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The idea for this lesson comes from George vanEps’ Harmonic Mechanisms for Guitar (Mel Bay). This is a three volume book and covers a lot of very interesting stuff.
This example below shows the notes of a B major scale with stems going up and the notes of the C major scale with stems pointing down. The concept behind this is simply to approach every note in the C major scale from a note a half step below. “So what”, you say,”it’s a chromatic scale with a coupla repeated notes”. But its also structured! You are actually playing in two different keys at once.
When you play this you need to emphasize the note you are playing towards (in this example the notes of the C major scale). This will make the B major notes sound like passing tones.
When you play this example from top to bottom you approach every note of the C major scale by a half step above. This crosses the C major scale with a Db major scale.
Try the same thing in minor. In this example C minor melodic crossed with a B minor melodic.
Of course when you play this from top to bottom it’s C minor melodic crossed with Db minor melodic.
Now, just to make it even harder, play an ascending B major scale and a descending C major scale alternating the notes of each scale:
This is hard to sight read. But doing it without reading really puts your knowledge of scales to the test.
Of course now the same but in reverse:
And again we go: What do we need that for? Will it make me play a better solo? Will my fingers wiggle even faster? Will I become rich and famous? Is there such a thing as a red-meat-vegetarian?
My answer is: Knowledge can’t hurt! And in these examples your fingers learn. You learn to think with your fingers. I know many players who know a lot of good theory but simply never put it to use - because it’s in their head. And when you improvise information has to travel fast, and the best is if the information is already where it’s needed.
As a Jazz improviser you also deal with tension and release all the time (I hope). Playing ‘outside’ and ‘inside’ is one way to do that. But it’s not a black and white affair. It’s like a good movie or book - you want to hold the listener’s attention by developing a story line and being able to actually put it into notes.
And no!, a vegetarian is a vegetarian!
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