Accompaniment Volume One: Learning to play bass and chords simultaneously on the guitar
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
| Q | I looked at your web site and noticed that your ionian mode major scale study included 7 positions/patterns with 3 notes per string and a one fret position shift between the 2nd and 3rd strings. This is a bit different from Leavitt's book.
Your method seems better because it: 1. has picking symmetry 2. has less patterns to memorize which is important considering all the scales, arpeggios, etc. (I have been getting bogged down with this using Leavitt's method) 3. provides 6 V - I scale changes without changing basic position and any other scale root is just one fret position change away. 4. has patterns with a larger range of notes. Am I missing anything? What are the relative benefits of Leavitt's method, easier sight reading? |
| A | Both the 3 note per string and the "Berklee" method of playing scales have their merits. You should know both methods. One is not overall better than the other. The only criticism I would give of the Berklee method is that it puts to much emphasis on playing in position. Position playing is OK if the melody you are playing is available in a position. Most of the music I play isn't, though I should also say that I play what many people would consider to be very weird music. Check out my website and CDs to make your own decision. |
|
| |
| Q | In your e-book on playing bass lines and chords, the pattern you suggest has bass notes on down beats and chord tones on the up beats following beats one and three. I got confused if the chords changed on beats 2 or 4.
For example: |G6 / / / | G6 / / / | G6 Am7 Bm7 E7alt | or: | G6 / / Abdim | Am7 / / C#dim | D7 / / F#7+ | G / / / | |
| A | To make measure 3 of the first example sound "right" I just play the four chords on the down beats. To make the first three measures of the 2nd example sound "right" I played the bass of the first chord on the down beat, the chord on the following up beat, then repeat the bass on the following 2 downbeats and then play the bass and chord of the 4th beat on the 4th beat. Do you have any other suggestions. |
|
| |
| Q | I'm an intermediate guitar player trying to learn jazz. Want to comp better. Know a lot of chords, some jazz blues chord progressions, some rhythm changes. Which chord book would you recommend for me? I've already bought quite a few books. |
| A | Well I can think of a few books that might be of interest to you. I'll list them and tell you what additional information you can get from these books that I think is important.
Chord Workbook for Guitar: Volume One Has 36 chord progressions in the back of the book. 12 different progressions one in each key for blues, minor blues and rhythm changes. I use a reharmonization concept with these progressions that is quite important to know so you can create your own progressions later on. I give an explanation of the reharmonization method right before the chord progressions. There are also MP3's of the progressions on the www.muse-eek.com Web site so you can make sure you are playing with the right feel. The chords covered in this book are all the chords with roots on the 5th and 6th strings that a professional guitarist should know. Chord Workbook for Guitar: Volume Two Covers all the voicings on the upper 4 strings that can be played within 5 frets. Great book but will take a long time to work through because of the quantity of chords. Also contains 12 keys of major and minor blues. These are the same progressions as Volume One but have been reharmonized again with another reharmonization technique. I give an explanation of the reharmonization method right before the chord progressions. This book also contains a comprehensive study of which scales work over which chord and the passing diminished scales, which I don't think you will find anywhere but here. Comping Styles for Guitar Volume Two: Funk Takes the progressions found in Chord Workbook for Guitar: Volume One and plays them with a funk feel. Very good for developing a funk feel and learning to read 16th note funky guitar riffs. Contains an audio CD so you can hear each example Accompaniment, Volume 1: Learning to Play Bass and Chords Simultaneously on the Guitar This is an ebook which teaches you how to play chords and bass lines at the same time. A simple book but this technique is very useful when playing duets. |
|
| |
| Q | I just got back around to reading and trying to implement your "Accompaniment Volume One" base line book and wondered how you would play the dim chord as in trying to play rhythm changes--as in for eg. in key of Bb: Bbmaj7/Bdim/Cm7/C#dim....
I can see a drop-3 3-note 6th string Cmaj7, but then I would use a drop3 Bdim that would be an E7b9 with 5th on 6th string using strings 6,4,3. Your 7 chords don't seem to take this into account or at least I can't see this yet. |
| A | For diminished 7th I use a chord that has the root then the 6th and the b3. So on the low E string CÆ7 to C# dim 7th would be the notes
C B E followed by C# Bb E both these chords would use the string 6, 4, 3. |
|
| |
|
| |