Lessons from Jazz/World to 20 Century Classical Music Harmony Rhythm and Theory
Author: Modern Music Theory and Application
Clifford Martin is a trained classical musician and composer. His 1st study being piano and composition and a deep study in the application of modern music theory. He also studied jazz piano and jazz drums privately.
This website is a catalogue of ideas and musical concepts for improvisation and composition.
Today, a look at the unique scale formations/superimpositions of Dennis Sandole.
Dennis Sandole
We will take three examples from a handwritten page of polytonal scales by Dennis Sandole and apply them to the guitar:
SCALE 1:
Dennis Sandole’s Handwritten Polytonal Scale:
Same scale applied to the Guitar:
In this example notice how the different major scales connect via semitones creating a unique chromatic connection.
Now, let’s apply a descending version with a more pentatonic/fingering guitar format:
Again, notice the half step chromatic connections that make this run smoothly.
SCALE 2:
Dennis Sandole’s Handwritten Polytonal Scale:
Same scale applied to the Guitar:
Here, we have whole tone connections as well as half step connections creating a colourful set of sounds:
Let’s now create a descending version:
SCALE 3:
Dennis Sandole’s Handwritten Polytonal Scale:
Same scale applied to the Guitar:
In this example we have a full C major scale connecting to a full Db major scale via the halfstep of C to Db. And finally, up another half step to the note D.
Finally, let’s descend:
Arpeggio/Motifs from Polytonal Scales:
There are also many concepts that you can make out of these polytonal scales:
For instance, we can imply triads/arpeggios with dyads and create little licks, motifs and hook lines.
EXAMPLE:
Slight Var:
IN CONCLUSION
This was just a very brief look at Dennis Sandole’s concept of polytonal scales.
In terms of the guitar these are very useful for creating a mixed harmonic palette and creating seamless lines where any scale can connect to any other scale regardless of non diatonicism and ambiguity.
Robert Fripp Cross Picking Guitar Technique Lesson
Please watch video above for detailed info:
Hi Guys,
Just a short blog to explain what I mean by employing the “Down Down Up” guitar picking technique.
If we look at the patten below we can see the “Down Down Up” Picking pattern:
This is a very useful picking pattern/device that will hold you in good stead: But the key is to employ it sparingly.
Why is this?
This is because sometimes the rhythms we see and sometimes feel can be different than our natural inclinations when picking/plucking the strings.
So, if we look below we will see that the picking hand/subconcious wants to pluck a group of 5 notes and 3 notes to make up the 4 and 4 groups of 16th notes.
This is because of the “Crossing” of the strings, the order of the notes or the way the actual groups of notes on the guitar fingerboard work out:
EXAMPLE:
OR:
Notation Example:
PICKING STROKES:
The other reason to put this “Down Down Up” into what would otherwise be an alternate picking pattern is because:
“Sometimes where you have adown stroke you may want an upstroke to complete the phrase”.
This can be because of one note that has to be played on a down or upstroke specifically otherwise the whole passage is awkward to play. So, to execute “Down Down Up” for that one part makes sense.
FULL EXERCISE:
Below, is the full exercise that deliberately mixesup“Down Down Up” and “Down up” Alternate Picking”. It’s only an exercise [Larks Tongues in Aspic III Style] but, hopefully it gets the point across.
Exercise:
Conclusion:
This technique can also be found in Al Di Meola’s REH video from the 1980’s. Al di Meola employs this for chordal/Arpggeio Picking, [as does Fripp sometimes].
Again, if used sparingly this right hand picking pattern/technique is absolutely essential for this type of art/creative style guitar music.
Lastly, picking one note per string is way more difficult and precise than plucking standard 3 notes per string as there’s so much string crossing going on.
