Guitar Jam

Ken's Corner: Guitar Improvisation for Starters - Lesson #28

By Ken Volpe
This is Lesson #28 in a series on Guitar Improvisation. In our last lesson, Lesson #27, we worked on using the A Pentatonic Scale with the A7, D7, and E7 chords. 

Okay, you are probably really, really getting sick of the Pentatonic Scales. However, they are the crux of most rock and blues solos.  The Pentatonic Scales are an excellent reference point in terms of fingering, there sound and visually on the fret board. 

Now I would like to introduce 6 different Arpeggios. An Arpeggio are notes of a chord played individually. Arpeggios are very similar to scales in terms of them being a passage of single notes. 

So let’s learn our first 2 Arpeggios. 
    A7 (Form 1) starts w/ middle finger
    A7 (Form 2) starts w/ ring finger
See diagrams:

A7 (Form 1) is somewhat contained within A Pentatonic Form 1.

A7 (Form 2) is somewhat contained within A Pentatonic Form 1.

Now let’s learn 2 more Arpeggios. 
    D7 (Form 1) starts w/ middle finger
    D7 (Form 2) starts w/ index finger
See diagrams

    D7 (Form 1) is somewhat contained within A Pentatonic Form 1.

    D7 (Form 2) is somewhat contained within A Pentatonic Form 2.

Finally, let’s learn our last 2 Arpeggios. 
    E7 (Form 1) starts w/ pinky finger
    E7 (Form 2) starts w/ ring finger
See diagrams.

    E7 (Form 1) is somewhat contained within A Pentatonic Form 1.

    E7 (Form 2) is somewhat contained within A Pentatonic Form 2.

My suggestion is to first apply the specific arpeggio to match the chord. Second, then try to blend it with the matching Pentatonic Scale. The chord specific arpeggios will expose the scale tones that do not match the chord. In other words, if the chord is E7 and you play an E7 arpeggio against it, there will be no clash. If you then try a slew of random notes from the A pentatonic scale over that E7 chord, you may run into problems with your ear. Once again, practice is about training your ears and your hands. Once you get going there are no dead set 100% rules. Your training will turn into instinct and you will not even think about it. As the great SRV once said, "if you thinking too much, you ain’t playing." I’m just trying to give you some guidelines into the vast world of improvisational choices. Sometimes, matching chord tones are good and sometimes they don’t work as well. My point is for you to train your ears and hands to be aware of things like chord tones, etc.. As always take your time and do it in small segments. Get each section down before moving on.

In our next lesson we will continue to explore Arpeggios. In upcoming weeks I will be switching over to video lessons and reviewing the lessons of the past few months.

I’ll see you all at the next lesson.

Video Lesson: Matt Rae's Country Riffs - Open String Run

In the Videocast this week, Matt Rae completes the turn on the I-IV-V Country Train Groove with a dazzling open string run. This lightning quick country run is broken down note-for-note by Matt to make it easier for you to learn. And at the end of the segment Matt fits all of the pieces together with a shining example of how you can play all three riffs over the groove.   

Guitar Jam Videocast

Fingerstylin': Fingerstylists, Meet Your Fretting Hand

By Mike Roberts
Happy 2007, Pluckers! I hope you’ve been diligently practicing the right hand (picking hand) technique we discussed in previous columns. Now that you’re armed with those skills, what better way to ring in the New Year than with a primer on fretting hand* technique? (*Your left hand if you’re a righty, vice versa for southpaws.) I can’t think of a single thing, so let’s get started.

For many guitarists, fretting a note means sticking a finger on the appropriate fret. That’s sort of like telling a pilot to land a plane by aiming for the runway. (Granted, the stakes are somewhat lower when playing the guitar.) In reality, landing a plane is a procedure of many steps which must be followed precisely, with many variables to be accounted for: altitude, air speed, flap position, landing gear, etc. There are likewise a multitude of variables for fretting a note, just as there are for plucking one. Just as a pilot goes through a checklist before taking off and landing, there’s a checklist I like to use for fretting hand technique—a simple reminder of all the variables we need to keep in line. And wouldn’t you know, it comes with its own handy mnemonic!

This Would Be A Perfect Plan:

Thumb
Wrist
Balance
Arch
Placement
Pressure

Here’s how it breaks down as you fret a note:

•Place the pad of your straightened (but not tense) thumb in the middle of the back of the guitar neck. You’ll probably need to roll a bit to the left side of the pad in order to keep the thumb straight. This is important: by straightening the thumb, you can pin your hand in position with only slight pressure from your much-stronger arm. Bend the thumb, and it will need to tense in order to hold itself in place. Try it—you’ll see.

•The inside of your wrist faces your bicep. Relax, and don’t twist. Keep the wrist straight or only slightly bent.

•A balanced hand position means that all four fingertips can reach the fingerboard with equal ease. Good thumb and wrist positioning is a critical starting point. The blade of your hand should be parallel to the guitar neck. Keep some space between all the fingers. It’s normal for the fingers to tilt a little to the side (fingers 1 and 2 toward the headstock, 3 and 4, toward the bridge), especially fingers 1 and 4. As you apply pressure, the tilt increases.

