Compose together in your band, simple rock with guitar-based chord progression…

Transcription

page 1
Compose together in your band, simple rock with guitar-based chord
progression…
The concept I am describing here on is based on the first grip I learned on the guitar as a 13 year
old, an E-flat major.
In the concept the chords E, G, A, B, C, D, are used, all played with root on the low E-string. In
addition, E-minor blues scale are used, and the sounds that occur when you mix this with the six
chords. For example by letting the "b" and "e" strings ring open in the top of all the chords. The
material will quickly begin to tastes like an authentic of various guitar rock genre.
We start in a circle, each one with his/hers own guitar, including those in the band only plays little
or no guitar.
First watch the two videos
(PC)click here (Mac) click here
where we get to know the area, get to know the “kingdom”. The "toy bricks" are presented in an
exercise.
And
(PC) click here (Mac) click here
Where we build our own ”kingdom” , our own song with the same ”toy bricks”
In the following text I will refer to “ A jam and composition concept by the use of “safe notes”
The Content
The Content largely reflects the chronology of the videos. The figures indicate minutes and seconds
in the videos.
”Compose together, simple rock with guitar-based chord progression…” .................................. 1
Video 1 – the toy bricks are presented in an exercise ..................................................................... 2
The selection of the Bricks............................................................................................................... 2
Everybody is sitting with a guitar for a start - so simple can participation be: ................................ 3
Power chords. ............................................................................................................................... 4
Other ways to play the guitar. .......................................................................................................... 4
Open B and E – string 1:08 .......................................................................................................... 4
Flageolets (harmonics) 2:07 ......................................................................................................... 5
The Open E sus chord 2:37 .......................................................................................................... 5
Eight note -guitar on the thin E-string. 3:03 ............................................................................... 5
The Bass 1:35 ................................................................................................................................... 6
The Keyboard 3:34........................................................................................................................... 8
You can also make various figures and lines which only plays around “b” and “e” as shown in
the right hand. .............................................................................................................................. 8
What is it with third in the chord? – and the other dissonances................................................... 8
The singing, - lyrics and meloly 4:04 ............................................................................................ 10
Video 2 - The band is putting the ”toy bricks” together to form their own song ..................... 12
Three ways of making a god chord progression ............................................................................ 12
1.
By using a dice 0:26. ....................................................................................................... 12
2.
With the help of a”coincidence machine.1:01 ................................................................. 12
3.
By jamming, and taking turns at playing a four bar period. ............................................ 12
Links to music examples. ................................................................................................................. 13
page 2
Video 1 – the toy bricks are presented in an exercise
The selection of the Bricks
Some guitar players learn to master a lot of open guitar grip and detailed playing patterns before
they feel comfortable playing barre grip. It hurts to play them on western guitar, etc.
But other guitar players learn the open E major, and afterwards they immediately learn the barre
major chord, the E-shape grip for example A Major in the 5th band. And soon they are able to play
all major chords with the same grip up and down the fret board. This way they are able to play all
power chords with root on the deep E-string too. It is particularly this way to learn guitar, I had in
mind when I got the idea for this project.
I have chosen the six chords: E, G, A, B, C, and D, mainly as power chords, but we can live with
them as major chords, (ie a couple of the major thirds can cause problems from time to time, this
will come back on page 8)
Along with all the chords we can play E minor pentatonic scale or blues scale. However, there will
occasionally be some clashes, but I have in this context chosen to live with a couple of "land mines"
in the landscape. Landmines which we have become so accustomed to blows up occasionally in the
guitar-based rock, up to the point where we can almost miss them if they are removed.
An E minor blues scale is most often the first (blues) scale a guitar player learn how to play.
It is easy to play with open strings, other guitarplayers starts to learn it in 12th fret position right
away .
In this context, I use a part of the E pentatonic scale in its low position (page 4 and 5). Where, you
could play solo on top of the chords, which I choose not to demonstrate in the videos.
