THE MUSIC OF BRUCE ARNOLD
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
| Q | Would you explain the concept of avoid notes more in depth than you do in your books. For example, when do you and when do you not use these notes? How do you go about practicing scales in regard to avoid notes? |
| A |
Most scales contain one or more avoid notes but there are some scales that contain no avoid notes. You can find a complete list of the avoid notes in either Music Theory Workbook for Guitar Volume Two or Chord Workbook for Guitar Volume Two. These books cover the avoid notes found in 23 of the most common scales used in improvisation. There are of course many, many more scales that could be used and many of those would have avoid notes. It is hard to make generalizations about avoid notes because there always seems to be an example that goes against any rules you want to apply. In general it is common to find avoid notes as notes that are 1/2 step above a chord tone and it is also common that these notes feel like they want to resolve. As far as practicing scales you should know what the avoid notes are but remember an avoid note can be played just as much as any other note it just isn't a note you want to end a melody on because it feels like it wants to resolve. On the other hand there are many cool techniques you can use by not using the avoid notes. Take a look at the reharmonization techniques in Chord Workbook for Guitar Volume Two or take a look at the Hexatonic method I use in my compositions by reading
MY MUSIC: Explorations in the Application of 12 Tone Techniques to Jazz Composition and Improvisation Sorry for being so general about avoid notes but you could write an entire book about their use. I think the books I mentioned give you some very interesting and common ways that musicians use avoid notes. I also have a series of books coming out in few months that will cover more uses of avoid notes. This series is called the New York Guitar Method. |
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| Q | I'm am old student of yours from Berklee in the 80's. We've seen each other from time to time. I'm sure you'd remember me from just around town if you saw me. I actually have a question; do you have a book that teaches about the hexatonics and how to apply them them to improvisation? |
| A | I have a couple of books that show you information on the hexatonic stuff:
MY MUSIC: Explorations in the Application of 12 Tone Techniques to Jazz Composition and Improvisation Guitar Clinic You can get those at amazon.com, bn.com or the quickest for you would be www.muse-eek.com because they are in NYC. |
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| Q | I looked at the site and see that the Guitar Clinic book looks real good! according to the table of contents. I can probably use it to teach as well. The other book looks good as well. I wish I can look at them before buying one. If there used at NYU, would their book store sell the books? can I go there and see them? I assume it would be better to get them from you. |
| A | There really isn't a retail outlet in Manhattan. The Guitar Clinic is going to explain how to practice one hexatonic along with a historical perspective. The My Music Book gives you all the hexatonics I've used on three of my CDs along with 10 or so audio tracks from my CDs. None of these books discuss how to use it over a standard but I think you could figure out the simple applications yourself. The more advanced applications would have to wait until I have a book out on that. |
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