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 Chronicles of A Minor 
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Post Chronicles of A Minor
Some music talk...

So, I've been slaving away at this instrument for quite some time now (Hitting it hard since I got the railboard in October!) but despite my efforts to "rush" things, and play a "guitar solo" at the same level as I play guitar, while simultaneously playing a cool "Bass groove" I am learning that this thing 1)Takes as long as it takes to learn it. 2) Gives back what you put in.

So in last week's lesson, me and Steve went over "Minor Swing", and "Brush with the Blues". Minor swing being a new tune, and Brush with the Blues was my homework from the previous lesson.

So, we are going over a Bmin Pentatonic scale, and the notes are easy; BDEF#A , but once again, like in all of my lessons I cannot seem to find the notes. I mean, I can find them, but it's a painful search. "Hmmn lessee, B on the Low 'E' string, A min3rd from there looks like... Hmmmn, there is my 'Do', where the hell is 'May' an octave up?... etc etc" lol Might as well hunt and peck, it's painful...

It dawned on me, I gotta take a look at this instrument. I should be able to just "know" where the notes are on this thing, why am I not getting this? I mean, I went to school for this (not stick, but guitar) and I am getting killed here... heh I am competitive by nature, and no one likes to suck so what the hell is the problem with me?

Doh! It's not a guitar. Steve says this to me about ten times a lesson. Some of us have to learn the hard way; Once we dug into the simple melody parts of Minor Swing and talked about his bass compass concept a bit, really it's how he does walking bass and he was kind enough to dissect it for me. oooh a lightbulb moment was festering...

So I made a video of a jam I made up, recorded it, posted it so everyone could have a laugh, and then practiced on a couple of things. One is a Bach 2 Part Invention, and I am only 2 bars into it (One new bar a week!) The other is Minor Swing by Django. The Bach bit shows me I can move around my left hand, Django teaches me that I only need two fingers to play his solos, but thankfully I have 10.

Amin Dmin E7. ACE DFA EG#B - That's a I iv V in A Harmonic Minor. I have a left hand bass "walk" (or 3) for each chord; So that needs to be practiced a billion times until I am comfy with the moves without looking. Then, the melody is basically triad arps in the RH over the "walks" Once I got it down, I noticed I kept going to the wrong fret with the RH, even though it had a damn dot on it...

Wait a sec. On guitar, I deal in 6 strings. 2 string pairs, AND a major 3rd tuning. PLUS, the 12th fret has TWO dots on it. Also, dots at 3rd 5th 7th 9th and 12th; It has a certain logic once you get used to it that is absolutely habitual.... Waitasec, strings in 2 string pairs... Dammit, there is only five strings, and I am subconsciously thinking of the 'C' string as a sort of 'high 'E' like on guitar.

So I started small and simple. Time to do some chores....

The dots, back to the dots. dot is on the 3rd fret, no wait people don't think of that as the 3rd fret, but what the hell is the first fret then? Gahhh FUCK IT!!! The first fret is now an open string. End of story. EADGC. Open strings. To me. Or I will go insane...

OK, so this means that the 2nd fret gets a dot. Not like guitar, but that's fine this is not a guitar.
7th fret gets a dot too, and that IS like a guitar. And now, the 12th fret gets a dot. Boom.

Reference point. I have to "pretend" to see the 9th fret on the Stick's melody side or I get lost.
Funny, now it's an 'imaginary' dot that gives me a reference point. I was blown away at the symmetry of the layout previously, but now I have a way to relate to it, as insane as it sounds... (I played and practiced a LOT of guitar, guys...)

Next thing. The tuning difference. No maj 3rd on stick, it's symmetrical. EADGC.

So, although I know all of my 3 note per-string scale fingerings on the Stick, guitar or bass, When I play/practice them it's like I am playing a different sort of guitar. Time to play stick.

Left hand: You have a job to do! You play a damned A. That's it. Time doesn't matter, rhythm doesn't matter, speed doesn't matter. You are there for reference. You will play an 'A' on the 2nd fret on the 'G' string on the bass side. That's the first dot. And you will like it!

Right hand: Get out your machete. We have to carve through the jungle!


My focus was to get used to where the notes are, and build a relationship between the two hands. I mean, EVERYONE who plays music has "certain things they do" and "certain ways they do it". The Stick is no different. Know my instrument. That's it.

1) No more 3-note per string scale patterns. I know 'em down cold and can rattle them off easily. I play them already on the Stick, but I get boxed in way too easily, End of the scale = end of the rope.

2) A minor on 2 strings ABC DEF with a pinky slide (or whatever finger) to G to slam you into position to play the next octave. I have two options now, I can play it "in position" or slide up. Too cool. Oh, wait a sec, I can play the whole thing on one string EXACTLY like I do on guitar. Thank you Uncle Yngwie. Hey, waitasec; My bass "compasses" that Steve showed me on the G and C strings on the Bass side also apply to the Melody side G and C strings. Getting ahead of myself, but the notes on the fretboard seem to be lighting up...

