Chris L
10 posts
Oct 01, 2013
12:02 AM
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When I came across Andrew Zajac's pentatonic scale charts a few weeks ago it blew my mind. Even though the info was available in other forms the charts led to a revolution in my practice and is beginning to work into my improvising in jamming.
5th position is now a favorite, and even 4th and 12th have lost their mystery, at least for the purpose of noodling along to a backing track...
What have others found to be key memorable concepts that brought about a breakthrough in your playing or improvisation skills?
(edited for clarity, apologies for misspelling Andrew's name! :( )
Last Edited by Chris L on Oct 01, 2013 8:07 PM
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dmitrysbor
120 posts
Oct 01, 2013
2:49 AM
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let's first find out who is Andrew Zajak's?
Kinda new Abersold with couple of improvising jazz books?
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arzajac
1154 posts
Oct 01, 2013
3:19 AM
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I only made up charts after finding this:
http://www.modernbluesharmonica.com/members/profile/1904555/hvyj.htm
That info blew my mind - as it will blow the mind of anyone who gets it. The problem is that plain text is not for everyone so I made up a couple of charts to better illustrate the concept.
The first chart is on my user profile page and it attributes the original idea to HVYJ (John Potts).
Jamey Abersold? Holy Mackerel!
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Custom overblow harps. Harmonica service and repair.
Last Edited by arzajac on Oct 01, 2013 3:19 AM
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Michael Rubin
814 posts
Oct 01, 2013
5:29 AM
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Where are the charts? Are the charts just Hvyj's posts on minor and major pents?
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Baker
333 posts
Oct 01, 2013
5:35 AM
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A concept that opened up new approaches for me was the idea of changing positions along with the chord changes. I know it's been discussed here a few times and I've also heard Kim Wilson talk about it, possibly in one of his Dave Barrett interview videos and I'm pretty sure Jason Ricci as talked about it on some videos too.
The idea is rather then playing in a single position over the entire i,iv,v progression you change positions over the chords
2nd position over the "i chord".
1st position over the "iv chord".
3rd position over the "v chord".
In terms of note selection this opens up a few new notes outside of the blues scale to use. However, for me, it was more about the changing the mental model of how you approach the i,iv,v structure which really opened things up.
Last Edited by Baker on Oct 01, 2013 5:35 AM
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timeistight
1393 posts
Oct 01, 2013
6:10 AM
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Playing out of the chords. Really learning all the chord tones, extensions and tensions.
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arzajac
1155 posts
Oct 01, 2013
6:46 AM
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Michael:
I made some blog posts a while back....
Pentatonic scales - Play in six different keys on one harmonica... With no overblows!
The middle octave, positions and pentatonic scales on the diatonic harmonica
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Custom overblow harps. Harmonica service and repair.
Last Edited by arzajac on Oct 01, 2013 6:47 AM
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mr_so&so
741 posts
Oct 01, 2013
10:20 AM
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Likewise, hvyj's posts on breath patterns for pentatonic scales (and arzajac's charts) were an eye-opener for me. It's taken me a while to get around to ingraining them in muscle memory, but now I'm really enjoying playing some major pentatonic tunes in 2nd pos. I am also aware that the major pentatonic scale contains the major triad (chord) tones, so you immediately know the comping tones for major blues if you learn the major pentatonic scale in 1st (IV chord), 2nd (I chord) and 3rd (V chord) positions.
What took me a long time to understand is that the pentatonic scales (major and minor) are the key to being able to sit in, improvise and accompany most types of music that you may never have heard before, because they are the simplest complete scales. Scales with more notes are generally supersets of the pentatonics, so you may be playing simpler, but you will fit in.
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Last Edited by mr_so&so on Oct 01, 2013 10:21 AM
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Frank
2863 posts
Oct 01, 2013
1:59 PM
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Here are some simple thoughts that may help guide in seeking concepts for improvising Musical Fundamentals: A Beginners Manifesto
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Chris L
11 posts
Oct 01, 2013
8:00 PM
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Thanks for jumping in Arzajac. I fired off this post on a tablet before falling asleep and should have been more specific about your pentatonic scale charts...and spelled your name correctly (sorry about that!).
The concept of using the notes of the 4,5&6 holes as the root note anchors for 3 minor and 3 major pentatonic scales was a big eye opener! And the visual representation is a huge help in creating a mental model of the music.
I was hoping to provoke some sharing about other breakthrough concepts that affected anyone's playing. Thanks for that link, Frank! Your manifesto will deserve some careful reading. Just what I was looking for.
Anyone else up to share?
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The Iceman
1199 posts
Oct 02, 2013
5:34 AM
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My breakthrough was helped by listening to a lot of Miles Davis, especially Ascent to the Scaffold soundtrack.
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The Iceman
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Miles Dewar
1507 posts
Oct 02, 2013
7:39 AM
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1) Limit the notes you use.
2) Phrase as if you are writing text.
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undertheradar
48 posts
Oct 02, 2013
9:24 AM
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The breath patterns just look like the notes affiliated with the scale. I have to see 2d, 3db,4b,4db,4d, 5d,6b etc to see a "pattern"
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colman
268 posts
Oct 02, 2013
9:37 AM
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Scales for me are like a interstate hwy. no red lights just exit and enter.Good to know,i seldom use them.its always been a language [blues] learn the words that the
blues men use ,then you can talk the talk get poetic or sing the song...there are a lot of dialects in the blues.
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chromaticblues
1474 posts
Oct 02, 2013
9:38 AM
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Steve Baker's "Harp hand Book"
and
Glen Wieser's "Blues Rock" something?
I think it was Glen Wieser's book that explained scale degree's, chord tones and non chord tones (he called them passing tones).
20+ years ago I thought that was the best harmonica instructional book. Once I understood the concept of the book I was capable of teaching myself how to make sense of recordings!
Well alot of them! What I didn't get easy I just put it aside and went back to it latter.
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S-harp
179 posts
Oct 02, 2013
2:40 PM
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I was working on boiling down my playing ... while practising I went all the way down to only using hole two and three through all chord progressions. Did this and only this for some time, 'till something happened ... I found something fundamental, that otherwise easily would be drowned in positons, fancy licks, copying or what not ...
like Miles Dewar pointed out ... limit the notes, work the phrasing ...
I also discovered the paus ... suddenly the solo or what ever is happening at the moment goes silent ... that's quite a musical statement ... or like somebody said, that's where much of the music is.
Part from that, something also happened while listening/ playing along with slow smooth/cool jazz like Chet Baker ... jazz with horns has a lot to teach harp players.
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The tone, the tone ... and the Tone
Last Edited by S-harp on Oct 02, 2013 2:41 PM
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