2.2. Bases teóricas
2.2.2. Enfoques de gestión educativa
Now that you have the major scale under your fingers, it's time to move on to the next step, which is to start building technique. We will do this by working on various sequences and patterns until they become effortless. I must admit, sequences are and sound very mathematical which, by the way, is exactly what good improvisation shouldn't sound like. But by learning and practicing the various sequences I'm about to show you, you should eventually be able to forget them while retaining a high level of technique that will allow you to play practically anything your ear tells you to. Each sequence you learn will pose a different technical challenge and that is where true learning begins. The ultimate goal of this section is to gain technical fluidity.
What exactly is a sequence?
It is a musical equation or formula in a sense, one that generally repeats it self from each of the consecutive notes of a scale. It is math, musical math. Although there are various variations and combinations, there are basically two different types of sequences: the "intervallic" and "group of" sequence.
"Intervallic" Sequences - This type of sequence jumps directly from the starting note of the scale
(C, in the example below) to the designated interval without sounding the notes in between (in the example given below, a 4th). We then play the next note of the scale (in this case a D note) and jump to the diatonic 4th of that note (G in the example). The process continues from every consecutive note in the scale. The example given below is an ascending intervallic 4ths sequence:
"Group of" Sequences - "Group of" sequences rather than jumping directly to the interval, the
How to practice these sequences
All the sequences I've written out are written out using only one scale pattern and in one key (C major scale, pattern 4), the simplest rhythmic notation and ascending only. What you need to do:
1. Practice them in using all scale patterns and in all keys.
2. Practice them using different rhythmic figures such as triplets, sixteenth notes and various combinations.
3. Figure them out descending as well. Just do the same thing in reverse, high to low rather than low to high.
4. Practice them to backing tracks as much as you can or with a friend.
5. When you have the major scales under your fingers, move on to the other scales such as the harmonic and melodic minor scales.
Diatonic 3rds
1. Intervallic 3rds sequence - No real technical problems here except for the F to A interval on
the third to second string (third measure, third beat). You'll have to use your pinky to play both notes but since there is no jumping over strings, it doesn't pose too much difficulty. What we are basically doing with this sequence is simple; we play the first note of the scale (C in this case) and then play the note that is up a diatonic third from it, not playing any of the notes in between. We then do the same with the next note of the scale (in this case, from D):
2. Group of 3 sequence - No real technical difficulties with this one either. As it is a "group of 3"
sequence it may sound more natural using triplets, I've simply notated it using eighth notes to make it as simple as possible. It actually "rubs" a little bit played this way, which is to my liking:
Diatonic 4ths
I'm going to get into specific variations with the 4ths section only. The last two sequences were just to get you warmed up so now I'm going to show you some different variations of the different sequences. I'm only going to do this here with the 4ths and not with the other intervals for two reasons: one, it's way to much work to transcribe them all and it will take me forever. But the most important reason is because I want you to use your head. The only way you are really going to learn these things are by figuring them out for yourself. I'll only help you here with the 4ths; you'll have to figure out how to do the same things with the other intervals yourself.
3. Intervallic 4ths sequence - This is one of my favorite sequences and it poses a lot of problems.
Because 4ths generally fall on the same fret of the adjacent string, you'll have to use a lot of the same fingers for corresponding notes. You'll also get your first taste of string skipping. The F and B notes (third measure, third beat) fall on the third and first string which means you'll have to jump over the second string to get there. We are doing the same thing as in the our first sequence only this time using 4ths rather than 3rds:
5. Intervallic 4ths sequence (variation 2) - A combination of the previous two sequences:
6. Intervallic 4ths sequence (variation 3) - Rather than playing the root followed by a diatonic
4th and continuing the intervallic jump from each consecutive note in the scale, the next sequence starts with the root followed by two diatonic 4ths:
7. Group of 4 sequence - No real road blocks here. To create interest you might want to play this
Diatonic 5ths
8. Intervallic 5ths sequence - Tons of string skipping going on in this intervallic 5ths sequence:
9. Intervallic 5ths sequence (variation 1) - Same as sequence no.5, utilizing 5ths rather than
10. Intervallic 5ths sequence (variation 2) - root followed by a diatonic 5th, but rather than
continuing the pattern from next consecutive note (D in this case) we skip the note and play the interval from the third note (E) before returning to the second note (D):
11. Group of 5 sequence - The first five notes of the scale followed by the next five. You will notice
that the "group of 5" sequence played using eighth notes will rub rhythmically against the common time meter of most songs. Again, something I like:
12. Group of 5 sequence (rhythmic variation) - Sometimes the "group of” sequences work
best applied using the same rhythmic figure as the number in the group. Since the notes are grouped in fives, see if you can play each group of five notes over one beat. This is difficult to do so it may help to verbalize the rhythm by verbalizing a five-syllable word. One I use for five is; "opportunity" OP-POR-TU-NI-TY. Just tap your foot and say opportunity to each beat and you'll be verbalizing a 5 over 1 rhythm. As the following sequence is basically the same as the previous one using a different rhythm, I've only notated one measure:
Diatonic 6ths
13. Intervallic 6ths sequence - The string-skipping thing is getting out of hand:
14. Group of 6 sequence - The most natural way to play this sequence would be using triplets but
Diatonic 7ths
15. Intervallic 7ths sequence - You have a big jump on the last beat of the second measure, over
two strings:
16. Group of 7 sequence - If your tempo is slow enough, try this sequence using seven notes per
beat:
Make these and the other sequences you come up with part of your everyday practice routine. They are a must for developing technique.