3) Gotta relax and think about this for a second... So, in the document below I have a 1 octave Amin (Or Cmaj) scale that in fig 1 is how I would normally play it; But since I "box in" too quickly once the next octave is added "in position" I need to train another escape. Hence fig 2.


ASTR------------5-7-8-10-----
ESTR---5-7-8-------------------

4) Easy to see where the octaves are. Also, it's easy to see where the Relative Major is at this point; And I am feeling a lot less stupid. I mean, octaves weren't a problem before, but actual note recognition has been a bit tough; I think looking at it differently has led to some changes.

5) Conceptually, I need a system. A loose series of positions that relate to one another that can leverage what I already know on a different instrument to help me learn this instrument. Here's how it is; 2 octave scales with 'escape options' are the 'starting block. All connected to the 'G' string on the bass side as my reference to a different hand.

Gotta start somewhere.

6) I practiced this sort of thing ascending and descending, 3rds, 4ths, and a couple of different sequences. Boom, burned into my DNA... not just as patterns but as notes and intervallic relationships, visualizing chords within the shapes, etc.

Old hat for all you guys, but a revelation to me...


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Fri Jul 31, 2015 7:52 pm
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Post Re: Chronicles of A Minor
7) Smoke a fatty...

Dude,you posted in another thread you're getting a 12 string.....care to elaborate?

cheers mate,
kev

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Fri Jul 31, 2015 8:03 pm
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Post Re: Chronicles of A Minor
So, that was easy. What next? Hmmmn. Compass bass means multiple directions, so that means I will be needing something to connect to this scale for some modal jamming in a slightly different area of the fingerboard on the melody side. LH is still just playing a root note, it's all about reference points and "chunking".

So I charted it it out, and on this page we still have the first 1 octave scale. I found that if I played through to the second octave, all the way to the 3rd octave (woo, 3 octave scales!) That A REALLY, REALLY REALLY likes to be a "Stick chord". What the hell, an A minor triad just hanging out there waiting to be played. Wait a sec, this is like in pretty much every tune me and Steve have worked out...

c-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------9---11---12----------
g--------------------------------------------------------------7---9---10---12----------------------------
d---------------------------------------------7---9---10---------------------------------------------------
a--------------------5---7---8---10-----------------------------------------------------------------------
e-----5---7---8--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


So that's the scale, 1 octave chunk pinky slide, then next octave...

c-------9-------
g-------9-------
d------10------
a---------------
e--------------

And here is that familiar triad A on the 9th fret on the 'C' string, E on the 9th fret on the 'G' string, and then the C on the 10th fret on the 'D' string.

Oh wait a sec, Steve taught me triads to infinity. Boom. another bit of connective tissue.
AND, the same notes are on the Bass side in the same location with just a bit of octave displacement.

So, kick on the distortion, a smidge of delay and up and down A natural minor, hit some sequences, and up and down my A minor Arpeggios a la Uncle Yngwie.... PLUS the fact that the A min triad arpeggio exists right in my original one octave scale pattern is handy also... (A linear, less chordal variation) More 9th fret reinforcement...

c--------------------------------------------------9---------------------
g-------------------------------------------9--------------------------
d-----------------------------7---10----------------------------------
a------------------7---------------------------------------------------
e----5----8-----------------------------------------------------------

Up one, and down the other. Spent an hour or so noodling, and I pretty much own it. Cool.

A is on the 9th fret and the 21st on the C string. I will remember that. 11 notes left on that string to get down... So I can now play a scale, and 'escape' the box via arpeggios, or interval stacks/chord stabs.

Useful. My little solos just got a bit more interesting...


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Fri Jul 31, 2015 8:18 pm
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Post Re: Chronicles of A Minor
kevin-c wrote:
7) Smoke a fatty...

Dude,you posted in another thread you're getting a 12 string.....care to elaborate?

cheers mate,
kev


Yep, pulled the trigger on a Wenge 12 with midi. I am an addict... Haven't played guitar in months... lol

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Fri Jul 31, 2015 8:20 pm
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Post Re: Chronicles of A Minor
Okay. Now it's getting crazy. My original 3 note per string A minor position now interacts with everything else I am doing. Also, after the arpeggio 'escapes' I am in position to play the relative C major scale, 3 notes per string.

Now, I don't necessarily play them like this, but I'm 'seeing' them like this.

At the same time, I'm like... shouldn't I use that pesky 'locrian' mode fingering, you know, A Cmajor scale starting from 'B'?

No. Not yet. I decide to use something that I do ALL the time on guitar; Cmaj7 arpeggio in octaves starting from the maj7th. BCEG BCEG BCEG Besides, I have it covered if I overlap what I already have...

Add this to the 3 note per string stuff, overlay it with the arpeggio escapes, and then overlay THAT with the 1 octave scale fragments and the mosaic is filling in in a quick hurry...


