Posted by Andrew Wasson
Wednesday, August 19, 2015
Welcome to... "Micro-Lesson 180" This Micro Lesson explores a Funky 16th-Note jam groove around the harmony of the "G Dominant 7th" chord.
The groove begins with a three-note segment from the upper string "G7" chord and follows up the chord attack with a fast-paced 16th-note triplet lick out of the "G Minor" Pentatonic Scale.
In measure two, we have a similar start with the same "G7" chord attack. However, the rest of the measure outlines a "G7" arpeggio.
In measure three, the voicing of the "G7" chord shifts up the neck into 8th position. The follow-up lick once again uses notes from the "G Minor" Pentatonic Scale.
A smooth full-step bend is applied at the end of the measure to pull the phrase around into a two-chord turnaround.
Measure four maintains our funky feel by resolving the part with syncopated "F7" and "E7" chords.
Take your time developing speed on this one. The chord shapes can be tricky to fret for those new to these shapes. As always use a metronome to build speed. Enjoy!
You may not have ever stopped to think about it, but being a musician (and all it entails) is actually bound to improve many other areas of your personal life.
This is because, at its core, being a musician can be boiled down to a few fundamental skills which you are flexing and strengthening all throughout the week and all throughout your career. If you've ever wondered how being a musician affects you "behind the scenes," read on...
1. Your creativity can be applied basically anywhere While it's intuitive to believe it "belongs" to the art world, creativity is a wonderful process that arguably permeates every aspect of our lives. Every time you're trying to solve a problem (anything from your car suddenly breaking down to smoothing over an argument between friends), you're going to employ creativity to find an efficient solution, which is often not the first solution that pops into your head.
Creativity shows us that there's always more than one way to look at a situation – just like there's always more than one way to write a love song. When you become used to the mindset of looking at things from different angles, (which songwriting and improvisation tends to strengthen), it becomes second nature. And, you're more than likely to find yourself applying creativity, (however subconsciously), to other areas of your life.
2. Improved organization makes life so much easier
So many of life's mishaps stem from a simple failure to organize ourselves. Being unorganized will gut you in the music industry, because at best it will cause you to forget the tiny details that can make a big difference (we forgot to pack that one cable in the car, now we need to get one before the gig). At it's worst it can make you look highly unprofessional and even kill your career (we forgot we had that meeting with the record label execs, now they won't answer our calls or our emails... s#!t).
So as a musician, you learn pretty quickly that organization is critical, and with that, organization in other aspects of your life will follow suit. You're more likely to keep track of all the things you need to do (grocery shopping, doctor's appointment, pay that utility bill, make sure money is in the account for your next car payment). On the macro level, you'll become less hindered by the curve-balls that life tends to throw at you, because you always know where things are and where you need to be.
3. Frequently dealing with difficult people improves patience and tact
Let's be real: not everyone you meet in the music industry is going to be a ray of sunshine who just wants to rocket you to success. A lot of people will be short with you or just plain nasty in their disdain for you. They'll outright lie to you. they'll even rip you off. For example; A venue booker ends up overbooking and your gig is canceled, (you loose $145.00). A promoter promises to check out your EPK but never returns your emails or phone calls, (that was a huge waste of time). Your side-project band leader just booked you on another gig that doesn't pay anything, (play for exposure - does not pay the bills). We all know that getting worked up and going on angry social media tirades is highly unproductive, so the successful musician learns to take the high road, smooth over arguments, and move past the people that aren't interested in his or her success.
Difficult people and tense altercations don't just exist in the music industry, though. They may be your boss at your non-music day-job or the jerk that cuts you off. As you deal with difficult people in the industry, you'll find yourself easily navigating through similar situations outside of the music scene. You'll have more experience knowing how people can be sometimes and how to end your dealings with them in the least problematic way possible.
4. Dealing with criticism gives you a thicker skin
For every musician, from the most obscure indie artist to the Beatles, there's bound to be a group of people that just doesn't like them. It might lead to a few caustic remarks on social media or an abysmal album review. The seasoned musician learns to not buckle under the first sign of criticism, and more importantly, even uses it as a way to grow. If the critic has a point you never considered, then your music or attitude improves as a result, and if they're being a jerk for the sake of it, you learn to not give those hateful comments any power.
