The harmonic universe: part 1
Closed voicings
I like the sound of closed voicings but they can be a stretch to play unless the chord is shared with another player.
The formula:: 1 = root, 3 = 3rd (minor or major), 5 = fifth, 7 = 7th (flat or Major)
7
5
3
1
So CMaj7 is easy to play, C is on the 3rd fret of the A string, E is on the 2nd fret of the D string, the fifth is open G and the 7th is open B.
1st inversion: take each interval and move it up to next
7 > 1
5 > 7
3 > 5
1 > 3
2nd inversion: same principle, the 3rd becomes the fifth, the fifth becomes the 7th etc...
7 > 1 > 3
5 > 7 > 1
3 > 5 > 7
1 > 3 > 5
Last inversion: 7th on the bottom etc...
7 > 1 > 3 > 5
5 > 7 > 1 > 3
3 > 5 > 7 > 1
1 > 3 > 5 > 7
Practice ideas in order of difficulty:
1 play each voicing in the three locations: bottom four strings, middle four strings and top four strings
2 take any chord through its four formulas. Some might be playable, some might sound nice
3. play each formula diatonically ie Maj7 > min7 > min7 > Maj7 > min7 > dom7 > min7 > min7b5
4. pick an inversion say 3 5 7 1, locate the 3rd and make it minor, locate the 7th and flatten it, raise/lower the fifth etc...
The formula:: 1 = root, 3 = 3rd (minor or major), 5 = fifth, 7 = 7th (flat or Major)
7
5
3
1
So CMaj7 is easy to play, C is on the 3rd fret of the A string, E is on the 2nd fret of the D string, the fifth is open G and the 7th is open B.
1st inversion: take each interval and move it up to next
7 > 1
5 > 7
3 > 5
1 > 3
2nd inversion: same principle, the 3rd becomes the fifth, the fifth becomes the 7th etc...
7 > 1 > 3
5 > 7 > 1
3 > 5 > 7
1 > 3 > 5
Last inversion: 7th on the bottom etc...
7 > 1 > 3 > 5
5 > 7 > 1 > 3
3 > 5 > 7 > 1
1 > 3 > 5 > 7
Practice ideas in order of difficulty:
1 play each voicing in the three locations: bottom four strings, middle four strings and top four strings
2 take any chord through its four formulas. Some might be playable, some might sound nice
3. play each formula diatonically ie Maj7 > min7 > min7 > Maj7 > min7 > dom7 > min7 > min7b5
4. pick an inversion say 3 5 7 1, locate the 3rd and make it minor, locate the 7th and flatten it, raise/lower the fifth etc...
The harmonic universe: part 2
Drop 2 voicings
We'll apply the same reasoning we used in Part 1 closed voicings
Drop 2 are easier to play than closed voicings. Take the second highest note of a closed voicing and put it on the bottom of the chord ie the lowest note. In this example we drop the fifth to the lowest note.
7 > 7
5 > 3
3 > 1
1 > 5
Do that with the four closed voicings we saw and you get:
3 > 5 > 7 > 1
7 > 1 > 3 > 5
5 > 7 > 1 > 3
1 > 3 > 5 > 7
Same practice ideas as Closed Voicings.
7 > 7
5 > 3
3 > 1
1 > 5
Do that with the four closed voicings we saw and you get:
3 > 5 > 7 > 1
7 > 1 > 3 > 5
5 > 7 > 1 > 3
1 > 3 > 5 > 7
Same practice ideas as Closed Voicings.
The harmonic universe: part 3
Drop 3 voicings
Currently my favourite because of their clarity. The 1st and 2nd intervals are separated by a string (typically the A string) so they don't sound muddy.
Drop the 3rd highest note to the lowest note. Start with a closed voicing:
7 > 7
5 > 5
3 > 1
1 > 3
Do that with all four closed voicings and you get:
5 > 7 > 1 > 3
3 > 5 > 7 > 1
7 > 1 > 3 > 5
1 > 3 > 5 > 7
Same practice tips as Closed & Drop 2 voicings.
Drop the 3rd highest note to the lowest note. Start with a closed voicing:
7 > 7
5 > 5
3 > 1
1 > 3
Do that with all four closed voicings and you get:
5 > 7 > 1 > 3
3 > 5 > 7 > 1
7 > 1 > 3 > 5
1 > 3 > 5 > 7
Same practice tips as Closed & Drop 2 voicings.
Living in oddtimes
Masking, rhythmic illusions, hiding the "one", overriding...
Obscure terms to practise in 3 ways, in order of difficulty:
Obscure terms to practise in 3 ways, in order of difficulty:
- with a 1 bar drum loop. This gives the groove and helps internalise the pulse
- with a click only marking the "one". We have to start feeling the pulse without any groove "clues"
- with a click but the "one" is not given. Initially this forces us to count and best recreates the situation of playing with an improvising drummer/band
Whole-tone over a dominant chord has only one "out" note?!?
The Whole-Tone formula: 1 2 3 b5 #5 b7
My ears tell me there's only one "wrong" note there, the #5
• 1 is fine, obviously
• 2 & 3 are in both the major pentatonic (12357) and the mixolydian mode (12345 b6 b7) so they're fine also
• b5 is in the blues scale (1 m3 4 b5 5 7). The people's ears are used to that tension and they love it. It's the people's scale
• b7 is in the minor pentatonic (1 m3 4 5 7), the blues scale and the mixolydian mode
• #5 (or b6) is definitely wrong though, but it's outnumbered by five good notes
So over a dominant chord I'm starting to think major pentatonic & mixolydian are correct, minor pentatonic & blues scale are wrong but the people love them, and the whole tone falls somewhere in between.
My ears tell me there's only one "wrong" note there, the #5
• 1 is fine, obviously
• 2 & 3 are in both the major pentatonic (12357) and the mixolydian mode (12345 b6 b7) so they're fine also
• b5 is in the blues scale (1 m3 4 b5 5 7). The people's ears are used to that tension and they love it. It's the people's scale
• b7 is in the minor pentatonic (1 m3 4 5 7), the blues scale and the mixolydian mode
• #5 (or b6) is definitely wrong though, but it's outnumbered by five good notes
So over a dominant chord I'm starting to think major pentatonic & mixolydian are correct, minor pentatonic & blues scale are wrong but the people love them, and the whole tone falls somewhere in between.
Rootless chords & scales
In my ongoing quest to clarify my harmony (see Drop 3 voicings) I am now relearning my chord vocabulary (such as it is) by omitting the roots. As expected the main obstacle is muscle memory.
As for rootless scales, I like the sound of the minor pentatonic down a half step from a major/lydian chord.
As for rootless scales, I like the sound of the minor pentatonic down a half step from a major/lydian chord.