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Live Stone over at the PlaneTalkers' Forum posted a Sinatra-ish tune backing track, asked about chord tone improv over it, so I did this little movie to show him an example. I'd say this is 95% chord tones ... of course, there are lots of chords, but that's what makes it fun.
Here's the progression. I've loaded the backing track up for anyone who wants a go ... scotty_b? Be nice to hear a modal approach too.
Mate, love to have a play over that. Just swamped with doing recordings for HSC students at the moment, and my own gigs. Give me a couple of days to get this stuff out of the way and will have a play on it.
I love it when you play the nylon string over this stuff - such an good sound.
That was great, Kirk.
You're right - that is a lot of chords. I'm wondering how you keep track in your mind. In this case, you probably have a chart in front of you while playing, but if you had this down as part of your gig material, would you have memorized the actual chords or would you have memorized the intervals? When you're doing chord tones over, say, an Am and the song is in C - do think Am or do you think "vi"?
Do you think iii vi ii V I or Em7 Am7 Dm7 G7 Cmaj7?
Just curious.
"we don't see things as they are, we see things as we are" - Anais Nin
That was great, Kirk.
You're right - that is a lot of chords. I'm wondering how you keep track in your mind. In this case, you probably have a chart in front of you while playing, but if you had this down as part of your gig material, would you have memorized the actual chords or would you have memorized the intervals? When you're doing chord tones over, say, an Am and the song is in C - do think Am or do you think "vi"?
Do you think iii vi ii V I or Em7 Am7 Dm7 G7 Cmaj7?
Just curious.
It's a bit of both, Doug. I'm very aware I'm in the key of D. For this tune, I know that the I is major but all others are dom7 (9s and 13s I just see as 7ths) or minor7; a quick scan told me that all chords were either in-key or 'majorized' in-key chords; that C#m7b5 I treat as a V chord .... easier on the brain. The main thing I'm doing is hearing the changes, though. As complex as the progression may look, it's actually pretty standard and you get to know what's coming next by what's happening right now, if you know what I mean. One chord leads to another.
But, the only way I'm able to do any of it is to see the whole neck as each chord. That's the trick. I don't see chords as little boxes, I see them as neck-long entities, so every time the chord changes, so does my (mental) fretboard. I just pick a path through that ever-shifting fretscape.
It's easier that it sounds once you know what to look for!
Kirk,
Thats terrific, gonna figure all this out someday. Perhaps by watching and doing it over and over until I can see it.
Wonderful display of how its done.
eddiez
Nothin sweeter than the sound of music comin out of a 6 string box - EZ me Music / ASCAP
Thanks Kirk for the explanation.
I thought it would be a combination of the two. In some cases, like a ii V I turn-around, I see the intervals, but mostly I see the chords by name. And I'm starting to see the various options on the fretboard for playing the chords. For example an Am gives me all kinds of options of where to play it - other chords not so fluent yet. I hope I'm nearing a break through where the two collide and merge.
Even though I've been playing for many many years, I feel like an infant learning how to talk. I've learned a lot of "vocabulary" from your lessons. For example, I posted a piece called vespers the other day which drew a lot from your bossa nova piece (although they're very different). So thank you again for this site - it has really enriched my life.
"we don't see things as they are, we see things as we are" - Anais Nin
But, the only way I'm able to do any of it is to see the whole neck as each chord. That's the trick. I don't see chords as little boxes, I see them as neck-long entities, so every time the chord changes, so does my (mental) fretboard. I just pick a path through that ever-shifting fretscape.
Whoa!!! an A-Ha! moment!! For the life of me, even though I've read and re-read Plane Talk, and I've watched the DVD, my brain just never caught the idea of NOT looking at chords as little boxes. I've always looked at them as such. Even with Plane Talk, I thought of them as little boxes, but sort of connected down the neck. Not as a neck-long thing. Putting it that way hit home!
Ok, back to the book & DVD and my guitar!!! Start looking at it in a new light!!
Where are ya, Scotty_B, I would have thought this was right up your alley!
I was in a car crash, struggled to walk for some time after that, let alone pick up a guitar.Still experiencing some back pain, but can manage to hold the guitar again.
However, I have not forgotten about it. I even sang a few solos over the progression when I couldn't play.
Will be onto it as soon as I can!
I was in a car crash, struggled to walk for some time after that, let alone pick up a guitar.Still experiencing some back pain, but can manage to hold the guitar again.
Sorry to read about your car accident Scotty. Best wishes for a speedy recovery.
"Good Music is that which penetrates the ear with facility and quits the memory with difficulty" Thomas Beecham
Download the PDF of the 'Guitar Chord Slide Rule', print it out, fold it together and you'll have at your disposal a very neat tool that will not only show you all the positions for the main flavors of chords, but will also teach you a very important lesson about how the guitar works... It consists of a folded sleeve and six double sided inserts, instructions for cutting it out and folding it together are included with the PDF ... it's very simple to do, and if you botch it, you can simply print it out again!
