MINOR TOPIC-EASIER WAY TO IMPROVISE WITH MODES

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minor topic-an easier way to improvise with modes of music

IMPORTANT: Please watch video above for detailed info:

Hi Guys,

Today, a quick look at another way of exploiting modes/improvisation on the guitar fingerboard.

We will be creating music via concepts/musical tools based on this minor shape.

minor-topic-pat-martino
simplified-modal-guitar-explanation

Why do this?

Because with this 5 fret shape arpeggio we can easily create:

simplified-modal-guitar-explanation

So, for instance in C Major [Ionian] we can take chord iii and Vi arpeggio shapes as a solid base and create/develop improvisation-as opposed to learning millions of scale/mode shapes/patterns etc.

minor-topic-guitar-modes
simplified-modal-guitar-tablature

With this as a base we can develop proper musical lines and rhythmic phrasing

Before we start it’s important to see how easily chords iii and Vi link together:

simplified-modal-guitar-explanation

Example:

modes-guitar-simplified-tab

The first thing to be aware of is the basic pentatonic’s right under our fingertips with this arpeggio shape:

[These pentatonic’s give us some basic building blocks from the outset]:

guitar-modes-pentatonics
guitar-modes-pentatonics
guitar-modes-pentatonics
guitar-modes-pentatonics-simplified

QUARTAL SOUNDS

Next let’s add some 4ths for a Quartal jazz/fusion-esque sound:

Descending:

guitar-modes-4ths-jazz-simplified

Ascending:

guitar-modes-4ths-jazz-simplified

With extension

guitar-modes-4ths-jazz-simplified

Basic Quartal fingerboard movement:

guitar-modes-4ths-jazz-simplified

CYLE OF 4THS

Another thing to take into consideration is the cycle of 4ths under our fingertips:

cycle-4ths-guitar-modes

Remember that we can also make these, major, minor, diminished or augmented:

For instance all major:

cycle-4ths-guitar-modes

All minor

cycle-4ths-guitar-modes

[This gives us even more colour and choices for chromaticism/chromatic movement right under our fingertips once again]

TARGET TONES/APPROACH NOTES [JAZZ CHROMATICS]

Below, we can see the set-up for target tones with this Em arpeggio shape:

target-tones-modal-guitar-explained

We can also add some chromatic notes to this to create a longer jazzy-esque line:

target-tones-modal-guitar-explained

String Skipping Petnatonic’s

String skipping works well because it removes familiarity/cliches from the ear:

Here are two examples:

modal-guitar-string-skipping

Example 2:

modal-guitar-string-skipping

PAIRING TRIADS

Lastly pairing triads works really. Here is a Lydian example:

triad-pairs-modes-guitar-simplified

conclusion

This blog has only really touched on this way of thinking, but, you can see how easy it is to make connecting lines and musical phrasing and how to exploit improvisation tools from this simple minor arpeggio shape.

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Modern Jazz Fusion Slash Chords: John McLaughlin Chords

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Modern Jazz Fusion Chords [Slash Chords]

IMPORTANT: Please watch video above for detailed info:

Hi Guys,

Today we will look at Modern Jazz Fusion Chords. These are mainly based around a Triad over a different bass note commonly called “Slash” chords.

Here are the main common slash chords employed in reharmonisation.

The fist chord is C/F# and creates a colurful tri-tone timbre. This is a triad of C Major over an F# bass note.

modern-jazz-fusion-slash-chords

Next we have the most common slash chord type. Here it is C/D or a 7 Sus 4 chord. This type of chord is heard a lot in pop songwriting, but is also highly prominent and best known in Herbie Hancocks composition “Maiden Voyage”.

[These chords can also function as substitutions for a dominant, e,g F/G to CMaj]

modern-jazz-fusion-slash-chords

The next chord is a Dominant 7th 3rd inversion. In this case it is D/C. Generally in Fusion these chords do not resolve and/or are played in succession.

modern-jazz-fusion-slash-chords

Here we have one of John McLaughlin’s favourite Slash Chords. This is an Eb triad over an E [up 1/2 step] bass. [This is also known as a13b9 that works well with the diminished scale].

modern-jazz-fusion-slash-chords

This next chord is a favourite of the late great jazz guitarist Pat Martino. With the open E note resonating in the bass this produces an extremely beautiful set of tone colours in one chord.

modern-jazz-fusion-slash-chords

Here we have another John Mclaughlin voicing. This is a B Major triad over a C Bass. This also works well with the open E string ringing out.

modern-jazz-fusion-slash-chords

Lastly another tri-tone voicing:

modern-jazz-fusion-slash-chords

Okay, you might ask. What do we do with these chords? How to we compose with them? Re- harmonise with them? Actually use them?

Firstly, lets take a chord sequence: This will be,

iii Vi ii V7 I

modern-jazz-fusion-slash-chords-example

For the first chord we will employ a C6/9 but just use the E A D G tones to create a “Quartal” sound.

Next we will move a tri-tone away from Am7 chord and employ Eb. In the bass we will use the 5th note of Am7, the note E.

For the chord ii [Dm7] we will have a C triad over an F bass note acting as a First inversion Dm7 chord. [You could also think of this as having an added 9th and 11th]

The dominant chord will have the dominant root in the bass with a Db Major triad, a flat 5th [tri-tone] away in the treble.

Finally this returns to the CMaj 6/9 tonic chord

Below is another example:

Notice, the reharmonisation and how the basic chords are exploited with colourful slash chords.

modern-jazz-fusion-slash-chords-lesson-chart

THE BLUES

To complete this look at slash chords let’s put them into a blues 12 bar structure [turn around] so that you can clearly see how to create composition from them:

modern-jazz-fusion-slash-chords-blues

From the above chart notice that the first 4 bars are more of a long drawn out affair in the tonic key. Next, this is repeated in a similar fashion [or a variation] with chord IV of the key.

But, now we have the last four bars of the blues and this is where the harmonic rhythm picks up.

Firstly, with 1 chord per bar for two bars and then 2 chords per bar for two bars.

modern-jazz-fusion-slash-chords-turn-around

Lastly, notice the “Reharmonisation” of the blues turn around. This is where you employ all of those slash chords that you’ve learnt.

BLUES CHART: Example,

modern-jazz-fusion-slash-chords

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Modal Chords:Modal Chordal Harmony

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Modal Chords: “Chords” from Transposed Mode [C as Root] Lesson/How to/Examples

Please watch video above for detailed information and examples:

Hi Guys,

Moving on from our last blog on the Modal backing track, I have included another video [above] explanation regarding the modal chords/harmony that I employed.

modal-chords-music-theory

PDF MODAL CHORDS:

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