Update (First Sunday in May)

Long timeI, no posts. If you want to see a few more vids, they can be found at jazzguitar.be/forum. That’s my main hangout.

Working on Robert Conti material lately (-“Precision Technique,” “Jazz Lines,” and “Chord Melody Assembly Line,” all in Conti’s “Source Code” series). It fits nicely with Carol’s “Chordal pattern system” approach, I think.

CPS Episode 4: More Fun w / Triads

Triad stacks for the I (Bb) ii (Cm) and V (F7) stacks in Bb, plus two chordal scale exercises (also in Bb.)

I made a pdf for this lesson but don’t know yet how to attach it. Soon as I figure it out, or some merciful soul instructs me….

Technology Update

I now have music writing software AND a printer / copier / scanner. I will upload documents for upcoming “CPS” episodes. I can also work backward and provide charts / diagrams for previous episodes. Let me know what you need.

Thanks,

Mark

CPS Epi 3: Triad Stacks

The triad stack over a G7, the V chord in the key of C. See post below this one for notes.

Triad Stacks in C (the verbal version)

 

CHORDAL SCALE for C:   C Dm Em F G7 Am Bmb5 C

Triad Stacks:

Play in eighth note triplets, yielding two measures: / = bar line

G7 (V chord): G Bmb5 Dm F / Am C Em G

D- (ii chord): Dm F Am C / Em G Bmb5 Dm

C (I chord): C Em G Bmb5 / Dm F Am C

Notes and Hints:

The triads triads alternate between Major and minor with one exception: the mb5 chord is followed by a minor triad.

The D- stack may be played over a G7 chord.

All three stacks contain the same triads; the only difference is their order.

(You may stack triads over the other chords in the chordal scale too.)

Think of each stack as having two parts, one measure each. The ROOTS of the triads in the first measure spell the arpeggio of the chord you start on (G7, D-, and CM7 respectively in this example.) The ROOTS of the triads in the second measure spell out the minor 7 chord one whole step (two frets) up. (G7 and A-; D- and E-; CM7 and D-). This will become more important later.

 

Thus for G7: G Bmb5 Dm F (=G7) / Am C Em G (=A-)

(If it doesn’t help you to think about it that way, then don’t!)

Triads are easy to write on a musical staff: they occupy three consecutive lines or three consecutive spaces.

 

 

CPS Epi 2 B Cycle B

Conclusion of episode about the cycle: C F Bb Eb Ab Db Gb B E A D G C… The third exercise and a bit about b5 subs

CPS Epi 2 B Cycle

C F Bb Eb Ab Db Gb B E A D G C.. and a few exercises

The Cycle

The Cycle, aka “circle of fourths” and “circle of fifths.”
See CPS Epi 2 B videos for more on this.

CPS Epi 2 A: The Chordal Scale

A look at the chordal scale in the key of F major: F Gm Am Bb C7 Dm Em7b5 F
I = iii, vi;
ii = IV
vii = ii & V combined

The arrow of resolution

I picked this up from a Les Wise book. He’s a great jazz guitarist and teacher. When improvising, you create and resolve tension. When resolving at the point of a chord change, you have options: which note to land on? In general, the strongest note to land on is the fifth, followed by the third (-major or minor), the ninth, the seventh, the sixth, and finally, the root

Strongest <<<<<< 5  3 (M/m) 9  7 (M/m) 6  R>>>>>>> Weaker

This does not mean you always want to resolve to the fifth or that you never want to resolve to the root. It’s not that simple. But this should reassure you that spending a lot of time with triads—roots, thirds, and fifths—is time well spent. You’re not only learning all the notes on the guitar, you’re learning them in relation to their third and fifth. Such a bargain! :o)