Robin Thornton

Hi everyone,

I'm starting a Ceilidh band. 

PM me for audition details.

Drummers: We need a drummer for a paid gig on the 25th of October.  There is no obligation to join thereafter.  If we click, you will have access to Wedding and Function work.

Sorry.  I was trying to help.  There were those that asked questions.  I did not expect such a rude response.  Scotty, you take it from here.  I'm deleting my account.

Yeah, there is the 'So What' chord, the 'Hendrix' chord and the 'Tristan' chord.  All of these are just chords and taken in a different context wouldn't sound as cool.  That's for another day maybe.

You said that you have difficulties with intervals: let me try and help.

Firstly, do you understand what a note is?  I don't mean playing a pitch on the fret board, but understanding that you are playing an 'A'.  If not, I'd suggest that you get to grips with that before trying to understand harmony.  This is why I gave a brief history on harmony: to combine notes, notes must be understood.

Assuming that you're ok with notes, let's move on.  An interval is the distance between two things - in this case notes.  If a band was playing after the interval - you liked the band after the interval, but not the one before - and you didn't turn up until after the interval, would you have had an interval? No.  You would have to have been at the gig before the interval, in order to have an interval. 

An Interval is the distance between two notes.  A-B is called an interval of 2 because the note before and after equal a distance of 2.  A-C is called 3 for the same reason.  If you count on your fingers - I'm not being patronising, this really helps Kinaesthetic Learning - A-E, you will see that it is an interval of 5 - note in passing that C is on your third finger.  A-C is an interval of 3 remember?

When we say that triads are made up of 1-3-5, this is what we mean. 

The point that I was making was that there isn't such a thing as Hendrix chords, they're just chords.  I mean he could have just said 1-3-5, right?  But, I explain them from there very basics.

Learn notes then add an interval of a third and then an interval of a fifth above that and you have harmony. 

Harmony means to work well together.  If you have three children and you are going on a long journey, you will know that sitting them with a space between each child is the best way for an harmonious journey.  Don't sit them in seats 1,2, and 3.  Sit them in 1,3 and 5 and they won't rub up against each other and annoy each other: that's harmony.

Chord Theory

Jazz is a continuation from 19th Century Romanticism which, in turn, is a continuation from 18th Classicism and so on.  Classicism takes us to this point (loosely speaking):

Dm resolves to G7 which resolves to C i.e.

F > F > E

D > D > C

A > B > C

A > G > G

Romanticism extends this to:

F>F>E

Db>D>C

Ab>B>C

F>G>G

By the way this is all based on the principles of harmonics whereby the root (or fundamental) is the strongest note in the chords.  The next in the harmonic series is a fifth higher (hence 'Dominant' or 'Power Chord' for all you rockers out there).  The root and the dominant form the chord.  The third wasn't added until Dunstable introduced it in the late Renaissance period - see harmony develops over time.  The further up the harmonic series you get, the more tenuous the link to the root.  This is way extended chords sound so good, but require careful resolution.

F>F>E

D>D>C

C>B>C

Ab>G#>G

The example used is a two, five, one - ii V I - it is stable because of its relation to the harmonic series.  I have coloured it with extensions, but not destabilised its inherent strength.  Most Jazz songs are based on this chord progression, or equally strong ones, so that they may be coloured by extensions.

Final thought:

Study Classical Harmony in order to progress your Jazz.

That's really funny Nomad.  Thanks for brightening my day. 

We are a function band with everything set up to get gigging.  We need a drummer to slot in and start playing gigs with us.  Having looked at a lot of adverts, I'm seeing Drummer Wanted ads everywhere.  I'm considered becoming a drummer because of all the work that is out there!  Drop me a line if you want work. 

The Blue Hour are looking for a new drummer.  If you are interested, please get in touch. 

Hiya,

We are looking for a drummer to complete our five piece.  We have over an hours material together after four practises together.  We haven't gigged yet, but as soon as we have drummer, we'll be ready to go.  If you would like to come along to our next practise, we are practising in Banchory on Tuesday.  PM me or phone 01330 825756 for a chat.

Robin 

We have a functions band with a vibe like Jamiroqui, Portishead and Brand New Heavies.  We have the other musicians and songs together, so it you can fit the vibe, we can get started.  We would be looking to Weddings and Pop/Jazz functions.  PM me for an audition.

The Longest Day are set to play Functions and Weddings.  We had a Drummer and Singer on-board and a Keyboardist who also plays Bass.  The Drummer really needs a Bass beside his kick drum, so the idea is that you would play Bass on the tracks that need Keys and Guitar on other tracks: the Keyboardist would cover Bass, in that case.  

We Practise in Banchory on Sunday afternoons.  PM me if you think it'll work. 

Hi,

Are you still looking for a Bassist/Keyboard player? I do both.

PM me if you are still looking.

Thanks

Robin 

Jings! Try to promote and get smirks.  Thanks guys  

This New Year I will be trying to improve my musical life by sustaining my family more from my teaching income.  Can anyone suggest any good ideas for being a Musician in Aberdeen, because Aberdeen Music Forum doesn't seem to like it when Musicians try to promote their work?

If I posted to the same person twice, I apologise.  I am trying to get to grips with how this Forum works.

I have a teaching studio and there is through traffic of both pupils and parents.  Would you like to send me some promotional material and I can advertise for you?

I have been reading that composition and writing are causing people difficulties.  I have designed Five Analytical Passes that should help.  Contact me for lessons.

Great stuff Chris.  If you are playing guitar, stick to one position.  It's easy to get side-tracked, looking for notes in other positions.  Play all your tunes in one position and only leave that position if you need to access another note.  

Sight Reading means to read something for the first time.  When you pick up a book, you don't practise it, you read it at sight.  If you have spent enough time reading, you are like to come across words that you have seen before and your reading is likely to be fluent.  

The biggest stumbling block for adult learners is the length of time it takes to learn: we complain the kids want things right now and don't realise we want exactly the same thing.  The assumption amount adult learners is that it never took long to learn things as a child: that's just not true.  If you were to help a child, or adult for that matter, to learn to read, you would expect them to lack fluency.  You would set them reading that uses words that they are used to, stories that they like and offer support.  As a teacher, I offer students reading material that uses note combinations that they are used to, tunes that they like and I encourage them to read often: actually, my mantra is Sight Read Daily.  I would encourage those who are looking to improve their reading skills to Read Daily.  There is no quick fix.  When you were learning to read English, you did your reading homework and didn't think about the time that it took: incidently, you don't know all the words in English, but that doesn't spoil your enjoyment of reading.  Continual reading brings fluency.

Contact me if you would like help in improving your reading.  It's an enjoyable skill, not least because you will be able to do something that will either wow your friends, if they can't read, or give you something to share with friends who can.  

I have two slots available for lessons.  

For full details please visit www.robinthornton.co.uk.  Here's a bit of info to get you started.  I am a professional - BMus (Hons.), Teaching Diploma and Four Grade 8 qualifications - Music Teacher who has been teaching since 1993.

My studio is in Banchory.

Either contact me through this site or through my website to arrange lessons.

I have just seen this post.  Is it all sold now, or do you have anything left?

Hi there,

I would be available to sit in on Drums in the next year.  Have you filled the post yet?

Warm Regards

Robin 

Hi there!

This mixer looks cool.  Do you still have it for sale?

Thanks

Robin