Monthly Archives: June 2012

Two Black and Bluegrass Licks To Get You Out Of A Session

Posted on by
Reply

Hey Everyone!

.

This lesson is a continuation of the same technical concept behind the sweep picking Pentatonic Minor/Blues scale lesson I posted earlier.  If you like this approach, you may like that lesson as well (links at the bottom of the page).

.

Today I have not one but TWO licks that go together like peanut butter and an ashtray.  Both of these are transitional licks leading back into key of G (The bluegrassiest of all keys) and while they probably won’t get you beat up (hence the black and bluegrass) or kicked out of a session – they might turn a head or two!

.

Here’s the first lick (in the video it’s played at 120 bpm – first as triplets then sextuplets):

.

(Note: fingerstyle players can play the 3-note groups as p-i-m)

.

[vimeo https://vimeo.com/44120906]

.

And here it is in notation and tab:

.

Lick #1

Now, let me explain a little about what going on here.  This is a transitional lick that resolves to G that uses different G-based chords starting from G, Bb and Db (aka G diminished).

.

The first chord is a G7 (add 13).  Originally, I was going to use a straight descending 1 note-per string scale version of G Mixolydian (i.e. G, F, E, D, C, B, A) but – while the first three notes sounded great:

.

The spread wasn’t an easy one to get in to or out of cleanly.  So I cheated it and used the D instead, grabbing the E on the B string keeping the D and adding a B on the D-string.

.

If you remove the E, you have a nice voicing for a G7 chord starting from the 3rd, but for melodic playing it’s easier to arpeggiate the chord as 3 note groups.

.

The next chord is a G min 7 starting from the b3rd.  It uses the same picking pattern as the first arpeggio:

.

Then the lick jumps from the D to Db to start the G min7b5 (add11) arpeggio.  That might sound exotic – but it’s just 4 notes from the G Blues scale (G, Bb, C, Db and F).

.

..

Finally, it ends up with a G major triad with an added b3rd (a useful bluegrass cliché.  For even more of a bluegrass sound, add the E on the 12th fret E string between the D and the G).

.

.
Technical Considerations 

.

1.  As with the sweep picking blues pentatonic lesson, keeping the notes staccato (i.e. taking the finger pressure off the string after each note is played) will help with articulation. 

.

2.  The biggest challenge with this lick will probably be taming the open D string when you switch from the 3-string D-G-B pattern back to the top three strings.  Use pick hand muting to mute the D string once you play the first note on the high E string – and try practicing the lick as 9-note groupings to work that transition.

.

.

or

.

Lick #2

.

Lick #2 is just silly – but it’s a fun idea and it’s a great way to work on the 3-string picking pattern.  

.

[vimeo https://vimeo.com/44120906]

.

The lick is based on this idea:

.

.

This lick is just the first notes of lick #1 with a chromatically descending pattern based on the last three notes.  All I’ve done in lick #2 is chromatically ascend and then descend again like so:

.

Just use the same techniques that you used in getting the first lick down and pay attention to the 3 T’s (timing, (hand) tension and (quality of) tone and you’ll be fine.  (and remember – slow and steady wins the race here with regards to practice gains!)

.

This one-note per string scale idea is taken from the last section of my Melodic Patterns book so if this area interest you, you may want to check that book out.  You can find out more about it here.

.

As always, I hope this helps and thanks for reading!

-SC

.

 

If you like this approach, I have 2 books you may be interested in:

 

 

My Pentatonic Visualization Book

 

Minor Pent Front

 

is 100 + pages of licks and instruction and includes demonstrations and breakdowns of two-string fingerings, diagonal pentatonics, sweep picking pentatonics, pentatonic harmony and much more!  It’s available here.

 

My Melodic Patterns Book:

 

melodic-patterns

 

(available on Lulu or on Amazon) has a complete break down of all note-per-string scale variations which include the 2 above.  In the meantime, give this approach a try with other scales as well.  In the next sweep picking acoustic lesson – I’ll adapt this to a bluegrass lick that you might find cool.

 

Different Pricing Tiers Announced For Book PDFs

Posted on by
Reply

Update – 2/3/2013 

 

Hello everyone!  Please note that as of 2/1/2013 all of my books are available for order exclusively on my Lulu.com page and on Amazon.  While I may run an e-book  bundle offer directly in the future as of right now, unfortunately, no bundle options are available.

 

I’m leaving the page up for archival purposes but if you go to the Books link at the top of the page, you’ll find more detailed information about the books below and the other books in the GuitArchitect’s Guide To:  series.

.

-SC

.

.

I’ve had some people ask about book ordering.  It seems that the 3 pdfs for $30 price point was an easier one for some people to enter into instead of the 4 for $40.

.

I really want to make the books accessible to whoever wants them, so here’s the new price point breakdown for pdf orders (ordering information and links are at the bottom of the page.

.

Any individual pdf is $15 (US).

Any 2 pdfs are now $20 (US).

Any 3 pdfs are $30 (US).

Any 4 pdfs are $40 (US).

 .

I’ll be updating the books page with all of this information – but for now ordering info (as well as a full description and screen shots of each book) is below.

.