And on page 5 I’ll demonstrate a way to play the scale only on the high/ thin E-string.
The notes "B" and "E" may sound simultaneously with all the chords, in other words the two
thinnest strings on the guitar may ring open in all the chords. (The note "e" can cause problems
with third in the H major chord D#, but that can also be a desired effect
page 3
Everybody is sitting with a guitar for a start - so simple can participation be:
For a start, play in the exercise in the video 1, in order to get to know the material / toy bricks. I
suggest that much of the initial work are done in a situation where everybody’s sitting with a
guitar. (or a bass).
The idea behind this is:
 To Include all in a common activity, so that no is one is passively waiting to participate.
 One could argue that it is common knowledge, where the notes without accidentals is
located on the E-string (s) of the guitar (or bass). Since it allows you to visually connect to
the barre chord a guitar player is playing. (this might be extended to include roots on the A
string).
 In many contexts, rock guitar players learn how to play by listening to and watching each
other play. They learn from reading tablature, or by looking at the website videos. They can
play many things, possibly with a good connection between the ear and instrument. But they
do not necessarily know the names of the chords they master. If you want to use paper with
chords at the rehearsal, or in order to support participants' memory, this exercise can be
helpful, even for some of those who cannot already play guitar.
To give people who do not play guitar, a guitar on their lab, you’ll have to be able to make their
“job” very easy. I'm looking to meet this challenge as follows:
 In the introduction (at 0:40) I play on only one string, the low E-string. It is easy to hit with
the pick.
 I play each chord for two bars.
 The chord sequence is going upwards step by step, and it is stationary on E for a while, so
that there is a clear beginning and end. (it's easy give a cue for the start every time)
 It is possible to put a piece of tape on the back side of the guitar neck with the relevant note
names. "C" is here given a different color so it's easy to bypass if you want to play E minor
on the thin E string (see page 5). You must be careful not to wound anyone’s pride when
pasting something that may seem too "pedagogical". You should be aware that tape can take
away some of the attention from it to follow visually.
Tape the back of the guitar (in this case, you should correct the participant's thumb)
On this picture as well as in the vidios I am using a “H” where you would expect me to use a “B”.
(it’s a bad habit used I older danish litterature, original from germany. ( I am sorry for the
confusion)
The Chord progression use in the exercise
||: E
|%
|G
|%
|
|A
|%
|B
|%
|
|C
|%
|D
|%
|
|E
|%
|%
|%
:||
page 4
Power chords.
The first step is to play on a single string, the low E-string.
The next step is that you can play fifth ring finger on the A- string.
And finally, the sound will be thicker if you can play the octave with the little finger (in
parentheses)
This way of playing is the most fundamental rock guitar, and it is repeated in several places in both
videos.
One of the characteristics is that it can be distorted without becoming very muddy, or become
unrecognizable. Unlike chords with a third (minor chord is the worst). This has to do with the
composition of the harmonics. (more on page 8)
Wikipedia has a fine article on the subject Power chords.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_chord
Other ways to play the guitar.
Open B and E – string 1:08
A barre grip for the A-major chord with its root on the E-string looks like this:
Below I remove the barre so that the B- and the E-string ring freely and open. It is somewhat easier
to play than the complete barre grip above. The index finger can still play the root note (in
parentheses), in order to have something to aim for. But In the video have omitted it.
page 5
You can combine that way of playing with power chords. In video 2 (at 1:25) I play power chords
on the guitar in the middle of the picture, and from time to time I hit the open strings.
In the last part of video 2 I use the way of playing at 2:04 and at 3:02
Flageolets (harmonics) 2:07
Flageolets can be relevant when the music goes dynamic soft (into a low "gear").
Below I have shown the notes of the Em pentatonic played as flageolets on the open strings. As a
first step, I will only use those underlined.
Notice the pattern from a to e, which makes it easier to remember.
If the guitar player has learned to tune the guitar using flageolets in the fifth and 7th fret as bass
players does, it may also be used.