•Arch all four fingers gracefully and comfortably onto the fingerboard. It will help to maintain a space of about inch between the blade of your hand and the bottom of the guitar neck. Arching efficiently transfers power from your hand and arm into your fingertips, and gives you fullest control over your movements. (Notice what happens if you straighten your fingers and lock your knuckles: tension and loss of dexterity. Bad!)

•Place the tip of each fingers just behind the target fret, as close to the fret as possible without touching it. Certain chords will require you to compromise a bit here; just get as close as you can.

•Find the appropriate amount of pressure in each finger—no more, no less—to produce a clear, beautiful note when plucked. An excellent way to achieve this is by thinking of pressure as coming from the weight of your fingers, not from muscle tension. A good arch enables you to channel the superior weight and power of your hand and arm.

Try this somewhere in the middle of the fretboard (maybe 5th or 7th position—i.e., with your first finger on the 5th or 7th fret), with all four fingers fretting adjacent frets on the same string. Here’s what it should look like:

Exercise
Hold this pose. Burn it into your muscle memory. Stay relaxed, as always. Take your hand off the neck, then repeat all the steps as many times as you can, until the hand position starts to feel comfortable (it probably won’t at first). For now, this is all you need to do. You don’t need to play a note; just strike the pose. Next time we’ll add some notes to this exercise. In the meantime, bring this hand position into any playing you are currently doing, keeping in mind that you may need to un-learn some habits. Above all, be patient with yourself—your efforts will be well worth it when your hand is skimming over the fretboard like a waterbug, speedy and tension-free!

Other Fretting Hand Positions
‘This Would Be a Perfect Plan’ is not the only legitimate fretting hand position. Certain chords and specialized techniques like bending and vibrato will put your hand through its own little game of Twister, but this basic position is your home base. Hang out here as much as possible, and this hand position will allow you to play with the greatest efficiency and dexterity, and the least amount of stress on your hand, wrist, and forearm.

Here are a few examples of appropriate “other” hand positions.

•Tricky chords (unbalanced hand):

•Bending a note (thumb comes over the top of the neck; hand braces the bottom of the neck):

•Barre chords (first finger is straight while others remain arched; first finger can lean a little against the fret; more pressure may be needed to execute the barre—but you can relax the barre a little on strings which are fretted by other fingers):

What to Practice:
1) The above exercise.
2) Bring the ‘This Would Be a Perfect Plan’ position into your existing repertoire.

Next time:
More fretting hand adventures, including my favorite, the Zen Exercise.

See you then,
Mike

Video Lesson: Matt Rae's Little Brown Dog

By Matt Rae
This week Matt Rae shows off his Tele-master chops in his tune "Little Brown Dog."  Watching this clip will not only inspire you to play, but you'll see how Matt applies some of the country-fied licks he demonstrated in his earlier lessons #1, 2 and 3.

Next week, Matt will break down the parts of Little Brown Dog so you too can add these riffs to your bag of tricks.

Guitar Jam Videocast

Video Lesson: Matt Rae's Country Riffs #3

Tele-Master Matt Rae demonstrates a very cool yodeling riff as well as a lesson on how to play a "James Burton" shuffle. The lick and shuffle build on what you've learned from Matt's video lesson #1 and #2. Both are played in the key of A, and once mastered will add a "wow" factor to your playing.

If you need to review Matt's previous lessons just click on the clips listed below this one on the Guitar Jam Videocast player.

Guitar Jam Videocast

We'll have more from Matt next week.

Guitar Jam Videocast: Matt Rae's Country Riffs #2

Tele Master Matt Rae shows off another hot slide/pull-off riff that you can add into your bag right away. Played in the key of A, these riffs use sixth intervals with two shapes (open and closed) and have minor and major sixths in the lick. He also adds in a nice blues scale lick to finish it off. Enjoy! We'll have more from Matt next week.

Guitar Jam Videocast

Ken's Corner: Guitar Improvisation for Starters - Lesson #27

By Ken Volpe
This is Lesson #27 in a series on Guitar Improvisation. In our last lesson, Lesson #26, we finished up our series on improvising with Option #3.

During the last series of lessons we learned how to apply specific scale forms to specific chords. To reiterate, the main purpose was for you to learn how to recognize and to utilize the chord tones from within the scale when needed. A lot of guitarists are in the habit of randomly playing a bunch of scale tones in the hope that it will sound good at any given point in time. I like to call that, “Putting your fingers before your ears.” In other words, you are not internally hearing what notes prior to playing them. If you work from that process enough you can occasionally come up with some cool stuff. However, you are more than likely to hit a lot of notes that are not part of a cohesive melodic phrase. 

I believe the approach I have been teaching you is much more effective because you eventually learn to hear what you are playing before you play it. This approach does require a lot of consistent thinking and practicing. It may feel restricting and unnatural for a while but before you know it, it will become second nature to you. One might even say, think during practice and feel during performance. 