CHAPTER 10: ARPEGGIOS
Scales vs. Arpeggios
There are basically two different methods of improvisation, one employs the use of scales over a given chord or chord progression, the other, the use of arpeggios. Many players adhere to either one method or the other but to become a great improviser, you should become an expert of them both. It is however, much easier to outline the chord changes in songs with fast tempos and many key changes such as in Bebop using arpeggios. The important thing to remember is that arpeggios are born from scales, just as the diatonic chords. They can all be found in the diatonic scale and it is beneficial to be learned from that standpoint. Let’s take a look at the arpeggios that can be found in the pattern 4 major scale that we have been working on. All examples (unless otherwise stated) will be given using the diatonic arpeggios in the proper order (C, Dmin, Emin, F, G, Amin, Bdim) Let’s start with the diatonic triad arpeggios:
diatonic one-octave triad arpeggios
C Dmin Emin F G Amin Bdim
1. Diatonic one-octave triad arpeggio sequence – Although the trick to using arpeggios is to
use them over the proper chord, in other words, a C arpeggio over a C chord, a D minor arpeggio over a D minor chord and so forth, this sequence is a good exercise to get you started:
diatonic open-voiced triad arpeggios
C Dmin Emin F G Amin Bdim
2. Diatonic open-voiced triad arpeggio sequence - Similar in theory as the previous exercise
except the 3rd is placed last and an octave above the 5th, Ex: 1 - 5 - 3. This technique is sometimes called octave displacement. These triad arpeggios are similar to the type Eric Johnson uses:
diatonic one octave 7th arpeggios
Cmaj7 Dmin7 Emin7 Fmaj7 G7 Amin7 Bmin7(b5)
3. Diatonic one-octave 7th arpeggio sequence – 7th arpeggios only contain four notes and
should be practiced in every possible combination. There are twenty-four different combinations (use the chart on page 27 for a reference). There are too many to give individual exampled for them all but I will give you a few starting with the most simple: 1-3-5-7:
4. Diatonic one-octave 7th arpeggio sequence (variation 2) – 7th arpeggios in this order of
intervals: 1-5-3-7:
5. Diatonic one-octave 7th arpeggio sequence (variation 3) – 7th arpeggios in this order of
intervals: 1-7-5-3:
6. Diatonic one-octave 7th arpeggio sequence (variation 4) – 7th arpeggios in this order of
7. Diatonic one-octave 7th arpeggio sequence (variation 5) – 7th arpeggios in this order of
intervals: 7-3-5-1:
diatonic one-octave add9 arpeggios
Cadd9 Dmin add9 Emin add(b9) Fadd9 Gadd9 Amin add9 Bdim add(b9)
8. Diatonic add9 arpeggio sequence - If we include the diatonic passing tone between the root
and 3rd before playing the 5th, we get an add9 arpeggio that John Coltrane used quite often. The order of intervals: 1-2-3-5:
Practicing over Chord Progressions
When using arpeggios rather than scales as an improvisational tool, the point is to play the same arpeggio as the chord. It takes a bit of practice but is an important part of being a good soloist. First let’s try to apply the proper arpeggios to a diatonic chord progression:
This technique will come in handy when playing over chords that are not completely related and at a tempo where using scales may not be practical. The following example changes keys several times:
Practice using arpeggios over various chord progressions both diatonic and not. Try to make the arpeggios sound musical by varying the order of intervals and using various rhythmic figures. When you are familiar with all the arpeggio shapes, you can move on the next section that deals with superimposing them.