The Open E sus chord 2:37
I play this chord arpeggiated on the four thinnest strings.
If played together with the E-major chord, the note “a” will be a sort of landmine to be walked over
with care. Either chord is clearly defined as a major chord, in this case, I move the note ”a” down
the g #. Or in cases where E is not as clearly defined as a major chord, I will move it up to B.
In the end of the video I play the note B on the g-string - while I play an open B. - As if I was
tuning the B-string. I video 2 I do the same I 5th fret on the B-string with the thin e-string. Just as
when you tune the e-string. (See video 2 at 2:11 and 2:47)
Eight note -guitar on the thin E-string. 3:03
I am "pumping" out the 8th notes on the high E-string in the pentatonic E minor scale. So the notes
we have already found the low E-string. (but without the note C)
page 6
You can also watch this in the video 2 at 2:33
You can choose to play octaves on the B- and e-string.
Index finger
little finger.
The Bass 1:35
What you want to teach the bass player, can be practiced by the community of all who are sitting
with a guitar.
It is pretty easy to understand, when you already familiar with the scale on the E-string.
Additionally, it is possible to play with just one left hand finger, although some technique to get it
to sound quite right.
I vary by playing the scale note just below the root. By G and A, I can vary with the open Estring.
The next step could be to extend the area, that you may vary within, to the scale note over the root,
and later the entire scale.
On the E chord the bass can be varied by playing D in 10th, and E. 12th fret. As I do in this example.
I bar number two the bass i varied with A and G
page 7
Use the occasion where we are only supposed to hit the lowest string to use a pick. Its more fun and
its in the stile
page 8
The Keyboard 3:34
I try to use the keyboard in this example, in a way that it does not separate itself from the aesthetics
defined by the guitar. And in a way that it is very easy to play. But there are of course many other
ways to use the keyboard.
In the example, I play "b" and "e" in my right hand through all the chords except the chord B, where
I only play "a" and "b". In video 2 I vary with the notes “a” and “d”, especially at the end.
In the left hand, I only play the root and fifth, corresponding to the guitar power chord.
It can be simplified so that the right hand plays the root and fifth, and left plays root, or nothing.
You can also make various figures and lines which only plays around “b” and “e” as shown in the
right hand.
What is it with third in the chord? – and the other dissonances.
Ugh - a theorist can have a hard time answering this question. One can point to some regularities,
but our aesthetics have been challenged so much, that we will find many of the exceptions tasteful.
So up with the antennas, listen, and feel if anybody experiences that something is too ugly in a
meaningless way.
The major third is already present when you play a single note, and especially a low note. The
E-string on the bass provides the over tone (the harmonic note) "g #" just below the keyhole and
the low E-string on a guitar provides "g #" one octave above the keyhole. IF we play a "g" (that is, a
the minor third) on top of the loose E string we are actually create a dissonance.
The open low e-string on the bass (fundamental note) makes a set of overtones
fundamental tone
overtones
(the keyhole (of a piano)
Distortion emphasizes the overtones.
On a guitar, the low E-string has a “g#” as overtone, sounding 415 times per second (Hz) and the gstring first overtone (octave) sound at approx. 392 Hz. The difference is ca.23 Hz. It's like you say
brrrrrr with lips. Fairly so says a distorted guitar amp when playing an open Em chord.
.
The distorted power chords therefore has a slight flavor of a major chord in itself. If we need the
sound of minor to be clearly defined, we need another instrument to play the minor third. (or a
singer)
page 9
A table of the dissonance between the chord and the notes of the E-minor pentatonic scale.
chord
D
C
B
A
G
E
third
f#
e
d#
c#
b
g#
Might clash we this note fra EMinor pentatonic
g
e (d) (the fifth f# can dissonate with g)
d
a (g)
In songs similar to this context you can find “B” both as a minor chord as well as a major chord, (it
also applies for E). Listen to U2 - New Years Day see page 12
In video 2 at 3:02 I played both the B and C major chord, simultaneously with the tone "e"
sounding in both chords. It gives a little muddy effect - which I feel fits into the context.
