B/C GUITAR SLASH CHORDS GUITAR LESSON AND EXAMPLES
Please watch video above for detailed info:
Hi guys,
Today, a quick look at the idea of employing slash chords.
To do this we will focus on one specific chord that of B/C.
CHORD VOICING:
In the notation/tablature below, notice the use of a B Majortriad over a C bass:
Here, are a few more voicing’s:
1]
2]
3]
4]
SOLO LINE EXAMPLES:
This chord works well with the diminished scale. But, in order to come up with something unique we are going to take a different approach.
Because, we have the B Major chord we can exploit Pat Martino’s minor conversion technique.
In this case, we will employ the minor a Major 3rd up. This will be D#/Eb as the minor key:
IDEA 1:
Here, we will employ the simple Eb minor arpeggio:
IDEA 2:
This time, we will employ scale movement inside of the Eb minor arpeggio shape in a horizontal form.
IDEA 3:
Let’s do the same, but, play with the notation and give it a diminished flavour:
IDEA 4:
Now, let’s take a B Major arpeggio and ascend it by making sure our C bass note is within it.
NOTE: There are also two open string notes of D natural [minor 3rd] and the open E. I used these as they make the arpeggio flow easily when alternate picking.
IDEA 5:
We can also add some chromaticism for smooth movement.
COMPOSITION- APPLICATION IN CADENCE
Finally, let’s see how composition can be exploited with our slash chord.
To do this, we will create a ii V7 I cadence:
NOTICE: In the example above, we can see that the minor becomes diminished and the Dominant becomes 13b9 and the I chord becomes our slash chord that resolves yet hangs in the air.
If there are two scales that I am always asked about, these are the whole tone scale and the diminished scale.
But, out of the two, it’s the whole tone scale especially!…And it’s due to the general textbook cumbersome and awkward fingering that puts guitarists off.
So, today let’s take a look at how to play the Whole Tone Scale with a simple fingering like that which we would employ for the pentatonic scale.
PART 1:
Standard textbook guitar fingering:
This, 3 note per string example above is a pretty uncomfortable and awkward affair that dosen’t flow and isn’t especially fluent for quick passages or phrases.
So what do we do?
Well, the answer is to approach it like we would the pentatonic scale, so that we can move the SHAPE about and at the same time we can VISUALISE it.
PART 2:
Here, is a preferred fingering that uses mainly 2 fingers:This, like the pentatonic means that we can move about quickly.
What’s truly great about this fingering is that we can copy and repeat it exactly “Down 1 Tone or Up 1 Tone” each time right along the guitar fingerboard.
BASIC SCALE SHAPE/FINGERING;
Copy Shape Exactly Ascending:
Copy Shape Exactly Descending:
Copy Shape Exactly Ascending:
This means that we can easily exploit the scale, play it fluently and see it visually which in turn gives us complete command of it.
PART 3:
Now, that we can see and hear what we are doing and have a fluent fingering let’s make use of the scale harmonically.
To begin with, let’s use a flattened 5th interval [and Bb7] over a moving bass. [See video at the top of the page].
Now, let’s use this same harmony and create an [arpeggiated]chordal picking vamp:
Again, it’s easy to see and hear how we can quickly create composition now that we can visualise asimple shape all across the guitar fingerboard.
PART 4:
What, also works really well from this visual whole tone approach is the exploitation of the high low high [or mirroring] effect.
EXAMPLE 1: High to Low
Here, we will create a little phrase that’s going back and forth between the low and high registers.
EXAMPLE 2: Back and Forth
PART 5:
We will now apply this simple scale fingering to a classic Messiaen chord
Application and example:
PART 6:
Finally, we can come out of the shape and move up and down the fingerboard connecting the whole tone [1 step] movements.
So, let’s take a chord of C augmented with a 9th:
As we can see, it’s easy to move down the fingerboard shifting through scale and arpeggio along the way. [See, video above]
IN CONCLUSION:
This was just a quick look at how essential it is to have simple fluid guitar fingering and simple 1 step connection for creating whole tone scale lines/phrases.