Arpeggio Substitutions
A substitution is a simple way to create upper extensions by superimposing specific arpeggios over a chord. So far we have practiced using arpeggios over the same chord, for example a Cmaj7 arpeggio over a Cmaj7 chord but other arpeggios can be superimposed to create more musical interest. I’ll give some of the more common ones as examples but the possibilities are endless.
Common Arpeggio Substitutions for Major Chords
1. Min7 arpeggio played on the 3rd degree of a Major Chord – For demonstrative purposes,
let’s say that the major chord in question is a Cmaj7 chord. The 3rd of the chord is E, so the substitution would be an Emin7 arpeggio. Take a look at the analysis below and you will understand why. The Emin7 arpeggio simply creates a Cmaj9 tonality so rather than playing a Cmaj7 arpeggio over a Cmaj7 chord, an Emin7 arpeggio is another alternative:
2. Min7 arpeggio played on the 6th degree of a Major Chord – Again, by studying the analysis
below we can see that the Amin7 arpeggio played over a C major chord implies a C6 tonality:
In this example, I superimpose both an Amin7 and Emin7 arpeggio over the Cmaj7 chord:
What other arpeggios could you superimpose over a Cmaj7 chord? Try these: Gmaj7, D. What extensions would they create?
Common Arpeggio Substitutions for Minor Chords
1. Maj7 arpeggio played on the b3rd degree of a Minor Chord – For demonstrative purposes,
let’s say that the minor chord in question is Cmin7. The b3rd would be Eb, so the arpeggio to be played would be a Ebmaj7 arpeggio. The maj7 arpeggio superimposed this way, creates a min9 tonality:
In this example, I’ve superimposed an Ebmaj7 arpeggio over the Cmin7 chord and combine both a Dmin7 and Bbmaj7 arpeggio for the Bbmaj7 chord:
What other arpeggios could you superimpose over a Cmin7 chord? Try these: Amin7(b5), Gmin7. What extensions would they create?
Common Arpeggio Substitutions for Dominant Chords
1. Dim7 arpeggio played on the 3rd degree of a Dominant chord – Another common
substitution that creates the sound of a 7b9 chord:
2. Dominant 7 arpeggio played on the b5th degree of a Dominant chord – This is a very
common substitution used to create an altered tonality. Examine the analysis below:
And in this last example, the F#7 arpeggio superimposed over the C7b9 chord creates a
Arpeggio Overview
The following charts should give you some insight on what arpeggios can be superimposed over specific chord types. Along with the ones we have covered previously in this chapter, I have also included other possibilities. Some of these will work better over vamps but regardless, feel free to experiment. Starting with major family chords:
Possible Arpeggios that can be Superimposed over Major Family Chords arpeggio degree to be played on chord/scale tones created comments
major triad 1 1,3,5
major triad 2 9,#11,13 lydian tonality
major triad 5 5,7,9
major triad 3 3,#5,7 lydian augmented tonality
min7 3 3,5,7,9 standard substitution
min7 6 1,3,5,6 standard substitution
maj7 5 5,7,9,#11 lydian tonality
min7b5 #4 1,3,#11,13 lydian tonality
For minor family chords:
Possible Arpeggios that can be Superimposed over Minor Family Chords arpeggio degree to be played on chord/scale tones created comments
augmented triad b3 b3,5,7 melodic minor tonality
augmented triad 5 b3,5,7 melodic minor tonality
augmented triad 7 b3,5,7 melodic minor tonality
major triad b3 b3,5,b7
major triad 4 1,11,13
major triad 5 5,7,9 melodic minor tonality
major triad b7 b7,9,11
major triad 7 b3,b5,7
major triad 2 b5,9,13
maj7 b3 b3,5,b7,9
min7b5 6 1,b3,5,13
For min7(b5) chords:
Possible Arpeggios that can be Superimposed over min7(b5) Chords arpeggio degree to be played on chord/scale tones created comments
augmented triad 2 b5,b7,9 locrian #2 tonality
augmented triad b5 b5,b7,9 locrian #2 tonality
augmented triad b7 b5,b7,9 locrian #2 tonality
For unaltered dominant chords:
Possible Arpeggios that can be Superimposed over Unaltered Dominant Chords arpeggio degree to be played on chord/scale tones created comments
augmented triad 2 b7,9,#11 lydian dominant tonality
augmented triad b5 b7,9,#11 lydian dominant tonality
augmented triad b7 b7,9,#11 lydian dominant tonality
major triad 2 9,#11,13 lydian dominant tonality
