
b
C6
A 7 9/C
#
this helps to make simple melodic material come across as both convincing and compelling. Generally Django’s bends go no further than a semitone as we’re looking at acoustic with (albeit) light strings but a quite high action. Dm6
1
G 7/D
9 7
9 7
9 8
9 8
10 9
10 9
8
8
9
9
10
10
C6
j bœ
BU E B G D A E
9
10
10
8
‰
10 9 10 10
5
G 7/D
j bœ
BD
8 (9 )
12
C6
- . -
- . - . E B G D A E
G 7/D
7
7
7
7
8
8
7
5
j bœ
BU (8 )
5
BU
8 (9 )
8 ( 9)
7
8
9
10
5
1940s EXAMPLE 1 DJANGOSTYLE II V I LINE
CD TRACK 72
It’s customary for Reinhardt to treat both IIm and V of a IIm V I (Bm7-E7-A) as one event, selecting a decorated Bm6 arpeggio for both (R-b3-5-6). In bars
#
Swing
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3-4 we see yet more embellished triad vocabulary. Django would approach those chord tones from above, below or any combination of the two.
Bm6
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9
10
9
11
12
9
11
10
12
14
12 14 12
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3
9
10
10
9
10
9
10
9
12
9
10
9
11
11
9
11
11
.
.
9
9
4
1940s EXAMPLE 2 ENDINGS IN F
CD TRACK 74
Django serves up a perfect cadence in F (V to I: C7 to F) by replacing the C7 with its tritone substitute (Gb7 or F#7). This allows him to create endings by imagining a move from the tonic key, in this case F, with an anticipatory Swing
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F
C 7/G
b
A dim
F/A
event a semitone higher, Gb (F#). There are dozens of examples within the gypsy jazz vocabulary, so I’d advise you to stockpile the ideas you like from what already exists and then add a few of your own invention into the mix.
b
A dim C7/G
n E B G D A E
12
1
#
E B G D A E
11
2 3 3 1
88 GuitarTechniques May 2015
F
‰
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3 2
4 3
5 3
4 3
3 2
3
4
5
4
3
2 3 3
# 3
2
1
3
2
4
2
3
LEARNING ZONE
DJANGO REINHARDT 1940s EXAMPLE 2 ENDINGS IN F ...CONTINUED
CD TRACK 74
b
b
G 9
E B G D A E
3
2
5
1
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F6
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4 2 4
5 3 5
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b
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1
2
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1
1
1940s EXAMPLE 3 NAILING THE CHANGES
CD TRACK 76
Sixth chords and their associated arpeggios make frequent appearances in Reinhardt’s style - and gypsy jazz in general. We begin this short excerpt with a chromatically decorated C6 (C-E-GA), although we could also see this Swing
as an A minor triad against a C root (A-C-E). In bars 5 and 6 we see a slick combination of both D Half-diminished (D-F-Ab-C) and D Minor 6/7 against G7 (D-F-A-B-C).
C6
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12
10
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~~
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8
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10 10
9
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10
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8 9
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~~ 13
10
10
10 12
8 9
9
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5
1950s EXAMPLE 1 BLUESY II V I
CD TRACK 78
By the 1950s Django’s playing had taken on a looser and more bluesy feel, with lots of rhythmic pushing and pulling and a super-relaxed approach to chromaticism. This example neatly outlines the major ii-V-I sequence in
Swing
b
B 6
the key of Bb (Cm7-F7-Bb) in an unhurried and slick way. Although I played acoustic throughout, these examples could just as easily appear within Reinhardt’s amplified electric sound.