Currently, I have four guitar reference/instructional books available for purchase:

.

The GuitArchitect’s Guide to Modes: Melodic Patterns

.

The GuitArchitect’s Positional Exploration

.

The GuitArchitect’s Guide to Modes: Harmonic Combinatorics

. 

and

. 

The GuitArchitect’s Guide to Chord Scales

. 

Print editions of any of the books are available individually here (lulu.com) or on Amazon (amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, or amazon.fr).

.

The GuitArchitect’s Guide to Modes: Melodic Patterns 

(333 pages)

.
My sonic visualization system, GuitArchitecture,  utilizes an intuitive two-string method of understanding the guitar fingerboard in a logical and concise way where seven core fingerings for major, melodic minor and harmonic minor scales replace rote memorization with an intuitive overview that can be applied to any scale or modal system.

.

In The GuitArchitect’s Guide to Modes: Melodic Patterns, I’ve taken the two-string approach and created a reference book of melodic permutations that allows the reader to generate an almost infinite number of unique melodic cells and sequences.

.

Applicable to guitarists and bassists, this book is an invaluable resource for both compositional and improvisational material.

.

The GuitArchitect’s Guide to Modes: Melodic Patterns

If you’ve ever looked at any instructional guitar material, you’ve probably come across some variation of the phrase, “Take this idea and transpose it to every other key”. In this book, I’ve taken a seed idea (a single two-string fingering for C Ionian) and then used a mathematical process called permutation, (which changes the sequence of how things are arranged) as a basis for creating unique melodic cells.

.

This book not only details every possible permutation, but then goes on to show how to create every unique combination of them. These unique melodic cells can be used either on their own as compositional or improvisational ideas or combined with other melodic cells to create longer phrases.

.

I’ve included jpegs of some of the pages from the Melodic Patterns book below.  Since the jpegs were converted from the pdf of the book, there’s some pixilation in the jpegs that is not present in the pdf but these will still give you an idea of what’s in the book. 

(Click on any graphic to see it as a larger size.)

.

.

.

.


The GuitArchitect’s Positional Exploration

(254 pages)

.

In The GuitArchitect’s Positional Exploration, I’ve taken an introductory guitar exercise and turned it on its head to reveal deep possibilities that exist not only in positional visualization, but in technical awareness as well.

.

This book shows how to take a simple idea and creatively develop and modify it through melodic, harmonic and rhythmic variations that can be applied to your own music as well.

.

.

.

.

The GuitArchitect’s Positional Exploration Guide:

This book takes the initial 1-2-3-4 exercise and then adapts it to all other string-set-combinations in position.  But it also does some other important things for the reader:

  • In addition to documenting each example in the 8th position, it provides chordal analysis and a detailed series of charts for determining multiple harmonic interpretation of the notes involved.

 

  • From a technical standpoint, the book explores every possible variation of note attack that can be executed.  This could lead to entirely new technical approaches for the reader.

 

  • From a compositional/improvisational standpoint, the book covers a series of ways to manipulate the patterns, rhythmically and melodically in a systematic way to develop ideas fully.

 

I have a lesson on Guitar-Muse that uses material directly from the book.  If you want to get a sense of the content you can see it here.

.

I’ve included jpegs of some of the pages from the Positional Exploration book below.  Since the jpegs were converted from the pdf of the book, there’s some pixelation in the jpegs that’s not present in the pdf,  but these will still give you an idea of what’s in the book.

(Click on any graphic to see it as a larger size.)

.

.


.

.

.

The GuitArchitect’s Guide to Modes: Harmonic Combinatorics 

(410 pages)

.

.

.

In The GuitArchitect’s Guide to Modes: Harmonic Combinatorics, I’ve gone into the nuts and bolts of chord construction and analysis by taking a systematic approach to generating thousands of chord variations that can be utilized intuitively in any key. In addition to being a vast harmonic resource, I also show you ways to make melodic lines from this material allowing the book to double as a melodic resource as well.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Harmonic Combinatorics is 410 pages of instruction and reference (that’s almost a ream of paper if you need a visual).  It’s the  deepest resource I’ve created and has numerous harmonic and melodic approaches that can be used to break through theoretical, technical or other musical limits you currently have.  

.

Harmonic Combinatorics?

.

As a general rule, I’m not a big fan of jargon, but in this case I think its applicable as it helps define what this book is, and what it isn’t.

This is not a traditional chord book. The purpose of this book is not to teach a number of stock voicings and typical chord progressions for the reader to default back to as there are dozens, if not hundreds, of books that already do that.

This book centers around a series of methodologies for developing unique harmonic and melodic voicings for compositional or improvisational use that can be adapted to any tonal system.

Harmonic Combinatorics refers to a process of identifying “countable discrete structures” harmonically. In this case, it means examining unique combinations of notes on all of the possible string combinations for the purposes of developing harmonic and melodic possibilities.

The book is divided into approximately 110 pages of instruction and 300 pages of reference.  It covers a lot of theory – but makes it accessible even to the novice and shows how to apply it.  It’s a modular text that can be read in either a linear or a non-linear way.

.