Beyond your musical pursuits, you'll still find the occasional person that doesn't agree with your choices or ideology, and they might have a particularly harsh way of showing it. Instead of completely shrinking away from any disapproval and letting it destroy your entire psyche, you'll become better at extracting helpful information from it or just laughing it off. Either way, you're becoming a stronger person for it.
5. Delaying gratification helps you realize more profound goals
If you're in the business for immediate fame and fortune, then you're in the wrong industry. Part of being a musician is knowing that while the blood, sweat, and tears you put in now can be exhausting, they generally do lead to the long-term benefit of being appreciated for the projects you've put your heart and soul into, and the added benefit of being truly happy and fulfilled doing what you love every day. When you walk onto the stage to a full audience or when you sign that record deal, it becomes undeniably worth all the effort you put in.
This is the mindset that leads to all kinds of long-term success: weight loss, studying, job hunting, saving money for that dream vacation, and arguably for "true" happiness. When you think about it, probably all of our lofty goals absolutely require that we sacrifice in the present so we can succeed in the future. As a musician, you know that success isn't easy nor is it at all instantaneous. It requires that stick-to-itiveness that doesn't just concern itself with our current feelings, but mainly with our future ones. Most of all, with the creativity and problem solving skills of the musician in us we will accomplish bigger and bigger feats over time.
Welcome to... "Micro-Lesson 179" This Micro Lesson explores the use of the Major Pentatonic along with triad chords to create a fun "Folk-Rock" riff in the key of "C Major."
The riff begins by playing across a melodic passage from the "C Major Pentatonic Scale." Starting from the note of "G" (the 5th chord tone of the underlying C major chord), we run down the notes descending then ascending.
This leads us into an "A Minor" chord. The tonality shifts here briefly to establish the "A Minor" color. The relative "A Minor Pentatonic Scale" is used to generate a smooth guitar lick incorporating a bend, which then resolves into the "A."
In the final measure the phrase turns around by applying both the IV and V chords (F and G major). Take your time building the phrases, and use a metronome to build speed. Enjoy!
We make plans to prevent chaos, increase efficiency, and see
better results. As musicians, we need as much help as we can to
create consistency in our busy schedules and to boost the productivity that
we are so often struggling to generate on our own. So, why not make a daily success
plan? You may have thought that you only need a plan when you're mapping out travel logistics for your next tour, or when you're coordinating who's bringing what dish to the next family holiday gathering, or when you're scheduling anything from a rehearsal to a record release. You can read this article, "A Day in the Life of a Music Maker." It's an excellent article that breaks down what one musicians day typically looks like.
But what there really is to put in place is what happens before the day even begins – the night before and right you are going to do when waking up.
The night before
Break out your calendar and just double-check that you have everything scheduled for tomorrow that you need to get done. Ideally, once a week – most likely on a Sunday night – can be a good time to schedule a whole week with the intention of being in a new place the following week. That means taking those to-do lists and putting them into reality – i.e., in your schedule – so that they get done. And then having 100 percent integrity with your calendar and doing what it's telling you to do! If you have extra space, fill it with something that will help center you, (like a walk, a call to your mom, or a little extra creative writing time).
Acknowledge what you accomplished in the day. Whether you finally finished writing /recording that song or you drafted an email to a publishing company you've been wanting to pitch, or you didn't order that new parcel of guitar strings. However big or small you may think your accomplishments are, write them down or focus intently on them.
Trippy Mental Stuff (that really works) Right before falling asleep, ask your subconscious to help you to solve a problem while you sleep. (This is a bizarre thing, but it can help keep your week more balanced). Don't dwell on a problem; just give it up and stay open to having clarity around it in the morning. The subconscious mind is a powerful thing, that most people will barely use to a greater extent. But, believe me, asking things of your subconscious is precisely how scientists solve their complex problems.
I read that the lab technicians in charge of developing the placement of holograms on credit-cards could not figure out how to get the hologram onto the card. So, the lead technician went to sleep one night and asked this question of his sub-conscious, "If we did have a machine that could put a hologram on a credit-card, what would it look like." Within a week they were able to build a machine to do it.