b
Cm7
B /D
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7
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1
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X X
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8 8
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8
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7
10 8
8
10
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10
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9
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3
9
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~~ 10
8 10
8
7
8
7
6
10
9
8 10 8
10
8
10
7
8
8
8
4
May 2015 GuitarTechniques 89
LESSON: JAZZ
ON THE CD
TRACKS 66-83
1950s EXAMPLE 2 CHROMATIC LINE THROUGH THE CHANGES
CD TRACK 80
Here we see how Django might deal with the bV Half-diminished falling chromatic progression (bV m7b5-IVm-IIIm-biii dim), sometimes referred to as the ‘Red Garland changes’ that you find in the harmony to standards such Swing
E B G D A E
b
b
Am7 5
n b
10
9
b
n b
9
8
10
b
A m7
9
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8
n
9
7
8
Gm7
7
9
7
n b
11 10
7
9
Fm7
n
7
8
‰
10
11
8
9
9
9
10
8
11
15
11
15
13
15
11
13
5
CD TRACK 82
This idea showcases a gypsy jazz staple, outlining arpeggios with one upstroke followed by one unbroken although staggered downstroke that crosses three strings - therefore a total of four notes with two moves. While these ideas are not too tricky by themselves, the real skill here
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2
n
5 5
4
5
1
8 8
7
8
2
5 5
11
4
10
5
8 8
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11
7
8
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11 11
10
11
12 12
13
14
12 10 9
8
10 9
14
6
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10
10 11
6
90 GuitarTechniques May 2015
10
9
9 10
9
14
15 14
12
15
14 12 12
14
G6
8
8 9
8
5 5
4
5
G m6
b
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3
5
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8
9
b
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10
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D
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b
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1
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is maintaining accuracy, clarity and good time throughout the entire sequence, so ensure you aim to maintain concentration and try to resist the temptation to rush the tempo. Ideally, we’re after an unbroken delivery of 16th-notes (four notes per click) throughout.
n
Adim
A dim
E B G D A E
8
E 6
1950s EXAMPLE 3 SWEEPPICKED CHORD FRAGMENTS
E B G D A E
10
b
C7
‰
10
9
8
1
G dim
E B G D A E
10
8
as Night And Day. Chromatic ideas nestle side by side with triadic and 7th arpeggio ideas, illustrating just how integrated Reinhardt’s vocabulary was and how immediate his ideas could be in a purely improvisational context.
3
7
5 7
7
6
5 7
6
10
10
12
LESSON: ROCKSCHOOL
ON THE CD
TRACK 84-89
READING MUSIC PART 11
Repeats and directions This month Charlie Griffiths looks at the various directions and signs that you might encounter while negotiating a piece of notated music.
This month we look at the use of repeats, codas and endings
ABILITY RATING
Easy/Moderate INFO KEY: Various TEMPO: Various CD: TRACKS 84-89
WILL IMPROVE YOUR Notation reading Fretboard knowledge Employability!
SO FAR IN this series we have worked with short examples using only few bars at a time. When writing out longer sections of music or even complete songs it is usually preferable to economise the amount of bars and pages and reduce the piece to the minimum amount of information. We can do this with repeat signs, direction symbols and various other symbols which act a bit like signposts which tell you where to go. There are two main types of repeat symbol; a ‘bar repeat’ and a ‘section repeat’.
92 GuitarTechniques May 2015
Bar repeats can be used whenever there are two identical bars adjacent to each other. Rather than writing out the second bar in full a repeat sign similar to a % symbol can be used as shorthand. To repeat an entire
The Coda is separated from the body of the song by a break in the stave, and can be from one bar to any number of bars. section repeat brackets are placed at the beginning and the end of the part to be repeated; everything in-between the brackets is played twice. Sometimes repeat brackets are used in conjunction with alternative endings. This is useful when WKH¿UVWSDUWRIDUHSHDWLQJVHFWLRQLVWKH
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same, but the ending has a variation. The various endings are simply numbered 1, 2, 3 and so on. Da Capo is an Italian term which means ‘go back to the beginning’ and is usually shown by the initials D.C. placed above the stave at the end of the jumping off bar. When you see D.C. you should return straight back to bar 1. Dal Segno is shortened to D.S. and is a similar instruction to D.C. except, rather than returning to the top of the tune, you should return to the bar which has the ornate S shaped symbol above it. Both the D.C. and D.S. instructions are usually followed by one of two secondary LQVWUXFWLRQV 7KH ¿UVW LV µ$O )LQH¶ ZKLFK LV Italian for ‘to the end’), which can either mean ‘play to the end of the song’, or it can mean go back to a previous section in the VRQJ DQG ¿QLVK WKHUH ,Q ERWK RI WKHVH FDVHV the word Fine is placed at the end of the ¿QDO EDU LQ TXHVWLRQ The second of the two follow-up directions is ‘Al Coda’, which means ‘then go to the Coda’. The Coda of a piece of music is essentially an outro section which is different from any of the pre-existing sections of the piece. The Coda is separated from the main body of the song by a break in the stave. The Coda can be anything from one bar, to any number of bars. The Coda symbol is written as a circle with a cross in the middle and is placed above the stave at the beginning of the new outro section. The purpose of the Coda is to exit a previous section prematurely at the point that says ‘da coda’, which essentially means ‘skip to the end’.There are four possible combinations of these two-part directions: D.C. al Coda, D.C. al Fine, D.S. al Coda and ¿QDOO\'6DO)LQH The following examples will give you a chance to practice following the repeat signs DQGVRFDOOHGµURDGVLJQV¶WR¿QG\RXUZD\ through the music. Try reading and playing along to the backing tracks we’ve supplied to see if you are correct. NEXT MONTH: Charlie continues on his quest to get you Reading Music
LEARNING ZONE
REPEATS AND DIRECTIONS EXAMPLE 1 REPEATS
CD TRACK 84
This exercise uses two different types of repeat. Start by playing the first bar as written, then when you reach bar two you will see a single bar repeat; this means you should play the previous bar again. Once you
have completed all four bars you will arrive at a closing repeat bracket, which sends you back to the opening repeat bracket at bar 1. This means repeat all four bars once again and finally finish with bar 5.