In the past series of lessons, we have been using three chords for our progressions, A Major, D Major and E Major. Now, let’s start working with a slightly different chord progression. The chords will be A7, D7 and E7. These three chords are known as dominant 7th chords. Later on we will get into more chord theory, and discuss chord construction and the naming of chords. I suggest using these three chords in a standard twelve-bar blues progression. For now, we are going to back-pedal to get a point across.

The notes in the A7 chord are: A, C#, E, G
The notes in the D7 chord are: D, F#, A, C
The notes in the E7 chord are: E, G#, B, D

Instead of using a different scale for each chord, we are going to use just one (1) scale. The A Pentatonic Scale will work nicely for all three chords. Once again, try to focus and hear the chord tones from within the scale. Let’s take a closer look at this. 

The A Pentatonic Scale contains the following notes:  A, C, D, E, G

When using this scale with the A7 chord, 3 of the 4 chord tones are common. 
These notes are A, E and G. 
When using this scale with the D7 chord, 3 of the 4 chord tones are common. 
These notes are D, A and C.   
When using this scale with the E7 chord, 2 of the 4 chord tones are common. 
These notes are E and D.

As we have spoken about throughout this series, pulling out the specific chord tones from your scale(s) can be a very effective way of creating cohesive melodic statements. One common question in guitar improvisation is why does the Pentatonic Scale sound pretty good when playing over the A7, D7, and E7 chord progression; but doesn’t sound so hot over the A Major, D Major, and E Major chord progression.  The answer is what I have shown you in this lesson and earlier lessons in this series.  Specifically, there is a greater ratio of common chord/scale tones throughout the entire progression. 

In our next lesson we will continue along this path.  I’ll see you all at the next lesson.

Guitar Jam Videocast: Matt Rae's Country Riffs

Tele Master Matt Rae shows off some hot licks that you can add into your Country riff library right away. Played in the key of A, these riffs use sixth intervals with two shapes (open and closed) and have minor and major sixths in the lick. He also adds in a nice blues scale lick to finish it off. Enjoy! We'll have more from Matt each week.

Guitar Jam Videocast

Ken's Corner: Guitar Improvisation for Starters - Lesson #26

By Ken Volpe
This is Lesson #26 in a series on Guitar Improvisation. Last week in Lesson #25, we went further with our series on improvising with Option #3. We continued to play a different pentatonic scale form for each of the 3 chords. The 3 scale forms were all in the 9th fret area or 9th position. Let’s stick with the same theme but moving up to the 12th fret area. 

Play the following: (see diagrams - click to enlarge)

FOR: A Major chord use Form 5 of F# Pentatonic Scale
Form 5 of F# Pentatonic starts from the 12th fret

FOR: D Major chord use Form 3 of B Pentatonic Scale
Form 3 of B Pentatonic starts from the 12th fret

FOR: E Major chord use Form 2 of C# Pentatonic Scale
Form 2 of C# Pentatonic starts from the 12th fret

The following statements from Lesson 20 still apply.

The A Major chord contains notes A, C#, E 
All 3-chord tones exist in the F# Pentatonic Scale. 
There are 2 scale tones that are not in the chord.
These notes are: F#, B

The D Major chord contains notes D, F#, A
All 3-chord tones exist in the B Pentatonic Scale. 
There are 2 scale tones that are not in the chord.
These notes are: B, E

The E Major chord contains notes E, G#, B
All 3-chord tones exist in the C# Pentatonic Scale. 
There are 2 scale tones that are not in the chord.
These notes are: C#, F#

In next week’s lesson we will move into a new area. I’ll see you all at the next lesson.

Ken's Corner: Guitar Improvisation for Starters - Lesson #25

By Ken Volpe
This is Lesson #25 in a series on guitar improvisation. Last week in Lesson #24, we went further with our series on improvising with Option #3. We continued to play a different pentatonic scale Form for each of the 3 chords. The 3 scale forms were all in the 7th fret area or 7th position. Let’s stick with the same theme but moving up to the 9th fret area. 

Play the following: (click on diagrams to enlarge)

FOR: A Major chord use Form 4 of F# Pentatonic Scale
Form 4 of F# Pentatonic starts from the 9th fret

FOR: D Major chord use Form 2 of B Pentatonic Scale
Form 2 of B Pentatonic starts from the 10th fret

FOR: E Major chord use Form 1 of C# Pentatonic Scale
Form 1 of C# Pentatonic starts from the 9th fret

The following statements from Lesson 20 still apply.

The A Major chord contains notes A, C#, E 
All 3-chord tones exist in the F# Pentatonic Scale. 
There are 2 scale tones that are not in the chord.
These notes are: F#, B

The D Major chord contains notes D, F#, A
All 3-chord tones exist in the B Pentatonic Scale. 
There are 2 scale tones that are not in the chord.
These notes are: B, E

The E Major chord contains notes E, G#, B
All 3-chord tones exist in the C# Pentatonic Scale. 
There are 2 scale tones that are not in the chord.
These notes are: C#, F#

In next week’s lesson we will finish our exploration of Option 3. We will follow this same concept for 1 more position. Then we will move beyond to the next level. Once again, I urge you to stick with it and follow it closely.

I’ll see you all at the next lesson. Happy Holidays !!