The improve your musicianship thread 2014

[Moon Moon]

i did go to Colin for a few lessons and i learned loads, he's a great tutor.

[Steviepearce]

Yeah Colin is really good. Went for a while also but I don't get the free time in evenings as often as I would like to make it regular.

[Robin Thornton]

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.

[Stroopy121]

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.

 

 

I literally didn't understand a word of that. I need to learn stuff. And things.

 

xx

[Adam Easy Wishes]

[colb]

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.

 

 

I literally didn't understand a word of that. I need to learn stuff. And things.

 

xx

 

Yeah - I spent 7 months not understanding a word of things like that, turns out when someone shows you it's nae that hard i'm sure. Teaching in "better than books/interwebs" shocker..........

[scottyboy]

Or he could have just said that most jazz songs are based on II-V-I progressions...

[TR!ΔNGL€ T€€TH]

All this talk of jazz is quite upsetting.

Anyways, my musicianship has been coming along leaps and bounds, pinches everywhere.

[colb]

All this talk of jazz is quite upsetting.

Anyways, my musicianship has been coming along leaps and bounds, pinches everywhere.[/quote

Ah, I was not jazzing - just went to a jazzer because they know all the chords. I will not use any of my new learnings for any jazz related music.

[Steviepearce]

But you have a guitar that tells you that you are a jazzmaster

[colb]

In the 50's Fender weren't allowed to call their newest and best ever guitar the "Fucking Awesome" so they settled for the closest to swearing they could get away with = Jazzmaster.

[scottyboy]

[scottyboy]

[scottyboy]

Correction: Phrygian mode: R, b2, b3, 4, 5, b6, b7 Minor scale with a flat 2nd.

Edited August 7, 2014 by scottyboy

[scottyboy]

God damn it:

 

1. Major scale: R, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 (strictly, the Ionian mode)

2. Dorian mode: R, 2, b3, 4, 5, 6, b7 Minor scale with a major 6^th

3. Phrygian mode: R, b2, b3, 4, 5, b6, b7 Minor scale with a flat ^2nd

4. Lydian mode: R, 2, 3, #4, 5, 6, 7 Major scale with a sharp 4^th (b5th)

5. Mixolydian mode: R, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, b7 Dominant scale i.e. major with minor 7

6. (Natural) minor scale: R, 2, b3, 4, 5, b6, b7 archetypal minor scale, AKA Aeolian mode

7. Locian mode R, b2, b3, 4, b5, b6, b7 Half diminished. Black sheep.

[Alkaline]

Play punk, didn't read.

(Thanks for the effort though).

[Robin Thornton]

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.

[Steviepearce]

Good effort Scotty

[scottyboy]

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.

 

You're just talking about triad chords here, right? Part of what I'm saying is that some reading this don't understand intervals at all and won't understand this shorthand.

 

"Hendrix chords" is a colloquial rocker's name for dominant #9th chords, as far as I'm aware, which kind of do have a child in those 2nd and 3rds seats. Much as I dubbed the m13th the "So What chord".

[colb]

Theory WAR!!

 

I've found both of your explanations to be a better read than the theory books i've been ploughing through.

 

Still not as much fun as pinches/biddlyboos/pickscrapes............

[Robin Thornton]

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. 

[scottyboy]

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. 

 

FFS. Who are you talking to? Can you read?

 

I don't have problems with either notes or intervals. I understand them perfectly well. That's why I explained them at length in the posts above. Similarly, you brought up "Hendrix chords", in reply to those posts, in which I did not mention "Hendrix chords" at all. I suspect you were referring to the sentence (a joke) "Right, Christ (Hendrix), chords already", which, if so, demonstrates a lack of basic reading comprehension. None of your last several posts has made any sense in relation to any thing any one else has posted. It's like your carrying on a conversation with an imaginary friend in the middle of the thread. Amazing.

[Steviepearce]

Ha this thread is getting a bit deep. Just as I thought I was going to learn something, it made me not want to learn anymore. Then I remembered I have the Internet.

[scottyboy]

Robin's just repeated half of what I said a few posts ago. And A-C is a minor or flat 3rd. 

[scottyboy]

 Intervals are musical distances, and happily, on guitar, physical distances: 1 fret, 2 frets etc. (or 1 key, 2 keys etc. on piano).

 

 

 

 

  An interval is the distance between two things - in this case notes.   

 

And on, and on...