min7b5 3 3,5,b7,9
min7b5 #4 1,3,6,#11 lydian dominant tonality
min(maj7) 5 5,7,9,#11 lydian dominant tonality
For sus chords:
Possible Arpeggios that can be Superimposed over sus Chords arpeggio degree to be played on chord/scale tones created comments
maj7 b7 4,b7,9,13
major triad 4 1,4,6
For altered dominant chords:
Possible Arpeggios that can be Superimposed over Altered Dominant Chords arpeggio degree to be played on chord/scale tones created comments
dim7 3 3,5,b7,b9 diminished tonality
dim7 5 3,5,b7,b9 diminished tonality
dim7 b7 3,5,b7,b9 diminished tonality
diminished triad b2 3,5,b7,b9 diminished tonality
augmented triad 1 1,3,#5 altered tonality
augmented triad 3 1,3,#5 altered tonality
augmented triad #5 1,3,#5 altered tonality
major triad b3 5,b7,#9 diminished tonality
major triad b5 b5,b7,b9 altered tonality
major triad 6 3,b9,13 diminished tonality
major triad b6 1,#5,#9 altered tonality
min7b5 b7 3,#5,b7,b9 altered tonality
CHAPTER 11: INTRODUCING THE MODES OF THE MAJOR SCALE
The ModesNow we can go on to the modes of the major scale. If you are new to using these modes you should work on each mode one at a time until you have it under your fingers. You must be completely familiar with the major scale before starting. If you are ready, start by memorizing the names and order. This is the basic formula; if we take a major scale (let's say a C major scale) and write it from the root to the root (C) we will get the ionian mode. Write it from the 2nd degree, D to D in this case, we'll get the dorian mode. E to E, the phrygian mode. F to F, the lydian mode. G to G, the mixolydian mode. A to A, the aolian mode. And last but not least, B to B will give you the locrian mode. I used the C major scale as an example but it works the same for all the major scales.
1. Ionian (the major scale) 2. Dorian
3. Phrygian 4. Lydian 5. Mixolydian
6. Aolian (the natural minor scale) 7. Locrian
The order of the modes will never change even when the key does. Examine the chart below. By checking the very bottom column of the chart you can find out what chord the mode works over. Ex. the D dorian mode is the same as the C major scale and works over an Dmin7 chord.
Key ionian dorian phrygian lydian mixolydian aolian locrian
C C D E F G A B
G G A B C D E F#
Warning!
This is where a lot of players get confused. They ask; "How come when I play the D dorian scale it sounds the same as the C major scale?" Of course it does, cause it is! It's not the scale; it's the chord that counts. If you play a C major scale, D to D, over a C major chord, it's going to sound like a C major scale because that's what it is. You have to use the mode over the appropriate chord to get the modal effect. In this case, you have to play the D dorian mode over a D minor chord. Matter of fact, you don't even have to play it D to D, you just have to play a C major scale over a D minor chord to get the dorian sound.
Remember: It isn't where you start and stop in the major scale; it's the chord or chord progression
you play over. The C major scale played over a D minor chord is a D dorian scale whether you start on the C note or not.
Analyzing the Dorian Mode
Now we are going to get into the dorian mode; how to find it and how to use it. First of all, let's examine it closely. If we compare it to the D major scale below it we can see the difference. It looks like the major scale with a minor third and a minor seventh. As it also contains the major 6th, it has more of a bright sound compared to it's minor brothers the aolian and the phrygian mode, which both contain the minor 6th making them sound darker.
D dorian scale
Harmonizing the Dorian Mode
If we start making chords from the scale, by stacking it by the root, third, and fifth we first get a minor triad. If we add the seventh, we get a Dmin7th chord. If we continue, a min9th and min11th chord. This is the important thing to remember; the 6th (or 13th) is major. Therefore we get a min13th and/or min6th chord. Remember this too; a min6 chord has a major sixth not a minor one: 1-b3-5-6. Same with a min13 chord: 1-b3-5-b7-13. The only difference between a
min6 and min13 chord is, a min13 chord contains a seventh (b7) while the min6 chord doesn’t.