..
.. 3
EXAMPLE 2 D. C. AL FINE
CD TRACK 86
This exercise uses the multiple ending approach. Start by playing the first four bars as written. As these bars are bookended with repeat brackets; this means repeat those four bars again, but the second time
# . .
you play it, skip the first ending and go to the second ending. Finally we are told to D.C. al Fine, so go back to the beginning and keep playing until the end of bar 4 (1st time ending bar), which indicates Fine.
~~~ .
1
2
Fine
..
EXAMPLE 3 D. S. AL CODA
#
.
CD TRACK 88
This example shows the D.S. Al Coda structure. Play the first section of the piece as written; the double bar-line at the end of bar 5 indicates the end of this section. At this point you are given two instructions, D.S. and al Coda. The first part of that direction means
#
~~~
D.C. al Fine
‘go to the sign’, which in this case is bar 2 (the ornate ‘S’ symbol). Carry on playing until the end of bar 3 where you are told Da Coda, which means ‘go to the Coda’; now go directly to the Coda which is the separate section shown at the end of the piece.
%
Da Coda
Coda D.S. al Coda
.
May 2015 GuitarTechniques 93
LESSON: ACOUSTIC
ON THE CD
TRACKS 90-91
John Denver Should he leave on a jet plane or let country roads take him home, ponders Stuart Ryan as he delves into the wistful style of this late, great American singer-songwriter-guitarist?
ABILITY RATING
Easy INFO
WILL IMPROVE YOUR
KEY: G TEMPO: 96 bpm CD: TRACKS 90-91
Picking melodies in chords Fretting hand clarity Picking hand dynamics
FAMED FOR HITS such as Annie’s Song, Country Roads and Leaving On A Jet Plane, the late John Denver was a huge star whose country tinged ballads hit the mainstream in a big way. Born in Roswell, New Mexico, in 1943 Denver commenced his musical career when he joined the Chad Mitchell trio in Los Angeles in 1964. This once popular group was on the wane but Denver’s songwriting helped them secure a deal with Mercury Records and Denver’s reputation began to grow. His solo career really exploded three albums in, when
1971’s Poems, Prayers & Promises yielded the massive hit Take Me Home Country Roads. Towards the end of the 1970s Denver shifted his focus from his musical career and became in involved in humanitarian and ecological work. Tragically he was killed in a plane crash on October 2, 1997.
I’m no Henry Mancini or Michel Legrand. I just play the guitar and write songs. John Denver Although strumming and basic ¿QJHUSLFNLQJIRUPHGWKHEHGURFNRI'HQYHU¶V style, in this study we’ll see how he would often use his accompaniment part to create more intricate lines than the standard arpeggiated open chord shapes. In essence, imagine that the melody in this study is
doubling up a vocal melody with the chord shapes acting as a general ‘frame’ within which it all sits – luckily for you GT doesn’t permit me to record my vocals! Although we are in the open position for much of this study we’ll see that you can get a great deal of mileage and interest by embellishing these FKRUGVZLWKPHORGLFLGHDV
GET THE TONE 2
6
5
7
3
GAIN
BASS
MIDDLE
TREBLE
REVERB
Denver could often be seen with a jumbo Guild six and 12-string acoustics and latterly favoured Taylor. He preferred larger bodied guitar for his strumming and fingerpicking style – this type of instrument may give a bigger, fuller sound for this approach but any acoustic will work fine here.
TRACK RECORD As well as having his songs covered by artists as varied as Olivia Newton John, Peter Paul & Mary and James Galway, Denver was no slouch at selling albums himself. The big breakthrough was Poems, Prayers & Promises (1971), though his compilation Best Of (1974) shifted a mind-boggling 10 million copies and serves as a great way into his music if he is new to you.