Please note that dissonances over timegives the tension and relaxation.
This phrase gives a harsh dissonance to D major chord which is be dissolved when the chord
changes to C.
A Cello moving softly around the major-thirds may sound beautifully together with the guitar
playing power chords.
page 10
The singing, - lyrics and meloly 4:04
Lyrics
Sometimes it is okay for a singer to improvise on sounds (scat singing) "dabauba twaay ..." and the
like. It might be inspiring to imagine a particular character with an exotic language that taste
marinated herring for the first time, or the like.
Men vil man fra starten have en konkret sangtekst, er det faktisk muligt at downloade ubrugte
sangtekster på disse links.
But if your singer feels more comfortable to have a specific lyric, it is actually possible to
download unused lyrics on these links.
http://www.songwritersofnewyork.com/
http://www.songs-lyrics.com/index.html
Only when you make a hit are starting to earn royalties the authers will have the rights to 30%.
Melody
Maybe you have a singer in the band who will simply improvise melodies "by the ear" - then you
are lucky, just enjoy it.
But maybe your singer needs some help. You may not have an actual singer, but some guitarists
who take turns to sing. Singers which needs some help, some exercises. which the whole band
might be doing together. For example:
1. First Sing along the roots of the chords, which is pretty easy if you also play guitar (or bass)
Just sing unison with the E string. (This, I have chosen not to show the video.) This exercise
can help to establish a connection between the instrument and the voice.
2. Sing the note "e", or sing around "e" with the two scale notes that lies just above and below
the "e". (i.e., d and g) this is demonstrated by 4:04
3. The same as described above, but with the note "B" as a center, This is demonstrated by
4:22
page 11
This can be done across all our chords, no matter which of our chords we are in. However, you will
inevitably step on a few "land mines", which, however, is tolerabe. (See thirds and dissonances
page 8)
In the video Bjarke sings around a low “e” and the “b” above. Here illustrated in two staffs, in order
to specify the register.
Bjarke who have sung the improvisation in the videos, would, when we recorded the examples, as a
trained male singer have preferred to move up with the intensity and sing the area around “E” one
octave above, which is also typical of the style.
But the register from “d” to “d” fits well with an untrained male voices. The high note "d" however,
depending on the situation, might feel a little high for the boys whose voice has just begun their
change. It requires a good role model to sing along/to mirror, a noisy strong accompaniment, etc.
If the lead singer had been a girl / woman or a boy who’s voice hasn’t changed yet, I would have
chosen the "B” area" lower than "e” area"(as the score). So that the singing is around the keyhole
(on a piano). But trained female voices might want the area around the "B" an octave higher if the
music gets loud.
|-- safe register------|
|----- trained female singers
Would like an octave higher is the music is loud--|
Questions / answers by 4:37
At the end of video 1 I exemplify how to go one step further in the effort to help the singer to get
off the ground. You can sing in the area around the "e" as a question and the area around "B", as an
answer.
This effect can be used by a duet where the female sings around "E" and the male around "B".
page 12
Video 2 - The band is putting the ”toy bricks” together to form
their own song
Three ways of making a god chord progression
1. By using a dice 0:26.
The method is and bit slow, and can take some time. But nevertheless it can be engaging and
unifying
The chords that the dice "shows" are written on the chalkboard by someone. Everybody plays them
as they soon as they are written. This means that everybody is practicing to read and play chords.
Those not trained to play the guitar (e.g. Pianist, drummer and singer) is given a second chance to
find them. The piece of tape I put on the guitar with chord names in video 1 is perhaps still on the
guitar.
The method can be quite cozy, and inclusive. Often someone will start to cheer on the cube shows
something specific. If that happens write the desire on the board instead of the waiting for the cube.
You can let the dice rest for a moment to try to play what is already on the board so far.