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Fri Jul 31, 2015 8:27 pm
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Post Re: Chronicles of A Minor
"havent played guitar in months"
yep....thats what happens eh? I know the feeling....

I SO wanted a wenge when I ordered last year, but alas....they had no blanks at that time.
Its a wonderful wood eh? I have a Warwick thumb bass with wenge fretboard....chocolate goodness.

Waiting for the 12 string railboard to rear its lovely head...

cheers mate,
kev

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Fri Jul 31, 2015 8:29 pm
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Post Re: Chronicles of A Minor
Well, this was cool. A lot of fun, and I just got to know the Chapman Stick a little better which is awesome, I had to do it some time...

Now, within this little area of the board I wanted to get my bearings in more two string, three note per string patterns. All basic stuff, which I do all the time on guitar, but if I want to take advantage of that knowledge, it was going to have to be 'messed with' a bit.

Phrygian. Dorian. Ionian. 3min 2min and 1maj.

I worked out those fingerings on the G and C strings, and then plopped it on over to a Locrian fingering, (Bit tough as the hands crash, but it isn't about playability; it's note location.) and zipped around with that.

Oh hey, I started noodling around my favourite Paul Gilbert licks from his "Intense Rock 1" video, and it all starts with that first Phrygian pattern; I know that whole video off by heart, so the variations and ideas were making a lot of sense now; just no picking (for now).

Stuff like this. Kid's stuff.

c-----------------------9---------------
g----9---10---12---------12---10---
d-----------------------------------------
a-----------------------------------------
e-----------------------------------------

Then, I found that pesky "Locrian" fingering on the next two strings (D&G) and saw good 'ole Aeolian (Natural minor, which has been my main focus at this point...) and Mixolydian.
At this point they all pretty much overlap and I have a lot of options from the 5th to about the 15th fret or so.

It all carries over to the 'Bass side" also.
So, I noodled on that for another hour or so. A LOT of vocabulary for a modal jam, and if i want to change 'modes' or add some flavour, I just simply play different chords diatonic to the key of CMajor/Aminor.

Cool. Getting better, got some tools...


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Fri Jul 31, 2015 9:01 pm
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Post Re: Chronicles of A Minor
kevin-c wrote:
"havent played guitar in months"
yep....thats what happens eh? I know the feeling....

I SO wanted a wenge when I ordered last year, but alas....they had no blanks at that time.
Its a wonderful wood eh? I have a Warwick thumb bass with wenge fretboard....chocolate goodness.

Waiting for the 12 string railboard to rear its lovely head...

cheers mate,
kev



Yeah, I love the Railboard, but it is becoming really, really apparent to me that I need a 12 string to do what I want to do. I mean I have a lifetime of practice and study ahead of me, and my guitars all hate me now since they get so severely ignored... hahaha

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Fri Jul 31, 2015 9:04 pm
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Post Re: Chronicles of A Minor
All right, I did all of this in one night, and I realized now that my plate was full. I wanted one last thing to work on, one final concept before I went into "digest" mode;

Pentatonics. I love rock solos with cool bends, and I am a big fan of guys like Eric Johnson, SRV, Colin James, Hendrix, Jeff Beck, etc, etc.

But, my favourite pentatonic position on guitar didn't quite 'work' on Stick. Not enough strings, a different logic, hand crashes, etc etc. What the heck? Steve A. Rips around like nobody's business, so does Greg, so does Bob and Emmett and pretty much everyone but me... Me fixey.

A simple solution, I decided to implement one pentatonic minor from the Root, and then another from the 4th. The instrument IS tuned in 4ths after all, and it gets me a position that connects to another if I practice it "up one" and "Down the other".

And again, that imaginary 9th fret is getting burned into my DNA.

One small "connective" idea, and again, it uses octaves, and gets you crossing the strings and changing positions like mad.

I messed around for an hour or so, and I must say that that not only do I know that area of the board pretty good, I can transpose it and it sticks.

In a couple of weeks, I plan to go through these same steps only this time focus on the relative "major" fingerings as my starting points.


Along the way, Steve's lessons REALLY sunk in. Harmonized triads in C Major... Right there.
Triads to infinity, right there. My left hand 10ths, right there. The compasses, right there... Dammit, I need more time in a day!

Lots more to work on, but I thought I would share the "process" of one guitarist transitioning to the Stick...

Oh yeah, if anything is wrong lemme know, I'll fix it. I may have put a dot in the wrong spot somewhere... Should be good, but one never knows. I don't use these charts I just made 'em so I could have a visual to explain what I was yammering about...


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Fri Jul 31, 2015 9:26 pm
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Post Re: Chronicles of A Minor
Thanks for this, very inspiring... Steve A is a beast!... He inspired me to understand the board and not to fear theory. He was right!.


Fri Jul 31, 2015 11:25 pm
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