94 GuitarTechniques May 2015
EVERETT COLLECTION / REX FEATURES
John Denver: Playing one of his many Guild guitars
LEARNING ZONE
JOHN DENVER EXAMPLE JOHN DENVER STYLE
CD TRACK 90
[Bar 1] You can use a conventional pima picking hand pattern for this study but you may want to try adding some legato (hammer-ons and pull-offs) to avoid plucking the same string twice. If you do want to pick every note try to alternate pick strokes with different fingers – pick with the first (i) finger first and then the next note on the same string with the second (m) finger. [Bar 2] Anticipating what is happening in each bar is essential as although
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we are dealing with simple open chord shapes there is movement within each chord and so you want to always know where the fretting hand fingers have to get to next, in each case. [Bar 14] This D chord with F# in the bass (the 3rd of the D major) is a songwriter’s staple shape! If this one is new to you then commit it to memory and transpose it to other keys as it crops up all over the place.
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May 2015 GuitarTechniques 95
LESSON: ACOUSTIC
ON THE CD
TRACKS 90-91
EXAMPLE JOHN DENVER STYLE ...CONTINUED
CD TRACK 90
[Bar 17] Breaking away from the open chord shapes briefly these types of fills are very common. Based around 6th intervals it’s a great way to create some temporary movement and break up potentially plodding chords. [Bar 20] Aim to let the last two notes in this bar (5th fret, third string and 3rd fret, second string) ring together to achieve a fuller sound.
#
G/D A m/C G5 G /B
[Bar 28] Another classic songwriter’s trick here. Although we have been playing A minor chords all the way through we briefly inject A7 in this bar (secondary dominant: A7 is the V of D, which is the V of G major). This is a great device to catch the ear and can be used in several ways. Here it is just giving a twist before returning to the regular A minor in the ensuing bar.
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MUSIC REVIEWS
WHAT OUR RATINGS MEAN: +++++ Buy it ++++ Excellent +++ Good ++ Average +Bin it!
New Albums
A selection of new and reissued guitar releases, including Album Of The Month... ALBUM OF THE MONTH
STEVE HACKETT
WOLFLIGHT
Inside Out +++++ Steve takes a break from his reworkings of early Genesis material to produce yet another stunning studio album. It seems after watching the recent Genesis TV documentary that Hackett has retained his musical integrity far better than the rest of the band as this release is at least on par with his early material. Production quality is far superior too, and this helps to emphasise his fantastic use of musical light and shade on an album that’s dedicated to the constant fight for freedom. As usual the vocal harmonies are warm and lush throughout, but as you’d expect it’s Steve’s guitar playing that never ceases to amaze and explore new boundaries. Whether the song is slow and melodic, acoustic led or fast and brash, Hackett really pulls out all the tricks for this 2015 release. The production has the tracks running on from each other and this works really well; but check out the exquisite Love Song To A Vampire, the title track and the beautiful solo acoustic piece, Earthshine, for a good cross section of what’s available. Released in various formats to keep everyone happy, we like this a lot.
and techniques and shows Casswell as a player with excellent command of tone. More importantly, in spite of all the technical expertise exhibited here this is an album full of melody as illustrated by the delightful track, Trinkets. Highly recommended.
STEVE VAI
STILLNESS IN MOTION: VAI LIVE IN LA Sony/Legacy ++++ While Steve Vai’s studio releases are impressive examples of sonic wonderment, it’s often his live playing that shows what he can really do. This is the case with his first release with Sony/Legacy; a live double CD recorded in LA during 2012. On six and seven strings, his Ibanez-fuelled tone and performance are nothing short of mightily impressive. Disc 1 opens with the triumphant Racing The World which then leads to the heavy riffer, Velorum that flits from apocalyptic to almost tranquil. The band blazes on with Building The Church (that intro tapping riff still astounds today) before Tender Surrender drips with emotive melodies as he taps (sic) into his substantial Hendrix-isms. Vai’s always been a fan of swing feels so the inclusion here of Gravity Storm and The Animal is most welcomed – he
COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE NOISE
DAVID ALDO
REVIEWS BY ROGER NEWELL
DAVID ALDO
Render Records ++++ When it comes to reviewing CDs we’re naturally most concerned about what is on offer from a guitarist’s point of view but every now and again you get an artiste that is the full deal: good guitar work, excellent songs and a great voice. David Aldo definitely falls into this category. He’s no newcomer to the scene, however, having worked with Blood Sweat And Tears, toured with Lionel Richie and has had seven solo chart topping singles in South Africa, where he now lives. But this is his debut album in homeland UK and as a worldwide release. He writes songs and plays a lot of instruments himself too so this is one talented man. Mike Durham and Derrick Wells are also credited guitarists on this very commercial
Valley Cat Records ++++ In his earlier days Caswell played with a couple of British bands then, after joining Brian May for a South America tour in 1992, he became a revered session guitarist and played in May and Ben Elton’s We Will Rock You. There’s a huge variety of music here with inspiring guitaristry that includes several soaring solos plus great slide work on Valley Cats and the appropriately titled, Slide Over Me. Friends For Life incorporates some neat whammy bar antics that may even surprise Jeff Beck. This album of instrumentals is a triumph of styles
STEVE HOWE
ANTHOLOGY
and radio friendly collection. Single pull is Just You, which is a good place to start, but there is so much more to David Aldo’s music and it will be interesting to see what impact he makes in Britain during 2015.