Having a “Visual” as well as harmonic understanding makes improvisation and composition so much easier with this scale.
And, as I have reiterated throughout this post, having a repeated shape only 1 tone apart makes the scale very user-friendly.
Chords of guitarist John McLaughlin Lesson and Examples
IMPORTANT: Please watch video above for detailed info:
Hi Guys,
Today, we will look at some more Modern Jazz Fusion Chords.
These are primarily based around a MajorTriad [played] over a different bass note: Commonly called “Slash” chords.
Here, are some essential common slash chords employed in/for reharmonisation.
PART 1:
The first chord we will investigate is the tri tone concept of C/F#.
This unique voicing creates a colourful dissonant timbre.
In this example we have a 2nd inversiontriad of C Major played over an F# bass note.
Chord diagram and tablature for the C/F# slash chord, highlighting its bright voicing and tritone
Next, we will examine the most common slash chord type.
This is the 7 Sus 4 chord. And, in this case it will be C/D. They may be played in succession or as a substitute for a dominant chord. [for example C/D instead of D7]
This type of chord is heard a lot in pop songwriting, but is also highly prominent and best known for the sequence in Herbie Hancock’s composition “Maiden Voyage”.
Maiden Voyage Herbie Hancock 7sus Chord Example
[What you will start to notice is that the Major triad has a lovely bright quality when played over a different bass note]:
Here, is the guitar voicing with a root C Major chord over a D bass.
Guitar chord diagram illustrating the C/D slash chord for modern jazz fusion.
The next chord is the classic Dominant 7th in its 3rd inversion.
Generally in Fusion these chords do not resolve and/or are played once again in succession.
For, our example we will employ a triad of D Major with it’s 7th [C] in the bass
D/C slashchord diagram illustrating voicing and finger placement for guitar.
Next up, 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].
Slash chord diagram illustrating the Eb triad over an E bass note by jazz guitarist John McLaughlin.
Here, we have an interesting chord that is also 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.
Slash chord diagram depicting Fmaj7b5/E on guitar for modern jazz fusion.
In order to create that big ethereal/dissonant sound let’s exploit John Mclaughlin’s unique nylon string guitar voicing.
This is a B Major triad over a C Bass. [This also works well with the open E string ringing out].
Slash chord diagram illustrating the B/C chord voicing for guitar, showcasing positions and finger placements.
Finally, we will manipulate another tri-tone voicing:
This will be a less bright but highly resonant sound with a root F# triad over a low G bass note.
F# triad diagram over a low G bass note for creating a slash chord
PART 2:
Okay, you might ask. What do we do with these chords?
How to we compose with them?
Re- harmonise with them?
Actually use them?
Well, firstly, lets take a basic/common chord sequence like,
iii Vi ii V7 I
Slash chord modern fusion substitutions and reharmonisation
For the first chord we will employ a C6/9, but, we will only use the E A D G tones and create a “Quartal” sound.
From here we will move a tri-tone away from the Am7 chord and employ an Eb triad. We will still establish the dominant in the bass by employing the 5th note of Am7, [the note E] hence we have Eb/E.
For 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 now have the dominant root in the bass with a Db Major triad, [a flat 5th/tri-toneaway] on top in the treble.
This then 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.
Example of reharmonisation using colorful slash chords in a blues 12-bar structure.
THE BLUES
To complete this, let’s put them into a blues 12 bar structure [turn around] so that you can clearly see how to create composition from them:
Blues chart example showcasing slash chord substitutions and harmonic rhythm in a 12-bar structure.
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, in the last four bars we exploit the harmonic rhythm to create drama and turn the music around.
A blues chart showcasing various slash chord progressions, highlighting ii, V7, iii, and Vi patterns.
BLUES CHART: Example,
Blues chart example showcasing substitutions and slash chord progressions.