Here you are at one of the crossroads where it is essential that you have routine of playing/toying
with the material when you need help the right decision on the way. For example it's possible that
you suddenly sees that the 3th line will sound nice if it played backwards.
Read more on the subject on this link
2. With the help of a”coincidence machine.1:01
At this link you will find a PDF file with the 225 chord sequences mentioned in the video click here
At this link you will find itself an excel file which generates the random number sequence. click
here
Formulas in Excel is: =SLUMPMELLEM(1;13) and works so that there will be a random number
between 1 and 13 in the cell containing the formula.
I copy the worksheet with the random numbers into words. How I replace the numbers 1, 2, 3 with
the E chord, and the figures 4, 5 with the G chord, etc.
3. By jamming, and taking turns at playing a four bar period.
In the video I suggested this game:
||: Everybody plays E for four bars.
A participant plays a four bars period with some of our six chords (or just their roots), a turn
around the she makes up herself.
Everybody are repeating what she just played
:||
In this situation, your role, other than perhaps to lead by example, is to be the one who controls how
many times the same period is repeated. To give the cues for whose turn it is.
A "secretary" at the blackboard, which keeps track of what has been played may be relevant here to.
page 13
Links to music examples.
If you find it relevant that the band is training how to analyze the chord progressions in order to be
able play them. You might take some of the examples below and transpose them to the key of E
major / minor. (You can do this with a free program like Audacity).
The band can then try to play along the transposed examples and try to find basic notes on the E
string, maybe as homework
First a few old examples.
Rolling Stones – The last time 1964
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzZHmHqEE7k
||: E
| D A :|| og || A |%|%|%| D |%|%|A| %||
Jimmy Hendrix - Purpul Haze (Woodstock 1968)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3JspdA-sRM
||: E |G A :|| and solo: | A | H | D ||: E |F#(no chord) D :||
There is an extra bass note here “F#” that we might choose to call the third in the chord “D”.
Although rooted in old rock-styles it was easier for me to find some examples in the music
from the early '90s, with the bands associated with the style “Grunge”.
Pearl Jam - Im still alive
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbhsYC4gKy4&feature=related
The original key:
||: A G :||:F C :||: E G | D A :||
Transposed to our key (E) ||: E D :||:C G :||: H D | A E :||
The tonic (A) comes with a distinct third in the melody.
Alice in chains - Your dicision
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoFjfIRzRTI
The original key ||: Eb Gb | Db Cb :||: Db Fb | Cb Gb :||: Gb | Ab | Ebm | Db :|| Cb
Our key (E):
||: E G | D C :||: D F | C G :||: G
|A
| Em
|D
:|| C
They have tuned down the instruments half a tone so they might “thinks like us”. All chord are
played open. The chord ”E” is clarly a major chord in the A-part, but the whole melody and the solo
is minor
Notice the alien chord ”F” .
U2 & Pearl Jam - Rockin' in the Free World (Live in Hawaii)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7S67oO8EdY
|| E (m) | D C :|| G
|D |C
| C Em: || F#7
Notice the alien chord F#7 which they use to rest before starting all over again
(by the way a nice example of common feeling before the music starts)
Nirvana – Smells like teem spirit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTWKbfoikeg
The original key ||: F Bb | Ab Db :|| F Gb | F Bb ||
Our key (E):
||: E A |G
C :|| E F | E C ||
Notice the riff on the guitar is the line B- E which also is behind the pre chorus.
This time again ”F” is the alien chord.
U2 - New Years Day
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrcBeCU9TGw&feature=related
page 14
The original key || G#m | B | D#m | % :|| F# | % | G#m | % | F # | % | E | % ||
Our key (E):
|| Em | G | Bm | % :|| D | % | Em | % | D | % | C | % ||
the song is in minor. Notice that in this case it means that B is a minor chord.
And so on…..

Compose together in your band, simple rock with guitar-based chord progression…

Transcription

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