MICHAEL CASSWELL
her flat for two years, Hand. Cannot. Erase. deals with the paradox of loneliness and isolation at a time when social media seems to have intoxicated practically everyone. Musically, it’s a full on mellotrons-atdawn affair right from the first 12-minute long track that sets the scene for the tragic tale to majestically unfold. As with his previous album, the very well-received Raven That Refused To Sing, Wilson is accompanied by some top notch musicians, including our very own Guthrie Govan on guitar. So the album is punctuated regularly by epic guitar solos as well as some sublime rhythm work throughout. Guthrie will be joining Wilson on the UK and European legs of his Spring tour, but clashing schedules mean that he will be handing over fretboard duties to none other than GT stalwart Dave Kilminster for the USA dates.
screams, legatos and bends with a precision few rockers can. Disc 1 closer is Whispering A Prayer; like Jeff Beck, Vai’s most emotive material always works best live and this piece is simply exquisite. As with disc 1, disc 2 is a fine variety of his old and more recent tracks so we get old classics like The Audience Is Listening (blasting) and Sisters (wonderfully filled with JImi-isms) next to Treasure Island (strumming frenzy) and the exotically tinged Pusa Road. By the time For The Love Of God occurs, Vai has pretty much ticked all the boxes his fans (and newbies) would expect from a guitar genius. Blinding stuff!
STEVEN WILSON
Rhino Records ++++ Although Howe is known best as the guitarist for Yes, his long career has seen him involved in many other bands and musical collaborations. He was founder member of Asia, formed GTR with Steve Hackett and of course was an integral part of the ‘alternative’ Yes; Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman and Howe. Somehow during all of this Steve has also had a very active solo career and it’s from his many solo albums that this Anthology has been assembled. Howe’s music has always been extremely varied and although mostly original he also occasionally draws on ‘old favourites’ that helped inspire him to play. Of course he also sings, too. Rhino Records have triumphed again here as the track listing includes rarities and remastered oldies from some of Steve’s earliest albums. It may be missing Yes classics like Clap (p36) and Mood For A Day but there’s still loads here to enjoy and be inspired by.
HAND. CANNOT. ERASE. Kscope ++++ The long-awaited fourth solo album from prog rock’s favourite son turns out to have a somewhat typically sombre mood to it. Inspired by the true story of Londoner Joyce Vincent whose dead body lay undiscovered in
May 2015 GuitarTechniques 97
NEXTMONTH THE WORLD’S BEST GUITAR LESSONS… TRANSCRIPTION #1
FEATURE
New Born
MUSE
RAGTIME FINGERPICKING
Jon Bishop transcribes Muse’s classic hit song from their hugely succesful album Origin Of Symmetry. Get riffing!
T Tristan Seume shows how to play a style cchampioned by Blind Blake and taken tto its extreme by Tommy Emmanuel.
TRANSCRIPTION #2
VIDEO LESSON
JOHANN STRAUSS
CARL VERHEYEN
Blue Danube Waltz
Exclusive Masterclass Part 5
Bridget Mermikides arranges and transcribes an iconic masterpiece by Austria’s Emperor of Waltz.
The awesome American guitarist shows more of his soloing secrets in this fifth essential masterclass for GT!
Train your ear & learn to transcribe when you...
NAILYOUR INTERVALS Jon Bishop explains neat ways to distinguish between the commonly used musical intervals and become a better all-round musician!
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