There are a couple of posts that I’ve put up that excerpts and adapts material directly from this book.  To get a sample of the book’s style you can check out :

.

CREATING CHORDS AND LINES FROM ANY SCALE – A HARMONIC COMBINATORICS / SPREAD VOICINGS LESSON

Slash and Burn – Creating More Complex Sounds With Slash Chords

RECYCLING CHORDS PART II: TRIAD TRANSFORMATION

RECYCLING CHORDS PART I OR WHERE’S THE ROOT?

.

I’ve included jpegs of some of the pages from the Harmonic Combinatorics book below.  Since the jpegs were converted from the pdf of the book, there’s some pixelation in the jpegs that’s not present in the pdf,  but these will still give you an idea of what’s in the book.

(Click on any graphic to see it as a larger size.)

.

.

.

.

.

.


.

The GuitArchitect’s Guide to Chord Scales

(190 pages)

.

.

.

In The GuitArchitect’s Guide To Chord Scales, I show you how to make your own scales to use over chords and how to derive chords from whatever crazy scales you come up with in an easy, intuitive and musical way.

.

Over the course of its 190 pages, the Guide To Chord Scales not only offers extensive instruction and approaches, but also acts as a reference book covering chord scale options ranging from 3 notes right on up to the full 12-note chromatic.

.

While devised as a guitar resource for instructional, compositional and/or improvisational material – this book can be a vital component in any musician’s library.

.

The GuitArchitect’s Guide to Chord Scales

Chord Scales is 190 pages of instruction and reference.  It’s the shortest book I’ve written, but it’s just as deep as any of the other books.  The big difference between this book and the other books, is that this book starts by taking one chord scale and really putting it through the ringer and demonstrating how to use it in ways that are intuitive and musical.   Once the process for what to do with a chord scale is demonstrated, the book  then goes on to outline all the unique chord scales from 3-12 notes!!!

.

The book has a lot of performance insights and presents the material in a way I believe to be truly unique (at least I’ve never seen it dealt with this way before).  It’s incredible exciting to me, and while it’s been written as a soloing, compositional or improvisational resource for guitarists – it could be invaluable to musicians in general.

.

There are a couple of posts that I’ve put up that excerpts and adapts material directly from this book.  To get a sample of the book’s style you can check out :

.

CREATING CHORDS AND LINES FROM ANY SCALE – A HARMONIC COMBINATORICS / SPREAD VOICINGS LESSON

Making Music Out Of Scales

.

The lulu.com page includes a preview option for the first 12 pages of the book, but I’ve included some additional jpegs of some of the Chord Scales book  pages below.  Since the jpegs were converted from the pdf of the book, there’s some pixelation in the jpegs that’s not present in the pdf,  but these will still give you an idea of what’s in the book.

(Click on any graphic to see it as a larger size.)


.

.

.

Ordering information (slight return)

  • If you would like to purchase any individual book pdf  for $15 USD just click the PayPal link below.  (Also, when ordering, please specify which book you’d like – The GuitArchitect’s Guide To Modes: Melodic Patterns, The GuitArchitect’s Guide to Modes:  Harmonic Combinatorics, The GuitArchitect’s Positional Exploration, or The GuitArchitect’s Guide to Chord Scales).

Any 1 GuitArchitecture pdf for $15.
..

  • If you would like to purchase any two book pdfs  for $20 USD (and save $10 off of individual orders) just click the PayPal link below.  (Also, when ordering, please specify which 2 pdfs you’d like – The GuitArchitect’s Guide To Modes: Melodic Patterns, The GuitArchitect’s Guide to Modes:  Harmonic Combinatorics, The GuitArchitect’s Positional Exploration, or The GuitArchitect’s Guide to Chord Scales).

Any 2 GuitArchitecture pdfs for 20
..
  • If you would like to purchase any three book pdfs for $30 USD (and save $15 off of individual orders) just click the PayPal link below.  (Also, when ordering, please specify which 3 pdfs you’d like – The GuitArchitect’s Guide To Modes: Melodic Patterns, The GuitArchitect’s Guide to Modes:  Harmonic Combinatorics, The GuitArchitect’s Positional Exploration, or The GuitArchitect’s Guide to Chord Scales).

Any 3 GuitArchitecture pdfs for $30
..

.

  • The  Four-book PDF bundle (which includes The GuitArchitect’s Guide To Modes: Melodic Patterns, The GuitArchitect’s Guide to Modes:  Harmonic Combinatorics, The GuitArchitect’s Positional Exploration, and The GuitArchitect’s Guide to Chord Scales) is available for $40 using the PayPal bundle button below.  (A $20 savings off ordering the books on their own).

Any 4 GuitArchitecture pdfs for $40
..
  • If you’d like to save yourself the printing and binding costs, you can go to the link here ( Lulu.com ) to buy a nicely bound version of any of the books.

.

Please note:

I turn all orders around within the same day I receive PayPal notification.  

If you have ordered a book and have not heard from me within a 12-hour time frame, please send me an e-mail at guitar(dot)blueprint(at)gmail.com, and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can!

.

Special thanks to everyone who has already purchased a book.  Your support is greatly appreciated!

.

As always, thanks for reading!

.

-SC