In the morning
Upon waking up, when still in bed, think of a few things you are extremely grateful for while drinking a glass of water. Now, this gratitude stuff is a little hippy dippy, but give the universe some positive reinforcement (we all need it, right?) on what's been working for you. Another reason why it is good to wake up with gratitude is to get really present to the things we enjoy the most and love to do. You will truly see a difference in your day if you start out by thinking about those things – it's like inviting them back in and giving space for them to show up again.
Get physical This is the part of the morning everyone does differently – the part where you connect your mind to your body. This may mean a hardcore workout, a 10-minute meditation, or a yoga class. For some of us older guitar players, it's a few lower back exercises and perhaps even a swim in the pool. But for you, it can be whatever exercise that you can do consistently. Follow it up with a healthy breakfast as well.
Think about what problems you can solve today Do you have any clarity around the problem that you gave up to your subconscious last night? Look at your to-do lists and figure out what it is you really need to do in order to move forward. What's the one thing you are dreading doing? Start with that. When you complete that dreaded task (a friend of mine calls it the "frog" task), give yourself some reward, whether a cup of coffee, a 10-minute play session with your pet, or a walk around the block to clear your mind.
This is very much a rinse-and-repeat process. Find out what works for you. Start to build positive habits through repetition. And did you notice that "check Facebook," "respond to every email," and "press the snooze button" were not included in this list? There are reasons for excluding those. And by this point, I'm sure you know what they are. So stick to your guns. You deserve having a really productive day, and you're the one who gets to say how that goes!
Welcome to... "Micro-Lesson 178" This Micro Lesson runs through a "D Minor" melody which applies a series of "Suspended 2nd Chords."
The chord progression works through the; Root, VIIth, VIth and Maj. Vth chords of the "D Minor" key. This progression operates in more of an arpeggio approach offering chord outlines in a sweeping effect highlighting each chord in an ascending and descending fashion.
The suspended effect on this melody occurs at the execution of the arpeggiated outline of the first three chord tones on each measure. In other words we initiate each measure with the chords "Root, 5th and 2nd" degrees only. This is the "Suspended 2nd."
A "Suspended 2nd Chord" does not possess a quality (major or minor color). Instead the "2nd" replaces the color defining tone (the 3rd) with the second scale degree chord-tone. The result is a dreamy "floating" sound, which "suspends" the chord from actually having a quality of Major or Minor.
Take your time developing the picking patterns. If using a flat-pick, (plectrum), trace each string closely with your pick.
If using finger-style to perform this piece, be sure to coordinate the correct finger picking approach. My recommendation would be to use a classical guitar style finger-plucking technique.
Above all else, memorize the progression and commit each phrase to memory before attempting to build speed. Enjoy the progression!
GuitarBlog: Mini Rhythm & Blues Dominant Chords ...
This weeks GuitarBlog covers Miniature Rhythm and Blues Dominant Chords.
Rhythm and Blues mixes a number of other guitar styles and techniques together. This form of music has several ways that it can use to generate both different chord patterns on the neck and different ways to cover the harmonies.
Since this style has close ties to Blues it will generally contain a number of dominant 7th chords. The ways that we can end up applying these chords will often be through the use of smaller voicings on the neck.
These "mini" chord voicings can be highlighted by filler tones played around the small chord patterns. In this lesson, we're going to breakdown a collection of these miniature Rhythm and Blues chords, plus I will also demonstrate their use within different chord progressions. Enjoy this weeks video!
The internet is rife with videos of guitarists trying vainly to spin their guitars around their necks, only to have the instruments go flying off and crashing into trees, walls or fellow musicians.
It’s a boneheaded move, but one which a lot of guitarists seem determined to attempt, no matter the danger to themselves or others.
As it turns out, National Geographic wants to help. In this video, part of its appropriately named Science of Stupid series, host Richard Hammond explains the science behind the guitar spin.
“If you must spin a guitar around your body, then centripetal force is what you need,” Hammond explains. Diagrams and some basic comprehension of physics do the rest.
The video is worth the three minutes it takes to watch it, even if you don’t plan to spin a guitar—and considerably more if you do.
